http://flylady.net/

This website offers a practical routine for de-cluttering your home and keeping it clutter-free. And it’s filled with lots of positive affirmations (FLY stands for Finally Loving Yourself).

By breaking your home into zones and following her daily routines, you will see your piles shrink and  become more discerning about adding new clutter to the mix. Her concept encourages newbies (Flybabies) to take the program one step at a time, rather than read ahead and attempt to renovate your home in one day. This was difficult for me, because I wanted to see a BIG change at once. But by following her tips (and not trying to be perfect) you will see a gradual change which you can maintain.

This site also offers excellent tips on getting your home ready for entertaining and a fantastic plan for preparing for a big holiday like Christmas. What fun is a holiday and family time if you’re rushing around like crazy and can’t enjoy the company? (Okay, I’m still working on this, but the Flylady has helped me to make BIG strides.)

Beware: Sigining up for her email WILL clutter you inbox with several emails through the day. But it will also keep you on track and keep the clutter away from other areas of your home.

http://familyfun.go.com/

Even when my children were too young for the ideas in the magazine Family Fun, I enjoyed flipping through and seeing what other moms might be doing. Now that I am a mom, I still enjoy perusing the pages for ideas, but often I find myself intimidated, as a lot of the ideas seem like a LOT of work and something that only “perfect” moms could really do. (I am not a perfect mom.) I have taken a few ideas from the pages and successfully tried them myself, but I find the magazine more fun to look at than attempt to imitate.

The website, however, contains many of the same type of ideas, but it is also very easy to search and narrow down to just what you might be want. So, for me, there is less intimidation factor and more good stuff just for me and my family. You can search for crafts, recipes, activity ideas, travel ideas and print tons of coloring and activity pages for free. (These are great to print for a custom activity book when traveling, by the way.) There is a monthly meal plan calendar with clickable recipes. (All the recipes I’ve tried have been easy-peasy and well-liked by ALL family members.)

The site offers an excellent email newsletter. I know, I don’t like to clog my in-box either, but these newsletters appear to be written by real moms and typically have really great, practical ideas for families with small kiddos up to high school age. I just delete the emails that aren’t applicable, file the ideas for the ones that might be applicable someday and enjoy the rest. The newsletters cover a new topic each weekday and give a you taste of what you might find on the site, with links for more. To receive the newsletters, you do have to register, but they are free. Follow the link above and search for “Dream Team Newsletters.”

http://www.preschoolexpress.com/

Not feeling all too creative, but still want creative, educational and fun things to do with your preschooler? Jean Warren’s Preschool Express is the answer.

This site is chock-full of excellent ideas for preschoolers and their parents (and teachers) arranged in an easy-to navigate format. Looking for something simple yet relevant to do every day? Print out her monthly calendar of daily ideas. Looking for fun stories or active poetry? Go to the “Music & Rhyme” or “Story” Stations. Need something to fit a theme? Her “Theme Station” lists more than 100 themes with accompanying games, crafts and activities. There is even a “Learning Station” with recomendations for parents and teachers in all sorts of areas from preparing your child for kindergarten to building self-esteem to stress-busting activity ideas. (Who can’t use those?!)

According to her website, Ms. Warren created and sold educational resources for teachers before her retirement. Now she is sharing her resources for FREE on this site, as a way to give back… And what a gift she is sharing!