popular project tutorials  Jan 1, 2010 - I will help the environment by not using paper towels - read about my month and wash-cloth tutorial here!
Feb 1, 2010 - Ziploc elimination!
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I am feeling a little caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. My holiday list keeps on growing even though we are trying to pare down a bit this year and I find that I am constantly trying to remember to “breath, relax my shoulders, and not worry so much.”
Every blog I read is filled with holiday cheer; filled with wonderfully beautiful traditions, stories of family and joy, and reminders about how to “get back to basics.” Nevertheless, I feel stressed thinking of the gifts I still need to create, the hours I need to set aside to decorate cookies with the children, the dates by which I need to ship off gifts to faraway friends and family, and which charity I am to donate to. Where did all of this come from? How did I get into this hamster wheel? And how do I get out?
I am starting with the children. What do I want them to remember as adults? I want them to understand the true meaning of Christmas. I want them to remember togetherness, generosity in their hearts, excitement about special shared traditions, and a sense of self in the whirlwind of buying, blinky lights, and social obligation all around them.
I want to remember others at this time. Returning from Mexico really got me thinking about others in this world who simply have nothing. Nothing to eat, no where to sleep soundly, and no clothing to keep them warm. I have so many things and access to so many opportunities. I often take more than I need, and waste more than I should. Taking a bit of advice from my friend Marci who writes about Overcoming Busy, I am trying to overcome busy in my life, live what is true and real, and roll with the punches a bit.
To start getting my family “back to basics” we are beginning with a simple Christmas meal. I love to cook with extravagant, special ingredients like lobster, saffron, and premium chocolate. But this year with uncertain economics it seems prudent to scale back on the food, eat simply, and share our wealth, love and time, with others who have less.
I am hand-making most of the gifts our family is to give this year. Although this adds to the stress level a bit, I feel it puts a little bit of my soul into each gift I give, and offers my children the chance to give something they have created with their hearts.
I feel we own entirely too much plastic in the way of toddler toys, dishware, containers, acrylic clothing, light fixtures, furniture…I think we must be swimming in a sea of petroleum. What happened to natural materials like fabric, wood, and metal? I am aiming to make, select, and ask for gifts that are made from natural materials with love and care.
And lastly, I am remembering to question. Question what I am doing, why I am doing it, and if what I am doing will build spirited family traditions and joyful memories, or if it will just drop us off at the curb of “going through the motions” again.
 Welcome new subscribers! I hope you (and of course all my loyal readers) find the info here at Organizing-Life interesting, compelling and useful. Lately I have been feeling that life has been getting too complicated. Too many possessions are cluttering my home. My children are relying upon the television for constant entertainment, and I feel too cooped up in my suburban house, low on energy and away, from the sun and fresh air. I decided to do something about it and with my partially obsessive nature to achieve perfection, the journey to achieve a greener, simpler, more frugal, healthy life seemed overwhelming and impossible. So here is what I did:
:: I read a ton of other blogs about wonderful families growing real food, cooking real meals, examining their spirituality, decluttering their budget, and changing their perspective about what REALLY matters in life.
:: I was definitely inspired.
:: I choose the easy tasks, or perhaps the most fun, and decided to simply start.
Usually I have a plan of attack, a logical analysis, and triage method to prioritize and categorize the project…but here, I simply started. So, the next project you do, would you begin without a map, merely a vision, and simply start?
This is what I chose to start with on my quest to get to a more simple, frugal, healthy life with my family.
:: Miracle Cloths - I invested in two sets of cloths. (The investment wasn’t that much, about $8 a set.) This cloth cleans without harsh chemical cleaning solutions. It’s unique fibers catch dust and dirt and hold it until you rinse it out. I got one for mopping my floor (I tuck the miracle cloth into my Swiffer Sweeper mop and I don’t have to pay for and throw out Swiffer refills), one for cleaning the rest of the kitchen, one for the bathroom and another for each kid at dinner time, and one for our flat-screened LED TV. (I wasn’t compensated in anyway to give this glowing review.) I think these cloths are the greener and more frugal way to go when you are cleaning your home.
:: Homemade Toys - Toys are all smooth plastic these days. Remember when you had real wooden blocks, hand-stitched cloth dolls, and metal trucks? My kids are finally old enough to “play pretend.” So I decided to project a little of my “always wanted when I was a kid” stuff on them and chose to sew felt-play-food for my daughter, and sew a roll-up pouch “garage” for my son’s favorite cars. Maybe building him a garage would be a good idea. (He takes my dishwasher silverware holder and uses that as a garage until I tell him to give it back.)
:: Sew Dish Cloths, Pot Holders, and Dinner Napkins - I feel we use too many paper napkins and paper towels. None of them are recycled and it is like throwing money in the trash. Since I like to sew I figure this will be an easy, frugal kitchen and dining solution that will save trees and cash.
