You have a new gorgeous home in Balmoral, so you want to keep it immaculately clean. That’s the dream, anyway. Between the kids and other loved ones living in your home, the mess seems to pile up out of nowhere. Not to mention the messes left behind by entertaining or the boxes of stuff you’ve accumulated over the years and maybe not yet unpacked.
If you’re a busy parent, it may be impossible to simply rid your home of all objects that don’t “spark joy.” So, we’ve found 6 simple solutions for a tidier home.
1. Donate unwanted clothes twice a year
Spring cleaning and back-to-school are great times to rid your closets of unwanted clothes. If your kids have grown out of things, you can clear out their drawers, opening up plenty of space for your kids’ back-to-school clothes or new summer wardrobe. When your kids’ dressers and closets are tidy and they can find what they need, they feel less stressed out. Plus, it gives them the independence to find things on their own.
Check your own closet, too. It may be time to give up that once-favorite outfit that’s no longer super fresh. Don’t hang onto clothes that no longer flatter you or have slipped out of style. Instead, hang onto items that stand the test of time and let the others go. Old ties, blazers, and even shoes can also be donated at your nearest charity drop-off.
2. Join a neighborhood ‘Buy Nothing’ or ‘Free Page’ group on Facebook
Neighborhood “buy nothing” groups are all too happy to take your unwanted clutter to be recycled. This is a great option for those who are not ready to do a big, cleansing purge. You can use these groups to get rid of a little at a time or a lot if you choose. Each group has its own rules, so be sure to read them thoroughly if you join. And use caution when meeting up to exchange items or planning a porch pick-up or drop-off. If you’re more comfortable meeting up at a safe, public space like a strip mall parking lot or a municipal building, then do so.
3. Do a load of laundry every day
While this seems like a lot to ask, it’s not. Believe in the process. Doing a little every day keeps you from having to dig through piles of dirty clothes and then put away clean piles all at once. Think about it — no laundry hanging out of the hamper, no clean laundry chilling in baskets waiting to be put away all week while you’re busy. And no one-day-a-week massive laundry project.
Plus, when you wash more often, your kids will have access to their favorite outfits more often, cutting down on them begging for a certain item to be washed or, even worse, wearing a soiled ensemble.
4. Clear out the mystery boxes
Do you have boxes in your closet or garage that have gone untouched for years? It may be time to take a peek inside. Unless the box is full of treasure — whether it’s sentimental treasure or valuable goods — it may be time to get rid of the stuff inside.
More than likely, that once “cool” jacket isn’t going to come back into style. You probably don’t need all those cords, and you’re definitely never going to use those tangled holiday lights again. And if you’re hanging onto your kids’ old clothes for sentimental reasons, you can have them made into a comfortable quilt to send your kiddo off to college with something special.
5. Make sure everything has its place
Organizing is difficult for some people when they’re in the moment, but there’s a huge payoff for that effort. Organizing your home reduces stress and contributes to a healthier lifestyle. If you don’t have to constantly find things, life is much easier.
Desk organizers, clear bins, and a set of shelves are great tools to get things up off the floor and tidied away neatly. Clearing out the unwanted clutter and starting fresh, you’ll notice which tools you will need to stay organized. That way you don’t overspend on bins and drawer organizers you may not need.
6. Make the bed
Experts aren’t lying when they say that making your bed every day starts your day off right. But why? Because once we’ve tackled the first cleaning task of the day, the rest seem to just fall into place. This one good habit sprouts many others and promotes a tidier home and a healthier mind.
If you’ve been working from home in a corner of your kitchen, it might be time to upgrade to a dedicated workspace. If your home has a study, you may feel it’s a little sterile. Ready to upgrade? Here are tips for creating a stylish, dedicated workspace.
You Need a Desk
Say it with us: “The kitchen island is not a desk.” While a laptop set up on the counter may have worked for the first year of the pandemic, it’s not an optimal environment. You need a desk suited both to your needs and the space you are working in. The trend for 2022 is large, comfortable desks with room for all of your electronic equipment. If you don’t have enough space, House Beautiful suggests using corner desks, small desks with hutches or bookcases and drop-leaf tables mounted to the wall. If you are working with a Balmoral builder, find out if you can add a built-in desk.
