Saturday Scrapbook: Kitchen Reorganizing

Ok, so I decided I needed to reorganize my kitchen cabinets.  I love organizing, but as you can see in my pictures, things have gotten out of control.  After living in this house for over 2 years, I finally have my kitchen set up in a way that really seems to be working for us. 

I have changed things here and there over the last 2 years, but this was a big overhaul.  I finally dealt, all at once, with all of the things that were bugging me and it feels good!  We've been living with this new system for a week now and it has been easy to maintain.  After a week, everything looks pretty much the same except there are a few more groceries in the cabinets.  I am loving it!

You will notice you do not see my drawer of cooking utensils and my cabinets with pots and pans, platters, and plates and cups.  I did not picture these because they already function well and stay neat, so I did not change them.



Cabinet above the stove; houses cookbooks, vitamins and medications.  It's a real hassle to see what I have and to access it because I am not 6 feet tall!



 

After!  I had these 3-tiered helper shelves stored in the basement, doing absolutely nothing.  Perfect!  I can see what I have and access it on my tiptoes instead of dragging a chair over and taking everything out to find what I need.





Before; Spice cabinet;  This drove me insane.  I have these cool mini-apothecary jars for my spices, but I had too many duplicates purchased, and my duplicates cluttered the above shelves.  I needed this to change.  I wanted to get my cooking oils, vinegars, and spray into this cabinet badly.



After; Spice cabinet; Success!  I put together all my duplicates and consolidated everything.  Top shelf moved up and I laid my duplicates down and made labels for the lids so I could see what was up there.  I was able to move the shelf up high enough to have my oils and larger items in this cabinet.  This was a huge accomplishment and it has made cooking so much easier!



Here you can see where my oils and vinegars were.  This is a lower cabinet, and if I did not have my oils in exactly the right position, the drawer above would catch them and they'd fall over.  This drove me absolutely batty.



After of the same lower cabinet.  No more tall bottles!  They are safely housed in the spice cabinet now.  I'm such a happy girl!

  

Before; flatware; not too bad, but there was some miscellaneous junk in it.





After; flatware; I just deleted the miscellaneous and added items from the "sharps" drawer



Before; Narrow cabinet next to door; Just a junk collector





After; Narrow cabinet next to door; Took out the junk; added space for things we need to access easily.



Before; side cabinet; This cabinet is above the coffee maker, yet my coffee stuff was scattered about in other places.  There was something tall in here at one point because I had removed one of the shelves.  Obviously, that's not necessary now.





After; side cabinet; I added a basket I had but wasn't using - just put my coffee supplies in it.  It's wonderful having it right above the coffee maker.  I put the formerly removed shelf back in and used it to put my hand mixer on since I have mixing bowls in this cabinet.  Also laid down the extra travel coffee mugs/thermos.  We use these extras sometimes but not often, so I went ahead and put the flashlights in front of them.  This is our flashlight spot; everyone knows where to get them if we have a problem, so I wanted to keep them in the same cabinet.



 



Before; skinny drawer next to door;  Just a mess.  Coffee filters far away from coffee maker, random pen...water bottle flavor packets; and an Eagles can cozy.  Doesn't make much sense at all.  Just an ignored space.



After; skinny drawer next to door; I use these gloves for cooking A LOT.  I love them for handling raw meat or other messy things.  Now they are easily accessible in the drawer under my largest spread of counter space.

Before; Sharps all in one place; When we moved here Noah had just turned 3 and I felt better putting all the sharp things in one drawer so that he could freely use the rest of the kitchen.  It worked out well, but he is now 5 1/2 and more mature and sensible.  (STOP LAUGHING)



This is where the sharps were.  I added most of them to my flatware drawer.  Now the baggies fit in here neatly.  By the way, I rarely use foil so I slid that into the cabinet with the casserole dishes, the most likely place I will use it.  I have parchment paper as well, but I slid that in next to the cookie sheets.  Perfection.



Before; This is random stuff.  Just dry foods, baking supplies, and general whatnot.  Horrible.  Made me want to cry every time I opened it.



