Monday, July 22, 2013

Menu Plan Monday and this week's Non-negotiable Item(s)


So, to say I'm excited with how this blog is improving my home-keeping skills is an understatement.  The effects of doing my "non-negotiable" items each day is trickling down to other areas.  I find I'm picking up after myself better (something normal people do without thinking), I'm finishing tasks and staying focused, and feeling much less stressed.  The biggest achievement though is that so far, everything I'm doing is staying DONE so that I can move on to other areas.  This has always been the biggest struggle for me because as soon as I'd clean something it would be messed up a few minutes later.  I was focusing enough.  Now, I can get things accomplished without feeling overwhelmed.  The menu plan has also been a life saver.  Truly changing my life.  It requires me to really think about meals I want to make.  I am also doing really well with cleaning up as I go in the kitchen so the longest I've been at the kitchen sink doing dishes in the last few weeks is 20 minutes (and that is saying a lot for someone who DOESN'T have a dish washer.)  Cleaning out the pantry is saving Hubby and I a small fortune.  Its going to be a bummer of a day when I have to do another huge grocery haul.  Not looking forward to that but I think it will be awhile.  So on to the menu for this week!!  I'm linking this up with orgjunkie.com for her Menu Plan Monday linky party!  Be sure to visit her blog for great inspiration!  The women that link up are truly amazing!

MENU PLAN MONDAY!!!



Monday

  • Leftover Burritos, Rice, and Sante Fe Corn

Tuesday

  • Homemade Potato Soup (my mom's secret family recipe!) and Leftover Cold Cut Sandwiches from a party that I froze.  We have quite a few of these sub sandwiches left so they'll be making a weekly appearance until they disappear!

Wednesday

  • Leftover Soup and Sandwiches

Thursday

  • Salisbury Steak Hamburger Helper and Green Beans
So a while back, our local grocery store had Hamburger Helper 10/$10 so I felt the need to buy 10 of them so needless to say it will be on the menu once a week until we eat it all.

Friday

  • Leftover Hamburger Helper

Saturday

  • Pizza!!!  I have to work all weekend so having cheap pizza each week has been really helpful.  Hubby is loving this also because pizza is his absolute favorite food.  He'd eat it everyday if I'd let him.  

Sunday

  • Leftover Pizza!


So we have a pretty simple menu again this week but those simple menus are helping me get my life in order, plus Hubby likes the simpler food much better.  He has been happier and he has been very complimentary towards the progress I'm making in "our" home.  I think the fact that he is noticing is helping A LOT.

Being as it IS Monday, I need to talk about the non-negotiable items I'm adding this week.  First, let's review what I'm currently working on.


  • Make the bed


  • Sweep the kitchen


and 

  • vacuum once a week.

I was consistent all week in doing my tasks and vacuumed on Saturday.  This week, being back in the swing of things after being on vacation for a week, I'm ready to give vacuuming its designated day.  I will vacuum every Sunday before work (unless I have the energy or need to do it earlier in the week.)  
I thought long and hard about what I wanted to add this week (which is why I didn't post this yesterday.)  If you are a regular reader, you know that Hubby and I are trying to develop better habits before a possible in a few months.  As its imperative that I get these habits going, I keep feeling the need to add several things to my list.  However, I don't want to overwhelm myself.  I want to be successful.  Things feel different this time.  I'm starting to do my tasks without even thinking about it.  I do most of them after dinner right in a row (except making the bed which happens immediately.)  As most of you probably know, my inspiration for this blog comes Nony the Slob at aslobcomesclean.com .  I am currently reading her blog backwards, and two of the things she added was a focused five-minute pick up, and checking the bathrooms for clutter or items on the floor.  Because these are both somewhat small tasks, I'm adding both of them this week.  The one I'm most nervous about is the focused 5-minute pickup.  We are getting better about picking up after ourselves in the living room.  Since we started this we have went to be with a clean living room every night.  This doesn't sound like much of a feat, but in the past we have had all kinds of stuff all over the couch and coffee table.  I think the focused 5-minute pick up will help us in other areas such as our "bedroom" area which is currently behind the couch.  We are living with family in their basement which is a big open room.  

I'm getting long-winded here so I need to wrap this up.  I'm also adding in mopping the kitchen and bathroom floors on Tuesdays (this day may change based on my work schedule but this week its Tuesday.) I'll keep you updated on our progress!

Don't forget to visit orgjunkie.com for Menu inspiration!!!

2 comments:

  1. My family always prefers simple menus as well. I smiled that you had to buy 10 of the Hamburger Helpers...I always have to work hard to remind myself that I don't NEED to buy whatever the sale "number" says. Somehow I always come home with 10 yogurts anyway...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Jean!! I'm trying very hard to remind myself not to do that!!

    ReplyDelete