Free Ramadan Checklist for Children!

 

To get children into the Ramadan spirit, my sister @ilmspiration and I have created a daily checklist as a free printable! 

The checklist includes fasts, 5 daily prayers and a good deed of the day. You can alter it to half day fasts if your children are young!

On top of the chart you can add the year and keep the page for future reference so kids can try to do better than they did last year. 

The rewards are something you can work on together with your children! It's a way for them to get more into the habit of praying and fasting. The rewards are with Allah for sure, but it's fun for them to receive something like an ice cream outing, a small toy, or whatever else you deem fit!  

The bottom right corner has a A Special Message box where parents or guardians can write a personalized note of encouragement for their children to increase their worship.

Blue Ramadan Checklist PDF

Pink Ramadan Checklist PDF

Black and White Ramadan PDF

 Other free printables my sister and I have worked on for Ramadan are included below:

1) Ramadan Planner

2) Duas for the Last 10 Nights

3) Quran Key Bookmarks

4) Suhoor and Iftar Duas for Kids

Hope you find them useful! Please remember us in your duas, and follow my page @simplyincontrol on Instagram if you'd like more daily tips for staying organized!

FREE Suhoor and Iftar Dua Printables for Kids!

With Ramadan just around the corner inshaAllah, my sister @ilmspiration and I came up with printables for children who are learning their Suhoor and Iftar duas! We hope your little ones find it useful! It includes the words in Arabic, a transliteration and a translation. Print and use on your dining table in frames, or laminated, or stick to fridge :)

CLICK HERE to print the PDFs!

Other free printables my sister and I have worked on for Ramadan are included below:

1) Ramadan Planner

2) Duas for the Last 10 Nights

3) Quran Key Bookmarks

Hope you find them useful! Please remember us in your duas, and follow my page @simplyincontrol on Instagram for more tips on Ramadan!

Ramadan Checklist: Things to Do Before the Blessed Month

Welcoming Ramadan every year is a blessing Alhumdulillah, but we have all experienced how hectic the month can be. With fasting, lack of sleep, cooking, decorating, along with regular school and work schedules, the essence of Ramadan which is reaping the rewards from extra worship can be lost. 

This post will guide you through a few things you can do before the month of Ramadan so that you can focus on what matters during the month inshaAllah.

The excitement of Ramadan and Eid:

Ramadan and Eid are such joyous occasions for Muslims. Our kids deserve to have beautifully decorated homes to raise their excitement, especially if these are the only events celebrated at home.

For decor, I love using products from With A Spin. Each item is designed so elegantly, and the festive feel of Ramadan is felt instantly when using the various products around the home. From lanterns to trays to sadaqah jars and many more Islamically inspired items, With A Spin is a one stop shop for all your decorating needs. The Salam signs in all the photos in this post is from there as well!

Decorating the home should be out of the way before Ramadan begins, perhaps a couple of days before. I love to create a space dedicated for prayer and Quran as well in a corner. Apart from that, other exciting elements such as gifts, new clothes for Eid, and Ramadan Baskets for kids should all be ready before Ramadan begins so that the focus can be on the essence only.

Getting Cooking and Cleaning Ready Before Ramadan

Another major part of Ramadan is undeniably the food! Sehri (the pre-dawn meal) and Iftar (the evening meal) are the highlights of people's days, and when family comes together to eat, it creates beautiful memories. It's best to try and meal prep as much as possible before Ramadan though so that valuable time isn't spent in the kitchen. Freezer meals are a lifesaver for this month! If you prefer the taste of fresh food, you can even just marinate chicken and other meats and just saute them right before iftar. This saves so much time! There are also many things that freeze well even fully cooked such as kababs, haleem, qeema etc. Let me know in the comments what you freeze before Ramadan!

A clear space makes for a clear mind. Getting your home in shape before Ramadan also helps to save time during the month where you don't have to worry about cleaning thoroughly, you can just do quick 10 minute tidy ups if it's organized well before Ramadan.

