Rock Your Camera

In my most recent photography post, I gave you a link for Clickin' Moms...a new forum that I discovered. I've come to really LOVE it. It's a wonderful site for those who are just figuring out how to use their camera...as well as professional photographers. They have tutorials, giveaways, places where you can post for critique, etc. Many of you write to me asking questions about your photography business...and there is a great forum dedicated specifically for that. I've found it very helpful. There is such a talented pool of women there...so much fun to read. Be careful though...it's addicting!

Right now, they are running a contest for their affiliates, so if enough of you sign up...I can win some yummy prizes! (I really want that 5D Mark II...but even the Starbucks gift card would make my day). The links in this post are embedded with my afilliate code...so no need to enter anything. Just click here and sign up.

Disclaimer: I am trying out some new affiliate programs/sponsorships. Please know that I will only endorse things that I really adore and have actually used. By signing up and/or using these products, you help our family in our mission to inspire others on the road. Every little bit of income helps...I appreciate your love and support so much!!

I'm in LOVE with Groupon!

I've recently discovered this awesome discount/coupon site called Groupon. They have daily deals for restaurants, museums, massage...cupcakes! :) It's available in most major cities and it's gaining popularity. If you sign up...please use my affiliate code so I can earn some extra $$ for fun stuff in the cities we travel to! Check it out here.

Simplify Saturday

If you've ever taken steps to simplify your life or home, then you know that it's not just a one time deal. It's an on-going journey...one that takes diligence and commitment to maintain. There are lots of little tricks that you can implement to make it easier for you. In our family, one of the things we try to do weekly is a purge of our "extra stuff". I've nicknamed it "Simplify Saturday". You could pick your own catchy name. Like "Thrifty Thursday" or "I Want Less Wednesday". :)

Every Saturday, we get out grocery bags and we walk around the RV and grab stuff that we are not actively using or something that we know someone else will use more than us. Most of it comes from our closets. It's amazing how few clothes a person actually wears on a daily basis from their wardrobe. You have to be brutally honest with yourself and only keep the clothes that fit these criteria:

• I wear this on a weekly or monthly basis.
• This makes me feel beautiful.
• I have to wear this for work.

Yep. That's it. Get rid of the rest. If you don't LOVE it, it's gone. If it doesn't fit you very well, it's gone. You will feel free...like a bird. If it helps you, you can say Bella's mantra out loud as you go: "I can give more stuff away if I just try harder".  In fact, just today she told me that she really doesn't like hanging clothes up and she wanted to give most of her clothes away so she just had a few things to put away. I was all for that. So she went through and gave away another bag full...on top of the bag she already did yesterday! I love this girl. She's hard core.

To make it even easier, I've now implemented a giveaway drawer. Everything we come across during the week that we want to giveaway goes in that drawer. Out of sight, out of mind. Even items that we think we MIGHT want to get rid of go in this drawer. On Saturday, we go through it one more time and the drawer gets emptied into a bag with the rest of the stuff. Many people have another version of this...and it's just a box by the back door. That way, you see it when you're walking out and you remember to take it to Goodwill or your thrift store of choice.

Keeping clutter at a minimum is the key to a less chaotic home. Clutter saps your energy! It makes you feel overwhelmed. When your home is uncluttered, so is your mind. Live clutter free and be happy.

Happy simplifying!