Well...I'm not quite ready for a challenge yet, how about just getting my house clean and picked up from having the kids home all week? :) Not to mention dh. ;)

We're closing in on buying some land and building and looks like if all goes well we just might be living in a 24x24 cabin come June...so I *really* need to simplify and declutter. We'll store stuff somewhere, and possibly even have a garage built on the property to store things in, but it costs money to move stuff and store it, so I'm highly motivated to declutter.

I am going to clean up a lot tomorrow (Sunday) and then Monday I have the kids home and we'll go through their clothes and room again. Tuesday through Thursday I'll be doing lots of research for the possible land purchase, but I'm making it Sew Clothes for ME! week - so hopefully I'll eat up some fabric stash. Friday, Saturday and Sunday I hope to make the beanbag chairs that I wanted to make for the kids for Christmas, and again that is a good stash buster for my fabric collection. :) I think that's probably enough but I need to go back through each area in my house yet again...not sure how to tackle this at this point though.

What are you all up to, and what are you going to focus on for this week?

Today and tomorrow have been named "mean clean" days. We really need to do some work in the garage. Last Monday we bought quite a few storage bins. Now we need to organize. It will be wonderful once it's done.

The boys' rooms will always be a challenge. :vent: I've tried so hard over the years to keep the toys under control. I'm feeling like it's basically out of my control. Their clothes are pared down, but it's the toys. :help:

This week will be a back-to-business week. No more Mrs. Lazy. Joshua goes back to school on Wednesday. I have to go to the nursing skills lab to work on some stuff. I have a HUGE chapter to read. Sooooo, nose, meet grindstone. lol

I'll definitely be using this month to do a slow, deep declutter. Then the challenge for the rest of the year is to keep it up.

I imagine it might be painful. I think it is time to accept that I don't use the Cuisinart, and to realize that just because it cost $175 doesn't mean it has earnd a place on the shelf.

There will be many more thing just like that...

Kimberly

I used to do things like that too....I just read in the well organized home tho that throwing things away that you only use once a year may not be the best advice....I have many big bowls/serving dishes etc that I only use during the summer or only during thanksgiving...same goes for my non-cuisineart thingamagig, I only use that when I do bulk freezing from the garden and the last 3 years I haven't had a big garden, but this year I will so I'm glad I kept it.
anyhoo
today I reoganized my pantry(I started last night), threw away old stuff, labeled everything and that's done. Ijust took off the christmas ornaments and they are half put away. The holiday dishes and decorations are also half put away. I want to finish all christmas stuff today and clean clean clean for today and tomorrow.

I am hosting a playgroup on Tuesday, nothing like company to make you clean!! After the holidays it's much needed!

This week I also want to declutter the bathroom stuff and tidy up my workshop area, and storage area. Big goals, but it needs to get done!

I imagine it might be painful. I think it is time to accept that I don't use the Cuisinart, and to realize that just because it cost $175 doesn't mean it has earnd a place on the shelf.
Kimberly

Is this a food processor? Is it big? Are you interested in trade/sale?

I am hosting a playgroup on Tuesday, nothing like company to make you clean!! After the holidays it's much needed!

So true for me too!

I'll just jump in here~I did an intro in Simplifying and Thrift and most of you know me anyway:)

I have been pouring through our closets for about a month. Donating clothes I have been holding to for years. Dh and I don't change sizes ...so it is so easy to keep stuff...I donated about 5 hefty bags full~from all 4 of us. still have more to go. I tend to let go easier if I do it in stages, instead of all at once! I even gave up tons of old towels that I had been holding onto forever.

I have to say living in a smaller house with less closet space does force you to declutter! I like that aspect of it. Just wish I still had my sewing/guest room:(

I need to move all my clothes into the playroom closet, and dd's clothes into her bedroom.(we don't have much closet space). I also need to get the rest of my fabric into the playroom. That intimidates me for some reason.

I am also workin on two sewing UFO'S~both are quilts. One is the first quilt I ever made. I need to 'quilt' it and apply the binding. I had started quilting it way back when, but didn't know what I was doing. So the last could of days I ripped out a ton of stitches and now I can quilt it~yay!

The other quilt is one I cut out before we moved here two years ago. I am now 2/3 done sewing the quilt top. This will be the first quilt I will keep for my OWN. UFO's take up so much space~lol!

