Question of the Day, Sunday, September 27, 2015

this week was one of my busier weeks, lots going on that needs doing or dealing with. when these busier periods of time come up, i find it helpful to work on prioritizing the things i do as well as trying to keep things a little more simple in my day to day life.

with these thoughts on my mind, for today's Question of the Day.........

Do you do things to simplify your life, to make things easier? If so, would you like to share the ways you've found helpful?

i'll start!

i've developed some ways that seem to make things a little easier for me.

i always soak my dirty dishes. i've found that there is much less stuck on bits of food when i soak the dishes in hot soapy water before washing them.

when i measure ingredients for bread or baked goods recipes, i measure the dry ingredients for several recipes at one time. i place a scrap of paper in the plastic bags which gives what the recipe is, and the ingredients that i've measured and their amounts -- so i'll know exactly what i've got in each bag. by measuring for several recipes at one time i reduce the amount of dishes i have to wash, because i'm using one set of measuring cups/spoons to measure for all those recipes (i really don't enjoy washing dishes). and i end up with the dry ingredients measured out for making say 6 or 7 loaves of bread machine bread, or 5 or 6 different baked items -- which leaves me set up to make those recipes more quickly.

i'm 'big' on making lists. i keep a 'running' shopping list, on which i'll list items i notice i'm getting low on or that i find i'm needing. and i always write up a 'to do' list for my 'busy' days, of the things i plan on getting done. it's so much easier to simply look at my list, and cross things off as i get them done.

normally, i use my computer calendar for pretty much everything i need to do or keep track of. i've been without my computer calendar for very close to 3 months now -- really not fun for me. one of the things i did when my computer's hard drive was failing was to export my calendar's events to a memory card. i believe that my memory is so much better when i'm not having as much i need to remember, and using the computer calendar means i don't need to remember things i need to do...i just need to stay in the habit of looking at my daily 'to do's' in my calendar.

when i buy my clothing, i buy in colors that will wash well together and no colors that tend to 'run' (bleed) onto other clothing during washing. i never buy clothes that need dry cleaning. and when i'm wearing clothes that will need washing, they're placed in the washing machine when i strip them off me before showering. i then simply run the washing machine when it gets full. the only items i wash separately is bedding, because i've found it a pain to locate all the clothing in the folds of the sheets and blankets if they're washed and dried together.

i pretty much never wear 'outdoors' shoes inside my house. i have slippers and flip flops to wear when i'm indoors. this makes for so much less dirt, grass, and assorted other debris to need cleaning off my floors on a daily basis.

i work very hard to have a 'place for everything, and everything in it's place'. it's a lot easier for me, because i know where to find pretty much anything i'm needing. occasionally, i'll have moved something and not be able to find it. i do come across anything that has been misplaced though, finding the item because i come across it in a place where it shouldn't be.

okay, now it's your turn!

I'm a list maker, too. I need to make lists, just so I know what's going on. Lists really help me, especially around the holidays, so I know what I'm baking and so I know when I'm baking what. As well as all the ingredients I need for things. I keep a running list of "What's in the Freezer?" simply because I hate the thought of something going bad and going to waste. I keep a running grocery list; nothing is more annoying than deciding to bake, only to realize that I don't have all the ingredients I need. So as soon as I dump the last bag of flour into my container, flour goes on my list. Same with sugar, brown sugar, bread flour, etc. I have my baking powder and soda dated and I take a gander every so often.

I have my date book to keep track of appts, dr. visits, meetings, vet visits, hair appts, maintenance appts for my cars, etc. If I ever lost that date book, it would take me forever to figure out where I'm at.

