Miss Mash! Follow ups. Sticky Notes. Randomness.

Follow up! - In my post "Santa Gave Me An Upgrade," I let you know about the trade in program at Best Buy. Well, Score! My gamer hubs took some old Xbox and Wii games in and left with a $68 BB gift card! Also, other options for trade-in are Game Stop stores and online at Usell.com. In fact, Game Stop is offering  (until February 17) additional 25% trade value on games and $50.00 extra in-store credit on select game consoles.

More Rewards - If you have signed up for some of the programs from my "Getting the Most Of Your Healthy Food Purchases" Healthy Choice also has a rewards program. It's available through their Facebook page. This one is through a third party site, so it's not my fav but you can still get perks.

Sticky Note - Stock up. Heading into Super Bowl weekend is the time to grab snacks, frozen appetizers, condiments, deli meats, and Mexican foods. Use in store specials, bundle discounts and your coupons to save big.

Etchings From The Man Cave - Not a big newsflash but the old rule still holds true. The end of January and first part of February are the best time to buy big televisions. Found this deal at h.h.Gregg on a 55" LG for $799.

Stuff From The Closet - Not shy about my love for LC. You know I rave about her jeans. Check out her Spring collection "Paper Crown."

ReCap - New Additions launched last week! "Newly-Wednesday" and "Design Day Friday." Let me know what you would like me to cover.

Plug - I often post additional tidbits on social media so please follow me. Twitter: @The_HomeMaker. Facebook: The Happy Home Maker (make sure Home Maker is two words) and Pinterest: click on the link on my homepage.

Next! - More new features to come. I have some really wonderful interviews, guest bloggers and fun bits.

Thank you for growing with The Happy Home Maker. As with any family, it's good to know that we're in this together. Best to you my friends, THM

Controlling The Clutter: Ear-Buddies!

One of my biggest challenges is from one of the smallest items in my house. Earbuds  They just don't stay put. Its like they have "Cirque du Soleil" powers and contort into a hot mess no matter where I stash them. Thanks to Pinterest and Google, I set out to find some ideas to contain these little circus performers.  One of the most original I found was this retro styled (of course, I love all things retro inspired) thread spool by Fred and Friends®.  It retails for about $8.00, which can add up if you have as many earbuds floating around as we do. With some ambition you can make them yourself. It is pretty easy and only requires a few tools, but you will need to hunt down some good old fashioned wooden spools. However, I think there is an adaptation out there that can be done using new fangled plastic or styrofoam spools, but I haven't attempted it yet. You must tell me if you try it out! Here is a good tutorial on how to make your earbud holder. Click the link below the photo.

DIY Wooden Headphone Keeper Courtesy of etté studios

Not a DIY-er but still want a way to control the pile of spaghetti?  I found a couple ideas that are super fast, cheap and effective.  A bonus is that these are more kid friendly, especially if things go into the backpack never to return again. You aren't out any time or money. 

Courtesy of natalme

Find somewhere else to store that mix tape that your hubs made for you back in college. This is an awesome idea! For those of you that have never owned one of these or, gulp, don't know what it is...I have another option. 

Courtesy of iheartorganizing

This is made from a small travel size Q-tip® holder. I love the addition of a little sticker. You could embellish either option with endless possibilities. In our house we always confuse our earbuds so adding a personal touch to the case will keep them in order. You can bling them out or man them up with a team logo.  Moms, add an initial sticker on each case and no more who's who? You could even make this a rainy day project and let the kiddos decorate their own.  Which ever route you take, be creative and make it uniquely your own. Feel free to share your creations here! Ta!

Santa Gave Me An Upgrade. Now What Do I Do With My Old Stuff?

Much like life, technology changes at super sonic speed. Now that Christmas has passed, and so many of us received the latest and greatest gadgets under the tree, what do we do with the ones that are so last year? Best Buy has a great program to trade in your has-been devices. Its a great way to get a little bonus or at a minimum, be eco-responsible. The program is pretty simple. Best Buy will give you a gift card for a minimum of $5 for any item that they have carried in their store regardless if you purchased it from them. This is not limited to old cell phones, and includes games and consoles, navigation devices and e-readers. There are a few exceptions. You can check out their website for a complete list of items and see if you can score some dough. If the item is not eligible for a gift card, they have an extensive recycling program to keep the techno trash out of our landfills. One recommendation is to take all cords, chargers and components with you to maximize your trade value. Time to send the kiddos to their room for a January clean up and clean out.