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Ten Minimalist Choices I’m Making Right Now

~ This is a guest post from Robyn Devine of The Minimalist Knitter 

I find myself overwhelmed incredibly easily lately – I think I’ve got it all under control and then I look around and the laundry has piled up, dishes are dirty in the dishwasher and cascading out of the sink, the cats have no food in their bowl, and I’ve got 30 minutes to get to a football game!
I’m learning to step back and make simple, minimalist choices in these moments, and it’s been helping a ton. I’ve shared a few of these choices in the past on my blog, but I thought I’d work up a few special ones for you today!

1. I’m not knitting holiday presents this year, with a few exceptions. In years past I’ve made it my mission to gift everyone I knew with something handmade, and while some people love that, most of the people on my list really didn’t recognize the time it took and the effort and love put into their gifts. So this year I’m knitting approximately five presents, and everyone else will get store-bought. Stress levels instantly reduced!

2. I’m weaving in yarn ends as I knit. Simple strategy to be sure, but as I hate weaving in yarn ends, it tends to get left until minutes before the knit needs to be worn, gifted, or sold!

3. Each day after work, my first stop after taking off my coat is to light a candle. Instant fall smell in the house, instant stress relief for my brain, and it signifies my work day has ended!

4. I’m living with a smaller wardrobe. I’m participating in Project 333, and while I’m not doing it perfectly, I’m doing it the best way for me. I currently rotate through a much smaller wardrobe, and it’s relieved 95% of my morning routine stress!

5. I’m choosing now what I do and don’t want to make part of my holiday season. I love to send out holiday cards, so those are already taken care of – signed, addressed, and ready for stamps! I’m already thinking about how I want to decorate, and am ready to weed out anything that doesn’t fit. And I’m choosing to be okay with not having it all done now – better to set those realistic expectations while I’m still thinking clearly!

6. I’m praying in the shower. Yes, I do double-duty when it comes to prayer – I don’t think God minds. As it’s about the only alone-time I get during the day, I find that remembering to lift others up and give thanks while in the shower doesn’t seem as silly as not doing it at all!

7. I’m committed to knitting only from my yarn stash. Crafters in the mix know that we tend to bring in more supplies than we use – I’m stopping that leak by committing to not purchasing yarn until I’ve used up everything that I’ve got.

8. I’m hiring someone else. I’d love to have a fancy and amazing blog design, but am finally admitting I’m not up to the task. Instead of bringing all that stress onto myself, I’ve hired a new friend to do the grunt work for me, and so far it’s been a wonderful thing!

9. I threw out all my nail polish. The girly-girls reading may shake their heads, and yes I do love to have pretty nails and toes. Because I use my hands all day for work and knitting however, the polish gets gross pretty fast, and I’m not so good with the maintenance. So I’m removing that stress from my life and have tossed all my polish to the curb – I’m au natural from now on!

10. I’m switching to all-digital book reading. I’ve been lucky and have been able to find almost every book I’d like to read in digital format, so I’m making the commitment to switch fully over. There are a few books I cannot get in a digital format {I’m looking at you Harry Potter!}, and I’m not sure yet what to do about that, but everything else is going digital or I’m not reading it! Now that I can get digital books from my library, I’m ready to make the leap!

What sorts of things are you doing lately that are helping create a more minimalist environment? What are you culling from your life, and what are you choosing to be more mindful about?

** Robyn runs the website Minimalist Knitter, where she shares her love of knitting, crafting, and minimalism. She’s recently published the e-book Holiday Made Simple – packed full of tips and tricks for removing most of the stress from your holiday season, and she’s getting ready to expand her Etsy shop from just patterns to selling hand-knit accessories!

Links:
Minimalist knitter: http://www.minimalistknitter.com
Etsy shop: http://minimalistknitter.etsy.com
Holiday Made Simple e-book: http://www.minimalistknitter.com/holiday-made-simple/ – or you can use an affiliate link if you want, and earn 60% commission from any sales.

5
HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing/ Simplifying

Junk Drawer Organization

This is our one and only junk drawer in the whole house.  It is tiny and needed some attention because it was getting hard to open!
{Trying to open the drawer, it kept getting stuck half way}

 

Here is everything, minus the trash, that was in the drawer.  How did all that stuff get in there?  No wonder I can never find a pen!!  I emptied the drawer and separated things according to where they belong.  I had a “tool” pile, a “pen/pencil” pile, a “hair accessory pile” and all kinds of small miscellaneous things.

