Yes, I have been M.I.A. for a few days now...my apologies!!! :) Between prepping for the holidays (and a lot of travelling to visit all the fam-bam) and last-minute shopping and getting SUPER DUPER sick, I have not devoted time to my dear blog. I've kept up with the 1 month to an organized home list, and I promise to post all the deets (details...duh!) and pix once the holidays are over and the craziness has passed...if it ever passes...HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone!
P.S. Did I mention that I've been baking Christmas cookies every day for a few weeks now?! My hands are permanently stained from food coloring, and I can't WAIT to get rid of the cookies so I have room in my freezer! :)
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Day 5
Day 5 was the fridge...again, not something I was looking forward to. As I explained before, our house is old and the kitchen is rather...funky. The space for the fridge is rather awkward, so the only fridge that fits is a very small, short one. Because of where we live, I cook 3 meals a day for 3 people(ok, so one is a baby, but still, that little man EATS!). I always have leftovers hanging around, and it seems like we have endless condiments left over from parties or recipes. Basically, our fridge desperately needed a good organizing! So I grabbed a chair (yes, I had to sit on a chair to clean the fridge - it's short!) and went to it (garbage bag in hand, of course).
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| Before - do I even need to explain why this needs organizing? Geez! |
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| After - welp, I can actually SEE what's in the fridge. |
Until tomorrow...have a good night! I'll be dreaming of organizing...or crafting... :)
Days 3 and 4
Just like I promised :) Anyway...Day 3 was the pantry. I was dreading this for a few reasons...
1. We live in the mountains and the nearest grocery store is 30 minutes away. So when we get groceries, we stock up, especially on things that have a long shelf life (think soups, chilis, beans, rice mixes, that kind of thing).
2. The house we are renting was built in the 60s, if not earlier. Whoever designed the kitchen either didn't cook AT ALL, or was about 5 feet tall. (For the record, I am 5'9"). Overall, the kitchen is pretty funky. (I'll post pictures of the floors and layers of wallpaper another time...) SO, most of my bottles of olive oil, vinegars, etc. don't fit in any cabinet, so they have a happy little home in a corner of our counter (NOT!).
3. Honestly, the pantry was just a mess.
SO...I took a deep breath, grabbed a chair from our dining room, climbed up on it, and went to work on the pantry (which is really just a high cabinet with 3 shelves above our stove.) Here are the results...
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| Before - I had no idea how much was actually in there! |
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| After - I didn't get rid of a whole lot, but at least now it's organized and I know what I have! |
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| Before - not too much going on, but I still didn't know what was down there. |
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| After - now why did I have dishwasher detergent? Our house doesn't even have a dishwasher! |
I didn't forget!
Dear you,
Sorry I've been a bad little blogger the past few days. Even though I've been MIA, I have been keeping up with my 1 month of organizing, but the posts will have to wait until the little one takes a nap. I promise I'll fill you in! I've been busy with Christmas activities (mostly buying Christmas gifts, trying to wrap them, and still trying to decorate the house!).
Sorry I've been a bad little blogger the past few days. Even though I've been MIA, I have been keeping up with my 1 month of organizing, but the posts will have to wait until the little one takes a nap. I promise I'll fill you in! I've been busy with Christmas activities (mostly buying Christmas gifts, trying to wrap them, and still trying to decorate the house!).
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Day 2
Today was the utensil drawer in kitchen day, which I knew needed organizing BADLY. I have exactly 3 drawers devoted to silverware and kitchen utensils...I took pictures of each drawer before AND after...however, as I posted earlier, I have a new camera, and well, I deleted the pictures :(
You'll just have to trust me that it was a huge difference, and I was able to get rid of a lot of unused utensils, and we donated them to our friend that had just moved and needed some basics!
You'll just have to trust me that it was a huge difference, and I was able to get rid of a lot of unused utensils, and we donated them to our friend that had just moved and needed some basics!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Day 1
Today I begin my 1 month journey to a more organized home. According to my list it was "junk drawer" day. Lucky me, I have 2 junk drawers - one in our kitchen, and one in our buffet in the dining room. I decided to tackle both of these drawers, and I think I did pretty well! Below are the before and after pictures I took of each drawer.