Speaking of Gadgets
Computers and printers need wall outlets. Tablets and phones need chargers. Everything has a power cord and who wants to see (or trip) over them? How do you hide the unsightly cords while still making them accessible? Wireless chargers are a start. Cable organizers can be installed on or under your desk to keep them off the floor. Some desks have openings that hide cables. If your home is being built, make sure your study has plenty of outlets so you can place your desk anywhere in the room.
Get Comfy
When you need a break, leave your desk and hang out in your personal employee lounge by installing a separate seating area. It doesn’t have to be large. A comfortable chair and a table big enough for a cup of coffee are all you really need. If you have a larger space, add a sofa you can relax on while thinking about your next project.
Embrace Nature
Interior designers predict that 2022 will be the year we get back to nature in our homes. If you can, position your desk to take advantage of natural light streaming through a window. If you have a view, so much the better. If not, you can still bring natural elements into your space by using wood furniture, painting your walls light green, nurturing indoor plants or adding a small desktop waterfall.
Work At Night? You Need Light
You might be able to work without artificial lighting during the day, but early-morning or late-night hours call for a light source. Avoid overhead lighting. Instead, install recessed lighting or choose stylish floor lamps for a soft glow. If your office needs to serve multiple purposes, a chandelier will dress up the space.
Reflect Your Personality
Sterile offices drain creativity. A home office should celebrate your personal style. Use neutrals to make your space seem larger or to avoid being distracted. If you have a favorite color, don’t be afraid to use it on one wall at least. Your furniture should be functional but that doesn’t mean it should be ugly. Retro chairs, antique desks, colorful throw rugs are great ways to show off your aesthetic.
Boots, barbecue and fun are coming with the return of a much-loved Humble tradition — the Humble Rodeo & BBQ Cook-Off.
Nine days of fun kick off Jan. 26 with a carnival that will be open during the entire event. Ride a Ferris wheel and other popular rides and test your skills at a long list of games. Funnel cakes and other carnival food will also be available to purchase. The carnival is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily through Feb. 5. During the BBQ cook-off, carnival wristbands are $15. The carnival is free during the livestock show and rodeo.
The BBQ cook-off is open to the public 4-11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29. Your entry includes a meal and performances by Abigail Taylor and Mason Creager & The Gulf Coast Drifters on Friday and Brian Winfield and Gary Kyle on Saturday. Come ready to shop as more than a dozen vendors will be offering a variety of foods and goods for purchase. Besides judging for the best chicken, pork ribs, pork and brisket, there will be four other contest during the BBQ cook-off. Cook teams will vie for the best margaritas on Friday night and the pit challenge — which tasks high schoolers to build a BBQ pit from scratch — will be Saturday.
Young cooks will compete in two age categories during the Kids Q Cook-Off on Saturday. High school teams will face off in the Rumble in Humble cook-off. Cost for the weekend is $15. Children ages 5 and under get in free.
The Livestock Show & Rodeo kicks off Monday, Jan. 31, with rabbit, lamb, goat, broiler, turkey, swine and steer shows lined up through Wednesday, Feb. 2. Thursday, Feb. 3, brings the live auction and livestock auction, as well as a 4H Food Auction.
Rodeo action gets underway 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 4 and 5, with seven rodeo events sanctioned by the United Professional Rodeo Association and the Cowboy’s Professional Rodeo Association. In addition to competing cowboys, kids will challenge each other in a Calf Scramble, Chute Dogging and Muttin Bustin.Concerts start around 9 each evening. Bag of Donuts performs Friday and Aaron Watson takes the stage Saturday. Tickets are $20. Children ages 5 and under are free.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Humble ISD Foundation, which provides teacher grants and scholarships. The foundation has given more than $15 million to teachers and students at Humble ISD, creating a foundation for lifelong learning.
With people excited to live the “Lagoon Lifestyle,” 704 home buyers purchased new homes in Balmoral last year, enough to rank the community at No. 17 on a list of the nation’s 50 top-selling master-planned communities.
The list, compiled annually by Robert Charles Lesser & Co. (RCLCO), tracks the number of new homes sold each year in master-planned communities across the nation.