 

This was the pile of trash…unbelievable!:)

 

Here is the drawer, finished.  I have post-its and a few pens for messages, the cord for my griddle, and our lighter.  Much better!

 

What to do with all those small miscellaneous things?  Buy a drawer organizer!!  This is one of my favorite things, perfect for things like keys, safety pens, super glue, tape measures, outlet adapters, plastic ties, etc.  I’ve had mine for years and keep in on a shelf in our office.  I love having a place to put small random things that I might need to find later.

 

You can get one here at Amazon.com, or I have seen them at Walmart or Target.

 

8
HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing/ Simplifying

5 Minutes A Day To Control Areas Of Clutter

Sunroom Last Spring {after it was spring cleaned!}
You know those small areas in your home that tend to attract clutter?  The ones that, if left unattended, go from a small smoldering fire to a huge inferno within days?? Why does this happen?  Well, according to Flylady, it is because “CLUTTER ATTRACTS CLUTTER!”

 I recently have been spending just 5 minutes a day, focusing my attention to one of those areas, and like magic, they are starting to disappear or at least become a bit more controlled! It is great.

I have many spots in my house that I would consider “Hot Spots.”  Places that just scream, “leave stuff here, you can get it later” at every member of the family.  One of them is our desktop.  I am sitting at the desk writing this and on top of it right now are:
~earrings
~a half eaten burrito  (my lunch:))
~a vitamin C pill
~ ipod & earphones
~an invoice
~my phone
~the camera bag
~ a gardening book
It was completely cleared off last night, but within minutes stuff just takes over. If I do not take a couple minutes and “rescue”my desk top, it will be a large magnet attracting more clutter, and by the end of the night it will be a hot mess!

“Hot Spots” that often need rescued around here are:
a couple of desk drawers
my dining room table
a chair in my bedroom
an area on my kitchen counter in the corner
my trunk
the stairs
the sunroom
my pantry

Back to the “5 minutes a day” part.  I have been taking 5 minutes each day to focus on a “Hot Spot”(I made it part of my morning routine) and I have been amazed at what can be transformed in such a short amount of time!  The KEY is STOPPING after the 5 minutes are up.  In the past, I would not want to stop once I started.  It would eat up my whole day and I never, ever would want to do a “5 Minute Hot Spot” check again, because I turned minutes into hours.  Not anymore! I have been setting my timer, and stopping right when it goes off, even if the area is not finished. (Duh, right?:)) I tell myself there is always the “5 Minute Hot Spot” check tomorrow, and then go on with my day.


Today my “5 Minute Hot Spot” was my sunroom.  It easily becomes a dumping ground for my family as they walk in the door.  My girls are getting much better at not doing this, due to “pick up personals” on their charts.  Recently, it became a mess and clutter attracted clutter.  Then, because there was stuff in the way, I didn’t sweep it like I normally would.  When my daughter said “Mom, the sunroom looks like a bug cemetery” I  knew it was time to rescue my poor sunroom!


I set my timer for 5 minutes and:
~gathered up all the plastic bags for recycling
~moved the big black ball bag to the trunk (Todd takes the girls to the park almost nightly and they love having the bag of balls with them)
~put the pool float in the trunk to return to a friend
~put the bag of goodwill donations in my front passenger seat so I will HAVE to drop it off today
~swept the “bug cemetery” out to the front yard

Before:
After:
5 minutes made a big difference!
This is just one of a few techniques I use to keep my home in order.  I will be sharing the rest in future posts.

Where are your “Hot Spots?”
Do you have any techniques that you use to keep them under control?
Let me know how it goes if you try the “5 Minute Hot Spot” technique!!

10
FAMILY/ HOME/ Kids/Family/ Organizing/ Parenting/ Simplifying

Kids Back To School Evening Routine

I posted our “Kid’s Back To School Morning Routine” here, and got many requests for our evening routine, so here it is.  It may be helpful for you to read the Morning Routine post, as I go into detail about how GREAT routines and charts have been for our family, and how we enforce them.

