Santa's Village, NH Review - Tips, Tricks, & Information for Your Visit

If you’re local to New Hampshire or New England, chances are you’ve been to Santa’s Village - or at least heard of it! My family has been going to Santa’s Village since way back - my parents went when they were kids, my husband and I both went when we were little, and now we’re lucky enough to bring our own kids as well. Here I thought I’d share some tips, tricks, and information to help you get the most out of your visit to Santa’s Village in Jefferson, NH. | This post is not sponsored. Contains personal opinion/reviews and affiliate links |

Disclaimer: This post shares opinions and tips based on our personal experiences. Please be aware that you may encounter things differently and things are subject to change. Please do your own research.

Santa’s Village is a Christmas-themed amusement park for families in Jefferson, NH.

Tickets are ONLY Available Online and can Sell Out

Probably the most important thing to take into consideration when planning a Santa’s Village trip - tickets are ONLY AVAILABLE ONLINE. You can’t buy them at the gate, so make sure to buy them ahead of time! Also, Santa’s Village sells a maximum number of tickets every day to make sure the park doesn’t get overcrowded (we love that!). Because of that though, dates can and do sell out… so make sure to plan ahead and buy your tickets ahead for the date you want.

Print or Screenshot Your Tickets before Arriving

Cell phone service is VERY spotty/nonexistent in the area, don’t count on opening your email and pulling up your tickets when you get there - it might not load! It’s recommended to print or screenshot your tickets so that you have them available to scan at the gate, cell phone service or not.

Season Passes are Hard to Get!

Just a heads up if you were thinking of getting season passes, they are VERY hard to get! Santa’s Village releases a limited amount of them at a specific time and they often sell out within minutes.

Free Parking (with Guided Parking During Opening Rush)

Unlike many other theme parks, parking is free at Santa’s Village which we love! Also, it’s good to be aware that if you arrive during the opening rush (before park open and a little after), there will be parking lot attendants guiding you in to park, one car after another. They have it down to a science and are very efficient, just be ready to follow their instructions.

Note: If you have an RV or extra large vehicle, you should park across the street in their overflow lot.

It’s Like a Maze - Grab a Map

Santa’s Village is very maze-like. There are seemingly a hundred paths that spider-web across the park. It can be a little disorienting at first to find your way, so definitely make sure to grab a map when you enter! One great thing about this though is there is always tons of shade and a lot of the paths meander through the forest which is really pretty.

EVERYONE is Welcome

Even though this is a Christmas-themed amusement park and there are some religious aspects around the park (a chapel, a life-size nativity scene, etc), EVERYONE is welcome at Santa’s Village. We have seen plenty of families from different religious backgrounds enjoy the park.

NO Cell Service

Another really important thing to keep in mind is there is little to no cell service in the area for the most part. Jefferson is quite a remote area of New Hampshire, surrounded by a lot of mountains. If your party decides to separate in the park, don’t count on texting later for a meetup. Plan your rendez-vous point ahead of time like it’s the 1990’s.

Pro Tip: While we've never done this before ourselves, I have seen some families utilize Walkie Talkies to keep in touch in the park - genius!

Consider Packing Light

Everyone has their own preferences but now that I don't need a diaper bag these days I always pack light and simple - a quality belt bag with wallet, phone, keys, and hand sanitizer. That's really all you need and it's small enough to wear on almost all rides.
For those that do need a diaper bag, I recommend a modest-sized backpack diaper bag, similar to this one to keep your hands free and be able to move around the park easily.

FREE Stroller and Wheelchair Rentals

Santa’s Village has FREE stroller and wheelchair rentals available - first-come, first-serve - while supplies last. I think this is such a thoughtful and helpful touch for those that need it. You are also welcome to bring in your own strollers/wheelchairs and a lot of people do.

Feel Free to Bring the Christmas Spirit

While not necessary or expected, feel free to dig out that Christmas t-shirt from the closet and get some more use out of it! Lots of families wear Christmas shirts or accessories.

