Something about disconnecting from social media, leaving work behind and giving my little brain cells a challenge is the perfect way for me to take 10 minutes for myself. I can shut out all the noise and just focus on the problem at hand. That brief disconnect doing something just for me helps me come back ready to tackle whatever is next on my agenda. These apps are some of my favorite ways to spend those brief 10 minute breaks and leave me feeling ready to jump back into life.

WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE TIME TO PLAY PUZZLE GAMES

You might be thinking you don’t have time to play games. You’re an adult, after all, with adult responsibilities and obligations. No time for games. I get that. I have kids to care for, errands to run, meetings to attend, work to complete. But, allowing ourselves some down time will ultimately make us happier, healthier people. That’s right, I’m saying it. Playing games can make you healthier.

Think about how much time you spend on social media. How do you feel after you get off Facebook? Did you find anything you’ll actually, really try on Pinterest? Or was it just a mindless 10 minutes of pretty pictures and projects you know you’ll never think seriously about? Maybe you could find a few less minutes to spend on social media and a few more minutes to spend challenging yourself. I know I could.

Puzzle games let you leave the politics, the world problems and the stress behind, even if for just a few minutes. Puzzle games give you a solvable problem to focus on and then leave you to your own reasoning and intellect to figure it out. Puzzle games are similar to imaginative play for children. It’s a creative outlet that, when explored, can help us be more productive in other aspects of our lives. Even as adults, we need to practice problem solving to be any good at it.

FINDING THE BEST PUZZLE GAMES FOR YOU

This list includes a lot of different kind of puzzle games. Not every puzzle game is great for every person. Math is not my strong suit and, while I enjoy the occasional Sodoku game, I don’t typically enjoy games that require a lot of numerical calculating. But word puzzles, those are my jam. Some of the types of puzzle games included in this list are:

• number games
• word games
• quick reaction games
• escape games
• physics-based games
• mystery games

There is bound to be a game you’ll love. Maybe even two or three… or five. Some of these games are great while I’m waiting at the doctor’s office or in the pickup line after school. While some are better for when I’m standing in line at the grocery store. And yet others are better when I’m winding down for bed. Figure out what works best for you!

THE 10 BEST PUZZLE GAMES YOU’LL LOVE TO GET LOST IN

Some of the links included in this list are affiliate links and are for your benefit. Some of these apps are free or may include in-app purchases. If you choose to purchase any apps through these links, I will receive a small portion of your payment. Your cost does not increase in any way and purchases made through these affiliate links help me keep this site running. These are puzzle games my family uses and I personally recommend.

LITTLE ALCHEMY

In Little Alchemy, you start with the four basic elements: earth, fire, wind, and water. By combining the elements together, you can create new products. There are over 500 new elements that span from bacteria and algae to vampires, skyscrapers and more. This game requires some critical and creative thinking – and maybe a google search when you get a few hundred elements in and can’t figure out your next combination. This is one even older children and teens can enjoy. I like to play it with my almost 8-year-old; some times he comes up with combinations I would never have thought of.

GEM MINER: DIG DEEPER

This is a strategy game. You are a miner and your goal is to mine ore, minerals and fossils and then trade them in for money. You can use the money you earn to buy bigger and better mining equipment that will help you get deeper into the mine. I enjoy that no matter how many times I play this game, it’s never the same. This is another game that older kids and teens can enjoy as well. Game play is easy to learn, fun and engaging.

Heads Up! This exact game isn’t in the App Store, but I’ve linked to one that’s similar and supposed to be really good – although, I’ve never played it personally.

 

THE ROOM

The Room is an escape game with a bit of mystery game mixed in too. You are transported to and then trapped in a room. You must find clues, solve puzzles and figure out how to get yourself out. What I really love about this game is that it can be as difficult as you make it. There are optional hints you can receive if you get stuck, which helps me keep game play moving enough that I don’t get frustrated and bored. The stories included with the game are a bit wild, but that’s part of the fun. There are currently three editions of The Room, each even better than the last. I’m currently working my way through the last one and it’s just as enthralling as the first one was – totally worth the cost. And the graphics, they are absolutely amazing. This game is hard to put down.

 

WHERE’S MY WATER 2

This physics puzzler is great for all ages, even my 3 year old can play well enough to enjoy it. The second edition of this game is definitely worth the memory space. I love that each level has three different ways to play. You can play just one or all of them. The added challenge of reversing gravity or avoiding the ducks instead of collecting them makes each level extra gratifying. This one is perfect for both quick or extended game play and the characters are fun.

WORD MIX

The beauty of this game is in the simplicity. It’s a basic word unscrambling game. You have 5 letters and 60 seconds. Your objective it to find as many words with those letters as you can. Words must be at least three letters long and nouns are not eligible. Each set of letters will make at least one 5-letter word. Figure out a 5-letter word and you get to advance to the next level. Each word you correctly guess earns points on your score. You can also earn bonuses, such as super hint, extra time and a second try. Rack up as many points as you can before that 5-letter word eludes you and you have to start back at zero.

