I have a full week's worth of ideas for fast and frugal dinners using my meatballs.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Empty frozen pack of meatballs into heating spaghetti sauce. (I don't tend to heat (canned) spaghetti sauce very long or at very high temperatures, so I usually microwave the meatballs in the opened bag for 2 minutes before placing the meatballs into the sauce.)
Meatball Minestrone
This truly doesn't even need a recipe, consider it a suggestion.
Combine like amounts of water and beef broth in stockpot. Bring to boil, add favorite pasta (I frequently use spaghetti that has been broken into short pieces but it would be fun to use shaped pasta, as well) when about 5 minuted remains on pasta cook-time, add favorite frozen vegetables, when water returns to a boil, add a pack of meatballs. Feel free to add additional seasonings to taste.
BBQ Meatball Sandwiches
I love to use my crock pot for cooking. Usually, I'm running late for work and need something super fast to throw together. This is a family favorite!
Prep crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Dump in a couple packages of frozen meatballs, mix your favorite BBQ sauce with a small amount of water, pour over meatballs.
Cook on low for 4 hours.
Place on favorite bun and top with favorite cheese.
Meatball Grinders
Same as above, but use spaghetti sauce instead.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Place meatballs in microwave-safe container. Heat (covered) for a minute ot two, then turn meatballs and heat another minute or two if necessary (you know the power of your microwave best, it aslo depends how many meatballs you are preparing at once). Add sweet and sour sauce, heat additional 45 seconds.
Arrange creatively on a plate, then spear meatballs with a toothpick and serve as appetizers, or
to prepare as a meal, cook oriental-mix vegetables seperately, combine with meatballs, add sweet and sour sauce, microwave for additional minute, then serve with rice.
Swedish Meatballs
It might be kind of a cheat, but I'm going to mention my Swedish Meatball recipe again.
No drippings? Heat meatballs for 2 minutes in microwave (they don't have to be heated all the way through). To skillet, add about 2 TBSP. of vegetable oil, mash a (thawed) meatball or two into hot oil then follow the recipe as I have listed, I generally make this with two to three frozen packs of meatballs.
Meatball Stroganoff
Heat meatballs. In oiled or sprayed skillet, mix 1 can cream of mushroom soup with 1/2 cup sour cream, add small can (or freshly sliced, if preferred) mushrooms. Add meatballs and stir frequently until mixture is heated through. Serve over cooked noodles, rice, or baked potatoes.
(If you don't care for mushrooms, they can be omitted and you can substitute cream of celery soup).
Cheesy Broccoli Meatballs
Heat meatballs. Cook broccoli until fork-tender. Combine in soup pan or microwave-safe container. Pour can of cream of cheese soup over mixture, stir. Heat evenly. Serve over cooked noodles, rice, or baked potatoes.
There you have it, eight easy meals. Lots more possibilities exist. Clearly, you wouldn't want to make all eight meals in a row, as there are similarities (spaghetti and meatballs, marinara meatball grinders, etc.) But I hope I gave you some ideas. Some I've never tried (cheesy broccoli meatballs and meatballs stroganoff), so you may need to adjust thickness by adding milk, but you have a basic starting point. So go on, eat some meatballs!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Favorite Meatball Recipe!
I'm going to share my secret meatball recipe. It's versatile and delicious and it's the cornerstone of many different meals.
Theola's Meatballs
(units per 1 lb of hamburger)
Hamburger
1 c. bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 c. milk
1/4 c. minced onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 clove garlic
1/8 tsp. italian seasoning
few shakes Lawry's seasoning
Mix ingredients and shape into balls. Brown in approx. 2 TBSP. of oil until cooked through.
Which brings us to another recipe. I always make this on "meatball day".
Theola's Swedish Meatballs
Remove meatballs from skillet, reduce heat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, prepare baking dish for cooking.
To skillet drippings add:
2 TBSP. flour and stir to form a bubbly "paste" (roux)
Slowly stir in:
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1/2 c. milk or light cream
Stir frequently. Add salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg to taste. Bring to a gentle boil and stir constantly, gravy will thicken within 1-2 minutes. Consider it done when the gravy clings to the back of a spoon without dripping.
Place meatballs in baking dish, cover with gravy then bake for 30-40 minutes.
Excellent served over rice, potatoes or egg noodles!
My favorite recipe! However, when I make meatball, I make them in bulk. I don't make 1 pound, I make 5-6 pounds at a time. With that in mind, I have discovered a time saving alternative:
turn heat up on skillet, brown outsides then place into prepped baking dish. Once all meatballs are browned, place baking dish into 350 degree oven and bake for approx. 20 minutes and check for doneness. (Cut in half, is it pink or brown?)
(I know it still doesn't save tons of time, but I've found I can generally clean the kitchen in the time I would have been standing over the meatballs while they cooked in the skillet, just DON'T wash the skillet until after making the gravy!)
Saving out just enough for supper, I count the meatballs out into plastic bags and freeze. I have found that about 14-16 walnut-sized meatballs works well for my family's spaghetti dinners; if a recipe needs more meatballs, I grab two bags instead of one.
Theola's Meatballs
(units per 1 lb of hamburger)
Hamburger
1 c. bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 c. milk
1/4 c. minced onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 clove garlic
1/8 tsp. italian seasoning
few shakes Lawry's seasoning
Mix ingredients and shape into balls. Brown in approx. 2 TBSP. of oil until cooked through.