Elf University

Make sure to stop by the Elf University by the front of the park if you want to play the “Elfabet Game.” At Elf University you’ll be given a card with the alphabet on it (shaped like a Christmas tree) on an elastic string. Around the park are elf statues for every letter of the alphabet and each has a present that can “punch” your card. Find all 26 letters and bring your completed card back and earn a prize! The prize changes year to year but is usually something like a fancy Santa’s Village pen or a key chain. (Note: even if your kids don’t complete all 26 letters, you can bring it back and they will usually give you your prize - they’re very accommodating.)

Start at the Back

A great tactic we’ve found is to make a beeline for the back of the park and start there, then work our way towards the front. There’s often no lines at all at those far rides and sometimes you can ride them a few times in a row with no waits!

Santa Says…

Santa’s Village really leans into the Christmas theming… right down to their signs and rules. Be prepared to see a lot of signs that say “Santa says…. (keep hands in the vehicle, etc.)” I love this touch!

Meet Santa and Get your Picture Taken With Him

Did you know you can meet the big guy himself?! ;) It’s definitely a highlight of the trip, be ready to tell Santa what you’d like for Christmas before you get your picture taken and get a candy cane. What I love about this meet and greet is that Santa will have your kids look at you for a picture, then at the staff photographer - this way you end up with a great picture where everyone is looking at your own camera, it’s such a little thing but it’s so considerate of Santa’s Village. You can still buy the staff-taken photo too if you decide (and can get it on things like Christmas ornaments), but it’s so nice to have a good photo of your own too.

Feed Real Reindeer

Towards the back of the park is a beautiful stable with Santa’s reindeer - REAL reindeer. For a very reasonable cost (I believe it was $2 last time we went), you can buy a cup of carrots/reindeer food from the attendant and feed the reindeer yourself! It’s such a magical experience, especially for little kids.

Pro Tip + Important Note: Only a certain amount of reindeer food is sold every day to make sure the reindeer don’t get overfed. If feeding the reindeer is important to you, make sure to visit early in the day to avoid possible disappointment.

The Ride Queues Aren’t Always Obvious

Many of the rides at Santa’s Village don’t have fenced queues. Thankfully the lines are usually short or nonexistent, but it can get a little confusing when a line does start to develop and everyone kind of gathers in a makeshift line in whatever direction suits them. Though, I do wish they would paint a candy cane stripe on the ground or something for a few feet to kind of guide people into what direction to start the line.

Don’t Miss the Skyway Sleigh Monorail

The Skyway Sleigh Monorail is one of our favorite rides - it brings you around the whole park in a giant sleigh and lets you get a birds-eye view of everything. It’s so magical “flying” through the trees!
Note: If you are afraid of heights then you probably want to skip this one. Also, this ride probably has the longest wait in the park so be prepared for that.

The Midnight Flyer is SO Smooth

Santa’s Village’s newest roller coaster, Midnight Flyer (opened in 2024), is SO smooth! Seriously, it’s one of the smoothest roller coasters I’ve ever been on, Disney rides included. If you have child who’s never been on a roller coaster before and is nervous to try one, this might be a great introduction (though it does set a high bar, for sure).

(This roller coaster replaces the old Rudy’s Rapid Transit roller coaster which I honestly thought was terrifying, haha)

Santa’s Water Park

Santa’s Village also has a huge water park that’s included with admission. It has 3 separate areas, each with a different vibe. Poogee’s Splash Pad is mostly for the littlest kids - it’s an area where water jets shoot up from the ground and is a great place to cool off. Polar Paradise better for toddlers and younger kids - it has a huge splash area and kid-friendly water slides. Finally there’s the Ho, Ho, H2O / Joy Ride Slide area - I would say these are best suited for older kids or brave younger ones that don’t mind a lot of stimulation and water spraying/dumping. If you forget your bathing suit they do sell them at the Trading Post gift shop right by the water park area.
Note: The water park does close on colder days and is not open in early spring, fall, or winter.

Santa’s Cabana Rentals

Santa’s Village also has a limited number of Cabana rentals available around the water park. These need to be rented ahead of time when you purchase your tickets and they almost always sell out - so if you want to rent one we recommend planning far ahead. These make a great home base for those spending a full day here and have shade, a mini fridge stocked with some drinks, and a place to take a break or for your little one to take their afternoon nap.