:: Sew Produce Bags - I don’t like those thin plastic produce bags. I have trouble re-using them because they get dirty or wet inside and are hard to clean out. And they make my food rot in my fridge. I don’t understand why I need to use plastic bags at the farmers market when I chose to buy there to reduce our fossil fuel consumption in the first place. So, I am sewing some lightweight produce bags out of unbleached 100% cotton muslin cloth and decorating them with some stamped designs. (And if you know of a discount organic fabric distributor, PLEASE let me know!)
:: All Natural Toothpaste - Commercial toothpaste makes me gag. I don’t like that foamy stuff. But I believe oral health is directly linked to the general health of your body. A while back there was a local news story about an inner-city child who didn’t have access to dental care and therefore couldn’t take care of an oral infection that spread to his brain. A scary scenario indeed. Anyway, I need to like brushing my teeth for me to do it for the recommended time, so I decided to go all natural. I got a new tooth powder that has a lemon/lime taste, is baking soda based, and is all natural. It tastes good, isn’t foamy, and doesn’t contain chemicals. Yea!
Are you choosing to change parts of your life? If so, what have you chosen to start? Leave a comment here and share with me! I want to know! And of course with other readers. Happy Organizing!
P. S. This is along the lines of an earlier healthy living post, but I wanted to share that I started a workout routine with my husband. I never thought I’d like huffing and puffing next to a guy, but he makes me laugh and his presence pushes my competitive nature into gear. I find it is fun, rewarding, and refreshing to exercise with him. I think my post said something like, “to increase my energy level I am going to simply start moving: get out with the kids and get away from the computer.” Well, this workout isn’t quite the “easiest”. Have you heard of P90X? We are doing this. The instructor is a little crazy. But our goal is to work together for better health, and that beach vacation in November to Cancun. My arms really hurt right now but my fingers can still type “Mexico, here we come!”
 Reading so many blogs about frugal, simple, healthy living has inspired me to organize my life and start doing things that are good for my body, mind, and soul. I grew up hating my mom’s ultra healthy habits. The only refined sugar in the house was in a 8 oz tub. We used molasses and honey sparingly and practically everything was homemade. Boxes with food inside were not to be found. Homegrown sprouts, veggies and berries were our mainstay, along with whole grains, eggs from our chickens, and water from our own dug well. (I hate raising chickens too by the way.) We were always outside breathing fresh air, and running around for exercise. Life was a bit slower in the country and people were less stressed. Now, as a wife, a mom, and a suburbanite, my life is totally different.
I married almost 3 years ago and I got pregnant right away. My husband was raised with entirely different eating and exercising habits. Then pregnant, I didn’t feel like excercising or eating healthy at all. After welcoming my son and a difficult recovery, nursing for 10 months, and getting pregnant again with my daughter, I still wasn’t watching my diet or exercising. My stress level was pretty high because I was finishing my masters degree while juggling a new marriage and a new family. Fast forward to today, 18 months after my daughter was born, I am finally getting my energy back. I am also realizing that my body is getting older and I can’t do what I once was able to do. I feel perpetually tired, even after I wake up in the morning after 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. I feel depleted during the day and my mental focus feels foggy and fuzzy. I feel like I am ready for a change and it is up to me to start taking care of the body God has given me. So where do I go when I am starting from zero?
Goal #1 – Increased energy
I am actually below my pre-pregnancy weight (before my first child). My metabolism is such that I can eat nothing and exercise a ton and not lose an ounce. I can eat everything in sight and sit on my butt and gain nothing. Frustrating or a huge blessing depending on how you look at it. So, my first goal isn’t weight related, it is to increase my energy level.
So how do I begin to organize my health? I am stepping off by tweaking a few unhealthy habits…relaxed habits I call them. Would you do any of these small changes to feel more energetic in your life?
Food
I am no dietitian, so I am making these tweaks based upon what I have read and how my body feels. Before embarking upon a new diet check with your physician to make sure your new plan is right for you.
Cut the Sugar: I feel the sugar rush and then the crash. I am no dietitian, but I know the insulin rush and crash isn’t good for my body or maintaining the energy level I need for an on-the-go lifestyle. I plan to:
- Cut the soda and drink fruit juice and sparkling water instead
- Just say “no” to all artificial sweeteners in any form (the “natural” yellow packet one too)
- Use raw, organic sugar or honey in my baking
- Not take it to the extreme, life is sort, and life can be sweet
Cut back the Caffeine:I was definitely using caffeine as an energy-boosting crutch, but it didn’t help me maintain a higher energy level. I plan to:
- Switch from coffee to green-tea. Although green-tea does contain some caffeine, it also contains healthy anti-oxidants.
Exercise
Let me also say that I am not a personal trainer either, and that you should consult with your physician before starting any new exercising program to make sure your new plan is right for you. Since I haven’t worked out since before my wedding, I intend to focus on the baby steps. I plan to:
- Be more active - I can definitely build up a sweat vacuuming stairs or carrying laundry, diapers, and babies up two flights of stairs (oh, and over baby gates.)
- Get out with the kids - Moms and dads know that this simple seeming task has a lot of weight-lifting components (carrying both toddlers who can’t/refuse to walk across the hot parking lot) and aerobic parts (chasing down toddlers who try to escape from the cart/swings/picnic blanket.)