After; I took out things I was honestly never going to use.  The biggest thing for this cabinet is the clear bin, another basement-dwelling container that I washed out and put all of my baking supplies into.  I have baked several times since doing this, and what a joy it is to take the entire bin out and use what I need, then return it to its home!  No more searching for baking powder and vanilla extract - it is now all in one place!  This bin has changed my world!



 

Before;  Yes.  This is the sad drawer that housed my baggies and gloves, as well as that stray travel mug and my hand mixer.  It was very, very pathetic.



After;  I created a snack drawer for the kids.  It's perfectly placed in a corner of the kitchen so they can access it without being underfoot.  I'm in heaven!  I added the hot chocolate that was hanging out in the cabinet by the door for no good reason, a few bags of popcorn, crackers and chips.  It's working out very well.

Ok, there you have it...the horror of my mess and the glory of the clean-up!  I am thrilled with my work and I'm thrilled that it works for our home.

Anyone inspired? 

Please comment your successes and anything you need help with that other readers or myself may be able to chime in on.







Fashionista Friday: Perk Up Your Look

Photo courtesty of photostock; freedigitalphotos.net

I'm willing to bet you have at least this much in your closet, and probably a lot more, right?  Me too.  I'm willing to bet that most of the females in America have more than enough clothing, and a variety of it.

So why are there people at the grocery store in pajamas?

Why are single gals walking around in sweatpants and fleece, wondering why men don't notice them?

Do you think your husband loves it when he gets home from work and you're still in your jammies with no make up on?

C'mon, ladies.  Put on a little lipstick and a pair of heels.

My good friend, Neonatal Nurse Nancy will laugh when she reads this.  She has always commented that I would always wear heels, even when we were picking up our kids from preschool.  To each his own; you don't have to wear heels, but make an effort to be put together when you get up in the morning.

(As I sit here writing this, I have not showered, done my hair, or put makeup on yet...so this is a call to action for myself as well).

The benefit of getting dressed in the morning is that you will feel better all day.  Have you ever had someone knock on your door when you haven't done a darn thing to yourself, and you're embarrassed?  How about that time you ran to the pharmacy to get just one thing and saw your old boyfriend?  You can avoid this by taking care of yourself every day.

You all know my "uniform" is a pair of jeans.  I've come to terms with that, but I don't think that means I have to look like a slob.  Tennis shoes don't go on my feet unless I'm exercising (rare) or going to my part time job, although if I could wear heels there I would.

You don't have to wear a ballgown or really anything special.  I'm just asking you to go the extra mile and pull yourself together.  Commit to wearing sweatpants for cleaning.  Bust all the cute shoes out of your closet, from beneath your bed, out of the attic and try to wear a different pair every day.  If I took on this commitment, I wouldn't repeat a pair for several months.

Confession:  I'm a shoe hoarder.

Photo courtesy of digitalart; freedigitalphotos.net

Here are my easy tips to take it up a notch with simply a white tee shirt and jeans:

Red high heels, leopard stilettos....whatever you have.  Put on a pair of heels.  If they are uncomfortable and you want to throw one through the computer right now, throw them out and go shopping today.  If you can't wear heels, why do you have them?  Put on a pair of ballerina flats, kitten heels...something different.

Add a cute belt.  No, not the one that is fraying with ripped notches.  A nice one.  Patent leather, colored, something to add interest.

Wear a scarf.  A big comfy scarf looped around can look adorable.  I don't care how many years ago pashminas went out, they look great and I'm still wearing them.  I'm thinking of my sister-in-law, BlazingBeauty, who always looks adorable, even when she's bumming.  She's a scarf gal, and I am amazed at how a simple outfit is transformed by her addition of this fantastic accessory.

Add jewelry.  A big pair of earrings (for Spring 2012, the bigger the better) and a couple of bracelets will do the trick.  Or a small pair of earrings with a long necklace or chunky short one, whatever suits your style or mood.  You bought these pieces for a reason, and it wasn't so they could sit in your jewelry box.

