I fully expect that I will shut it down entirely when my current hosting package expires in early 2010.

Thanks for the patronage, and look for more articles over at the sister blog, SimpleProductivityBlog. SPB will be restructured to take into account both life design and lifehacks, both of which encompass the type of material I have been presenting here.

How to Plan

In order to make this work, I had to find some basic recipes for basic main dishes. I tried to aim for meals that could have leftovers, or could be re-purposed into new meals. These main dishes require few ingredients, most of which I would normally keep on hand.

I came up with dishes for beef roast, whole chicken, chicken breasts, ground beef, and pork chops. I also added things that could be done in a pinch: hamburgers, hotdogs and fish sticks.

Buy the Meat

The next step was to stock up on the meat. Our local grocery had a sale on whole chickens, so I bought a few. The rest of the meat was purchased at the local warehouse store, and packed in meal-sized bags before being put in the freezer.

Add Frozen Veggies

While the main part of the meals were now taken care of, I wanted to round out the meal as well. For this I have relied on bags of frozen veggies. The grocery store had a 10 for $10 sale recently, and I stocked up on large bags of all the veggies we eat.

Results

For each week, I decide which main dishes would be nice, and thaw the meat in the appropriate time. Most of these meals are done in the Crockpot, so all that is left to do at the end of the day is to steam the veggies.

This planning method has given me a break from major cooking projects as well as dropped our grocery bills significantly.

Photo by sporkist

Until the next morning, when I realized the tv was fuzzy. And I’m not talking about the picture here — the rising sun showed it covered in dust and various animal hairs. I realized then that the new tv was going to require some extra cleaning.

General Tips on Cleaning an LCD

Please check your instruction manual for any specific manufacturer instructions. These tips are meant as a guideline, and I take no responsibility for damage. If in doubt, call the manufacturer.

The general rule of thumb is to never use anything on your LCD that could damage it. This means avoid things with ammonia or abrasive cleansers.

Cleaning the Screen

If your screen has smudges on it, a good cleaning cloth is one of the specially formulated eyeglass cleaning cloths. These are meant to clean without scratching. My television came with one of these cloths and does a great job.

For stuck-on goo, dampen an eyeglass cleaning cloth with water and gently wipe away. Make sure not to drag the debris around on the screen as this could scratch it.

Another good choice is specially formulated cleaners for LCD screens. They make these for laptop and computer monitors, and some will work on LCD tvs. Some of these have the added bonus of repelling debris such as dust and hair. Check the instructions on the cleaner before using it!

Cleaning the Surround

I found that the case and stand were just as apt to collect things as the television. I used a clean feather duster with some success, and a clean dry Swiffer cloth picked up the rest. The problem with this part of the television seemed to be the static on the plastic itself.

By using appropriate and gentle cleaning, my tv is looking much better and much less fuzzy.

Photo by William Hook

A recent blog article over at Zen Habits (Don’t Have Time for Goals? Simplify Your Commitments) talked about commitments. Leo had received an email from a working mother who was struggling to be productive. It got me thinking about the unspoken commitments in my life.

Spoken Commitments

It’s easy to be aware of spoken commitments. These are the ones that come about when I say “yes” to someone’s request. I write down what I need to do, and I keep focused on it through my productivity tracking systems. (For more on this, please check out the sister blog, SimpleProductivityBlog.

Spoken commitments have two ways to capture my awareness: they are on my lists, and if for some reason they should fall off, eventually someone is going to ask about it. Both of these are external reminders, and they keep these commitments fairly visible.

Unspoken Commitments

There are also a lot of unspoken commitments in my life. These are the things that come along with the life I have chosen. I don’t necessarily think of them as things I have committed to, but at the same time, they do represent a pull on my attention and time.

For example, I live in a house. That means that I have to perform household maintenance. Laundry, dishes, cleaning, general maintenance are all involved here. It is disastrous if I treat these things like I don’t have to do them, or ignore that they have claims on my time. Think about what would happen if you didn’t do the dishes for a week just because it wasn’t something you felt you had to do. Or if you scheduled your days to the point where you don’t have time to do dishes for a week.