 I made our charts online at this great site, it was SUPER easy to just follow directions, fill in the blanks, and push print.  

Then I had them laminated, and we hung them on our Chore Board with magnets. They use dry erase markers or dry erase crayons (did you know there was such thing? We love them!) to mark off as they go.  

Kid’s Back To School Evening Routine

~Snack

~Fill Water Bottle/Put In Refrig

~Pick Up Personals

~Brush/Floss/Rinse

~Clean Up Bathroom Sink Area

~Pajama’s

~Dirties Into Hamper

~Clean Clothes Hung Up

~Outfit For Tomorrow

~5 Minute Room Rescue

~Devotions

~Pray

 

Snack-a habit we started when they were young, now I wish we had not!  It is a small snack, fruit or crackers/cheese, etc.

Pick Up Personals–I talked about how this is one of my favorite routines when I wrote about the Morning Routine.  They go into each room of the house and find anything that they left out and put it away.  No longer am I bending over a thousand times picking up after others!

Brush/Floss/Rinse–we are strict about this, as our girls get cavities way too easily!  

Clean Up Sink Area–we had to add this because I got so sick of seeing toothpaste globs in the sink!  Yuck.

Pajama’s–I’ve been seeing too many pajama’s in the dirty clothes, that do not seem dirty. I think I will teach them the “keep your jammies under your pillow” trick.  

Dirties In Hamper–this step really helps keep the rooms picked up

Clean Hung Up–so does this one! I have shown them that there are certain items of clothing that I want them to wear twice before washing (like jeans) if they look and smell ok. 🙂  Guess they need a refresher when it comes to pajamas!

5 minute Room Rescue–They do this in the morning, too.  They set the timer and “rescue” their room (pick it up).  Their rooms do not frighten me anymore..

Devotions–they do these on their own.  We have loved this for my youngest (7 yrs old) and these for my 11 & 9 year old.

Pray–Todd and I take turns with which girl we pray with.  It is precious time, just a quick few minutes, and usually a little back gets scratched in the process which they think is heaven!

 

To keep them on task, most nights we have to set a timer.  If they do not get their routine done by a certain time, they do not get their points for our allowance system.  

They can get it done in 30ish minutes-sometimes the devotions take a little longer.  Some nights when we are out later in the evening, we will skip the room rescue and devotions, which makes the routine is about 10-15 minutes.  

Their room will be rescued in the morning, and we still pray with them, so a night without a devotion once in awhile is fine.  

***How I decide what should be added to a routine is pretty simple.  If I find myself nagging about something repetitively, or frustrated that I have to do it when I know they are capable, (like cleaning toothpaste globs out of the sink!) then it should go on the chart. 

Hope this is helpful!!  

