My “Signature Moves”

One of my favorite podcasts is the Homemaker Chic Podcast, hosted by Shaye Elliot of The Elliot Homestead and Angela Reed of Parisienne Farmgirl.

A few of their podcast episodes are on the subject of their signature moves, aka specific things they are doing that bear the mark of either Shaye or Angela. Things to “bring joy, to spread peace, to make things beautiful, to maybe ease up a burden that [they] are experiencing” (quote from their podcast).

That got me thinking…what are my signature moves? Here are five that came to my mind (in no specific order). My prayer is that these will inspire, encourage, or perhaps simply resonate with you in your own life!

No. 1 – Monthly meal planning and grocery shopping

This is a move I had tried before but started consistently doing back in January of this year (2022). Although I truly do enjoy grocery shopping, I found that spending a few hours each week at the grocery store was not the best use of my time. Having to carve that out of my weekends or evenings, especially when I was working full time plus had a little one, was tough.

My solution was to make a meal plan for each month (Monday through Friday, dinners only) and do one lengthier trip for grocery shopping at the beginning or end of each month.

Yes, there is always still a need to run to the grocery store a few times during the month for fresh produce, food to feed friends and family at get-togethers, etc. For me, though, I find these small trips are much easier to squeeze in as needed compared to the more time consuming weekly grocery trips I used to take. I appreciate knowing I have lots of meal ideas and ingredients on hand at any given moment, and I enjoy having more free time to be with my family or work on projects the rest of the month!

No. 2 – Nighttime “sunglasses”

If you have ever driven with me at night over the past two years, you have probably seen me in my very fashionable nighttime glasses, aka anti-glare night vision glasses for driving. (Well…to be honest, I find them pretty ugly!) But, they have been a total game changer for nighttime driving after LASIK. You see, my eyes tend to be very sensitive to the contrast of the bright city lights against the dark night sky. These nighttime “sunglasses” help my eyes adjust when it is dark outside, and therefore minimize the the headaches I sometimes get when driving at night.

No. 3 – Labeling things

Fridge shelves, animal food containers, drawer contents, baskets, etc. My house it full of labeled things! Why? I have found that labeling where things belong helps me to not only ensure our belongings have a home, but also that family and friends can find what they need more efficiently. I do have a Brother label maker, but I have also been known to use masking tape, wax crayons, and compostable paper tape to label things. If you are struggling with keeping your belongings organized, maybe give labeling a try!

No. 4 – Binders for manuals and home renovation materials

When we began renovating our previous house, I had the idea to store all the manuals, important receipts and warranties, etc. in a large binder for easy reference. Since then, I have expanded my efforts to two binders: one labeled “Personal Belongings Manual Binder” and the other labeled “Home & Renovation Binder.“

The first binder is for things that we own and will take with us if/when we move, items like fitness equipment manuals, mattress warranties, small appliance manuals, etc. (Note: Tool manuals have their own separate space in our garage.) The second binder will stay with the house if/when we move. It contains large appliance manuals, new window and roof warranties and documents, manuals for updated electric and plumbing fixtures, etc.

I appreciate having everything easy to find when something needs to be fixed or we have a question about when we purchased or renovated something. It also felt really nice to be able to hand the new owners a binder with everything organized when we sold our last house. A great way to start familiarizing yourself with a new home!

No. 5 – Being conscientious and intentional about what I bring into my home

Whether it is cleaning products, makeup and skin care, clothing, furniture, food, or toys, I have learned to become much more conscientious and intentional when bringing items into my home. That being said, I am by no means perfect in this. If you were to step into my house right now, you would find multiple items in my pantry that do not fit my ideals, synthetic fabrics on much of the furniture around our house, and big box store holiday decorations.

You see, until we get to Heaven, there will always be some level of compromise we will have to endure with the physical matters in our lives. Our job then, as stewards of our bodies and belongings, is to do the best with what we have. With this, we can endeavor to grow in knowledge and wisdom, to be conscientious and intentional about what we bring into our homes, and to work towards progress (not unattainable perfection).

For our family, this often looks like buying less but buying better quality. It also often means DIY-ing a project or piece instead of buying its petroleum-derived or VOC-painted counterpart. Sometimes it means a home cooked meal and waiting to make a purchase until we can buy a non-toxic alternative. And of course, sometimes that means we need to or choose to buy conventional and thank God for covering. I have learned that no one else is going to care for my body and home like I am, so I must take responsibility for what I can!

There you have it! Five of my signature moves as a homemaker! Now I have to know, what are your signature moves? Comment below to share with our community!

Yours truly,

Erica Barlow