Tag Archives: monthly tasks

Oct
18

31 days to {a routine} ordinary :: day 18 ~ monthly cleaning

There are a lot of tasks that need done around the house only occasionally. I used to jot down what I called a "monthly to do list" each week to help me keep up with these chores. I would systematically work my way through my home, choosing a different room or area each week.

This worked just fine when I follow the plan, but I usually run out of desire before I run out of list. As a result, my home is often surface clean, but rarely deep down clean. It might look alright if you stop over for a visit, but there is clutter piling up in closets and dust covering the baseboards.

The extra dirt and "junk" wouldn't be such a problem if it didn't bother me quite so much. I know it's there, just begging to be taken care of. I know that, over time, the little things add up to be big things, and I'll start losing stuff in the middle of the piles or will begin dreading putting up the blinds because of the layer of grossness on the window sills.

I've got to get back on track. Starting next month, I'm going to spend each week cleaning, removing clutter, and generally adding peace and beauty to different areas of my home. If I repeat this system monthly, my home should be kept clean with minimal effort.

I will try to spend about fifteen minutes each day in the following areas:

Week 1 :: Front entrance, coat closet, laundry room (these are our entrances)
Week 2 :: Kitchen
Week 3 :: Living room, dining room, stairs, hall, loft
Week 4 :: Bathrooms, bedrooms
Week 5 :: Desk, garage, cars

Hmmm...I might need to work on how I divide up my home, but you get the idea. Wish me luck!

Do you have any secrets for keeping up with those pesky cleaning chores?

Click to learn more about 31 Days :: to {a routine} Ordinary and find links to all the posts in this series. You also can subscribe to have all my posts delivered directly to your inbox, or you can follow along on Facebook.

Menu Plan Monday: Use It Up

As I continue to work on cleaning out the freezer this week, I've incorporated some of the odds-and-ends into my menu plan.

Last week, I weeded out some frozen smoothies, opened bags of veggies, and a few items that were past their prime. This week, I'll be using up the cooked chicken, a container of stock, and some cheese that I really want gone. Then I think I'll be done with the cleaning out and ready to move on to the filling up.

Here's this week's menu plan:

Breakfasts around our house tend to be a fend-for-yourself affair. I try to keep a wide enough selection of items on hand that the kids can either fix for themselves or can fix with minimal help. Also, since my husband works a job with odd hours, every meal is not a "family meal". When Dad is at work, I try to keep things simple to save time and my sanity (well, whatever sanity I have left by dinner time.). I've marked our "family meals" with an asterisk (*).

BREAKFAST
Leftover pancakes
Homemade granola
Pumpkin muffins
Cereal
Oatmeal
Eggs
Homemade bread
Toast
Yogurt
Fruit

LUNCH
*Pressed sandwiches
*Beans and rice
Sandwiches
Cheese, lunchmeat, crackers
Boiled eggs
Leftovers
Fruit
Veggies and dip

DINNER
*Nachos, salad
*Pasta with garlic and olive oil, chicken, salad
Pancakes or Waffles, homemade syrup, applesauce
Chicken and rice soup, bread
Chicken stir-fry
Quesadillas, salad
Lasagna roll-ups, salad

Do you have anything sitting in your freezer that's just begging to be used up? How are you going to work it into your menu? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Be sure to check out more menu ideas over at Menu Plan Monday.

New Year’s Paperwork: Files

Bills. Bank statements. Insurance explanations. More bills. Receipts. Tax records. Even more bills. The list goes on...and on...and on........

I think the list of papers that float through the door of my home could go on to infinity and beyond. Does it ever end? Unfortunately, I think we all know the answer to that question.

Since the pile of papers is never ending, it's important to have a method for managing all of the mail, important notices, and not-so-important information that makes its way onto our kitchen counters and dining room tables.

There are countless systems that people use. Some are simple. Some are complex. Personally, I've used quite a few different ideas over the years, but I've discovered an interesting phenomenon: A system only works if you actually use it. Crazy, right?