9
FAMILY/ HOME/ Kids/Family/ Organizing/ Simplifying

Kids Back To School Morning Routine

Yesterday, I posted about my Fall Morning Routine.  Today I thought I’d share my girls “Back To School” Morning Routine.  
This chart has turned our mornings from crazy to smooth.  It has turned me from a “nagging” mom, to a “more laid back” mom.  Before our Morning Routine, I was walking around with a bunch of crazy “monkeys”on my back that didn’t belong there.  In other words, I used my  brain power and my words for things that my girls were more than old enough to think about, and to be responsible for.  Now the “monkeys” are where they belong, and boy does my back feel better!  
I had to break the “reminder” habit, where I go around asking, did you do your chart?  did you brush your teeth? etc.  All that was doing was confusing my girls.  If mom is going to ask or remind them about their responsibilities, (putting the monkeys back on me), then why would they ever step up to the plate and think or do for themselves??  
The key to my girls taking ownership was incentive and consequence.  If they do their charts CORRECTLY, without ANY prompting from me, they earn points that go toward allowance.  If they mess up AT ALL, NO POINTS!  This is where I had to get tough.  The first few times that they didn’t do it right and didn’t get their points, oh my, were there tears!!  It was hard to “lay down the law” and “stick to my guns” because they had worked so hard and diligently on their chart those mornings. The first day that we did charts, (after having a family meeting to introduce the charts and explain the rules/expectations in detail last spring,) they were so excited to earn points.  They got up early to do their charts, worked so hard, then… left their cups out.  Cups were considered a “personal” that they didn’t pick up, which is on the chart, so NO POINTS!  I have to admit, it is a good thing Todd was home to help me see the importance of being strong, because I wanted to just let that slide and reward them.  But, if I gave in and gave them points even if it was not done completely, then they would never do their best, they would never take it seriously, and the charts would become meaningless. Those first few days of strictness with our charts really paid off, but boy, did I feel like a mean-y!  No more.  Now they know what will happen if they “forget” something, and I feel like a mom at peace who has taught the girls responsibility when it comes to their morning routine.  
Below is a list of their Morning Routine.  I made the chart online at this great site, it was SUPER easy to just follow directions, fill in the blanks, and push print.  Then I had them laminated, and we hang them every morning on our Chore Board with magnets. They use dry erase markers or dry erase crayons (did you know there was such thing? We love them!) to mark off as they go.  
Another very strict rule we have is that there is NO TV, COMPUTER OR PLAYTIME until their Morning Charts are done on a school day.  This is key. This motivates them to start early and finish so they can have playtime before school starts.  Without this rule, I would have to nag them to get going on their charts.  If I find out they disobeyed this rule, they do not get their morning points, but they still have to do their entire chart.
Back To School Morning Routine:
~Make Bed
~5 Minute Room Rescue
~Get Dressed
~Put PJ’s & Hangers Away
~Eat
~Take Vitamins
~Clear Breakfast Dish
~Hair
~Backpack
~Lunch bag
~Homework
~Library Book
~Coat/Jacket Ready
~Shoes
~Personals
~Brush Teeth
Make Bed-they do this right when they get out of it.  Great lifetime habit in my opinion!
5 Minute Room Rescue–they do this for their evening routine, too, so their rooms never get out of hand.  I would like to get them timers to keep in their rooms.
Get Dressed–all the way to their socks
Put P.J.’s Away-self explanatory.
Eat–they help themselves to bagels, toast, cereal or pancakes in the freezer. Sometimes they make scrambled eggs in the microwave.  Sometimes I make oatmeal.  They all know they have to have some sort of fruit with the choices above.  If they eat breakfast with no fruit, no points!
Vitamins–they take a multiple vitamin, a calcium + D vitamin, and a chewable vitamin C.  If we miss even a week of this, it seems they start getting sick again.  I am a firm believer in quality vitamins, (especially vitamin D!!!) only because I no long live at the Dr.’s office:)
Clear Dish–this includes rinsing it
Hair–they need help from me for this one
Backpack-they bring it to the living room so they can grab and go
Lunch Bag-I get all the food ready and have it in 3 separate piles, 1 for each girl.  They are responsible to come in and put it in their lunch bag, and grab their water bottle from the refrigerator (which they fill the night before, it is on their evening routine chart).  Then they take it to the living room and put it with their backpack.
Homework–they put it in their backpack if it isn’t already.  I always know it is done because it is part of the evening routine.
Library Books– I don’t like it when school library books get mixed up with our community library books.  To avoid this, our rule is they keep their school library book in their backpack at all times, putting it back right away after a reading session.  Then I don’t have to worry about what day the book is due, because it is always with them.
Coat/Jacket–in the spring/fall, they keep a jacket or sweater in their backpacks at all times, because you never know what the weather will do. I HATE being home worrying about them being cold at recess just because the sun didn’t come out that day like expected.  Now I don’t have to worry and have mommy guilt! 🙂 In the winter, they put their coats by their backpacks/lunch bags in the living room.
Shoes–they put them by their backpacks/lunch bags/coats in the living room.
Personals–this is one of my favorites!! They go into each room of the house to find anything that they left out and put it away.  The also do this for evening routine, so it takes just minutes in the morning. 
Brush Teeth–they just brush in the morning.  They brush, floss, rinse at night.  We make the 2 younger do it where we can see them because we had the “I say I brushed but really just stuck a brush full of toothpaste in my mouth for 2 seconds” problem. 🙂

Side note:
For this system to work properly, I have to make sure all things are accessible for them to be able to do their charts without help or hindrance.  For example…

~they need clean clothes to get dressed into
~they need easy/clear breakfast options to feed themselves
~they need to know where to find the vitamins, so I keep their vitamins all in one basket in a cupboard
~they always know where their backpack is because we have designated spots for them
~the water bottles are always ready to grab because they were filled the night before
~homework, library book and jacket always stay in the backpack so there is no last minute searching

