Building the Recipe Box

The first recipe I would like to share to add to your menu building collection is one of my family's standby's.  Super simple and tasty too!  

Fish Cakes

Serves: 2-4    Time: 30 Minutes or Less  Difficulty:  Easy

Ingredients:

2 cans tuna - drained

1/4-1/2 cup bread crumbs*

1 egg

Onion (chopped dried or minced fresh)

Garlic (powdered or minced fresh)

Oil or butter

Your choice of seasonings (some ideas follow)

Method:

Put tuna, bread crumbs and seasonings in a bowl.  Add egg and mix well.  Heat skillet over medium to medium low heat with about 2 tablespoons of oil or butter in bottom.  Use damp hands to press mix into patties and place in skillet.  Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until they brown and crisp a bit on the outside.  May take longer on lower heat, but will ensure that the egg cooks through. 

Seasoning Ideas:

Dill Lemon

Use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of dried dill, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (or you could substitute lemon pepper), salt and pepper, add to fish mixture.  Serve with lemon wedges.

Classic

Use paprika, salt, pepper, thyme - all to taste - add to fish mixture.

Indian Inspired

1/2 to 1 teaspoon prepared curry powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, salt, pepper, add to fish mixture.  Serve with yogurt sauce.  

Or you can always use the standby Old Bay!  The options are endless! 

*Bread Crumbs

They sell bread crumbs in all grocery stores, as we know.  A trick I use is to keep a storage keeper in my freezer and put heals of bread or leftover bread bits in it.  When I have a fair number of bread bits saved up I crumble them up and let them dry a bit, then pop them in my food processor and whiz up my own batch of bread crumbs.  I then put them in their own container back in the freezer.  Less waste, money saved. 

Variations:

Canned Salmon or any flaky leftover fish can be used to make these patties. 

You can add "goodies" to the mix!  (Just don't get too carried away or your patties will fall apart.)

      minced celery 

      minced sweet peppers

      crushed nuts

      carrot shreds

Serving Suggestions:

Slice tomatoes and fry in the same pan, serve with or over!

Place over seasoned left over rice and add a frozen veggie, now it is a meal!  

 

The "Dreaded Question"

Today, I will finally get to putting up the first of a series of posts that I have been intending for, well, years now.  When I am on top of my week and things go as planned (a rare thing these last several months) I create a Weekly Meal Menu.  This is one of the most useful things I have found to do, it saves time, frustration and money.  I can do all of the weeks shopping in one trip and I never have to deal with the age old question of "what to make for dinner."  There are so many benefits from this simple act, I really want to jump for joy when I keep up with getting it accomplished! 

There are so many benefits it is really astounding! I can plan meals so that they use up the excess ingredients I purchase for a particular meal, which leads to great per serving savings.  My menu can take into account the days when I need a quick meal because we have evening plans or days when it would be beneficial to put together a slow cooker meal, such as days when we are out of doors for the majority of the day and it is a joy to come in to the delicious scent of a meal that has practically prepared itself!  You can even benefit nutritionally from planning your meals ahead of time!  If you only buy the necessary ingredients for that weeks menu, you will have less excess in the house and you can go as far as planning on fitting certain nutritional needs into your menu.  I have found this especially helpful with a toddler that gets their nutritional needs met more on a weekly scale rather than a daily one.  And I have found that it is impossible to mindlessly snack when you literally have no random junk food in the house.  Your shopping is more focused, and so your eating is more focused.  You also tend to stick to the plan better, which means you are spending fewer meals simply grabbing something easy.   So you save on money and nutrition!  The benefits are really quite boggling.

You can make your weekly menu as detailed or as simple as you prefer.  I like to try and plan each meal and snack as best I can, because in my busy world it is helpful to have a plan that lays it out for me, especially on the days when I can't think straight and need a piece of paper to tell me what to do next.  I also tend to find myself in less of a bind when I have preplanned snacks on hand and either the schedule changes or my daughter has an off food day.  I know that whatever she decides to eat that day is going to be healthy and that the plan can easily be switched up or adapted to fit our needs in a mere moment.  I can make a meal earlier or later in the week easily, I have all the ingredients already on hand or I can skip a meal entirely and simply move it to the coming weeks lineup in the event we get a last minute meal invite that we just can't pass up or we have to be elsewhere in an emergency.  I feel more flexible because I have a plan, rather than the chaos and frenzy of the weeks when I don't have a plan.

The coming posts will get down to the nuts and bolts of the meal plan, in that I will be sharing my own tired and true recipes that will help in meal planning.  I will also add tips and ideas as they seem fitting.  My hope is that less and less you will find yourself facing the dreaded question of "what to have for dinner tonight."  Happy eating.

Time to Wake!

How often we find ourselves at the end of our day and wonder how we could possibly not remember what we had for breakfast and where the twenty dollar bill we had earlier got to, how often. Frightening really, the times we come to our destination and find ourselves musing about the drive, as we don’t remember a single turn of it. Is it possible that we are missing characters in our own lives? Quite possible, it seems to me. More importantly, how can we replace these vague moments and forgotten turns, with something more lucid and engaging, even ultimately more satisfying? Possibly the best term I can fill the void with is “Conscious Living.”

Conscious Living is a way I remind myself to be a player on the stage of my own life, to live in the moment and savor more of life at every opportunity. Simply choosing to be more aware and conscious of the life we are moving through can have benefits beyond even the awakening experience. As we move into a New Year, symbolically filled with potential and new opportunities, I would challenge any and all to live consciously. Wake in the morning and resolve to pay more attention, act with more purpose, and be accountable in your own existence.