Heads Up! The App Store doesn’t have the exact game, but I found a similar one for you.

DISNEY EMOJI BLITZ

If you love the match 3 games, then this is definitely a game to try out. Between the lovable characters and the friendly competition on the leader boards, this game is addicting. Earn emojis that you can actually use on your mobile device. I picked up this game in December when I saw my kids playing it, thinking that these emojis would be great for our trip to Disneyland in January. Here it is May, and I still play just about every day. I love the timed game play and the demand on my full attention for 60 seconds. Game play is simple and easy to learn, but there are ample options. You can earn bonuses (extra lives, extra spins on the prize wheel) by watching ads. The ads are annoying (turn the sound off), but they are all family-friendly and most are 30 seconds or less.

ROUTER AQUA

This is a fun puzzle game. Game play is simple and easy to learn, but the puzzles can be quite complex. You start each level with a set of dots, two of each color. Your objective is to draw a solid line, connecting the dots of the same color. Your lines can not cross each other and you are trying to do it in the shortest line length possible. I enjoy this one when I’m waiting for just a few minutes.

Heads Up! Unfortunately, I couldn’t find this one, or a similar one, in the App Store.

PAPER.IO

This is an arcade-style game, but there’s an element of strategy in there too. I’ll admit, I’m awful at this game… but it’s still fun! Your objective is to occupy as much space as you can with your designated color. You can travel away from your “home” to collect more space, but if you are run into while you’re out it’s game over. If you do the running into, however, the other player dies and their space opens up. If competition is your thing, this is definitely one to try out.

Heads up! I believe there is a free version, but it is loaded with terrible, annoying ads and I definitely think it’s worth the upgrade to get rid of them. Also, this game is not available from the Amazon Apps Store

DOTS: A GAME ABOUT CONNECTING

This game is simple, easy to learn, and fun to play. Basic game play is entertaining, but completing the challenges and earning the badges adds a new element to the game. Your objective is to connect as many like-colored dots as you can. Connect dots in a square to score extra points. The game has three modes: timed for quick action play, moves for thought-out, strategic play and endless for relaxed play. You collect all the dots you connect and those can be used to get power-ups. Initial download is free, but there are in-app purchases available.

PLAGUE INC.

This is a simulation game wherein the choices you make will lead to your success or demise. You are trying to infect the world with your newly developed pathogen. Choose where patient zero is located and mutate your pathogen to spread quickly throughout all the world. You’ll also evolve the symptoms and side effects of your disease and as the seriousness increases so does the world’s efforts to eradicate the germ. Can you effectively infect the world’s population before the world’s scientists develop a cure? This game is engaging and replay value is great. No matter how many time you play, it’s a new game each time.

YOUR TIME IN FRONT OF A SCREEN CAN BE GOOD FOR YOU

It’s no secret that we are a technology addicted society that often spends more time immersed in digital life than in our real lives. While connecting to others is a wonderful thing, being constantly connected can do more harm than good. How would things change if you used a little bit of your screen time to disconnect instead being constantly connected to everyone all of the time? Would you be more relaxed? Less stressed? Happier? Take a break and find out what a little time away could do for you.

Share your favorite puzzle games in the comments. If you struggle with getting good sleep, click that next button to check out 3 apps that will help you sleep better.

The post The 5 Best Puzzle Games You’ll Love to get Lost in appeared first on While He Was Napping.

CAN YOU FALL ASLEEP QUICKLY AND REST DEEPLY WITH SLEEP APPS?

Are your days long and exhausting and your nights restless and leave you more tired than you were the day before? What would you give for just one night of restful, rejuvenating sleep? Would you dedicate 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes? Imagine a night where you crawl into bed. Your head presses into the pillow, the fabric soft against your face. Your mind is calm. Your body relaxed. Your eyelids close. And you sleep. When you wake, you are rested and ready for whatever woke you.

I’ve spent years with an erratic sleep pattern. Whether it’s crying babies, upset toddlers, sick kids, a snoring husband, a mind that just won’t quit or insomnia. I’ve woken up so many mornings wondering why I even bothered with sleep. I’ve tried it all – medication, supplements, oils, routines, meditation. I know how frustrating and exhausting it is.

But, that’s in the past now.

ARE SLEEP APPS YOUR ANSWER?

After I spent hundreds of hours researching sleep and sleep patterns, talking to my doctor, trying supplements, essential oils, and anything else I could possibly think to try, I was still exhausted.

• Are your days long and your nights longer?
• Are you awake multiple times a night?
• Is it hard to shut your mind off when you climb into bed?
• Do you get up in the morning, feeling even more tired than when you went to sleep?

If any of that describes you, then you need this. I can’t promise your results will be as awesome as mine have been, but I’ve been desperate too, and I promise it won’t hurt to try. I had to experiment and adjust things until I found the right balance for me. But, it’s totally worth it!

