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I started Bumble in 1997 when I was single, no children and had no other responsibilities besides my work. Life was simpler. I worked and was able to do “me” things in my free time. Now fifteen years later, I am happily married with two children and lots of responsibilities that pull me back and forth between work and family life. Most days I feel like a ping pong ball and “me” time is not quite as often as it was before.

My days get divided between work and home life. My local Sprouts supermarket clerks know me my name and I am a permanent fixture at my son’s school. Bumble was my first baby. I started it and gave it my whole self. I nurtured it and watched it grow over the years. I love it and all that is involved with seeing it grow. My heart brightens upon seeing my designs come to fruition and go from paper to reality.

However my heart really jumps when I see my child’s smiling face when he sees me volunteering on his school campus or staying up late with him creating the perfect Valentine’s treats for his classmates. There is only so many hours in the day and oh how I wish the clock would move slower and allow more time for all that needs to be achieved in the day.

Balance between work and family is a tightrope walk that is managed very carefully and precisely to say the least. I crave ways to be better organized and more focused. I am inspired by other moms and feel empowered by moms that have traveled the “mommy road”. All moms are working moms and we can all learn from one another by sharing time saving and organizational tips to make our days run smoother and to be able to enjoy more time with our families and more time for ourselves.

Here are a five of my favorite tips that help bring calmness to the chaos:

  • In the words of my mom friend, Cristil….”Use one calendar to store it all”. I’m a pen and paper girl. I prefer to record all my family appointments, work meetings, reminders in one calendar. So I am constantly seeing in one quick glance all my current and future to dos. Plus there is something about seeing handwritten notes that make it more personal. I like to use gold and silver sharpies to make notes in my calendar. It’s the little things that make me smile. (2015 Calendar by Papersource; Gold & Silver Metallic Pens by Sharpie)
  • Call me sentimental, but I cannot bring myself to throw away a single doodle or drawing that either of my kids have drawn. I had boxes that were overflowing in my home office. One of the moms in my child’s class told me about the KidPix app. I am in love with it! I now have all my kids artwork on my iphone and right at my finger tips so this proud mama can share them quickly and easily.
  • I surround myself with positive and uplifting people that make me feel loved, make me smile and people that I know have my back. It seems like a cliché. However it is about quality and not quantity. Somedays I feel like I can do anything and it’s all because of the positive energy that I receive in the workplace and from the family and friends I surround myself with. Sometimes you just need to clean house in more ways than one. (Friendship Mug by ShopRuche.com)
  • It’s all about the crockpot. I am definitely going thru a crock pot moment. Well I’ve actually been a fan of the crock pot since I got married. It is a wonderful feeling after a long day to know that dinner is ready and waiting and all it took was some preparation the night before. I use to not understand why people would plan out their meals. Then I had a “aha moment” a sudden realization that if I plan out my meals not only would I have all the meal necessities in my pantry already because I shopped for them in advance, but that would also be one last thing for me to worry about each day.
  • When I lived back east, I was introduced to grocery delivery and it was thee biggest timesaver for me. I order all my basics from Amazon Fresh and my meat/chicken from my specialty butcherie and they get delivered right to my front door every Mon. I still go once a week to pick out my fruits and vegetables, but it’s the difference between spending 20 mins at one market versus spending one hour at three different markets.

XOXO

 



 

- Written by Designer/Founder of Bumble Collection, Jennie Lynn Johanson. She resides in sunny Orange County, CA with her hubby and two kiddies. She enjoys to bake especially when chocolate is involved and she can often be found in her craft room surrounded by hot glue and anything with sparkle.