Which brings us to another recipe. I always make this on "meatball day".
Theola's Swedish Meatballs
Remove meatballs from skillet, reduce heat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, prepare baking dish for cooking.
To skillet drippings add:
2 TBSP. flour and stir to form a bubbly "paste" (roux)
Slowly stir in:
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1/2 c. milk or light cream
Stir frequently. Add salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg to taste. Bring to a gentle boil and stir constantly, gravy will thicken within 1-2 minutes. Consider it done when the gravy clings to the back of a spoon without dripping.
Place meatballs in baking dish, cover with gravy then bake for 30-40 minutes.
Excellent served over rice, potatoes or egg noodles!
My favorite recipe! However, when I make meatball, I make them in bulk. I don't make 1 pound, I make 5-6 pounds at a time. With that in mind, I have discovered a time saving alternative:
turn heat up on skillet, brown outsides then place into prepped baking dish. Once all meatballs are browned, place baking dish into 350 degree oven and bake for approx. 20 minutes and check for doneness. (Cut in half, is it pink or brown?)
(I know it still doesn't save tons of time, but I've found I can generally clean the kitchen in the time I would have been standing over the meatballs while they cooked in the skillet, just DON'T wash the skillet until after making the gravy!)
Saving out just enough for supper, I count the meatballs out into plastic bags and freeze. I have found that about 14-16 walnut-sized meatballs works well for my family's spaghetti dinners; if a recipe needs more meatballs, I grab two bags instead of one.
Monday, September 22, 2008
A Little Greener
Lately I've been more focused on the environment. I'm far from being a tree hugger and I'm certainly not an activist (although there is nothing wrong with either), but I'm concerned and trying to be more responsible.
Raised in a farming family, I've always been conscious of the earth; especially the soil and the water. Small family farmers generally have a very logical approach- if you contaminate soil, crops won't grow; if you contaminate the water, animals die. The use of pesticides and/or fertilizers are carefully considered; what will have the best results with the least negative impact.
Being from Iowa (a 5-cent deposit state) I have always recycled my aluminum cans. When my husband and I moved to Kansas, we discovered that our city had recycle service. As we already saved our cans (to bring in to our local metals recycling facility, where I am the office manager) it took very little effort to set-up a second bin for plastic and glass. Paper and cardboard went into the largest cardboard box we had available and it's been no problem to keep it going throughout the years. Our children have no problem with it (sometimes our three year-old gets confused, but big sister helps him out). They are going to grow up to recycle because it is just going to be habit. I actually feel taken aback when I visit someone's house and see aluminum and plastics in their trash; I want to lecture them. I don't even see recycling as "green", it's just responsible and it saves the community money*; it makes sense.
Almost out of the blue, a number of things have STOPPED making sense to me.
1. I got frustrated with disposable diapers. They cause so much waste, are so expensive and contain stuff that I really don't want next to my baby's skin: wood pulp and chemicals. Remembering the cloth diapers and rubber pants my mom used on my three half-sisters at home, I really didn't think I had an alternative.
2. Every time I go to the grocery store, I cringe when I realize I'm going to have to choose between paper and plastic. I really don't care to use either. Plastic is less inclined to tear, but I always feel slightly sick when I look at the empty bags and wonder how long it will take for them to break down.
Somewhere along the line, I had an epiphany; if something makes me feel guilty or ashamed, don't do it because it's not the right choice for me.
So following that line of thinking I:
1. started using cloth diapers at home. The new options are a lot cooler than you would imagine. They are so not my mom's cloth diapers!
2. am in the process of making a few market bags. It will give me a fun way to show off my creative sewing abilities and ease my conscience in the check-out lane.
I'm still not an environmentalist, but I believe I'm just a little greener than I used to be.
What about you? Are you green? Are there any small changes you could make? Are there changes you have made that you would like to share? Weigh in, people!
* The city is charged the landfill's tipping fee for all of the refuse brought to the landfill. Recycles are brought in separate loads, the tipping is free. Prisoners from the area correctional facility sort out the material for recycling and the solid waste facility is able to sell the material to processors. This not only keeps many tons of trash out of our landfill, it also helps to keep the city's trash fees lower as less refuse=lower utility costs.
Raised in a farming family, I've always been conscious of the earth; especially the soil and the water. Small family farmers generally have a very logical approach- if you contaminate soil, crops won't grow; if you contaminate the water, animals die. The use of pesticides and/or fertilizers are carefully considered; what will have the best results with the least negative impact.
Being from Iowa (a 5-cent deposit state) I have always recycled my aluminum cans. When my husband and I moved to Kansas, we discovered that our city had recycle service. As we already saved our cans (to bring in to our local metals recycling facility, where I am the office manager) it took very little effort to set-up a second bin for plastic and glass. Paper and cardboard went into the largest cardboard box we had available and it's been no problem to keep it going throughout the years. Our children have no problem with it (sometimes our three year-old gets confused, but big sister helps him out). They are going to grow up to recycle because it is just going to be habit. I actually feel taken aback when I visit someone's house and see aluminum and plastics in their trash; I want to lecture them. I don't even see recycling as "green", it's just responsible and it saves the community money*; it makes sense.
