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Inspirational Homework Stations & Easy Kids Study Spaces

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by Filed Under: Back To School, Crafts, Facebook, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media 1 Comment

Ready to organize the home and create a DIY kids study space? These 15 Inspirational Homework Stations are Quick and Easy Homework Spaces to provide the kids with easy access to school supplies, quiet areas to work and bright colors to get the creative juices flowing.

Best Homework Stations

It’s been awhile since we shared our Homework Center Ideas. We realize the need more and more for the return of these work from home school rooms and zones. We have put together some of the Best Homework Stations to inspire you to get working!

Kids Study Spaces

It can be easy and affordable to make Kids Study Spaces and Homework Centers. Take a look at these inspirational ideas to get started with home schooling or finishing school work.

It’s possible to build a desk/homework station for under $100. Using Stackable 3-Shelf Organizers, Sarah made a desk using a $19 Ikea Counter Top. She ideally was going for butcher block and could have easy made it with Butcher Block Self-adhesive Vinyl. | Pretty Providence


Small spaces? Turn a closet into a homework center. We love the unique touches on this study center. | I Heart Organizing

Create this simple DIY Rotating Desk Organizer lazy susan for an easy school at home Homework Station in under 10 minutes! It keeps all supplies at your fingertips! Portable and perfect for moving from room to room and space to space. | Busy Creating Memories


Organizing doesn’t have to be costly. We love this frugal friendly Dollar Store Hack. Get ready for a clutter-free school zone with this simple Dollar Store portable homework station and our free printable label! | Simple Made Pretty

Create a homework station for your kids by using a metal rolling utility cart to store books and other school supplies. This allows you to move school work from room to room and space to space. | Suburble


If you are using common space like a dinning room table and need privacy, consider making homework station privacy boards using a white tri-fold project board. So easy and each child can customize and design their own space. | Mom Advice


Have a wall of clipboards you can easily rotate art work, calendars or to do lists. So easy to lift the clip and remove. | Clean and Scentsible


This was done in a classroom but can easily be done to organize a homework space at home. Check out Michael’s Belmont frames – they are affordable. | Dandelions and Dragonflies

A homework station can be as simple as a binder. Grab this one with printable sheets for organizing.  | I Heart Naptime

Use a nook and chalk paint to create an inspirational space for homework. | By Dawn Nicole


Use a hanging shoe organizer to sort school supplies making an easy, tucked away homework center. | A Bowl Full of Lemons


We shared this hidden closet idea in our Homework Center Ideas  but wanted to share it again. Turn a crawl space like under the stairs storage into a quiet reading nook, art center or school work area. | Rebecca Propes

It doesn’t have to be expensive. Grab a $22 Home Depot pegboard and mount over a tabletop or desk. At a touch of hanging baskets, hooks, and cups to keep homework supplies within reach. Amazon has Pegboard Organizational Sets.| Claire Collected


Turn a corner of the playroom or kitchen into an area the kids can work or create. Just grab a pre-existing table and chairs. This homework station is complete with build-in chalkboard and art display board. Love the v-groove paneling. | The Project Girl

Want to involve the kids? Grab the sewing machine and make these adorable Seat Sacks for the Kids’ study corner. | Scissors and Spatulas



Take a look at our original Homework Center Ideas (also with Family Command Centers!) Pin to Pinterest.

Create a cozy nook with these Creative Reading Corner Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.



WHAT’S TRENDING? Get inspired this Spring with Dollar Store Easter Decor.


Also access our Free Frugal Coupon Living Printables to help you find joy through embracing the chaos of motherhood more easily!



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DIY Backyard Games

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by Filed Under: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, Summer 1 Comment

Hosting an outdoor gathering? Want to make your yard the summer attraction for the neighborhood? These DIY Backyard Games are the perfect outdoor ideas for kids and adults, day or night!

DIY Yard Games for Kids and Adults

Summer’s almost here, and you know what that means—time for outdoor entertaining! No barbecue or cookout is complete without some entertainment, and that’s where these DIY backyard games come in. They’re loads of fun for all ages! You’ll find giant versions of your favorite indoor games, lots of kid-friendly options, and games that you’ve probably forgotten about that’ll be familiar favorites when you try them again.

And you don’t have to settle for the cheap plastic versions sold in stores. Building the games yourself means that you can make them as sturdy as you like so that they’ll last for years and will hold up to lots of outdoor play.

Don’t forget to pin this list of DIY outdoor games to your spring or summer project boards. You’ll definitely want to make a few of them to make your backyard the coolest hangout spot in the neighborhood!


DIY Backyard Games

Yardzee is such a fun way to get the family up and moving. The game consists of 13 rounds to see who can get the highest score, but you have to score once in each category. It’s so easy to make your own dice for this game using 4×4 blocks of wood. Put them in a bucket to jumble them all up. Get your score cards. | A Turtle’s Life for Me


Jenga is one of our favorite games for family game night, and this Giant Jenga will make playing outdoors way more exciting. It’s easy to make this yourself with 2x4s and some paint. Just watch your toes when the blocks come falling down! It would make a great DIY gift for a family that likes to play games. | A Beautiful Mess

Cornhole is popular at family reunions and festivals for good reason—it’s a blast! It’s a great way to get people of all ages mingling because adults enjoy playing just as much as the kids do, and people get so competitive. You could even get a cornhole trophy to pass around each year to the champions! | Scrappy Geek

Get the plans to make this DIY backyard bean bag toss, complete with a board and mesh cups to catch the bean bags. Make one before summer, and your kids will have a fun activity to do with their friends outside all summer long. The boards will be great to have on hand for other outdoor family functions, too. | Thrift Diving

