My baby is two years old today.

I’m still in awe over how time has flown.

At least she still lets me rock her to sleep.

{Two} is a post from: Amy Loves It!

Happy Labor Day weekend! There will be no coupons this weekend

To get your coupon fix, make sure you check out all of the newest printable coupons on Coupons.com!

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Don’t forget, some of these coupons may be regional, and not all areas will receive them. Also, sometimes different areas will receive the same coupon with different values. For example, I may receive a $1/1 coupon and you may receive a 50¢/1 coupon for the exact same item.

Want to know what inserts are in store for 2010? Couponing 101 has the Sunday Coupon Insert Schedule for the entire year!

If you need more coupons, you can order extra from the Coupon Clippers.

Coupon Insert Preview 9/5 is a post from: Amy Loves It!

I like to make use of every little thing I have, rather than let it go to waste, and bread is no exception.

I like to use the heels (because my family refuses to eat them!), dry or “day-old” bread, and unused hot dog or hamburger buns to make croutons and bread crumbs.

I got both of these recipes from Real Simple magazine, but have “tweaked” them to make them my own tasty creations.

Croutons

Ingredients

• Heels, buns, or bread, cut into crouton-sized pieces (aka, cut the bread into fourths and then cut out 5 chunks)
• 4 Tbs melted butter (or maybe a smidge more… I like butter!)
• Sprinkle of salt
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp basil

Directions

Heat oven to 375°. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper (trust me on this one!). Mix “croutons” and butter in a large bowl. Sprinkle with herbs and salt and mix well.

Dump onto parchment paper, and bake 15-20 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want them. Allow to cool, and then toss baked croutons in a Ziploc freezer bag (try not to sample too many!).

Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

• Heels, buns, or bread, cut in half or fourths
• Pinch of salt
• Sprinkle of pepper
• Smidge of any other herbs you want in your bread crumbs. I prefer mine plain

Directions

Heat oven to 375°. Place on a cookie sheet (no need for parchment paper this time).

Bake 10-15 minutes. Again, I like mine kinda toasty. Allow to cool and toss into a food processor. DO NOT OVER-FILL. (Trust me! It will fly everywhere!). Throw in the salt, pepper, and/or herbs.

Grind it up until it is super-fine. Store in a Ziploc freezer bag.

Both the croutons and the bread crumbs can be stored in the fridge for 5-7 days, or in the freezer for around 3 months.

Linked to Frugal Friday

What are your favorite “reusable” items?

New Uses for “Old” Things: Bread Crumbs and Croutons Recipe is a post from: Amy Loves It!

I {heart} labels.

I’m sure you are all well aware of that fact now, but I feel it is important to preface a new series with the truth.

Hello, my name is Amy, and I am a label addict.

Whew! Now that the the air is cleared, we can begin.

One of the main ways I keep my home neat, orderly, and in-line is with the use of labels.

As you know, my preferred method is making labels with a label maker, but you can truly use anything to make your home full of label-y goodness.

:: Regular mailing labels (printed on the computer or written on with a Sharpie) This method is a former favorite of mine… before I fell in love with Brother.

:: Copy paper, scissors, and tape

:: Storage bin labels (with the clear “envelope” to stick them in)

:: Tags or pictures *see #8 on Andrea’s list

:: Index cards, Sharpie, and tape

:: Masking tape and a marker

So, you do not have to invest in a label maker to have a label-organized home, but for me… it is definitely has the least amount of work involved. As one of my sweet commenters put it,

“I like the symmetry and neatness, and how they [label-made labels] make everything look intentional.”

Beautifully said, and the whole statement makes my heart go pitter-patter.

Once you figure out what labeling method works for your family, you need to decide what you want to label.

Me? I like to label everything including the kitchen sink, but I’m on the extreme end of things. If you are just starting out with organizing, you need to…

Start Small

Find ONE spot in your home… your pantry, the linen closet, wherever and begin your organization there. If you try to take on more than one area, you will become overwhelmed and frustrated. Believe me!

One of my first orders of business was getting my “homeschool” closet organized and ready for the new school year.

It had become a messy “dumping ground” of stuff during the chaos of our summer. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Between working, kids, and homeschooling, it took two days to get it all cleaned up; but it was definitely worth it!

I love the results, and will share with you in a future post about the actual details of that organizational process.

Speaking of time, you need to be aware of the…

Time Aspect and Commitment

that is involved with organizing.

It takes time, and doesn’t happen overnight.

One of the beauties of the labeling system, is that once you organize and label, you are much less likely to put things where they do not belong. If the bin says, “Crayons and Markers,” you won’t be tossing in Barbie dolls!

You Will Make a Mess

It’s inevitable.