Home buyers in Balmoral have a broad choice, with 14 builders offering tons of one- and two-story floor plans to suit any need. Pricing is from the $200,000s to $500,000s, and builders offer plenty of options for further customizations.
And while the wide selection of new homes and the prime location near Beltway 8 certainly draw home buyers to Balmoral, it’s the award-winning Amenity Village anchored by the state’s first Crystal Lagoons® amenity that is the showstopper. Named “Best Community Amenity” in the 2020 Texas Association of Builders Star Awards, the complex features a 2-acre lagoon of turquoise waters surrounded by white-sand beaches. A 7,500-square-foot clubhouse with patio and infinity-edge pool overlooks the lagoon. Nearby is a splashpad, playground and sand volleyball court. Hammocks Row beckons when all you want to do is sway in the breeze and relax with a good book.
But these amenities are not the only ones Balmoral residents enjoy. Trails crisscross the community, and two new parks open soon. Victory Park will encompass a tennis court, basketball pavilion and sports field for sports enthusiasts. Kids will enjoy two playgrounds. An amphitheater with a stage, a picnic pavilion with restrooms and an outdoor kitchen complete the park.
Fitness buffs can challenge themselves at the upcoming Fitness Hub Park, which will have a climbing wall, bamboo jungle, cargo net, dip station, row station and more to target a variety of muscle groups.
Connecting amenities to homes is the GreenBoLT, a 12-foot-wide path that easily accommodates pedestrians and cyclists.
This is the third year Balmoral has been ranked among the nation’s 50 best-selling communities.
The New Year represents a new beginning which is why many of us make New Year’s resolutions. Does it work? According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, people who make New Year’s resolutions are 10 times more likely to change their behavior. That’s good news! Ready to make a fresh start? Here are some tips for making and keeping resolutions. If you are resolved to find a new home, visit Balmoral and check that one off your list today.
There Can Be Only One
Trying to change five different things about yourself is a recipe for failure. Instead of creating a laundry list of resolutions, make just one. Once you have achieved your goal, set another one.
Get Real
It’s important to set a realistic, specific goal. Instead of resolving to “get in shape,” commit to going to the gym three times a week. Instead of trying to “eat healthier meals,” purchase a vegetarian cookbook and commit to making three healthy meals a week. Over time, these behaviors will become ingrained, and you will see other changes.
Ask Yourself Why
As yourself why you want to make a change. If you want to lose weight, are you doing it for health reasons, to fit into your old clothes or to feel better about yourself? Knowing why you want to change helps you zero in on what success will look like for you.
Break It Down
Break your resolution into small, achievable goals. This keeps you from overdoing it, helps you plan for setbacks and keeps you on track. If you are thinking of running a marathon, try going for a short run or jog two or three times a week and gradually work up to running every day. Then slowly increase the distance. Eventually, you will be ready for that 5K.
Find a Buddy
If you want to make a change, you need support. If possible, find a friend with the same goal and work on it together. It’s more fun. If your goal is to change psychological behavior, you might need the help of a professional.
Get Back on the Horse
We are imperfect creatures. We will have setbacks. Maybe we don’t hit the gym for a week or two. Maybe we can’t say no to Florence in Accounting’s cookies. That’s okay. Rather than getting angry with yourself and giving up, accept that sometimes there will be obstacles. Decide what to do the next time Florence brings cookies to work. Maybe you will keep an apple in your desk drawer or maybe limit yourself to one that you share with a coworker.
Reward Yourself
When we make resolutions, we plan to reward ourselves when we achieve our goals. Rather than waiting until the end, reward yourself for each small step you accomplish. It will keep you motivated because your progress is tangible. You may find yourself continuing your journey so you can receive your next reward.
Be Kind and Flexible
Change is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight. Be kind to yourself. If you are feeling down because change isn’t happening fast enough, tape an inspirational quote to the bathroom mirror, call a friend or meditate on your successes. Be flexible. If you are finding heading to the gym impossible, change your goal. Maybe take a walk or ride your bike with loved ones. You may not get as much exercise, but you will be exercising, and that is all that counts in the end.