Category: Art

Smart Moves: Budget-Friendly Home-Buying & Moving Tips for Families

Published on by susanwbaileyLeave a comment
Guest post by Julie Morris

Image via Freepik

Buying a new home is exciting, nerve-wracking, and often expensive—especially when kids are in the mix. But with a little planning and creativity, parents can make the process more affordable without sacrificing comfort or safety.

Key Takeaways

  • Get pre-approved and know your limits.
  • Budget for moving day (and the pizza afterward).
  • Reuse, recycle, and borrow before buying anything new.
  • Think beyond the house: location, schools, and utilities matter.
  • Keep kids engaged with creative moving-day “missions.”

1. Focus on Community First

When life feels divided between mortgage paperwork, moving boxes, and restless kids, take a cue from Be as One.

Bailey’s message is simple yet profound: all the pieces of your life — work, family, art, faith — can exist together in harmony. She writes about the “many pieces of a harmonious life” as gifts from God, not distractions from it. Even when things feel disjointed, unity can emerge through gratitude, creativity, and connection.

In the context of home buying and moving, that’s powerful advice. Your move doesn’t have to feel like a rupture; it can be a renewal. Treat each stage — decluttering, budgeting, packing — as part of one harmonious whole. When the process gets messy (and it will), remember Bailey’s reminder that “nothing is meant to be hidden away.” Every stressful moment and every small victory belong in your family’s shared story of growth.

So as you label boxes and compare mortgage rates, take a breath. This is not just a move — it’s one more step toward a unified, joy-filled home life.

2. Saving Money Without Sacrificing Sanity

Families can save thousands with a few smart adjustments. Try these ideas before calling the movers:

Budget Hacks for Parents

  • Negotiate everything — from realtor commissions to inspection fees.
  • Ask about first-time-buyer programs; many states offer tax credits or low-interest loans.
  • Buy used boxes from local listings instead of new ones.
  • Get creative with furniture transport. Sometimes renting a van for two days costs less than a moving service for one.
  • Plan your move mid-month—rates are lower when demand dips.
  • Compare moving service quotes on platforms like org and PODS.com.

3. Keep Kids Comfortable During the Transition

Moving is stressful for everyone, especially little ones. Turn the move into an adventure instead of an upheaval.

Age Group How to Help Them Cope Budget-Friendly Trick
Toddlers Keep one familiar “comfort box” of toys nearby. Use reusable bins instead of cardboard—no repurchasing later.
School-age Kids Give them “packing missions” (like labeling rooms). Offer small rewards—stickers or treats, not gadgets.
Teens Let them design their new room layout. DIY decor using thrift-store finds or repainting instead of refurnishing.

4. Smart Financial Move: Protecting What You Just Bought

Homeownership brings peace of mind — until a furnace fails or a washing machine gives up. That’s where exploring home warranty options available makes sense.

A home warranty is a customizable annual plan that covers repairs or replacements for key systems and appliances, helping you manage costs from normal wear and tear. It’s not glamorous, but it can save thousands and keep family life running smoothly.

5. The Family Home-Buying & Moving Checklist

Before You Buy

  1. Review your credit report on AnnualCreditReport.com.
  2. Get pre-approved with at least two lenders to compare offers.
  3. Set a “must-have vs. nice-to-have” list with your partner and kids.

Before You Move

  1. Declutter—donate, sell, or recycle unused toys and clothes.
  2. Book movers early or rent a van before peak dates.
  3. Transfer utilities and confirm your change of address.

After You Move

  1. Deep-clean before unpacking—especially high-touch areas.
  2. Walk the neighborhood with your kids to explore local parks.
  3. Host a “snack night” picnic to meet your new neighbors.

6. Product Spotlight: Smart Packing Essentials

Families often forget one item that can save headaches: reusable vacuum storage bags. They keep clothes fresh, compress bedding, and save half your car space. Try affordable versions from IKEA, Target, or Amazon Basics. For parents juggling boxes and bedtimes, they’re a small miracle.

7. Quick FAQ

Is it better to buy a fixer-upper or move-in ready home when on a tight budget?
If you have reliable local contractors and time, a mild fixer-upper can be a smart choice. Just set aside at least 15% of your budget for unexpected repairs.

How can parents minimize stress for kids during a move?
Give them agency. Let them decorate boxes or design their new room virtually.

Should I buy new furniture right away?
Wait 30–60 days. Live in the space first; you’ll save by understanding what you need.