- Focus on impact activities -some impact on the joints can help maintain healthy joints and bones. Playing tag, and jumping are going to be my first choice exercises.
Relax
I have the bad habit of working up until the time I head to bed. Then my mind is running and I end not sleeping and feeling stressed. To combat this, I plan to:
- Drink a cup of herbal tea before brushing my teeth.
- Reading a book for a bit in bed.
- Turning off the light at a decided time.
Are you feeling a bit low on energy.Are any of these small tweaks ones that you could do in your life? It takes a lot of courage to admit that your health isn’t what you’d like it to be. Some of these small changes are things you probably can do without even telling anyone. So, I encourage you to organize your health and join me as I begin to organize my health. Stay tuned here for future articles about organizing your health and about how simple, frugal, green living can positively impact your mind, body and spirit.
I am eager to hear from you and how you are making small (or larger) changes to positively impact your life. Leave a comment here and share your ideas and experience with other readers! Happy Organizing!
 In an effort to get to a simpler family lifestyle I decided to turn off the TV at my house for a week. I have read in numerous places that television isn’t good for young brains. The studies I have seen say that the fast paced, void-of-context, idea imagery confuses developing brains under age of 2. Additionally, children become more sedentary when they watch many hours of television each week and this can be a factor in our juvenile obesity trend today.
As a child I remember watching Public Broadcasting Stations like Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, and The Electric Company. We weren’t allowed to watch more than a few hours of television a day, and never allowed to watch network sitcom type shows. Although I have a serious gap in my knowledge of popular culture, playing away from the set did open the door to explore so many other activities.
As a mom, I admit it, I am guilty of letting my children watch too much television. Last week I decided to turn off the television set cold-turkey and see what happened. My 3 year old went from watching programs many hours a day to zero hours a day. What did I learn? In a nut shell, I learned I have just been lazy and that I need to start entertaining my kids more.
What did the kids do? They painted pictures, colored with crayons, played with play dough, read books, went to the library, went to a cousin’s house for a play date, went to the park for a play date, baked and frosted cupcakes, played in the tub, played in the sink, walked to the playground, played in the dirt, went shopping for groceries, went to grandmother’s house, played in the pantry, and visited with the physical therapist at home. (This is another preemie baby update.) Both children were pretty happy with no television. I asked my son in the middle of the week if he’d like to read a book or watch a program, and he picked the book. A couple of times my son asked for a show or a movie, but I simply said,” no, we are going to go to X,Y,Z,” or “you have plenty of toys, why don’t you play with the blocks” and he didn’t fuss.
Now, you ask, what did I do all week. I changed each kid’s outfit at least once a day. Cleaned up pee and poop — not in a diaper. Washed a baby’s belly that was covered in paint and her mouth which was also covered in paint. I acted as an on-demand artist and sculpture because my son doesn’t understand, “you can make that yourself.” I cleaned up paint spilled on the floor, on the carpet, and on the walls. I cleaned flour, sugar, and icing sprinkles from the floor, under my counter appliances and on my son’s shirt. And put back the things pulled out from the pantry, the toys strewn across the floor (the 3 year old refuses to clean up, and his toys were subsequently taken away), crayon and play dough that were mysteriously were smashed into the carpet (we need hardwood floors). I also served as a chauffeur of course and a short-order chef (those packed-lunches-on-the-go that they don’t even eat….sigh.) On top of this, I did a tiny bit of blogging, vacuumed, managed to get dinner on the table and cleaned up, did laundry, made some appointments, balanced our checkbook, purged some papers, and cleaned out the pantry and the fridge. (I wonder how this as a job description would go.)
The kids loved the activities, but how did I like the week? I hated the week. Helping my kids grow and learn gives me great joy. But I don’t love the whining, the pulling, and the messes that simply make more work for me. I wish I had a back yard and I could just put them out to pasture. I wish my daughter could walk so I could just let them play outside together while I worked on another outdoor project. And I wish I had more strength and energy to physically do more. (This is also another post.) The grass is always greener on the other side? (Let me post script this by saying, I adore all moms and dads out there who are able to do this many activities with your children and feel spiritually full. Any tips on how I can change my perspective?)
So, what are we going to do now? I am going to let them watch a couple of their favorite shows but also schedule more activities for them. Scheduling for me is simply having a few ideas of projects we are going to do that day, like coloring, play dough play, or cooking. I am going to work on my personal health in hopes that I will gain the energy and strength I need to feel I can do more.
Are you feeling that you are relying on television to help entertain your children? What activities do you do with your family that aren’t television related? I’d like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment here and share with others! Happy Organizing.
 Those of you who have been reading my posts about getting out of debt and giving up the shield of possessions probably think that I have been a hunt for nirvana and have been meditating by some stream feeling the spirits tell me to reject consumerism and embrace pure simple living. Although I have been thinking a lot, I have been just living life.
