Now I am on to organizing the kitchen.
Not really.
I am on to dreaming about organizing my kitchen.
I need to have all the hardware installed first. Then I can organize my kitchen.
I don't want to clean wood shavings out of cooking tongs.
So I have been reading up on the Unclutter blog on the best way to organize the kitchen and a question in my mind has risen up. To junk drawer or not junk drawer?
Is there a way around it?
Or can you organize yourself enough that you don't have a drawer that when people open it you find yourself saying, "Ummm...no it's definitely NOT in there. Don't worry about looking in there. No seriously. Please don't. Okay...." and then the awkward pause while you stand there for all the world to know that yes, you do indeed have a fire alarm in a drawer along with vacuum cleaner bags, a bulk pack of ear plugs, dried jasmine stalks, a chinese restaurant menu and a hot mustard sauce packet stuck inside of it. Not that I have experience with this or anything.
I have bought organizers for all the shallow drawers and the really big drawers. But I have two deep, not very wide drawers that I don't have a clear vision for and I fear that I will be right back to the fire alarm, vacuum bag scenario in no time.
Anyone have a good solution for this?
I saw some GREAT ideas on Unclutterer that I am definitely implementing.
Look for a Yard Sale post coming up next week.
I think most of what I own is NOT going to make it back into my kitchen.
Showing posts with label unclutterer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unclutterer. Show all posts
Monday, August 3, 2009
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Uncluttering
Since we are on the countdown for selling our house, (we set a date today! May 22 it goes on the market!) I made the decision over the weekend that I was not going to go to the grocery store until May 1. We need to unclutter and use up the food that we have in our pantry and freezer.
It has been quite the exercise in discipline.
Because we have NO produce, no bread, no milk. How do you craft healthy meal options without those items?
Hmmm. Well, last night I defrosted chicken and sauteed it with taco seasoning. I had spanish rice, black beans, green onions and garlic. I threw them all together with some cheese. Yummo! It was delicious, filling and I had already paid for it!
For breakfast, the kid have eaten oatmeal for the last two days with a half a mini-bagel each.
Lunch has been a little bit more a challenge since we ran out of pretzels, goldfish etc. But I did have lunch meat, with popcorn made on the stove and applesauce from the fridge.
For snacks, all we have (literally) is popcorn made on the stove. We have rediscovered this since we had it in the pantry.
Making due, cleaning out and eating what we have already spent money on is HARD. We are not used to saying "no" to ourselves, especially when it comes to food!
For tonight?
Frozen ravioli with sauce and frozen garlic bread. I also have a bag of salad that I bought last week. I have sweet potatoes that I will feed the kids for dessert with cinnamon sugar on top. Will that work as dessert for the grown-ups? Probably not.
I have no coffee for the morning:( That might be the breaking point and I might just have to go to the store tonight. But I am going to try to stick with this!
How about you? Have you looked around at the excess that you have in your house lately? I have taken for granted just how much we have, that even when we are going "without" we have plenty!
It has been quite the exercise in discipline.
Because we have NO produce, no bread, no milk. How do you craft healthy meal options without those items?
Hmmm. Well, last night I defrosted chicken and sauteed it with taco seasoning. I had spanish rice, black beans, green onions and garlic. I threw them all together with some cheese. Yummo! It was delicious, filling and I had already paid for it!
For breakfast, the kid have eaten oatmeal for the last two days with a half a mini-bagel each.
Lunch has been a little bit more a challenge since we ran out of pretzels, goldfish etc. But I did have lunch meat, with popcorn made on the stove and applesauce from the fridge.
For snacks, all we have (literally) is popcorn made on the stove. We have rediscovered this since we had it in the pantry.
Making due, cleaning out and eating what we have already spent money on is HARD. We are not used to saying "no" to ourselves, especially when it comes to food!
For tonight?
Frozen ravioli with sauce and frozen garlic bread. I also have a bag of salad that I bought last week. I have sweet potatoes that I will feed the kids for dessert with cinnamon sugar on top. Will that work as dessert for the grown-ups? Probably not.
I have no coffee for the morning:( That might be the breaking point and I might just have to go to the store tonight. But I am going to try to stick with this!
How about you? Have you looked around at the excess that you have in your house lately? I have taken for granted just how much we have, that even when we are going "without" we have plenty!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Declutter Your Priorities
I just read this on Unclutterer.com and it resonated with me:
Saying “no”
One of the reasons people frequently claim that their home lives are in disarray and extremely stressful is because they’re never home. They would get to the mess in their garages if they just had more time or they would go through their stacks of mail if there were more hours in the day.
