Systems for a Sane Home

Transitions and change sure know how to wreak havoc in our lives.  I have heard of friends posting about sleep patterns, new foods, potty training, new jobs, marriages and such so I know I am not alone.  In my own household we could describe almost that whole list and more and it is only January.  I apologize for not being as present here as I had hoped from the start.  It is a change for me and my home and I am still working on getting the time management in its place.  There are many things I want to share and learn so I am committed to getting more in this blog with the assistance of anyone who wants to contribute.

The routine... How do you SAHM, WAHM, part time and full time moms do it?  How have you worked your day logistically so that for the most part, everything gets done AND there is room for a little bit of extra?  I want to know what you have tried and what actually worked.  I love the idea of dry-erase boards or chalkboard calendars/daily schedules but how do you stick with them and make them work?  What baby steps can one take to help get there without setting them up for frustration or failure? 

Here is what I am attempting to do this week.  I am in an epic battle to get my kids to help out.  I think that their contributions would reduce my stress-level and then I could really get those tasks done!  I have a picture of the "chore chart" I recently purchased below.  I'll report back on how it works.  Any suggestions on how your "chore charts" or strategies have worked are very welcome.

Also, I am installing a "one major chore" a day schedule.  Laundry on Sunday, dusting on Tuesday, type of thing.  I am sick of waking up on to Saturday and having to gut out the whole house!  What type of cleaning regiment do you have functioning in your house?  Leo Babauta writes a great article on getting started.  He describes one of the steps to starting this type of system is starting with a clean slate.  Guess what my weekend has been and will consist of... (http://zenhabits.net/handle-chores-house-cleaning-and-errands-with-simple-systems/).  Looking forward to getting into it and coming out cleaner, happier and more sane:) 

So I am still on a food kick and definitely don't think we have exhausted this topic enough to move on!  My first thoughts are always to plan plan plan.  Although I know that even the most put together mommy has those moments where we forgot something, we ran out of time to run to the store or we just don't feel like making what we planned to make!  Last night, my kids were sick and trying something new and exciting would  not work!

For me, I personally have a few recipes/meals that I know by heart.  They require little ingredients or at least ingredients I can have on hand for a long time.  In my household these will usually come out because it is after 7pm and I haven't even made it home yet to start dinner.  Before I want to start working through a brand new recipe that might take me longer than expected to make, I will fall back on my "tried and true" to nourish the family that evening.  I will comment with one of my favorites and list the ingredients, etc.  As I commented on in the previous post, Kraft has a great easy to use recipe where you can plug in "chicken and corn" because that's what you might have on hand and it will give you some easy to make recipes to try.   

So my question this week is "what is your tried and true"?  What do you always have in your pantry that can make a quick meal and be your go to?  I think we all have pasta and sauce so lets move beyond that one.  Staples you always keep in the pantry because you know when all else fails, you can at least serve that.  Is there a website or book you use to find quick recipes with what you have on hand?  Thanks for sharing!!

Mom... what are we having for dinner??

Let's jump into the new year discussing one of my favorite topics ever, FOOD!!  With new year resolutions being sworn left and right, I am sure most of us are hoping to be more healthy and spend less.  In my household, I literally see rotten money being thrown away.  Food that goes bad or last minute stops to pick up something I forgot consume my budget.  I pick up a Sunday newspaper in the hopes that I will save the coupons, research easy recipes to use these coupon-saved items and then actually follow through and make the meal for my family.  Sometimes this all goes smoothly and I feel like super-mom.  Most of the time there is some stage in the process that doesn't go according to plan.  Does any of these sound familiar?  You forgot the coupon, the coupon was expired, you forgot an item from the recipe, the store was out of an item, you didn't have time to clip, plan, or go to store, you made a recipe and the children refuse to eat it, your meal gets burnt or overdone due to distractions.  I could go on forever where meals have given me grief!

Is this how it is with any of you?  What are your issues with food in your houses?  Did you discover some amazing system that gets you to a grocery store, get a great deal, make the meal that your whole family enjoys and not waste food or money? 

Here is my pledge for 2013.  "Food should be consumed, it shouldn't consume us"!!