As an observer, I am observing those around me, what seems to matter to them and the joy they derive from it, or the stress they derive from it. I am watching my children grow and observing what matters to them. I am reading other blogs by wonderful grounded, simple women who are trying to get back to basics. And I am reading books about canning, gardening, organics, and nutrition, that remind me of my childhood in the country; a time of simple living.
I realize now that simple living is such a backwards concept to what most think of as the perfect American suburban lifestyle.
A concept where: Less is More, Fewer is Fuller, and Love is Felt Not Had — really resonates with me.
When I was single, living in an efficiency apartment in the city I had to carry everything I purchased. Because there was only me, I knew every posession I owned. Now with a two story home with a finished basement, I have too much stuff to remember and I feel out of control. Out of sight out of mind. I don’t even use half of what I own on a regular basis.
Knowing that I had possessions stored away, color coded, filed, ordered and organized used to make me feel worth something. “I owned something of worth.” I was probably a bit of a hoarder. Now, seeing my cabinets, drawers, pantry, bins, shelves, and storage area overflowing with stuff makes me feel heavy, stressed, burdened and dirty. I want to feel fresh, clean, efficient, and unhindered.
So, what have I been doing about it. I am a person of action. If there is something to be done, don’t delay, just do it! (Oh, wait isn’t that Nike?) I decided to donate (or sell) all the items in my household we don’t use. That means, I am going through all of our belongings, in every nook and cranny, (even on our walls and on our floors), critically and ruthlessly assessing them and asking:
- Is this item essential to our well-being as a family?
- Is there no other simpler, greener, healthier substitute?
- Does this item bring our family joy?
If the answer is “yes” to all three questions, the item stays. If the answer is “no” to any question, the item is donated. (You ask, what if the item is essential but doesn’t bring you joy? We will have to find a substitute item that serves the essential function but does bring our family joy.)
I started by sorting the kids toys. I plan to sort through our spice rack, freezers, fridge, and pantry, kitchen items, storage room, linen closets, vanities, CDs, DVDs, papers, clothing, and books.
Before I was afraid of throwing things away because it was like I was throwing money in the trash. Now I realize that the money is already spent and I am not getting it back. I am not reaping any benefit because I am not using the stuff I bought. In fact, I am feeling weighed down by all the stuff. So the stuff should go out of my home and find a new home with someone who needs it.
Do you feel weighed down by possessions? Do you feel clutter is surrounding you? Are you making your way toward a simpler life? Do you have any tips for me as I start to purge my unused, forgotten, and unwanted possessions? Leave a comment and share your thoughts on getting back to basics.
Here are some articles about simple living that inspired me:
:: Simple Mom’s Back to Basics series
:: Organizing Your Way Minimalism Our Way
:: Future House Farm And We’re Back – I am just drooling over their garden…in very suburban confines I might add.
 A month ago I wrote about my change of perspective about finances. You can find my posts here, here, and here. Viewing a recent talk show, I was affirmed that I had been hiding behind things…stuff, to show others I was successful in life, worth something, and someone to like. I sat there on the sofa and knew in my heart that I am more than just my belongings and that experiencing life is more than material things.
I am working to shed all that extra “stuff”, become more conscious about what and how I consume, be aware of what values my children see me living, and to become debt free. In essence get back to a simple life like so many of you out there in the blog world are doing so wonderfully.
Getting Rid of Stuff
To start to purge the cluttered possessions in our home I sorted through my kid’s toys (they are too young to help with this) and chose 5 shoe boxes full of toys to keep. The rest will be given away to the doctors office and our therapy center. I cleared away 5 mega diaper boxes full of toys that the kids seldom, if ever, play with.
Conscious Consumer
Shopping for my son’s birthday present I asked myself, how much enjoyment will this item bring? Will it continue to bring someone else joy after we have tired of it? Does it elicit creativity or develop skill? Or is it merely a fixture. I am realizing now that although I want to give him everything, this will teach him to rely on stuff for entertainment instead of his own creativity. I don’t want him to feel deprived either, which is how I felt as a child, and I think is why I started buying things as soon as I could.
I am buying items only when they have a planned landing spot in my home so that I don’t buy clutter. I also seeking to be a bit more resourceful by borrowing books from the library instead of buying a book for $30 that will sit on my non-existent shelves. Or, re-purposing an old accordion folder instead of buying a new one. My goal is to cut down on our spending and the number of items we have in our home.
Getting to Debt-Free
Now you are probably wondering how we did the first month of our journey toward becoming debt free. I’d say we did very well. We added up our expenses, took a stab in the dark at a spending budget, and started using a cash envelope system. The run down? (Even though the month isn’t entirely over, we have a good idea of what we are going to spend this week.)
:: We cut our spending by 50%. This month we spend 1/2 of what we usually spend for everything (other than bills.)
:: Didn’t do well with the envelope system or logging purchases. I am so used to tossing cash receipts for items we aren’t going to return. I realized this month that most all our purchases were in cash and that there is no back-up method of tracking what you spent when. Also, my husband kept on buying things with his lunch money, and then needed to get “reimbursed” for it from another envelope. This made things more complicated.