THE SLEEP APPS THAT WILL HELP YOU WAKE UP REJUVENATED AND READY TO FACE THE DAY

Our world is full of technology. My husband is a gadget guy and we like our electronics. I read about leaving the electronics in another room, about the harm blue light can do to your sleep cycles, and how technology is bad, bad, bad for sleep.

But, I figured if I wasn’t going to sleep anyway, I might as well have something to distract me from all the sleeping I wasn’t doing. One night, after I’d been up with my youngest and couldn’t fall back asleep, I was browsing the Google Play Store and found some sleep apps I decided to try. It changed everything.

HEADSPACE – GUIDED MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS

There are sessions that build upon each other, or you can do a single session designed for whatever you need help focusing on.

• Is the day just too much and you feel a breakdown coming on? There’s a session for that.
• Do you fear flying and you’re waiting in the terminal? There’s a session for that.
• Commuting and you’d like to relax before you get home? There’s a session for that.

The sleep sessions are part of the subscription, but you can try the fundamental “take 10” sessions for free. I did a fundamental session one day when I was feeling really scattered and it sold me on trying the full version of Headspace. There are four subscription options: monthly, yearly, two years, and forever. I opted to try it on the monthly subscription for $13, in the chance I didn’t like it. I’ve upgraded to the yearly subscription since.

WHITE NOISE: BACH BY THE SEA

Growing up, I slept with white noise; but, my husband likes it silent. In fact, he pulls the blankets up over his ears to muffle all noise. So, I stopped using white noise when I got married. But, I discovered that I need the white noise to sleep more deeply and restfully. Otherwise, every little creak, whistle of wind, child stirring and that far-away siren snatch me right from slumber.

My white noise of choice is Bach by the Sea. It’s the typical white noise ocean waves, but with beautiful works of Bach over the top. What I love about this is, if my brain hasn’t relaxed quite enough for sleep, I can focus on the music. If I’m already drifting off, I focus on the ocean sounds. I can pretty much fall asleep in less than 2 minutes with this. I just play it on the music player on my phone, but you can download the whole album at the links below. It works great on my kids too.

WAKE UP RIGHT WITH SLEEP CYCLE

I am NOT a morning person. Anything before 9:00 am is really hard for me. This sleep app hasn’t made me love mornings by any means, but it has made them easier. Some day… I hope to get up early before my family so I can get some work done – instead of burning the midnight oil, which doesn’t help my sleep problems.

Sleep Cycle tracks your movement with the accelerometer in your phone while you’re sleeping to wake you while you’re in a light sleep cycle, which is as close as you’ll to get to waking naturally when you have to be up and ready for the day in a timely manner. You just place it on your mattress – I place it near my pillow, not under it – and it’ll track all night. I was a little worried it wouldn’t work well with my memory foam mattress, but it does fine most of the time. And there’s still a snooze option, if you need it. There’s some interesting graphs from all that tracking too.

You can try it free for a month and see if it works for you, after that it’s $30/year. If my alarm clock can wake me up less drowsy and ready to conquer my day, it’s worth $30 to me.

SLEEP APPS THAT WILL HAVE YOU SLEEPING PEACEFULLY AND WAKING REFRESHED

So, just imagine. Tomorrow morning, your eyelids flutter open to a soft, peaceful alarm. You stretch and you’re ready to begin the day. Your mind isn’t hazy, your body feels refreshed. What are you waiting for? It can’t hurt to try; I made sure you could try these sleep apps out before you committed your pennies to it. If it doesn’t work for you, well, at least you know. But, what if it does? What are restful, rejuvenating nights worth to you?

The post 3 Sleep Apps that will have you Sleeping like a Baby appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Click on any image in the collage below and you can find more information about that item. Or use the links below to navigate to the Star Wars gift ideas you like most.

Links in this post maybe affiliate links. I will receive a small portion of any purchase made through these links. Your cost is in no way changed. This is one way I keep this site running. Thank you for your support.

24 STAR WARS GIFTS FOR YOUR FAVORITE CHEF

1. R2-D2 Teapot
2. Death Star Tea Infuser
3. Heat Activated Lightsaber Mug
4. Death Star Waffle Iron
5. Lightsaber Immersion Blender
6. Darth Vader Toaster
7. Darth Vader Apron
8. Star Wars Cupcake Wrappers
9. R2-D2 Oven Mitts
10. Death Star Timer
11. R2-D2 Cookie Jar
12. Star Wars Rolling Pin
13. Darth Vader Cookie Jar
14. R2-D2 Measuring Cup Set
15. Lightsaber Chop Sticks
16. Stormtrooper & Vader Salt & Pepper Shakers
17. Lightsaber Pizza Cutter
18. Death Star Cutting Board
19. Death Star Popcorn Popper
20. Darth Vader Mug
21. Set of 4 Star Wars Mugs
22. Set of 4 R2-D2 Bowls
23. R2-D2 Salt & Pepper Shakers
24. Star Wars Cookbook

Which of those galactic gadgets do you want in your kitchen? That tea infuser and the heat activated lightsaber mug are pretty high on my wish list! And that Death Star waffle iron?! Now that would be some pretty awesome waffles to wake up to.