You can’t get much more all-American than football… except for maybe this football toss! The concept is pretty simple—toss the football through the holes to score points. The smaller hole is more points, of course. This is one for all ages to enjoy. | Cherished Bliss

Kids and adults alike will love this Outdoor Tic Tac Toe game. It’s a bigger, outdoor-friendly version of the classic game. All you need is a wooden plank and some flat rocks to make your own tic tac toe board and game pieces. | Sustain My Craft Habit

If you watched The Price is Right growing up, you’ll remember Plinko. This DIY Plinko game is just as much fun, and it’s easy to put together with foam board, glue, toothpicks, and a few other simple materials. You don’t even need power tools to make this game! | Happiness is Homemade

The 3 hole washers game is a lot like cornhole, except that you only score points when the washer lands completely in one of the holes. The first team or person to 21 points wins the game. This DIY Cornhole Game another great choice for reunions or camping. | My Crazy Good Life

This giant beer pong game is lots of fun. With big red buckets instead of Solo cups, it may just take you back to your college days. But don’t fret if drinking games aren’t your thing… this is kid-friendly despite the name and would be a lot of fun for the whole family. | Drugstore Divas

Get your neighbors and friends to join you in a friendly bean bag toss in the yard… no serious DIY skills required. You can either buy bean bags or make them yourself. The clay saucers serve as your targets. Space them out as far apart as you like to see who has the best aim. | Mod Podge Rocks

Who doesn’t love to play the match game? It’s been a favorite since childhood, and it’s simple enough that everyone understands how to play. Kids will have hours of fun matching the giant cards again and again. | Studio DIY

Make some DIY giant dominoes for the family to play with. If you think that all you do with dominoes is stand them up and knock them down, think again! You can read the real rules of dominoes here, but there are so many ways to play with them. And if you DO want to line them up just to knock them down, go for it! | Lemon Thistle

Add this rainbow paver hopscotch game to your backyard to let the kids get some exercise whenever they’re feeling a little restless. You can color coordinate them with your outdoor space if you’d like, but the rainbow colors look so fun. | Happiness is Homemade

Have you ever heard of Kubb? It’s also called Viking Chess or Skulls and Femurs. Sounds pretty tough, right? The game is actually loads of fun once you learn how. Each game requires 2-6 players, and the game goes by quickly, so it’s easy to rotate people in and out if you have a crowd. | Our Handcrafted Life

This ring toss game is extremely portable, so it’s a good idea to take it with you wherever you’ll have a bunch of kids playing together outdoors. Again, this is a simple game that toddlers and preschoolers can play as well, so it’s perfect for all ages. It’s also pretty inexpensive to make. | Mom Endeavors

This DIY ladder golf game, or ladder ball, is easy to assemble or disassemble, making it a wonderful choice for camping trips with the family. It comes apart and can be laid flat for easy transport and storage. Toss the bolas (the balls tied together) at the rungs of the ladder. Each rung is worth a certain number of points. The first to 21 without going over wins! | Homemade Heather

If you’ve never played pick up sticks, you’re missing out! It’s an easy game, but it can be so much fun, especially when you’re playing with kids. The object of the game is for someone to drop the bundle of sticks, and then you take turns picking up one stick at a time without moving any others. It’s harder than it sounds. If you move any other sticks, your turn is over. | Delineate Your Dwelling

Get twisted up and tangled up in a game of backyard bubble wrap Twister. You can find large rolls or sheets of bubble wraps on Amazon or sometimes in the moving and packing supplies at your local home goods store. Use one of the large sheets to make a fun game of backyard twister. Use paper plates to trace the circles and color them in. It’ll be a hoot listening to the bubble wrap pop as you play. | Chica Circle

Don’t forget we have a fun shaving cream Backyard Twister Game in our Visual Summer Bucket List Ideas.

Nearly every Southerner has played horseshoes at least a time or two in his or her life. It really is entertaining when you play as pairs. You can easily build your own horseshoe pit in the yard to play this fun game yourselves. And yes, you do need a pit to stop the horseshoes. They’re quite heavy, and you don’t want them flailing along the ground very far! | Creatively Southern

For another cheap and fun game to play with a group of kids, this bowl bean bag toss is perfect. This reminds me of the Grand Prize Game on the Bozo the Clown show. What fun! | One More Moore

What’s your favorite outdoor game?


Add this to you list of things to do this summer host a Backyard Movie Night. Pin to Pinterest.

Don’t forget our list of Visual Summer Bucket List Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.



WHAT’S TRENDING? Get inspired this Spring with Dollar Store Easter Decor.


Also access our Free Frugal Coupon Living Printables to help you find joy through embracing the chaos of motherhood more easily!



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April Low Waste Earth Day Challenge

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by Filed Under: Back To School, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media 1 Comment

April 22 is Earth Day! Take this easy Earth Day quiz, get your little ones involved in these Earth Day projects and activities for kids, and take on this April low waste living Earth Day challenge to create some new environmental conscious habits and perhaps a zero waste home!

Low Waste Earth Day Challenge

Earth Day is an annual celebration around the world to demonstrate support for environmental protection. On this date, environmental awareness is put forth and discussions and ideas are created to acknowledge our impact (both good and bad) on the environment.

Earth Day Quiz

Before we begin, we have an Earth Day Quiz for you. Can you do something to differently to make an environmental difference? I bet we can all answer yes! But really, here is a quick Earth Day Quiz (with answers) to teach you more about Earth Day.

When is Earth Day? April 22

When was the First Earth Day? 1970

Who founded Earth Day? Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin

Why do we belebrate Earth Day? Celebrating Earth Day serves as a reminder of how fragile our earth is and how important it is to protect our planet.

