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Etiquette Rules for Modern Life: The Home Hour, Episode 90 Oct 05, 2017

Show notes

Is etiquette an outdated idea? Or is it an important skill in our current climate? This episode is all about tackling the daily challenges of what to do, what to say, and how to act when situations aren’t always crystal clear. We’re talking to one of our new favorite friends, Lizzie Post from The Emily Post Institute, about why manners still matter. Lizzie is the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post and the co-host of the fantastic podcast Awesome Etiquette.

Join Kirsten, Graham, and Lizzie as we tackle everything from how to thoughtfully handle the dietary restrictions of others to one simple etiquette trick that may help you land that dream job.

To hear more from Lizzie, be sure to check out her show, the Awesome Etiquette Podcast!

Sponsor Spotlight: Kind Snack Club

Kirsten & Graham (and all our kids!) can’t get enough of KIND Snacks!

We don’t think you should have to choose between your health and taste when it comes to snacking. That’s why award winning chefs, nutritionists and fabulous podcast hosts love and recommend KIND Bars!

As busy moms always on the go and always in need of quick treats that are healthy and taste awesome, we have come to really count on KIND Snacks! If you’re ready to try some tasty AND healthy snacks, we’ve got a special deal for you!

You can try 10 KIND Bars for free, all you have to pay is shipping. When you order the sample box, you’ll also get to try KIND’s Snack Club, where you’ll receive monthly snacks at a discount and get members only bonuses.

To pick up your free sample box, go to KindSnacks.com/thehomehour

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Greenish:” A Moderate’s Guide to Being More Environmentally Minded: The Home Hour, Episode 89 Sep 28, 2017

Show notes

We’re going GREEN! Well, at least we’re trying!

Join hosts Kirsten & Graham as we discuss what we do and don’t do in our own homes and what tricks and hacks we’ve learned to make going green easier.

While we readily acknowledge that we all share the earth and should be striving to keep it in the best shape possible, we also know that it can be easier said than done. One of our listeners recently wrote in asking about what we were doing to try to be green in our own homes and that really got us thinking. Here’s what she said:

Hi! I am really enjoying The Home Hour and my favorite episodes are the ones where you both simply chat and share ideas with each other. My husband and I are in the process of trying to reduce waste, live less “consumable” lives, and improve our eco-friendly habits (such as moving toward no paper towels, no ziplocs, etc.). I would love to hear if you two have thought about this and whether you do anything in your homes to try to live more “green.” Thanks!

Today is the moderate’s guide to going green. We’re not by any stretch of the imagination model families at this but we hope our discussion can inspire our listeners and ourselves to do a bit better.

If you’d like to continue this conversation, don’t miss Life Listened Network’s newest podcast, The Crunchy Cocktail Hour, coming October 2017!

Sponsor Spotlight: Kind Snack Club

If you listen to The Home Hour, then you know that we are HUGE FANS of KIND Snacks!

Kirsten and Graham are both busy moms always on the go and always in need of quick treats that are healthy and taste awesome. That’s why KIND Snacks have become a staple in both our homes. If you’re ready to try some tasty AND healthy snacks, we’ve got a special deal for you!

You shouldn’t have to choose between your health and taste when it comes to snacking. That’s why award winning chefs, nutritionists and fabulous podcast hosts love and recommend KIND Bars!

To pick up your free sample box, go to KindSnacks.com/thehomehour

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stepping Up Our Homemaker Game with Clutterbug Cas Aarssen: The Home Hour, Episode 88 Sep 21, 2017

Show notes

On today’s episode we’re chatting with blogger, podcaster, YouTube star, author, and mother… the one and only Clutterbug herself: Cas Aarssen!

Join hosts Kirsten & Graham as they talk with Cas about about realistic ways to organize kids’ toys and how to create special, beautiful spaces for your children without having to spend a fortune.

Cas gives us all a great wake-up call about how and why our kids need more chores. She also introduces us to what may be The Home Hour’s new favorite motto:

“If you can build a castle in Minecraft, you can do your own laundry!”

From her experiences in running a busy daycare out of her house, to her daily life of raising three children while running her successful website, Clutterbug, Cas shares some great strategies, stories, and tips for our listeners.

We also get to hear all about dollar store decorating, the “Lonely Sock Matching Game”, and her new bestselling book: Real Life Organizing!

Also, don’t miss this amazing video of her daughter’s inexpensive bedroom makeover that we discussed on this episode.

Sponsor Spotlight: Kind Snack Club

If you listen to The Home Hour, then you know that we are HUGE FANS of KIND Snacks!

You shouldn’t have to choose between your health and taste when it comes to snacking. That’s why award winning chefs, nutritionists and fabulous podcast hosts love and recommend KIND Bars!

To pick up your free sample box, go to KindSnacks.com/thehomehour

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tiny Houses: The Home Hour, Episode 87 Sep 18, 2017

Show notes

Today on the Home Hour, we’re celebrating the little things. And by little, we mean TINY!