So, which gift would your favorite chef just love to have?

The post 24 Star Wars Gifts that your favorite Chef needs appeared first on While He Was Napping.

I love that Star Wars fandom spans across generations. I love that my niece loves to receive Star Wars gifts just as much and my boys – and her dad – do. And I’ll admit, I love a good Star Wars gift too, even if it’s just because I know my little Jedi-in-training picked it out just for me.

But, are there really awesome Star Wars gifts that Mom would actually want and use? Absolutely! I’ve put together a whole collection of Star Wars gifts that will get mom through her day so you can be sure she will use it and love it! Here’s 19 Star Wars gifts that mom will love and actually use this holiday season.

STAR WARS GIFTS FOR MOM

From day break and that first coffee, what to wear and how to accessorize, all the way to bedtime, these are some awesome gifts that will get mom through her whole day:

1. The Force Awakens Travel Mug
2. Yoda Keep Calm Mug
3. Yoda Best Mom Mug
4. Every Great Mom Teaches her Children Tee
5. The Force is Strong with This Mom Tee
6. Star Wars Heads panties
7. Star Wars R2-D2 Death Star panties
8. Millenium Falcon Necklace
9. Millenium Falcon Earrings
10. Star Wars Watch
11. Darth Vader Slouchy Beanie
12. R2-D2 Scarf
13. Lightsaber Umbrella
14. May the Force be with You Tote Bag
15. Stormtrooper Satchel
16. Stormtrooper Wallet
17. R2-D2 tank top
18. Chewbacca Slippers
19. Yoda Pajamas

I’m pretty certain I need “the force is strong with this mom” t-shirt and those Chewbacca slippers just make me happy. How could you not love to open those gifts this holiday season?! Whether it’s starting the day off with a cup of Keep Calm from Yoda, fighting off gloomy raindrops with a lightsaber umbrella while running errands or ending the night with a wookie keeping toes warm, Star Wars will be there to get mom through the day!

The post 19 Star Wars Gifts that will get Mom through the day appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Hey there! Welcome! So glad you’re here today. Can I ask you something? Do you feel like your computer is less than it should be?

• Do you have an aging PC?
• Is your computer starting to show its age?
• Are you near data capacity?
• Maybe it’s riddled with bloatware, viruses, or malware?

Guess what?! There’s a simpler, more affordable alternative to shelling out hundreds (or thousands!) of dollars for a new PC or yet another trip to the service center: it’s FreshStart!

What is FreshStart?

It is the perfect alternative to a new, expensive PC purchase. It can make your old PC run like never before. Here’s just what FreshStart can do for you:

• Adds years of life to an old PC
• Makes an old PC run faster than when you bought it
• Adds more data storage
• Removes all viruses and malware
• Copies all of your data and settings over to a new hard drive
• Gives you a FREE 90 days of Norton Security
• Turns your old drive into a secure backup drive

All of this done in the comfort of your own home or office—certified technicians will come to you within 30 minutes! Forget about waiting around all day!

Computer problems are so frustrating! With FreshStart, getting your problems fixed is as simple and stress-free as possible.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, trying to fix it yourself can cause even more problems. Dropping your PC at the service center leaves you without a computer for days or weeks. And a stranger has unsupervised access to your data!

Why use FreshStart?

FreshStarting your PC is easy: With one click, one of 10,000 nationwide certified techs will come to you and take care of the rest. After your FreshStart, you’ll have a PC that’s guaranteed virus-free with more storage, and several years more productive lifespan!

FreshStarting your PC is fast: A tech will be onsite to install your FreshStart drive in under 30 minutes, and the full process takes about an hour (depending on the amount of data you have). No more dropping off your PC at the service center and being without a computer for days!

FreshStarting your PC offers unmatched privacy and security: No internet downloads, and no strangers can access your data during this service.

FreshStarting your PC is affordable: A laptop service bundle is $168, and a desktop bundle is $178—both of which are a fraction of the cost of a new PC. If you feel comfortable with following a YouTube hard drive replacement video, the DIY kit is available on NewEgg and Amazon starting at just $89!

FreshStarting your PC is eco-friendly: Keeping your old computer a little longer means cutting down on waste. Save some money and help the environment when you FreshStart your PC.

FreshStarting your PC supports your community: FreshStart kits are assembled by Chimes, a charitable organization. They provide training and employment opportunities for adults with disabilities. All service providers are local contractors in your area, so all FreshStart services performed will directly support the independent technicians in your community.

Will FreshStart work for you?

There are some requirements your PC needs to meet in order for FreshStart to work. Do a quick run down this checklist to see if your PC qualifies for a FreshStart:

• Can power on and boot to Windows
• Must be a laptop or desktop PC, sorry no tablets
• For Windows 7 users, the license key sticker must be legible to be able to get the free upgrade to Windows 10
• Must be less than 10 years old

What are you waiting for?

If you feel like you’re stuck between a dying PC and a new purchase, try FreshStart. FreshStart is 100% satisfaction guaranteed, so if you’re not happy, just return the kit within 30 days for a full refund.