Also try this easy Earth Day Quiz for Kids…

What color is the earth from? Blue and Green (white if including clouds)

What covers 70% off the earth? Water

What are five things you can recycle in your home? answers will vary

Where is your favorite place to visit on earth? answers will vary

Want to learn more? Take an Earth Day Quiz for Kids  or Earth Day Quiz for Adults.

Now that you have begun an Earth Day discussion and even grown in knowledge of your Earth Day facts, we have Earth Day Projects and our very own Earth Day Challenge for you to tackle during the month of April.


Earth Day Projects

These Earth Day Projects and Earth Day Activities for Kids are a few ways to make a difference this April and perhaps for the rest of your life. A new habit takes on average a month, perhaps making a difference this month will create some life long differences for your family and your environment.

Easy Earth Day Projects and Activities for Kids

We have more Earth Day Ideas! Also visit our Earth Day Crafts Ideas for Kids to raise awareness and support for protecting our environment with your children

Earth Day Challenge

We have our very own challenge for you. Incorporate the kids and take this Low Waste Earth Day Challenge for the entire month of April. I bet you already do many of these things already. Once you complete the month, is there something you can continue and perhaps make a new habit?

  • Use a refillable stainless steel water bottle
  • Use a reusable coffee cup/thermos (even when buying coffee)
  • Get a library card and borrow books and magazines instead of buying prints (or join Audible and listen to books)
  • Use a bamboo toothbrush (instead of a plastic one)
  • Say no to free promo items
  • Use bar soap instead of liquid soap (less packaging)
  • Use reusable shopping and produce bags
  • Shop your local farmers market, bring a reusable bag
  • Plan meals to avoid food waste
  • Collect and re-purpose rain or grey water
  • Have your shoes and clothes repaired instead of buying new
  • Run full loads in the dish washer and laundry
  • Focus on experiences instead of things
  • Change all your bills to paperless (electronic)
  • Join carpools or use public transport
  • Plant a garden (even if it is small)
  • Carry your own reusable straw
  • Reduce the amount of consumption of toothpaste, shampoo, etc
  • Don’t impulse shop – stop, think method
  • Avoid palm oil (responsible for much of the world’s deforestation)
  • Upcycle and re-purpose as much as you can
  • Pack your own lunch in a reusable container

The steps will turn you into an environmentally conscious earth member (wink) and get you family closer to a zero waste home!

Earth Day Printable PDF

Get all of our free printables including this Low Waste Challenge Earth Day Printable. Subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download all of our free printables.

Earth Day Printable Directions

1.) Enter your email address HERE.

2.) Confirm the email request in your inbox.

3.) Look for the link and passcode in your inbox.

By downloading you are accepting the terms that this is for personal, non-commercial use. Please contact Frugal Coupon Living with any questions.

I am happy to share printables. When sharing with others, please lead them to my website instead of emailing them the file(s). It takes time, effort and money to put the freebies forth and I earn when you visit. Thanks for visiting and thanks for sharing with others!

How to Order Prints at Staples

You can of course, keep this product digital – that would be Earth Day Friendly. However, if you want to print a copy, I have a video to show you how I print my PDF documents at Staples.

You can also follow the directions below.

  1. Have your PDF, Word Document or printable saved to a folder on your computer.
  2. Sign in or create a Staples account.
  3. Return to the Staples Printing Service Page.
  4. Scroll down to Self-Service printing.
  5. Go to Start Project.
  6. Go to Documents Printing.
  7. Select Browse.
  8. Select the Buy Now Button under color.
  9. In the left column, choose add file(s).
  10. Select upload files (to upload a file from your computer).
  11. Add more files or select the blue upload button.
  12. Select done.
  13. Give your job a name in the top left column.
  14. Choose color or B&W.
  15. Make sure your project is single sided. (You can choose double sided if you need.)
  16. Choose the correct orientation of your project – landscape or portrait.
  17. I changed my media to 8.5×11  67 lb card/coverstock (I prefer a card stock feel over printer paper feel. It makes the paper very durable and sturdy.)
  18. Save your product to Staples or select add to cart on the bottom right.
  19. Proceed to checkout.

*Note: these Staple print service steps were added in Winter 2020. The directions may change as the website changes. They should give you a general outline of how to upload and order a print on Staples.com.

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your final Earth Day Challenge Low Waste Printable.  Leave a comment and/or add a photo here on Pinterest!


Take a look at our Earth Day Crafts Ideas for Kids to raise awareness and support for protecting our environment with your children. Pin to Pinterest.

Upcycle old Little Tikes and Step2 Toys with these creative ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Also upcycle these Old Altoids Boxes with these creative ideas. Pin to Pinterest.



WHAT’S TRENDING? Get inspired this Spring with Dollar Store Easter Decor.


Also access our Free Frugal Coupon Living Printables to help you find joy through embracing the chaos of motherhood more easily!



Stay in the know with daily deals, recipes, crafts, life hacks and seasonal content on Frugal Coupon Living. Receive this and more in your inbox.

Earth Day Crafts

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by Filed Under: Back To School, Crafts, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media 1 Comment

When is Earth Day? It is April 22nd. This Earth day, embrace these Earth Day Crafts Ideas for Kids to raise awareness and support for protecting our environment with your children.

Every year, we celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd to raise awareness and support for protecting our environment. It’s important to start talking to your kids from an early age about ways we can do our part to lessen our impact on the planet. These Earth Day Crafts are a great catalyst for those discussions.

As you craft with your kids, making models and depictions of Earth, talk about ways to save water and reduce pollution. Talk about the importance of recycling, and if you don’t have one in your home, set up a can just for recycling. Discuss ways to keep the earth “healthy” and talk about activities that may make the planet “sick.” You get the idea.