…does this make sense?  Because of thought and routine, they are able to do their charts in an easy and carefree manor.  Routines free us all up, and cuts down/eliminates stress, frantic searching for things last minute, and kids asking me a billion questions like “mom, where is my…”  Many people who are not naturally organized (believe it or not, I’m not!) may look at this and feel like it is strict and no fun.  It is actually the opposite.  These things became habit for us all, and eventually done with very little thought and effort.  It brings an easy, light, and fun mood to the home, and teaches wonderful lessons in the process. I realize it is not for everyone, but I can’t tell you how much better our home life is with routines in place!!!

So there you have it, our morning routine.  Most days, when I come downstairs, they are well on their way through their chart.  I can always tell where that are at due to the 3 areas on the couches where they put their backpack/lunch bag/shoes as they get them ready to go.  All I have to think about in the morning is making their lunch and helping them with their hair.  So easy!  I love this Morning Chart!  It is one of my favorite parts of our Family System.  I am blessed to have a husband who is very involved and brainstormed what this Family System would look like.  One of these days I’m going to get him on here to explain the rest of the system, as these routine charts are just a piece of it!  
*** I Am Pleased To Be Linking Up To These Wonderful Blog Parties. *** 
   
31
FAMILY/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing/ Simplifying

My Fall Morning Routine

Well, my girls are off to school as of today.  I got a bit choked up watching them walk up the school steps, with backpacks on and lunch bags in hand.  I noticed they have all grown into their backpacks, they no longer look like a backpack with a head walking away from me!
I am proud of my girls.  They truly are growing into young ladies who have hearts that care for others and want to do what is right.  Oh, how I pray they continue on that path!

Now I am home, and the first thing I tackled is a new Fall Morning Routine List for myself.  I do this every fall, and they look pretty similar each year. My girls have a “Back To School Morning Routine Chart” that I will share with you soon, but for today I will write about what I’ve decided to do each morning to start my day out right.  This list begins AFTER my girls are off to school, other than the first 3 items.  The only things that I need to focus on with them, (because their own morning routine keeps them on track) is helping with their hair and making their lunches.

I keep my list online. I have an iGoogle homepage.  It allows me to add “gadgets” to the page, depending on my needs.  Today I added a “To Do List” gadget, and used it to make an A.M. Routine list.

Here is what is on my list:

~Give Day To God
~Make Bed
~Get Dressed/Hair/Makeup/Teeth
~Breakfast/Vitamins
~Empty/Fill Dishwasher
~Fill Water Bottle
~House Pick Up
~Wipe All Glass
~Wipe Bathrooms
~Reboot Laundry
~Go Through Email
~Check Calendar
~What’s For Dinner?
~15 Minutes Zone Work
~5 Minute Hot Spot
~Quiet Time/Prayer Time
~Workout
~Nutrition Checklist