Almost out of the blue, a number of things have STOPPED making sense to me.
1. I got frustrated with disposable diapers. They cause so much waste, are so expensive and contain stuff that I really don't want next to my baby's skin: wood pulp and chemicals. Remembering the cloth diapers and rubber pants my mom used on my three half-sisters at home, I really didn't think I had an alternative.
2. Every time I go to the grocery store, I cringe when I realize I'm going to have to choose between paper and plastic. I really don't care to use either. Plastic is less inclined to tear, but I always feel slightly sick when I look at the empty bags and wonder how long it will take for them to break down.
Somewhere along the line, I had an epiphany; if something makes me feel guilty or ashamed, don't do it because it's not the right choice for me.
So following that line of thinking I:
1. started using cloth diapers at home. The new options are a lot cooler than you would imagine. They are so not my mom's cloth diapers!
2. am in the process of making a few market bags. It will give me a fun way to show off my creative sewing abilities and ease my conscience in the check-out lane.
I'm still not an environmentalist, but I believe I'm just a little greener than I used to be.
What about you? Are you green? Are there any small changes you could make? Are there changes you have made that you would like to share? Weigh in, people!
* The city is charged the landfill's tipping fee for all of the refuse brought to the landfill. Recycles are brought in separate loads, the tipping is free. Prisoners from the area correctional facility sort out the material for recycling and the solid waste facility is able to sell the material to processors. This not only keeps many tons of trash out of our landfill, it also helps to keep the city's trash fees lower as less refuse=lower utility costs.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Cloth Diapering Version 2.0
Theola has already spoken of her experience with cloth diapers. She's been at it for a few weeks already, using prefolds and covers.
Me, I intend to cloth diaper when Baby gets here in December, and I'm already collecting a stash. For my first experience with diapers at all, I've decided to go with a more expensive, but hopefully easier route of using pocket diapers, or All-In-Twos (which are the same as All-In-Ones, but with an optional insert). What's more, I'm being very picky about it and getting only One Size diapers, preferrably with snaps rather than Velcro.
The difficulty of all of this is that, well, by setting such restrictions on myself, I'm drastically limiting my options. Even worse, I'm buying all of this before Baby gets here, so it may turn out that the diapers I get don't fit her, or don't work very well for her, or leak, or perhaps she just won't like them. That's the risk I'm taking. Considering all of this, the plan is to collect a variety of types rather than just a bunch of one type. And since I'm still researching what's available, I'm continually finding more that I want to try.
Right now I only have 12 bumGenius 3.0 diapers. And I'm going to have to get at least 4 more, because they just came out with 4 new colors. It's a start.
I've also decided to go with cloth wipes, because 1) if I'm already doing the laundry, I might as well throw in the wipes with the diapers, and 2) disposable wipes are never substantial enough for me to do anything with, so I just know I'll end up making a mess, and no one wants that. So far I've got 12 bumGenius Flannel baby wipes.
Just as a note: I ordered the bumGenius diapers and wipes from Cotton Babies. I placed the order on Monday morning, and they were at my house by Wednesday evening. Front what I've seen, prices on cloth diapers are fairly close everywhere you go, so there's no real deal anywhere (unless you buy used, which I'm not at the time), and Cotton Babies has pretty good package deals, and free shipping on orders over $75. They also sent me a detailed email about how to care for my new cloth diapers, which is good, because they do require special care, and I need all the help I can get. In other words, Cotton Babies gets a thumbs up from me.
Other diapers I want to try out include Rump-a-rooz®, which look fabulous to me mostly because of the double gusset, the option of either snaps or Velcro, and the option to upgrade the inserts to hemp fiber; Blueberry(TM) One Size Deluxe snap diapers, and a few of their Minky counterparts; and BumWear One Size pocket diapers, which have some adorable prints and colors available. There may be others that I try as I find them, and I definitely want to try at least some hemp product at some point.
My plan is to have about 30 diapers and at least as many wipes by December. I figure I'll end up buying a few more after seeing what works best for my baby, and I'll be sure to post reviews as I go.
Me, I intend to cloth diaper when Baby gets here in December, and I'm already collecting a stash. For my first experience with diapers at all, I've decided to go with a more expensive, but hopefully easier route of using pocket diapers, or All-In-Twos (which are the same as All-In-Ones, but with an optional insert). What's more, I'm being very picky about it and getting only One Size diapers, preferrably with snaps rather than Velcro.
The difficulty of all of this is that, well, by setting such restrictions on myself, I'm drastically limiting my options. Even worse, I'm buying all of this before Baby gets here, so it may turn out that the diapers I get don't fit her, or don't work very well for her, or leak, or perhaps she just won't like them. That's the risk I'm taking. Considering all of this, the plan is to collect a variety of types rather than just a bunch of one type. And since I'm still researching what's available, I'm continually finding more that I want to try.
Right now I only have 12 bumGenius 3.0 diapers. And I'm going to have to get at least 4 more, because they just came out with 4 new colors. It's a start.
I've also decided to go with cloth wipes, because 1) if I'm already doing the laundry, I might as well throw in the wipes with the diapers, and 2) disposable wipes are never substantial enough for me to do anything with, so I just know I'll end up making a mess, and no one wants that. So far I've got 12 bumGenius Flannel baby wipes.