8. Glossary

  • Equity – The portion of your home you truly own, based on its market value minus any mortgage balance.
  • Closing Costs – Fees paid at the end of the home-buying process, including title, inspection, and loan charges.
  • Contingency – A condition in a real estate contract that must be met before the sale is finalized.
  • Pre-Approval – A lender’s written estimate of how much you can borrow for a mortgage.
  • Home Warranty – A service contract covering repair or replacement of major home systems and appliances.

Conclusion

Home-buying with kids can feel like a marathon of lists, boxes, and emotions, but with smart planning, it becomes a shared family journey—not just a transaction.

Focus on community, comfort, and creativity, and you’ll find your new home is more than an address—it’s where your family’s next chapter begins.

Reset Refreshed: Self-Care Activities That Help Kids Recenter Without Screens or Struggle

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Guest post by Julie Morris
Image via Pexels

Kids absorb more tension than we notice, and without a way to release it, that energy turns inward. Their behavior isn’t random—it’s often a signal of overload. Resetting doesn’t always mean resting. It can mean moving, scribbling, sorting, or staring into space without demand. They don’t need fixing. They need frictionless ways to come back to themselves.

Get Outside: Let the World Be Quiet for a Minute

Nature offers something your house can’t: silence that moves. Kids don’t always need a parkour-style sprint to reset—they need trees that don’t need them, grass that sways on its own timeline. Researchers describe the fascination in green spaces as “soft,” not because it’s weak, but because it gently pulls attention outward. The effect isn’t instant, but give it 15 minutes. Sit under a tree. Don’t schedule it. Just let their senses track birds, wind, and uneven ground. A child who’s been sprinting mentally all day doesn’t need more tasks—they need frictionless wonder. And green space delivers that with no passwords and no parental performance pressure.

Save the Masterpieces Without the Clutter

Those finger paintings? The handprint turkeys? The drawing of your dog with six legs? They mean something. But they pile up fast. Instead of letting them vanish in the bottom of a junk drawer, consider archiving them. Saving artwork as a PDF creates a digital keepsake that can be shared with family or preserved for years without the physical clutter. You can check this one out — a free tool that lets you drag and drop scanned files, turning them into clean, easy-to-store digital copies.

Give Them a Journal

When kids put thoughts to paper—whether they’re writing, doodling, or scribbling emoji-style faces—they’re externalizing emotion, organizing inner noise, and making space for new thoughts to come in. You don’t have to read it. In fact, you probably shouldn’t. This is about ownership. One page a day. No rules, no grades, no “draw a rainbow with six colors” worksheets. Just paper and pen. Over time, they may write more. They may not. Either way, the practice of recording daily scraps of thought or image creates a self-care groove they’ll carry into teenhood. It’s simple and surprisingly effective: a journal provides emotional space when conversation feels too heavy or fuzzy.

Encourage Freeform, Unstructured Play
(and Walk Away)

Not all rest looks restful. Sometimes the reset comes from more movement—but only if they’re the one in charge. Let them build with couch cushions, dress dolls in winter hats, or turn the hallway into a dinosaur habitat. It might look chaotic to you, but this kind of child-led play gives their nervous system a chance to work through big feelings without adult framing. The key is that it’s theirs. No objectives. No prize. Just raw creation. When a child can invent, destroy, and rebuild their own world, they’re also processing the one around them.

Let Art Slow the Pulse

Paint. Markers. Stickers. And a table that doesn’t ask questions. Art isn’t just cute output—it’s often the first time a kid externalizes a tangled emotion they couldn’t name. When you invite mindful drawing—not “make a tree,” but “draw whatever your hand wants”—you’re giving their body permission to lead the mind. This isn’t about creativity; it’s about calming through sensation. Studies show that creative focus through art can steady breathing and attention span, especially in kids who struggle to articulate stress. Keep a small bin of materials in reach, but not on display. This should feel like relief, not an assignment.

Movement That Isn’t a Sport

Not every kid wants a team jersey. Some just need to stretch, roll, tumble, or march around the backyard with their arms out like helicopter blades. Movement shouldn’t always mean drills or lessons—it can be wiggly, weird, or quiet. A good physical reset meets a child’s energy exactly where it is, then helps it shift. If they’re sluggish, try a skipping game. If they’re buzzing, lead them in slow, deliberate stretches. It’s not a workout. It’s an exhale. Daily movement improves kids’ mental clarity and emotional regulation more than most parents realize. The trick? You have to let them move like themselves—not like tiny gym members.

