There was a radio ad the other day, a Home Depot add, that talked about getting rid of the clutter. Or "Conquering the Clutter", I think is what they said. My ears perked up: I'm all for being motivated at conquering the clutter in my house in effective and efficient ways.
Their solution to conquering the clutter?
Purchase some of their storage solutions.
Um. Hm.
That is not conquering clutter.
Conquering clutter is about getting rid of the clutter and about not letting things that are immediate clutter into the house.
It is not about hiding it in a storage drawer.
I will therefore use the ad as a reminder that I have great resources at my disposal, like FlyLady (and her book Sink Reflections) and various books and websites and articles (and tapping!) that have come my way, and that I should take some action and get rid of some stuff! Not just pack it away somewhere!
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Are You Up for a 21-Day Vegan Cleanse Challenge?
Amy Layne over at DAMY Health is inviting people to try her 21-Day Vegan Cleanse Challenge. (No, she doesn't use the hyphen, but I can't write it against Canadian standards. ;) ) She is even giving the ebook away for FREE for a very limited time, from now until January 14. I've downloaded it myself and it is full of all kinds of great meal ideas/recipes to get you through the full 21 days.
That said, am I up for a 21-day vegan challenge? Part of me would love to shout, "Yes!" At the same time, the very thought of committing to all meals and snacks for 21 days to the challenge is, to say the least, overwhelming. I will have to look at the recipes more, especially the supper recipes, to see if I think I can make this work, especially since my family is not likely to be participating!
If you are going to join in, let me know! Having a challenge buddy would definitely help me commit and we could help each other along.
P.S. Many of her recipes are gluten-free!
That said, am I up for a 21-day vegan challenge? Part of me would love to shout, "Yes!" At the same time, the very thought of committing to all meals and snacks for 21 days to the challenge is, to say the least, overwhelming. I will have to look at the recipes more, especially the supper recipes, to see if I think I can make this work, especially since my family is not likely to be participating!
If you are going to join in, let me know! Having a challenge buddy would definitely help me commit and we could help each other along.
P.S. Many of her recipes are gluten-free!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Rant: Bounty Towels Commercial
I just sat through a Bounty paper towels commercial. As soon as it finished, I let out a frustrated groan and said out loud, "I feel a rant coming on!"
In the commercial, there is a mom with her two daughters, one in upper elementary school and the other in a high chair, making a mess of her noodles and sauce. The older girl goes to grab the dish cloth (er, this is apparently a Canadian term: a square kitchen cloth used for washing dishes, counters, etc.; aka a dish rag) but the mom is heard speaking about bacteria and she holds the older girl back, instead preferring to use a Bounty towel.
WHAT?!?!?!?!?
Do we not live in a time of being more environmentally conscious? Of trying to waste less, use less? I can see using a paper towel for something particularly gross (cat vomit comes to mind) or I have been known to use a paper towel to wipe the grease from a pan to avoid getting that grease down the drain. But to use a paper towel to avoid cleaning a high chair tray with a dish cloth because of bacteria?? AAARRRGGGGHHH! They then go on to say how the Bounty towel is cleaner than a dish cloth.
Here's a little secret:
I also change our dish cloth any time it is used to clean up raw meat "stuff" (if the chicken fell on the counter, if blood ended up on the counter, etc.) or milk. I have about 10 cloths, which means I only need to wash them with the rest of the household towels once a week.
Another little secret: Dish soap helps clean up messes and would help wipe away any bacteria. Cleaning a high chair try with nothing more than a wet paper towel isn't necessarily going to do the trick.
We need to stop living in a disposable society. Especially for something as simple as this.
Remember when you're next at the store: Paper towels are NOT better than dish cloths/rags! Don't fall for the advertising that wants you to dish (pun not intended) out $$ on a regular basis for a cleaning product you could simply have a version you throw in the wash each week.
This mom has already done some research on this. Check out the environmental impact of using paper towels as much as Bounty would have you do!
In the commercial, there is a mom with her two daughters, one in upper elementary school and the other in a high chair, making a mess of her noodles and sauce. The older girl goes to grab the dish cloth (er, this is apparently a Canadian term: a square kitchen cloth used for washing dishes, counters, etc.; aka a dish rag) but the mom is heard speaking about bacteria and she holds the older girl back, instead preferring to use a Bounty towel.
WHAT?!?!?!?!?
Do we not live in a time of being more environmentally conscious? Of trying to waste less, use less? I can see using a paper towel for something particularly gross (cat vomit comes to mind) or I have been known to use a paper towel to wipe the grease from a pan to avoid getting that grease down the drain. But to use a paper towel to avoid cleaning a high chair tray with a dish cloth because of bacteria?? AAARRRGGGGHHH! They then go on to say how the Bounty towel is cleaner than a dish cloth.
Here's a little secret:
If you change the dish cloth daily,
rinse it well after use and
place it where it can dry well,
it will not be full of bacteria.
I also change our dish cloth any time it is used to clean up raw meat "stuff" (if the chicken fell on the counter, if blood ended up on the counter, etc.) or milk. I have about 10 cloths, which means I only need to wash them with the rest of the household towels once a week.
Another little secret: Dish soap helps clean up messes and would help wipe away any bacteria. Cleaning a high chair try with nothing more than a wet paper towel isn't necessarily going to do the trick.
We need to stop living in a disposable society. Especially for something as simple as this.
Remember when you're next at the store: Paper towels are NOT better than dish cloths/rags! Don't fall for the advertising that wants you to dish (pun not intended) out $$ on a regular basis for a cleaning product you could simply have a version you throw in the wash each week.
This mom has already done some research on this. Check out the environmental impact of using paper towels as much as Bounty would have you do!
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2014!
Happy New Year!
Today is the first day of a brand new year. Although, technically, it's not really any different from yesterday, there is something in us that tends to like celebrations and routine special days. So, today is a special day: the start of a new year.
What are your hopes and dreams for this coming year? I have various dreams I'm trying to turn into goals: have everything paid off, get books written and published (and making money!), physical goals related to weight, diet and fitness. I have had this book for years:
I have never made it through the entire year, but I'm inspired to give it a go. Today is about taking some time to figure out those dreams, resolutions, "most private aspirations", she writes. It's a little late in the day posting this, but it's never too late to sit down and right out all that you wish for. I will be doing this because while I have some clear "big" goals, it will be nice to sit down and wrte out everything I can think of.
When you've done, come back here and share whatever you are willing to share! Let this place be a place for your intentions to be made. :)
Today is the first day of a brand new year. Although, technically, it's not really any different from yesterday, there is something in us that tends to like celebrations and routine special days. So, today is a special day: the start of a new year.
What are your hopes and dreams for this coming year? I have various dreams I'm trying to turn into goals: have everything paid off, get books written and published (and making money!), physical goals related to weight, diet and fitness. I have had this book for years:
I have never made it through the entire year, but I'm inspired to give it a go. Today is about taking some time to figure out those dreams, resolutions, "most private aspirations", she writes. It's a little late in the day posting this, but it's never too late to sit down and right out all that you wish for. I will be doing this because while I have some clear "big" goals, it will be nice to sit down and wrte out everything I can think of.
When you've done, come back here and share whatever you are willing to share! Let this place be a place for your intentions to be made. :)
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