I know balancing caring for others with caring for ourselves has been a theme of mine all year long but it seems to be a struggle for most of us.   However, if you don’t do something for yourself each and every day to take care of your body, mind, and spirit, you won’t be any good to anybody.  Plain and simple.

So, if you are the unselfish ever-giving type person, consider this resolution one you are making for your family and not yourself.  You should be taking “self-care” seriously.

Hopefully now, I’ve given even the most strident disbeliever an out and you will do something for yourself if it will benefit the family, yes?  Okay.

Now, what can you do for yourself.  Let’s review 10 of my favorite simple pleasures that I posted throughout the year.

1)  Mommy Only Trip To The Library. I know you know where all the greatest kids books are and when all the cool programs for children are held each week.  Now it’s time to take yourself to the library and treat yourself to some adult time.  Click here to read how a little time at the library can be justified and scheduled.

2)  Tea Time For One. Sipping a cup of tea is guaranteed to put you in a better state of mind.  Depending on the tea or herbs involved, you’ll relax or invigorate your mind and body to get on with your day.  Even the ritual, the preparation of the tea has soothing properties.  Click on this link to read more about the benefits of having a little down time with a cup of tea.

3)  Try A Healthy Diet. Sometimes the family isn’t interested in maintaining a healthy diet, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow suit.  Feed yourself well and you’ll feel and look better.  The rest of the family may notice the change and want to know how you did it.  But, if they don’t, you still have the advantages of a nutritionally sound diet to keep you fit and feeling good.  Click here to read more about the reasons you should eat right.

4)  Spa Luxuries Without Leaving Home. It would be nice to spend the day at a luxury spa, but who’s got the time or the money?  With just a few household and food products you can create a spa atmosphere in your own bathroom.  Light the candles, mix up some aromatic potions, and enjoy some much deserved moments to yourself.  You’ll emerge a new person… well, at least a more relaxed person!  Click here to find recipes and tips for making your own homemade luxuries.

5)  Snack On Roasted Almonds For A Nutritional Boost. If your day consists of snack attacks, replace those chips with almonds and enjoy the benefits of healthy snacking.  Not only will you satisfy your hunger, but you’ll do so with healthy nutrition.  Click here to read the benefits of snacking on almonds plus how to roast your own almonds perfectly to your liking.

6)  Cozy Up With A Book. If you’ve been missing your old friend “a good book” lately, it’s time to get reacquainted.  Find a quiet corner and start turning some pages.  If you’re out of the loop and don’t know what book to choose, you can do a little catching up if you click right here.

7)  Build Yourself A Backyard Oasis. When the weather starts to get warmer, and the nurseries start stocking flowering plants, it’s time to start plotting out a spot for yourself in the backyard.  Pick a sunny or shady spot, depending on your weather and your temperament, and start raking, sweeping, and arranging your corner.  Drag out a few chairs, tables, or whatever it takes to make you cozy.  Then settle in and enjoy a few minutes each day to yourself.  Click here to read some specifics about how to get started.

8)  Dust Off Your Bike. Come summertime we all get our kids’ bikes ready to go, right?  But, for some reason yours is still collecting dust in the corner of the garage.  Drag that bike out and get it ready to go right along with the other ones.  You deserve to peddle around the neighborhood, too!  I guarantee when you climb on that bike you’ll feel like a kid again.  You may even get addicted to riding your bike and want to make it a healthy habit!  Read information about getting back on your bike by clicking here.

9)  Good Reasons To Take A Nap. Many people deny themselves a nap when they most need one.  But, studies prove that short naps can help reduce stress and illness.  You’re not giving in to a weakness by napping.  Far from it.  You are listening to your body and taking care of yourself.  Click here to check out the reasons why laying down for a few minutes may be the best thing you can do for yourself today.

10) Indulge In A Sweet Frothy Drink. After all that healthy food and exercise, you deserve a totally decadent treat.  Who says taking care of yourself can’t include a few sweets?  Click here to find the greatest, frothiest, creamiest, and most decadent smoothie drink I’ve come across in a long time!

If you do each of these ten things at least once or twice throughout the coming year, I guarantee you’ll start to see the wisdom in treating yourself as well as you treat everyone else.  Then, maybe you will learn to take a moment each and every day to pamper yourself just a bit.  Have a Happy and Healthy New Year filled with all sorts of Fuzzy Wuzzy Moments!

Once again, as I take down all my tree lights, ornaments, and decorations I think “Maybe this year I’ll organize everything.”

Of course, that is a great idea, but by the time I get ready to take all the decorations down, it just seems like the job is already so big that adding organizing is just another task.

But the truth is, the task of decorating becomes a lot more difficult when faced with the inevitable tangled lights, knotted garland, and multiple hiding places for all the miscellaneous ornaments and such.  To be honest, once all the Christmas tree lights and ornaments are organized, decorating the house would be a lot easier.  So, here I go… planning my strategy.

The first thing I decided to do was to pick one spot for all the decorations.  Since we have a closet near the garage entry that doesn’t get that much use, I’m thinking this would be a good spot to start.  I can’t store too many things in the garage because of the damp conditions caused by some wet seasons here.  So, an indoor closet is best in my case.  However, if I run out of room, the tree lights and outdoor lights will be fine stored in their own container in the garage since there is no danger in ruining them.

Moving everything around or out of my closet is the first step because I want to see how much room I actually have.  Once I determine that, by taking several measurements, I’m going shopping for some special storage.