Just as a note: I ordered the bumGenius diapers and wipes from Cotton Babies. I placed the order on Monday morning, and they were at my house by Wednesday evening. Front what I've seen, prices on cloth diapers are fairly close everywhere you go, so there's no real deal anywhere (unless you buy used, which I'm not at the time), and Cotton Babies has pretty good package deals, and free shipping on orders over $75. They also sent me a detailed email about how to care for my new cloth diapers, which is good, because they do require special care, and I need all the help I can get. In other words, Cotton Babies gets a thumbs up from me.
Other diapers I want to try out include Rump-a-rooz®, which look fabulous to me mostly because of the double gusset, the option of either snaps or Velcro, and the option to upgrade the inserts to hemp fiber; Blueberry(TM) One Size Deluxe snap diapers, and a few of their Minky counterparts; and BumWear One Size pocket diapers, which have some adorable prints and colors available. There may be others that I try as I find them, and I definitely want to try at least some hemp product at some point.
My plan is to have about 30 diapers and at least as many wipes by December. I figure I'll end up buying a few more after seeing what works best for my baby, and I'll be sure to post reviews as I go.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Frugal Parenting: Lesson One
Hand-me-downs are a blessing. Say that to yourself, “Hand-me-downs are a blessing”. I’m not talking about “Brady Bunch” era Peter pan collar shirts and plaid pants (which are somewhat stylish again), I’m referring to gently used baby and toddler clothes. It is so easy to get carried away with all of the delectable clothes available. After all, your child is the most precious, beautiful person you’ve ever seen and you naturally wish to showcase your little jewel in the manner best befitting him or her.
Keep in mind though, babies and small children need a lot of clothes. There are constant messes and wet spots and it’s impossible to guess the direction of the next projectile attack. If you can afford to foot the bill for all the adorable outfits your child will wear three times before outgrowing then you have a far more lucrative career than I do.
I recently hit upon “The Mother Lode”. A friend (with excellent taste) asked if I would be interested in the baby clothes her son has outgrown. (Would I? Do bears… well, we know what bears do in the woods. Right?) One week later, she came to my house bearing four boxes of clothes, sized from six months up to 18 months. (Four boxes!)
As soon as I opened the first box, I knew I was in love. The brands ranged from Carters and Old Navy to Gap and even Sonoma Lifestyle! I was entranced by the softness of the sleepers (inside and out) and the charming prints of the sturdy play clothes. There were a number of impossibly cute sweaters which I never would have purchased on my own, although they assuredly would have caught my eye.
Imagine my surprise when I thanked my kindhearted friend and she acknowledged, “Some of those were hand-me-downs from [another friend]”. Being open to gently used clothes from others can free up the funds to buy a few special guilt-free pieces (for your child or for yourself)! And the best part- when your child has outgrown the clothes, you can pass them on to someone else. It’s truly a circle of fashion!
Next time someone offers you free clothes, graciously accept. Don’t allow pride to get in the way. Even if you aren’t as fortunate as I was, there would certainly be enough to suit your taste to make it worth the time to look through it. Likewise, if you have a friend with an older child, don’t be too timid to mention, “If you want to get rid of his (or her) outgrown clothes, I would love the hand-me-downs.”
Keep in mind though, babies and small children need a lot of clothes. There are constant messes and wet spots and it’s impossible to guess the direction of the next projectile attack. If you can afford to foot the bill for all the adorable outfits your child will wear three times before outgrowing then you have a far more lucrative career than I do.
I recently hit upon “The Mother Lode”. A friend (with excellent taste) asked if I would be interested in the baby clothes her son has outgrown. (Would I? Do bears… well, we know what bears do in the woods. Right?) One week later, she came to my house bearing four boxes of clothes, sized from six months up to 18 months. (Four boxes!)
As soon as I opened the first box, I knew I was in love. The brands ranged from Carters and Old Navy to Gap and even Sonoma Lifestyle! I was entranced by the softness of the sleepers (inside and out) and the charming prints of the sturdy play clothes. There were a number of impossibly cute sweaters which I never would have purchased on my own, although they assuredly would have caught my eye.
Imagine my surprise when I thanked my kindhearted friend and she acknowledged, “Some of those were hand-me-downs from [another friend]”. Being open to gently used clothes from others can free up the funds to buy a few special guilt-free pieces (for your child or for yourself)! And the best part- when your child has outgrown the clothes, you can pass them on to someone else. It’s truly a circle of fashion!
Next time someone offers you free clothes, graciously accept. Don’t allow pride to get in the way. Even if you aren’t as fortunate as I was, there would certainly be enough to suit your taste to make it worth the time to look through it. Likewise, if you have a friend with an older child, don’t be too timid to mention, “If you want to get rid of his (or her) outgrown clothes, I would love the hand-me-downs.”
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Company picnic
My husband and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary a day early this year. We went out of town, to our favorite restaurant for lunch. The meal was fabulous. No fancy-schmancy food for us, the portions were generous and the overall feel to the food was Sunday dinner at Grandma's- if Grandma was a hefty German woman... who happened to live in a microbrewery.
