Have you been looking for a way to earn money from home? Why not create your own a business around your skills and strengths? This will allow you to create a work schedule tailored to the needs of your family.

People that are proficient in web design can find work pretty easily. Many people want to an online business presence but don’t know the first thing about building a website – just visit any work at home message board and you will see many posts asking for help! There is also a lot that you can do with this in your local community. Find out more about Becoming A Blog Consultant.

Are you creative? How about marketing your services as a graphic designer? Many people need help designing logos, website headers and buttons.

If you enjoy writing, you can find work as a copywriter – the person who writes the information you read on websites.

If you would rather work offline, there are still plenty of opportunities for you. Just market your services creatively – let businesses know how you can help them. For instance, if you were a teacher, you could coordinate lesson plans for local daycares and call yourself an “Educational Consultant”. If you have experience managing a restaurant, you can turn that into a “Catering Consultant” and help caterers and restaurants come up with new recipes or help brides plan their wedding menus.

Are you good at crocheting, knitting, sewing, or scrapbooking? Hold classes to teach other people your crafting method. Ask your local craft shop or library if you can hold classes there.

Don’t forget you can also sell your handmade crafts at online places like Etsy and Artfire. Or you can sell your products in local craft fairs and through word-of-mouth advertising.

Moms are expert organizers – offer up your skills as a “professional organizer” and get paid to clean out closets, attics and garages. Do you love planning parties? Many busy parents would hire you to take care of planning their children’s parties. You don’t have to limit yourself to kids’ parties, though. You can also hire yourself out to plan retirement parties, anniversary parties – even weddings!

What about making meals for busy professional in your area? You could charge them for the cost of groceries, etc., throw a meal in the crock pot in the morning and drop it off to their homes at dinner time. Alternatively, you could create freezer meals for them at the beginning of the week that the families need only defrost and heat up as needed.

As you can see, there are many ways to turn your skills into ways to work from home. Once you decide on something to do, get out there and let everyone know you are available for hire! If you want work, sometimes you just need to ask!

Sometimes, being a work at home mom can feel like walking on a suspension bridge with missing planks! Your laundry is staring you in the face while you're working, and oftentimes your kids are, too.  When you're doing the laundry or playing with the kids, oftentimes your mind is on your business.

Balancing your work-time and your family-time can be overwhelming sometimes, but by following a few simple tips, it can be done.  AND you get to keep a shred of your sanity as part of the bargain.  :)

You have the ability to set your own hours, so take advantage of that right now. If you can handle some tasks at “odd hours” of the day, you will have more family time during the day. Are you a morning person? If so, try to get up an hour before your family to take advantage of some “quiet time” to focus on your business; night owls can take care of emails and other administrative tasks after they have put their children to bed.   (Just don't  stay up TOO late, especially if you need to be up and "on" for the kids first thing in the morning!)

If you pick your children up from school, use the time you spend waiting for them to return customer phone calls.  A wireless headset for your cell phone will allow you to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road if you make calls while driving.

I once did a Service-based home business, and we received our training via emails and training websites.  If you are in a similar type of business, print out your training info and stash it in your purse.  You can take it out while you're sitting in the car waiting for the kids (with the car in "Park", please!), in line at the Supermarket, or even while you're waiting at the doctor's office.

During the week, when schedules are busiest, plan quick and easy dinners. Let your kids help out in the kitchen while you cook – you’ll be spending time together and teaching them skills they will need. There are plenty of cookbooks out there dedicated to “kid friendly recipes” if you need some inspiration on what to make.  Also remember that the Crock Pot is your friend!  You can put a whole chicken or even a lasagna in some of the bigger crock pots, and you don't have to worry about trying to cook and simultaneously distract cranky, hungry kids (or husbands!).  Try planning your meals at the beginning of the week (this saves you time and money!).  If you need some additional meal-planning tips, try an online service like Dine Without Whine - A Weekly Menu Plan & Grocery List Delivered To Your E-mail Box or Menu Planning Central.

Get the kids involved in your business as much as possible. Smaller children can put stamps or mailing labels on envelopes;  older children can help hang flyers; and teenagers can take on some administrative tasks like data entry.  This method allows you to have a little extra "face-time" with the kids while they're doing these tasks for you, and will hopefully free up some of your time that you can invest back into the kiddos.  Which brings us to the next tip:

Set aside some time each day to spend with your children with no distractions (that means no phone and no computer!). You don’t have to go anywhere special; the time can be spent reading a book, playing a game, or spending time outside together. The point is just to let your children know that they come first, and the business comes second.

Remember – you became a work at home mom so you could spend time with your family. Don’t forget to take some time out to enjoy them!

Today I am proud to spotlight Kimberly of Scentsy. Whether you are looking to get started in a home-based business, or you'd like to buy some great products from a WAHM, check out what Kimberly has to say!

Don't forget to follow her on Twitter as @ChristLikeMommy.

Your website(s) -

www.kimberlyr.scentsy.us

www.christlikemommy.blogspot.com

Tell us a little about you:
I am a Christian mom of two boys, ages 4 and 1. I am married to an awesome man of God. We have been married for 5 years and have enjoyed every day!

How long have you been doing this business?
I started selling Scentsy in January this year, so almost 7 months. It has been a fun experience, and I have learned a lot about direct selling.

Tell us a little about your business
Scentsy is a wickless candle system. The temperature never reaches over 120 degrees, so there is no chance of your or your kids being burned. Also, since the warmer is warmed by a low watt light bulb, there are no toxins released into the air, no flame, and no soot! Scentsy has over 80 scents to choose from and for the month of July only we are running a promotion called, "Bring Back my Bar" which is made up of 20 of Scentsy's most popular, discontinued bars. We also sell car fresheners, and room sprays!

What is the #1 tip that you have for WAHMs or moms who want to be WAHMs?
Just try it! And make sure you are selling something that interests you, if you are not excited about it, your customers aren't going to be either!

If someone was looking to join your team, what is the best way to contact you/find out more info?
If you are interested in selling Scentsy, you can sign up at my website! www.kimberlyr.scentsy.us/join
Our starter kit, which is $99+tax, comes with all 80 scents, and a large warmer. Also included are catalogs, and other items to help kick start your business. Scentsy is a business where the product really does sell itself.

In the month of July I am offering an online order incentive. Whoever places the largest order on my website will receive a free plug-in warmer of their choice!

Are you interested in hosting a party? We can do an online party! All you have to do is direct your friends and family to your personalized party link, and the items will be shipped directly to them! Our hostess rewards are great! Take a look at what you could earn for free here! https://kimberlyr.scentsy.us/hostess_rewards.

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Thanks so much, Kimberly for participating in MomKaboodle's Moms In Business Spotlight!

If you have a Mom business (whether it be direct sales, or a mom-made product) and you would like to have your business in our spotlight, please email mailto:momkaboodle@gmail.com.