I have also been making a concerted effort to use up stuff in the pantry before I add more. I will do a slow deep clean of the pantry over the next two weekends.

HEre is what I am working on this week and just in general.

Today dh and I tackled the spare bedroom (this has been used as a closet since we moved here 3 years ago!) We moved all of the baby stuff into the new attic space dh made (while I was sobbing because I am so freaking sad that I can't get pg again!!)

I am going to work on the pantry tonight if ds ever falls asleep!!

I need to work on a storage solution for the entryway closet

I need to work on UFO's including 2 quilts that are taking up room and I just need to get them all done instead of buying stuff for new projects!!

Is this a food processor? Is it big? Are you interested in trade/sale?

Yes, it's the Deluxe 11. It has 2 bowls, the cover with food chute, 3 slicing/shredding disks, the basic cutting blade, and a dough mixing blade.

http://www.chefscatalog.com/catalog/product.aspx?item=92526&sourcecode=6w3pfd310

Or, it is pretty much this completed auction (although I'm not sure my disk holder has a lid):

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cuisinart-DLC-11-Deluxe-Food-Processor-Blade-Disc-10-PC_W0QQitemZ4426732307QQcategoryZ20673QQssPageName ZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It's heavy, so shipping would be pricey. PM me about a trade/sale.

Kimberly

This is what I have been doing too. We got a bunch of gift cards for Christmas, Best Buy, Big 5, Electronic's Boutique, JoAnn's, Victoria's Secret, and Barns and Noble. Bringing home that much stuff last week made me realise that I really have been great about not bringing home stuff I don't love, but have fallen off the 'getting the stuff out I don't love that was already there' bandwagon. So here it goes.

Today I went through all the clothes. I made Alex put on all his pants, and got rid of everyone that was too short. (Lauren, Suzie, and Kimberly any of you want two pairs of used cord patchy pants made by me for boys size 8? One pair is nearly new... just made them in Oct... little sprout. FFS to any of you ladies). I am about to go through my closet again. I need to be brutal. I have a style (FINALLY!!!!!!!) and I need to get rid of every thing I don't wear. We have a small house, dh and I share a closet... anything non-essential needs to go. Nuff said.

On the "only use it once a year" deal... I was SO happy to have my stored china this year! I have more than I will ever use, but twice this year I have had large sit down dinners with guests and everything and I have really enjoyed having the sets of dishes and the clean linens (also used 5 times a year or less) to make my house look classy and clean. I felt so pulled together to have it. Not giving up stuff like that... but I will minimize down to one large closet of storage. If I don't use it at least once in a year, it needs to go. That does actually cover a lot, even after the huge declutter last year to move. How sad is that???

Val

I PM'd you about the pants, Val.

On the "only use it once a year" deal... I was SO happy to have my stored china this year! I have more than I will ever use, but twice this year I have had large sit down dinners with guests and everything and I have really enjoyed having the sets of dishes and the clean linens (also used 5 times a year or less) to make my house look classy and clean. I felt so pulled together to have it. Not giving up stuff like that... but I will minimize down to one large closet of storage. If I don't use it at least once in a year, it needs to go. That does actually cover a lot, even after the huge declutter last year to move. How sad is that???Val

I will totally keep my silver, china, and crystal, even if we only use it at Christmas. The crystal and china is on display year round (crazy in So Cal, but why pack it away). I told DS#1 this year that we should use the silver more often. I don't want to be 80 years old and wishing that I had used it more often, you know? I'm going to start with one special dinner a month and then maybe bump it up to weekly.

With the Cuisinart, I don't even use it once a year. When I bought it I really only used it to shred cheese (organic extra sharp cheddar doesn't come preshredded), but now we don't even eat cheese and I haven't shredded cheese with the Cuisinart in several years. I have a mini food processor that is just perfect for a batch of hummus. I have a Vitamix and a mandoline slicer. I make dough in the bread machine or Kitchen Aid (which DH suggested shoudl really go, but I am not ready for that!). Maybe there is a learning curve with a big food processor and I just never got proficient enough to want to use it regularly. The sad thing is that I actually saved my personal allowance to buy it.

I think I bought it 4 years ago.