A Space for Worship

Finally, creating a designated space for worship in Ramadan puts you in the right mindset and allows you to focus more. This can be any corner in the home with a prayer mat, Quran, prayer beads, Islamic books and a schedule for your Ramadan goals. If you need a resource to write your daily goals, try this free printable!

With A Spin has beautiful items to accentuate any prayer corner!

 I will be posting more about Ramadan Prep on my Instagram page over the next month insha'Allah. Make sure to follow along to keep up, and let me know how you prepare for Ramadan in the comments section. Looking forward to hearing from you :)

Virtual School Room Tour!

It's 2020, and we're living in "a whole new world", but not in a good way. Due to the pandemic, a lot of parents are opting to do virtual schooling for their kids from home. It's something that is completely new to us, and the question arises, how do we set up?

I decided to set up the study area in our guest bedroom for my 2nd grader, so that it is a little out of the way and has less distractions than the living room or his bedroom. To see all the detailed videos about this space, check out my Virtual School highlights on my Instagram page (@simplyincontrol). I'll share a few photos here as well:

Here's a look at the desks. One for school and one for my husband's work when my son doesn't have live sessions. I also added a ring light for cloudy days when our townhome becomes really dark. All furniture is from Target!

Drawer organizers are a must for back to school from home. The last thing we need is to be running around looking for pencils and erasers when live lessons are about to start, so it's great to have them all neat and tidy in one space. I purchased this acrylic expandable organizer from The Container Store. I used poster putty to stick the tray inside so it doesn't slide around. On the right side of the desk I have a bookshelf with bins which is also very important in order to keep things orderly for virtual schooling. Got this one from Home Goods, and kept our printer on it as well.

It is not reasonable to expect preschoolers and elementary school children to sit in one spot for the entire duration of school from 8am to 3pm. Because of that, I made different zones for my son where he can choose to study. One is on the bed with a backrest and tray for his laptop.

The last little area I have in the virtual school room has a bean bag to sit and study on if he'd like as a 3rd option. Giving various options makes kids feel more in control of the situation and also moving around helps to concentrate better. I also kept a whiteboard to write down the live sessions schedule. This will help to keep things clear about timings.

I have linked similar products to the ones I used on my Amazon Recommendations page in the Kids section! Click on the affililate link to see some of my favorite purchases from Amazon in various categories!

Hope this post helped! What changes are you making in your home for a virtual school set up? I would love to hear from you! Follow me on Instagram as I continue to talk more about distance learning! See you there :)

Ramadan Duas Printable

The last 10 nights of Ramadan are more precious than any other throughout the year. The night of Qadr which can fall into any of the odd nights is better for us than a thousand months, as stated in Surah Al Qadr. Apart from doing plenty of ibadah during these nights to attain rewards in multitudes inshaAllah, we should also focus on making plenty of dua these nights.

It can be difficult, at times, knowing exactly what to ask for, and not knowing where to start. I have compiled a list of supplications I wrote in various categories that you can take ideas from and read alone or with your family, and my sister @ilmspiration designed the background for these printables with stunning mosque designs from around the world! We have also included a blank page in the end so that you can add your own duas as you read through these pages during the last 10 nights inshaAllah. Don't forget to remember us in your duas!

CLICK HERE to print PDF


Dua for Guidance

Gratitude and Asking for a Home in Jannah

Dua for Family

Dua for Seeking Protection

Dua for the Ummah

Blank Page for Personal Duas

And that's all! Again, you can CLICK HERE to print out all these pages. My sister and I hope you find them useful inshaAllah!

For more posts check out my Instagram page @simplyincontrol. Until next time, salams :)

Erin Condren 2020 Planner Flip Through

Here's a flip through of the planner I'm using for 2020:

I've been using the Erin Condren planner for a few years because of the quality and how customizable it is. I love how you can add different things in the dashboard according to your own needs.

If you'd like $10 off your Erin Condren planner, you can do so by using this referral link:

https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/seherhaque0320/1

Hope this helps! For more posts on organizing, check out my Instagram page!

FREE Quran Key Bookmarks!