There are so many examples of how Conscious Living can change our little worlds it is hard to know where to start! So many ways we will benefit from the extra thought put into an action or decision, so many ways we could potentially save time, money, even heartache. The most simple and mundane example could be getting behind the wheel. There are studies that indicate that we would have vastly fewer vehicle accidents if we could eliminate even part of distracted driving. Some interesting studies can be found at www.nhtsa.gov, the website for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As individuals how easy would it be to simply choose to be more aware behind the wheel? We could all easily practice more present moment thinking, choose to pull over to use cell phones (there actually was a time when we all survived without them), never eat behind the wheel, leave 5 minutes earlier to eliminate distraction from being late, dress before we leave our homes, and the list could go on and on. What would we benefit from these simple (though difficult for many) acts? On the somewhat insignificant end we might see better traffic flow. Bigger possibilities might include lower car insurance premiums, even if they are only for you as the individual who improves your driving record, but maybe as big as better premiums overall! On the earth moving end of the spectrum, we could lose fewer loved ones as we see fewer accidents on our roadways. This is Conscious Living in action, and all it takes is a simple decision to be present in your own life moments.

There are so many other ways that choosing to live consciously can find us in better places. I hear so many times how people cannot figure out where their money goes. I can tell them exactly where it goes. It goes into the cup of coffee they “had to have today, because today was just ‘one of those days.’” They needed it, but how quickly the moment is forgotten. How quickly the fact that most days are “one of those days” is also forgotten. Then there was the snack that was picked up with the cup of coffee because breakfast was forgotten in the hurry out the door. After that there was the quick bite at noon, because who has time to pack a lunch these days? By the end of the day twenty dollars, and probably more with the convenience of credit and debit cards, has slipped though tired fingers mostly unnoticed. How easy it would be to save a few hard earned dollars if we just thought about each one of those transactions. Simply waking up in the morning and pledging to think about your actions through the day could be an enlightening experience for many and if that enlightenment led to even a few small changes, perhaps it could even be a life changing experience. Maybe more money could be found in the budget when you put a cap on the unconscious spending you do throughout the day.

How many projects would go better if we put just a tiny bit more thought into them? If we simply live in the moment and think about what we are doing. Numerous trips to the store could be avoided, messes and damage lessened, just for a bit of thought and planning. We would probably forget fewer things as we leave our homes and we would probably lose fewer things while we were out! We would probably find that we are capable of very good decisions when we put a little thought into the equation. Our diets might even improve if we live a bit more consciously! We might find ourselves eating something new, rather than simply plodding along in the same rut, because we never think about what is outside of the rut. We might ultimately eliminate that irksome moment in each day when we anguish over what to make for dinner, because we have already given it due thought!

There is even the off chance that you might find life just that little bit more beautiful when you choose Conscious Living. Maybe you will be aware enough of your surroundings to notice the intensely beautiful sunset on your daily commute home. Perhaps you will actually hear the wit blossoming in your young child as you actually pull yourself out of the stupor to listen to what they have to say. You may even find an incredible person staring back at you when you look in the mirror with a new consciousness. We can all be amazing individuals if we only take the time and make the effort, but we must be aware, alive and conscious to really do that!

As you live more consciously you may find that you have more time, because you put some thought into your morning routine, were conscious of the time and your needs. You may find you have more money, because you saw that beautiful sunset and you didn’t need that “pick me up” to get through another day. At the very least you should know where that twenty dollars went! You may find you are more happy, because your interactions are more vivid and real and more meaningful. So many wonderful things are out there just waiting, but only for those aware enough to notice them.

I challenge each person who might read this to just think about what you have read. Just by thinking about it, you have been more conscious even for a moment. Let consciousness become part of your daily life, start to live in a more vivid and clear world. The best part is that Conscious Living won’t cost you anything, all it takes in the power you have inside you already. All it takes is a decision, a decision to bring your world into focus! You might be surprised at the good things you have been overlooking! Live Consciously!

The Act of Being Thankful

As I tie on my apron today, preparing pies and relishes, stuffing and bread, I find myself reflecting on the reason I am doing all of these preparations. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. A holiday that, I think, may be becoming one of our most confused holidays of the year. We all know the story of the "First Thanksgiving." Very few people seem to know of Thanksgiving's later story and what gives the holiday the decided "flavors" it has today. The intended sentiments of the holiday are so simple, yet sadly we have moved so far from these ideals with the inundation of football and Black Friday sales. Where have we gone and what should we seek to regain in this oh so simple day?

Pilgrims and Plymouth Rock aside, Thanksgiving is about so much more than our school days history lesson. The holiday was not even formalized until 1863 at the urging of a most vociferous woman, wife and mother, Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale. Mrs. Hale spent her life extolling the virtues of simple domestic pursuits, championing the institution of family and fostering fierce national pride! While days of thanksgiving had been celebrated throughout the early colonies and states, Mrs. Hale envisioned a greater symbolism for a day of thanks. She quite literally campaigned for a day to bring families together, symbolically uniting our nation as a family of sorts and celebrating the simple act of being thankful.