Free “Reindeer Shoe” Ring

Make sure to stop by the Reindeer Shoe Blacksmith Shop to get a free “good luck ring”, made from a nail that’s custom fit to your finger. This is another really nice touch that’s included for everyone with admission.

Outside Food is Allowed

If you’d like to bring your own food into the park for snacks or lunch that is welcome and allowed. Just no glass containers or alcohol!

Buying Food in the Park

You will be pleasantly surprised by the food offerings at Santa’s Village. They have all the typical park food - chicken fingers, burgers, fries, etc. But they also have seasonal-inspired treats like fresh apple cinnamon mini donuts (SO good!) and cookie decorating. They even have a food stall called Fruit Loup’s Farm Stand that offers (gasp) fresh fruit and veggie trays (unheard of at amusement parks)! We have been pleasantly surprised by the good food quality at Santa’s Village (their mac and cheese is so rich and good), and love the little touches like the kids meals are served on a Santa’s Village frisbee that they get to keep and bring home (such a nice bonus!).

Our one criticism is that there isn’t anywhere to get a really GOOD cup of coffee in the park. We found Polar Expresso to be very disappointing… just very mediocre drip coffee available. I would love a latte or really good frosted coffee drink! (Santa’s Village, I hope you’re reading this and bring in some good coffee options!)

The Park is Immaculate

One of the biggest take-aways from Santa’s Village is just how clean and immaculate it is. Nothing ever looks rundown or broken - so much pride and joy is taken with upkeep and cleaning. You will constantly see employees walking around picking up litter and even squeegeeing off park benches in the rain to give people a dry-er spot to sit.

Leaving the Park and Re-Entering? Get Your Hand Stamped!

Super important - if you’re looking to leave Santa’s Village and re-enter the same day, make sure to ask for a hand stamp at the Stocking Stuffer Exit Gift Shop. You’ll need that hand stamp to re-enter the park!

Don’t Forget the Themed Old-School Playground at the Exit

At the exit there is what looks like a giant Nutcracker and Drum sculpture - but this isn’t just a sculpture, it’s actually an old-school playground! Climb up inside the Nutcracker and slide down his arms onto the drum! There’s also some tunnels and other areas to explore around the base.

Talk to Rudolph when you Leave (Easy to Miss!)

Talk to Rudolph at the “Santa Cam” Kiosk

When your day at Santa’s Village is done, make sure to look for the “Santa Cam” kiosk outside (just outside of the park exit) that looks like a ticket booth and has a large Rudolph head in it. Go talk to Rudolph and he will talk back to you - really! Trust us on this one, you definitely want to go say hi and have a quick conversation with him - your kids and you will get a huge kick out of it.

FEASTival Events

On select days in June and September, Santa’s Village has FEASTival Days where most food items are included in your admission cost! This event does cost a little more than regular admission but it more than makes up for it with what’s included.

Holly Jolly Halloween Events

On select days in October, Santa’s Village transforms into a mash-up of winter and Halloween (think pumpkin snowmen, elf jack-o-lanterns, and more fun decorations) and trick-or-treating. Definitely wear layers - it can be chilly! (Water park/rides are closed during this time.)

Guests are welcome to wear Halloween costumes or shirts if they would like, but it's not necessary.

Christmastime at Santa’s Village

Santa’s Village also is open for select dates in November/December to make Christmas extra-special! Just imagine exploring Santa’s Village in the snow with Christmas lights twinkling around. Specific ride operation is subject to weather conditions - but Santa’s Village typically runs a lot of rides during this time. However, all water park/water rides are closed.

Definitely wear lots of layers and even your snow clothes! It can be downright cold!

Disclaimer: This post shares opinions and tips based on our personal experiences. Please be aware that you may encounter things differently and things are subject to change. Please do your own research.