Some unspoken commitments come as a result of things we do for our children. My daughter’s taking piano lessons is not just a commitment on her part. I have the commitment to take her to lessons, pay for lessons and music, keep after her to practice, and attend performances.

Balancing Commitments

Part of living a balanced life is recognizing the pulls on our attention and time. I believe that many times we feel stress as working mothers because we don’t recognize our unspoken commitments, and our lives become overly busy.

As an instructive exercise, do a time journal for the next week. ( Time Management Journal) See if you can locate the unspoken commitments you have, as well as get a feel for how much of your time they consume.

When you know all the things that you are committed to, you can then decide if things are truly necessary, or lower your expectations of other things you can do.

Photo by SuperFantastic

The “temperature” of our lives is our stress level, and we react the same way.

If we have a sudden onslaught of stress, where everything goes to heck in a handbasket all at once, we know we’re under stress. Our bodies react to it, and we manifest all sorts of physical and mental symptoms that we are aware of because of their suddenness.

Yet if the stress level gradually increases, we get used to it, and don’t realize how much stress we’re under until we have a breakdown of some sort. We get used to the tension in our backs, not sleeping well, or any of the other manifestations.

The moral of the story is that stress, like heat, can build gradually, and can get to alarming points without our really being aware of it. Be aware of your temperature, and take steps to lower it if it is getting to warm!

Photo by indi.ca

1. Limit the Linens

I went through my closets and left two sets of everything for each person: two towels, washcloths, hand towels. I also limited the bed sheets to two sets per bed. It freed up an amazing amount of space, and made putting things away much easier.

2. Get Rid of Medicines

We all have them lurking in our medicine stashes: expired medicines, or medicines we bought that didn’t work. Get rid of them properly and you will have less to maintain.

3. Limit the Makeup

Sure, it’s nice to have six lipsticks, but I seldom wear it. And some I’ve refused to throw out just because it was really expensive (never mind I couldn’t stand the feel of it). Likewise, how much eye shadow do I need? Getting rid of the makeup freed up a lot of space, and now all my makeup fits into one little plastic basket that can be moved as needed.

4. Use Baskets to Group

I have baskets all over my bathroom. I use them to store things together, like the vanity items, hair appliances and bath supplies. The baskets not only make things look neater, but you are only moving one item to clean around it, and baskets make it easy to retrieve things from closets and cabinets.

5. Color Coordinate for Children

For a household with multiple children, assign a color to each. Their towels, drinking cups, toothbrushes should all match the color. This makes it a bit easier for putting things away – and you will also know who hasn’t been picking up!

6. Purge

Get rid of what you don’t need or use. I was given a set of white (!) towels, and I hung on to them for a long time, but they are not practical in my house, so out they went. Also went the various hair appliances that didn’t work on my hair type, shampoos we had tried and didn’t like, ineffective cleaners and products we no longer used.

7. Use Multi-function Cleaning Products

Wherever possible, use cleaning products in multiple places. I use mainly glass cleaner, shampoo and swiffers in the bathrooms, along with Clorox wipes for disinfecting. The glass cleaner is used on counters, windows, sinks, mirrors, spigots, shower doors, and the vanity cabinets. The shampoo is used to clean the toilet bowl, the shower stall and the bathtub.

8. Agree on Products

If you share a bathroom, see if you can consolidate what everyone uses. Good candidates for this are soap, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, toothpaste and mouthwash. It may take some compromise, but it will save on space and things to clean.

9. Use Hooks Rather Than Bars

Using hooks instead of bars will allow your towels to dry much faster. This eliminates the need for multiple towel bars, or towels left on the floor because there was no place to hang them.

There’s my quick-and-dirty list. What would be your #10?