Fancy flip flops.  Now, Stacey and Clinton of "What Not to Wear" fame would not agree, but I think flip flops can be worn almost anywhere.  Not dirty, rubber flip flops.  Flip flops come in so many different styles, with flowers and stripes and polka dots and all kinds of things, I just love them.  I keep one rubber pair (pink, of course) for the beach, and the rest are fun and funky.

And please, get a pedi first. Yes, even in the winter.

Put on a little makeup.  I'm not big on taking a million years to put on my makeup everyday, but if you can put a little concealer on when needed, pink up your cheeks with some blush and put on mascara, you will look a million times better in under 2 minutes.  If you've got an extra 10 seconds, put on lipstick or lip gloss too.

Now I'm off to take my own advice.

How do you pull yourself together every day?  Please post in the comments your favorite quick tips for getting yourself together. 

And my wonderful readers, share, share, share my posts if you are enjoying them!  Thank you!

 Clothes racks photo; photostock; freedigitalphotos.net
Yellow heels; digitalart; freedigitalphotos.net

Thoughtful Thursday: Recording Expressions of Gratitude

Does anyone remember way back when Oprah Winfrey brought forth the idea of a gratitude journal?  I cannot remember when it was, nor does the time matter, but the idea has always stuck with me.  For a time, I did keep one and I still have it. 

Several months ago I read through it.  I must have been struggling to be thankful, because some days I wrote that I was thankful for getting out of bed, and that's it.  That's not a bad thing to be thankful for, but if that was all I could come up with my heart probably wasn't open to seeing all I had.

Photo courtesy of nuttakit; freedigitalphotos.net

When we go through difficult things it is easy to slip into despair and hopelessness.  It is easy to think, "Why me?" and wallow in self pitying misery.  In my younger days I would be looking around for someone to rescue me.  I continued to look until God put a mirror in front of my face and opened my eyes so that I could see past my self.

I am convinced that the difference in my life now has been a slight shift in attitude and recording the journey of those shifts.  Making it through difficulties can be hard without being miserable.  You have the choice to let things knock you out or use them to learn and grow. 

Maybe I'm nuts.  Neonatal Nurse Nancy tells me I am a glass half-full person, so maybe it is easier for me, who knows. 

Here are my tips:

1. Assume the proverbial light is at the end of the tunnel.  Assume it every day and take steps toward it.
2. Journal your experiences and review your journal regularly.  Seeing change and growth will keep you on track.
3. Adopt gratitude as your attitude of choice.  Remind yourself often, "attitude of gratitude, attitude of gratitude."
4. Be thankful for simple things.  Home. Food. Car. Bike. Kids. Computer. (if you're reading this, I know you at least have that!)  Write it down.  Use a journal, a blog, a notecard, a post-it. 
5. Get out of your own head and help someone else.  Participating in any act of service will exponentially reduce your misery over your own situation.
6. Write down your actions of service and the immediate effect they had on you each time you complete them.  This will become your own inspirational story that you can come back to when you need to be uplifted.

Sometimes these things are forced, especially as you begin to do them, but they will become natural and regular for you over time.

My personal gratitude journal is in my prayer journal, in it I am thankful to God for all things.  This really works for me because I can go back and see what I was giving thanks for and at the same time, see what I was praying for.  I can then see how the things I was thankful for have changed and evolved and see how the things I was asking for were resolved.

Journal/pencil photo; nuttakit; freedigitalphotos.net

What's Cooking Wednesday: Grandma's Recipe

Photo courtesy of suat eman; freedigitalphotos.net

I've been asked several times over the last couple of weeks for “Grandma's Recipe” This request has come from my youngest son, NuggetizerB5. He was 4 when my mother passed nearly 6 months ago; his 5th birthday came just about 3 weeks after her passing.

Initially he did not seem too affected by our loss. Unfortunately for most of his young life, his grandma was sick and as such he did not experience long weekends at her house or fun outings with her very often. That, coupled with his age, is what I attributed his somewhat less-deep feeling of loss. His reaction in the early days following her death were expressions of sympathy and condolence for me. “I'm so sorry for my mommy that her mom died,” he said over and over.

Apparently, over time it has sunk in. He will sometimes get a somber look on his face and say, “Mom, I miss my grandma so much.”