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Santa’s Village is Famous Amongst Theme Park Enthusiasts

Now to share a fun personal story… two years ago we went down to Disney World for vacation. I went to a gift shop in Magic Kingdom and was checking out at the cash register, making small talk with the Cast Member. He asked me where I was from and I told him New Hampshire. He asked me, “Have you ever been to Santa’s Village?! That’s on my bucket list of theme parks to visit, I’ve always wanted to go there!” I was so surprised that someone who works at Disney World and has experienced so many other parks, had little Santa’s Village in remote New Hampshire on their wish-list to visit. It just goes to show what a quality theme park Santa’s Village is.

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Garage Locker Power Tool Organizer - Fits Between Garage Doors!

Lately our garage has been kind of a mess - my husband has been rebuilding our rotting deck and the power tools he has have multiplied with no good place to store them. I was getting tired of tripping over sanders and planers so I thought I’d come up with a way to get all the small power tools easily accessible and organized for his project. In my search I came across the perfect locker solution! | This post contains affiliate links |

I realized the space between our garage doors was vastly underutilized. It’s a skinny spot but tall - with a lot of potential for easily-accessible storage. I thought about building shelves there but then it would be open and kind of messy. I tried finding a cabinet that would fit but they were all too wide. Then I realized a locker would fit!

I searched for single-width lockers and found many options and considered doing a single tall locker or a double locker. But then I came across this amazing single-width locker with six doors/tiers! It was perfect for my needs - it fit right in between the garage doors and each tool could have it’s own cubby. This locker fit perfectly in our garage but make sure to measure your space first as you may have a narrower (or wider) space to work with. There was assembly required for the locker but it went together easily and then it was ready to use!

One important thing to consider before you put a locker in your garage is how you will contend with wet floors. We live in New England and in the winters especially our garage floors get quite wet when the snow melts off our cars… in order to protect the bottom of your locker from rusting you probably want to raise it up off the floor. For us we used a thick paving stone that fit well under the locker - though we did have to level it some with composite shims (similar ones linked) because our garage floors are slightly uneven. (Just slide the shim under the paver and break off when it's the right height - so easy!) You may also want to consider attaching your locker to the wall in some way if you’re concerned about it tipping.

| 6 Door Metal Locker |

Once we had our locker level and secured I labeled each cubby with what it contained (“Drills & Bits”, “Orbital Sander”, etc). To make the labels I just typed them up on my computer, printed them out on a sheet of cardstock, and cut them out.

This was an awesome and very easy project to do in our garage. We love how organized and accessible the tools are while still keeping them out of sight.

Tips for Selling on Facebook Marketplace

Lately I’ve been on a huge decluttering kick. I really want to pare down what we have in our home so we only have stuff we love, use, or is sentimental/important to us. Everything else can go. I’ve been taking my time with this process but it’s been really freeing to open up some space in our home. I try to throw away as little as possible and have been either donating items locally or selling them on Facebook Marketplace. Read on for my tips on how to sell your unwanted items on Facebook.
| Disclaimer: These are suggestions. Sell/buy on Facebook at your own risk. |

| Disclaimer: These are suggestions. Sell/buy on Facebook at your own risk. |

Tips for Selling on Facebook Marketplace

Clean Your Items Before Taking Photograpshs

Oh my gosh - this is the most obvious one that I feel like so many people neglect to do. They will post a picture of a table for example, still covered with magazines and cups - or the table will be filthy with dust. Kids’ shoes is another big example - make sure to take a little time and clean kids’ shoes. Get any stains/dirt you can off up the uppers and take an old toothbrush and clean the mud out of the treads. No one is interested in your dirty items - clean them up!

Consider the Backdrop of Your Photos

Don’t take photos somewhere messy or that looks unclean (like a basement or garage - unless you’re selling something that really belongs there like sports equipment or tools). For example, if you’re selling a nice piece of furniture, dress, kids’ toys, etc make sure the backdrop is somewhere clean and nice inside your home - don’t take a sketchy looking photo in a dirty/damp-looking basement because that implies the items weren’t well-cared for.

Price Your Items Well

Keep in mind this is a “yard sale.” And while things are typically priced a little higher than they would be at an actual yard sale, don’t be unreasonable. I usually price my items at the higher-end of reasonable, and then decrease my price periodically. If it doesn’t sell in a few weeks, it typically gets donated.