While I would love to keep flip-flops or slippers on hand--and I do for myself--Rick would never go along with it. He comes home from work and his cap goes on the chair, his shoes go under the piano, and his flannel shirt gets draped over the chair. And there everything would stays until Monday or until I do laundry and get his shirt myself (one day last week, there were 3 flannel shirts on the kitchen chair). The "everything in its place" also does not work around here either, for the same reason. Rick simply does not see the need. (Last night he was working in the bedroom and I heard him muttering. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "You know, I spend more time looking for the tools I need than I do actually working." And it's very true. His desk is a mess, his bureau looks like a hurricane hit it more often than not and his work table in the basement is just horrid. That's Rick.) He will never, ever change. He just doesn't "get it". And, after 44 years, I've learned which battles are worth fighting and which are not. I've also learned that this stuff cannot bother me or I'd be a basket case....it's not worth it. It's just not. Most of the time, when I can't find something, it's because he used it and didn't put it back where it belongs. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm complaining, I'm not. Not really. It is what it is. I'm just stating the facts.

But I try to do what I can to make things easier for me.

I once had 10 cats (we lost Margaret in July), and still have 9. Two are Maine Coons, so you can imagine the cat fur in my house. I love cat fur on cats, but not on the floor or furniture. Last year, I bought 2 robotic vacuums. Even though they can be a bit twitchy, and the replacement batteries are $50, they are worth it for me. I can run them every day (one is downstairs, the other is upstairs).  I still have to keep the Monster Known as Vacuum, but hardly use him (I also have the upstairs/downstairs thing with these).  The robots do very well, though.

I just bought a Dirt Devil hand vac that has a pet hair brush. I 've never seen one of these with a pet hair brush, and it really does well on the furniture, so I don't have to drag out and set up Monster Vac (his lair is now in the garage).  However, it is terrible as a hand vac--the little kibble it sucks up promptly gets spat out. I use it once a day.

I buy many things online, especially from Walmart, and get their free shipping. I buy mostly household and food items. Sometimes, they are cheaper on the site than in my store. I hate grocery shopping! Also, I buy heavier items, such as gallon jugs of vinegar and canned cat food, so I don't hurt my back and knees carrying them to and from the car (I often leave the heavy stuff on the porch for DH to carry inside when he gets home). 

When entertaining, I always vac the furniture the night before, and drape plastic sheets over it to keep the cat fur off.  I would set the table, without food, of course, the night before, then do the same thing, but the little furry devils would just jump on the table anyway! I have tried blocking the dining room off, without success. Yes, they CAN scale a 5 ft. screen! Since we recently installed bi-fold doors on the Ma'am Cave, which is 12x20, I can really do this, as we often use it as the dining room when we have more than 6 people over. For Christmas, the family arrives in the early morning, and "dinner" is really lunch, so I'm busy when I get up. Being able to set up the decorations and table the night before will really save time the next day. Just turn over the plates and glasses to keep dust out.

I recently put all of my tablecloths and cloth napkins in 6-ft. tall resin storage cabinets in the garage, which we only use for storage and the Kitty Litter Palace. I entertain a lot, so I have a LOT of these, and having them at eye level, organized by color, makes things easier. The one unit is a half cabinet, on a drawer base, so I store paper napkins and plates in that, along with paper cups.

Litter boxes: we use the garage, which is accessed via a cat door in the laundry room door.  We installed a double laundry sink, with hot water, with a bit of counter top (it's a plastic-covered board, which covers the "virgin" sink, which will NEVER get used for washing litter boxes).  I have one of the drawer bases I mentioned above, and keep the paper bag liners in there, along with trash bags.  We wash, then stack the clean boxes on the "counter", and I have a paper towel roller on the wall. We then line the boxes with the paper shopping bags (we get them free), and stack them up elsewhere for quick litter box changes. We have at total of at least 20 litter boxes either clean or in use.  Most are clean ones, stacked up; I only put about 8 down to be used, and just empty one or two each day, replacing them with clean ones.

Pantry: I usually only buy items that are on sale, and stock up. I write the expiration dates with a Sharpie, on the packages, to make taking inventory quicker. This also lessens waste. As we keep a few months' worht of food, this is very helpful.

Before bed: I tidy up the downstairs, and scrub the kitchen sink out. That way, you start the day with a shiny, clean sink, and feel as if you've won half the battle of keeping the house clean!