Lights: This is normally my worse problem.  I think every year that I’ll find something to wrap the lights around, and usually can find something that will work.  A simple cardboard tube left over from gift wrap or paper towels works pretty well.  But, it depends on who’s helping.  If they let the lights slip off the end of the tube, the lights get tangled anyway.

For a more permanent solution there are reels like the one here, where the lights are reeled right up like fishing line.  Click on the picture to take a look.

Or, the storage boxes with inserts for several strings of lights were nice, like the ones here.  You can get a closer look when you click on the picture here.

Ornaments: Besides keeping ornaments organized to make them easier to find, I really need to get my ornaments put away neatly to keep them safe.

A very nice organizer that is easy to handle, not very bulky, is a see through plastic bin right here.  Click on the picture to see how nice these boxes are.

Another option is the shallow box with movable dividers which is only 5 inches tall so it would fit under a bed if that turns out to be a good spot for storage.  Check out this storage solution by clicking on the picture.

Artificial Tree: If you have an artificial tree, you know that storage can become a problem after a few years.  The box that it came in won’t last forever!  There are a couple storage options for your tree.

This one actually has wheels so it can be more easily moved, especially if you have a big, heavy tree.  Check that out by clicking on the picture.

Another option is the big plastic bin type storage solution.  It’s nice especially if you need to stack it with other things in the garage or basement.  Click on the picture to check out this tree storage box.

Those are my big storage issues.  I think between these items I should be able to find solutions that fit both my needs and my budget.  Come January, my mission will be to carefully remove and safely store all my nice Christmas decorations so that when December rolls around next year, I’ll be prepared and organized!  Hope you find this to be helpful in your effort today to tidy up!

p.s.  For great tips you can use all year long for organizing and cleaning your home, check out Spring Cleaning Tips For Mom.  You don’t have to wait until spring to get your house sparkly clean and organized!

What do you consider your biggest challenge as you try to institute frugal living into your everyday life?

Since it’s almost the New Year, I’d like to examine a “Two Step Frugal Resolution” to consider for 2010.

Step 1) I Resolve To Become More Informed

Anyone who tries to institute new methods for frugal living knows that the first thing to do is gather information.  If you keep doing the same thing over and over again and you’re not saving any money, you may not have accurate information.

For instance, let’s say you’ve been shopping at a big warehouse store because you’ve heard you’ll save money, but your grocery budget hasn’t really improved like you wanted.  It’s time to go back and not only compare prices, but review your needs, wasted products, impulse buying, etc.  There are reasons to shop at big warehouse stores and there are reasons NOT to shop at big warehouse stores.  Educate yourself about the pros and cons, as well as your own habits, before you decide to shop using this route.

Another example of where information reigns supreme is energy usage as well as other simple household money saving ideas.  Talk to your energy provider to find out if they offer a free energy use examination of your house or apartment.  Ask about the money you may save by installing updated thermostats or energy saving appliances.  Do you qualify for any tax incentives to upgrade heating or cooling equipment, windows, or insulation?  A quick search or two on the internet will give you information about how much money you’ll save if you simply turn off lights, televisions, monitors, computers, and games when not in use.  Compare energy usage of incandescent light bulbs to florescent light bulbs, while you check out the styles of florescent light bulbs available for home use.  Information is power, and in this case, power is money!

Reviewing old habits is another avenue to gain insight and information.  You may be comfortable paying the same old phone bill each month or the same old car insurance premium.  Perhaps a bit of sleuthing could enlighten you on some savings offered by other plans.  Do you need a home phone?  What could you save if you disconnected it?  Is there a service you use that could be found elsewhere for less money, or discontinued entirely?  Have you been visiting the same grocery store and buying the same fruits and vegetables when there is a farmers market down the street that’s less expensive?  Your research will pay off if you learn how to save money by making a change or two in your habits.

Step 2) I Resolve To Put The Information I Have To Work Every Day

We know that information about frugal living is only as good as the effort you put into these strategies each and every day.  The road to the poorhouse may be paved with good intentions, in this instance.

A good example of frugal living desire that may lack action is the recipe saver.  If you clip frugal recipes and throw them in a box, you’ll end up with a nice box of recipes.  What you won’t end up with is more grocery money at the end of the month.  A stack of frugal recipes won’t do any good if the meals never reach your table.  Instead of adding more and more recipes to your boxful of recipes, chose five, six, or seven frugal recipes and plan your meal this week around them.  Next week, do the same thing, and repeat each week.  Once you’ve made a dish, decide if the recipe is a “love it” recipe, a “like it” recipe, or a “never again” recipe and file those recipes accordingly.  Now you’re putting your frugal recipe clipping into frugal action.

Since you have the information you need to save money, you should take a hard look at whether or not you’re putting this information to work.  If you haven’t replaced your bottled water with filtered tap water yet, now is the time.  Have you set your thermostat a few degrees one way or the other to save money?  Have you shopped at the best thrift shops in your neighborhood?  Have you turned down your water heater and wrapped it in an insulated cover?  Are you monitoring your technology users to make sure their systems are turned off when not in use?  Have you switched phone plans yet?  Have you shopped for new car insurance?  Do you have a supply of florescent bulbs ready and waiting to replace your next burned out incandescent light bulb?  Have you visited your local farmers market?

We all fall short of our goals for the New Year.  We start out with guns a-blazin’ and sooner or later our resolve starts to fizzle.  That’s okay.  It happens to everyone.  But, if you don’t START with a plan you won’t have a chance of succeeding.  So, begin with a plan.  Gather the information you need in order to focus on a frugal lifestyle.  Then, put that information to good use each and every day!  You’ll soon have a bit more money to jingle in your pockets… and maybe even enough to start laughing all the way to the bank!