Category Archives: Tools

away

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Sorry for my unannounced absence yesterday! Everything is fine. I had expected that, after Christmas, we’d be a bit less busy, but that hasn’t happened yet! :)

We have company arriving today and other out-of-town family here through the week, so I think I’d better not promise you (or myself!) more than I can manage.

That said, I do have some photos to share with you about our holiday handmades and some other funny photos, but I’ll have to post them after this week is through.

Have a lovely week and a great start to the new year!

(pause)

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I’ll be back here a bit somewhat (ahem!) later…I’m off browsing local craft fairs with my mom and sister! I’ll be sure to post something truly inspiring when I get back, just to reward you for your patience, okay? :)

meal planning

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Lately, I’ve been trying to be more intentional and careful about our household spending. Specifically, I’ve been trying to cut down our food budget.

I already use a meal planning system of sorts–I have a “calendar” of meals for the whole month. I use a winter menu calendar for about 6 months at a time, then I switch to the summer one. This might seem like overkill (and maybe it is!), but I have trouble making decisions on the fly, so trying to plan dinner an hour before my husband comes home from work just doesn’t work for me.

I’ve been using this system for a few years now, and I really like it. I can look at the calendar each day and see, not only what I’m making tonight, but that I’m making a pot roast three days from now and I need to put the roast in the fridge to defrost. For a very scatter-brained person like me, it’s immensely helpful!

Last month, I decided to take that meal planning to the next level and make very detailed shopping list based on the menu calendar.

I’ll be sharing more about this whole process this week. If you have any specific questions you’d like me to address, please leave them in the comments. :)

What systems and tricks do YOU use to keep organized and save money?

kitchen whisk broom

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This idea may strike you as odd, but I’ve found it quite helpful! I have a small, dishwasher-safe (i.e. plastic) whisk broom and dust pan set that I use frequently. It’s labeled, “KITCHEN” and “DO NOT USE ON FLOORS”.

There are times when I need to sweep off the table or counters before wiping them: post-baking with flour everywhere (and dry flour is easier to remove than wet), post-paper crafting with bits of paper everywhere, post-sewing, etc. With this little broom, I can quickly remove the “debris” before we continue the project or before we wash the surface when we’re all done. It is never used on the floor, so I’m not worried about cross-contamination, and I can send it through the dishwasher to clean it.

Do you have a favorite tool you’d like to share? Leave a comment below!

appliance trays

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Keeping a clean kitchen is enough work in itself, why not use some simple tools to make it easier? In our kitchen, I like to place trays under small appliances that “live” on the counter, such as the coffee maker and toaster. The tray keeps crumbs contained and can be easily emptied and wiped out as needed. Rather than lifting individual appliances to wipe the counter underneath, the whole tray of appliances can be moved aside to speed up the task.