It seems I'm always trying to do this but am having trouble thinking of examples. Um...

1) I also try to have a place for everything, so I can put stuff back where it belongs when I'm finished.

2) Things are stored close to where they will be used. For example, cutting boards and knives are close to the area where I chop vegetables, pots and pans are stored close to the stove, drinking glasses near the fridge.

We also turned a shelf closet on the main floor into a broom closet. The vacuum cleaner, steam cleaner, and dust mop are used more easily (and often) when they are close by. It was tempting to hide them away downstairs, but I really don't want to drag that stuff up and down since that makes the work even harder.

3) I also keep lists for everything, and a monthly calendar with important dates like appointments, birthdays, travel dates.

4) We have a budget and stick to it. There are no stressful financial surprises that way.

5) I make double recipes for dinners that freeze well, such as stews, chilli, pasta sauce, pulled beef and pork, meatballs. I call them "emergency dinners" but I count on them a lot.

6) I try to establish good relationships with service professionals and their office staff. If I have a question or emergency with, say, the plumbing or electrical, I get help right away from Jennifer (or whoever) if she and I have interesting conversations in the past and have exchanged recipes by email. 

7) I guess the biggest help for me is the "touch it once" philosophy. Dirty dishes go straight into the dishwasher, not the sink. Clothes pulled from the dryer get folded right then, rather than put into a basket then pulled out and folded. Emails get answered right after they are read, not saved for later. Groceries go from the bag to the fridge or pantry not the counter, you get the idea.

That's all I can think of for now.

8) We have three litter boxes and each one has next to it a scooper and a box with little poop bags (I think they are for walking dogs but whatever). That way, if anyone in the family notices a stinky litter box, they can scoop it up right then and put it in the outside trash can (by the back door). So far I'm the only one who has done this, but I remain hopeful others will catch on.

We also have anti-track mats in front of the litter boxes and those really help keep the litter contained.

mickNsnicks2mom said:

this week was one of my busier weeks, lots going on that needs doing or dealing with. when these busier periods of time come up, i find it helpful to work on prioritizing the things i do as well as trying to keep things a little more simple in my day to day life.

with these thoughts on my mind, for today's Question of the Day.........



Do you do things to simplify your life, to make things easier? If so, would you like to share the ways you've found helpful?



i'll start!
i've developed some ways that seem to make things a little easier for me.

i always soak my dirty dishes. i've found that there is much less stuck on bits of food when i soak the dishes in hot soapy water before washing them.

when i measure ingredients for bread or baked goods recipes, i measure the dry ingredients for several recipes at one time. i place a scrap of paper in the plastic bags which gives what the recipe is, and the ingredients that i've measured and their amounts -- so i'll know exactly what i've got in each bag. by measuring for several recipes at one time i reduce the amount of dishes i have to wash, because i'm using one set of measuring cups/spoons to measure for all those recipes (i really don't enjoy washing dishes). and i end up with the dry ingredients measured out for making say 6 or 7 loaves of bread machine bread, or 5 or 6 different baked items -- which leaves me set up to make those recipes more quickl

i'm 'big' on making lists. i keep a 'running' shopping list, on which i'll list items i notice i'm getting low on or that i find i'm needing. and i always write up a 'to do' list for my 'busy' days, of the things i plan on getting done. it's so much easier to simply look at my list, and cross things off as i get them done.

normally, i use my computer calendar for pretty much everything i need to do or keep track of. i've been without my computer calendar for very close to 3 months now -- really not fun for me. one of the things i did when my computer's hard drive was failing was to export my calendar's events to a memory card. i believe that my memory is so much better when i'm not having as much i need to remember, and using the computer calendar means i don't need to remember things i need to do...i just need to stay in the habit of looking at my daily 'to do's' in my calendar.