The post Does your PC need a FreshStart? appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Did you make a new year’s resolution to declutter your home? Yeah, me too. I started in my bedroom… the black hole of our home. Or maybe that’s the garage…? In any case, it’s where things go to die. It’s the catch-all room. People are coming? Quick, throw all this in Mom and Dad’s room and shut the door! Which is really sad, right?! It’s definitely a bit of a hazard at best. So, we are on a mission to declutter this year. I’ve already completed one ‘declutter paper’ mission!

One of the first boxes I came across in my room was full of papers. We’ve moved this box three times, and I’m not sure it’s been unsealed since move number one. Like, why do I still have this at all, right?! When I started looking at them, I realized why I didn’t just pitch the whole box. Some of the papers are things I do need to keep – hey, that’s where the car title is! – and some of them need to be disposed of in more than just a simple trash can. That’s where my Fellowes 79Ci shredder came in so handy!

I got to looking around my house and realized that we have a lot of paper clutter. With all the holiday cards we just received, Christmas and the explosion that comes with that, the end of year mail that companies like to send and things that Big J brought home from school, we had stacks of paper hanging around that didn’t really need to be there. So, I decided to clean out these 10 places one afternoon and I can’t believe the difference it’s made.

DECLUTTER PAPER FROM THESE 9 SPOTS FOR A MORE PEACEFUL HOME

1. The mail collection. This was a HUGE offender. Since we’ve been on Winter Break, there were more people bringing the mail in everyday. And we were getting more mail the last few weeks too. I try to go through the mail when I bring it in and throw the junk in the trash. My husband and boys bring it in and set it all on the counter top. We had little mail piles all over the counters before I realized what was going on. This is a pretty easy place to start to declutter paper in your home.
2. The junk drawer. I am the big offender here. I like lists. Lots and lots of lists. Shopping lists, to do lists, phone number lists, calendars, gift lists, food preparation lists, you get the idea, right? I’m terrible at taking my notes and just sticking them in the drawer to sort through later. So, I went through them and recycled the irrelevant ones. The ones that still had worth went into a small basket in my drawer so I can actually find what I’m looking for until I can come up with a better filing system.
3. The desk. Our desktop computer is in our dining room and is shared by the family, although Mr. Napping and I use it the most. We both are terrible at leaving papers on the desk. and it’s not a big desk to begin with so whether they are bills, misprints from the printers or doodles that the kids bring us, the paper clutters up the desk in a hurry. I filed the bills that needed to be kept, shredded the ones that were already taken care of and recycled the extra papers and envelopes. I put the misprints in our scrap paper collection and the kids will bring us more doodles on those some other time. The doodles spend a few days (or weeks) on our art board and then they are recycled or filed to save. It’s condition was not conducive to productivity at all! 
4. The laundry room. The offender here was all the tags from new clothes my family had received for Christmas. I had a small pile on the dryer that never made it into the trash. It took about three seconds to throw them out and my boys stopped knocking the little plastic pieces on the floor every time they walked passed the dryer.
5. School papers. I never realized just how much paper I brought home from school, but if it’s anything like Big J brings home… my poor mama! And I’m dreading the day it gets multiplied by more than one boy in school. Usually I go through his backpack when he gets home and his Friday Folder as soon as he walks in the door. All through the course of Winter Break I kept finding more school papers though. I recycled the unimportant stuff and filed the things I wanted to keep in his school box.
6. My planner. I still use a paper planner. My husband balks at this, but I like the tangible aspect from holding the paper and physically writing things down. It helps me remember important dates and commitments better. But I had a lot of extras stuck in it too. So, I cleaned out notes, receipts, cards and invitations and my planner is much easier to carry around now. I can even see all the tabs now!
7. My wallet. I don’t save receipts if I don’t have to, but for big purchases and expenses that I need record of, the receipts get stuck in my wallet. Christmas put more receipts in my wallet than usual and it was a bit of a mess. I filed the receipts I needed to keep and put all the Christmas gift receipts in a ziptop bag in my planner. All the others I got rid of.
8. The car. All those receipts I don’t save… yeah, a lot of them are on the floor in my car. They start in the console with the plan to take them in and get rid of them. But, somewhere between leaving the store and getting everything and everyone inside it ends up on the floor of the car. My kids leave their papers in the car too. It’s awesome how much better cups fit in the cup holders when wads of paper aren’t stuffed in them.
9. Diaper bag/purse. If you don’t have a diaper bag, I’m mildly jealous. Sure I like being prepared for whatever might arise when we’re out, but it’s just one more place to collect clutter too. And the latter seems to happen more often than not. Our new rule is that no papers go in the diaper bag… we’ll see how long we can stick to that! No diaper bag? Apply it to your purse.