Be Safe

Be really wary with selling/buying on Facebook. Always check out the profile of who’s interested in the item to make sure it looks like it’s a real account with some history (it wasn’t just made in the last few months). Also never give out your phone number.. a lot of scammers will send you a message that says something like “I’m working, what’s your phone number so I can text you about this item? -or- Here’s my number, please text me.” Always decline to give out your number and say you only do correspondence through Facebook Messenger. It’s also a good idea to never accept electronic payments (Venmo, PayPal, etc) - stick to cash-only. (And if you’re a buyer never send an electronic payment as a “deposit to hold an item” - that’s a very common scam and a big red flag.)

And the biggest one - ALWAYS MEET IN A PUBLIC PLACE THAT ISN’T YOUR HOUSE. I strictly will only meet at local Police Department parking lots. Our surrounding town police departments all have designated parking spots under video surveillance that are meant for online sale exchanges. Several times someone has messaged me asking to meet for an item but instantly declined once they found out I only meet at the Police Station - that’s a huge red flag if they won’t meet at the Police Station and you want nothing to do with that person.. block them and move on.

Send a Reminder Message about an Hour Before the Meet

No-shows are the worst, and unfortunately fairly common. To help reduce no-shows, send a one-line reminder message about an hour before you’re supposed to meet the person.. something like “See you at XXX Police Department at 3PM.” Most of the time if they forgot or weren’t going to show up they will message you back and say “whoops, I won’t be there” and you’ll save yourself the trip. I also try really hard to line up my yard sale meets with other errands so I’m in that area anyways and it’s not as much of an inconvenience if I get stood up.

What Generally Sells Really Well:

• Kids’ toys

• Kids’ shoes & clothing (clothing typically sells better in big lots by size)

• Sporting equipment

• Tools

• Furniture

• Garden Items

I’ve found that some items in particular (like books and women’s clothing) do not generally sell well. Also make sure to try to sell items seasonally - don’t list snow pants for sale in April, they probably won’t sell. List them for sale in Fall when people are looking for them.

And always - make sure to follow Facebook guidelines on what is allowed for sale or not.

Good luck with your decluttering journey!

Getting Ready for Back to School 2021

We’re getting ready to send our oldest back to school in person for the first time in about 18 months and I don’t know who’s more nervous - me or her. Nevertheless, we’re trying hard to be positive and prepare her as best we can for the return to school. I thought I would share some of the things we’re packing in the event it helps other parents think of things to pack too. | This post contains affiliate links |

Disclaimer: I am not giving medical advice… please consult the CDC, your doctor, etc for what supplies your child should need for themselves and their school situation.

Some Ideas for Back to School Supplies 2021

• Sturdy Backpack - We're huge fans of L.L. Bean backpacks. They're built to last so we buy a size bigger than our kids need in order to last them many years to come. Since our school does a lot with computers we made sure to pick a backpack that also has a built-in laptop sleeve. (Side note: We always add some added visibility to our kids' gear with Gear Aid Reflective Patches.)
• Hand Sanitizer - We got some small "key chain" hand sanitizer dispensers to attach to both her backpack and her lunch box so cleaning her hands whenever she needs to will be easy, especially important before adjusting or taking off masks and before eating/drinking.
• Covered Water Bottle - This was a small upgrade we thought might be useful this year. In the past our daughter always used reusable water bottles with an exposed spout, however we thought it might be a better idea to have one that keeps the spout covered when not in use to help keep it cleaner.
• Good Masks - We did our best to try to find better masks for this year that are supposed to have better filtration. We have some child-sized "M95" ones as well as some cloth masks that have special filters that go inside of them.
• Mask Cases/System - I have no idea if this system will be practical, but we're going to give it a try! I ordered these clear mask cases from Amazon and cut labels for them on my Cricut. We'll be packing one with extra clean masks, and the other will be empty for dirty masks to come home in. Since we invested in some better quality masks I wanted to make sure they stay in cases when not in use to keep them in good shape.
• Breakaway Mask Lanyard - These can be handy during times when masks come down (lunch/snack, mask breaks outside, etc).
• Label Everything - Pandemic or not, it's important to label all the things when kids go to school. We love this label maker for making quick and easy labels for water bottles, cases, sports gear, etc.