Whether you are spiritual or not, have a little or a lot, are young or old, man or woman, there is nothing wrong with being thankful. The religious inclinations of our forefathers should not deter any person from taking a moment out of their busy day to find something good about their life and say a little thanks. It doesn't matter if you say those thanks to someone, it is only important that you say them. In fact, for those of you who banter endlessly on my Facebook page about the merits and purposes of Christmas and Halloween and every other day of the year, stop to reflect on the fact that Thanksgiving is simply on the last Thursday of November. Any religious connotations attached to it were and are purely in the heart of the first celebrators and those who still lift up their thanks to God. Reflect on the intent that this should be a day to unify families of all sorts and our greater national family, to find the good in life from the smallest domestic pursuit to the incredible notions as big as faith and freedom! Take a moment to remember what Thanksgiving is not about too! (Even if you are thankful for football and sales!) Take a moment to really revel in the pure simplicity that should be Thanksgiving. Maybe you will even decide to boycott the stores and their Black Friday sales that tear families away from the table and more or less eliminate a day of rest and celebration in the pursuit of profit, fueled by material greed. Perhaps instead you will choose to spend the day with your loved ones, creating memories that can never be bought or sold, silently speaking out for the things you value and believe in.

As we sit down to dinner, I hope more than one will reflect on the innocent joy there is in sharing a meal. How few people, much less families, still share a meal? How much can we gain through this simple act? The connection over a shared meal can be indescribably more fulfilling than any electronic connection we may make throughout a day. I, personally, think love can actually be spread through homemade pumpkin pie! Revel in the satisfaction there is in making something with your own two hands to nourish people you love! The pure and simple nature of Thanksgiving should carry with it no commercial agenda, it should be as religious as you wish to make it, and it should remind us of the simplicity and joy of being with people we cherish. Your family may be your relations or it may be the family you have chosen for yourself. Your thanks may be many, or your thanks may be few. But to be thankful is a great thing. Let Thanksgiving be just that, about simple thanks and simple fellowship. Let us all give thanks and pass the pumpkin pie!

Blooming in the Garden - July 7

What is blooming in the garden this week? Unfortunately, nothing. Today the things growing in the garden we reduced to little green sticks. While we were in desperate need of water (things were frighteningly dry) when it came today it was in the unfortunate form of hail. During the massive hail (with thunder and lighting) storm today we, the 'children' and I, sat helplessly as things were pounded into little green mush and pitiful green sticks by the pea to nickle sized hail.


I guess we will see what recovers over the coming weeks and when in doubt there is always next season!

Blooming in the Garden - June 22nd

In honor of Summer, I am introducing a new addition! During the, admittedly short, growing season, I am going to introduce my blooming friends out in the garden. With the sweet baby, the garden got off to a slow start this year, but we still managed to plant a few things! With the rather dry and cold year it looks like it will be a challenge to make much progress, so let's see how things grow!

This week we have a rose popping open on the rose bush we earlier saved from spider mites. (At least we hope they are gone...) It is a new member of the garden family this year, gifted to us by a friend on Mother's Day at Phoebe's First Tea Party! It smells sweet and spicy, with the prettiest vibrant pink blooms!
We also have chive flowers on the chive plants! The chives are return friends, who were planted last season! I must say chives are so hardy that I might just grow a ton of chives, I mean they taste great on potatoes and even have pretty purple flowers!

Many other things are sprouting, but we will wait for them to get going before we meet them! Now if I can just get the dog to stop eating half the things I plant we might get somewhere with this garden thing! When more things bloom, I will meet you in the garden!

A "Scent-sational" Idea...Sachets!

During our recent move, I discovered an item that may be small and easily overlooked, but is not only charming, it is practically an essential in a new home. This little item is the sachet. While they are not very common in our modern smell loaded world, sachets are wonderfully useful. Unlike all the commercial scented items out there, sachets have a particular nostalgia and elegance about them. Their natural scents are not overpowering, yet effective. They are often dainty, but can easily be manned up for the gentlemen in the house. They really are a little treat!

The sachet actually became useful to me prior to our move. I was concerned that our linen items and clothing left in storage were in danger of being an attractive meal for any sort or vermin or creepy crawly. But I had an inspiration. Knowing that most creepy crawlies are not overly enthused about strong smells, I thought I would give our clothes a good dosing of something smelly. Well, there are always the time tested, yet not so lovely, mothballs. But who really wants to smell like an old mothball anyway? I sure didn’t, but I thought lavender might do the trick and I actually love the soothing scent of lavender. So I went to the herb shop and bought a big bulk bag of lavender buds, whipped up a few mesh bags on my sewing machine and I popped several little flower filled lovelies into my linen and wardrobe boxes. *Note: You too can easily do this! Just buy some bulk lavender and grab some of the little favor bags that most craft stores sell and fill them up!

I am pleased to report no meals were served while our things sat in storage. While I can concede that this may not be fool proof, at the very least my clothes and linens came out of their boxes smelling sweetly of lavender! But the useful little sachet didn’t stop there! I know many people would not think to mind the odors left behind by previous homeowners, but no matter how small, I wish things to smell as I please…not at anyone else pleases. So I quickly stashed my little bundles of lavender buds in the closets and drawers, so that when we put our wardrobes and linens in their new homes they would smell how I wished them to smell. And it is really a delight to open a drawer and find, well smell, a charming little sachet!

Sachets come in all shapes, sizes and smells. Some are very fancy and some are very plain. They all smell like something, but what can be up to you! As I suggested, one of the easiest ways to create your own sachets is to purchase bulk lavender at a natural foods market or herb shop and fill the small favor bags you find at most craft stores. Many shops and catalogs also sell sachets. The possibilities are practically endless.

While many sachets are lavender filled, one can fill sachets with a wide variety of items to please different noses! Gentlemen are not usually too thrilled to go around smelling of flowers, so for the fellows one can fill the little pockets with cedar shavings, pine needles, even sprigs of dried herbs. In fact, the Victorians were very fond of making pine needle pillows, or sachets, during their country holidays so that they could return home with the scent of the forest. Women who are not overly fond of lavender might try dried rose buds or petals, the leaves of scented geraniums, cloves, dried citrus peel, or even wood shavings scented with a favorite essential oil. We must be careful, however, when using certain fillers to be careful of where we place our sachets as oils could leach onto our precious items.