So here we are. What's cooking this Wednesday is Grandma's Recipe, a.k.a chicken vegetable soup. It's the kind of soup that just makes you feel better, no matter whether your ails are physical or emotional. It's what my mom would make for me and deliver after I called her crying that I was sick and still had to be a mother to my children, clean my house, and help to run my then-husband's business. It's that soup that mends every tear in your immune system and grabs up any tears left in your heart on it's way down. It's magical stuff, I tell you.

I love you mom.

Photo courtesy of cbenjasuan; freedigitalphotos.net

Grandma's Recipe
Note:  This makes a big, honkin' pot of soup.  I got a call from my dad today saying the recipe was too big.  I told him to divide it.  It is A LOT of soup, fills my stock pot completely.  If you are making it for 6 people, you probably could get away with making half this recipe easily.
4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 T. butter or 2 T. olive oil
1 large onion chopped
4 large carrots, peeled, halved and sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
2 T. dried parsley
3 cloves garlic
8cups 5 quarts chicken broth (buy or prepare a few extra cups if you are adding noodles or rice, just in case)
2 cups of rice or 8 oz. noodles (rice or noodles are optional; I love to make it with rice)
1/2 package frozen chopped spinach
1 bag frozen baby lima beans
1 bag frozen corn
1 bag frozen peas
2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Salt, to taste

Cook chicken breasts and let cool.

In a large stock pot, cook onion, carrots and celery in butter or olive oil until soft.  Add garlic and parsley and cook 2 or 3 minutes, until garlic is fragrant.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add rice or noodles if desired and cook according to rice or noodle package times.

If liquid is reduced too much, add more chicken broth (or water, in a pinch).  Bring soup back to a boil and add frozen vegetables and cook until tender.

Add 2 tsp. onion powder and 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Cube chicken or shred it with 2 forks.  Add to soup and heat through.

Salt to taste. (I don't usually salt mine.  I let people do that at the table so suit  individual tastes)
Note:  Today I added 2 tsp. kosher salt and it was near perfect.

My Notes:
My siblings will notice that this is close to but not exactly identical to mom's recipe.  This is how I make it.  As close as I can get...I tend to throw stuff into a pot while cooking and as such, have a hard time remembering what I put in and I definitely don't know how much! 

The only thing I'm worried about here is the broth or liquid.  The need for more liquid is based upon how much liquid your starch ingredient soaks up, and how long you simmer it.  I apologize for this, I have never made this with a measurement of liquid so I'm estimating. 

I'll try to remember to measure today when I make it.

Edited 2/15/12 to change liquid amounts; add onion powder and pepper; change salt recommendation; note about recipe size.


Chicken w/veg photo; suat eman; freedigitalphotos.net
Heart bandaid photo; cbenjasuan; freedigitalphotos.net

Tightwad Tuesday: Save Money on Laundry

Art courtesy of Salvatore Vuono; freedigitalphotos.net

We've all got laundry, and most of us have a lot of it. You can save some dollars in this process with just a little know-how and a few inexpensive and readily available products.

Try using white vinegar as a fabric softener.  Just pour it right into the fabric softener compartment of your machine.  Your clothes will not have a vinegar smell when the cycle is complete, I promise.  Vinegar also has the added benefit of being a great cleaner; it's good for your machine and cutting away those deposits left by laundry detergent.

Use dollar store oxygenated cleaner.  If you use the brand name OxiClean powder, you are probably paying too much.  Dollar store powder works just as well.

Know how to treat stains and save clothes.