Tomorrow is the utensil drawer in kitchen, of which I have THREE and I know there is lots I can get rid of in there!
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| Before - junk drawer in kitchen |
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| After |
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| Before - junk drawer in buffet |
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| After - sorry this one is blurry, but you can tell the difference! |
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Chicken Florentine
Recently I rediscovered an old recipe I had grown up loving. As I was sorting through my seemingly endless piles of recipes, I came across a small piece of paper that held the magical recipe for one of my favorite childhood dinners - chicken florentine! (Seeing as this was the ONLY way I would eat spinach as a child, my mom made this recipe MANY times.) It's relatively simple to make, most ingredients I already have on hand, and everyone loves it (bonus!). So I've decided to share it with the internet-universe. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
Chicken Florentine - serves 4
4 bunches fresh spinach or 2 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped spinach
2 chicken breasts, boned and skinned
1/4 lb (1 cube) butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper (or you can use black pepper, it's up to you!)
1 cup whipping cream
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Flour for dredging
Place fresh spinach in a large pot and let wilt down over low heat. Cool, squeeze dry, and chop. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze dry. Spread on bottom of buttered au gratin or 9" Pyrex dish. Halve each chicken breast. Cut each piece in half horizontally to make 8 thin chicken steaks. Melt butter in shallow pan. Dredge each piece of chicken lightly in flour, then in butter, and place on top of spinach - one layer only. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with whipping cream and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until just done. May be prepared the day before and refrigerated until ready to bake.
Do you have any favorite recipes that you've recently rediscovered?
Chicken Florentine - serves 4
4 bunches fresh spinach or 2 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped spinach
2 chicken breasts, boned and skinned
1/4 lb (1 cube) butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper (or you can use black pepper, it's up to you!)
1 cup whipping cream
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Flour for dredging
Place fresh spinach in a large pot and let wilt down over low heat. Cool, squeeze dry, and chop. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze dry. Spread on bottom of buttered au gratin or 9" Pyrex dish. Halve each chicken breast. Cut each piece in half horizontally to make 8 thin chicken steaks. Melt butter in shallow pan. Dredge each piece of chicken lightly in flour, then in butter, and place on top of spinach - one layer only. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with whipping cream and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until just done. May be prepared the day before and refrigerated until ready to bake.
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| Voila! |
Do you have any favorite recipes that you've recently rediscovered?
Friday, December 9, 2011
1 Month = 1 Organized Home.
I am constantly trying to organize things in my home. Not only does this never actually happen, but I never seem to have the time to organize everything that needs organizing. So...I came across a plan that I modified to fit my life, which I encourage you to do the same! Breaking down the house into separate days makes the entire job seem much more "do-able". So, I give you, 1 Month = 1 Organized Home. (Feel free to adjust each day as necessary. I have a child, so I included his room on this list.)
RULES
Each day, grab a trash bag (or grocery/shopping bag) and get to work at the destination listed. Fill the bag with as many things as you can part with. At the end of the month, you will donate all the bags for a good cause, and your home will be organized! Think how warm and fuzzy you'll feel. :)
DAY
1. Junk drawer (wherever this beast may be hidden).
2. Utensil drawer in kitchen
3. Pantry
4. Under kitchen sink
5. Fridge (okay, maybe we won't donate these things at the end of the month, but at least you'll have a clean fridge!)
6. Spice rack/cupboard
7. Desk drawers/office
8. Closet (my clothes...remember the rule - if you haven't worn it in 1 year, it's time to GO!)
9. Closet (shoes)
10. Closet (his clothes. If you don't live with a significant other, take this time to go through your closet again!)
11. Dresser drawers
12. Nightstand drawer/shelf
13. TV cabinet (those DVDs you'll never watch again?)
14. Jewelry drawer
15. Makeup bag/Nail polish (I think the same rule applies as the clothing rule - if you haven't worn/used it in a year, toss it! If it's makeup, it's probably gone bad anyway.)