When it’s time to declutter paper, a good shredder is a must-have to ensure your information remains safe. I absolutely love my Fellowes 79Ci shredder! It is great for anyone balancing busy schedules and seeking time-saving solutions. The design is sleek and the power is amazing. It’s got a Patented 100% Jam Proof System that eliminates paper jams and powers through tough jobs and it’s heavy-duty cross-cut blades can handle up to 16 sheets of paper per pass in addition to staples, paper clips, credit cards, junk mail and CDs. Such a time saver when you can feed handfuls through at a time! And with an extended 20 minute run time for increased productivity you don’t have to worry if you’ll ever finally shred the whole pile of papers you have just waiting for disposal. You’ll be able to declutter paper and so much more!

My favorite feature of the Fellowes 79Ci shredder is the patented SafeSense® Technology which automatically stops shredding when hands touch the paper opening. It’s such a sense of peace to not have that concern hanging over my head with all my little ones around. I also really love the SilentShred Technology that offers ultra-quiet shredder performance. We can still have a conversation while the junk mail and paid bills are shredded. While we usually keep our shredder off and unplugged, the Energy Savings System feature maximizes shredder energy efficiency 100% of the time – both in use and out of use.

You can find The Fellowes 79Ci Shredder at Amazon and Office Superstores with a suggested retail price of $239.99. Are you on a mission to declutter paper from your home? You won’t regret using the Fellowes 79Ci Shredder to help protect sensitive information on my declutter paper mission!

The post Declutter Paper From These 9 Things for a More Peaceful Home appeared first on While He Was Napping.

You know what’s synonymous with kids? Mess. My three kids spend a startlingly large amount of time eating. I’m not sure if it’s a boy thing, or because they are growing, a little of both, or what; but, they eat a lot! Whether it’s because they don’t have as much practice as I do or the testosterone in their bodies doesn’t allow it, they are not dainty or careful eaters. To make matters worse, we have carpet in our dining room. I’m not sure who had that grand idea, but it is a terrible, horrible thing to live with. The last time I deep cleaned my dining room carpet, it stayed clean for an entire two weeks before it was stained again. Yep, that’s it.

Cleaning up the carpet after every meal is a must and, even then, I don’t always get it all. Then there are all the snacks all day long. It’s a full-time job just keeping my dining room floors clean. The new Hoover AIR CORDLESS LIFT UPRIGHT Vacuum line has made my job (well, one of them) a whole lot easier. I love my AIR CORDLESS LIFT UPRIGHT Vacuum. It’s perfect for after-meal clean up.

The Windtunnel 3 technology provides the perfect suction power to lift and remove dirt and food. I was mildly worried about the battery life when I first got the machine, but this thing is a tank. The LithiumLife batteries have double the capacity of Hoover’s standard 18-volt lithium Ion batteries which give me longer run time (about 50 minutes and an extra battery is included) and I get amazing power regardless of the battery charge. The LithiumLife batteries are interchangeable through out the Hoover Cordless line, making it easy to use the right machine for the job. There are three vacuums and a hard floor wet cleaner in the line and I’ve got a hankering for the Floormate® hard floor wet cleaner now…

My absolute favorite thing about the Hoover AIR CORDLESS LIFT though is the cordless part. The cordless feature means I can clean up multiple messes in multiple rooms in a fraction of the time I used to.  I can vacuum up breakfast crumbs, grab the popcorn kernels my boys threw at each other during movie night last night and then zip over and get the dirt my husband tracked in from the garage in mere minutes. And it’s a dream in cleaning out the car. There is no unplugging and plugging back in, no winding that wretched cord back up (or driving my husband crazy that I don’t wind it back up). My kids don’t trip over the cord when I’m vacuuming or play tug of war with it anymore. And it’s easy to take out the to the car too!

The holiday season is here and it’s a busy time of year for most everyone. Simplify your cleaning duties and skip the cord. I also love the canister option on the AIR CORDLESS LIFT that makes dusting a breeze and stairs are so much easier to clean when you’re not lugging the vacuum behind you. Get the work done faster so you can enjoy more time doing the things you really want to do.

Whether hosting holiday parties or family is coming to visit, things can get crazy. I’ve come up with a printable checklist that can help you make sure you don’t forget anything super important before company comes. Then you can make the most of and enjoy the time you get to spend with your family and friends. Just click on the image below to be taken to it’s download page. You can save it to your computer and print it off. Hang it on the fridge so the entire family can help get the work done. No more “I didn’t know what needed to be done” excuses!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

Kick the cord this holiday season, grab the printables, get the work done and enjoy making new memories with the ones that matter most! Happy Holidays!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. Pinky promise.

The post Get Company Ready this Holiday Season with Hoover AIR™ CORDLESS LIFT appeared first on While He Was Napping.

With my middle little one we started out in a two-bedroom apartment that was less than 1000 square feet and there was no need for monitors. You couldn’t get far enough away to not hear the baby. When he was three months old, we moved into our single-story home and we still didn’t need a monitor. He was (and still is!) such a restless sleeper that it was better if I didn’t have a monitor on him because every movement he made put me on edge… Is he getting up? Is he gonna cry? Should I go get him? We both slept better without a monitor – I wasn’t constantly hovering over him while he was trying to sleep. He expected me to be there every time he stirred and he was terrible at putting himself back to sleep because of it. It didn’t help that I need sleep or I am one grouchy momma. It really was better for both of us.