I have both plain mesh bag sachets, as well as delightful little muslin pillows dressed up with lace, ribbons and silk flowers! They are so lovely to come across when I open up a drawer or hat box, that it always brings a smile to my face! And I always use lavender, as it is such a soothing scent! It is not overly strong on my clothes and does not overpower the perfume I choose for the day! It transports me to an era past, a time for gracious living. Just one more of those things Mrs. Merl Must Have!

Special Note: If you are interested in sachets to purchase, I sell the little muslin, lace and silk flower designs on my Etsy page, Trystette! And there is something extra useful about my sachet design! Please have a look and let me know what you think! I am always pleased to receive suggestions!

The Benefit of Rituals

In our modern era we are so caught up in the idea of no rules, no boundaries, nothing is going to slow us down. It has gotten to a point where we seem to believe that if we plan or prepare or seem responsible - we are obviously boring and not having any fun. The reason I believe this to be true, you ask? I have often caught the wrath of others - because I am a planner. I have been criticized - because I am "not spontaneous." Yet, I am pretty darn happy.

Why is this do you suppose? I think I am happy because my life tends to be pretty peaceful. I am happy because I am not in debt. I am happy because I often find the extra time to do the things I want to do. I am happy because...I know the benefit of rituals!

Rituals really help me to improve my life...not slow me down. I know most people will want to balk at this idea. I mean surely, if I do the same things day in and day out, I will be miserable and I will get in "a rut." I have actually been led to believe from so many people I meet that if they were to do the same thing for more than one day they would be giving in, losing out, even committing some sort of crime. Where did we get this type of thinking? I am not sure, but I think culturally we have had a history of celebrating non-conformity. And I think that bucking the system can be a great thing and that rebelling can lead to important revolutions. But at some point we forgot that we should pick our battles. Instead, we adopted the idea of non-conformity so well that it has permeated pretty much every aspect of our daily living. I think it is time for a paradigm shift.

If you have stayed with me to this point, I hope that you are willing to consider a different way of living. One, I think, could prove to be more beneficial than you might at first imagine. Think about it, when we get stressed out what do we do? Grasp at any sort of ritual we can find. Really, we do! We need our bubble bath...with the special bath bubbles, just the right scented candles, the one CD (you know the one...you always pull it out when you need to relax,) and a glass of wine. Just like always. Hmmm, funny when life gets a little shaky...we find peace in our rituals. So why do we forsake them in everyday living, I wonder?

Let's consider embracing some rituals instead. Look at children. Children thrive on structure. Why should we be any different? Incorporating ritual into our homes gives us a sense of peace. It can be the one place we will know what to expect. It will be the one place where we can let our guard down, because there won't be innumerable unexpected "surprises." Coming home will be like finding ourselves in a warm and comfortable embrace.

Take mornings. They are more often than not HECTIC! And why are they hectic? Because the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. There is an entire day ahead that needs to be addressed in the seemingly few moments before we are swept away by the rushing river that is life. Maybe we should just go back to bed. But wait! Morning can be so much more. Let's just add some ritual.

You can call them routines, rituals, or whatever you prefer. Just think about enriching your day with a little serenity! Wouldn't it be better if we started our day gently rather than with a crisis everyday? Here is where we benefit from rituals. And they can be simple. They don't have to take a lot of time. They can be easy to add in. Here are some ideas:

Start your morning the night before.

• Prepare tomorrows breakfast - while you cook tonight's dinner. (Special Extra! *see bottom of column.)
• Pack your lunch for the coming day - during dinner clean up.
• Special Idea: Create a lunch kit - use it everyday, then there will be no guessing. *Look for a future column on this fun indulgence!
• Gather the items you will need for the coming day and put it in a designated spot (I use a specific "work bag.") (This can be a really great way to jog your memory regarding anything you said you would finish during the evening.)
• Lay out your clothes for the next day. (This really adds peace to the morning when you aren't scrambling to figure out what to wear and then hunting down all the pieces.)
• Have everyone in the family adopt these evening rituals.
• Finally, sit down for just a few minutes (with your planner) and review your coming day, making sure you have everything ready so you can have a peaceful morning!

Just imagine how smoothly the morning will seem if you have everything ready to go! You will be able to enjoy your morning rituals even more because you don't have to scurry and try to prepare a full day upon waking. What morning rituals could we adopt to have a great day, I wonder...

Peaceful morning rituals.

• Make the bed upon rising (eliminates the temptation to get back in and you will have a lovely bed to greet you at the end of the day.)
• Make and eat breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day, you might be surprised at how great it makes you feel!
• Have a special something everyday at breakfast. For me it is a cup of hot, black tea in just the right cup. My special treat to start my day right.
• Get ready - this in itself should be a ritual. Seriously, if you do generally the same thing everyday, you are less likely to forget a step or something important. This alone will help you to feel more prepared to face the coming day.
• Tidy Breakfast/Prepare dinner (take out things to thaw, make a list of things to pick up while you are out, etc.) *A weekly menu can make this incredibly simple (look for a future column!)
• Finally, give your day one last moment of consideration, gather your lunch and goods for the day. You are ready to face the challenges ahead!