Afterwards, we drove to the cabin owned by my husband's boss, Gale. It was the first time we had ever been there and my husband had left the directions at home. The drive took a bit longer than necessary and involved more frustration than I really wanted to experience on the eve of a monumental day, but oh, it was worth it.
I was too awestruck to take pictures and for that, I apologize. We turned off the highway onto a well-traveled path through a corn field. After a low clearance water-crossing, we found ourselves in a completely different world. I really didn't think we were in Kansas anymore! Acres of sunflowers guarded large hills. The gravel road curved along the edge of one such, limestone filled hill. Cattle grazed contentedly at the top and despite the beauty of the scene, I was frustrated and beginning to think the cabin didn't exist. Suddenly, on our way down the opposite side of the steep hill, the hidden valley came into focus.
My words can't express the awe I felt. A small, lovely cabin and matching garage seemed right at home surrounded by trees and lush grass. The large deck on the cabin's front stood sentinel overlooking a small pond festooned with paddleboats. The cabin itself had plenty of storage, yet was no more than a small family needed. Clearly, it was a get-away in the truest sense of the word. My husband was most pleased about the pool tables in the (heated and air-conditioned) second story of the garage. This was truly a place for resting, relaxing and entertaining. It had everything we needed and it brought all of us a little closer together.
I have never seen a more compelling argument for downsizing belongings and living a richer life and I look forward to future visits.
Afterwards, we drove to the cabin owned by my husband's boss, Gale. It was the first time we had ever been there and my husband had left the directions at home. The drive took a bit longer than necessary and involved more frustration than I really wanted to experience on the eve of a monumental day, but oh, it was worth it.
I was too awestruck to take pictures and for that, I apologize. We turned off the highway onto a well-traveled path through a corn field. After a low clearance water-crossing, we found ourselves in a completely different world. I really didn't think we were in Kansas anymore! Acres of sunflowers guarded large hills. The gravel road curved along the edge of one such, limestone filled hill. Cattle grazed contentedly at the top and despite the beauty of the scene, I was frustrated and beginning to think the cabin didn't exist. Suddenly, on our way down the opposite side of the steep hill, the hidden valley came into focus.
My words can't express the awe I felt. A small, lovely cabin and matching garage seemed right at home surrounded by trees and lush grass. The large deck on the cabin's front stood sentinel overlooking a small pond festooned with paddleboats. The cabin itself had plenty of storage, yet was no more than a small family needed. Clearly, it was a get-away in the truest sense of the word. My husband was most pleased about the pool tables in the (heated and air-conditioned) second story of the garage. This was truly a place for resting, relaxing and entertaining. It had everything we needed and it brought all of us a little closer together.
I have never seen a more compelling argument for downsizing belongings and living a richer life and I look forward to future visits.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Decluttering 101
I've never been much of a packrat, or at least that what I tell myself. I'm not one to hold on to items for sentimental value, or even because I may need it one day (if I haven't needed it in the past 3 years, chances are I won't need it in the next 3).
But now that I'm in the midst of decluttering my home pre-baby, I'm finding that I have a lot more stuff than I thought.
Fortunately, when I do go through my collection, it's usually easy for me to let go of things. The bad part is that I don't let go of nearly as much as I need to. If I want to live the minimalist life I'm envisioning in my head, I've got to get serious about getting rid of all the junk.
And I am trying. I've even discovered a few tricks along the way.
The number one, most useful, easiest, best trick I've found is this: instead of pulling out items you want to get rid of, pull out only the items you really want to keep, then get rid of everything else.
I'm finding this tip especially useful for books, because I don't habitually reread books, so there are very few I actually need to have on my shelf. But if I go through looking for books to toss, I'll fall into the trap of thinking, "Oh, I liked that book all right, I think I'll keep it," or even, "I never got around to reading that book, I'll get to it eventually." WRONG. With Baby on the way, I'm about to have less time to read than ever before, so if I haven't gotten around to reading it yet, chances are I'm not going to.
But it also works for other things. Take clothes, for example. Most of us have more clothes than we really need, and I, at least, wear only a select set of them on a regular basis, and what's more, we know what that select set is (hint: look at your laundry basket for a couple of weeks). The trick is, which ones DO you wear, not which ones do you think you might wear? That's the tough part.
Of course there are going to be things you don't wear on a weekly basis, or seasonal items you won't wear for another few months. I'm not talking about those. I'm talking about the shirt that's slightly uncomfortable, or that makes you sweat, or that doesn't quite fit, or that you're not sure if it's really your color. All of those, out they go!
It's not as hard as it seems, and it's actually quite liberating. I'm looking forward to getting rid of more stuff this weekend.
After the football game, of course.
But now that I'm in the midst of decluttering my home pre-baby, I'm finding that I have a lot more stuff than I thought.
Fortunately, when I do go through my collection, it's usually easy for me to let go of things. The bad part is that I don't let go of nearly as much as I need to. If I want to live the minimalist life I'm envisioning in my head, I've got to get serious about getting rid of all the junk.
And I am trying. I've even discovered a few tricks along the way.
The number one, most useful, easiest, best trick I've found is this: instead of pulling out items you want to get rid of, pull out only the items you really want to keep, then get rid of everything else.
