10 Commandments of Housekeeping

Keeping your home clean and tidy is an ongoing task.  If you have a day off from it you just have to work double hard the following day, so I find, if I just crack on and do these five things each day, life runs a little smoother the next day!

Golden Rule #1
Wash Up The Dishes After Each Meal

Golden Rule #2
Load the Washing Machine The Night Before and Switch on When You Wake Up

Golden Rule #3
Iron the Laundry the Same Day

Golden Rule #4
Wipe Down Counters

Golden Rule #5
Clean the Bathroom Daily (housekeeping cheat - Here's my way of cleaning the bathroom in just 10 mins each day)

Golden Rule #6
Pick up everything off the floor and put away

Golden Rule #7
Vacuum the carpets

Golden Rule #8
Sweep the floors

Golden Rule #9
Make the beds when you get out of them

Golden Rule #10
Hang up clothes that will be worn again

Try it every day for a week and see the difference it makes

What cleaning habits have you developed?  What works for you?

Meal Plan Monday - The Big Cooking Day

So, last week worked really well - here's the gist if you missed it...

Back..ok

So, as usual I'm acting like my children actually run the house and have the upper hand, and I'm letting them do the meal planning again.  I've suggested they follow up on this and do the shopping too but they both disappeared leaving me with a 1 year old that can push a trolley but just throws money out of purses therefore can't yet be trusted.

Although they have chosen what they want to eat, I have jigged it around a bit, just to stamp my authority as an adult really, and to make it so I can cook once on Monday after I've shopped and then have more free time to clean up after the little darlings and chauffeur them around if necessary.

Here it is..

Monday - Spaghetti Bolognaise and Garlic Bread

Tuesday - Green Thai Curry and Rice with piles of mange tout and baby corn

Wednesday - Spaghetti Tacos and potato wedges

Thursday - Slow Cooker Curry

Friday - Cheesy Mash Shepherd's Pie and piles of veg

Saturday - Take Awaaaaaayy!!

Sunday - Paprika Chicken and Quinoa

and the plan for cooking...

Monday 
- Make huge batch of spag bol and freeze several portions.
- Put enough in fridge for Spaghetti Tacos on Wednesday
- Make Thai Curry and refrigerate
- Mix up the curry sauce in a freezer bag and put in fridge
- Make garlic bread - from scratch!!  (anyone know if I can freeze dough?)
- Make two shepherds pies and freeze

Tuesday
- Make pan of rice and veg for with curry

Wednesday
- Dice chicken and add to bag of ingredients

Thursday
- Fling chicken curry bag contents into the slow cooker in a flamboyant, I've beat this stove standing lark fashion
- Remember to switch slow cooker on at the plug!!!
- Make some rice and chips at tea time
- Defrost a shepherds pie

Friday 
- Bung shepherds pie in oven and boil loads of veg

And you're thinking but what about the Paprika Chicken?

Well it's already lingering at the back of the freezer.  I found it during a lunchtime freezer dive last week.

This reduced cooking plan is really working for me!

This post is linked up with the Meal Plan Monday Linky on I'm an Organising Junkie.  There are loads  of meal plans on there and I urge you to read them as some are gourmet!!

Meal Plan Monday - Cook Once for the Week

It's the Easter Holidays and about time.  Both boys are worn out and quite frankly that is wearing me out.  

So, tactics are required here.  Dinners (lunches) are always a bit of a hit and miss thing.  Some are planned and healthy, some are made by themselves as a cooking activity and others are thrown together and eaten like we're cavemen.

I will not be chained to the kitchen for this holiday and I do aim to leave it at sometime.  I'm adopting the Once a Month Mom tactic.  (prepping as many meals as possible and spending one full day cooking)

Here's the meals:

Monday:   Chicken Dinner 

Tuesday:  Sloppy Joes and Potato Wedges

Wednesday:  Chicken and Veg Pasta Bake

Thursday:  Turkey Tikka Massala

Friday:  Gluten Free Chilli Tacos

And here's how I'll do It

Monday:  Cook 2 Chickens and double veg  refrigerate leftovers
                Make Cheese Sauce and refrigerate
                Cook Sloppy Joes in Slow Cooker and refrigerate
                Bake 4 potatoes and refrigerate
                Mix up Turkey Tikka Massala Raw in a Freezer Bag and freeze
                Cook big batch of Gluten Free Chilli on hob then freeze

Tuesday:  Warm up sloppy joe mix, Cut wedges, sprinkle with seasoning and bake, toast buns, fill with sloppy joe mix and serve

Wednesday:  Warm up cheese sauce to loosen up.  Put extra chicken and left over veg in pasta bake dish, pour over cheese sauce, pour over water until loose consistency and stir well.  Take out 20 mins in and stir.  Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cook until hot.
  