These are just a few ways to incorporate rituals into your everyday. Imagine not feeling rushed, not feeling unprepared. Imagine feeling "together," ready, and calm. Many of these things seem like they would take over your life, but you might be surprised by how little time they actually take, especially after you get used to your new system. If you don't believe me grab a timer and find out exactly how long it takes! (Timers are one of my favorite tools - check them out in Mrs. Merl's Must Haves!) And the results are so very rewarding. You might be surprised too at how much more time you find in your day, when you aren't wasting time catching up with life. Time to do something spontaneous even! You might find that you even have a few extra bucks in your budget. Don't believe me? Consider this. If you have time for breakfast, you might not spend those dollars on that snack when you feel like you hit the wall mid-morning. If you treat yourself to that morning treat, maybe you won't be tempted by the coffee stop on the way to work. And lunch is far cheaper packed at home than bought out! And more, if you already have dinner planned, prepped and waiting, you won't panic and spend the extra cash to grab takeout on the way home. And these are just a few of the benefits of rituals. It makes planning and being prepared seem a lot less "not fun!" Find a more beautiful life with The Benefit of Rituals!


*Look for more ideas on rituals you might want to add to your life, coming soon here!


Special Extra!

Breakfast doesn't have to be extravagant during the week. Simple eggs and toast don't take long to make and you will feel so much better having had breakfast! Other quick breakfast ideas include:

Yogurt, Granola and Fruit Parfait! (Get fun glasses to layer in!) This can be entirely prepped the night before (cutting fruit, spooning layers into the cup) and the granola will digest easier after being "soaked" with the yogurt overnight! If you want crunchy yogurt - you can always just prep the fruit and then mix in a bowl in the morning!

Porridge or Oatmeal Soak regular oatmeal, steel cut oats or any porridge overnight and it cooks in minutes in the morning! Add in yummy fruit preserves, honey, maple syrup, dried fruit, peanut butter, whatever you like and you have a simple and hearty breakfast!

Oven French Toast Buy a french bread, slice, layer in a greased pan, whisk up an egg mixture, pour over and refrigerate. In the morning pop in the oven while you get ready and when you are done you will have a yummy, hot breakfast just waiting to serve up! Add seasonal fruit to your pan and suddenly you have fruit french toast! It doesn't get better or easier than that!

Breakfast Burritos I know these seem labor intense. But the trick is to pre-make these! Make a big batch of breakfast burritos, wrap in tin foil, place in a plastic container and freeze! The night before you want breakfast burritos take a few out to thaw in the refrigerator. Then in the morning pop them in the oven to heat while you get ready. Dress these up with salsa, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, whatever you like! (These even travel well - just wrap them up in a towel and put them in an insulated lunch container. Breakfast to go. But I recommend eating at the table as often as possible - you deserve it!)

With a little imagination, a little preparation, and a good set of daily rituals breakfast can be a joy - not a bother. So sit down and have a little breakfast, you will love it and feel great!

Creating a Chore Schedule

Our lives are busy. No matter what kind of life you lead, it is busy. Because we are so busy, many things are left undone and even forgotten. And yet, eventually, these undone and forgotten things affect us. When the house becomes unmanageable and we find ourselves with even less time due to the chaos, many of us probably wish for an answer. I think a great place to start is with a Chore Schedule.

When both my husband and I were working full time it seemed like things just got the better of us. It got to where the bathroom could have been entered in a science fair, the kitchen table had to be unearthed to even consider eating a meal there and sometimes we had to wear really random outfits since there were no clean clothes to be found. It was a bad situation in itself, but it got to the point of causing me so much stress I thought I was going to make myself ill. In came the Chore Schedule.

Creating a Chore Schedule is a very personal project. However, with a little bit of guidance you can feel more confident in your efforts and have a better functioning chore schedule from the get go. It might take a few weeks to really lock it in, but here is where to start.

Start
Get out a few pieces of paper. Sit down and prepare to brain storm.

Think about what bothers you most when things get out of hand - write those down.
Think about the chores you hate doing the most - write those down.
Think about the areas you do keep up with and aren't hard - write those down.
Think about every chore you think needs to be done, no matter how often - write those down.

Next
Look at your list.

Pick out the items that you feel must be done every day.
For example no matter what my everyday chores include:
Clearing the dining room table
Doing the dishes
Making the bed

Think about your week.
If you need, actually write out a time schedule of your typical week. Make note of days that have a little extra time and days that are really short on time.

Prioritize your list of chores.
Recopy the most important chores down through the less important chores.
For example I prioritize:
Cleaning the Bathrooms
Vacuuming the Floor
Doing Laundry
Cleaning the Kitchen

Compare your list of chores to the time slots in your week.
Fit the most important chores in first making sure to put the ones you know take more time in the larger time slots. The larger time slots should also be given to the chores you hate, so you are less likely to put them off due to time. Here is an example of the chores schedule we used when we were working:

Example Schedule
Everyday - Make Bed (when you get up), Clear Table/Do Dishes (after each meal.)
Monday - Clean Bathroom (including flooring)
Tuesday - Vacuum and Laundry (note: put in laundry first, so it can wash while you vacuum.)
Wednesday - Clean Kitchen (clean counters, sink, floor)
Grocery Trip (clear out refrigerator/pantry as you put groceries away.)
Thursday - Clean Living Room/Family Room (dust, clear furniture, put stuff away)
You can add an extra Laundry Day in here.
Friday - Odd Chores and Quick Vacuum.

Some special notes about this Chore Schedule example:

Notice there are no chores on the weekend. I reserve weekends for big projects (like cleaning cars) and fun time. I never ever like having to tell friends that I can't join them because I have chores to do. But you can put chores into the weekend if you absolutely cannot find time otherwise.