1. Protein stains: Keep a bar of Original Ivory Soap around.  I use this all the time to remove blood stains, chocolate, and it is fantastic for removing dirty mud off of little boys clothes.  Or big boys clothes, for that matter.  I don't use Ivory for bathing, so I just keep the soap wrapped in a clean, dry washcloth and unwrap it when I need to use it.  This keeps it from getting gross or sticking to anything as the soap bar dries out.
2. For grease stains, you need vegetable oil, Dawn dish liquid, and Goop waterless hand cleaner.  For dried grease stains (those dark spots on dark clothes and colored clothes that remain after washing), try reconstituting the stain with oil; rub it in to the stained area.  Then, wash the area thoroughly with the dish liquid.  Rinse.  Rinse. Rinse.  You do not want dish liquid in your washing machine, so rinse it all out.  Rub in waterless hand cleaner, let sit for at least 20 minutes, and wash as usual.  I have saved many a sweatshirt and tee shirt using this method.
3. Ink.  That's a tough one, and quite honestly I've not always been successful at removing it completely.  Alcohol or hairspray is the best bet if your fabric can handle it.  Put a folded up paper towel (without a design on it, plain white) behind the stain, apply the alcohol and blot, blot, blot with a clean white cloth or folded paper towel.
4. Makeup:  Powder make up should remove with normal pre-spot treatments.  For liquid makeup, lipstick, eyeliner, or mascara, use dish liquid to pre-wash.  Rinse thoroughly; dish liquid is too sudsy for washing machines.

Don't believe everything you see on T.V.  This drives me insane. Washing machine cleaners are being promoted like crazy, and these companies are smart.  Everyone is afraid of stinky clothes and the companies have capitalized on the fear that there is some unknown stink-monster in your washing machine.  I've had an HE machine for years.  I've also experienced the occasional musty smell from the washer and solved the issue myself.

Photo courtesy of Darren Robertson; freedigitalphotos.net

Guess what?  Two simple things eliminated this problem for me; one is free and one costs very little.  First, always leave your washer door open when it is not running.  Simply air it out!  Free!  Second, use the aforementioned white vinegar in your wash.  It's a great deodorizer and costs, what?  $2 a gallon?  You can save boatloads of cash not believing every single thing you see advertised.

Consider making your own laundry detergent.  Many people view this is backward, too time-consuming or too difficult.  It really is simple.  I have an article published on this, which breaks down the how-to and also examines the cost savings.  You can find it here.  I'd recommend trying it out...one of my greatest joys is that I spend about $5 a year on laundry detergent. 

Happy Washing!  Please, comment if anything helps you or if you have your own tip to add!

Clothes Pin Art; Salvatore Vuono; freedigitalphotos.net

Washing Machine Drum Photo; Darren Robertson; freedigitalphotos.net

Monday Motherhood Musings: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I love my kids.  I really love them, a lot.  I'm sure most people out there love theirs too, but we still have those moments, don't we?  When they're driving us completely nuts and we want to lock ourselves in the bedroom and not come out?

What? Did she just say that out loud?

I'm not the only one, I know it.

As mothers (and maybe some dads can chime in on this, I'm a girl so I'm speaking from a female perspective), we tend to get overwhelmed, then feel very guilty if we aren't spending every moment with our kids in June Cleaver-esque harmony.

My advice?  Get over it and get rid of them, you have my permission.

Come back!  Stop packing for a sec.

I mean get rid of them for a couple of hours, or a day or two if they're old enough.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles; freedigitalphotos.net

Here's the list of things I want you to get over first, or truths your guilty conscience won't acknowledge:

1.  Your kids need to learn to be independent.  Teaching independence includes letting them separate from mom for a little bit.  You need to adjust this based on age, of course.  Under 18 months old, they really do need you and the break time is about you, not them.  That's o.k.!  Take a break that works for you and that your kid can handle.  You can figure something out.

2.  Your kids need to have a mom who is not frazzled.  Mothering is all-encompassing, from someone wanting or needing something at nearly every moment to mountains of laundry and constant cleaning and cooking.  If you are nursing a baby it is physically invasive and if you don't take a few hours here and there to get away and breathe, you can end up feeling frustrated by a bond with your baby that is exclusive and wonderful.

3.  Work is not your break.  This means work at an office or wherever your career is, of course.  For you stay-at-home-moms, going to the grocery store or running errands alone is nice but THAT IS YOUR WORK.  Find something fun and relaxing to be your break.

4.  It doesn't have to be a long, fancy break.  Do what works for you.  I'm in a position right now where my children go to their dad's house every other weekend, so I have 48 hours, every 2 weeks.  The time it took for me to miss them was much shorter when we initially separated; I would cry all the time because I missed them so much.  Now, after a few years, I find that I look forward to the break and it takes about 24 hours for me to really miss them. 