I'm sure we've all been there. You're reading the Quran and you see one of those small letters. Do I stop? Do I continue? Am I changing the meaning? These pretty bookmarks designed by @ilmspiration and I (@simplyincontrol) will help answer these questions. Please use these throughout the year and especially during the last ten nights of Ramadan.

Pro reward tip: Print these out, laminate them, add a ribbon, and gift them to your loved ones.  

Print by clicking here: Quran Bookmark Printables

Hope you find these bookmarks useful! Please remember my family and I in your duas! :)

FREE Ramadan Daily Planner!

Have you ever felt that Ramadan went by too quickly? Or maybe it was a slow month but you couldn't do as much as you had hoped for and you're not sure why?

I'm a huge fan of planners. You can achieve so much by just breaking things down and tackling small goals on a daily basis! Planners keep you on track, and that's why my sister @ilmspiration and I have collaborated together to present to you a Daily Ramadan Planner!

I love how she designed the cover, so beautiful!

The first page is for goals for the entire month. 

Some ideas could be:

1) To memorize a dua or surah

2) Recite one juz or however many pages you want of the Quran in a day

3) Donate $1 a day so that you're constantly giving charity all Ramadan

4) Send iftar to neighbors 

5) Do one good deed a day with your children

6) Write down a list of duas you have in mind and read it everyday before iftar etc.

Having goals planned ahead of time ensures that precious time isn't wasted during the Holy Month of Ramadan. What goals do you have for this time of year? Let's share some ideas!

Finally, there are the daily pages with different aspects for maximizing your Ramadan:

We added all of these aspects of Ramadan that you can focus on to make your month productive! From ibadah (worship), to taking care of others as your good deed, to meal prep...we've covered everything! My favorite part has to be the water intake geometric design which you color in as you drink throughout the night! I haven't seen that idea before and thought it would be perfect to add to a Ramadan Planner. We have converted the planner to PDF for your convenience. 

CLICK HERE TO PRINT THE MINT 
FREE DAILY RAMADAN PLANNER!

CLICK HERE TO PRINT THE BLACK
& WHITE FREE RAMADAN PLANNER

CLICK HERE TO PRINT THE MULTI-
COLORED FREE RAMADAN PLANNER

We hope that you find these ideas and the daily checklist beneficial for the upcoming blessed month, and we ask that you remember my sister Raabia and I (Seher) in your duas! May Allah SWT accept your ibadah and efforts, Ameen!

If you would like to continue getting updates on how to be organized and productive, follow me on Instagram at @simplyincontrol :)

Prayer Area and Ramadan Basket for Children

The blessed month of Ramadan is almost upon us inshaAllah, and it's best to prepare for it in advance. It could be starting to fast some days so you have a little practice, or meal prepping, or doing a deep clean of your home so you don't need to worry about it during Ramadan.

This year, I have prepared for Ramadan by creating a serene prayer area for my 6 year old son and I. It's funny because initially I had made this area just for myself. I craved the concentration in prayer I used to have before having two little boys in my life, and tried everything to get that level of khushu back in my salah. It was frustrating when even after creating a peaceful space for myself, I couldn't find peace in my prayer because I could still hear the children being children, or needing me as soon as I start praying. It's the story of every mother isn't it?

It hit me recently that why am I trying to attain a different phase of my life right now? My children will get older soon inshaAllah, and that concentration will come back inshaAllah. For now, I need to focus my time and energy on the season of life I am in at this very moment, and that is that my older son is now 6 years old and has almost learned how to pray completely mashaAllah. This turning point in his life is a reason for joy and festivity, and so the prayer space has become a place for him and I to bond together in Ramadan inshaAllah. Just by adding a few accessories, I was able to create a warm and welcoming environment for him.

The Ramadan Kareem banner along with the Crescent and Star balloons from With A Spin made for the perfect backdrop. Just a few items like these can transform the look and feel of a whole space. 