Kids don’t reset on command. But they do respond to rhythm, sensory space, and moments where they aren’t being asked to perform. These resets aren’t tricks. They’re tools—honest, repeatable, and quiet enough to let their systems breathe. When they know how to return to stillness, they don’t just feel better. They grow steadier. And steadiness is the soil where everything else grows.

Discover a world of inspiration and self-care at Be as One, where you can explore resources to elevate your wellness journey and embrace a more connected, creative life.

Be sure to visit Julie’s website at juliemorris.org.
Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read my other blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion

amazing grace album cover
NEW MUSIC!
Susan’s new release, Amazing Grace” is now available!
Available on Amazon, Spotify, iTunes and YouTube

00 cover smalllouisa cover smallimaginary-heroes_cover
Purchase Susan’s books.

River of Grace Audio book with soundtrack music available now on Bandcamp.
Listen to the preface of the book, and all the songs.

Sharpen the Edges: Reclaiming Your Creative Drive for Real-World Wins

Published on by susanwbaileyLeave a comment
Guest post by Julie Morris

Image via Freepik

You used to hum songs into napkins, draw faces on receipts, chase thoughts until they became full-blown ideas with legs. Then life happened. Schedules replaced sketches. Deadlines devoured detours. But here’s a secret: your creativity didn’t vanish, it just got quieter. Like a muscle ignored, it waits, stiff but not gone, for the next stretch. If you’re feeling stuck, twitchy, or uninspired, you don’t need a breakthrough — you need to make space again.

Start with a Creative Journal

Forget rules, formatting, or structure. A creative inspiration journal should be chaotic, a little wild, and filled with scraps of anything that makes your mind twitch — sketches, half-formed notes, overheard lines from a movie or a subway rant. Use it to trap thoughts before they run, to scribble images before you clean them up. It’s not about curation, it’s about collection. Later, those fragments will make sense, or they won’t, and that’s the point. Once your pages start stacking up, save your journal as a PDF so it’s always within reach, even on your phone, using resources to create PDF presentations that convert everything from images to text files in seconds.

Challenge Your Assumptions

Most creative blocks are just routines wearing disguises. You keep solving problems the same way because your brain rewards predictability, not originality. To shake this, treat certainty like the enemy and go looking for friction. Think you know how your work should look? Redesign it as if you were someone else entirely — a teenager, a baker, a magician. These weird lenses shake loose the stuck parts. You’ll only move forward when you see with fresh eyes, when you trade comfort for a little bit of chaos.

Embrace Constraints

Creativity isn’t infinite by default. It needs fences, roadblocks, friction to fight against. Limits force you to invent new paths, not recycle old ones. Restrict yourself to black ink and a napkin and see how inventive you get. Put a timer on your brainstorming and watch your thoughts sharpen. There’s power in leveraging constraints to boost creativity, because limits are not limitations — they’re launchpads.

Fuel Your Brain with Curiosity

You can’t make fire from wet wood, and you can’t make ideas from stale inputs. If you feed your brain only what you already know, you’ll get more of what you’ve already made. Instead, wander into topics that don’t belong to you. Learn about bee colonies, sneaker design, or the history of fortune cookies. These detours stockpile kindling for later sparks. The brain loves patterns, and it will start making new ones when you feed it ways to boost creativity it didn’t expect.

Give Yourself Permission to Play

Adults are allergic to pointless things. But pointless is fertile ground — play is how kids learn, invent, explore. You need to waste some time, doodle like no one’s watching, build things with glitter glue and duct tape. Take long walks with no destination, mix songs that don’t rhyme, say yes to weird. Those side quests often lead to the main story. It’s not silly, it’s necessary, and even something as offbeat as junk journaling is the wellness activity you didn’t know you were missing.

Collaborate and Cross-Pollinate

Staying in your lane might get you to the destination, but it rarely surprises you. Creativity grows best in collisions — of industries, mindsets, accents, obsessions. Invite someone outside your field to critique your work. Talk to a woodworker about rhythm, a chef about software. They’ll ask questions you’d never think to ask. That kind of discord helps you understand how creativity can boost your personal and professional brand, not just your project output.

Build Confidence Through Practice

You don’t wait for creativity to strike. You show up, even when the tank’s empty, and something starts to move. Bad ideas become stepping stones, and mediocre ones suddenly grow teeth. You don’t need genius, you need momentum. Practice rewires your brain to trust itself more quickly. Confidence is built, not given, and the more you make, the more you believe — especially when you learn how to increase creativity by practicing self-belief alongside craft.