:: We ate together at home more. We ate out tons less and spent less cash doing so. I have also noticed the amount of food I toss in the trash has greatly diminished. Less waste, less money in the trash.
:: I need to plan more inventive meals and meals on-the-go.I started taking sandwiches, snacks, and drinks with us to the park-play-dates we do. The kids are HUNGRY after running around in the sun and having food on hand prevents crankiness and trips through the drive-thru. The trick is giving them something that an 18 month old can handle in her seat (and she is still rear-facing so I can’t tell when she has made a mess,) and that my 3 year old picky son will eat. Does anyone have a non-messy alternative to peanut butter sandwiches? Nevertheless money saved. Nutrition better. Needed: better planned meals.
:: Diapers and milk are still huge expensesand probably will be for a while to come.
:: Easier to balance the checkbook with fewer transactions.
:: We may need to adjust our spending budget a bit. This month we overspent on foods since we went to the farmers markets a bit. We also overspent on eating out. Some of this is poor meal planning and some of this is our busy lifestyle where schedules change quickly sometimes.
Overall our first month getting to debt-free went really really well. I am now more sure we are going to get there as a family. Coming up this week, I will share with you a few ways to get back to a simpler life and share how we celebrated my son’s birthday on a budget and with the simple life philosophy.
Do you have areas of your life you are working to simplify? If so, share them here for others to be inspired! Happy Organizing.
 The following is a guest post by Marci from Overcoming Busy:
I am in no way a financial guru. Don’t take any advice from me about balancing your checkbook or budgeting or investments. What I can share with you are some principles that my husband and I have learned over the past 7 years of being self-employed. We don’t have the whole financial thing figured out, but I can tell you we are a lot farther along that we were before learning these things. Not only did these principles help us financially, but it helped our stress levels go down. Face it; nothing stresses couples out like money!
1. Money is just a tool.
Money is not the end all. It is not the most important thing in the world. It is not the goal. Money is just green pieces of paper. That being said, we all like to eat and live indoors and money is necessary to meet those ends. My point is that money and making money is so glorified in our society that we tend to put a higher value on it than we should. Wrong ideas about money can consume our thoughts and our lives. They can damage relationships and ruin families. Why do we give so much power to green paper?
We used to let money stress us out and run our lives until we realized that money is not the most important thing in our lives. It is a tool to help us with the important things in our lives. We can use money to feed and clothe our families. We can use money to give our families the type of lifestyle we deem appropriate. Money is a tool we use to build our business and ensure our future. And money can be used to bless others.
Figuring out that money is just a tool was huge. It took the pressure off of making money and let us direct our energy toward our life with our family, our goals and our dreams.
2. There is more to work than just money
Have you ever had a job you endured just for the paycheck? Where you miserable every second? Did the countdown to quitting time start as soon as you got there? As you look back, was it really that bad of a job? Would your employer consider you a good employee? How did your fellow employees feel about you and the job?
Now, think about the last time you volunteered to help someone out. Maybe it was something that took all day and was a lot of work. Did it feel good to serve someone? Did the time pass quickly? Do you think back on that time fondly?
What is the difference between these two scenarios? One situation is all about blessing someone and the other is all about “me and my money”. Have you ever thought about looking at your job as way to bless your employer or fellow employees or your family? It will change the way you work. Owning our own business taught us that if you put others first, success and fulfillment will follow. I wish I would have figured that out a long time ago.
3. If you don’t have it, don’t spend it
I know this is a radical concept brought back from a bygone era, but this one common sense principle can avert many tragedies. Look at the financial shape our country is in. We’d be a lot better off if more people would have grasped that concept. That’s all I think I need to say about this one. I’ll elaborate on a similar principle next.
4. There is a difference between needs and wants.
Once you figure out this principle, #3 is a whole lot easier. We live in a society where our needs and wants are all flip-flopped. Keeping up with the Joneses and instant gratification are the rulers of the day. Do we really need the latest cell phone? Sure, the iPhone is awesome, but I got a free phone with my plan that takes pictures, texts, has a calendar, a timer and a whole bunch of other features I don’t use…oh yeah…I can make phone calls with it too.
Our houses have doubled in size in the last 50 years, but the sizes of our families have decreased. We own more cars and TVs per family than ever. As Americans, we live a pretty good lives and I love it. There is nothing wrong with living the good life with all the modern conveniences, as long as we realize a lot of those conveniences are wants and shouldn’t be on our shopping list if we don’t have the cash. See #3 above.
These are some of the principles we have learned about money since starting our own business, but they can be helpful to anyone. When money is starting to stress us out, we can look back at these principles and do a self check. Are our attitudes toward money right? Where is our focus? Are we spending more than we are making? Is that a need or just a want?
Apply these to your life and see if your finances and your attitude toward them don’t improve.
:: :: ::
Are you self-employed? How do you work your budget and control your spending. If you have tips, leave a comment here for other readers!