I hope that gave you some ideas of things you may want to pack for your children too, I hope you all have a safe, happy, and healthy school year!

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Sheet and Towel Stripping How-To

While home for Quarantine, I’ve seen a lot of people posting about “stripping” their towels and bedsheets and showing disgusting After photos of dirty water - I was intrigued! Stripping the linens is supposed to get rid of any kind of build-up on them (whether that’s laundry detergent, body oil/sweat, hard water mineral deposits, etc). So I decided to give it a try myself and share the easy process - and let me tell you, it was a disgusting and oddly satisfying Quarantine Project. | This post contains affiliate links |

Apparently one should consider stripping their linens when they aren’t as absorbent as they used to be, they look or feel dingy, or they start to smell musty.

Supplies:

Everyone seems to be using more or less the same supplies, which are:

• 1/4 cup Borax Powder
• 1/4 cup washing soda (or 1/4 cup baking soda if you're in a pinch and don't have washing soda.. I used baking soda)
• 1/2 cup laundry detergent

How-To:

Fill a bath tub with hot water and dissolve the Borax, washing soda or baking soda, and laundry detergent in it. Next add your towels and sheets (make sure to only do similar colors together… in some cases it can cause some colors to run. We only have done our white and light colored linens so far.)

Then leave them to soak for the next four or so hours, stirring occasionally. You should see the water turn from clear to a gross yellowish-dirty color.

Once the water cools, drain the tub and squeeze the water from the linens, rinsing them with some fresh water. Then put in the washing machine (with no detergent - your items will already have absorbed detergent and Borax and you want to rinse everything out, not add more soap at this point), and run through the “wash” cycle to rinse everything out thoroughly.

After that you can put them in the dryer, or re-run the washing machine with detergent like you normally would to give them a fresh wash before drying.

Draining the dirty water after stripping. Ew.

| Whale Bath Spout Cover |

Our Personal Results:

So it wasn’t the magical night-and-day change across the board that I was expecting, visually anyways - and some items definitely had better results than others. OVERALL - Our linens definitely felt cleaner, and looked a little brighter - however, our old white towels (which have turned very off-white over the years), did not magically turn luminous white again like I was hoping. But again, that’s probably too much to expect as they are 10+ years old and have had many years to get discolored in the regular laundry. Nevertheless, just SEEING the dirty water after we stripped the linens makes me feel a lot better about doing this process - visually not everything looks perfectly white again, but I know it’s cleaner after removing all that invisible gunk and that makes me feel a lot better.

Okay, so the old white towels are still off-white, but I know they’re cleaner than before after seeing the dirty water after the stripping process.

It’s my understanding that you can repeat this process as needed, and I can see myself doing this maybe up to 2-4x per year going forward to try to keep build-up at bay.

Disclaimer: Try at your own risk. In some cases this process may make colored fabrics run and may not be suitable for all fabrics.

Want to see another satisfyingly gross example…?

Here’s a photo my sister sent me after she did her sheets - wow!

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Going “KonMari” on my Daughter’s Bureau

Our daughter’s bureau was a train wreck and I just couldn’t take it anymore. She’s been very much into picking out her own clothes lately and tends to dig around in her drawers until she finds what she wants, without putting anything back the way it was. Today I finally decided to tackle the disaster and emptied her bureau, folded everything in the “KonMari” style, and put it back with order.

BEFORE

What’s the KonMari style? Well, technically the first step is to only keep what you truly love or use, and purge the rest (I pulled out a few items that she was starting to outgrow, but most of her clothes stayed). Then you fold everything uniformly so it can stand up in the drawers and be “filed,” allowing you to see everything at once. This is a great way to fold your clothes as you can see everything all at once and keeps you from falling into the rut of constantly wearing just what’s on top.

AFTER

As you can see I came up with a basic system for the drawer too - I grouped all her t-shirts together, then long-sleeve shirts, then sweatshirts and tank tops. (This folding technique also seems to be a lot more efficient as there’s even some empty space now!) I also tackled her other drawers too and tidied up her jeans, pants, and PJs. Overall I think it looks great and should help make getting ready for school in the morning a breeze.