Photo by y2bk

1. Have a Plan

The number one time saver in the kitchen is knowing what you are going to make before you get into the kitchen. Menu planning is a big step in this (see Simplifying Dinner: Four Steps to Simplify Planning). By figuring out what you are going to have, you save yourself from I-don’t-know-what-to-make as well as the I’d-love-to-make-x-but-I-don’t-think-I-have-the-ingredients.

2. Do Your Prep Work Once

One of the most time-consuming jobs in the kitchen is getting food ready to be cooked. Veggies need to be washed and/or peeled, then sliced, diced or whatever. There is a reason that there are dedicated people in restaurants – people whose job it is to prepare the ingredients.

To be your own food prep, look at your menu plan. Find the common ingredients. Some, like onions, peppers and celery, can be prepared ahead of time. Others, like fruits and potatoes, need to be prepped right before you make the dish.

3. Have the Correct Tools

Sure, you can pound a nail with a shoe, but a hammer makes a much easier and quicker job. Same holds true in the kitchen. Have the tools that you need, basics and beyond. If you are always slicing veggies, get yourself a mandoline slicer. If you are constantly cutting apple wedges, buy a slicer . The right tools can make jobs much quicker.

4. Buy The Best Bakeware and Cookware You Can Afford

Quality is essential in bakeware and cooking pots When you buy your bakeware and cooking pots, buy the best you can afford. Skimping on quality will lead to burnt meals and baked goods, and plenty of wasted effort and time.

5. Keep Knives Sharp

My mother used to say that the only knife that you would cut yourself on was a dull one. This is because with a dull knife you end up using more effort and are more prone to slippage.

Keep your knives sharp, and you will make cutting go much quicker.

6. Have Stations

By organizing your kitchen into stations, or areas dedicated to tasks, you minimize moving around hunting for things. For example, I have a baking drawer, which holds my mixer attachments, measuring cups, scrapers and cookie press. Other stations could include cooking, prep work, leftover and dishes.

7. Organization is Key

Pull all your ingredients out at once. Instead of making five trips to the pantry to fetch canned goods, make one trip pulling back five cans. This will also tell you:

8. Have Ingredients on Hand

Nothing is more frustrating than having to stop cooking something to make a last minute trip to the store, or borrow an ingredient. Knowing if you have everything in hand can save a lot of time.

9. Make Sure Your Ingredients Haven’t Expired

Just like having ingredients on hand, make sure your ingredients are usable. Rotten eggs on hand are no better for your recipe than no eggs.

10. Clean As You Go

Most of us aren’t lucky enough to have someone clean up the kitchen after we are done cooking. You can minimize the amount of time it takes to clean up, though, by cleaning as you go. Run a sink full of hot soapy water, and swish the dishes as you are done with them. Then either load them into a dishwasher, or put them in an empty dishpan for washing. This swish-rinse technique makes cleanup much easier.

11. Have a Staples Pantry

There are probably certain dishes that are your fall-backs or favorites. Have the ingredients for these on hand in your pantry.

12. Use Timesavers…Sometimes

The grocery stores are filled with convenience foods. Unfortunately, most of these foods are also filled with fat and preservatives. And no timesaver is a good one if it won’t be eaten. Here’s the rule: use timesavers when you can. A good example of this is boneless skinless chicken breasts. Use the pre-boned/skinned ones instead of doing it yourself.

13. Simple is Good

Simple dishes can be just as tasty and nutritious as complicated ones. Pick simple ones with minimal prep times.

14. Frozen Veggies are OK

Some people shudder at the thought of using frozen or canned vegetables. Let’s face it, though: not preparing veggies from scratch is a big time saver. Frozen veggies have been washed, sliced and blanched for quick cooking. And the nutrition of canned and frozen veggies is comparable, in most cases, to fresh.

15. Make Dishes You Like

One of the most frustrating things in the kitchen is to put in a lot of time and effort only to have an inedible product. Not all recipes taste good to all people. Make something you like and save yourself the time of having to cook another meal when the first one flops.

