Make over your kitchen...sort of

Not sure how it happens, but my kitchen cabinets and pantry seem to be in total disarray at the end of each year. Maybe I'm more aware because of that whole "fresh start" for the New Year mindset. So in January I've gone through the kitchen and rearranged almost every item behind closed doors, especially helpful since we're eating in much, much more these days.
No wonder that I read with interest the "kitchen makeover" article in last week's Parade magazine. Here are some highlights from that article:
Organize!
Throw away items past the expiration date; consolidate multiples of partially used items.
Put dry goods in airtight containers to lengthen shelf life.
Label shelves to help stay organized and mark the date on foods as they go into the freezer.
Smart shopping.
You've heard it a million times---shop with a list in hand. Take it a step futher and divide items into the appropriate supermarket section to save shopping time.
Pay attention to sale items and specials and use coupons.
Stock up on essential items; see suggestion lists below.
Get ahead of the game.
Wash and prep produce when you get home from shopping.
Try to plan meals at the beginning of the week, just making that decision at the end of a hectic day can be daunting.

Katie Lee's Dinner Essentials

Pantry: Refrigerator: Freezer:
balsamic vinegar broth bacon (freeze in individual portions)
breadcrumbs Dijon mustard chicken breasts
canned beans eggs ginger root
canned tomatoes Parmesan cheese mixed frozen vegetables
onions, garlic raspbery jam
rice soy sauce
spaghetti

Check it out---

Spaghetti + eggs + Parmesan + bacon = Spaghetti Carbonara

Rice + onions + soy sauce + eggs + ginger root + chicken + veggies = Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken + breadcrumbs + tomatoes + Parmesan = Chicken Parmigiana

Veggies + broth + beans + onion + garlic + tomatoes + broken spaghetti = Hearty Vegetable Soup

Chicken + raspberry jam + broth + balsamic vinegar + garlic = Glazed Chicken Breasts

(Look for recipes at Parade.com/essentials)

You probably know this, BUT

are you doing these things?
From Saturday's N&O, common-sense savings offered by Marvin Woll of Raleigh:
- Wash only full loads using cold water in your washing machine.
- Don't overdry clothes; leave the dryer running longer than necessary.
- When washing dishes by hand, use only a thin stream of water, thus reducing the cost of
heating water.
- Set the water heater at 120 degrees or less; put an insulating blanket on the heater.
- Be sure all doors and windows are properly sealed and, in winter, tightly closed.
- Turn off lights when not in use.
- Reduce time spent in the shower to two or three minutes.
- Turn off televisions when no one is watching.
- Change furnace filters at least every two months.
-Use microwave rather than regular oven when possible.
And we should unplug phone chargers when not in use.

Can't believe we're half way through January!

I always love the New Year...I really think of it as a fresh start and I usually make at least a few resolutions. But I'm taking a different approach this year. My daughter sent me a quote sometime in December that I really identified with---"Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an imcomplete task." (William James) I printed the quote in a good-sized font and posted it in my office as well as inside the door of my medicine cabinet where I see it morning and night! So in lieu of specific resolutions, I'm trying to attend to things NOW rather than conveniently pushing them forward, sometimes again and again and again.

So with this mindset, I was very interested in Allen Norwood's Home Projects Calendar in the N&O Home & Garden section January 9. Mr. Norwood outlined a year's schedule of what should be routine home maintenance for the typical homeowner.

January is easy: 1) List projects you'd like to complete during the year, including small tasks (so they won't be forgotten) and large ones (so you can budget for them). 2) Post importnat emergency information such as the location of the main gas valve as well as contact numbers for HVAC service. 3) Further, he suggests that if you're considering kitchen or bath remodeling you might check out the National Kitchen and Bath Association at http://www.nkba.org/.

As you might expect, February's list is a little more labor intensive.