How I organized it:

I already had my own drawers folded in the KonMari style and love it - it’s so nice being able to see all your options at once when you’re getting dressed in the morning. As for our daughter, I explained the new setup to her and she understands it (she was honestly really excited about her neat drawers when I first showed them to her) - but the reality is she’s five years old and there’s no way it’s going to stay this organized on it’s own. I also don’t think it’s worth nagging her over it to keep it this way, it’s really not a fair expectation for a five year old. So, we’ll see how long this lasts… I’ll do my best to tidy it up when I can and try to keep some semblance of order but it won’t always be picture-perfect and that’s okay. That’s life ;)

One Week Update: She actually kept the system perfectly! Just a few things had fallen over and one item was crumpled up and put back, but 95% of it was still perfect. I’m super impressed that an almost 5-year-old can keep the system that neat. But it goes to show, that if she can do it - so can you!

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How "Clean Kitchen at Night" Changed my Life

Okay, okay - so saying a hashtag "changed my life" is a bit dramatic, but let me explain...

As a Mom, you spend your entire day cleaning up after others... toys, food, diapers, everything - and at the end of the day the last thing you want to do is clean up more. Before kids I used to be good about keeping an empty sink and clean counters, but these days once the kids were in bed I just wanted to be done and the kitchen was left in disarray almost every night. However after seeing An Organized Life's Instagram hashtag #cleankitchenatnight, I was inspired and had to try it!
| This post contains affiliate links |

The whole point of "clean kitchen at night" is that it's a great motivator.  Having a clean kitchen and clean slate to wake up to in the morning helps set a less-stressful and more motivated tone for the rest of your day, in all aspects of your life. It's so refreshing to see clean counters and an empty sink.  Making meals throughout the day is so much easier too when all of the dishes, pans, and silverware are ready to go!  I don't know how many times before I would go to make a meal, only to realize a specific pan, measuring cup, or casserole dish I needed was still dirty from the day before. Now meal prep is so much easier and quicker, simply because everything is already clean.

| Keurig Coffee Maker | Large Glass Jar | Similar Set of Glass Canisters | Similar Set of Bamboo Utensils |

Now, we don’t have an “Instagram-worthy” kitchen… it still has the honey-colored maple cabinets and green (yes, green) builder-grade laminate counters. But trust me in that you don’t need a picture-perfect kitchen to feel the sense of accomplishment and motivation in leaving everything in a clean and organized state each and every night.

As cheesy as it sounds, having a clean kitchen really does reduce stress and brings some peace to normally chaotic mornings. And I’ve found this motivation snowballs into all other areas of my life too - I feel so much more productive in work and efficient in accomplishing my to-do list every day. There's a saying that goes something like "cluttered house, cluttered mind" - and it's true... if you surround yourself with messes and clutter you feel it. If you have a sense of control over your house, even if it's just the kitchen, it makes you feel like you have life together (even if you don't, haha).

Don’t believe me that “Clean Kitchen at Night” really makes a difference?

I challenge you to give it a try! For the next week, I challenge you to make a point to clear out the sink, clean the clutter off the countertops, and wipe down your whole kitchen every night. It can be hard work at first, but once you get in the rhythm it goes quick - especially when you’re only picking up that day’s mess and not messes from previous days too. Try it for a week and let me know if you feel less stressed and more motivated across all aspects of your life - I hope you do!

#cleankitchenatnight #resetyourspace #progressnotperfection

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Easy Flashcard Organization Hack

Our toddler loves flash cards... well, loves dumping them all over the living room mostly.  After getting tired of constantly picking them up I decided it was time to do something about it.  

After buying some $1 packs of flashcards from Target Dollar Spot (love Dollar Spot!), I punched a hole in each one and reinforced them with hole reinforcement stickers before stringing them together with binder rings.  If you don't have binder rings, you could also use a piece of ribbon or string.  

And that was it - easy-as-can-be!  Now I don't have a couple hundred flashcards thrown all over the living room, and they're super-easy to pack for car trips and travel!