I'm finding this tip especially useful for books, because I don't habitually reread books, so there are very few I actually need to have on my shelf. But if I go through looking for books to toss, I'll fall into the trap of thinking, "Oh, I liked that book all right, I think I'll keep it," or even, "I never got around to reading that book, I'll get to it eventually." WRONG. With Baby on the way, I'm about to have less time to read than ever before, so if I haven't gotten around to reading it yet, chances are I'm not going to.
But it also works for other things. Take clothes, for example. Most of us have more clothes than we really need, and I, at least, wear only a select set of them on a regular basis, and what's more, we know what that select set is (hint: look at your laundry basket for a couple of weeks). The trick is, which ones DO you wear, not which ones do you think you might wear? That's the tough part.
Of course there are going to be things you don't wear on a weekly basis, or seasonal items you won't wear for another few months. I'm not talking about those. I'm talking about the shirt that's slightly uncomfortable, or that makes you sweat, or that doesn't quite fit, or that you're not sure if it's really your color. All of those, out they go!
It's not as hard as it seems, and it's actually quite liberating. I'm looking forward to getting rid of more stuff this weekend.
After the football game, of course.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
One Week and Counting!
I guess I can officially claim to be a cloth diapering mama. I’ve been at it for one week now and I can officially say- it’s gotten easier. Am I over the learning curve? No. No. And for good measure, heck no.
Although the process seems much easier now, I am still eons away from being an expert. I have finally stopped hearing a little voice in my head saying “you didn’t know what you were getting yourself into, just declare it a loss and put on a disposable” every time I change my baby’s diaper.
My baby has also gotten used to cloth diapers. He seems happier with them now than before, when he was clearly trying to figure out just what the new texture and additional moisture were all about.
Granted, I still use disposables at night. That may continue indefinitely. It works well because baby has his biggest “constitutional” in the morning. It can be kind of explosive and… never mind. It is kind of nice to get that out of the way, wrap it up and never deal with it again. (I know, except for the fact that it ends up eventually leaching into the earth and poisoning the land for future generations, but please, give me a break because I’m trying.) I also still use disposables at daycare. I just don’t know about switching them over, and too, I need to give my credit card a rest for a while.
Current Observations-Prefolds
1. As I previously mentioned, get plenty of covers. Get different kinds because they fit differently and you need to learn what works best for your baby. Invest in wool- even if it’s just one cover. It really is awesome! To keep costs down, I knit my own and it’s already my “go to” cover.
2. Buy a few different prefolds to find the best fit. If you can, try to purchase singles in a few different sizes. I had initially thought to buy a bit bigger than baby truly needed to maximize the investment, but they didn’t fit well and diapering was way more difficult and frustrating than it needed to be. Basic cotton prefolds are not terribly expensive; it’s worth it to find and buy the correct size. Both you and your baby will be much happier and it’s going to keep you from reaching for the disposable out of frustration.
3. Be realistic about your needs. Over the weekend, I found myself washing diapers daily. I wanted to rush right to my computer and order more. When I thought it out, I realized that 5 days a week, I’m only going through 4-5 diapers a night. Two dozen diapers meet our needs just fine. If I were to go to full time cloth diapering, I would definitely order another 1-2 dozen. I should also mention I grab cloth diapers when a spit-related emergencie arise (no pun intended). We go though extra diapers that way, but they absorb so well they are a must have.
Although the process seems much easier now, I am still eons away from being an expert. I have finally stopped hearing a little voice in my head saying “you didn’t know what you were getting yourself into, just declare it a loss and put on a disposable” every time I change my baby’s diaper.
My baby has also gotten used to cloth diapers. He seems happier with them now than before, when he was clearly trying to figure out just what the new texture and additional moisture were all about.
Granted, I still use disposables at night. That may continue indefinitely. It works well because baby has his biggest “constitutional” in the morning. It can be kind of explosive and… never mind. It is kind of nice to get that out of the way, wrap it up and never deal with it again. (I know, except for the fact that it ends up eventually leaching into the earth and poisoning the land for future generations, but please, give me a break because I’m trying.) I also still use disposables at daycare. I just don’t know about switching them over, and too, I need to give my credit card a rest for a while.
Current Observations-Prefolds
1. As I previously mentioned, get plenty of covers. Get different kinds because they fit differently and you need to learn what works best for your baby. Invest in wool- even if it’s just one cover. It really is awesome! To keep costs down, I knit my own and it’s already my “go to” cover.
2. Buy a few different prefolds to find the best fit. If you can, try to purchase singles in a few different sizes. I had initially thought to buy a bit bigger than baby truly needed to maximize the investment, but they didn’t fit well and diapering was way more difficult and frustrating than it needed to be. Basic cotton prefolds are not terribly expensive; it’s worth it to find and buy the correct size. Both you and your baby will be much happier and it’s going to keep you from reaching for the disposable out of frustration.
3. Be realistic about your needs. Over the weekend, I found myself washing diapers daily. I wanted to rush right to my computer and order more. When I thought it out, I realized that 5 days a week, I’m only going through 4-5 diapers a night. Two dozen diapers meet our needs just fine. If I were to go to full time cloth diapering, I would definitely order another 1-2 dozen. I should also mention I grab cloth diapers when a spit-related emergencie arise (no pun intended). We go though extra diapers that way, but they absorb so well they are a must have.
Monday, August 18, 2008
And we're off!