16. My bathroom drawers/cabinet
17. Guest cloest/child's closet
18. Child's shoes (or your own shoes, stored in the guest room or your child's closet!)
19. Playroom toys/child's toys (if you don't have a playroom or a child, then take a free day!)
20. Hall cupboard/Linen closet
21. Craft stuff (now THIS might be a 2 day chore...)
22. Bathroom drawer
23. Laundry room cupboards
24. Candy drawer (or ANY junk food - evaluate why you bought it in the first place.)
25. Garage shelves (if you don't have a garage, choose a space that hasn't been covered already.)
26. General garage (anything pertaining to your car or your transportation.)
27. My car (again, if you don't have a car, choose a space that hasn't been covered already.)
28. Car center console (or go through your junk drawer AGAIN...it got that name for a reason...)
29. Cookbook cupboard (do you REALLY need that outdated health cookbook that you've NEVER opened?)
30. Entryway closet (or any space near your front door.)
There you have it! After 30 days, you should have accumulated a nice amount of loot to donate to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other cause that will accept your items. Another great idea would be to hold a garage sale, then donate your earnings to a charity that is important to you. There truly is no greater gift than to GIVE.
I will personally be starting this tomorrow. I know I have way more than I need, and more than I can even appreciate. I can't wait to see how many goodies I come up with to donate!
For anybody that is still reading...do you have any ideas for organizing? I need them! I am a habitual collector of miscellaneous items, and I long for a more organized home!
RULES
Each day, grab a trash bag (or grocery/shopping bag) and get to work at the destination listed. Fill the bag with as many things as you can part with. At the end of the month, you will donate all the bags for a good cause, and your home will be organized! Think how warm and fuzzy you'll feel. :)
DAY
1. Junk drawer (wherever this beast may be hidden).
2. Utensil drawer in kitchen
3. Pantry
4. Under kitchen sink
5. Fridge (okay, maybe we won't donate these things at the end of the month, but at least you'll have a clean fridge!)
6. Spice rack/cupboard
7. Desk drawers/office
8. Closet (my clothes...remember the rule - if you haven't worn it in 1 year, it's time to GO!)
9. Closet (shoes)
10. Closet (his clothes. If you don't live with a significant other, take this time to go through your closet again!)
11. Dresser drawers
12. Nightstand drawer/shelf
13. TV cabinet (those DVDs you'll never watch again?)
14. Jewelry drawer
15. Makeup bag/Nail polish (I think the same rule applies as the clothing rule - if you haven't worn/used it in a year, toss it! If it's makeup, it's probably gone bad anyway.)
16. My bathroom drawers/cabinet
17. Guest cloest/child's closet
18. Child's shoes (or your own shoes, stored in the guest room or your child's closet!)
19. Playroom toys/child's toys (if you don't have a playroom or a child, then take a free day!)
20. Hall cupboard/Linen closet
21. Craft stuff (now THIS might be a 2 day chore...)
22. Bathroom drawer
23. Laundry room cupboards
24. Candy drawer (or ANY junk food - evaluate why you bought it in the first place.)
25. Garage shelves (if you don't have a garage, choose a space that hasn't been covered already.)
26. General garage (anything pertaining to your car or your transportation.)
27. My car (again, if you don't have a car, choose a space that hasn't been covered already.)
28. Car center console (or go through your junk drawer AGAIN...it got that name for a reason...)
29. Cookbook cupboard (do you REALLY need that outdated health cookbook that you've NEVER opened?)
30. Entryway closet (or any space near your front door.)
There you have it! After 30 days, you should have accumulated a nice amount of loot to donate to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other cause that will accept your items. Another great idea would be to hold a garage sale, then donate your earnings to a charity that is important to you. There truly is no greater gift than to GIVE.
I will personally be starting this tomorrow. I know I have way more than I need, and more than I can even appreciate. I can't wait to see how many goodies I come up with to donate!