Kimberly

Kimberly, the food proccessor is SO great for whole foods! Here is one I have recently been using at least weekly:

One whole onion chopped into 1/4's
1/2 rough chopped cilantro
2 jalapino peppers halved and seeded
2 Roma tomatos
4 cloves garlic

Mince all ingredients in the food processor until very fine.

1 lg pot black beans about an hour from being done (or soaked and ready for the pressure cooker)

Add to black beans and cook for the remainder of the time... YUM!!!

Another:

Faux Pasta E Fagluie'

whole head garlic, pealed and the ends cut off
1/2 bell pepper chopped in half
1/2 onion chopped in 1/4s
6 Roma tomatos halved (my fav... can you tell?)

Roughly chop all in food processor

2 c water
2 c cooked red kidney beans (2 cans, if going that way)
1 c cooked white butter beans (1 can)

place all in a pot and add water until it has the consistancy of thin chili. Cook until boiling and add 2 Tbs of Basil, 1 Tbs Oregano, 1 tea Marjoram, 1 tea Taragon, and salt to taste.

Yummiest thick vegan soup ever!

And those are just two... once you start using it for things like this, you won't go back... although both of these things could be done in the Vitamix too.

If you would like to sell your Food Processor, let me know. I only have a tiny one, and I would love to get a larger one. My little one is going to wear out at the rate I use it.

Val

Yes, it's the Deluxe 11. It has 2 bowls, the cover with food chute, 3 slicing/shredding disks, the basic cutting blade, and a dough mixing blade.

http://www.chefscatalog.com/catalog/product.aspx?item=92526&sourcecode=6w3pfd310

Or, it is pretty much this completed auction (although I'm not sure my disk holder has a lid):

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cuisinart-DLC-11-Deluxe-Food-Processor-Blade-Disc-10-PC_W0QQitemZ4426732307QQcategoryZ20673QQssPageName ZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It's heavy, so shipping would be pricey. PM me about a trade/sale.

Kimberly

Dang, that's nice. You should use it. LOL

I was thinking about something smaller....but I'll PM you. I just hope I have something you want.

I will totally keep my silver, china, and crystal, even if we only use it at Christmas. The crystal and china is on display year round (crazy in So Cal, but why pack it away). I told DS#1 this year that we should use the silver more often. I don't want to be 80 years old and wishing that I had used it more often, you know? I'm going to start with one special dinner a month and then maybe bump it up to weekly.

With the Cuisinart, I don't even use it once a year. When I bought it I really only used it to shred cheese (organic extra sharp cheddar doesn't come preshredded), but now we don't even eat cheese and I haven't shredded cheese with the Cuisinart in several years. I have a mini food processor that is just perfect for a batch of hummus. I have a Vitamix and a mandoline slicer. I make dough in the bread machine or Kitchen Aid (which DH suggested shoudl really go, but I am not ready for that!). Maybe there is a learning curve with a big food processor and I just never got proficient enough to want to use it regularly. The sad thing is that I actually saved my personal allowance to buy it.

I think I bought it 4 years ago.

Kimberly

I keep thinking the same thing. I want a food processor, but I just want a little one. I have seen the Magic Bullet tv ad thingy and maybe that's all I need. I can't tell you how many times i have wanted/needed a food processor! But like a 4 cup one....or two. :happy:

I keep thinking the same thing. I want a food processor, but I just want a little one. I have seen the Magic Bullet tv ad thingy and maybe that's all I need. I can't tell you how many times i have wanted/needed a food processor! But like a 4 cup one....or two. :happy:

Ah, but the big one can do 4 cup quantities. ;) I have the one she's selling, and I use it at least a few times a month. It lives in a cabinet, so it's not in the way. Any time I have to chop a million onions or grate a ton of carrots, it's pulled out.

If I moved to a teeny tiny apartment, it would be the first thing to go, but I really love it, so as long as we're here, it has 2 sq ft reserved in the cabinet by the sink.

i've been focusing on getting all of the christmas presents organized (entered the toy world with my first child now...ah!) and cleaning this week. been getting lots of inspiration from flylady.net, so i'm pretty much cleaning and organizing flylady style. there's actually a sort of declutter challenge over there right now, but i can hardly find anything to declutter at this point because we've done such a great job in this forum...thanks especially to mamabear!