Mission: Clean out the freezer

I don't know about you, but my freezer is full, and not in a good way.  I've discovered several open packages, such as meatballs, chicken nuggets, corn dogs, chicken breasts, etc.  Plus, I've gathered quite the stash of frozen dinners.  With the holidays coming up, I need to make room for baking, not to mention how much money is sitting in my frozen food.  The problem is, what do you make with all the odds and ends?  If I can make something, will my family eat it?  Well, my goal is over the next two weeks to clean out my freezer (and refrigerator and pantry) and make meals with what I have.   I'll update my progress with the wacky meals I come up with.  My reward will be space for a turkey, Thanksgiving leftovers, and cookie dough.  Who's with me?

Meal Plans

I dunno about you, but I don't like hearing "What's for dinner".  It usually doesn't end well because I generally don't have an answer.  Especially after I've been working all day.  But the last few months or so, I've been working on my answer.  Its been coming to me slowly.

First, I heard/read of people planning out their weekly meals.  Some crazy people do it by the month.  Even more insane are people who cook multiple meals at the same time and freeze/save for later.  I promptly forgot about this nonsense.

Second, we wanted to work on our monthly budget.  Food seems to be the easiest thing I can alter around here.  At little bit of planning can go along way.  Coupon clipping takes up time and I haven't figured out how to make it work for the things my family buys.  I have to find another way.

Third, I am mentally exhausted after a day of work.  Making decisions about food while starving turns into a fast food binge.  Even that can be taxing on my brain.  The only worst question than "what's for dinner?" is "where do you want to eat?" 

One day, while browsing at Anthropologie, I found these pads of paper.  They had lists on them.  My type-A personality had a heart flip-flop.  Maybe these lists could help?  Imagine a weekly list of what to eat for dinner, plus lunch, breakfast, and snacks!  Yes, its silly to spend money on something I could easily concoct myself, but it might be worth it to motivate myself.  So I did. I bought them.  I took it one step further and used them.

These are some examples of meal plans from the past month.

I found it helps tremendously.  I try to sit down on Friday or Saturday and plan out the meals based on my work schedule.  On evenings I am off, I plan to make dinner or have something in the crockpot.  On evenings I work, we either have leftovers, frozen food, or hubby gets pizza.  I also like to write out what snacks we have so we can know at a glance what is stocked instead of staring at the pantry.  Once I have a meal plan, I make a shopping list.  Yes, I also have the handy-dandy shopping checklist.

 I keep both on the refrigerator and, yes, we actually check off what we are out of during the week.  I add to it once we make the meal plan.  My goal is to go grocery shopping once per week.  In reality, we go two to three times.  It's usually a milk and bread run, or a chocolate run.

Meal planning is worth the effort.  I enjoy spending money deliberately rather then off-the-cuff.  My money should be working for me, and this is one way I can ensure it is.  Plus, I don't have to give up eating out, I can schedule it in so I have something to look forward to.  I also like saving the plans so I can look back over the last few weeks and remember what was amazing, easy, and what not to make again.

So, what are you having for dinner?

Cheap House Project #3 (Hook Up)

This has actually been the most expensive house project to date.  However, it's been an important one.  As much as I want everything to disappear and magically unpack itself, that isn't happening.  Additionally, I don't have places to put everything.  And I hate piles on the floor.  Enter in hooks.  I've amassed a small collection, but we needed a few more.  I'd rather see things hanging up then laying on the floor.  Anyone else with me on this one?

So here's what I've been up to.

This is the first one up.  It started as a black metal piece that I've had since my college days. (think it originated from Pier 1)  I decided it needed a bright blue hue and would function fabulously in my Princess's closet to corral her jackets/sweatshirts/etc.

These I've had for a few years (World Market steals) and hung them in my closet behind the door.  They hold my unmentionables and belts.

These were a splurge from Anthropologie.  Now, I can say I have bought something from there.  I was hoping to find more cute hooks from World Market, but they were out.  Alas, I was forced to buy them from Anthropologie.  As you can see, they hold my cardigan collection.

Laundry room hooks for towels/jackets/bags.