Marci is a stay at home wife and mother of two – daughter 7 and son 4. She blogs about her quest to overcome “busy” and accomplish what is really important, because life is just too short to waste on stuff that just doesn’t matter! You can find Marci at Overcoming Busy sharing all her thoughts about making life meaningful.
Okay, I love my freezer. If you have been reading this blog for a bit, you probably think I use my freezer like a piggy bank–which I kind of do. It is kind of like my bank for saving leftovers, saving fresh produce, and stashing dishes made-ahead of time which otherwise would be bound for the trash. Reading TipNut.com’s zucchini bread recipes in my Reader, reminded me of another freezer-saver favorite from my childhood: frozen bananas.
My mom would beat out any other sugar police out there, so we stuck to healthy everything with no refined sugar. One of my favorite snacks as a kid was a frozen bananas dipped in yogurt and coconut. In my home, we always have ripe bananas the kids aren’t going to eat, and because I don’t eat them anymore, they head for the trash. But, with this money and time-saving healthy tip, we can start saving our banana money in the freezer! Here is how I make them and some other variations:
- Select moderately ripe bananas, peel, take off those stringies, and slice in half width-wise.
- Push a clean round popsicle stick through the cut side of the banana about 1/2 way up the banana. (You can cut a 1/4″ dowel from the hardware store with a kitchen shears into 6″ lengths.)
- Coat with desired topping.
- If topping is drippy like melted chocolate: Place banana flat on baking sheet lined with waxed paper, lightly cover with plastic wrap and freeze flat for 4 hours. Then roll each individual frozen banana in waxed paper, twisting ends, and place in Ziploc freezer bag. Label the bag, and place in the freezer for a sweet and yummy frozen snack.
- If topping is dry like toasted coconut: Roll each individual frozen banana in waxed paper, twising ends, and place in Ziploc freezer bag. Label the bag, and place in the freezer for a quick, refreshing money-saving snack.
Suggested toppings:
- Plain yogurt and toasted coconut or granola
- Fruit flavored yogurt and mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts
- Peanut butter – can get messy
- Melted chocolate (white chocolate is yummy)
- Berry or fruit puree
- Caramel (melt caramels, or make your own, place bananas on baking sheet lined with waxed paper and drizzle caramel on with a fork.)
I hope these inspire a chilly snack to cool off your summer days! For more Save Your Money in Your Freezer posts visit here and here. For a printable Save Your $$ In Your Freezer download it here.
Do you have other freezer saving, money saving tips? if so, leave a comment here for other readers! Happy organizing!
A while back, I posted a list of ways you can save money by saving food in your freezer. (Find a printable version here.) In that post I covered citrus, fresh herbs, tomato paste, berries, and tea. Summer is in full swing now and I try to buy the freshest veggies and fruits at their peak and at their lowest prices. So, after a CSA pick-up or a trip to the farmers market, I do a day of processing in the kitchen to “keep” my organic veggie and fruit investment. We used to joke in New Hampshire, “why in the country do you need to lock your car door in the summer? Because if you don’t, you’ll come back from the store to find it chock full of zucchini because there was so much the farmer didn’t know what to do with it all.” So, take advantage of summer’s abundance and make some zucchini bread out of all that zucchini you found in your car and save your cash in your freezer.
Freezing Fruits and Veggies
Apples and Peaches: Make pie filling per canning recipe directions. Let mixture cool, decant pie portions into Ziploc bags, label, and freeze flat for up to 3 months.
Carrots: Make moist carrot cake muffins that simply need a dusting of powdered sugar for a quick out-of-the-freezer dessert.
Onions: Simply chop, and freeze in 1C measurements in Ziploc bags and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, toss them into the saute pan frozen. (Watch out for a bit of sizzle as the ice crystals melt and evaporate.)
Pumpkin: Scrub clean, slice in half and remove seeds, place in roasting dish cut side down in a 1/4″ of water and cover with foil, roast at 400 degrees F until soft and knife slides right in, cool to room temperature and puree. Line a sieve with a cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Put the puree in the sieve to drain for a few hours to achieve a thick, even consistency. Decant puree to Ziploc bags, label, and freeze flat for up to 3 months.
Zucchini: Usually each plant produces enough to feed a small army, so I make zucchini bread and freeze loaves for unexpected afternoon guests and special treats. Wrap cooled baked loaves in plastic wrap, slip them into a Ziploc bag, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Saving Fresh Veggies: blanching is the key to preserving color, texture, and slowing the bacteria that can spoil food. Select veggies that are free from blemishes, not over-ripe and prepare them soon after you get them home. Working with manageable quantities, wash veggies and drain. Blanch as directed below and immediately dunk into ice-water to stop the cooking process. Drain, pat dry with a tea towel, portion into Ziploc freezer bags, seal eliminating all extra air, label, and freeze for up to 6 months.
- Broccoli/Cauliflower: blanch broccoli 1 lb for 3-4 minutes, blanch cauliflower 1 1/4 lbs for 3 minutes
- Green beans: blanch 2/3 – 1 lb for 2-3 minutes
- Peas: shelled, blanch 2-3lbs of peas for 90 seconds.