You don’t have to reinvent yourself, move to Paris, or start from scratch. You just have to pay attention again — to odd thoughts, weird patterns, the itch to do something useless. Your creativity is there, somewhere under the dust, waiting to be taken seriously without being taken too seriously. Play, push, stretch, stumble, keep going. Because the moment you treat it like oxygen instead of a luxury, it will start breathing life back into everything you do. Creativity doesn’t leave, it waits — and it’s time you caught up.

Discover a wealth of resources for personal growth and wellness at Be as One, where you can find practical guides and inspiring stories to help you achieve balance and harmony.

Be sure to visit Julie’s website at juliemorris.org.
Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read my other blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion

amazing grace album cover
NEW MUSIC!
Susan’s new release, Amazing Grace” is now available!
Available on Amazon, Spotify, iTunes and YouTube

00 cover smalllouisa cover smallimaginary-heroes_cover
Purchase Susan’s books.

River of Grace Audio book with soundtrack music available now on Bandcamp.
Listen to the preface of the book, and all the songs.

00 harmony color book featured imageMany people find coloring to be a wonderful way to relax and experience harmony in their lives. Is that you? Join my Email List to subscribe to this blog and receive your free Harmony coloring book (and more).

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A Special Bouquet for Carmen

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Pure creativity is such a sacred time – love this post by my friend Brunhilde Luken.

susanwbailey's avatarBrunhilde Luken, artist and writer

It was an exciting wonderful summer day. My thoughts went back to the time when my children were little. Now they are all grown up with children and some grandchildren of their own. For a second, time stood still. In my mind I watched them play and giggle and laugh. They were so happy. Thankful to our Lord for being able to remember it all. I thought, “Today is a good day to paint a special bouquet.” As I started to play-paint, I truly felt this was my playtime.

I put a first layer on and washed it off, this was a perfect background. As I started to paint, I could picture this in my daughter Carmen’s kitchen. With so much love in my heart, my brushes moved over the canvas with such ease creating this beautiful bouquet of flowers. I knew God gave me this special gift for my…

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Recognizing the creative person within

Published on by susanwbaileyLeave a comment

I manage a blog for a dear friend with a beautiful heart. I just had to share her latest post with you. It reflects what I wrote in chapter 5 of my book, River of Grace, which describes a similar idea — that we are all called to create with what we have been given. To find that storehouse of creative energy, we must get in touch with our Creator who fuels that energy. My friend Brunhilde uses her creativity to inspire us to come closer to God. The beauty of her paintings and her words is a great way to start that movement towards the One who created our vast world, and us, out of nothing. We in turn, have all of his creation at our disposal to use towards bettering our world and drawing closer to each other in love.

Brunhilde has recommended a book that I will be ordering for myself soon.

I hope you enjoy this lovely reflection.

Psalm 42:2-3, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I enter and see the face of God.” When I created this painting I truly cried out to the Lord, not in sadness but in love to […]

via In Prayer and Meditation — Brunhilde Luken, artist and writer

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Susan’s latest CD, “Mater Dei” is now available!
Purchase here.

Many people find coloring to be a wonderful way to relax and experience harmony in their lives. Is that you? Join my Email List to subscribe to this blog and receive your free Harmony coloring book (and more).

River of Grace Audio book with soundtrack music available now on Bandcamp. Listen to the preface of the book, and all the songs.

Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read my other blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion

 

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How brush and paint revealed the freeing power of the Holy Spirit

Published on by susanwbailey2 Comments

Recently I was asked by The Catholic Free Press to cover a painting class at St. John the Baptist in East Brookfield, MA (see Artwork unveils many colors of God)

Paint and prayer

It was not the usual “Paint with a Twist” class where there is wine served in a party atmosphere. Instead, we would be praying with words, song, brush and paint.

Reluctant to participate

The teacher had to cajole me to participate as I was concerned about covering the story and taking photographs.

I had not painted since high school and had long since forgotten how to create art in that fashion. My memories consisted mainly of my frustration at painting because I micromanaged the process rather than allowing that process to direct my brush strokes. By the end of high school I had given up on it.

As I found myself in front of that blank, black canvas, I wondered how I could ever be able to paint again. In the end, the distraction of covering the story proved to be a blessing. Continue reading “How brush and paint revealed the freeing power of the Holy Spirit” →

Sharing our colored pictures from the Harmony Coloring Book

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Have you gotten your free copy of the Harmony Coloring book yet?