The remodeling of the dining room has officially started! Most of the walls are stripped, with the final section getting stripped either this evening or first thing tomorrow. Also tomorrow, they're coming to install our new sliding doors. Then wiring, insulation, and drywall. And THEN . . . we're off to start the nursery.
I cannot possibly explain to you how excited I am about that.
Also of note, there was a bit of decluttering and rearranging done. In an effort to stay away from the plaster dust during the wall destruction, my mom helped me clean out the upstairs bathroom closet. I weeded out a ton of old sheets, expired medicines, and toiletries I'm never going to use. Plus we got my makeup and other currently used toiletries moved into the closet and the vanity in the spare room/soon-to-be-nursery cleared out.
More importantly, we moved the towels and sheets to the lower shelves in the closet, and the toxic-if-ingested stuff up and away from tiny fingers. It's won't be important for another year or so, but I figured we might as well do it now while we're at it.
And then on Sunday, I went through my closet and the two dressers in the spare room and weeded out clothes I no longer wear. They are now packed up and in the back of my car to drop off at Goodwill. It's harder to do it at this point though, because I can't judge anything on the basis of what fits, as nothing at all fits me right now except the few new maternity items I own. But it's also easier to declutter in a way, because I have a reason to get rid of stuff and make room.
Still left to do: go through shoes, handbags, the storage boxes under the bed, and the dresser in the master bedroom. And really, the shoes and handbags are the biggest part of that (which isn't saying a whole lot--I love shoes and handbags).
With any luck, that will be done this week, because next weekend we're setting up our baby registry.
I cannot possibly explain to you how excited I am about that.
Also of note, there was a bit of decluttering and rearranging done. In an effort to stay away from the plaster dust during the wall destruction, my mom helped me clean out the upstairs bathroom closet. I weeded out a ton of old sheets, expired medicines, and toiletries I'm never going to use. Plus we got my makeup and other currently used toiletries moved into the closet and the vanity in the spare room/soon-to-be-nursery cleared out.
More importantly, we moved the towels and sheets to the lower shelves in the closet, and the toxic-if-ingested stuff up and away from tiny fingers. It's won't be important for another year or so, but I figured we might as well do it now while we're at it.
And then on Sunday, I went through my closet and the two dressers in the spare room and weeded out clothes I no longer wear. They are now packed up and in the back of my car to drop off at Goodwill. It's harder to do it at this point though, because I can't judge anything on the basis of what fits, as nothing at all fits me right now except the few new maternity items I own. But it's also easier to declutter in a way, because I have a reason to get rid of stuff and make room.
Still left to do: go through shoes, handbags, the storage boxes under the bed, and the dresser in the master bedroom. And really, the shoes and handbags are the biggest part of that (which isn't saying a whole lot--I love shoes and handbags).
With any luck, that will be done this week, because next weekend we're setting up our baby registry.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Cloth Diapers: Financials and Figures and Shopping- Oh My!
I had been tossing around the idea of cloth diapering since my youngest was born. I have to admit, it’s only been three months, but in that time we have already spent far more money on disposable diapers than I could stand. At $17.00 per week, the expense adds up quickly. I realize that babies gradually start to need fewer diapers per day as they grow. Diaper companies realize this too; larger size diapers have fewer per pack. I’m still spending about $15-$17 per week.
My older two kids were in disposable diapers until they were a little over two, then I switched them to the disposable training pants. The training pants made cleanups simpler, but didn’t really do much to encourage potty-training because the children were so comfortable in them. The cost of training pants? About $15-$17 per week.
Josie and JR were both considered trained at 32 months. Multiplying 32 months by 4.3 (weeks in a month) brings us to an approximate age of 137.6 weeks. Multiply that by $16.00 (the average cost of diapers a week), and you’ve spent $2201.60 just on diapers. That doesn’t include wipes- $2201.60 on poop collection alone!
If that number does not seem staggering to you, I need to mention that I live in a tiny town in a not hugely populated area of the Western Plains. The closest WalMart is a 70 mile drive and the closest mall is 100 miles (sobs). Buying diapers in town is fairly costly, local retailers mark them up several dollars over discount chains. Running low on diapers invariably means a trip out of town to purchase diapers, wipes and a bunch of stuff we really didn’t need but couldn’t pass up because it was a good deal. Frequently, we also eat out once or twice. Suddenly, $75 for a month supply of diapers and wipes just quadrupled. I know what you are thinking, “Buy local, idiot”, but who wants to take the easy way out?
So after months of comparing and researching, I decided it was time to tinkle or get off the potty and I invested $150.00 into cloth diapers. It amounted to 15 prefolds, three covers, wool yarn to make a few of my own covers, 5 diaper liners for bedtime or excursions, a Snappi and a few cloth wipes. I had the weekend to experiment with cloth diapering and overall, it went well but I am still very much in the learning curve. I did decide that the diapers I had were a bit full to fit in the covers the way I wanted, I really wanted to fold the diapers in thirds and lay them in the covers, and then just secure them when I wrapped the cover onto my baby. Unfortunately, I got the diapers so big they would not fit well in that manner. I have since ordered a dozen smaller diapers, another Snappi and a wet bag. Total investment at this point is $200.00.