Entryway hooks.  I recently purchased this from Target.  I wish we had space for a mudroom or fun entryway organizer, but this will make do.

On a side note, have you ever used a stud finder?  Hubby and I had quite an interesting Saturday night trying to find a stud to hang some of these hooks into.  Yes, we cracked quite a few "stud" jokes.  And for the record, I don't think they are very accurate.  I, for one, am not a stud.

Anyhoo, that about wraps up my hook-hanging spree.  At least until I go buy more, but we are back to the cheap thing and I have to save up more money.  Anyone else organizing by hooks?  Or perhaps you have a good stud finder trick?

Coffee Comfort

I love coffee.  Have I told you?  I'm a relatively new to the coffee routine.  I've only been doing just over two years.  I decided with the birth of my son I was going to need some help waking up and getting to work on time.  So I made a commitment and purchased a coffee maker.

Its a Cuisinart BrewCentral and I chose it because of my friend, Carly.  Its all her fault.  I mean, she made wonderful coffee with it, and she said it was because of the coffee maker (plus whole, dairy farm fresh milk doesn't hurt, either).  So I had to have one.  And I love it.

Now, its a part of my daily routine.  Especially on lazy mornings when I don't have to rush off to work.  Coffee is really a comfort for me,  I find drinking a cup of warm goodness relaxes my soul.  Its a treat I can partake in every day.   I like it strong, but with a good dose of creamer added.

Its so important to me, I have its own station in my kitchen.

I got the tray from Target a year or two ago.  I can't remember.  The mugs are a collection from Target, Starbucks, and West Elm.  I really like Starbucks coffee, and I am currently enjoying their blonde roasts.  My collection of syrups/filters/beans are stored in the cabinet above, along with hot chocolate mixes for my hubby.  He's not a coffee drinker, but loves his hot chocolate on cold nights.

Drinking a cup of coffee is stabilizing, despite my hectic life.  Everyday, I have to have a cup.  Some days, its a leisurely activity done lounging about, or relaxing on the back porch listening to birds.  Other days, its a quick Doubleshot downed in the car speeding to work.  Either way, its my pick-me-up and instant mood lifter.  Its the little things in life that I find joy in.

What motivates you in the morning?  Is coffee your alarm clock?  What's your favorite "little thing"?

Weekend Honey Do List

Its time for another list to motivate myself.  I have to work a day, but that still leaves Friday and Sunday to accomplish some things.

• finish spray painting nightstand
• hang diplomas
• hang hooks for cardigans
• decide on location for coat/shoe collections and hang hooks
• spray paint wicker mirror and hang in Princess's room
• hang pictures in kids room (flowers, maps, growth charts)
• empty boxes in master bed and bathroom.
• put away clothes in closet
• play outside with the kids
• go for a bike ride
• make meal plan for following week (grocery shopping)
• go to bank
• sell stove

Do you think I can do it all?  I hope so!

The New Place, Tour, part 1

Wanna see my house?  I'm warning you, its a mess.  We still have a way to go, but I'm operating on the "I have the rest of my life" time frame.

Ok, here is the Dining Room.  Actually, its the box/junk/Idon'twannadealwiththis room.  You like?

My Laundry room.  Functional, but not cute.  That I can change in time, maybe in a few years.

Powder room.  Kid-friendly, guest friendly, and I love it.  It could still use some art, eventually. 

But I love my rug.  A clearance find a Target.  I love it.  It's art enough for the room at the moment.

Family Room.  I told you, its a mess.  The kids are napping and I wanted to snap pictures before someone decides to wake up.  I'm working on having a no-toys-downstairs rule.  Hubby thinks I'm crazy.

Don't you love how hubby's chair directly faces the TV?

Ok, the the real disaster, the kitchen.

I just don't know where to put some stuff.  I'm afraid to put it "just somewhere" and it end up living there for months or years and never have a proper, organized home.  Are you getting a sense of how neurotic I am?  My desire to have things clean and organized is nearly paralyzing me.  Kind of ironic.  Anyone else deal with that?

Well, I'm off to clean the old place and magic erase scribble marks off the walls.  Wish me luck.