We’re learning about living the good life in small spaces with Joshua and Shelley Engberg from Tiny House Basics! Join Kirsten and Graham as we hear all about the Enberg’s journey to a tiny house and how trading square footage for acreage may have been one of the best decisions they’ve ever made.

We discuss how they organize, entertain friends at home, and live daily life as a married couple with two pet dogs… all in under 400 square feet. We also get into the economics of drastically downsizing and learn how much they’re saving by making a tiny house into a home!

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT: Opinion Outpost

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Surveys are accessible 24/7, so you can participate whenever you’d like! Your personal information remains private and secure, and it’s free to signup.

Giveaway!

Be sure to follow us on Instagram for all the details of how to win your own copy of Tiny House Basics!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you think it’s weird that I…….? The Home Hour, Episode 86 Sep 07, 2017

Show notes

Quirks. Habits. Things we know shouldn’t bother us but drive us crazy anyway. This is the episode where we bring all our strangest behaviors out in the open and ask if anyone else can relate! Join Kirsten and Graham as they share the things they think may be weird and *hopefully* ask if any listeners are doing the same things?

Links we mentioned in this show:

Articles about weird habits:

* 17 Weird Habits we all have but won’t admit it.

* Weird Habits

* How normal are your weird habits?

Also, on this episode, Graham shared some weird elements of her dishwashing behaviors and it led us to ask:

Should you put crystal in the dishwasher?

It turns out the answer is … yes and no. In the end, it depends on the type of crystal. This helpful guide on the Waterford website explains the issue really well!

Also, if your crystal is dishwasher safe, then here is another guide about which detergents to use.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Design Magazine Editor’s Tips For Creating A Beautiful Home: The Home Hour, Episode 85 Aug 31, 2017

Show notes

Today, we’re getting back to basics and talking about how to simply make a home pretty!

On this episode, Graham and Kirsten chat with professional stylist, tastemaker, and busy mom of two, Steele Marcoux about simple and affordable ways to make a typical home feel photo shoot worthy. We also get a fun look behind the scenes at what goes into creating some of those beautiful shots we all see in magazines, how to spot which trends are worth emulating and which ones to skip, and how to balance a desire for a beautiful home with the realities of sticking to a budget and living with children.

Steele is the current editor of Coastal Living Magazine, a former editor of Southern Living Magazine and Country Living Magazine, and a freelance contributor to such publications as HGTV Magazine and Better Homes and Gardens. She’s also one of Graham’s besties!

Links we mentioned on the show:

* My O’verlays

* Coastal Living

* Natural Area Rugs

Giveaway!

$250 My O’verlays® Gift Card for one Home Hour Listener!

O’verlays® are decorative fretwork panels that come in several patterns and sizes. They are lightweight, paintable and easily attach to furniture, doors, walls and glass. Customize your furniture and accessories with O’verlays® or use O’verlays® Kits sized to fit many of IKEA® and other popular furniture.

Enter the code “HOMEHOUR” for 15% off your next purchase and check instagram for details on our giveaway.

For more information, follow us on Instagram @thehomehour

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tried & True Menu Planning: The Home Hour: Episode 84 Aug 24, 2017

Show notes

What’s for dinner? Kirsten has no idea what she’s making tonight, but her co-host Graham never has to ask this question! For almost a decade Graham has been using the same special menu-planning system to get dinner on the table. On this episode of The Home Hour we take a deep dive into Graham’s tried and true method for how she feeds her family.

She swears this system has helped her to not only save time thinking about what meals to cook and what groceries to buy, but has also helped her to avoid waste and save money. By using a special binder of her own design, Graham has been collecting recipes and assigning them to designated weeks. In a separate section of the binder, she lists every ingredient of each recipe needed for the week. These pre-printed sheets serve as a guide for checking her kitchen inventory and as the basis for her weekly shopping list.

To learn more about the details of this system, how to stay flexible when plans change, and how she adds new recipes to the mix, be sure to listen to this episode on the player below or on your favorite podcast listening app.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT:

Since this episode is all about delicious food AND finding systems to streamline our lives, let us introduce you to the KIND Bar Snack Club!

If you love KIND bars as much as we do (or if you’ve never tried these delicious bars) then you are going to want to take advantage of this fantastic offer for our Home Hour listeners.

Thanks to the new KIND Bar Snack Club, you can try 10 KIND Bars for free, all you have to pay is shipping!

KIND Bars make delicious, healthy snacks using whole ingredients you can recognize and pronounce.

When you order the sample box, you’ll also get to try KIND’s Snack Club, where you’ll receive monthly snacks at a discount and get members only bonuses. Woot! Woot!