But most of all, have fun making these Earth Day crafts with the kids. Proudly display the crafts in your home (or in your classroom) as a reminder all month long that we are connected with the Earth, and it is our responsibility to take care of her.

Don’t forget our Easy Earth Day Projects and Activities for Kids too!

Earth Day Crafts

Make a paper Earth Day garland to string up in the playroom or classroom for Earth Day. This craft is a great visual to teach kids about how we are all interconnected and all responsible for taking care of the Earth. | Hello, Wonderful

You only need a styrofoam ball, tissue paper, and lots of glue to make this pretty globe! Not only is it fantastic for Earth Day, but you could use this technique to make planets to build a solar system. | Gluesticks

Your kid will want to wear these Earth Day salt dough necklaces often as a reminder to take care of the Earth. The one with the heart will be particularly easy to do with young children—they can even make the heart shape with their fingerprints! | Natural Beach Living

Older kids who still enjoy crafting things may like paper quilling. It’s a technique that involves curling paper into different shapes like circles, loose coils, teardrops, and more. You can create some really beautiful pieces, like this lovely quilled paper earth craft. | Projects with Kids

Coffee drinkers—save those k-cups! They’re perfect for crafting. This k-cup Earth Day craft is really cute. | Artsy Momma

Black glue can help you create stunning art! Outlining the continents and then using watercolors to paint the Earth creates gorgeous contrast in this fun Earth Day black glue craft. | Messy Little Monster

Kids who can paint the shape of the continents will enjoy making these earth magnets made out of upcycled jar lids. They can even add them to their lockers at school as a reminder to take care of the planet. | Moms and Crafters

Learn about the layers of the Earth for Earth Day! You can use this craft as an opportunity to simply teach kids a little more about the Earth and its various layers. We only see the top layer, the crust, but there’s so much that goes on beneath Earth’s surface! Small children will need to have an adult do the spray painting. | Surviving a Teacher’s Salary

Earth Day Crafts for Preschoolers

Talk to your kids about what makes the Earth happy and healthy and what makes the Earth sad and unhealthy. This craft offers a great visual representation through interchangeable elements as you go through the list of suggestions. Preschoolers will have so much fun coloring the Earth and then changing out the eyes, mouth, and the heart/bandage elements. | The Inspiration Edit

This cupcake liner earth craft is stunning! It’s so fun for little ones because they can learn to paint using different materials. For this project, they’ll be painting with a toothbrush and a pom-pom. How cool is that? | I Heart Crafty Things

Handprint crafts are fun for preschoolers, and this hand print earth craft is just adorable. The printable template makes it easy to guide little ones through this craft. And look! The Earth is wearing a party hat in celebration of Earth Day! | Simple Everyday Mom

Any kid who enjoys playing in the dirt will love making this Earth Day craft. Simply cut out the earth shape, color or paint in the water, and cover the land portions with glue and dirt. It’s a great excuse to get messy. | Kids Activities Blog

Get ready for some sticky, slimy fun! This Earth Day Baking Soda Slime is Borax-free and totally kid-safe. Make sure your kiddo doesn’t have sensitivities to baking soda before proceeding with this project. Keep in mind that it’s a little stickier than regular slime, but the mess is part of the fun. | Steamsational

Speaking off messy crafts, shaving cream painting is another one that’s popular with kids. The marbled effect you get from shaving cream art is so pretty, and the blue/green combination is perfect for Earth Day. | The Simple Parent

Start a new springtime tradition by making seed bombs with the kids to celebrate the Earth! Use blue, green, and white paper to give the seed bombs an earth-like appearance, or just use whatever paper scraps you have on hand. Adults will need to run the food processor, but cutting the paper scraps and shaping the balls gives kids lots of fine motor practice. Seed bombs would make nice neighbor gifts, along with a hand-painted pot or recycled container. | Little Bins for Little Hands

Moms, if you have any CDs leftover from yesteryear, you can use them to make one of these cute CD ornament Earth Day crafts with the kids. Turning old things you don’t use into art is a great way to encourage kids to recycle and upcycle. The ornament would look really pretty spinning around on your porch or breezeway. | Our Kid Things

Children need to be taught to love our planet from a young age. The hands holding the world project is a great way to do that. Use the conversation starters to talk about how we can love the Earth. Isn’t it cute that the hearts are made out of thumbprints? Younger children may need help with tracing and cutting their handprints. | Fun Handprint Art

Don’t forget to pin this list of Earth Day Crafts to save it!

Look at these Easy Earth Day Projects and Activities for Kids. Pin to Pinterest.

For Earth Day, head to the thrift store! Take something old and make it new including this Upcycled Farmhouse Table. Pin to Pinterest.

With the kids, take old paint chips and turn them into crafts with these Paint Chip Crafts Ideas! Pin to Pinterest.



WHAT’S TRENDING? Get inspired this Spring with Dollar Store Easter Decor.


Also access our Free Frugal Coupon Living Printables to help you find joy through embracing the chaos of motherhood more easily!



Stay in the know with daily deals, recipes, crafts, life hacks and seasonal content on Frugal Coupon Living. Receive this and more in your inbox.

Date Night Ideas – How We Do It With Five Kids!

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by Filed Under: Baby, Facebook, Instagram, Kids, Parenting, Pinterest, Social Media, Valentine's Day 1 Comment

We do it! We have weekly date nights even with five kids. Take a look at these Date Night Ideas for the home, for free, or even for special occasions out of the house. Where to find a babysitter, why date nights are important and more!