Also, I like to have my laundry loads spread out. It is easier on the machine and it makes it seem like a much less daunting task if you spread it out. Also, I like to have my second laundry day include my by weekly washing items such as towels and sheets.

Wednesday happened to be a day we had more time than others so we added in going to the grocery. And tidying your pantry and refrigerator as you go is just good use of time.

I added an extra vacuuming so that the floor would be clean for weekend visitors.

Option
Another way you can set up a chore schedule is to break things into rooms or areas. Instead of picking important chores, you could pick important areas. Such as prioritizing the rooms company sees and so on from there.

Example Schedule

Everyday - Make Bed (when you get up), Clear Table/Do Dishes (after each meal.)
Monday - Clean Living Room and Dining Room
Tuesday - Clean Bathrooms and Entry
Wednesday - Clean Kitchen
Thursday - Clean Bedrooms
Friday - Clean Odd Areas and Sweep Walkways.

By the end of the week, you will have a pretty clean house.

You could also reverse this schedule to clean the more private areas early in the week and the more public areas later - that way if you entertain on the weekend those areas are fresh and ready to go.

Try out your schedule.
I like to give my schedule a test period of at least your first week. You may find somethings need to be shuffled or prioritized differently. You may also want to make notes as to areas that you missed and need to be included and even ideas to make you chores more efficient.

As a last step, break down responsibilities Note them on your final schedule. We don't want any confusion about who does what.

Post your schedule on your refrigerator (or where you will see it everyday - even if it is on the bathroom mirror!)

Suggestions:

• Put a sticky note up with your Chore Schedule to record odd chores to be done, new ideas, etc.
• Use a simple timer to see how long each chore takes. This can help you schedule it and you may be surprised at how little time some things take.
  
• Use a timer to set an allotted amount of time for each chore and do as much in that time as you can.
  
• Remember, doing anything is better than doing nothing.

MOST IMPORTANT

DO YOUR CHORE SCHEDULE!

You will be surprised at how quick chores get if you keep up with them. Even if you can only fit in part of your schedule do it! You will not be as behind if you get at least something done and you will feel better!

Final Example Schedule

This is the current schedule I use and it is based on a bed and breakfast lifestyle. It is for people who are really serious neat freaks or have a little more time on their hands.

Everyday

Dining
Clear dining room table
Clean table, chairs and other surfaces
Dust and clean windows
Vacuum

Common Areas (sitting room, living room, entry)
Put things out of place away
Dust
Clean windows
Vacuum furniture
Vacuum floor

Bedrooms/Bathrooms
Make or change bed
Put odd things away
Dust
Clean windows
Vacuum

Clean shower (start with glass)
Put odd things away
Clear out trash cans
Wipe down sink/vanity
Wipe and sanitize toilet
Dust
Clean windows
Clean floor

Start Laundry

Kitchen
Clean out leftovers, tidy refrigerator, make new leftovers
Clean Cabinets and Stove Hood
Wipe down Stove/Oven
Clean counters
Do dishes (if you have a dishwasher you can put dishes in first to cycle while you work)
Clean sink
Take out trash/recyclables
Clean floors
Put clean dishes away

Outdoors
Tidy outdoor areas
Sweep decks
Sweep walks

Finish Laundry
Fold
Put Away

Special
Clean halls/passages as you move from area to area

You will have a perfectly clean home everyday and you can add in special chores in each day (like attics or deep cleaning areas.)

I actually apply a modified version of this most days, as all of these things do not need to be done everyday in your personal home. And I don't have enough laundry to merit doing it everyday.

So there you have it. A few ways to start your Chore Schedule. Be creative with your time, be flexible and try to make it the best for you. Check back for more blogs on using your time to the fullest and finding time where you didn't think there was any!

*If you really feel you can't create a chore schedule on your own, contact me. Chore schedules are one of the services I offer through Organizare. I am happy to consult and for a fee I will put your very own schedule together for you! Mention this blog and I will give you a discount!

Resolve to make Goals

Resolutions: easily made, easily broken it seems. So many people have such good intentions as the year changes anew. Yet, so often these good intentions are quickly forgotten and so we find ourselves playing out the same scenes as we have for so many years prior. Quite a cycle we get ourselves into...

I have never been one to make "resolutions." I am, instead, a person who lives by goals. Short term goals that support long term goals that blossom into long term achievements. I often tell people that projects and problems are like eating a hamburger, you gotta do it one bite at a time. We all can imagine what it would be like to try to eat a hamburger in one big bite. Which is probably why we choke on projects and problems. So I try very hard to look at all aspects of life with my hamburger in mind. Each project and problem - my hamburger - each small goal - a bite! Make a plan of bites (and not one out of the middle - because that doesn't work too well either) and getting chomping!

Here is an example of a recent problem I had and how I turned it into one tasty experience. I sometimes get overwhelmed by life, living and the other people in my life. We all do. So, the house had become a nightmare of piles, problems and unfinished projects. Not to mention getting chores done. I knew I needed a plan - and I knew I couldn't get it all done in one fell swoop. My plan would happen in stages - or bites. It went like this:

First, I cleaned up just the dining room table. Yep, just that.

The catch was that it now had to stay clean. (This is of course is usually the hard part.) Everyday, it had to be cleared and wiped down after each meal. It also had to not collect any items, no piles. Each thing that showed up on the table had to be put away where it belongs. And I kept at this goal each day.

Second, I added into the routine two "Must Do Rules."