                Take the Turkey Tikka Massala from the Freezer

Thursday: Cook the Turkey Tikka Massala

                Take the Chilli out of the freezer

Friday:  Heat through the chilli and serve in tacos with loads of accompaniments

What do you think?  Sounds easy?  I'll report back next week how it goes (fingers crossed!)

There's loads more meal plans which are probably not so frantic over on I'm an Organising Junkie and this post is linked up to the huge Meal Plan Monday linky of fantastic meal plans.  Go look!!

How To Clean A Kids Lunchbox

They get grotty don't they?  They catch every single crumb of every single item.  Throw yoghurt into the equation and blergh!

You so have to clean them daily.  (I've heard in the playground that people don't!)

So, the plastic type of box - easy - complete immersement in hot soapy water and give it a good clean.

But the fabric type with the seams.  They seriously catch everything, I'd hate to know the results of a germ swab on that!!

All is not lost, they are cleanable and it's really easy!

Unzip it fully and completely turn it inside out.

Give it a good clean and get right into those seams.

Allow it to air dry whilst still turned inside and it won't smell!

Easy Peasy!!

Put it on the daily routine list.

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

A firm kids favourite here and it cooks itself in the slow cooker.

Ideal if you're all eating at different times on a busy day.

How to make Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:
2lb mince
2 small chopped onions
2 large grated carrots
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
375ml Passatta
A little salt
Half a Block of Cheese

Method:

Fry the mince until browned

Drain off The Fat

Add to slow cooker

Chop onion and add to slow cooker

Grate Carrot and add to slow cooker

Mix passatta BBQ sauce, salt and worcestershire sauce in jug

Pour over and stir well

Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours

Just before serving grate the cheese in and stir well

Serve on toasted buns


Delicious!!

Meal Plan Monday - The Boys Plan

Don't even ask how last weeks self feeding went.  With all the good intentions, I was chasing him with a bowl and when I wasn't doing that he was trying to climb out of his highchair.  

I sound like a case for Supernanny!  It's not that bad (honestly.) (I don't think!)

So this week, Again, we're on kids food and I've let the bigger two choose their favorites.  The Easter Hols are nearly upon us and I need to muster resolve for that.  In my quest for an organised life, I'm now activity planning, so I've given the meal planning task to the big boys.

Here's their plan

Monday:  Potato Cakes, Bacon and Beans

Tuesday:  Macaroni Cheese and Bacon

Wednesday: Fajita Buffet Bar

Thursday: Home Made Chicken Strips and Chips

Friday: Home Made Doner Kebab (Thanks to recipe on Mortgage Free in Three)

Saturday:  Oh a well earned takeaway for all!!

Sunday:  The Big 3 Courser - Melon - Slow Cooked Lamb - Ice Cream Buffett!!

I'm also trying to get weight on my 12 year old so we need to plan desserts as well as main courses rather than the haphazard approach of look in the cupboard and choose!  I've written a little about the food diary situation, but will be putting a lot of effort this week into planning several months of food to get some weight on the lad.  

If you have an underweight child, I'd be really interested to hear from you as I feel the care given is dismissive and unhelpful.  Oh I feel a rant coming on, I'll rein it in!!

This post is linked up with the Meal Plan Monday post on I'm an Organising Junkie - Go and have a look at all the delicious ideas on there - I love a good nosey!

Have a fabulous week, all of you!!

Claire x 

Home Made Potato Cakes

This is a family favourite and easy leftover meal if you've had mash the day before.

My kids love this with beans and bacon.

There are no quantities stated because it is very much dependent on how much mash you have.  You really can't go wrong (unless you make them early - see warning below!)

