I wrote this back in June, but I’m putting it at the top for those who are wondering what is going on around here for summer! I’ve been publishing some fun and inspirational stories from YOU, so keep scrolling to see those!
It’s officially-but-not-officially summer!!!! Calendar schmalendar. The kids are out of school!!!! Yeehaw!!!
(Read to the end and I’ll give you a tip on how to take a picture like that!)
Anyway, if you’ve been around for the last few years here at A Slob Comes Clean, you know I now take summers “off” from this blogging job I created out of thin air back in 2009.
Blogging is my creative outlet. My kids need to be my creative outlet for the summer.
But, I can’t go completely dark for three months, so rest assured you’ll hear from me here and there. It will just be random. Unpredictable. Whenever I feel like it. (Which is exactly what I love about summer!!)
And I’ll still be on Facebook. And I’m liking Instagram a little more these days.
I have some ideas for you for the summer.
Idea #1:
Get in the water with your kids. Not sure about that? Read my practical advice for getting to the pool with your kids here.
Idea #2:
Teach your kids to clean. Even if it’s a random Tuesday morning and only happens once this summer. It’s worth it. I promise. If you feel clueless on how to go about doing that, you might want to pick up a copy of my e-book, Teaching Kids to Clean. You can join in with this lovely community of supportive slobs over the summer, just jump in and get to work with your own kids. Go here to purchase.
You can also browse posts on this subject here. (For free!)
Idea #2:
Read ASlobComesClean.com. I know. That’s what you’re doing right this very second.
But I mean read it backwards.
I only suggest this because it’s what people do. Y’all tell me it’s like reading a novel, and that it encourages you to see in “real time” the changes and struggles and successes and failures and re-starts and such that have happened over the past almost-six years of my deslobification process. No quick fixes around here, but real life galore.
My Get Started page will tell you how to do that for free, or if you want it in e-book form so you can read offline, you can purchase a year at a time, or the first three years are now together as a set for $25.
Read it on your road trip. Laugh out loud and/or gasp at my wow-who-would-put-that-on-the-internet before pictures. If your husband is driving, he will ask what’s so funny (or horrifying) and you can read the parts that will prove someone is worse than you. Just don’t show him pictures until you stop for gas. He needs to keep his eyes on the road.
And just in time, I have Year Three in e-book form (finally!).
Click here to start with Year One.
Go big and get Years One, Two and Three together.
Idea #3:
Explore things you haven’t before. Did you know I have a page with all kinds of links to my decluttering posts, both the advice ones and the before-and-after ones? Or check out my free printable cleaning checklists.
Have you ever watched my youtube videos? There are a lot of them here, or you can go over to YouTube and watch there. Here’s a playlist of my favorite ones where I play various characters trying to unload their junk on Nony.
What about podcasts? All you need to do is hit the play button (the arrow) in the gray bar on these posts linked here, and you’ll hear my voice come out of your computer. Just my voice. Which means you can do the dishes or declutter while I blab on and on about doing the dishes and decluttering. It will be like I’m there with you while you’re working on your house. Except that I’ll actually be at the pool.
Idea #4:
Get my book. How to Manage Your Home without Losing Your Mind is traditional cleaning and organizing book. In it, I teach you the reality-based decluttering strategies and hard-learned lessons I’ve learned through my own deslobification process. It will help you look at your clutter differently and will give you actionable strategies for getting it out of your home.
My e-book, Giving God the Worst of Me, is totally free. No strings attached. I ask for your email address, but even that is optional. If you’ve ever wondered about the backstory of this blog, that e-book tells it. Basically, it is my heart in e-book form.
Idea #5:
Most of all, though, I encourage you to sign up for my email list.
You can also sign up for weekly emails. Those go out on Sunday (while I’m sitting in church) and have summaries of everything I posted in the previous week.
By signing up for those, you won’t miss anything that goes up over the summer! And you’ll get a free printable (exclusive for email subscribers) of four basic tasks that will keep your home out of total craziness over the summer. I call it my Surviving Summer ultra-basic checklist.
Photo tip: With your smart phone, take a video of your child flipping his/her hair in the water. Pause the video at the coolest part, tap your phone to remove the play button, etc. and take a screen shot of the paused video. (My friend told me this tip, I didn’t think of it myself!!) This would also work great for action shots like going off the high-dive or down the slide.
Podcast (aslobcomesclean-comfeeddailyaudioblog): Play in new window | Download
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--Nony
That is a good photo tip, haha. I never thought of that before 🙂
Hi, On a post dated July 6 2012 I tried to post the following. I’m going to leave spaces in the web addresses so hopefully it will post. If you know a link to the piece on the painted cowboy boots I would be interested to read it. cheers
Hi, When I click on the aboutone link I get
This page can’t be displayed
•Make sure the web address http : / /blog . aboutone . com is correct
This link
http : / / www . aboutone . com / author / dana / works, but I can’t see anything about Painted Cowboy Boots.
Don’t add any spaces. The way you see the website is by clicking on your name. (Try mine) Good luck.
Hi, Thought you would like
http://interestingengineering.com/students-create-self-sanitizing-door-handle-that-kills-99-8-of-germs/
Well, summer has officially hit now! and I am starting over. I have a broken wrist and the house can tell!
While everyone tells me my two middle schoolers can do all the work, I know it won’t be so smooth as just telling then to do it.
printing off the bathroom checklist TODAY and rereading my ebook 28 days. I’m one of the lucky ones that got the awesome deal of two books for $3 last year.
The laundry day yesterday is still going on today. The dishes are slowly dwindling away. The floor was swept last night and hall vacuumed for the first time in who knows how long but will of course need it again tonight (since those points have expired.)
I love having you to encourage my whole family and telling me stories I can totally relate to.
I will be reading here and there, PATIENTLY awaiting your return this fall. The kids here return July 29th!
Enjoy your summer! I’ll do my best with a wounded wing.
I finally get caught up on your blog from reading begining to present over the past few months, with perfect timing to leave me at the start of your summer hiatus so I have nothing new to read. 🙁 Enjoy your summer!
Another photo tip! BURST photos. iPhone has them, not sure about anyone else. You hold down the button while the action happens, then keep the ones that turned out and ditch the rest.
Oh my word! Just tried that, and I love it!! Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for your web site! I’ve been applying your ideas this summer and making progress.
Hi Nony!
I just found your blog this summer and have been so into it. I’m trying to do simple non-negotiables every day like a do dishes and clear counters. It’s ridiculous how simple I have to make it for myself. I’m also slowly trying to declutter– I worked on a couple projects this summer and blogged about them. My next project is the laundry room.
My Bright Blue House
Just found your blog this month. It has been such a blessing. When does school start where you are? Can’t wait for new posts! Sorry don’t mean to rush you but I sure will be waiting for your return. Thanks a bunch and God Bless!!
Linda
Awww, that’s so kind of you! School starts in less than two weeks. (I’m so sad!!)