Between my middle baby and my youngest, my sister-in-law had their first baby. They went all out with the changing tables, video monitors, diaper pails and more. I thought it was a little unnecessary… Then we were at my grandma’s house with the whole family and it was loud! Both of my younger boys still napped. Our room was too close to the noise and kept them from getting a good nap unless we put them in the attached apartment my parents were staying in. But we had no easy way to make sure our kids were still sleeping, safe and sound. My brother’s video monitor suddenly seemed like more of a need than a want, or at the very least not unnecessary. We made do with some apps on our mobile devices and tablets, but it meant someone had to leave their device in with the sleeping kids and the apps chewed through the battery!

Enter Levana’s Ayden Baby Video Monitor. Even though my little Baby N is closer to being two than one, I am so excited to have this monitor now. I know it will be so useful while we are traveling next week! I absolutely love this thing. It has all kinds of features I am so excited about. The most important feature to me, though, was a secure signal – I want to be confident that I am the only one checking in on our children. The Ayden Baby Video Monitor offers Private ClearV­u® Digital Signal that is private, secure and interference-free from up to 750 feet away.

The picture quality is fantastic on the 3.5 inch screen and there is even an LED Night Vision option to give you a clearer picture of your baby in the darkness. This is amazing and essential for me, as our nursery is incredibly dark even during the day. I love being able to see my baby without having to shine a bunch of light in on him and worry about waking him. The actual picture clarity is even better than this photo.

Another feature I was very excited about was the option to use battery or wall power for both the monitor and video screen units. This means we can even take it camping! I am very excited about the freedom that will give me! You can turn on PEEP mode and your monitor and camera will enter sleep mode if it’s quiet. You see what you need to see when you need to see it and don’t use up lots of battery when there’s nothing to check on. This allows for up to 48 hours of battery life before you need to recharge.

3 TIMES I LOVE BEING ABLE TO USE MY LEVANA AYDEN BABY VIDEO MONITOR

1. When my Baby N finds himself overstimulated and tired. When this boy has had enough, he needs his space. Even momma is too much company. The worst case overstimulated scenario has the poor boy in hysterics and cuddles from momma or daddy just make it worse. I like being able to keep an eye on him while he calms himself enough for a snuggle before going to sleep. I don’t have to worry that he’s going to hurt himself or be naughty – he’s climbing all the things these days – while he’s alone in his crib.
2. To check on Baby N before I go to bed. You know what they say – Let the sleeping beast lie! Baby N regularly kicks his blankets off, but not all the time. I love being able to check and see if he needs to be tucked in again without entering the room and disturbing his slumber.
3. In the middle of the night. Baby N gets up usually once during the night, but he’s been sleeping all night more often lately. It’s really nice to be able to check on him when I first hear him fussing to see what he needs. Is he cold? Hungry? Did he just lose his pacifier? It helps me get him taken care of and back to bed faster.

The temperature monitoring is a nice feature. My youngest two boys kick the covers off all the time. With the Ayden Baby Video Monitor you can check on the temperature in their room and see if they need to be recovered without risking waking them up. There’s nothing worse than checking on them and them waking up just as I’m heading to bed. My boys have usually been asleep long enough they think it should be time to get up and play. Not what a tired momma wants!

The smart indicator ring was also something I thought was very cool. The ring around the directional pad will change colors according to the noise level in the baby’s room. You can keep an eye on your baby even when the sound is turned down. This would be a great option for times when your surroundings are loud already and for hearing-impaired parents and caregivers.

Two more features are a night light option and a lullaby option that you can turn off and on from the video screen menu. You don’t even have to go into the room. There are three lullaby options and the night light is a calming yellowy-orange color that comes from the top of the camera. There is a two-way communication feature that lets you talk to baby.

I am incredibly happy with this monitor. It’s feature-rich, I can keep eyes on my kiddo and I will be able to do more knowing my child is safe. That’s all this momma wants! Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win your own baby video monitor.

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Get more info and stay up with all the latest and greatest from Levana on their Facebook page. Or check out the Ayden Baby Video Monitor and get your own with the button below!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Levana. The opinions and text are all mine. Pinky Promise.

The post Do More with Levana Ayden™ Baby Video Monitor appeared first on While He Was Napping.

I don’t know about you, but my house seems like it gets it hit by a bomb… or two… around this time of year. The kids bring home even more papers from school, stores are sending out sale papers, companies are doing their end-of-year policy updates, and we’re approaching a major election year so there’s all kinds of political mailers coming in as well. That’s a lot of paper coming through my front door.