For anybody that is still reading...do you have any ideas for organizing? I need them! I am a habitual collector of miscellaneous items, and I long for a more organized home!
Hello, I'm new here.
Well, hello! I'll start off by saying that I am well versed and educated on reading other people's blogs, but in all honesty, I have no idea how to write one of my own! So, I'm going to try my best, and write what I want, because, I don't actually think anyone else will be reading this. So...here goes my public diary of sorts...
Today my brain felt like it was in overdrive. So many ideas, but no time to accomplish anything. While I won't blame it 100% on him, I think much of this has to do with my 15 month old son, whom we call D (among many, MANY other nicknames). See, recently I've become addicted to something called Pinterest. While I try to explain this phenomenon to my friends and family alike, no one quite understands this wonderful concept. Basically, it's an online "pinboard" or "bulletin board" of sorts, filled with lots of ideas, recipes, home decor, and an abundance of DIY projects (which are my weakness!).
Besides this distracting website Pinterest, I am also attempting to lose weight, while trying to help my significant other GAIN weight. Sounds tough, right? Right. Add to this the fact that I am a stay at home mom with 2 cats and a dog, I rarely get a moment to myself, let alone enough time to work out or plan a healthful meal. So, in starting this blog, I'm hoping to a) catalog all my wonderful ideas so I don't forget (Mommy brain is a real PAIN!) b) keep track of my eating & workout habits so I can hold myself accountable and c) exercise my love of the written word.
Have I lost anyone so far? That's okay, I'm already confused myself.
I will try to post something new each day, whether it's a new recipe, a bright idea, or just my weightloss struggles. I'll consider this my online diary, and will consider you, if you're still with me, my greatest confidante. Because let's face it - half this stuff I'd never tell anyone anyway!
So read away, immerse yourself, and hopefully I can provide a few laughs, tips, recipes, ideas, and smiles for you along the way...
xoxo me :)
P.S. I know blogs are boring without pictures. I promise to post as many pictures as possible in the coming days - I recently purchased a new camera and am still learning how to adjust the settings on it! Since I love taking pictures (as terrible as they may be), I promise to post LOTS of pictures to accompany my rants/raves/writings for your enjoyment!
Today my brain felt like it was in overdrive. So many ideas, but no time to accomplish anything. While I won't blame it 100% on him, I think much of this has to do with my 15 month old son, whom we call D (among many, MANY other nicknames). See, recently I've become addicted to something called Pinterest. While I try to explain this phenomenon to my friends and family alike, no one quite understands this wonderful concept. Basically, it's an online "pinboard" or "bulletin board" of sorts, filled with lots of ideas, recipes, home decor, and an abundance of DIY projects (which are my weakness!).
Besides this distracting website Pinterest, I am also attempting to lose weight, while trying to help my significant other GAIN weight. Sounds tough, right? Right. Add to this the fact that I am a stay at home mom with 2 cats and a dog, I rarely get a moment to myself, let alone enough time to work out or plan a healthful meal. So, in starting this blog, I'm hoping to a) catalog all my wonderful ideas so I don't forget (Mommy brain is a real PAIN!) b) keep track of my eating & workout habits so I can hold myself accountable and c) exercise my love of the written word.
Have I lost anyone so far? That's okay, I'm already confused myself.
I will try to post something new each day, whether it's a new recipe, a bright idea, or just my weightloss struggles. I'll consider this my online diary, and will consider you, if you're still with me, my greatest confidante. Because let's face it - half this stuff I'd never tell anyone anyway!
So read away, immerse yourself, and hopefully I can provide a few laughs, tips, recipes, ideas, and smiles for you along the way...
xoxo me :)
P.S. I know blogs are boring without pictures. I promise to post as many pictures as possible in the coming days - I recently purchased a new camera and am still learning how to adjust the settings on it! Since I love taking pictures (as terrible as they may be), I promise to post LOTS of pictures to accompany my rants/raves/writings for your enjoyment!
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