To access this great deal visit KindSnacks.com/thehomehour.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Decluttering Our Lives & Our Closets: The Home Hour, Episode 83 Aug 17, 2017

Show notes

What if it turns out that all those old clothes you’ve been holding onto may actually be holding you back? You probably don’t even realize how much time and energy you spend in your closet… and you probably own way more clothing than you really need.

Today on The Home Hour, Kirsten & Graham team up with professional organizer Rachel Rosenthal to tackle some of our greatest decluttering challenges: our closets! Rachel Rosenthal is the founder of Rachel and Company, one of the most well regarded home organization firms in the country. Her work has been featured in Martha Stewart, Good Housekeeping, and House Beautiful, just to name a few. She has been helping overwhelmed moms like us cut through the excess and figure out how to spend less time looking for our stuff and more time doing what really matters.

On this episode we talk about what clothes we actually wear, which pieces are worth saving, and what items just need to go! We also discuss linen closet overhauls, the challenging task of giving up the baby-stuff, and how to get our kids organized for back to school!

Sponsor Spotlight: KIND Bars!

Hey Home Hour listeners, have you ever tried a KIND Bar? (or are you already addicted like we are?) They make delicious, healthy snacks using whole ingredients you can recognize and pronounce.

Well, if you’re ready to try some tasty AND healthy snacks, we’ve got a special deal for you! Home Hour listeners, can try 10 KIND Bars for free, all you have to pay is shipping!

When you order the sample box, you’ll also get to try KIND’s Snack Club, where you’ll receive monthly snacks at a discount and get members only bonuses.

To access this great deal visit KindSnacks.com/thehomehour.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back to School Routines and Rituals: The Home Hour, Episode 82 Aug 10, 2017

Show notes

Summer is over and we’re feeling very much in that Back-to-School mode! On this episode of The Home Hour, we’re talking about everything that goes into getting our families out of the home!

Join hosts Kirsten and Graham as we chat about our a.m. routines, night before to-do lists, and the first day of school traditions in our homes. We also share our lists of must-do’s to prep for a new school year, what we buy new and what we make work from the year before, and why nothing beats the intoxicating smell of fresh Subway bread baking in the oven!

Sponsor Spotlight: KIND Bar Snack Club!

Hey Home Hour listeners, have you ever tried a KIND Bar? You might have seen them in your local grocery store, coffee shop or gym. They make delicious, healthy snacks using whole ingredients you can recognize and pronounce.

Well, if you’re ready to try some tasty AND healthy snacks, we’ve got a special deal for you! Home Hour listeners, can try 10 KIND Bars for free, all you have to pay is shipping!

When you order the sample box, you’ll also get to try KIND’s Snack Club, where you’ll receive monthly snacks at a discount and get members only bonuses.

To access this great deal visit KindSnacks.com/thehomehour.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ultimate Entertaining with Calder Clark: The Home Hour, Episode 81 Aug 03, 2017

Show notes

Planning an event that’s photo-shoot worthy! This episode is all about inspiration and aspiration as Graham and Kirsten chat with one of the country’s most recognized and celebrated event planners, Calder Clark! Calder shares her tips and tricks for creating swoon-worthy events, but also readily admits that for the everyday, nothing beats pizza and beer at home with a great group of friends!

Links we mention on the show:

* Calder Clark: Gorgeous website of our gorgeous guest!

* Sferra: One of Calder’s go-to spots for beautiful table linens

* Roost: Champagne Flutes

* Juliska: Calder’s everyday dishes

* Shag! The best movie ever made (*According to Calder, Kirsten, & Graham)

* Bite by Bite: Peter Callan’s cookbook that helped start the mini-food trend

Among her dozens of accolades, Calder Clark has been named a “Best Planner” by Vogue and a “Top Planner” by Martha Stewart Weddings. In her incredible career Calder has planned events ranging from the 2001 Presidential Inaugural Luncheon, to the Bloomberg News/White House Correspondents’ Dinner After Party, to some of the most elegant and photographed weddings across the country. However today she’s catching up with The Home Hour about how she entertains at home as a wife and a mother.

We learn that at her home, it’s always casual and it’s more about eating pizza on your lap and less about being fussy! However, Calder does share with us a few tips to elevate our everyday events such as linen napkins. She also says that the juxtaposition of casual and fancy always makes for a great atmosphere so don’t be afraid to serve fast food burgers on fine china and champagne in Dixie Cups!

When it comes to parties at home, Calder says it’s less about the fancy, detailed schematics and more about the life-lessons: be ready for your guests, have enough food, make sure you have great lighting, and keep a comfortable temperature in your home! She also says that a party at home is never the time to try a new recipe. Always go with your favorite tried and true recipes and remember that they will be new and exciting to someone!

Calder says the newest trends to look for are “80’s peach” and dark racing green with lacquered brass accents. She also says “Farm to Fork” healthier eating is really hot as is anything paired down to a mini-version of the original, as popularized by Peter Callahan.

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