Earlier this year a new organization came to town that our family was oh so very excited about. Seeds of Caring is a non-profit dedicated to creating little do-gooders (ages 2 - 12) by providing easily digestible service projects for kids and parents alike. Their Anywhere Projects can be done…you guessed it, anywhere, and their larger service projects are a beautiful way to get involved in the great community.

I was so excited to connect with Blair Everett, the Indianapolis Program Manager and am even MORE EXCITED to share their mission and ways to get involved through the following conversation.

We are big Seeds of Caring fans and originally heard about it from friends in Columbus, where it originated. What need did you see in Indianapolis that prompted you to start a second outpost?

When we realized we were ready to expand, our Board of Directors dove deep into data to figure out which city had a growing population of young families who wanted to give back as well as plenty of opportunity to help meet real community needs. Hard data led us to Indy but since getting to know the city, our hearts agree that this is a kind community where Seeds of Caring will thrive!

Organized | RESOURCES, Organized | PARENTHOODMaria BaerAugust 31, 2023The Baer Minimalist, LLCKids, Donate, do good, communtiyComment

DONATION RESOURCE // Wishing Wings Boutique

Who remembers that feeling as a teen wanting to pick out just the right outfit for a special occasion? And that magical feeling when you nailed the look from head to toe?

In an effort to provide that experience for teens within the foster care system, Ginger Summer launched the Wishing Wings Boutique in Lebanon, Indiana.

Ginger has been a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) since 2017 which has given her the insight that youth within the system face many challenges. She said, “ I have seen kids go to new homes with nothing more than the clothes on their back or a trash bag full of ill-fitting odds and ends. Going to a new home without proper resources can be stressful and scary even for older kids who are often forgotten when it comes to donations, relocation needs, and other support.” This led her to open Wishing Wings Boutique so that all children have access to essential resources and give them a sense of dignity. Ginger shares a little more about Wishing Wings Boutique and how the community can lend a helping hand.

Organized | RESOURCESGracie GrouzardSeptember 14, 2022The Baer Minimalist, LLCDonation Resources, Kids, Closets, Recycling, DeclutterComment

DONATION RESOURCE // Project Play Inc.

Many parents might agree that toys have a superpower where they seem to multiply overnight…not to mention appear under our bare feet when we least expect it (we’re looking at you, Legos). When we work in homes where there is an abundance of toys that are no longer be pulled out to play with, we love being able to share the impact that Project Play Inc. has on the community (and set up a Donation Pick-Up while we’re at it).

Project Play Inc. takes donated toys and redistributes to children and families in need. The team at Project Play Inc. works diligently to meet the needs of kids who do not have toys or books to use. Angie Lacy, Occupational Therapist, Preschool Teacher and Founder of Project Play, took the time to share with us what Project Play Inc. does and how we can rehome our toys and books while benefitting the greater community.

How in the Heck Do I Organize My...Kid's Mementos

Over the last few years, I have helped a ton of parents make decisions on what is worth saving for their kids. We’ve tackled clothes, artwork, mementos, cards, teeth, locks of hair, you name it…

This last year, I also realized that I may be more sentimental than I had originally thought as I made decisions about what to hold onto for each of my kids throughout their first year of life. Yes, that first lock of baby hair was absolutely kept! On the flip side though, the vast majority of things were not. They’ve been donated to other families who can put them to good use right now, rather than collecting dust in my basement for the next 25 years until I can pass them off to my kids. And for that, I’m feeling pretty darn good.

2019 Consumable Gift Guide...for Kids

The holiday season is quickly approaching (and I’m sure a birthday party or five). You might find yourself asking the age-old question...what am I going to do about gifts?!

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt “stuck” when it comes to gift buying (ME!).

I’m a huge proponent of consumable and experiential gifts (check out the 2017 and 2018 guides here) and wanted to make sure that we addressed the littlest gift recipients in our lives with this year’s installment.

$ - FREE OR LESS THAN $10

Kids love one-on-one time with you (especially if you have more than one child). Give your kiddo a budget and let them pick how you will spend it - the only caveat being that you have to DO something (rather than BUYING something). A suggestion, the Nutcracker Tea Party at Tina’s Traditional Tea Room in Carmel coming up on December 8.
If you’ve got time to get creative, plan a scavenger hunt or adventure day. Maybe you pull out a good old fashioned map and let your kiddo choose the destination. I promise the conversations you have & the memories you make will be worth more than any “thing” you could have bought them.

