New Mama Tip #30

Take the normal exhaustion that pregnancy brings, combine it with a sick 2 year old, a husband in graduate school, a part-time job, laundry, groceries, etc...and you have one crazy mom! I barely made my 30 tips in 30 days goal.

So, my last tip for January is to JUST RELAX and play with your family! Pick just a few things to focus on this year and let the rest go.

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

New Mama Tip #29

So, if you haven't had enough organizing tips to last you the entire year...then maybe Organize Magazine is for you! Or, if you prefer the blog format...check out Clutter Control Freak. Maybe you already have lots of organizational ideas in your head...you just need to purchase some tools to get you started...check out TheOrganizedParent.

New Mama Tip #28

Everything month I get 7 or 8 "bills" in the mail. I'm never sure which ones I need to keep and which to throw away...so I pretty much save everything, at least for a year.

I have a 3-ring binder for the year, with dividers for each month. In the front pocket I put bills that need to be paid. As I pay them, I place them behind the appropriate divider. At the end of the year, I go through all the bills and keep anything that is still important (i.e. warranty information, medical bills, tax information, etc.).

Here are a few other tips I found online:

Real Simple has an easy solution.
Check out MomReady for bill organizing tips...and other great organization tips.

Now is a great time to get your bills organized and ready for the year!

New Mama Tip #27

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New Mama Tip #26

Though my daughter is just starting to create her own artwork, I can see that in a few months we could accumulate quite the stack. Check out Design Mom's tips to not only curb the clutter, but make it useful, beautiful and memorable.

FYI: This is one of my daily blog reads...I love Design Mom!

New Mama Tip #25

I have to admit that I thought the "going green" movement was just that...only a movement, a trend, a fad...but it seems as if it is here to stay. So, I have been contemplating what changes I can make in my family. Here are a few resources that I enjoy as I look for ways to make changes...big and small.

The Daily Green - The Consumer's Guide to the Green Revolution
Danny Seo's blog - he is a green living expert, and a contributor to Country Home Magazine. I love his crafty ideas!
Green Mom Finds - the perfect resource for moms going green!

New Mama Tip #24

One of my new year's resolutions is to volunteer more in my community...especially with my family. So, I thought I would compile a list of both local & national resources that can help in determining which organizations you want to support...

Volunteer San Diego is the best resource for everything you need to know about volunteering in San Diego. Find projects you can help with, research organizations, check out their youth volunteer guide or list an event or project of your own!

There are still a lot of ways you can help with the fire relief efforts from last year's tragic fires. Check out our joint-fundraiser with SanDiegoBargainMama.com and SanDiegoTravelTips.com.

Also, check out the So-Cal Fire Poster Project...."Donated by designers and artists around the globe, posters sold at the So-Cal Fire Poster Project raise funds for victims of the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego Counties. All proceeds will be given to the Salvation Army, for the 2007 California Wildfire fund."

Or, if you want an easy way to give back and get your shopping done at the same time check out IGive.com. You shop from over 680 stores online, then a proceed of your purchase goes to the charity of your choice.

If you are unsure about which charity you should give your money to, check out Charity Navigator...they evaluate charities nationwide to make sure they are legitimate.

There are plenty of ways to get involved and give back...at whatever level you choose...the key is to choose one!