Everyday I make the bed. And after every meal I do the dishes. There you have the two rules and they aren't even too hard. Now I had a clear space (they help with clear minds) and I had a tidy bed and no dirty dishes. I already felt better.

Then the progression began. I started in one room and cleaned it entirely. Putting each item out of its' place back into its' place. Dusting, clearing, vacuuming. Each day I did one room, making sure I kept the table clean, the bed made and the dishes washed. It really wasn't too taxing at all. Again, the hard part was making the goal to tidy the newly cleaned room each day. Keep it clean and clear!!!

I progressed from room to room. Sometimes breaking rooms down into multiple sections, so I didn't feel overwhelmed. But always making the goal to keep each newly cleaned room tidy. Honestly, if you simply make the conscious decision to not leave things out of place and to give things a regular once over it really isn't hard to keep up. Try it!

Finally, I got through every room and when I was done...

I had an entirely clean house. I had kept all the "done" rooms tidy and so when all was finished there were no messes left behind. And the most exciting part of it all. Now I spend just a short bit of time putting just a couple items away each day, follow my brief chore schedule (a blog on this coming soon!), and I have a clean and comfortable house with almost no effort! It is such a great feeling! Keeping on top of things takes almost no effort at all, especially compared to trying to clean the huge mess left if you don't make that little bit of effort. It is completely self-rewarding!!! Start small, work small and see yourself through to a huge achievement.

Joy of Glass Pitchers

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Current mood: thirsty How often we over complicate, well everything. When everyday begins to overwhelm, I find myself seeking out the simple and pure. One of the most simple joys I have in life is a plain glass pitcher. I love to pull it out of the cabinet and fill it with cool, clear water. I slice just a few very thin rings of lemon. Rings always seem so much more pleasing and make the lemon seem so much more thoughtful. I float these upon the water so that they add a little excitement to the clarity of the glass and water. If I have a schedule for the day, I put my pitcher in the very front of the refrigerator, so that as soon as I open the door I will see my cool, clear water waiting for me. To pour a refreshing glass to sip and reflect upon the activities of the day. If, instead, it is a lovely day with no hurry, I like to set my pitcher on the empty kitchen table, with the sunlight beaming behind and place a clear glass along side. Ever ready for the moment I choose to taste the clarity held within. Live a beautiful life.

Finding Inspiration.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Current mood: hopeful Some days it is hard to find the inspiration. Some days it is hard to feel like there is a purpose. Some days just feel like they "aren't yours." Why do we have these kind of days? Why do we feel like we are so insignificant? Why indeed. When I feel this way - I really wish I didn't. But I have found numerous ways to change my mood or at least get to the next day without having to resort to the pills so many people are fond of these days. I think one of the keys is to simplify. Let yourself have a day where you stick just the necessities. I am not saying don't get anything done, but don't add extra into the mix. Maybe even take some time to literally gather your priorities. Make a hot beverage of your choice (I don't do coffee - but that it because it can add to the agitation instead of help it - but to each his own) and get a paper and pen (maybe even your favorite one.) Then sit down in a place that is inviting, comfortable (but functional - armchairs are not conducive to writing) and free of clutter (even if you have to just chuck it somewhere out of sight.) I try to keep places ready for just this purpose (even if it is just one place that you issue verbal threats to people who clutter it up.) This area alone can be therapeutic in its own right. Then take a moment, breath deeply and let go. After a few moments of thinking of absolutely nothing in particular, start writing. Everyone gathers their thoughts differently - just start. Think of the one most important thing in your life - don't add to this thought - just the one most important thing. Write it down. Think of the top things (no more that five) you literally cannot survive without. I am not talking about cell phones or cable TV. I mean really survive. I mean food, water, shelter, your husband, your children. What if society as we know it collapsed tomorrow? What do you need? Write these and only these. Now sit back and think. In your day what do you absolutely have to do to obtain these. Just the very bare basics of what you need to do. NO DETAILS. Just "obtain money," "get food," etc. Very basic. Then maybe you should stick to just these things for at least the day, maybe even a week or longer. Take some time to "just get by." Say no to invitations. Say no to the volunteer needs at your kids school. Say no to yourself when you think "I can get that done too." Just say no to the "extras." Live simply. But do the things on your list well. They are just basic, so you can achieve them without a lot of effort. Just let go of the extras. Just let go. It is usually the "extra" in life that gets us down. I like to be busy and do a lot of things and that is not bad, but sometimes it is too much. It is energizing to pare away the extra once in a while and just focus on the basics and doing them well. It still get stuff done. I still have a sense of accomplishment. I still have purpose. But - I can handle it. It is like starting over without starting from scratch. It is a way of getting "a break" without the "break down." It is like a breath of fresh air. It is good. Live simply. Live well.

Holidays...

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Current mood: contemplative As the holidays are upon us, I would like to send everyone warm greetings. I would also like to admonish everyone to remember why we celebrate this time of year. I don't care what religion you are or are not, what country you are from or whether you are rich or poor. This is a season of fellowship, friendship and family. It is most poignant this year, for me, as this year I am very monetarily poor. But I don't feel poor. In fact, I feel more seasonally inspired than other years. Perhaps this is because I have nothing to focus on but the friendship and family - this year all I can give is fellowship. This year it will not be about the presents. This year I will focus on the friends I can keep in touch with, the family I can spend a moment with - the time I can share. Isn't that really the best gift we can give? I will go out each day and greet strangers with a smile and a kind word. I will stand in holidays lines at the post office and grocery with patience. I will send greetings to far away friends with sincerity. I will try to visit those who cannot come and visit me. I will find the time to sit down and listen to my family share their joys and sorrows. I will give what I have to give. I will give my time, myself. And it just might be the best Christmas yet.