Source: Canning and Preserving for Dummies, Ward, Karen, Wiley Publishing, 2003.
Baked Goods in the Freezer
In addition to fresh fruits and veggies, I also save baked goods in my freezer. I save time and money using my freezer space and avoid budget-buster take-out meals when I am in a time crunch.
Freeze Pie Crusts for up to 3 months for quiche, peach pies, or mini-berry tartlets. (Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking, 3rd ed.)
- Dump in Cuisinart food processor: 2 1/4C all purpose flour; 1T salt; 1T sugar and pulse for 3 seconds
- Add: 1C butter (very cold, cut into chunks); 1/4C shortening and pulse until pea-sized bits of fat remain
- Gradually add: 1/3C + 3T water (ice-cold) while processor is running and pulse process until bits are the size of like very, very course cornmeal. (Add more water if necessary, but don’t add too much or the crust will be tough.)
- Dump out crust dough onto plastic wrap, divide in half, and form into flat rounds. Wrap tightly in plastic and place disks in a Ziploc bag. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to use, thaw in the fridge and let rest on the counter for 5 minutes before rolling out. (If the dough is too warm after 5 minutes, refrigerate briefly until firm.) Make your pie according to recipe directions.
Make Pizza Dough ahead and freeze for up to 3 months for easy calzones, dipping bread sticks, pizzas, and flat-bread-type sandwiches. (Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking, 3rd ed.)
- Combine in large bowl: 1 pkg, (2 1/4t) active dry yeast, 1 1/3C warm water, and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Add: 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 C all purpose flour, 2T olive oil, 1T salt, 1T sugar,a nd mix until completely blended. (This will be super sticky.)
- Knead in bowl for 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic (it will still be super sticky.)
- Turn out into oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap to rise in a warm place (75-80 degrees F) for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs.
- Punch down, divide in half, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in Ziploc freezer bag, label and freeze flat for up to 3 months.
- Defrost in refrigerator, bring to room temp on counter top, sprinkle cornmeal on bench, roll out to 12″ round, let rest for 10 minutes before topping and baking on a baking sheet in a 475 degree F oven for 12-15 minutes.
I also freeze:
Tea bread: Wrap loaf in plastic wrap and then cover in freezer paper, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in fridge, and top with glaze of choice to serve.
Dinner rolls: Prepare dough through the first rise. Divide and shape the rolls, place them in a buttered baking pan, cover with plastic wrap, and slip into a plastic Ziploc bag before labeling and freezing for up to 3 months. Defrost completely in the refrigerator. Bring to room temp, and allow to rise a second time on the counter top before baking them in the oven per recipe directions.
Yeast breads: Bake bread, and turn out on to a cooling rack to cool completely. Wrap in parchment paper, or freezer paper, then slip into a Ziploc bag before labeling it and freezing it for up to 3 months. Let bread thaw completely IN paper wrapping BEFORE unwrapping to achieve best, moist result.
Cookie dough: Prepare dough per the recipe, scoop into individual cookie portion sizes with an ice cream scoop and place on a cookie sheet. Separate mounds, cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze for 4 hours. Place mounds together in a plastic food storage container, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake: place frozen mounds spaced on a cookie sheet (greased per recipe directions) and let come to room temp on the counter lightly covered with plastic wrap. Shape cookies and bake-off according to recipe directions.
If the cookies are slice and bake cut from a roll, form roll (and coat with nuts or chocolate if called for) before freezing the dough. If the cookies are roll and cut-out cookies, you can roll out dough flat and roll the dough up into a cylinder before freezing.
Shortbread and cakey cookies are better baked before being frozen. Like baked brownies and blondies, layer cookies in a plastic container with a tightly fitting lid between sheets of parchment paper, label them, and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Cakes: Wrap buttercake baked layers tightly in plastic wrap and then waxed/freezer paper- freeze buttercreams separately, tightly sealed so they don’t take on odors. When ready to use, thaw layers completely IN wrapping BEFORE unwrapping, thaw buttercream in refrigerator, let soften on counter at room temp for 20 minutes before adding liquors or extracts, and re-whip before using. (Buttercreams may seem to curdle at first, but keep whipping and the mixture will come together again.)
Freeze cupcakes per muffin instructions below. If cupcakes are frosted, let thaw in the refrigerator lightly covered with plastic wrap.
If you are freezing a left-over cake curd and whip cream filings don’t freeze well. Freeze butter cakes in individual portion sizes so you don’t have to defrost more than you need.
Muffins, Bagels and Waffles: Freeze muffins flat on a cookie sheet covered in plastic wrap, and then place in a Ziploc bag, label and freeze for up to 2 months. I like to thaw my muffins in the microwave so they come out nice and warm. Buy bagels when they are on sale, and freeze in a Ziploc bag. Thaw in the toaster oven, or in your fridge. Make an extra batch of waffles, let them cool, stack and place in a Ziploc freezer bag. Label and freeze for up to 3 months. Place frozen waffles in the toaster oven to warm them before serving.