If the person is currently the primary caregiver for a sick child, parent, or spouse, I can see his or her point of view. That person is needed in a life-sustaining way and uncluttering the garage or mail may really be an impossible task.
In the majority of cases, however, the “never home” and “not enough time” claims are just excuses. The problem isn’t that there isn’t enough time in a day, the problem is that they can’t say “no.”
Do you really need to be on five civic committees? Does your child have to be involved in every after school enrichment activity? Is there another job out there that is as fulfilling and financially rewarding as your current job, but without the insane work hours or horrendous commute?
Serving on one civic committee allows you to focus your time and efforts more effectively. One music lesson, one team sport, and valuable time with the family will be more rewarding for your child than endless after school activities that reduce family time. Changing jobs to improve your work-life balance is a worthwhile endeavor, especially when it means that you get to keep your sanity and happiness intact.
There are respectful ways to say “no” and then there are disrespectful ways. Obviously, I’m suggesting respectful, thoughtful, considerate ways of expressing regret:
I really appreciate the offer to chair X committee at church, but I wouldn’t be able to devote the time and level of interest that you’re seeking to do an effective, mindful job. At this time, I will have to decline.
Sally enjoyed being a Girl Scout last year, but this year she has decided to go out for the basketball team instead.
I realize that this sounds like passing the buck, and in a sense it is, but have you talked yet to Brian about his interest in project X? He and I had a discussion a few weeks ago about how he is looking to get more involved with your division and this might be a good way for him to learn more about your work.
Living a busy life can give us the sense of being needed and popular. Eventually, though, being the one to always say “yes” can become exhausting and stressful. Never being home in a relaxed state denies you the ability to re-energize and recuperate. Your home life will remain a mess until you take the time to be at home and give it proper attention. Learning to say “no” respectfully and in appropriate situations will help to put things back on track."
I definitely need to start saying no to things. It is not so much commitments that are running over my life, but the ways that I waste time around the house. TV, computer and other nonsense instead of taking advantage of time that I do have. My life is as busy and crazy as others and perhaps I ought to drop some of those things from my life. I will consider it! What about you? Does this sound like you?
Saying “no”
One of the reasons people frequently claim that their home lives are in disarray and extremely stressful is because they’re never home. They would get to the mess in their garages if they just had more time or they would go through their stacks of mail if there were more hours in the day.
If the person is currently the primary caregiver for a sick child, parent, or spouse, I can see his or her point of view. That person is needed in a life-sustaining way and uncluttering the garage or mail may really be an impossible task.
In the majority of cases, however, the “never home” and “not enough time” claims are just excuses. The problem isn’t that there isn’t enough time in a day, the problem is that they can’t say “no.”
Do you really need to be on five civic committees? Does your child have to be involved in every after school enrichment activity? Is there another job out there that is as fulfilling and financially rewarding as your current job, but without the insane work hours or horrendous commute?
Serving on one civic committee allows you to focus your time and efforts more effectively. One music lesson, one team sport, and valuable time with the family will be more rewarding for your child than endless after school activities that reduce family time. Changing jobs to improve your work-life balance is a worthwhile endeavor, especially when it means that you get to keep your sanity and happiness intact.
There are respectful ways to say “no” and then there are disrespectful ways. Obviously, I’m suggesting respectful, thoughtful, considerate ways of expressing regret:
I really appreciate the offer to chair X committee at church, but I wouldn’t be able to devote the time and level of interest that you’re seeking to do an effective, mindful job. At this time, I will have to decline.
Sally enjoyed being a Girl Scout last year, but this year she has decided to go out for the basketball team instead.
I realize that this sounds like passing the buck, and in a sense it is, but have you talked yet to Brian about his interest in project X? He and I had a discussion a few weeks ago about how he is looking to get more involved with your division and this might be a good way for him to learn more about your work.
Living a busy life can give us the sense of being needed and popular. Eventually, though, being the one to always say “yes” can become exhausting and stressful. Never being home in a relaxed state denies you the ability to re-energize and recuperate. Your home life will remain a mess until you take the time to be at home and give it proper attention. Learning to say “no” respectfully and in appropriate situations will help to put things back on track."
I definitely need to start saying no to things. It is not so much commitments that are running over my life, but the ways that I waste time around the house. TV, computer and other nonsense instead of taking advantage of time that I do have. My life is as busy and crazy as others and perhaps I ought to drop some of those things from my life. I will consider it! What about you? Does this sound like you?
"
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