Ingredients:
Cold Mashed Potato
Plain Flour
Salt
Margarine or Butter

Method:
Add a little salt to your mash to taste if you haven't already (or leave out if you don't use salt)

Mix an handful of plain flour into your cold mash potato

Keep adding flour until the mixture firms up and goes stiff.  Generally a pan full of mash takes about 4 handfulls.

Grease a baking tray.  I put foil on my tray then grease that - easy cleaning!!

Dust a little flour over the greased foil/tray

Make a ball from the cold mash mixture and squash it to a circular potato shape

Add a tiny dollop of butter to the top of each potato cake

Grill until the tops start to brown and turn them over

(they will be soft and sloppy)

When the second side is browned, they are ready to serve. 

Warning: You can make the mash ahead, but don't add the flour until you are ready to cook them.  I did once and refrigerated them overnight and they had black spots the next day!!!!

Serve with beans, bacon, sausages, fish, you name it, potato cakes go with it!

Enjoy!

Claire 

Planning Playtime

I have always been a promoter of routine, routine, routine when it comes to kids and without scheduling in physical play activities I find managing the three of them so much harder.

Monday to Friday our routine is pick up from school and have a physical hour.  I plan this as religiously as I meal plan and it sometimes be planned for weeks ahead, regardless of the weather.

I prep tea for each night during the youngest's naptime and its either cooked and ready to warm up when we get in or it's slow cooking and will be waiting for us when we return to the fold.

Here's an idea of what we do

Go to the park

Go for a bike ride

Walk the dog

Do outdoor or indoor exercise challenges (kids love being timed!)

Play a physical game such as Cranium Hullaballo or party games like musical bumps

Go beach combing

Play Crazy Golf

Play football

Have a trampolining session

Do a nature trail

Do a scavenger hunt (again indoor or outdoor)

and alternately each week we...

Have a friend round for tea

Visit friends with Kids


My middle child has real problems with sleep.  Not that he struggles getting to sleep, he just doesn't want to.  If we miss an activity after school, I can guarantee rattiness and tempers.  Not because he hasn't done anything, he doesn't realize the connection.  He is just out of sorts and the smallest thing will send him over the edge into a drama.

Do you believe in planning playtimes?

What activities work for your family?

Please share your experiences in the comments box :)

Have Fun!

Claire

5 Instant Organisation Tasks

Getting organized can be a big task but thankfully small changes have massive effect.

Here's 5 ways I got instantly more organized and now I have more time to relax (or get more organized!!)

They're really small changes that take no longer than 5 or ten minutes but save loads of time if done daily rather than weekly.

1. Fill the washing machine before you go to bed. Bang it on when you get up and it could be done before you leave the house!

2. Sort out the mail each and every day. Cut the coupons, Recyle the junk and action the rest.

3. Prepare the night before.  Packed lunches, clothes, bags.  Have it all ready to grab and good to go

4.  Tidy floors and wipe counters.  If you have kids, put clearing the floor on their evening chore lists. I promise, in time they will make less mess!

5. Bathroom wipe down.  Bathroom Foam is my best friend.  Spray the sink, shower and bath then wipe down and rinse. Tidy the toothbrushes and pastes and the bathroom stays tidy.  I do this in a morning.

What is your daily routine?  What makes your life easier?  I'd love to hear, leave a comment!

Meal Plan Monday - Finger Food Revolt

Meal Planning Monday - Finger Food Revolt!!

I'm at the stage with the youngest where he wants to feed himself with cutlery. He wants the same as us and wants to do it himself.  Oh Joy!  Now moving the dining room to the carpeted room does not seem a good idea.  I'm wondering if a buffet in the kitchen is a daily possibility for the next six months?

So, I shall bite the bullet and cease arguing with a 15 month old because I can't win.  Not only can he out ERRRRR me but he can now sign his requirements thanks to hisbaby sign class.

Here's my plan for the week.

Monday:  Hot Dog Pasta Bake

Tuesday: Chicken Dinner (maybe without gravy!)

Wednesday:  Fish and Chips

Thursday:  Not So Chilli and Nachos

Friday: Sausage and .... (cringe) Mash with lots of rolling peas and sweetcorn

Saturday: Takeaway (Home made chicken strips and wedges for Mr Independence)

Sunday: The Big 3 Courser - (not decided exactly what yet!)