Freeze Soups and Chilies Too
Soup, Cold or Hot! - Make your favorite soup recipe but omit any cream at the end. Decant portions into freezer Ziploc bags. With a permanent marker, note the type of soup, number of portions, reheating instructions, how much cream and garnish to add, and the date. Flatten the bag and freeze for up to 6 months. I have successfully frozen, gazpacho, cream of asparagus soup, and leek soup.
Slow-cooked chilies - My husband LOVEs Cincinnati chili. So I cook up a big batch and freeze the extra portions. Simply thaw the bag of chili, cook some spaghetti just past al dente, top with chili, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped yellow onions, and kidney beans, depending on if you want a two-way, three-way, or four-way.
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For more info on freezing veggies and fruits visit TipNut.com.
A small note: I freeze my liquids and purees flat in their Ziploc bags and then stack the bags like books on my freezer shelves. I find it I can fit more in my freezer and everything is easier to find. Another way to easily identify items in your frosty freezer: color code dishes, herbs, baked goods, and veggies by using different colored permanent markers and draw a colored square on the top corner of each Ziploc bag, or container for easy reference.
Do you have any Save Your Cash In Your Freezer tips? Leave a comment here and share your tip with other readers! Happy Organizing!
Yesterday I wrote about Budgets…It’s a Philosophy. I realized over the weekend that I had always filled my “deserve-to-have” needs. I thought these were needs too, and if I had the wherewithal, I could satisfy them. So far, I have always had debt, but was luck enough to have a way to continually pay for it.
Today, I have a different priority and that is to become DEBT-FREE. I actually calculated it last night and found that over the next four years (if we can actually employ this change in our spending) we can pay down more than $170,000 in debt. IN JUST 4 YEARS WE CAN GET RID OF MORE THAN $177,000 IN DEBT!! This is how I figured this number out.
I tallied our monthly deposits and from this subtracted: monthly utilities and insurance bills, debt payments, and living essentials. I figured out the left over cash we have each month and decided to put a portion of this toward our “rainy-day” fund and a larger portion of this toward our debt. Here is what my mega arithmetic equation:
Becoming Debt-Free
Monthly Income
-Cell Phone Service
-Auto/Home Insurance
-Electric
-Cable/Internet/Phone
-HOA
-Water
-Church Tithe
-Preschool Tuition
-Student Loans
-Credit Card
-1st Mortgage
-2nd Mortgage
———————-
Subtotal: Before Living Essentials
-Groceries*
-Household Items*
-Toiletries*
-Diapers/Wipes*
-Clothing/Shoes*
-Gas*
-Medical Fees*
-Entertainment*
-Extras* (Haircuts/Memberships)
-Weekly Donations*
-Lunches*
-Home Decor*
-Home Improvement*
-Auto Maintenance
-Life Insurance
-Rainy Day Fund
-Holidays
-Blog
-Birthdays/Fathers Day/Mothers Day
-Anniversary
-Vacation
-New Years
———————-
Total Cash Left Over
The items that are (*)’ed I am planning to pay for in cash to keep better track of what we are spending. Physically handing over your money makes an impression on you and says, “wow, that cash is gone!” The other living essentials we are putting in a savings account for the special occasion.
We decided to tackle a balance of higher-interest debt and lower balance debt to save money and to keep our momentum going. (If you pay off a debt balance that commands a higher interest rate faster, you end up paying less in interest, and thus save money.) We plan to pay down the credit card debt first and after this balance is eliminated we are going to apply these payments to our next debt balance. We figured out in 48 months we would be able to eliminate our: auto loan, all credit card debt, one student loan, and entire second mortgage, all the while paying down our other debt balances. We were pretty amazed that a debt-free life can really be a reality in such a short time.
I need to keep reminding myself: to reevaluate often, be resourceful, and be humble. We need to constantly be reevaluating our situation to see if this new budget will work for us, and if it isn’t working, we need to be flexible and devise a new plan of action. We can certainly get more for less here in the US. (That rhymes…) Isn’t that what America is all about? By looking for sales, swaps, coupons, and using my own creativity, I am positive we can live very comfortably spending less cash. And finally, my reminder to be humble is actually to a reminder to think of those on our earth who don’t live comfortably, don’t have any cash to afford even food for their children, and simply have to make do on very little. Since I already own so much, I need to ask myself constantly do I “need this to live” or is this something I can do without to reach my goal of being debt-free?
I don’t think this change is going to be easy. I am already imagining those evenings when I am tired and just want to order expensive take-out. But I know my husband and my family is supporting me 100%, and that if my children will benefit from our financial security it will be more than worth it. Wish us luck! Happy Organizing.
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thank you for stopping by my blog  I am a 30-something mom to a 3 1/2 year old son and 2 year old daughter, and a wife to my life wonderful. I write in this space when my crafty inspiration strikes or when I get to pondering about how we can better connect with the earth around us. We are a family surviving the suburbs, contending with commercialism, and getting to a greener lifestyle. Welcome! ~Abbie share my blog
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