Date Night Ideas

This post isn’t late. I know Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but having a date night is more important than just on February 14th. When my husband and I first got married, date nights were not very important to me. I know that sounds silly. Honestly, coming from being a single mom, I was just grateful to have a partner to sit at home with me at the family table. I had had my fair share of dates during that time I was a single mom.

My husband, however, he wanted to court his wife. That reads incredibly sweet but it was a bit of a stressor to me. So I didn’t initially view it as sweet. I viewed it as adding something additional to my plate, I viewed it was having to get dressed and put on makeup, I view it as work to prepare the kids and try to get out the door… you get it moms, right? The perfect date for me was more like April 25th – not too hot and not too cold! Haha!

However, he was right. It wasn’t a date on the calendar, it was what we invested in each other. The more infrequent our dates become, the more I can feel the stress on our marriage. We needed to invest at least a few hours of alone time in our marriage without the distraction of kids, tv, chores, etc in the home.

Thus, began, our weekly date nights.

Date Night 101

When you need a date night, but don’t know how to go about it, you may need Date Night 101. Dating your spouse is important, especially if you have kids. It’s easy for your relationship to fall to the wayside. Focusing on each other for a certain amount of time each week can really help your relationship grow. I’ve tried to cover every aspect of a date night to help make it successful for you and your spouse.

Date Night Bucket List

What if you have a sitter but you don’t know where to start with WHAT to do? I want you to check out my Date Night Bucket List. This is a list of items will help you narrow down exactly what you want to do! It’s fun to get ideas from a bucket list and then execute those ideas.

Free Date Night Ideas

What if you have a sitter but need to stay on budget? There are lots of free date night ideas out there. Some ideas that I have for a free date night is making dinner at home, taking a walk at the park, taking a hike in your favorite park, head to a local book store and look at the books, go to a free museum, head to the beach, play a sport together, or just sit and talk!

You can see more free date nights in our Date Night Bucket List.

Elaborate Date Night Ideas

Sometimes you need a fancy night out. Maybe you and your spouse haven’t been out in a while and you just want to do something fun together without worrying about money. We do a date like this at least once every few months.

  • Do a weekend away
  • Wine tasting
  • A night out on the town
  • Go to a fancy restaurant
  • Ballroom dancing

Date Night at Home Ideas

A few truths. It’s possible that you won’t be able to find a babysitter, but you still need that quality time with your spouse. Go ahead and look into date night ideas right at home. Dating your mate is important, and it doesn’t need to be difficult.

Here are a few date night ideas at home to help you out:

  • Have a BBQ after the kids go to bed
  • Cook a dinner together, right at home
  • Have a dessert night where you eat your favorite desserts
  • Have a game night at home
  • Order takeout
  • Have a movie night
  • Have a game night together
  • Sit on the patio and have cocktails
  • Tell Alexa to play romantic music.

If you are feeling the love, try a Date Night Box Subscription or Date Night Cards.



Some of these Date Night at Home Ideas are creative and fun, also make an effort to go out. I really fought my spouse hard to have more date nights at home, but he was right in his rebuttal. I exclusively focus on him if I am away from my home. I am tried at home, I have a long list of things to do, and the kids will all fight for my attention. While, on the occasion or even season, it is okay, hire a sitter to help you get out of the house.

Where to Find a Babysitter

Finding a babysitter can be well… interesting. We have had a few that clearly were not a fit. You have seen that Luvs Second Kid Babysitter commercial, right? On some nights, this was me!

If you don’t have family close and can’t rely on someone you know to watch your kids, this can be hard! There are some solutions to finding a babysitter.

Split Your Kids Among Friends: It may be hard for one friend to take on all of your kids, so split them up! All the kids don’t need to be together in order for the parents to getaway.

Trade Babysitting Nights: Trade babysitting with another mom. While this can be harder, it is possible to make it work.

Word of Mouth: You can ask friends for a referral to one of their favorite babysitters. Word of mouth is always the best way to hire someone. I have also asked around and found babysitters  in church nursery and have even found some on local Facebook groups.

Stalk the Park: Don’t think I am kidding. My kids were playing at the park one day and I observed a babysitter with another child. She was doing great and I thought, she would be a perfect fit for my kids. She was with a a year before going to college!

Care.com

Sometimes the best way to find a babysitter is to head to Care.com to find one. If you don’t have family in the area, it’s best to choose a platform like this that can help you find someone that fits your style. Not all babysitters are easy to find. Care.com will help cut out the middleman and help you find a babysitter that can make those date nights a reality.

Care.com is how we found our Nanny. We had a nanny for two years before our three boys were old enough to attend preschool. For us it was more affordable than full time preschool. She also was so incredibly helpful by making dinner, running errands, doing small chores, etc.

Have you heard someone say, we or I don’t have time for that? The truth is as moms, there are some things we really don’t have time for, but we do have time for what we put first. My advice to you is to make date night a priority. If you don’t, they will never happen. When they have time to happen (like the kids are all finally out of the house), you might look at your spouse and think – who is this man? Don’t let that happen. Don’t grow part, make your marriage first.

Whether you do date nights at home or hire a sitter, use these tips to help you date night happen with your spouse.


Date Night 101

Print this Date Night Bucket List – Ideas for home, for free, and unique ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Have a great babysitter? Take a look at these Nanny and Babysitter Appreciation Ideas! Pin to Pinterest.



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Easter Egg-cellent Teacher Gift Tag (Coach, Friend & Neighbor too!)

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by Filed Under: Easter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media 2 Comments

Need a cute Easter printable for a teacher, coach, friend, or neighbor? We have the most EGG-cellent Teacher Gift Tag for your spring gift giving. 

Easter Egg-cellent Gift Tag

I am always on the hunt for a teacher appreciation printable – you know me! Last year we made these Some Bunny Gift Tags.