when i buy my clothing, i buy in colors that will wash well together and no colors that tend to 'run' (bleed) onto other clothing during washing. i never buy clothes that need dry cleaning. and when i'm wearing clothes that will need washing, they're placed in the washing machine when i strip them off me before showering. i then simply run the washing machine when it gets full. the only items i wash separately is bedding, because i've found it a pain to locate all the clothing in the folds of the sheets and blankets if they're washed and dried together.

i pretty much never wear 'outdoors' shoes inside my house. i have slippers and flip flops to wear when i'm indoors. this makes for so much less dirt, grass, and assorted other debris to need cleaning off my floors on a daily basis.

i work very hard to have a 'place for everything, and everything in it's place'. it's a lot easier for me, because i know where to find pretty much anything i'm needing. occasionally, i'll have moved something and not be able to find it. i do come across anything that has been misplaced though, finding the item because i come across it in a place where it shouldn't be.

okay, now it's your turn!

Click to expand...

I'd love to have you living with me. You'd soon make order out of my mess.

I'm afraid I'm not housewifey at all. Nothing is as it should be. But the house is clean, just untidy!

I like things put away asap. 

Winchester said:

 
I'm a list maker, too. I need to make lists, just so I know what's going on. Lists really help me, especially around the holidays, so I know what I'm baking and so I know when I'm baking what. As well as all the ingredients I need for things. I keep a running list of "What's in the Freezer?" simply because I hate the thought of something going bad and going to waste. I keep a running grocery list; nothing is more annoying than deciding to bake, only to realize that I don't have all the ingredients I need. So as soon as I dump the last bag of flour into my container, flour goes on my list. Same with sugar, brown sugar, bread flour, etc. I have my baking powder and soda dated and I take a gander every so often.

I have my date book to keep track of appts, dr. visits, meetings, vet visits, hair appts, maintenance appts for my cars, etc. If I ever lost that date book, it would take me forever to figure out where I'm at.

While I would love to keep flip-flops or slippers on hand--and I do for myself--Rick would never go along with it. He comes home from work and his cap goes on the chair, his shoes go under the piano, and his flannel shirt gets draped over the chair. And there everything would stays until Monday or until I do laundry and get his shirt myself (one day last week, there were 3 flannel shirts on the kitchen chair). The "everything in its place" also does not work around here either, for the same reason. Rick simply does not see the need. (Last night he was working in the bedroom and I heard him muttering. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "You know, I spend more time looking for the tools I need than I do actually working." And it's very true. His desk is a mess, his bureau looks like a hurricane hit it more often than not and his work table in the basement is just horrid. That's Rick.) He will never, ever change. He just doesn't "get it". And, after 44 years, I've learned which battles are worth fighting and which are not. I've also learned that this stuff cannot bother me or I'd be a basket case....it's not worth it. It's just not. Most of the time, when I can't find something, it's because he used it and didn't put it back where it belongs. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm complaining, I'm not. Not really. It is what it is. I'm just stating the facts.

But I try to do what I can to make things easier for me.

Click to expand...

it sounds like you have a good system, with lists and your date book!

@MargeCat   -- oh, i like that idea of vacuum devices on each floor. it would save me from having to haul the canister vac upstairs and back down every few days. i have a black and decker hand vac which i bought to vac up the cat litter that always gets a small amount tracked past the litter mats. it simply does not suck up cat litter, so i don't use it these days.

that's a great way of keeping track of expire dates and reducing waste! marking with a sharpie on the packages is a simple yet very effective idea!

I'm not at all organized, but one thing I couldn't do without is a vacuum cleaner on each floor. Our clothes dryer is also in the kitchen, which saves me an extra trip down to the laundry room in the cellar.

SwampWitch said:

 
It seems I'm always trying to do this but am having trouble thinking of examples. Um...

1) I also try to have a place for everything, so I can put stuff back where it belongs when I'm finished.

2) Things are stored close to where they will be used. For example, cutting boards and knives are close to the area where I chop vegetables, pots and pans are stored close to the stove, drinking glasses near the fridge.

