A Handy Tool To Help Plan Meals & Shop for Groceries

By Jessica Hoelzel

Speaking of keeping an organized pantry (read my last post) I’d like to share a website that can help you plan your meals out for the month: MonthlyMealPlanner.com. This website, run by a friend of mine, offers custom meal planning, grocery lists, and lots of creative family- and kid-friendly recipes.

When you can plan things out, and shop only for what’s on your list, you’ll end up with less clutter in your pantry, and less waste for your pocketbook and the environment.

Check it out!

21 Quick Clutter Fixes For Your Home

By Jessica Hoelzel

REDUCE the amount of STUFF you have and LIVE GREEN

Introducing a NEW blog series: 21 Quick Clutter Fixes. Keep your eye on Day to Day Feng Shui for 21 ways to lighten your load by cutting out clutter bit-by-bit throughout your home. Plus, solutions that keep the environment top-of-mind, so you keep your waste-impact down.

Less Clutter = Healthy Home

Less Waste = Healthy World

In the Kitchen

4. Clean out your pantry. Here in America we love to consume. Our homes tend to get cluttered as a result, making us feel overwhelmed. The pantry is one place that things can easily get stacked and packed in, either because we:

• Buy in bulk
• Stock up because of a great deal
• Forget what it is we have, or lose it at the back of the cupboard 

I personally do not buy in bulk because I don’t have the extra storage space, and because I don’t want to have that much stuff around. I like to KISS my home: Keep It Super Simple. If you have found significant dollar savings in buying bulk (Have you done a spreadsheet on it?), and have the storage space to keep things “on reserve”, go for it. But only buy what you know you WILL consume. Otherwise you’re creating more waste, and your dollar “savings” are wasted.

Action items to make your pantry streamlined and functional:

• Toss expired things. Recycle any cardboard boxes and glass jars
•  Bag the things your family likely won’t eat, donate to the food shelf
•  Be realistic when shopping: buy only what your family can reasonably eat, or buy ingredients only for specific meals, not 5 cans of chili beans just because they’re 5/$3
• Take the items you want to keep in the pantry out, organize them by category: dessert, sides, grains, etc
• Wipe the shelves down and put the items back, in their category grouping

An organized kitchen can help make cooking a pleasant experience, and also save you the money spent on eating out.

21 Quick Clutter Fixes For Your Home

By Jessica Hoelzel

REDUCE the amount of STUFF you have and LIVE GREEN

Introducing a NEW blog series: 21 Quick Clutter Fixes. Keep your eye on Day to Day Feng Shui for 21 ways to lighten your load by cutting out clutter bit-by-bit throughout your home. Plus, solutions that keep the environment top-of-mind, so you keep your waste-impact down.

Less clutter = Healthy Home
Less waste = Healthy World

In the Kitchen

3. Purge your plastic cups and water bottles. Any family knows plastic cups can stack up, literally. So, we need to ask ourselves, how many of ‘em do we really need? And that all depends on how many kids you have around and how often you run your dishwasher. I guarantee you probably don’t need any more than 6. Get rid of the ones you don’t need, either by donating them or recycling. If you don't have many, and are looking to buy some, choose glass instead. They last longer and they won't impact the environment like plastic will once they wear out.

We’ve all learned about plastic water bottles leaching plastic into our beverages. If you have water bottles that aren’t BPA free, let them go. These tend to collect from giveaways and gifts. But just because someone gave it to you, or it was free, doesn’t mean you need to keep it. You’re the boss of your house and your stuff! Don't let things take over the well-being of yourself and your space.
Streamline those cupboards!

21 Quick Clutter Fixes For Your Home

By Jessica Hoelzel

REDUCE the amount of STUFF you have and LIVE GREEN

I’m introducing a NEW blog series: 21 Quick Clutter Fixes. Keep your eye on Day to Day Feng Shui for 21 ways to lighten your load by cutting out clutter bit-by-bit throughout your home. Plus, solutions that keep the environment top-of-mind, so you keep your waste-impact down.

Less clutter = Healthy Home

Less waste = Healthy World 

In the Kitchen

  

2. Get those bags under control! I’m not talking about the bags under your eyes from disorganization-distress. I’m talking about plastic and paper shopping bags. Let’s take them one at a time.

Plastic. They are bad for the environment! We all know that, right? Lest you need a reminder, click here.

Some solutions:

• Elect not to take your things in them from the store.
• If you have loads of them, take them to a recycling collection location, like a grocery or department store, to unload.
• Reuse them (not the greatest solution, since they still go back into the environment, but they come in handy for some messier situations; poopy diaper, anyone?).
• If you keep some for re-use, take one bag, open it, and put all the others “scrunched up” inside. Or get one of these.
  

Paper. Biodegradable, but still kill trees.

Some solutions:

• Recycle a bunch if they’re taking over you cupboard or pantry.
• Reuse them for taking things places or to collect recycling.
• If you keep some for re-use, take one bag, open it, and put all the other (folded) bags inside it. You can store that “bag-with-the-bags” upright or on its side for easy access.

Better solution: Use reusable bags. They are everywhere now. Actually they can get a bit out of control too. My solution for taming them is the same as with plastic or paper: open one, put the others inside it (folded). If you have way too many, donate some. I, personally, keep my bags in the trunk. They are there when I shop, then put back after unpacking groceries. Sometimes I do forget them, but then I re-use the bags I bring home.

If you’re on-the-go on foot or by bus or train, consider the fun Chico Bag.  I got one for my sister and cousin last year for their birthdays. It scrunches up really small in it’s own little storage bag, and you can keep that in your purse or backpack. Some styles also available at REI.

21 Quick Clutter Fixes For Your Home

By Jessica Hoelzel

REDUCE the amount of STUFF you have and LIVE GREEN

In my last post, I shared an easy 3-Step Process for Clearing Out Clutter.

Now, I’m Introducing a NEW blog series: 21 Quick Clutter Fixes. Keep your eye on Day to Day Feng Shui for 21 ways to lighten your load by cutting out clutter bit-by-bit throughout your home. Plus, solutions that keep the environment top-of-mind, so you keep your waste-impact down.

Less Clutter = Healthy Home

Less Waste = Healthy World

In the Kitchen

1. Weed out your stained, warped, and orphan plastic containers and lids. Recycle them if you can – check the bottom for the number, and if your service doesn’t take them, sometimes your local Co-op will. Do not buy those cheapies again. Buy sturdy Food Storage Containers that hold up to wear and tear. The best for your health are glass or porcelain. If you buy plastic, buy a sturdy BPA-free plastic instead of the flimsier “disposable” ones.

Sturdy containers may be more of an investment, but they will last longer. So, you’re not throwing as many away to collect in the landfill for 100s of years once they wear out or you can't find matching pieces. When you have a few that you use and take care of, that stay in good condition, you’ll have less clutter in your cupboards, and less hassle.

Here are links to some I like:

From the Container Store®

From Target®