This wooden Masjid Lightbox display is a unique item and I added it for a festive yet sophisticated look. Other places it would look great in are entryway and dining table for suhoor or iftar! It makes for a great centerpiece. I also have my Quran and some prayer beads for this area, and my son can read with me on the double rocker inshaAllah.

Finally, I have a Ramadan basket for my son every year, and in it are books and activities for the duration of the month. The most important new item being added this year will be his very own Prayer Rug, as he starts to pray with me inshaAllah. The prayer rug is designed specifically for children, and it makes them feel special.

Another crucial part of the Ramadan basket is the advent calendar, where I have slips of good deeds for my son to do for each day, and he gets a small treat or activity to do after the good deed. I will elaborate more on this in a future post inshaAllah.

Children love instruments, and I've included a Daff for doing nasheeds with them. The rest of the items in the basket have been pictured below:

Here's a list of the items:

1) Prayer Rug
2) "Shh, I'm praying" Door Sign
3) Ramadan Activity Book
4) Ramadan Celebrate the World Book
5)Ramadan and Eid Stickers
6) Eid Temporary Tattoos
7) It's Ramadan Curious George
8) Under the Ramadan Moon
9) Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns
10) Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets
11) Ramadan Mubarak Cake Topper
12) Coloring Greeting Cards

Stay tuned for more details on our Ramadan Calendar and the good deeds we do for every day of the month! If you'd like to get started on decorating for Ramadan, check out With A Spin's shop for all kinds of beautiful themes, and use my code SIMPLYINCONTROL for a 12% discount! 

I hope you found this useful and gave you some ideas on how to make Ramadan a memorable time for your children! Let me know in the comments what you're doing to make Ramadan special for your children inshaAllah!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to Follow Me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for future posts!

Fridge and Pantry Organization Using Bins

Over on my Instagram page (@simplyincontrol), I just hosted a 3 week Kitchen Clean Out challenge, and today marks the last day! During the first week, my followers and I worked on our upper cabinets and the fridge. The second week was all about counters, sink and garbage disposal, stove top and the pantry. The final week concluded with lower cabinets and all drawers, as we completed a full decluttering and organization of our kitchens from top to bottom!

The most fun pictures are always of the fridge and pantry aren't they? Everyone enjoys seeing all kinds of food nicely organized in different stations :) In today's post I wanted to show you how I organize my fridge and pantry using bins to create zones.

Here's a look at my fridge from inside. It's so important to be able to see and access everything easily to prevent wastage of food. Because of this, I like to hold everything in clear containers, and I find acrylic to be the best quality.

Creating zones in the fridge and freezer is a great time saver for when you need to grab something quickly, instead of having to fumble around to find something. I have used some bins from mDesign to compartmentalize like items together. It pulls everything together really well!

A few other things I like to use for organizing are turntables, egg containers, can holders, and glass storage containers for leftovers. Glass containers are great for heating leftovers and you can clearly see what you have in the fridge so nothing is forgotten in the back! I'll link all of these items at the bottom in case you're interested.

Moving on to pantry organization!

Here's an overall look at the pantry. I've seen this sized pantry in most homes, but I moved into this townhome from a place with a pantry three times the size of this one, so it was a struggle to adjust! I think I've finally figured out a way to make it all work now! If you have a door for your pantry then an over the door organizer is a must. The one I'm using required no installation so that works great for renting.

Another thing I find very helpful is removing food packets from bulky boxes. It makes everything so much neater and easy to access!

There are all kinds of organizational components in the pantry.The acrylic bins from mDesign help to create zones so that everything can be found easily. The fabric bins on the top shelf are from Target and add a fun splash of color. The flour containers are from the Dollar Store, proving that you can still organize any space no matter what your budget is! And my favorite part? The lentils containers!

Who knew lentils could become a work of art? The airtight containers from mDesign and the customized sticker vinyls from Etsy made this pantry organization a dream come true!

Here are a few links of items I use to organize my home, for a look you can achieve as well!

I hope you found this post helpful and that it motivates you to clean out your fridge and pantry as well! 

Thanks for reading and don't forget to Follow Me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for future posts!