When you are clearing out anything, you have to start fresh. Pull it all out, evaluate what you NEED, what you WANT, and purge the rest. Purging can be recycling, giving away, or trashing it… but get rid of it.

Once you’ve “pulled and purged,” then you need to

Sort and Store

Yes, the old, “sort and store.” You have to find a new home, or change up the old home for every item you keep.

Disclaimer: This stage could possibly lead to more purging.

When you are ready to put things back,

Bring out the Labels!

My favorite part. I love whipping out the label maker and getting busy!

The little noise it makes as it prints out my pretty, perfect label is music to my ears and brings joy to my organizing heart. {It may or may not sound like a buzzing noise that may or may not annoy your husband.}

A few key things to remember when labeling:

:: Have a bin, box, or basket to label. Make sure you have the containers you need to store your items!

:: Organize the items within the bin before you print your label. You don’t want to make a bunch of labels and then have items not fit!

:: Be specific. I like having a “Master” label, and then adding “Sub-labels,” as shown in the picture below.

Label specifically with a "master" label and several "sub" labels

:: Organize items by similarity in function or type. For example: Office Supplies could contain staples, paper clips, pens, etc.

:: Store everything in an easily-accessible area. Make sure you can get to the items you need!

:: Step back and enjoy the beauty… and remember how hard you worked to organize everything. Tell family members of the new system, and that this is where these items are found, and where they are to be put away.

:: Don’t go back to any old habits of just throwing things wherever (a hard one to break, I know). Make the effort to put everything back in its place so you can reap the benefits of your hard work!

As we go through this series, I will show you how I have An Organized Home, and my methods of organization in the kitchen, pantry, laundry room, and more!

Are you a label-er? What is your favorite labeling method?

How to Organize Your Home with Labels is a post from: Amy Loves It!

Walgreens is another great place to snag great deals on make-up, toiletries, medicines, vitamins, candy, etc. It is not as easy to navigate as CVS, but once you get the hang of it, you will love Wags!

Each week, I will highlight my Top 5 favorite deals from the weekly ad.

New to Walgreens? Couponing 101 has a great tutorial: Walgreens 101.

Breathe Right 10-ct. Strips $4, Get $4 Register Rewards (Limit 1)
- $1.50/1 Breathe Right Product Coupon (4/11 RP)
= Free + $1.50 Profit

Softsoap Body Wash $3.50, Get $5 Register Rewards wyb 2 (Limit 1)
- $1/1 Softsoap Body Wash Coupon (ALL YOU Sept ’10)

[Scenario]
Buy (2) Softsoap Body Wash @ $3.50 ea.
- (2) $1/1 Softsoap Body Wash Coupon (ALL YOU Sept ’10)
= $5, Get $5 RRs
= 2 Free

Carmex Lip Balm $2, Get $2 Register Rewards (Limit 1)
= Free

W. Perfection Tampons $1.99, Get $1.99 Register Rewards (Limit 1)
= Free

Listerine Mouthwash $2.99, Get $1 Register Reward (Limit 1)
- $2/1 Listerine Zero Printable Coupon
= Free

:: For a full list of the Walgreens deals, please see Couponing 101.

:: Check out the Walgreens $5 Challenge every Sunday on Keeping the Kingdom First.

:: Like beauty bargains? Fashion Cents for Mom has the best Wags beauty deals.

Top 5 Walgreens Deals: Week of 8/29 is a post from: Amy Loves It!

CVS is the BEST place to snag great deals on make-up, toiletries, medicines, vitamins, candy, etc.

Each week, I will highlight my Top 5 favorite deals from the weekly ad.

New to CVS? Couponing 101 has a great tutorial: CVS 101.

Almay Cosmetics (psa $1.99) B1G1 50% off
- $2/1 Almay Cosmetic Product Coupon (SS 8/15)
- $1/1 Almay Cosmetic Product Coupon (SS 7/25)

{Scenario}
(2) Almay Cosmetics @ $1.99 ea. B1G1 50% off
- (2) $2/1 Almay Cosmetic Product Coupon (SS 8/15)
= Possible 2 Free

Philips In-Ear Headphones $6.99, Get $6.99 ECBs (Limit 1) Sunday – Tuesday only
= Free

Pepperidge Farm Cookies $2.50
- 75¢/1 Select Pepperidge Farm Cookies Coupon (SS 8/1)
- 60¢/1 Pepperidge Farm Distinctive Cookies Coupon (SS 8/1)
= $1.75 – $1.90

Tylenol Precise Pain Relief Cream or Patches $5.99
- $2/1 Tylenol Precise Printable Coupon -AND-
- $2/1 Precise External Pain Relief CVS Printable Coupon
= $1.99

Bounce or Downy $3.99, Get $1 ECBs (Limit 1)
- $1/1 Bounce Product Coupon (SS 8/15)
- 20¢/1 Bounce Product Coupon (PG 8/29)
- $1/1 Downy Fabric Softener Coupon (SS 8/15)
- 20¢/1 Select Downy Products Coupon (PG 8/29)
= $1.99 – $2.79 ea.