Like a moth to a flame, I tend to be drawn to complex, intricate organizational systems. That usually isn't a good thing. Over the past couple of years, I've been using what I thought was a pretty easy method for filing my bills and important papers. I had a single accordion file with sections labeled for each type of bill or paper that would likely need saved (ie. Utility Bills, Phone Bills, Bank Statements, etc.). All I needed to do was open the file, tuck away my mail or paid billing statement according to the appropriate category, and forget about it.

Still, even that simplistic method was too complex for me to use regularly. I'm not sure why, but it just wasn't working for me. When I realized that my "To File" box was shoved full of six months worth of papers, I decided I needed a new system. I'm quick like that.

My big brother came to my rescue with his filing system. It's not just simple; it's super simple. Here's how it works

Label twelve file folders with the names of the months. I converted my accordion file.

When an important paper or statement needs saved, plop it into that month's folder. That's right, just drop it in. No sorting. No waiting. No piles of papers needing to be filed.

Next year, when you open the folder for a particular month, it will have this year's filed papers. Take those things out and either shred them or move them to long-term storage, if needed.

Someday soon I'll share a few ideas on how to deal with all of the mail and papers before they reach the "To File" box.

I'd love to hear from you. What method do you use for filing all of your must-save papers? Tell us about it in the comments!

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday.

3 replies »

Oct
10

Menu Plan Monday: Zero Budget

I've been struggling to figure out how to balance our new school year, cooking, cleaning, laundry, sports practices, piano lessons, homeschool classes, and grocery shopping. As I'm trying to figure out a shopping "system" that works for me and the family, I've hit some bumps along the way. The biggest roadblock is that I keep spending all of my grocery budget before I reach week two of our pay cycle. That can be a bit of a problem if we intend to eat during that second week!

It isn't that we don't have any food in the house (or any money that I can "borrow" from other budget categories), but I've been trying to come up with a way to spend a little more time every other week on the grocery shopping process, while simply picking up a few odds and ends in the off weeks. That strategy, combined with my new Costco membership, is depleting the food money too quickly. I'll keep working at it. But if everything else fails, at least we have plenty of cheese and rice to live off of! Thanks, Costco.

This week I'm challenging myself to make do, as much as possible, with the food that is already in the freezer and pantry. I'm sure I'll need to pick up a few things at the store, but I think I can keep my shopping trip to a minimum. At least I hope I can. The trickiest part of the challenge is in preparing meals and snacks that my family will enjoy. Some loaves of homemade bread, english muffins, and some fresh granola should help stretch our meals and keep the troops happy. Wish me luck!

Here's this week's menu ideas:

BREAKFASTS
Oatmeal
Granola
English muffins
Blueberry muffins
Eggs (fried or scrambled)
Boiled eggs
Toast
Yogurt
Leftover pancakes with homemade syrup
Fruit smoothies
Fruit

MEAL IDEAS
Beans and rice
Hamburgers
Hot dogs
Broiled chicken, rice pilaf, broccoli
Pasta with tomatoes
Garlic bread with cheese
Pizza
Waffles with homemade syrup
Omelets
Grilled cheese
Quesadillas
Navy bean soup
Lentil soup
Baked potatoes
Leftovers

SIDE DISHES
Smoothies
Fresh fruit
Mashed potatoes
Baked potatoes
Frozen peas
Salad
Veggies and dip

LUNCHES
Lunchmeat sandwiches
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Cheese and crackers
Apples and peanut butter
Leftovers
String cheese
Chips
Fruit
Veggies and dip

Be sure to check out more menu ideas over at Menu Plan Monday.

4 replies »

Jun
28

Menu Plan Monday: New Nutrition

Diet. Nutrition. Healthy lifestyle. Those words mean different things to different people. Some people choose to go low-carb, low-fat, or low-salt. Others choose high protein, or no red meat, or will only eat organic. And if you're trying to suddenly eat "healthy", it can be difficult to nail down exactly what that means to you.

In our home, I was always the healthy-mom-type. I kept sugar and treats to a minimum, shrugged off processed foods, and served whole grains. But over time, I've grown lax in my management of our family's nutrition. I haven't completely jumped ship, but I also haven't been keeping things "ship-shape". I still don't give the kids chips and soda at home, and I serve lots of fruits and veggies with every meal. But sugar cereals and nutrition-less snacks have wiggled their way into the pantry, and white bread and hot dogs have too often pushed out the healthier options.

