There have been reminders going my way about the coming school year: back-to-school sales, which I’ve been taking advantage of, as you should; my son’s list of things to bring to the first day of class. Everything he needs would fit nicely in a backpack. Not so for the college student, especially one who will live away from home for the first time.

To help you along, here’s a list of basic essentials:

For your comfort:
bedsheets (at least 2 sets, one to use and one to launder)
pillows
blankets
bed risers (to increase under-bed storage)
mattress pad/cover
alarm clock
fan
night light
pajamas
storage containers

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Thanks to everyone who threw their names into the hat to win a 1-year subscription to Domino magazine!

I picked the winning comment using random.org. And the number that was picked was:

#85! Congratulations to Patti!

Patti
Jul 30, 2008 at 6:26 pm

This magazine is wonderful. I’ve picked it up a few times, but don’t subscribe! Thanks for the chance!

I hope you enjoy this magazine as much as I do. I will send you an email about the details.

I’ve been reading some useful info at several blogs today. Here are some, which I know you’ll enjoy too!

* 101 green changes to save some green (written for small business owners, but totally applicable to the home) at Greener Assets

* No-bake Mango Griddle Scones from Baking Delights

* Turn old uniforms into a cool diaper bag, at Craftster (thanks to Tangled Thread!)

* 30 ways to use baskets for storage at Declutter It

Even coffee-makers are smarter these days. As example is the Braun Tassimo Coffee Maker can deliver coffee, tea, espresso, hot chocolate, cappuccinos and lattes. Discs containing measured ingredients for your drink of choice are brewed perfectly each time. The secret are barcodes in the discs. The machine reads the barcode and knows the temperature, amount of water, and brewing time needed for the perfect beverage.

Products like this take the guesswork out of the perfect cup of coffee, or tea.

Spotted at Macy’s.

affiliate links

Working from home presents certain challenges with regards to separating work and family life. To maximize productivity, it’s best to set aside an area for storing files, references, and projects, as well as actually doing the work you need to do. The best solution is to have an entire office or at least, a dedicated desk and a set of shelves.

As a blogger and an at-home mom, I not only work from home, but I’m also highly mobile within my home. Sometimes, the place where I work is my own choice, but there are times when it is dictated by my children’s mood for the day. For now, there is just no way I can seclude myself inside an office to work in peace and quiet. As a result, I’ve blogged from just about every room in my house.

While I’ve been working on setting up a space just for my files, I also found that I need a container of some sort that could move around with me. RealSimple’s Portable File Tote is just the right thing for the purpose.

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Have you visited the Bloggy Giveaways? There are lots of cool and lovely stuff you can win at the participating blogs! Here are some you may want to visit:

* Coach Soho Multi Print Hobo Bag from La Vie de Laurie

* SweetPea3 MP3 player from Mom Most Traveled

* Gifts from a Jar cookbooks (2) from The Fat Bottomed Girl

* Vintage apron from Confessions of an Apron Queen

* “Eat, Shrink and Be Merry” healthy eating cookbook from All Holiday Cafe

* Busy Body Book academic year planners (2) from That Crazy Mom

* Gift certificates from Extraordinary Mommy

* MoGo Mouse from Guerilla Parenting

* Let’s Go Green tote bag with green household products from A Mama’s Blog

It’s the week of the Bloggy Giveaways! Here at Keeping the Castle, there’s a 1-year subscription to Domino magazine for one lucky reader!

Domino is my current fave homemaking and decor magazine. I find a lot of inspiration in the pages of this magazine. If you want to win this giveaway, just leave a comment. One comment per household please.

This contest is open until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, August 1, 2008. I will randomly pick a winner this weekend. This contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. Good luck!

image via Amazon.com

A number of savvy and very helpful bloggers have listed the sales that will be coming up next week. It’s a good idea to check them out before you go shopping. Planning is key to getting the best bang for your buck at these stores.

Most of these lists also include any coupons that you can stack with the store sales. Here are some of the sale lists I’ve been able to find:

Walgreens August freebies list at Money Saving Mom; scanned pages of the flyer here

CVS Weekly Deals listed at Coupon Cravings

Preview of CVS ExtraCare Savings for August at Keeping the Kingdom First

Cheap school supplies at Staples, also at Keeping the Kingdom First

I thought I’d pass up this week’s shopping at CVS. But I got a coupon for 5/$30 good for today only. So I did a 10-minute shopping stop to use it and got some great deals.

Kellogg’s cereals were buy 1, get 1 free, so I bought some even though I had no coupons and no ExtraCare Bucks (ECBs) were generated.

Here’s my CVS loot for this week. I’m showing you this photo so you know I’m not making this up.

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Summer is the best time for thinking of sprucing up the outside of your home. The least expensive way to do this is to take up some brushes and paint. But before you do that, these painting tips will help you get started in the right direction:

1. Consider the style of your home. Will the color scheme you’re planning fit the architecture and general feel of your house? For example, Victorian styles go well with elaborate multi-color schemes, while Georgian or Colonial houses are better suited to two or three colors. 

2. Identify the areas that will not be painted roofs, wood, masonry, or stone. The color scheme should go with the existing colors of these areas. 

3. Look around at the colors of your neighbors’ homes. How do you want your home to stand out? 

4. Keep maintenance in mind when choosing colors. Intense colors are more likely to fade, absorb more heat and react to moisture more than lighter hues.  They are also more difficult to match if ever you need to repaint an area later. 

5. Find out if there are any rules or restrictions on exterior color schemes in your community. 

6. Buy the best paint and painting tools you can afford. A paint job done well can save you money in the long run.

image and information used with permission from CertaPro Painters