16. Don’t Fiddle

When you are trying to minimize the time in the kitchen, avoid fiddling with the recipes. Adding ingredients, spices and whatnot on a whim may be good, but will take more time.

17. Plan on Leftovers

If your dish is one that will stand up to reheating, make a bigger portion and save part (before it goes on the table the first time!) for a future meal. Or use it in another way, like cooking a beef roast and using the leftover meat for burritos.

18. Freeze When Possible

There are a lot of recipes that are self-contained and stand up well to freezing. If you have such a dish, double the recipe and freeze one for later use.

19. Use the Crockpot

Nothing beats throwing everything into one pot, turning it on, and coming home from work to a fully-cooked meal. Crockpots are versatile and easy to use.

20. Use Other Machines

Useful machines in the kitchen can also simplify prep time. I use my bread machine weekly, for both specialty breads as well as pizza dough. My coffee machine has a timer, so I wake to freshly brewed coffee, instead of waiting around for it to finish.

Twenty tips for saving time. What are your favorites?

Photo by exceptinsects

I put myself to think about how I could use leftover bread, and here is what I came up with. I have tried all these methods, with varying measures of success, as noted:

Bread Crumbs

Why buy bread crumbs when you can make them yourself? I use bread crumbs as an ingredient in many dishes, including meatloaf, hamburgers and oven-baked pork chops. Take your bread, let it harden in the air or a low-temperature oven, then pulse it in a blender until fine. This works well, but I found I have to keep the results in the refrigerator if there is any moisture in the bread at all, or they will mold.

Homemade Croutons

Ah, bits of bread in salad. To make wonderful croutons, brush the bread lightly on both sides with olive oil, then season your bread with your favorites. We like garlic. Cut the bread into cubes and place on a baking sheet. Bake until completely dry. This works well, but it tends to make more than we use on a weekly basis.

Stuffing/Dressing

I never used commercially prepared stuffing mix until a few years ago. Up until then I did what my mother did: dry out bread, pulse it to make large crumbs, and use that for the stuffing/dressing base. In our house we don’t stuff poultry with the mixture, we bake it in a separate pan. This uses up large quantities of bread, and it is very good.

Bird/Squirrel Food

I have a hard time keeping up with the squirrels and birds that haunt my backyard feeder. If I have bread that I am not going to use (and this includes the heels of commercial bread), I will tear it up into little bits and throw it out for the birds and squirrels. I don’t do this often, and always have seed on hand. This method works well if you have hungry critters. However, on two occasions the critters didn’t eat everything and then it rained. Ick. This works best if you have some way to keep the food from getting wet.

Using up leftover bread was easier than I had thought. I enjoy making use of all of my extras, and I find myself more willing to make bread, knowing that I will not be throwing it away.

Photo by visualpanic

Here are my five sources for free or low-cost books:

The Local Library

This is the biggest source of my books. In addition to having a large selection, online browsing and reservation, a large collection of e-books and audio books, the library can also get books from any other library through inter-library loan. The library is also a good source for magazines and newspapers.

Rummage Sales/Thrift Stores

These go by many names: rummage sales, garage sales and trunk sales are three that I have heard. Many people will put a stack of books out. This can be a great source for books, particularly paperbacks.

Library Friends

Our local library and art museum both offer twice yearly book sales. They take donated books that are not put on the shelves and sell them to the general public to raise funds to buy new books with. This is a great source of hardback and paperback books. These sales are put on by the library auxiliary or friends.

Swaps

I routinely swap books with two neighbors. One neighbor’s recommendation is pretty much a guarantee that I will like a book, and we often compare opinions on various items.

Freecycle

Our local Freecycle list will often list books. Freecycle is an organization that offers items for free, and the responsibility of picking up the item rests with the recipient. The other advantage of Freecycle is you can ask for specific items.

There are many sources for low-cost and no-cost books out there. Search around, and you may find you will get out of the habit of buying!

Photo by Dawn Endico