 Give Day To God
 This is a quick acknowledgement before I even get out of bed, a prayer that God would use me how He sees fit, and that I would be mindful of Him throughout the day.
Make Bed
I do this right when I get out of it!  
 Get Dressed/Hair/Makeup
Sometimes I even shower…lol.
 Breakfast/Vitamins
Pretty self explanatory.  I need a good breakfast and to remember to take my vitamins.  There are many morning that I eat with my girls so this is already done before they leave.
Empty/Fill Dishwasher
Part of my girls morning routine is to empty the dishwasher if needed.  This really helps in the morning, because it takes no time to stick the breakfast dishes in, as long as it is empty!
 Fill Water Bottle
I have an EcoVessel water bottle that I love!  I fill it with ice and water in the morning, and it stays icy cold all day.  I never have to add more ice throughout the day, just water.  Love it!
House Pick Up
This one is super easy and a habit.  I just go into each room and make sure there is nothing in there that does not belong.  It is only easy because of my Flylady System (I talk about that below) and also because part of my girls morning and evening charts is “pick up personals,” which means they go into each room of the house and get anything they have left out and put it away.  If they miss something, they will not earn their points for allowance.  We are strict about this, I do not want to follow them around nagging them to pick up every little thing, and I don’t want to pick up everything for them.  “Pick Up Personals” has made a major difference in how easy it is for me to keep the house cleaned up.
 Wipe All Glass
I have a kitchen table and dining room table that both are glass.  They need wiped numerous times a day, especially after my girls have had breakfast at them.
 Wipe Bathrooms
I use Flylady’s “Swish & Swipe” system.  Basically, you keep toilet bowl cleaner in the container of the toilet brush, so everyday you just grab it and do a quick swish (not a good idea if you have small kids, unless your cleaner is non-toxic).  I also take a paper towel and vinegar spray to quick swipe the mirror and sink area.  “Swish & Swipe” keeps the bathroom company ready with just seconds a day. (I do deeper bathroom cleaning once a week, this just keeps it shining throughout the week).  
 Reboot Laundry
A load a day keeps the smellies away!  I am working hard on this one.  It really is doable if I just make myself think about it, which is why it is on the list.
 Go Through Email
If I don’t do this daily, my inbox becomes a mess.  Still learning this one…
 Check Calender
I do this as part of my evening routine, but a quick peek in the morning is always good, too.  I use iCal on my Mac.
 What’s For Dinner?
It is good for me to think about this at the beginning of my day.  Especially when thawing meat is involved or if I want to use the crock pot.  It eliminates last-minute-before-dinner trips to the store because I check to make sure I have all I need at the beginning of the day.
 15 Minute Zone Work
This is also part of the Flylady System.  She divides the home into “zones” and has you work in each “zone” for 15 mintues a day.  At first, those 15 minutes each day are used for de-cluttering.  Once your home is de-cluttered, you use those minutes to do “missions” that she suggests, which basically keeps your home spring cleaned all year, only working 15 minutes a day!  It works beautifully when I actually stick with it daily.  It is tempting to go longer than 15 minutes, but that is when I crash and burn and don’t want to do it again the next day.  If I set my timer for 15 and stop when it beeps, it is a GREAT system.
 5 Minute Hot Spot
Also part of the Flylady System, a “hot spot” is any spot in your home that erupts into clutter easily.  For me, it is our study closet, our desk, our stairs, my trunk, certain drawers, an area that collects clothes in my bedroom…I could go on and on.  Spending 5 minutes a day in a hotspot  keeps these areas under control.  I am amazed at how well this one works.  Again, the key is stopping after 5 minutes and knowing you will have 5 more tomorrow..
 Quiet Time/Prayer Time
This is a must for me.  Time with God enables me to do everything else.  He is my life line.  I love using my prayer bench for this or taking my Bible/journal to a coffee shop for extra extended time.
 Workout
This one is actually quite funny.  I don’t workout.  I should.  I put it on the list knowing my sister is going to make me run a 1/2 marathon with her next spring.  Training would start in January, so this one will  probably sit unchecked on my list until then.  Ugh.  I can’t believe I just admitted the marathon thing for all to see…that isn’t a commitment…
 Nutrition Checklist
This is another ‘gadget’ that is on my iGoogle homepage.  It keeps track of how many grains, veggies, fruits, glasses of water, etc.  It is a simple check box system.  It is easy and keeps me aware of what I need throughout the day.

 There are a lot of things on the list that we all do everyday. Seeing them listed makes it seem like a lot, but really, it is not.  Many of them only take a minute or 2.  This is what works for me, it is not for everyone, and it would look different if I went to work full time every day.
It really, really makes a difference in my day when I do these things regularly and purposefully.  This is the list I miss most during summer school break, it keeps me on track and helps things run smoothly around here!

Also see:
 Keeping Your House Picked Up
A White Board For Chores

10
FUN/DIY/ Healthy Eating/ HOME/ Homemaking/ How-Tos/ RECIPES/ Simplifying

My “Laid Back Method’ To Making Simple Meal Plans

One of my favorite things to do is to go to the library and look in the “new release” section for interesting cookbooks.  There always seems to be one that catches my eye, (this week it is Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce, great cookbook!) and it keeps me up to date with what is happening with food.