Sticking to the Budget

What's better then sticking to your budget?  Doing it in style.  As you may remember from previous posts (here and here) Hubby and I strive to operate on a mostly cash budget, utilizing an envelope system.  While the system works well, paper envelopes do not.  We also tried a small plastic accordion  folder, but didn't have success with that either.  Thank goodness for the internets.  I found an awesome solution on Etsy and took the plunge.

This is the carrying case.  Don't you love the gray and yellow?

This is the interior.  It is lined with a thicker cloth and feels rather substantial.

.....And of course the envelopes.  I love that they are all different patterns.  The seller pre-printed the category labels for me.  The zipper pouch is for coins.  We have been using these envelopes for over a month and I LOVE them.  Hubby can just take one or two envelopes and leave the rest at home.  He actually prefers that method since he thinks the carry-case is too girly.

If you are the crafty type, I'm sure you could make this easily.  I am not.  It is my first purchase from Etsy and I am incredibly pleased.  (link to seller here.)

What do you think?  Any Etsy addicts?  Would your Hubby carry this around?

Packing Up

As you have figured out by now, we are moving again in a month.  Our closing date is less then a month away, although we won't have free time or help to move the big stuff until April.  Meanwhile, I should be packing up and organizing my house contents.  The problem is, I have no motivation.  I just went through this a year ago.  That move was well planned; I started packing 6 months before the truck came.  I had everything planned out to the date.

Not this time.

I am excited to be in the new house, but I'm secretly waiting for the moving fairy (have you heard of her? She's related to the dish fairy) to wave her wand and make my stuff appear in boxes.  Organized boxes.  To be honest, I'm a bit overwhelmed.  The last move also was a result of a major purging.  We didn't want to move things we didn't need or love across the country.  Now, I'm moving 20 minutes away.  It doesn't have the same motivation, plus I can't re-buy stuff I don't want to move.

Anyone have any suggestions?  Any encouragement?  I'm not begging for help, I'm just genuinely overwhelmed and need to get my rear-end in gear.

twenty twelve

I have a ton of goals.  If I think about them too much, I get overwhelmed.  Sometimes, goals are frustrating because you can't always do much about them right away.  I suppose those are technically called "long term goals".  Last year, I was able to mark off some long term goals (moving!) so its time to re-evaluate and make more.  Tis the season, right?

get out of debt.  Specifically, pay off credit card and a private student loan.  Its embarrassing to admit I carry a credit card balance.  However, I've already made the baby step of not using it and not carrying it with me.  We paid off two (small) student loans and a credit card last year, so its time to step it up to the larger balances.  I'm excited to see how fast it can be knocked out know that I can almost triple the minimum payment.

buy a house.   Ok, so this has been a long term goal for sometime now.  Hopefully, we can actually make it happen this summer.  Once our taxes are completed and we have a better idea of our down payment, its off to the bank to get pre-approved, then house hunting!

manage budget.   More precisely, track personal and food spending better.  I've discovered my online banking service has budgeting tools and more pie charts then I know what to do with.  The past few months I've learned our "personal" and "food" budgets can vary widely and really make or break staying on track with our money plans.  I'd like to come up with a more realistic expectation for the budget and an improved plan for staying on track.

improve balance between work and home.  Is this on everyone's list?  So this is probably the goal of a lifetime, but seriously, I have some work do be done here.  I want to leave work on time two days out of the week, but obviously I need to have my act together at work.  Its all about prioritizing and time management.

have more quality family time.  Another no brainer, I know.  Dates with my kiddos, dates with my hubby, and turning off the computer while the kids are awake are how I planning on making this one come true.  (anyone have any ideas for inexpensive kiddo dates?  let me know in the comments)

really find a church.  enough said.  well, maybe except we need to attend said church and get involved.  seriously, we need friends.


make time for personal fitness.  walks on the beach are easy when its 80 degrees and sunny.  not so much when its 45, windy, and the sun sets at 5pm.  I should probably invest in a windbreaker and work on leaving my job while its still daylight.  Or push this one to the back burner until spring.