We haven’t always been awesome at filing the mail when it comes through the door. It, often times, gets dropped somewhere on the kitchen counter. As if it isn’t hard enough to keep the kitchen counters clean… and, I hate to admit it, but I do have a box of old papers in my bedroom that is full of mail from our countertops. Clearly, I still have some improving to do in getting rid of paper clutter in our home, but I have been doing a lot better with this new system. Ready to cut down on your paper clutter? Here’s the how:

1. Start now with all the new papers that come in your home. Once you get in the habit of getting rid of the stuff coming in, you can add a step or two here and there to get rid of the stuff already there. It’s so much easier to get rid of stuff a step at a time, rather than a big purge. Now, if you have the time for a big purge, then by all means. But, shy of burning my house down and just starting all over, I don’t have time to get rid of every single paper in one sitting. Besides, I’d much rather play with my cute boys than go through tedious piles of paperwork.

When papers get brought into your house, go through them immediately. Take five minutes and just get it done.

2. I have two paper trays on my counter. Hey, it’s better than a stack of (unopened) mail! One for “things that need attention”, like bills, insurance things, a wedding announcement, coupons – if it has an expiration date or deadline. And one for “things to file”, like report cards, most DMV papers and other documentation, school papers or projects my kids bring home that I want to keep – if it is going to be kept long-term.

Once a week, I clear out the trays. I deal with the stuff that needs attending and then file the things that are being kept where they belong. My filing boxes are a whole ‘nother story! The paper trays actually work really well for me. If having them in the kitchen doesn’t appeal to you, put them somewhere else. Maybe putting them in your office or something would work better for you. If so, I’m totally jealous you have an office!

3. Now, think of all that stuff you got rid of. Feels good to not have it cluttering your home, right? Some paperwork shouldn’t just be thrown out though. Even outdated paperwork can have sensitive information on it. That’s where a good shredder comes into play.

I have been using a Fellowes 79Ci shredder and I just love the sleek design and advanced technology. The SilentShred Technology lets me work on getting rid of our paper clutter during nap time without fear of waking the babies. Its patented 100% Jam Proof System is fantastic and has completely lived up to the promise in all the shredding I’ve done with it so far. The heavy-duty cross-cut blades can handle up to 16 pages at a time and you don’t have to take out staples or paper clips either, which is such a time saver.

Another thing that I love is the extended 20 minute run time. I can get everything shredded all in one sitting and I don’t have to wait for the shredder to cool down. There’s also a cool little Energy Savings System feature that maximizes efficiency 100% of the time, both when you are actively using the shredder or when it’s in standby. If we ever get our bedroom office center set up like we want to, I will move this shredder in there and leave it on all the time. For now, it’s in our dining room and I unplug it after I use it, simply because I don’t want my kids to shred things! Which brings me to my absolute favorite feature: the patented SafeSense® Technology that automatically stops shredding when hands touch the paper opening so I don’t have to worry about little fingers. Obviously, you should still be cautious and not allow children to use the shredder but that safety feature allows me to feel confident in leaving it in our easily-accessible dining room.

4. Now that you’re getting into the routine of getting rid of the paper before it piles up, what do you do about the already piled paper? Well, you have to go through it. But, here’s my trick to do it quickly: sort it out by type of paper.

So, you have a pile of old mail: 3 pages from your insurance company, 2 medical bills, 3 utility bills, 2 credit card bills, some advertising pieces and a postcard from Grandpa and Grandma on vacation.

First, pitch that advertising in the trash! Anything that is addressed to … ” or current resident” doesn’t need to take up your space. Make an exception for coupons, if that’s your thing, but that’s about all the exceptions I can think of.

Second, separate the mail into the categories listed above: insurance documents, medical, utility, credit card and personal.

You can stop there for now if you need to or keep going.

Third, choose a pile and open up the main page. Depending on how much time I have, I try to start with the biggest pile. Get the worst done first. If it’s a bill that had already been paid, shred it. Your bank will have documentation of the payment and most companies have the option to look up your account online, including payment history. You don’t need the statement. If it had not been paid, it goes to the “needs attention” paper tray to be dealt with.

If the paper is something medical, legal or otherwise needs to be kept, put it in the “to be filled” tray.

If the paper is personal, decide whether you need to keep it or not. Something like a postcard from Dad or Grandpa and Grandma is something I will hang on the fridge for a while (like until they get back – not like months or years), share with my boys and then throw out. If it’s too sentimental, consider taking a photo of it and then discarding. You’ll have the photo to look back at later if you really want to. If you do keep it, file it away so it has a place. Don’t let it clutter.

Keep working your way through the piles, one at a time. I find I usually add to my piles before I ever get them all gone through completely. I still find the occasional box of papers that need to be sorted, but it’s getting better.

Mostly, I LOVE that my kitchen counters aren’t covered in old mail! I love knowing or personal information is safely destroyed with the Fellowes 79Ci shredder so I don’t have to worry. The 79Ci is available at Amazon and Office Superstores with a suggested retail price of $239.99. I love that I can use the shredder while my children are napping or when they are awake, I don’t have to plan getting rid of clutter papers that come into my home, I can just do it. This means I have more time to spend with my kids, doing festive holiday activities and that my house doesn’t look like a bomb went off. At least, not a paper bomb. We’re still working on a toy factory explosion problem. But that’s a whole different problem.

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