Ever since I was little, I love to sit with a cookbook and read it like a regular book, starting at the front and working my way to the back.  I remember when I was about 10 years old being so excited to find Amy Vanderbilt’s cookbook at a garage sale for ten cents.  I bought it and devoured the insanely thick book from front to back!  When I was 11, I made an entire Thanksgiving meal with very little help.  I loved cooking!
 I think I got my love of cooking from both of my grandma’s.  I remember my Grandma Thelma having us over and making us little snacks, commenting on why they were good for us.  I remember her telling me why whole wheat bread was better than white– she knew back then what Doc Oz is trying to tell us now!!:)  She always had something on hand to feed us, and to this day, even if our visit is unannounced, she loves on us with some sort of bite to eat.  She makes the world’s best sunny- side- up egg and toast!  Love her..
My Grandma Marian, who is in heaven now, was also known for her love of cooking.  She had a strawberry patch in her back yard, and was the first to introduce me the amazing freshness of homemade strawberry jam.  I remember watching her grate a potato when I was young, and making us the best potato cakes for breakfast. On Valentines day, she would send homemade candies in the mail to us, all the way from Michigan to Nebraska.  A box delivered in the mail, full of homemade goodies from grandma, was one of my most favorite childhood memories.  Under all the newspaper stuffing were tiny little chocolate peanut butter cups, wrapped with such love and care.  Now that I’m old enough to know the work that was involved, I would so love to tell her how much that meant to me as a child.

The Start Of A Plan…

Back to cookbooks and meal plans… what I have been doing lately is while reading a cookbook, I keep some post its and a pen handy.  When I come upon a recipe that sounds appealing, I write the name of the book at the top of the post it, *and list the recipe title along with the page number.  I keep the post it (or two) stuck to the front of the library book. Then, on the day I am going grocery shopping, I find the book, look at the post it, and pick a few chosen recipes to make for the week. I look at each recipe to jot down what groceries I need to buy, which is the start of my grocery list.
When I make a recipe and decide it is a keeper, then it goes on this blog.  My recipe tab on this blog is slowly becoming something that I have always wanted, — recipes that I use regularly, organized and easy to find.  If it is a week that I don’t have a new cookbook to inspire me, or time to browse the web for new recipes, I just click on my recipe tab and use my tried and true recipes here on the blog.
*I use the same method while reading magazines.

Things I consider when meal planning:

Dinner-
I usually only plan for 4 meals a week.  We have Bible Club on Tuesday evenings where we are served dinner,  and on a couple Saturday nights a month we have a bunch of young men here at the house for a “video game club,” so we order pizza to feed everyone.  On Friday nights we have Family movie night and order Arby’s Roast Beef Sandwiches–5 for $5.95, baby!  We have spaghetti with this sauce at least once a week, because it is so simple and everyone loves it. So really, that only leaves about 3 meals that I have to plan for.  I try hard to make healthy meals on those evenings, especially when we are eating fast food (pizza and Arby’s) on the weekends!
Breakfast-
We keep it simple.  Oatmeal, whole wheat bagels, cereal, toast, eggs, and whole grain pancakes are our usual choices throughout the week.

Lunch-
I choose a soup recipe (one of his favorites) and make a big batch at the beginning of the week, to put into mason jars, (use 1/2 pint mason jars to freeze in individual portions) for my husbands work lunch.  I pack my girls lunch all though the school year, again keeping it simple.  Usually a sandwich, vegetable, fruit and crackers.  Sometimes they will get hot soup or noodles in a thermos if I’m extra motivated!
Snacks-
I usually find some great snack ideas when reading through my cookbooks, so I refer to the post its!  I talk about some healthy snack ideas in this post.
Use What I Have On Hand-
Before sitting down to write weekly meal list and grocery list, I do a quick check of my pantry and freezer/refrigerator.  I take a mental note of what we have on hand and do my best to plan meals around those items.
Flexibility-
I usually do not assign meals to different days of the week.  Instead, I have a list of meals that I keep on the refrigerator for the week, that I’ve bought groceries for.  I am too fickle with food to assign an exact day.  I have to see what “mood” I am in that day as far as what I want to cook and what sounds most appealing from the list.  Because of this fickleness, I don’t think I will ever be one who has super organized & printed calenders on the refrigerator, with assigned meals for each day of the month, but I’m at peace with that.  I make a grocery list every week, go to the grocery store once a week, and have at least 4-5 meals planned for the week.  Simple, laid back, and good enough.
This post is linked to:
Tip Junkie
The Trendy Treehouse
We Are That Family

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