You’re the best teacher some bunny could ask for!

This year we are back with a new Egg-cellent Teacher Gift Tags, but also adorable tags for your coach, neighbor and friend. We have everyone covered (just call them a friend if they don’t fit in teacher, coach or neighbor!)

Egg-cellent Gift Tag

You can use these Egg-cellent gift tags with most anything, but we especially love yellow tulips. Tied with a blue gingham ribbon would be adorable, no?


Teacher Gift Ideas

Hear me out. Teacher gifts don’t have to be much. When you are at the grocery store, grab a candy bar during checkout. Getting coffee before you drop your kids off at school, Thank Them a Lattee by picking up an extra cup for them. Spending a $1 or $5 says thank you! I try to do it seasonally, just to remind them I know how great they are!

We have plenty of other teacher gift ideas that aren’t mugs!

Easter Gift Tag Printable

Get all of our free printables including Easter Egg-cellent Teacher Gift Tags (Coach, Friend & Neighbors too!) Subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download all of our free printables.

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I am happy to share printables. When sharing with others, please lead them to my website instead of emailing them the file(s). It takes time, effort and money to put the freebies forth and I earn when you visit. Thanks for visiting and thanks for sharing with others!

How to Print at Staples

I have a video to show you how I print my PDF documents at Staples.

You can also follow the directions below.

  1. Have your PDF, Word Document or printable saved to a folder on your computer.
  2. Sign in or create a Staples account.
  3. Return to the Staples Printing Service Page.
  4. Scroll down to Self-Service printing.
  5. Go to Start Project.
  6. Go to Documents Printing.
  7. Select Browse.
  8. Select the Buy Now Button under color.
  9. In the left column, choose add file(s).
  10. Select upload files (to upload a file from your computer).
  11. Add more files or select the blue upload button.
  12. Select done.
  13. Give your job a name in the top left column.
  14. Choose color or B&W.
  15. Make sure your project is single sided. (You can choose double sided if you need.)
  16. Choose the correct orientation of your project – landscape or portrait.
  17. I changed my media to 8.5×11  67 lb card/coverstock (I prefer a card stock feel over printer paper feel. It makes the paper very durable and sturdy.)
  18. Save your product to Staples or select add to cart on the bottom right.
  19. Proceed to checkout.

*Note: these Staple print service steps were added in Winter 2019 The directions may change as the website changes. They should give you a general outline of how to upload and order a print on Staples.com.

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your final teacher gift tag and gift idea.  Leave a comment and/or add a photo here on Pinterest!


Take a look at all these additional Easter Printables. Pin to Pinterest.

Also take a bite out of these Easter Crafts you can eat! You could gift them with the Eater Gift Tag. Pin to Pinterest.



WHAT’S TRENDING? Get inspired this Spring with Dollar Store Easter Decor.


Also access our Free Frugal Coupon Living Printables to help you find joy through embracing the chaos of motherhood more easily!



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Plastic Easter Egg Crafts

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by Filed Under: Crafts, Easter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media Leave a Comment

Plastic Easter Egg Crafts. Want to put those plastic eggs to use for more than an Easter egg hunt this year? We’ve found lots of totally cute crafts with plastic eggs to make your home or classroom look fun and festive for Easter!

Crafts with Plastic Easter Eggs

Easter will be here soon, and before you know it, you’ll be loading up your shopping cart with plastic eggs for school parties, church egg hunts, and for your kids’ Easter baskets. But if you’re only using these eggs for baskets and egg hunts, you’re missing out! They’re incredibly inexpensive, and they’re perfect for making lots of springtime crafts.

Whether you’re looking for a gorgeous wreath to hang on the door for Easter, a way to spruce up an ordinary plastic egg to make it more fun, or a learning activity to do with tots and preschoolers, you’re going to find some amazing ideas in this list.

Cute Crafts with Plastic Eggs

An egg wreath is perfect for spring. Although the eggs were painted here (and they’re stunning with the varying shades of blues and oranges), you could simply leave them unpainted as well. It’ll look gorgeous either way. You’ll love seeing this every day when you come home! | One Thousand Oaks

Here’s another stunning wreath that combines florals and Easter eggs. You’ll need an ombre Easter egg pack for this craft, which is varying shades of the same color, from light to dark. Don’t all those pinks look lovely together? It’ll look fantastic on your door or above your mantel. | Design Improvised

Hang this plastic egg globe over the dining table or above the door for the Easter season. This is an easy piece of decor that the kids can help with. | Chica Circle

Make some egg shaker maracas using plastic eggs, some plastic spoons, and a whole lot of washi tape. Kids will have a blast making noise with these! Try putting different materials in each egg to create lots of different sounds. | Happiness is Homemade

Glue the halves of the plastic eggs together to form mini planters. Fill them with tiny potted flowers, and you’ve got yourself a simple centerpiece that adds a lot of color to your Easter table. | Made with Happy

You could use the same idea of gluing the halves together to make these fun candy cups instead! | The Homespun Hydrangea

If you want to make a big splash at an Easter party, this spilled basket hat is a surefire way to do it. It would be loads of fun for an Easter parade or wacky hat day at school. | Where the Smiles Have Been

Add some teacups to your kid’s collection of toy dishes. Easter egg cups with paper clip handles are the perfect size for little hands. Of course, a tea party is in order when you’ve made them! | Morena’s Corner

Use the eggs to make a beautiful birds nest craft for a bird-themed learning unit. You can create bluejays, cardinals, baby chicks, and lots of other types of birds just by changing out the egg color. | The Inspiration Edit

Speaking of chicks, here’s an adorable version that stands up! They’ll look super cute on your mantle or table for Easter. | Fireflies and Mud Pies