It’s easy to get one. Simply sign up for my email list and I’ll send you the link to download your free copy. There are other surprises too! You can sign up here. I send out only one email per week to let you know about new posts and other news.

Here are some sample pages.

I created the drawings from my photographs:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I invite you to share your colored-in pages.

My friend Val send me these. She wrote to me, “I love the pages! Thank you again for offering this to us.”

by val manseau-640

by val manseau2-640

I colored in the cover:

front page

Do you have pictures to share?

Take a photo with your phone and send it to me. I’d love to share.

Do you have friends that like to color? Share this post with them:

Click to Tweet & Share: Love nature and animals? Love to color? Come get your free copy of the Harmony Coloring Book! http://tinyurl.com/jnb3d9l

em space

 

 

Many people find coloring to be a wonderful way to relax and experience harmony in their lives. Is that you? Join my Email List to subscribe to this blog and receive your free Harmony coloring book (and more).

Susan Bailey, Author, Speaker, Musician on Facebook and Twitter
Read my other blog, Louisa May Alcott is My Passion

 

 

 

Bringing harmony into your life through coloring

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Remember what it was like to lay sprawled out on the floor surrounded by crayons, markers and pencils, filling in the pages of your favorite coloring book?

colour1

After finishing a picture, I would hold it up, admire my work and run to show it to my mom and dad.

Feels good

crayola crayons

There was something about coloring that just felt good, especially with a large box of Crayola Crayons (especially if it had a Sea Green crayon). Continue reading “Bringing harmony into your life through coloring” →

Book Review: My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok – a soul-searching must for every creative

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my name is asher lev large by chaim potok-640My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I haven’t known a book to affect me so profoundly as My Name is Asher Lev. The conflict is deep, searing, cutting to the core. It helped me to understand better the nature of being a creative person and the sacrifice it takes to be authentic and honest, even to the point of hurting others. The book is a long, slow burn, every page necessary to set up the final conflict. At the end I was racing through, dreading the end as tears sprung to my eyes and yet terribly curious about how the author would resolve the conflict. How grateful I am that there is a part two, The Gift of Asher Lev, now waiting for me at the library, ready to be picked up in just a few minutes. Continue reading “Book Review: My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok – a soul-searching must for every creative” →

A beautiful Thanksgiving meditation

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I am pleased to present this guest post from Brunhilde Luken, a painter and spiritual writer. I met Brunhilde several years ago as we were both members of the Commission for Women of the Diocese of Worcester. She is one of those people that truly wears her heart on her sleeve–you know you’ve met someone who is authentic with an inner beauty that draws you into her creative works.

I can’t think of a better way to remember Thanksgiving than through this lovely meditation of image and words. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

In a few days we are celebrating Thanksgiving; it is a wonderful day set aside to celebrate with family and friends to give thanks. I am especially thankful to live in a country where I can celebrate and proudly confess my Catholic faith. A faith that stood firm generation after generation.

I am also thankful that we can hold hands with all our neighbors, friends and all those that cross our path, Christian and non-Christian alike, where we allow each one to be free. A country where we can share the love that Christ brought into the world for all of us alike. We have to remember He died on the cross for all the world. These are hard times right now. There is so much suffering in the world right now. At times we all suffer. By embracing our suffering, God will pull us closer to Him. This will help us to pray for all. Let us all pray especially for those that need it most. Let us share the gifts that God gave us. When we pray we speak to God, when we read the scripture, God speaks to us. A Gift given to all of us, a gift we can share with all.

Touched by the Spirit 2015

 

We are the ones to show the face of Christ to the world, and to see the face of Christ in everyone. Let each moment be a moment of thanks. I am also most thankful for each one of you.

I wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving, may God’s blessing be upon you and your whole family.

Psalm 95

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.
In His hand are the deep places of the earth.
The heights of the hills are His also
The sea is His, for He made it.
And His hands formed the dry land.
Oh come let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God.
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand.
Today, if you hear His voice:
“Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
When your fathers tested me;
They tried me, though they saw my work
For forty years I was grieved with that generation.
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their heart.
And they do not know my ways.’
So I swore in my wrath’,
‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”

Let us bow our heads in Thanksgiving to the Almighty, the “I AM WHO I AM”, “FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT.”

You can find more of Brunhilde’s lovely paintings at her website, http://brunhildeluken.fineartstudioonline.com/.Her book, My Walk with Christ, is available on Amazon.
You can read other posts and see her paintings here.