First Snow

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Current mood: creative Category: Life Last night we were all surprised by the snow that fell while we weren't looking! This morning we woke up to a bit more than initially expected! This was our first snow. Most people wake up to snow and the grumbling starts. "Gotta find those darn snow boots" and "where's that winter coat..." Then there is the inevitable snow sweeping or ice scrapping. Grumble, grumble. To top it all off, this time of year it will simply cause mud by mid-day and then where are we at? Grumble. But, just for today stop. Just for today take a moment to look at the pristine white canvas, look at the fresh and crisp landscape. Gaze at the leaves, still yellow on the trees, warming small patches in the view out your window. For a moment clear your mind, as clear as the blanket of snow before you. As you step out the door breath in the cold, crisp air - like nothing you experience any other time of year. Let the chill awaken your senses and start the day off on a clear and crisp note. Hold onto this feeling and make a space for it in your sensual memory. Even though, perhaps, you are not a skier waiting breathlessly for every flake to fall or a youngster hoping for a chance to build snowmen and throw snowballs, you can hold onto this feeling and enjoy the snow just a little more when you wake up to that peaceful blanket of white on some crisp morning in the winters ahead.

Living a Beautiful Life

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Current mood: cheerful Category: Life Everyday of our lives we are bombarded with negativity. This makes me sad and disappointed. Believe me, I know that everyday is not wine and roses and that sometimes we have to let our opinions be known (lest we be trod to death by the ill-mannered, less than compassionate fools around us.) Yeah, I get the trials of life - they are there. Yet, I think that negativity is a suffocating cycle that many of us are stuck in. It self perpetuates, because being negative seems to be easier. Eventually, everything is consumed by that cloud of darkness and everything we see, feel or encounter is shadowed with that darkness. Life sucks (to use the vernacular!) Wait...life doesn't really suck or at least it doesn't have to. But we have to want to be different, to have a higher standard for ourselves. I have made a promise to bring light into my life and hopefully into the lives of others. I hope to perpetuate a better cycle - a positive cycle. I like to think of each day as an opportunity. A chance to live what I like to call a "beautiful life." I want to take each day as a chance to do something that makes my life and the lives of those around me better in some small way. A beautiful life does not mean that you have to change everything you do in a day or that you have to go around like some fanatic seeing everything through rose colored glasses. It is about small changes and actions. I think it is important to start with oneself. We must get to know ourselves better, to know some important things. Things like what is really important to us, what truly makes us happy, what helps us relax, where we find solace and peace in our daily lives, how we smile, where we laugh. If you really start to listen to yourself you may be surprised. So often in life we let society project what it deems important on our characters and eventually we hardly know ourselves, unique is just a word. Just for a minute try to block the "marketing" out. Feel who you are inside. Practice. Try to see situations with your own clear eyes. See yourself. Know. Often when we strip away the "marketing" we find that we are a much simpler person. A person with fewer actual needs, deeper desires, imagination, passion, energy - A Spark! Life can be so much more simple than we ever imagined before...if we let it. And yet complicated enough to be interesting. You may find challenges that excite you and rewards that you can't resist. Pursue the passion in your life. However simple it may be. Try each day to bring joy into your own life. Even if it is brief (it will grow!) Then something interesting could happen. When we learn, again, how to live a more beautiful life, it becomes contagious. You will rub off on those you meet everyday without even trying. And you might be surprised how joy can be returned. You know the saying about flies and honey...it might just be true! Don't get down when you encounter those people still living a less than beautiful life. They are still going to be out there. Just let it be. Life is so much simpler than they imagine and you know it. I hope to share ways that I live a beautiful life and maybe help others find inspiration to live a beautiful life of their own. If you are interested - read my blogs - if not that is okay too! Have a beautiful day!

Laundry Hanging Time

This was the first week warm enough up here in the hills to hang out laundry! And so I did!

I love to hang out laundry! It is such a calming sort of thing to do. I feel good just getting outside for part of my chores. I really feel good when I think about using less energy and doing my small part to make it a better world. I am thankful that I live in a place clean enough to hang out my laundry. And I am glad that the neighborhood doesn't have silly rules against such things.

I even really enjoy using clothes pins. They are such silly little things that we usually take for granted. I mean, through life how often do we find clothes pins in odd places or use them for funny things like holding chip bags closed. Though, I must say - they do a much better job than most of those chip bag specific clips! I like the good old fashioned wood ones, especially after you have used them so many times that they get that smooth feel to them. I also love when you find the cute little, crafty bags people have made or received to hold their clothes pins in on the line. Such a throw back to a time gone by, hanging clothes on the line.

It tickles me happy when I am walking somewhere and I see where someone else still chooses to hang out their clothes. I feel like they are probably someone I could get along with, a kindred spirit. Even if we may never meet. I know many people are unable to hang out clothes due to silly HOA rules or sadly the level of pollution. I am truly sorry they don't have the opportunity to enjoy laundry dried by the breeze and warmed in the sunshine. It is truly and peaceful smell.

Some environmental thoughts for the day. Hang drying your laundry uses less energy. You don't even have to have a clothes line - there are many wonderful folding laundry-hanging units on the market! You don't even have to have an outside! You can set up a folding unit in your house!! And finally, you may be able to use fewer nasty chemicals - UV is great for killing groady stuff and for getting your whites whiter! Just don't leave your laundry out toooooo long!! And best of all you cannot beat the smell of line dried laundry, no matter what the scent of your detergent! Happy laundry hanging season!