See how I get overwhelmed with goals?  I didn't even really include my long term ones.  Or the ones like "buy a pair of Frye boots".  Maybe next year.

Southern Savers

I'm not much of a coupon-er.  But I like a good deal.  And with two little ones, a one family income, and a goal of getting out of debt; I'm certainly looking into it.  I was introduced to this website SouthernSavers by my momma.  It's helped me tremendously.

I feel like I know the basics in eating frugally, eat at home, plan menus, don't go to the grocery store every day, etc.  However, that's easier said then done for me.  Since we've moved, I've also faced another dilemma: where to shop.  The stores I normally shopped at aren't available here.  No super Target, Dillons, or Hy-Vee.  No Price Chopper.  We have Food Lion, Bi-Lo, Lowes and Wal-Mart.  There are a few Krogers and Piggly Wigglies.  Its like learning to shop for groceries all over again.  Each store has a different selection; there still are things I can't find.  Plus, food is more expensive.  We aren't living in America's Breadbasket anymore.

Enter in Southern Savers.  My momma heard about it from a woman she met in a grocery store.  Then she told me.  The website posts the ads of the grocery stores in the South, plus the local drug stores.  The author also posts what coupons you could add to the sale to get the item even cheaper.  She flags the REALLY good deals.  There are links to sites you can print off coupons, or get e-coupons.  She has a coupon database, and a section on how-to-coupon.  This site has a ton of information.

While I still have a lot to learn, the website has helped me focus.  I'm getting better at looking at the sales and planning a list before I go to the store.  Browsing the sale ads for a few weeks gives me a better idea of what really is a good sale and what a normal price is for food items.  In short, I have a better perspective.  My first trip (right before Thanksgiving, mind you) I saved over $60!  And I had a cart full of food!  I didn't even use a coupon.

I realize many of you don't live in the South, but don't despair, google.  I did a quick search, and there are numerous coupon websites, not just Southern specific.  Anyone else into coupon-ing?  Are you an extreme coupon-er?  How do you find the deals?

Shelf Styling

My favorite part about my living room are the shelves.  Especially the tall ones.  I've always loved the idea of a wall full of shelves.  Filling them with books and time-worn treasures warms my soul like hot chocolate sliding down your throat on a cold winter day.  Here's a peek inside my soul.

the whole thing.  plus a bunny.

Shelves from Target online.  Candlesticks from World Market, bunny from Mom.

 

Top shelf, left side.  Hive vase from West Elm.  Clear glass pumpkin jar from Walgreens filled with M&Ms.  A Pharmacist Prayer framed, a gift from my MIL.  Three things, similar color scheme.

Top shelf, right side.  A lovely poetry gift to my hubby from when we were first dating.  Hurricane from Crate and Barrel, filled with candle and sea shells collected from our many beach walks.  Paper weight stolen from my Mom, gnomes from West Elm, gifted from my Mom and Hubby.  Five things, again similar color scheme.

Upper middle shelf, left side.  Another poetry piece, glass bottle and tea light arrangement, collection from West Elm, World Market, and up-cycled wine bottle.  Again, similar color arrangement.

Upper middle shelf, right side.  Mercury glass vase, West Elm,  framed print, gift from Mom, love letters, from Target, stacked books, apple, hubby's NYC souvenir.  I had to play with this arrangement until I found one I liked.  The apple does get moved often and is currently living on the top shelf.  Let's just say munchkins can reach him so he gets moved a lot.

Middle shelf, left side.  Two black and white photos of my kiddos, framed in Target frames.  Basket is from Pier One.  Black and white photos are my favorite.  I like the clean look.

 

Middle shelf, right side.  Books collected since childhood.  Its a combination of mine and hubby's.  This is just a small bit of paperbacks.  I tried to put them in a color arrangement, but it really doesn't have much of an impact on a small scale.  Notice how these two lower shelves are more kid-friendly, in other words, nothing can break.