:: For a full list of the CVS deals, please see Couponing 101.

:: Check out the CVS $5 Challenge every Sunday on Keeping the Kingdom First.

:: Like beauty bargains? Fashion Cents for Mom has the best CVS beauty deals.

Top 5 CVS Deals: Week of 8/29 is a post from: Amy Loves It!

You can look forward to 3 inserts in this week’s paper: 1 Procter & Gamble (P&G), 1 SmartSource (SS), and 1 RedPlum (RP). For a complete list of this week’s coupons, check out The Sunday Coupon Preview.

A few of the coupons I’m looking forward to are:

$1/1 Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, exp. 11/30
40¢/2 Campbell’s Spaghettio’s Pasta, exp. 10/31
75¢/2 Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken, exp. 11/30
75¢/1 Degree Deodorant or Body Mist, exp. 9/26
$1/1 Glade Jar Candle, exp. 9/25
$1/2 M&Ms Chocolate Candy, exp. 10/31
$1/2 M&Ms Peanut Chocolate Candy, exp. 10/31
$1/1 Nivea Body Lotion, exp. 10/31
$1/1 Nivea Body Wash for Women, exp. 10/31
$1/1 CoverGirl Product, exp. 9/30
$2/1 Febreze Soy Blend or Wooden Wick Candle, exp. 9/30
$1/1 Gain Dish Liquid, exp. 9/30
$2/1 Gillette Body Wash, exp. 9/30

Don’t forget, some of these coupons may be regional, and not all areas will receive them. Also, sometimes different areas will receive the same coupon with different values. For example, I may receive a $1/1 coupon and you may receive a 50¢/1 coupon for the exact same item.

Want to know what inserts are in store for 2010? Couponing 101 has the Sunday Coupon Insert Schedule for the entire year!

If you need more coupons, you can order extra from the Coupon Clippers.

Coupon Insert Preview 8/29 is a post from: Amy Loves It!

Procter & Gamble is once again offering their Coupon Savings Book with over $110 worth of coupons, when you purchase $50 worth of P&G products between 9/1 and 12/31.

Here is how to snag your coupon book:

• Purchase $50 worth of P&G products between 9/1 and 12/31. *The $50 is before tax or coupon discounts, and purchases do not have to be made all at one time.

• Circle the P&G products and their corresponding prices on your original cash register receipt(s).

• Download and print the rebate form.

• Mail all of the above to the address on the rebate form, making sure it is postmarked by 1/14/11.

• Wait for your coupon book to arrive!

Here is a list of coupons you will find in the booklet:

$1/1 Always Product
$1/1 Zest bar/body wash OR Safeguard bar/liquid hand soap
50¢/1 Bounce Product
$1/1 Bounty towel 6 ct. or larger
$1/1 Cascade product
$1/1 Charmin Mega Roll
$1/1 CoverGirl product
50¢/1 Dawn product
$1/1 Downy product
$1/1 Duracell CopperTop 8 pk. or larger
$1/1 Any Era product
$1/1 Gain detergent or FE
$1/1 Gain dishwashing liquid
Buy 1 Head & Shoulders shampoo, Get $1 off Conditioner
$1/1 Clairol hair color
$1/1 Herbal Essences or Aussie product
$1/1 Iams dry dog food or cat food
$1/1 Luvs diapers
$1/1 Metamucil product
$1/1 Olay PCC or body lotion
$1/1 Olay facial moisturizer
$1/1 Old Spice deodorant
$1/1 Old Spice body wash
$1/1 Crest toothpaste (4 oz or more) OR liquid gel (excludes Crest Cavity, Baking Soda, Tartar)
$1/1 Crest mouthwash 946 ml or larger
$1/1 Oral-B manual toothbrush
$1/1 Pampers diapers
Buy 1 Pantene shampoo, Get $1 off conditioner
$1/1 Pepto-Bismol product
$1/2 Pringles Products
$1/1 Secret product
50¢/1 Swiffer refill
$3/1 Swiffer WetJet
$1/1 Swiffer Duster/Sweeper
$1/1 Tampax 20 ct. or higher
$1/1 Tide product
$1/1 Venus Embrace

The booklet will contain 3 of each coupon, probably with different expiration dates!

Thanks, Couponing 101!

P&G: Fall Coupon Savings Book is a post from: Amy Loves It!