I know I've jibbed out somewhat and decided on food that can be finger food, but break me in gently, its 5 years since I did this!! (and we had a laminated floor)

How did you get through this phase of the toddler war for independence?

Advice please!!!

-- 

This post is linked up with Meal Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie - go and have a look, there's bags of inspiration.

Not So Chilli - BBQ Chilli

Or Not So Chilli and I have named it.  Kids love it, it's gentle enough for toddlers and this intro to chilli will ramp up over the years until the kids are all at full strength!

(Unfortunately we ate it before a photo, so a photo will follow soon!)

Ingredients:

1 pack of minced beef

10 sun dried tomatoes

2 tbsp worcester sauce

1 tin of BBQ Baked Beans

1 carton of Passatta


Method:

Cook the mince 

Blend the sun dried tomatoes and worcester sauce and add to pan

Cook for a minute or two

Add the baked beans and heat through

Add the passatta

When it's all hot, it's done.

Serve with Nacho Chips, Sour Cream, Mashed Avacado and Savoury Rice

Can also be served over a jacket potato or with potato wedges


Cost: 

£5.l4 based on Asda Prices on 21/03/14 which includes Nacho Chips and Savoury Rice

Equates to 64p per portion


Yeild:

8 child portions suitable for freezing

Recipe: Hot Dog Pasta Bake

When it comes to food, I find boys are quite unfillable, so I've adapted several basic recipes to add more bulk, more goodness and hopefully result in a fuller tums!  More good stuff less sweet stuff I say!!

This is a quick and easy tea to put on before the school run and it will be done when you get back.  You could use real sausages rather than hotdogs, depending on how much time you have.



Ingredients:
200g Fusilli Pasta
1 can of Cream of Tomato Soup
1/2 block of Cheese
1 tbsp Dried Italian Herbs
1/2 can of sweetcorn
6 hotdogs
8 brocolli florets
Breadcrumbs
Parmesan

Method:
1. Put the dry pasta in a lasagne dish and cover with the tomato soup
2. Fill the empty soup can with water and pour over.
3. Grate half of the cheese over the pasta & soup mix
4. Sprinkle the dried herbs over and stir well
5. Bake in an oven pre-heated to 180 degrees for 30 minutes
6. Take out the bake and stir - add a little water if you think its looking a little dry
7. Grate over the remainder of the cheese
8. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes
9. Meanwhile, cook the broccolli florets and chop the hotdogs into small pieces
10. Take the bake out of the oven and add the chopped hotdogs.
11. Chop up the brocolli and add that too
12. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and parmesan
13. Bake for a further 5 minutes to heat through and toast the breadcrumbs
14. Enjoy!!

This meal feeds three hungry boys and their mum and cost £2.79 based on prices at Asda on 17th March 2014.

Meal Planing Monday - Spring Fever

I don't know about you but I feel so much better now the weather has picked up and we've got sunshine.  I've tackled the garden this weekend so hopefully we'll get a few lunches outside in the sun this week.

So with the clocks due to change I figured we're not going to want stodgy comfort food much so I'm going for everything I'll miss over the summer!!

Monday: Chicken Enchilladas (recipe from At Home With Mrs M)

Tuesday: Quinoa and Chicken Curry

Wednesday:  Cod with Cheesy Chorizo Topping, potato salad and err...more salad

Thursday: Gluten Free Spaghetti Bolognese

Friday: Gluten Free Slow Cooker One Pot Steak Dinner (there it is below)

Saturday: Take Away

Sunday:  Nigella's Cola Ham, chips and mushy peas 

Is your menu getting a fresher, less stodgy theme?

I'm ready for a crisp salad in the garden I think!

The recipe for the One Pot Steak Dinner is here if you fancy an easy to do meal 

Ingredients:

4 pieces of steak for each person

Small new potatoes

Green beans

Carrots

Onions (I use frozen – No Tears!)

2 Beef Stock Pots

1 Vegetable Stock Pot

Method

Chop the carrots and place in the base of the slow cooker with the green beans and the onions.

Wash and quarter the small potatoes, I leave the skin on, it’s up to your personal choice.

Place the steak on the vegetables.

Mix up the stock and leave to cool.  The stock needs to cool so it doesn’t start cooking the steak when you pour it in.  It’s not essential to let it cool, it will turn out ok – i’ve thrown it in boiling hot when I’ve been in a rush.