DONATION RESOURCE // Grant's Gifts

Two and a half years ago, my girlfriends and I were en route to our bestie’s baby shower in Cincinnati when we got a call from her husband. They were headed to the hospital due to possibly being in labor…10 weeks early.

What should have been a day filled with a celebration of the mother and baby-to-be, ended up being filled with every emotion possible and an adorable baby, Grant, being born just hours later. From there, we learned that he would have a long road ahead in the NICU.

In those first moments as parents, especially as parents of a preemie, you’ve got so many things on your mind. I’ll let Grant’s Gifts founder, Sarah Thomas, take it from here to share their NICU journey and the non-profit charity that grew from their experience.

PROJECT // A Not-So Neutral Twin Nursery

Let me introduce you to my new favorite room in our house…our twin’s nursery! We are less than two weeks away from our due date and this room has been such a labor of love. We still do not know the gender of our babies, but that didn’t mean that I had to keep this room neutral, did it?

I have never been one to shy away from color when it comes to decorating my home, so our nursery was no exception! The biggest design challenge was taking this relatively small space and making it work for not one, but two babies. That second crib really threw us for a loop.

I knew I wanted to have an element of whimsy in the space and wanted to bring that in with wallpaper. I searched and searched for a statement print that I could base the rest of the room around and landed on Hunt Slonem’s bunny wallpaper. When I saw this paper up at Drapery Street in the Design Center, I knew I had to have at least a touch of it in the nursery.

This was also the first time I have ever painted walls white in my home, so I pulled in my signature stamp of color for the furniture and added a dark chair rail to break up several of the walls.

Without any further ado, here is our not-so-neutral twin nursery.

5 Resources for Expectant Moms that Make All the Difference!

Finding out you are expecting marks a pretty monumental day in a person’s life - possibly the most monumental. It can also be slightly, okay super, overwhelming as you think about all of the changes coming your way.

As an organized person by nature, I wanted to find some shortcuts to make me feel on top of it throughout the upcoming nine months. I uncovered some great resources that made all of the difference and am so pumped to share them with you!

More than anything, I’ve found that people are so helpful - with advice, hand-me-downs and so much support. Entering into this parenthood tribe is pretty cool, in my book!

Here are five resources and services that have allowed me to enjoy each and every day of my pregnancy and took a ton of the guesswork of my plate:

3 Simple Hacks for Organizing Your Students

Let’s talk about the vibe of your house on a Monday morning. Is it hectic? Or calm? My guess is that the start of your week reflects whether or not you’ve had the time to prep over the weekend. If you have a few minutes to meal plan, help ensure the kids are caught up on homework and that outfits are chosen for the week ahead, your Monday morning feels like a breeze compared to the alternative.

I’ve written about helping your kids get more organized before, but wanted to take school organization one step further now that we are into the second half of the school year! I reached out to one of the most organized moms I know, Stephanie Starkey with My Greige House, to collaborate on this post. Follow her, you’ll be so inspired by her ideas for cleaning + organization.

So let’s get to it! We wanted to share a few tips + tricks to keep your family ahead of schedule and on top of homework. It doesn’t have to be something that only happens in your dream world - I promise you!

Tried + True Strategies for Taming Toys

Phew, we made it through Black Friday, but gift giving season is just getting started. In your house, this might mean that it looks like the Target Gift Catalog is being shot for 2019 the minute the gifts are torn into. I’m talking dozens and dozens of new play sets with 1000’s of little pieces that are strewn across your living room. Don’t worry, I’ll be joining you next year as we have twins on the way.

With that in mind, I wanted to address some ways to tame the toys without being a scrooge. I enlisted a few moms to help tackle this beast and the tips were amazing!

Toy organization is a different animal compared to general home organization. Toys can range from a thousand tiny pieces to over-sized and oddly shaped, but I promise you, there is hope. By creating a solid foundation, installing creative organization systems and taking the time to keep things organized, you can slay this giant.

Organized | LIFE, Organized | PARENTHOODMaria BaerNovember 26, 2018The Baer Minimalist, LLCToys, Kids Space, Kids, Organizing TipsComment

Back to School Organization Tools + Tips

Every summer growing up, I couldn't wait to go back to school shopping! Beefing up my collection of Lisa Frank products, multi-colored gel pens and planning out my locker decorations made me borderline giddy to get back to the classroom.

I had the chance to help a young client this year get organized for the school year and came across some amazing products that would help make the transition back to school much easier.

The Baer Minimalist® Blog -- Tips, Tricks and Hacks on living a more ORGANIZED + STYLIZED Life