With little babies it is hard to leave, so just pick what works for you.  At one point, when I was still married and we had only 3 children, I just took a drive every day when dad got home from work.  I drove for about 20 minutes and it allowed me to have a few minutes of quiet, that was what I needed.

5.  Your kids need a break from you too!  Think about it.  We are all people, and people sometimes get sick of people they live with, right?  Kids get sick of us.  Yes, it might take a few years, but it does happen.  If you are a present and engaged primary caregiver for your children, they will look forward to some one-on-one time with dad, a favorite aunt or uncle, grandparents, or a playmate.


6.  You do not have to control everything, all the time.  The world will not come to an end if Junior goes to bed without a bath.  It's o.k. if Sally has ice cream for dinner once a month.  And so what if Perky Penelope wears mismatched socks while you're at the spa?  It's all good, and tomorrow your bathtub will still be there for Junior, Sally can have a nice healthy breakfast, and Penelope can be color-coordinated down the her toe nail polish and sweet ribbons in her hair.  Let it go, and lighten up.

The Bottom Line:
Take a break.  Schedule it regularly.  I don't know if you think you deserve it, but I do know that you need it.



Mommy Letters; Stuart Miles; freedigitalphotos.net

Soothe Your Spirit Sunday: Letting Go of Judgment



Photo courtesy of jannoon028; freedigitalphotos.net

 I have to be honest.  I struggled with Sunday.  What should I do with Sunday?  I want Sunday to be...inspirational, serene.

I don't want to be a preacher.  I don't want to turn anyone away.  But, this blog is mine and it is about my perspective, right?  So I'm taking a chance and letting you see my true heart.

I love God and I want everyone to love Him.  I want to see every single one of you in heaven when it is our time to go there.  This blog post is not about converting you or convicting you, however, I am myself and the most important part of me is that I am Christian.  My lifelong dream is to get to heaven and have God say He is proud of me.

If you have questions about Christianity, I recommend a book, available from Amazon, by Lee Strobel.  It was a great starting point for getting my questions answered many years ago.  It is written from a skeptic's perspective.  Click to check it out: The Case for Christ

I'd like to say something about judgment today because this has been something I've struggled with in my life.  I used to be very judgmental, and I'd like to think I'm improving.  Well, I am improving.  Judgment, I think, has to do with pride...I used to be very prideful.  Thankfully, God has knocked me off my hiney a few times and finally, I got it.

Next time you are at the store and you have a surly associate "helping" you, open your heart and smile.  Treat him or her with kindness.  You have not walked in that person's shoes.

Next time you see a harried mother at the grocery store trying to wrangle her screaming kids and load up her groceries, don't assume she's a bad mother.  Assume she's having a tough day and help her by loading her groceries or taking her cart back.  You would be amazed at how people respond when you do something as simple as returning their grocery cart.

Next time you hear a tidbit of gossip about someone, don't repeat it.  Go to the subject of the gossip; see if that person needs help.

Next time you see someone paying for groceries with food stamps, don't assume they are a lazy no-good freeloader.  Maybe she is a woman whose husband left her without child support;  maybe he is a man who quit working to take care of his ill wife or child. 

The bottom line here is:  You don't really know.

The best part is, you don't need to know.  God takes care of everything, making sure everyone experiences just treatment.  He lifts the burden of judgment from us, leaving us free to give generously and with love.

Recently in my prayer life, well in the last several months, I have been praying that he He will fill my life with blessings that I may pour out onto others around me.  This is not because I'm such a wonderful person; it's because I need help overcoming the human condition that makes us judge and move on without thought for others. 

Stop and be a blessing today.  I guarantee you will affect someone's life and your own.



Photo courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti; freedigitalphotos.net

 Sky Photo; Jannoon028; freedigitalphotos.net

Helping Hand Pic; renjith krishnan; freedigitalphotos.net

Sun w/silhouettes pic; Danilo Rizzuti; freedigitalphotos.net