Put in enough stock to cover the ingredients.

Switch the slow cooker on 4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.

The steak should be fall apart soft when done.

Enjoy!

Have a fabulous week!

This post is linked up with Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organising Junkie.  There's loads of ideas and menus up there so get inspired! Go and have a look.  Go on!

Christmas Tree Storage

Previously in my life, the tree has been rapidly taken down and re-boxed without much thought other than can I get it back where it was in the loft.

This year I shall be bagging and boxing it's ornaments (they're all unbreakable) and labelling boxes before throwing it into the roof space.

I'm also going to clean the ornaments that are wipeable and fix those that have been broken by little hands as some are really looking worse for wear.

Then late on tonight I will be doing a sweep of the house to find the trinkets that usually evade me and end up having to stay in place for a year for ridiculous superstition reasons!!

Finally, I'll be making a note on December the 1st in my diary of where I've put everything.

In December I hope to whip up the tree and have it fully decorated within 3 hours, not the 3 day ordeal it was in 2013!

Organise Now, Enjoy Later

I've noticed the majority of people have taken down their Christmas decorations in a rather Grinchy fashion, but not us!

This weekend, I'll be preparing for next Christmas by packing away in am orderly fashion and wrapping those bargain gifts I have procured for Christmas 2014!!

I'm big into embellishing Christmas wrapping but usually really bad at tagging as I know who they are for.  I realised how awful this was when we had present mix ups and duplicate paper used from friends and relatives this year.

So the Christmas cards will come down today and be given a new lease of life with ribbons, bells and baubles!!

Once done, they will live for the next 11 months in my Christmas gift wrap box.  I shall also make a note on November the 1st in my diary to remind me where they are!!

Super organised!

How To Meal Plan

Most home organisation and frugality blogs will recommend meal planning. 

It saves time, it saves money, it saves stress.  It's just one way of making life a whole lot easier.

How I Meal Plan

I have a spreadsheet with each week of the year as a new tab.

It has a tab at the front that is my freezer inventory (saves time routing through)

I have a formula for filling each week, which is

I have 3 children, one doesn't have much choice in what they eat yet but the other two both choose a meal each for Monday and Tuesday.

Wednesday is always a roast

Thursday is always a meal made from Roast Leftovers (there always are some as I cook too much on the Wednesday to ensure an easy meal for Thursday)

Friday is always freezer food

Saturday is always a takeaway

Sunday is always a slow cooker meal, prepped in the morning and left to do It's own Thing while I do mine.

Filling The Freezer

I batch cook as much as I can as I'm all for less time cooking.

When I do batch cook, I add the meal into the next available freezer Friday slot.  if I do this, it doesn't go on the Freezer Inventory as it will be accounted for twice

So What is the Freezer Inventory for?

For when things don't go to plan or for lunches.

The Shopping List

I also do my shopping list when I meal plan, then I can print one column off and check it against what is in the storecupboards, freezer and fridge.

I cross off anything I already have in then go to mysupermarket.com and see where I can shop the cheapest and where I can grab coupons to reduce my weekly spend.

And there you have it.

It works for me, I swear by it and there are loads more meal plans available on line.  Two of my favourites are At Home With Mrs M and I'm an Organizing Junkie  both have massive link ups where you can get inspiration.

Life Organisation - Goals for January 2014

Every month I am setting myself new organisation goals which I WILL stick to and it WILL make my life easier.

Here's my goals for January 2014

To make a meal plan for the month and stick to it

To do one shop and a top up shop each week

To be school ready before I go to bed each night

To tidy everything away before I go to bed each night

To iron the same day the clothes are washed

Do you set yourself goals? How do you make sure you stick to them?

 

I'm figuring if these goals can be done for a month, they can be done forever.  I can change and I will change and in return, life will become easier and a lot less stressful!

New Life's Resolution

The 1st of January 2014 is the day I become organised.

 

I fully expect that this blog will not be read.

 

It is my instruction manual and a hub of what works for me.

 

If it works for others, I shall be delighted and if people follow and engage in my quest, I'll be delighted.

 

I've set up a pintrest board of meal plans, downloads and free printables.

 

Every month, I'll be setting goals to instill habits that make life easier.

 

So here goes....!