Bottom two shelves.  Mainly heavy books.  I felt we need to anchor the shelves a bit.  The milk crate baskets are from Target and are VERY functional.  I can't recommend them enough.  One acts as a filing cabinet for important paperwork.  The two others hold throw blankets and toss pillows.  The teal boxes are also from Target.  One houses loose photos, and the other CDs.  Who uses CDs anymore?  I'm stuck storing them.  Also, notice the toys on the floor.  The toy basket/shelf organization is another post, for another day.

And that's my shelf post.  Seriously, I love rearranging them.  I call it therapy.  In another month or so, I will "winterize" them.  Can't wait.

How do you display your treasures?  Anyone else find rearranging trinkets therapeutic?  Spill.

Fall Closet Remix

It's finally that time of year here at the beach.  You know what I mean.  The weather is cooler.  Like 60s.  That's what fall is here.  With the occasional 76 degree day.  At least that's what I am told.  The breezy ocean air chills things off at night to the 40s.  I like this kind of cold.  I haven't switched from iced coffee to hot at Starbucks, yet, but I have thought about it.  I'm even itching to bake something with pumpkin in it.  But I'll save that for another post.  This weekend, however, I tackled the closet.

I have actually been excited about this.  I've been waiting in anticipation.  I love fall clothes.  Especially when I haven't been able to wear them in 8 months or more.  This autumn is a bit different, because  I boxed most of these up early.  As you may recall, we moved in June.  I started packing in January.  At the first hint of Spring, I sifted through my winter and fall clothes, purging anything I didn't wear, anything with holes, too stretched out, anything that didn't fit, anything I didn't want to take.  I basically only moved my favorites.  And I've missed them.  Clothes that you love are like good friends.  I think fall clothes are my best friends.  Anyway, the point is, that I have been looking forward to the season changing and bringing out my fall boxes.

I smartened up a bit this year.  I've been staying away from browsing the online clothing stores and the mall.  Usually, I fall hard for a cool weather must-have and decide I need 10 new shirts and 5 new pants for the cold weather before I open up my boxes.  This year, somehow I've been busy and haven't had the time to look.  I "went shopping" in my closet as I switched out the seasons.  And I am delighted.  I think my Hubby will be too once he realizes how much money I saved.  Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I buy something to update my wardrobe, but it will be a smarter purchase since I already know what I have currently in my closet.

 These totes had to be unpacked, then re-packed, with the appropriate clothing.  First things first, I had to take inventory of closet.

I am afraid of commitment, so I can't put away all my short-sleeved shirts.  I kept a few favorites.   Everything else I threw on bed.  All baskets and piled clothing, you guessed it, thrown on the bed.  Then, I tossed all worn out clothing and clothing I didn't wear at all this summer.  The remains were packed up.  Finally, I dust-mopped the closet.  Deep breaths and apple juice rounded out stage one.  (what?  I have toddlers)

I unpacked THREE tubs of clothes.  Seriously, do I have this much?  Thank goodness they aren't all full.  Then, I separated out the real winter stuff.  It hasn't froze yet, so I shouldn't have it taking up precious closet space.  I set aside clothes I don't remember wearing last year.  I know I did this before I moved, but there were several shirts I remember having reasons NOT to wear them.  Organized chaos abounds on my bed and spills into baskets on the floor.

On to the juicy stuff of hanging up shirts, organized by color, in order of the rainbow.  Yes, we have already established I'm weird.

 

Then socks, panties, and belts were placed in separate baskets.
 

Pants were folded and place in drawer,  plus camis/loungepants/nighties were folded and place in drawer. 

Cardigans and bras on hooks.

Fold sweaters, place on upper shelf alongside cold-er weather pants and skirts.

Hang scarves on back of bathroom door.

Pack up clothing reserved for cold-er weather.  Pack up clothing to be donated.  Re-dust floor.

I like to label my storage totes with duct tape and black marker.  As long as I remember to stack them all the same direction, it works out rather well.  And I can't say enough for wicker baskets.  I purchased the ones seen here from Pier 1 my junior year of college.  They have moved with me numerous times, stored many things, and kept me sane.  I love the look they lend.

Anyone else tackle a project this weekend?  Perhaps you got to experience some fall weather?  Please tell me someone else gets as giddy over a freshly organized space as I do?