Before the New Year, I made a list of resolutions. I wanted to sleep better, eat better, be more organized, etc.  So like a true scientist, I spent a lot of time researching these serious matters on Pinterest. Now, I made a huge list of things that could help me—“Life Hacks”.  Of course, I haven’t done most of them or some are just too much work; however, I have found that a few help me out a lot. So I wanted to share.

For Better Sleep:

I am a very light sleeper, and during the summer I tend get eaten alive by mosquitos in my sleep. The following tips started helping me a lot.

1. Lavender – I use it in the form of an essential oil which I put on the back of my ear, or I put some drops on my pillow. I have found Lavender to be my ultimate relaxer. It just knocks me out.
2. Homemade Mosquito spray. I hate the smell of mosquito spray so I started making my own mosquitos spray. Here is an article that helped me make it: Essential Oils for Mosquitos & Homemade Repellent Spray Recipe.  I also have luck putting the oils in a diffuser.
3. GET OFF YOUR PHONE. Yes, this is a hard one; however, I have found that if I don’t look at my phone 1 hour prior to going to sleep, I sleep much better. This is also the same with TV and IPads. There are actual studies that proven this, it has something to do with melatonin and your brain.
4. Make a Habit – I find that if I sleep and wake up at the same time; I feel more rested.
5. Drink Chamomile- I have found that Chamomile tea helps me relax especially if I am anxious. It is actually proven to be a sleep-inducer. There are also other teas you can drink if you don’t like chamomile. Here is an article about them. 

For the Kitchen:

I love cooking, it’s my passion; however, I also work 9-5. I had to develop some habits that help me plan and make the meals that I want, despite my busy schedule.

1. Plan your food for the week. I look at my fridge on Saturday morning, and based on the ingredients I have on the fridge, as well as the recipes I want to make during the week, I make my food plan and shopping list for the week.
2. Make it a habit to wash your vegetables and fruit before putting away in the fridge. I sometimes even pre-chop the veggies (like tomatoes, onion and garlic) if I am planning got use them in the next two days.
3. Take inventory of your pantry.—I keep a list attached to the back of the cabinet door; it tells me what I have in my pantry. I update it every two weeks.
4. Busier week, less cooking. If I know that I having a crazy week, I make sure to have fast and easy meals for the week.
5. Get fruits and veggies in season and store them correctly. Here is a quick guide.
6. If you have a slow-cooker- don’t be afraid of freezer meals—especially if you have a busy week. Here is a list of 31 Crockpot Freezer Meals for Busy Weeknights.

For Organization:

I definitely need to get better at this; therefore I have one tip:

1. Pretty much everything that Debbie said on her last post.

For Self-Care:

Self-Care Items are expensive!! I have a hard time paying 10 bucks for a lipstick or 15 for a facemask—so I “DYI” it:

1. Make a coconut oil and crayon lipstick—I made a few and they are so much fun. Here is how you do it. 
2. Use coconut oil on your hair (yeah, I am obsessed with coconut oil). Here is an article for different benefits. I even use it on my cat that suffers from dry skin (vet told me about this).
3. You don’t need to buy expensive facemask, bath bombs, or exfoliants. I learned a long time ago that a lot of easy DYI recipes online. Many times I already have items at home.
4. Peppermint oil is great on a mosquito bite, a sunburn, and muscle strain- I just put a couple drops on the area that is hurting or inching. I also put it behind my ears if I have a headache or nausea.
5. Tea tree oil is great for acne. Just put a drop on the infected area or dilute it with water to wash your whole face. It can dry out your face so be careful.
6. I actually love essential oils, so I have this article saved: 10 Must Have Essential Oils for Your Medicine Cabinet

For Cleaning:

I don’t like a lot of chemicals in the house so I also “DYI” it.

1. Put your clean dishes away before cooking, so that once everyone is done eating they can put their dish directly in the dishwasher.
2. A load of laundry a day, takes the stress away.
3. Skip the expensive chemicals, you can practically make most cleaning supplies with baking soda or vinegar. Here are two articles that have saved me a lot of money. Places to Use Baking Soda  & Clean Your House for Less Than $ 5.

Well, I hope some of these are useful. Feel free to share tips in the comments or on our Facebook page.

Love,  Milo

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