I have been using cloth diapers at home for the whole week. Since I work full time outside of the home, I have been using a disposable diaper at bedtime, just for the convenience of guaranteed dry sheets in the morning (providing my breasts did not leak in the night). The first few evening of cloth diapering were fraught with mistakes. There were several times all three of the purchased covers were in the wash because I didn’t manage to get enough coverage to the necessary locations. But it has been getting easier with every passing day.
My biggest recommendation is to get plenty of covers. I would have done less diapering laundry if I had gotten just a couple more covers off the bat.
I’m still waiting for the smaller diapers to come in, and I’m getting more proficient with the larger ones while I wait. I will still use the larger ones as a back-up to be able to space laundry out an extra day and they really do make excellent burp cloths and changing pads! Besides, he will grow into them. They are still worth every penny. (Not to mention the fact that I'm not positive I'm done having babies and I will be able to use them for another baby later.)
I haven’t progressed to the point where I’m positive I’ll be doing this at daycare. I would prefer to switch over completely, but I want to have enough experience with it that I can present it to the attendants with more knowledge. I want to make it simple enough for them that it would be considered “just another diaper change” and not "a completely unfair task demanded by the dragon lady". Provided I make the switch, I would probably invest in some one-sized pocket diapers for their convenience. It would mean a pretty heft investment, so I want to make sure it will be a wise one.
Yes, I will still make occasional trips out of town. I would go mad if I didn’t! But hopefully I could spread them out a bit more and spend significantly less overall. If my predominant purpose for going were removed it would no longer be a “shopping excursion”, it would just be a happy family outing. We would have a lot more time for museums and events instead of trying to navigate a wobbly shopping cart through narrow aisles. My husband is already breathing easier.
My older two kids were in disposable diapers until they were a little over two, then I switched them to the disposable training pants. The training pants made cleanups simpler, but didn’t really do much to encourage potty-training because the children were so comfortable in them. The cost of training pants? About $15-$17 per week.
Josie and JR were both considered trained at 32 months. Multiplying 32 months by 4.3 (weeks in a month) brings us to an approximate age of 137.6 weeks. Multiply that by $16.00 (the average cost of diapers a week), and you’ve spent $2201.60 just on diapers. That doesn’t include wipes- $2201.60 on poop collection alone!
If that number does not seem staggering to you, I need to mention that I live in a tiny town in a not hugely populated area of the Western Plains. The closest WalMart is a 70 mile drive and the closest mall is 100 miles (sobs). Buying diapers in town is fairly costly, local retailers mark them up several dollars over discount chains. Running low on diapers invariably means a trip out of town to purchase diapers, wipes and a bunch of stuff we really didn’t need but couldn’t pass up because it was a good deal. Frequently, we also eat out once or twice. Suddenly, $75 for a month supply of diapers and wipes just quadrupled. I know what you are thinking, “Buy local, idiot”, but who wants to take the easy way out?
So after months of comparing and researching, I decided it was time to tinkle or get off the potty and I invested $150.00 into cloth diapers. It amounted to 15 prefolds, three covers, wool yarn to make a few of my own covers, 5 diaper liners for bedtime or excursions, a Snappi and a few cloth wipes. I had the weekend to experiment with cloth diapering and overall, it went well but I am still very much in the learning curve. I did decide that the diapers I had were a bit full to fit in the covers the way I wanted, I really wanted to fold the diapers in thirds and lay them in the covers, and then just secure them when I wrapped the cover onto my baby. Unfortunately, I got the diapers so big they would not fit well in that manner. I have since ordered a dozen smaller diapers, another Snappi and a wet bag. Total investment at this point is $200.00.
I have been using cloth diapers at home for the whole week. Since I work full time outside of the home, I have been using a disposable diaper at bedtime, just for the convenience of guaranteed dry sheets in the morning (providing my breasts did not leak in the night). The first few evening of cloth diapering were fraught with mistakes. There were several times all three of the purchased covers were in the wash because I didn’t manage to get enough coverage to the necessary locations. But it has been getting easier with every passing day.
My biggest recommendation is to get plenty of covers. I would have done less diapering laundry if I had gotten just a couple more covers off the bat.
I’m still waiting for the smaller diapers to come in, and I’m getting more proficient with the larger ones while I wait. I will still use the larger ones as a back-up to be able to space laundry out an extra day and they really do make excellent burp cloths and changing pads! Besides, he will grow into them. They are still worth every penny. (Not to mention the fact that I'm not positive I'm done having babies and I will be able to use them for another baby later.)
I haven’t progressed to the point where I’m positive I’ll be doing this at daycare. I would prefer to switch over completely, but I want to have enough experience with it that I can present it to the attendants with more knowledge. I want to make it simple enough for them that it would be considered “just another diaper change” and not "a completely unfair task demanded by the dragon lady". Provided I make the switch, I would probably invest in some one-sized pocket diapers for their convenience. It would mean a pretty heft investment, so I want to make sure it will be a wise one.
Yes, I will still make occasional trips out of town. I would go mad if I didn’t! But hopefully I could spread them out a bit more and spend significantly less overall. If my predominant purpose for going were removed it would no longer be a “shopping excursion”, it would just be a happy family outing. We would have a lot more time for museums and events instead of trying to navigate a wobbly shopping cart through narrow aisles. My husband is already breathing easier.
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