I saw this article on how to make the most of a small kitchen--with over 200 helpful comments!--and realized I have learned some things about this in my years of making do with smallish kitchens. The 3 places we've lived in the past 15 years all had kitchens under 100 square feet, but we were … Continue reading Tips for a Tiny Kitchen
Habitation
A Half-Fast Lent
Happy Easter! Despite my positive past experiences with changing my behavior for Lent, this year I didn't give up anything for those six weeks. Frankly, I kind of felt like I couldn't handle any more self-discipline, since my schedule was so packed with work, meetings, household errands and projects, and trying to be some kind … Continue reading A Half-Fast Lent
Easy, Earth-Friendly Way to Clean a Microwave Oven!
Today is the Spring Cleaning Tips edition of Works-for-Me Wednesday, and I'm hardly an expert cleaner . . . but I actually went on a little kitchen-cleaning binge last night and utilized a tip that I want to share! I believe I originally saw this in "Hints from Heloise." When the interior of your microwave … Continue reading Easy, Earth-Friendly Way to Clean a Microwave Oven!
Two Weeks of Meatless Menus for Late Winter
It's Lent, which means that a lot of omnivores are keeping meatless Fridays, and some have given up meat for the whole six weeks. Daniel and I used to eat a lot more meat than we do now, and giving up meat for Lent in 2002 was one of the biggest steps in our journey. … Continue reading Two Weeks of Meatless Menus for Late Winter
Costco vs. Gordon Food Service
It's Works-for-Me Wednesday! It's also Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, so you might want to check out last year's suggestions for Lenten fasts that help the environment or my musings on vanity and seeking help. I've been a member of Costco for some time, and the money we save by buying some things … Continue reading Costco vs. Gordon Food Service
Speedy Sushi and menu planning with a six-year-old
The obvious solution was to have Nicholas work with me on the menu plan. A side benefit is that he's more likely to eat meals he planned. I know that it usually works better to get him involved in what I want to do than to try to keep him occupied somehow so I can do it, yet sometimes assumptions like, "Children don't like to do that sort of thing," creep in and talk me out of even trying!
Things Not To Do: Home Organizing Edition
Don't start a To Be Filed pile. I mean, you can make such a pile temporarily, when you're opening the mail and paying bills and such, and then get up and file everything in that pile as soon as you're done--that's a fine strategy. What you must avoid is making a pile of things you … Continue reading Things Not To Do: Home Organizing Edition
My New Dishwasher vs. The Environment
There are many things we can do to conserve resources that take some extra work. Many of them pay off by giving us better quality "real" stuff to use, health benefits, cost savings, or surprising new versions of convenience. Then there's washing the dishes. It turns out that today's automatic dishwashers use less water and … Continue reading My New Dishwasher vs. The Environment
Zippered Mesh Bags for Laundering
You can, in fact, machine-wash most "hand wash only" clothing in cold water with one of these bags to protect it from the washing machine agitator and your other garments' zippers! Being able to machine-wash nearly all of my laundry saves me a lot of time and aggravation. It also saves water because I can just toss the bag in with a regular load of laundry instead of filling my sink. Also, I've found some other uses for these nifty bags.
Grocery Spending for a Family of 3 in 2010
Our average spending per month was $320.90. Yet these official figures from the United States Department of Agriculture indicate that, in 2008, a five-year-old child and two parents in their thirties could expect to spend $422.10 per month if they're "thrifty". Our pantry is close to full most of the time, we all eat hearty snacks as well as meals, we make lots of food to share with friends as well as donating to the food pantry, and we're generally very happy with our diet and don't feel we're scrimping. How do we do it on so low a budget?
Reflections on a Bathroom Renovation
(I really, really want to say "Restroom Renovation" just for the alliteration, but I know this article will be more relevant to people searching for "bathroom renovation," so I'm stuck with this title!) We had our house's main bathroom completely renovated last month. We are thrilled with it and learned some things in the process … Continue reading Reflections on a Bathroom Renovation
Thrifty, Earth-friendly Hand Soap!
I'm a longtime fan of Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soap, the amazingly versatile, yummy-smelling, totally natural stuff in the bottles covered with interesting philosophies in tiny white letters, now made with organic and fair-trade ingredients in a 100% recycled plastic bottle! It's great stuff, but it seems expensive. The thing is, you're supposed to dilute … Continue reading Thrifty, Earth-friendly Hand Soap!
Things Not To Do, Oven Safety Edition
If you are going to be leaning into the oven to check whether the Honey Baked Lentils and Raisin Bran Bread are done yet, don't wear a metal necklace. If you already did it once and experienced a disturbing burning sensation everywhere the front portion of the necklace was touching your skin, don't try it … Continue reading Things Not To Do, Oven Safety Edition
Electric Kettle
I love hot drinks. In addition to my dependence on coffee or caffeinated tea, I drink hot chocolate or herbal tea regularly in cold weather to warm me up--and I sometimes need that even in the hottest weather when my office building's management chooses absurd air-conditioner settings! I'm also a big fan of quick oats … Continue reading Electric Kettle
Washing Plastic Bags
It's Works-for-Me Wednesday , so here's a mundane but easy tip that saves a lot of money and helps the environment, too! We wash and reuse plastic food bags, like zip-top freezer bags and sandwich bags. I always used to shake out crumbs or maybe rinse them a little, but if there was any significant … Continue reading Washing Plastic Bags
We Eat This. 8 Unusual Nutritious Foods
My mother has taken several trips around Japan, visiting many ordinary people and not just the tourist destinations. She says she's often been served an interesting food and asked what it is, only to get the reply, "We Eat This." Translation: "We don't know enough English and you don't know enough Japanese for us to … Continue reading We Eat This. 8 Unusual Nutritious Foods
Steel Kitchen Cabinets!
Our house was a bargain, priced about $40,000 less than similar houses in the immediate area. Our realtor said, "Well, it's a bargain to you because you like the kitchen. Most people would expect to spend about $40,000 totally redoing the kitchen." Yes, we're charmed by our kitchen decor, which dates from the 1950s: pink … Continue reading Steel Kitchen Cabinets!
Storing Cheese and Onions
Cheese and onions are the two foods I've had the most trouble storing in the refrigerator, after opening, without hosting a mold colony. I've tried various tips for safe storage and finally come across methods that work for me. They have one thing in common: glass jars, which are overall my favorite way of storing … Continue reading Storing Cheese and Onions
Award-winning Toilet!
One of the nice things about having two toilets in a home is that you can relax about keeping both of them able to handle everything. As long as one of the toilets has full flushing capacity, the other can limp along in a delicate state, being used only for the easiest jobs, until you're … Continue reading Award-winning Toilet!
How to Clean a Basement or Porch Floor AND Use Up the Last Dregs of Liquid Laundry Detergent
This technique is suitable for any floor that has either a drain or an open side where water can spill onto the ground. I learned the cleaning technique at Girl Scout camp, and years later I realized its wonderful compatibility with those "still very soapy on the inside but with not enough soap to pour" … Continue reading How to Clean a Basement or Porch Floor AND Use Up the Last Dregs of Liquid Laundry Detergent
The Earthling's Handbook 