You’ll have a whale of a time making this plastic egg whale. This craft would be a wonderful addition to an ocean animal unit for preschoolers! | Artsy Craftsy Mom

Turn plastic eggs into a whimsical spring bouquet using floral wire and crepe paper. Not only is this a cute idea for Easter, but it would look gorgeous at a spring baby shower. You could also put a dollar in each egg and present it as a gift! | Design Improvised

If you’re planning a spring birthday party, save some of those eggs to make plastic egg cupcake decorations. Put flameless tealights under the egg to make them glow, or put some candy underneath as a surprise. | Chica Circle

Any fan of Pokemon will go nuts for these Pokeball themed eggs. They’re so easy to make with a few simple materials. You can skip the painting if you can find white and red eggs from the same manufacturer, but if you can’t, you’ll have a little painting to do before putting them together. (Also see our Pokemon Party Ideas) | Tikkido

An egg popper tree would be loads of fun for the kids if you’re hosting Easter brunch this year. It’s a fun alternative to the Easter egg hunt! Eggs are filled with surprises like candy, money, or trinkets, and then wrapped in crepe paper to make the poppers. If you string them properly, pulling on the egg will break it open like a mini pinata! | Studio DIY

You won’t be able to stop smiling at these beautiful pastel bees floating outside your window. You’ll want to leave them up all spring; they’re just that cute! Make sure you grab eggs with two holes in the bottom if you plan to make this craft. | Tried & True

Practice word families with your kiddo using plastic eggs. It’s so simple! Write the end of the word on one half, and rotate the other half to create several different words. This is a terrific way to reinforce sound patterns with little ones. | Natural Beach Living

Toddlers and preschoolers can use the eggs to practice letter matching. Write the capital letter on one half and the lowercase letter on the other. | Mom. Wife. Busy Life.

The aliens have landed! Kids will have a good giggle over these funny little alien eggs. They could also double as monster eggs if your kid is into monsters. | Artsy Craftsy Mom

Even More Plastic Egg Ideas

You know you’ll have loads of these when Easter comes around, so here are a few more things to do with them once Easter’s over!

  • Store homemade play dough or slime. Make sure you seal up any holes in the egg before using them to store either of these.
  • Practice counting with your toddler.
  • Practice color recognition.
  • Add them to sensory bins for kids to use as scoopers.
  • Store baby socks.
  • Put jewelry and trinkets in when traveling.
  • Store loose buttons.
  • Store screws, nuts, and bolts in the garage.

What are you going to do with your plastic eggs this year?


Take a look at these creative Egg Dyeing Techniques. Pin to Pinterest.

Do something different. Have an Glow in the Dark Easter Egg Hunt! Use flameless tea lights to help. Pin to Pinterest.




WHAT’S TRENDING? Get inspired this Spring with Dollar Store Easter Decor.


Also access our Free Frugal Coupon Living Printables to help you find joy through embracing the chaos of motherhood more easily!



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High School Reunion Ideas

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by Filed Under: Back To School, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media 3 Comments

Feel like everyone else is getting older but you are staying the same? We all are on the age train and as time goes back, our class reunion gets closer. High School Reunion Ideas including class reunion decor, high school reunion theme ideas and even class reunion memorial ideas for those that have gone before. Happy planning!

High School Reunion Ideas

High School Reunion Ideas, Decor, and Themes

Reunited and it feels so good…

I dare you to try to not sing that when talking about a high school reunion! Impossible. The song was always in the subconscious of my mind as I was planning this post. Whether celebrating your 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or even 60th high school reunion, we have some of the best class reunion ideas to create a memorable night or weekend. High school reunion decorations, theme ideas, planning ideas, and even memorial ideas to remember those that have passed before.

We both are so excited ’cause we’re reunited, hey, hey!

Class Reunion Decorations

The reunion decor is everything. It is what brings the vent together, brings the initial visual excitement and bridges the gap of past to he present.

First, name sure you have a name tag for everyone. This High School Reunion Name Tag Template uses photos from the past so you can connect the look for X number of years ago to today! Comes in 10 to 60 years.

Save money on decor by shopping at The Dollar Tree. The Magic of Ordinary Things purchased green floral foam and the shredded paper at the Dollar Tree. She got the IKEA pails for $0.79 each. (We found similar metal pails on Amazon.) All in all, for 20 custom centerpieces, she spent less than $40… less than $2 a piece!

Have a back in time display. For example, if you graduated in 2000, have a back in 2000 and list the following…

  • Popular Songs
  • TV Shows
  • Films That Were Released
  • What Things Cost
  • Events in History
  • Winning Sports  Teams
  • Celebrities Who Were Born

You get also get a Back in the Year Digital Copy Flash Back here and turn it into a poster at a copy store like Staples.

Every high school reunion needs a photo booth! | Source

This Dry Erase Photo Frame can be personalized to your event.


Also look at these High School Class Reunion Photo Booth Props.


Play a game – Guess the name of these celebrity year book photos… then again, if you are crafty you could probably make your own poster and play this came with your own class (careful for hurt feelings!)


Balloons can be really affordable, the expense comes when you outsource the task. Grab your craftiest graduates and have them follow this easy Balloon Wall tutorial with your class colors.  This tried and true image comes from a Pinterest user and took about 2.5/3 hrs and 250 balloons.

This black, white and gold balloon garland has high ratings too. In includes Balloons garland strip to guide you on your balloon craft. I highly recommend getting 3M Command Brand hooks to hang your balloon garland.


High School Reunion Themes

It’s really easy to take your class reunion decor a certain direction if you have a reunion theme.