We also turned a shelf closet on the main floor into a broom closet. The vacuum cleaner, steam cleaner, and dust mop are used more easily (and often) when they are close by. It was tempting to hide them away downstairs, but I really don't want to drag that stuff up and down since that makes the work even harder.

3) I also keep lists for everything, and a monthly calendar with important dates like appointments, birthdays, travel dates.

4) We have a budget and stick to it. There are no stressful financial surprises that way.

5) I make double recipes for dinners that freeze well, such as stews, chilli, pasta sauce, pulled beef and pork, meatballs. I call them "emergency dinners" but I count on them a lot.

6) I try to establish good relationships with service professionals and their office staff. If I have a question or emergency with, say, the plumbing or electrical, I get help right away from Jennifer (or whoever) if she and I have interesting conversations in the past and have exchanged recipes by email. 

7) I guess the biggest help for me is the "touch it once" philosophy. Dirty dishes go straight into the dishwasher, not the sink. Clothes pulled from the dryer get folded right then, rather than put into a basket then pulled out and folded. Emails get answered right after they are read, not saved for later. Groceries go from the bag to the fridge or pantry not the counter, you get the idea.

That's all I can think of for now.

Click to expand...

SwampWitch said:

 
8) We have three litter boxes and each one has next to it a scooper and a box with little poop bags (I think they are for walking dogs but whatever). That way, if anyone in the family notices a stinky litter box, they can scoop it up right then and put it in the outside trash can (by the back door). So far I'm the only one who has done this, but I remain hopeful others will catch on.

We also have anti-track mats in front of the litter boxes and those really help keep the litter contained.

Click to expand...

i really like that idea of storing things where they'll be used!

i'm very careful to stick to my budget too. i also have a home trust warranty, which covers most things that can come up -- so no getting 'hit' with expensive repairs here.

i like your 'touch it once' philosophy!

Stewball said:

I'd love to have you living with me. You'd soon make order out of my mess.

Click to expand...

Stewball said:

I'm afraid I'm not housewifey at all. Nothing is as it should be. But the house is clean, just untidy!

Click to expand...

actually, i really don't enjoy cleaning at all. but i like my home clean, tidy, and organized so i can thoroughly enjoy it.

i have an on-going battle with clutter. i swear that clutter has the ability to make more clutter all on it's own!

dejolane said:

 
I like things put away asap. 

Click to expand...

that's smart! i bet that avoids extra work building up for you. 

jcat said:

I'm not at all organized, but one thing I couldn't do without is a vacuum cleaner on each floor. Our clothes dryer is also in the kitchen, which saves me an extra trip down to the laundry room in the cellar.

Click to expand...

you know, i'm going to seriously consider buying something like a stick vacuum (or a second canister vac) for my upstairs. it's just one bedroom and a hallway up there. and another benefit of having the second vac for upstairs is that it can be a 'back up' vac, in case my canister vac dies unexpectedly.

i'll be looking at houses in several years (actually, 6-7 years) and i definitely want the washer/dryer on the first floor, or i'd even be fine with converting a spare first floor bedroom over to a laundry room and pantry. in this house the washer is in the first floor bathroom (which i like, because as i strip dirty clothing off me it goes straight into the washer), but the dryer is down the hall and through the kitchen then out into the enclosed back porch. one of my dreams is for a front loader washer and dryer set, placed up high enough on a custom built stand (with drainage under the washer, should it ever leak) that i can stand upright and simply reach straight forward to move laundry from the washer to the dryer -- and i'd have a couple storage cabinets in the bottom of the stand, to store the laundry supplies.

mickNsnicks2mom said:

actually, i really don't enjoy cleaning at all. but i like my home clean, tidy, and organized so i can thoroughly enjoy it.

i have an on-going battle with clutter. i swear that clutter has the ability to make more clutter all on it's own!

Click to expand...

My daughter'a room is packed full of stuff. It'd need at least a week to clear it. Nobody has the urge to do it. Sigh.