Well, my husband and I have decided it's time to make some changes around here. My daughter's illness has been a wake-up call to us, and we're kicking out preservatives, processed foods, and other "junk". At least we're moving in that direction. We want to opt for real, natural foods and lots (and lots!) of fruits and veggies. We're giving up on most pork products (we love them, but our tummies don't), and we're looking for more vegetarian dishes. Also, in an effort to discover the source of Mackenzie's health problems, we're removing all dairy and gluten from her diet for several days, just to see if things improve. And while the dairy and gluten changes might not stick around, I think the other changes are here to stay.

What now? I've grown comfortable with the same-old, same-old. I've gotten used to fixing meals with very little thought involved. I make something simple (without worrying too much about how healthful it is or isn't), add some carrot sticks, and call it a meal. But that just won't cut it around here anymore. So, I'm attacking this from two directions. First, we're going to go ahead and finish up the less-than-healthy foods in the pantry and freezer. I'm too cheap to just toss them. But on the other front, I'm going to have to get creative. I'm going to actively look for recipes and ideas that we will enjoy. Instead of focusing our attention on the foods we no longer want to eat, I need to showcase all of the yummy options we have to choose from.

Some of our favorite foods, like white bread or salad dressings, won't completely disappear from our kitchen, but we'll be looking for healthier, homemade recipes. Of course, if we find out that we need to cut certain foods out of our daughter's diet long-term, then I'll be revisiting what "healthy" means to our particular situation. But right now - today - I'm going to do what I can. I'm going to crack open the cookbooks and search the internet. I'll take a hard look at our grocery budget and evaluate how I can spend my time making healthy foods more convenient. We're finding out just how important our health (and our children's health!) is to us, and I'm convinced that the extra effort will be worth it!

Here's this week's menu plan:

BREAKFASTS
Leftover pancakes
Homemade granola
Homemade muffins
Cereal
Oatmeal
Eggs
Bread
Toast
Yogurt
Fruit

MEAL IDEAS
Spaghetti with tomatoes
Quick chicken
Beans and rice
Sausage and eggs
Omelets
Grilled cheese
Wraps
Quesadillas
Ham sandwiches

SIDE DISHES
Fruit
Green beans
Broccoli
Broccoli salad
Mashed potatoes
Baked potatoes
Frozen corn
Frozen peas
Salad
Veggies and dip

Be sure to check out more menu ideas over at Menu Plan Monday.

Bedrooms: Clear Off and Dust Furniture

There is an interesting phenomenon that occurs at my house: Any flat surface will eventually be covered with stuff. Or dust. Does this happen at your house, too? If it's been more than a week since you've cleared and dusted the tops of the dressers and night stands in your bedroom, then you may want to join me in this task today. I'm going to make sure that the only things left on the "flat surfaces" in my room are things I want there. This means the empty water glass, the book I'm never going to read, and the hair clip must go. Then, I'll do a quick dusting and be finished.

But, if the mere thought of facing the mounds of "stuff" piled on your furniture gives you hives, don't worry. Just take a deep breath, set a timer for fifteen minutes, and get to it. Be careful to keep your attention on the task at hand. Don't get distracted by the messy sock drawer, the photos that needs put in a scrapbook, or the receipts that should be filed. If needed, grab a laundry basket so you have a place to toss the things that belong somewhere else or will need more time to sort through. Stay focused, and you may be surprised at how much you can get done. You (and your hubby) will feel a sense of relief when you go to bed tonight!

And don't forget about the kiddos. How long has it been since their "flat surfaces" have been cleaned? Is there a mountain of toys and school papers on their desks? Can you no longer tell what color the furniture is? Then this would be a good job for them, too. Use a timer to help keep them from getting sidetracked. With some help, even the little guys can put their things away and dust. Put on some music and challenge them to finish before the song stops (this trick works for mommy too!). Have fun!

Photo credit: olgashik

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