Make your high school reunion the theme for the decade you graduated or of your birthday. Great class reunion themes include an eighties party, nineties party or 21st century. Incorporate some of our Glow Theme Party Ideas.

Your reunion might host many events on the schedule. How about incorporating an Adult Theme Prom for the evening. This is perfect those that wish to stay Forever Young! | Source

Make your reunion, Holiday Theme. One of the best times of year to have a reunion is, ironically, not the end of the school year or over summer but rather over the holidays. People return home for the holidays to visit their parents and family.

If the idea of dressing up in theme is really annoying to your guests, have a theme that doesn’t require theme to purchase a themed outfit. A Casino Night allows people to dress up or down and gives people the perfect excuse to wear jeans or wear a tux like the 007 they think they are – wink. Casino Party Decor from Oriental Trading Company.

High School Reunion Planning

The planning is the hardest part! Some of these people you don’t remember, others cannot be motivated to help, because of their busy schedule (who isn’t busy?) Suggestions for class reunion planning might help you get others involved.

No one is going to hand write 1,000 invitations. Plus, do you have everyone’s email address? The best way to hand a class reunion is to create a high school reunion Facebook group. Once you do that, create a digital class reunion invitation.

A Facebook group. This is where you get others involved. Began the group at least a a year in advance and map out your requests. Have a specific date (months in advance) you ask for people to drop photos. Another date ask for classmates to share a memory. Another date, have people tag a friend. The more engagement you get in the group, the more likely it is to come forward to people’s Facebook news feeds.

Plan a Class Reunion Checklist

Have no idea where to start? This class reunion checklist is great for the high school reunion planning committee. Download it, save it, check it as you go.

Eventbrite has a free class reunion software for your class reunion. Easily create a reunion website, manage registrations, and collect fees. In a survey, look at these results for reunion preferences voted on 2500 high school reunion attendees.

  • 94% like a reunion that serves alcohol, 6% prefer booze-free
  • 92% like to go big after the sun goes down, 9% prefer a day-time reunion
  • 89% like to see throwback videos and photos, 11% prefer not to see photos from the past
  • 84% prefer to keep it adults only, 16% want to make it kid-friendly
  • 83% want a casual reunion, 17% want a formal reunion
  • 75% want to open it up to former teachers, 22% want classmates only
  • 73% like to keep it toast-free, 27% want to hear speeches
  • 67% hope there’s a dance floor, 33% prefer the reunion to be dance free

Don’t forget to assign superlatives. these don’t have to be the same titles you gave in your high school yearbook. Biggest jock is no-longer cool. Try things like furthest traveled, most kids, married the longest, with their high school sweetheart, etc. You can even buy High School Reunion Trophies.

High School Reunion Awards

Possible class reunion superlatives include…

  • Farthest Traveled
  • Lives the Closest to the School (least distance traveled)
  • Married the Longest
  • Married High School Sweetheart (winner is the longest)
  • Most Eligible Bachelor
  • Most Eligible Bachelorette
  • Most Kids
  • Most Recent Baby
  • Parent the Longest (oldest child)
  • First Grandparents
  • Most Accomplished or Most or Highest Degrees
  • Never Left the School (became a teacher at the school!)
  • Most Interesting Job
  • Still the Same
  • Most Changed
  • Most Social Media Followers
  • Most Famous
  • First to Retire
  • Deserves the Most Honor (military members)
  • Hero Award
  • Beat the Odds (overcame the most obstacles)

Some of these reunion awards might not be clear. You can vote on on some of these at the start of the event and award them later in the evening.

If that is too much work, these School Class Reunion Party Mug Shots work too!


Class Reunion Memorial Ideas

As you get further away from your graduation date, those that have passed will go up. Have a Class Reunion Memorial for those Gone but not forgotten. This can be done wither with a bow or tree of life remembered.

Using an old yearbook, copy photos of those that have died. Increase the size before copying. Cut out the photos and attach them to a memorial ribbon.  You can play this bow on a chair called the Empty Chair. | Source

The Empty Chair Poem for a Class Reunion

The Empty Chair

We gather here a class once more,

To reminiscence like years before.

Upon the days and joys we knew,

Before our school-aged time was through.

Yet before we meet with memories near,

We think of those always held dear.

Our friends and classmates passed away,

To be with God and enjoy their day.

Until that hour when we join again,

An empty chair we will maintain.

In honor of the life-long bond,

We forged with those now passed beyond.

The friends with whom we learned life’s truth,

Whose bonds lasted far from our youth.

And shall remain forever near,

When we gather from year to year.

– Author unknown

Print a Copy of The Empty Chair Poem

Get all of our free printables including this Empty Chair Poem. Subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download any of our free printables.

I am happy to share printables. When sharing with others, please lead them to my website instead of emailing them the file(s). It takes time, effort and money to put the freebies forth and I earn when you visit. Thanks for visiting and thanks for sharing with others!

Another idea is to have memorial tree of life. Using an old yearbook, copy photos of those that have died. Increase the size before copying. Cut out the photos and hang them from a tree branch to mimic a tree. | Source

Lastly, you can pick up these Memorial Luminaries of Deceased Classmates using old yearbook photos.


Class Reunion Planning, Ideas, Decor, and Themes

Incorporate some of Graduation Party Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Also take a look at these Retirement Party Ideas (the time will come – wink!) Pin to Pinterest.



WHAT’S TRENDING? Get inspired this Spring with Dollar Store Easter Decor.


Also access our Free Frugal Coupon Living Printables to help you find joy through embracing the chaos of motherhood more easily!



Stay in the know with daily deals, recipes, crafts, life hacks and seasonal content on Frugal Coupon Living. Receive this and more in your inbox.