Housewifery: for the little woman in you

Spring Cleaning: Week One

2008-04-21T16:16:00.000-07:00

Week one: De-Clutter & Buy Supplies
Use this week to go through your closets and demon drawers and purge! You should also head out and buy your cleaning supplies.

Last week I started on my clothing. I was amazed at how great it felt to go though and toss things that I no longer need. It’s a great way to begin the cleaning process. Start in your clothing closet and then work your way through the other closets and demon drawers in your house. Take on one space per day. It’s nowhere near as overwhelming that way.

You could also arrange a fun girlie night with this. Invite over a good friend or two, pour some wine and have them help you go through your closet. It’s great to have an objective pair of eyes for this exercise so don’t invite that amazing friend that thinks you look great in everything. Play with her another day. Try on the things you are second-guessing and get their opinion.
Because I have such limited closet space I’m a big fan of packing away seasonal items I no longer need. Sweaters, scarves, gloves, etc all get packed away. I open it back up when the weather gets cooler and it’s like a treasure trove of things I forgot I had!

When you’re going through your clothing and shoes you’ll want to make several piles:

Donate
These are pieces you just will no longer use for whatever reason. They should be in good shape though. It’s a good practice to only donate clean clothes in good repair. Pack this stuff up and donate it to your favorite charity shop or sell it on ebay. I’m hoping this will be your biggest pile

Repair
These are pieces that you would wear “if.” You know, IF the missing button was sewn back on, IF the zipper were fixed, IF it were a different color. Be careful here. IF you really would wear them then go ahead and put them in this pile. IF you really will make the necessary repairs put them here. If you aren’t sure, don’t keep them. The idea is to purge.

Throw away or Repurpose
These are items that are either so old or in disrepair that you can’t donate them. A great shirt with a huge rip might not be wearable but maybe you could use that fabric to create something else. Think creatively. Although we’re trying to purge we don’t want to be wasteful. Besides, making things is fun.

Keep
These are the ones you love and can’t wait to wear. Hang these babies back up on their hangers. They should have more room now.

Now, apply these principles to other closets and drawers in your house. Be very honest with yourself. Do you REALLY need those orphaned pen lids? Will you ever really find their mates? If in doubt, throw it out. Once you’ve discarded all of the unnecessary items in your life it will make it a lot easier to organize the things you need in your life.

As for cleaning supplies, I'm about to test out the new Green Works line from Clorox. Have any of you tried them yet? I'll be sure to post a review and make sure cleaning shopping list in the coming days. I think you have enough to keep you busy until then. *wink*

Spring Fever

2008-02-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

Ahh after what feels like months of rain and dreariness the sun is out and the temperatures are getting a little warmer. It's harder and harder to concentrate at work. We have a wraparound deck at the office, complete with patio furniture and a BBQ. Who wants to sit inside at a desk with that around?

Spring fever = Spring cleaning. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be posting tips and tricks to break the spring cleaning out into pieces rather than a weekend of a deep scrub down. Think of it as a way to nab a few more hours at the park rather than with your hands in hot water.

Housewifery Hearts

2008-02-06T18:18:00.001-08:00

Housewifery Hearts

My new electric kettle
I always loved the look of a real kettle on my stove but I have to admit I’m a changed girl these days. I finally caved and bought an electric kettle and I’m never going back. My super cheap (thanks Target) kettle sits in the corner and boils my water quickly and quietly, perfect for my impromptu cup of tea. I love the auto-shutoff too, no more screaming whistle! This is a great time saver ladies!

Firecrackers
No not the ones that go “boom” but the ones that make me go “Yummmm.” Over the last month or so we’ve had a few get-togethers here at our house. Firecrackers have been a staple. If you aren’t familiar with them they are these amazingly tasty hors d’oeuvre things that bake up in about 15 minutes. It’s shredded beef, cheese and jalapenos wrapped up in a crispy tortilla twisted to look kind of like, you guessed it, a firecracker. You can serve them with Salsa or Sour Cream but they are just perfect on their own as well. They were a big hit at our parties and because they were frozen there was little to no prep time and clean up. That’s my kind of snack!

British Foods
I grew up in Scotland and even though I’m all the way in California now I really do miss my British Food Favs. I hands down believe that the UK has the best candy and crisps (chips). I was lucky enough to find a tiny little independent Brit Foods shop one day while driving home. It was like a little bit of Heaven. Everything I could think of was there, Crunchies, Irn-Bru, Hob-Nobs, frozen steak & mushroom pies, even British flour, bread and cheese. I definitely spent more there than I intended to but I hope to keep that sweet lady in business.

Butters
Butters is our 2 year old Chihuahua/Jack Russell that we adopted from the Humane Society a month ago. He’s also to blame for me not posting as soon as I would have liked to. He’s the most adorable little boy but he’s frightened of everyone and everything that he doesn’t know. He’s about to enter some private training to help with that but in the meantime he likes to burrow under covers, wear the latest doggy boy fashions, eat beef jerky and snuggle on our laps.

Testing mobile blogging

2008-01-08T19:35:00.001-08:00

See... I told you I would be better about posting. Testing out Blogger's mobile blogging feature.

a very lazy year

2008-01-08T19:14:00.001-08:00

Oh dear 2007 was a very lazy year for the posting! I made very few resolutions on Jan 1 2008 but one of them was that I would be a million times better about posting here. This may mean a few "personal" postings creep over here now and again. I hope you won't mind.

So, I do resolve to post here more frequently...and add pics, tons more pics.

Here's to 2008 - the year of recipes, cleaning, pictures and posting. :)

*pinkie swear*

Recipe: Tuscan White Bean Soup

2007-09-27T12:33:00.001-07:00

It's fall and so I've been starting to crave warm and hearty soups. I wanted something that was easy to make, would provide a few meals and was also low in calories/fat. Enter Tuscan White Bean Soup. I found a recipe online and modified it a bit to make it lower in calories/fat.

Tuscan White Bean soup

3 cans white navy beans (drained)
5 stalks celery (diced)
1 onion (diced)
3-4 carrots (diced)
Dried oregano, thyme, rosemary
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Olive oil
5 cups vegetable broth

Heat Olive oil in heavy bottomed stock/soup pot. Add diced onions. Cook onions, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes or until they begin to soften.
Add chopped celery and Carrots. Cook for 10 minutes. Add spices and salt and pepper. Pour in beans and stock. Bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat, let simmer for an hour. Stirring occasionally. Take out 3 cups of soup and put into blender (or use hand blender). Puree and then add back into remaining soup (to thicken).

I garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and it's a great final touch. You can also drizzle a little extra olive oil on the top if desired.

This is an easy recipe to modify and make your own. Spinach would be great in this, as would chicken. I'd even add some elbow pasta in to make it even heartier.

We interrupt this break for some chili

2007-08-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

Oh my my I have been awful about updating! My regular life has been incredibly busy as of late and I'm desperately trying to clean those things away to make room for lots of Housewifery updating.

Right now I'm about to sit down to a nice big bowl of homemade chili and that got me to wondering....

What is your favorite "go-to-in-a-pinch-need-to-whip-something-up-quickly" meal? You know, the one you always seem to have most of the ingredients already on hand for and can make on the fly? I love my chili because it takes no time at all to actually prepare it and then I can just walk away and let it cook.

Generally, I love to let it brew away in the crock-pot but some nights there isn't enough time (or rather I haven't planned enough in advance) and so I just let it cook on the stovetop for an hour or so. Sprinkle loads of cheese on top and I'm a happy camper.

Stocking your Pantry

2007-05-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

Now that you have your pantry organized you need to make sure you have it stocked. The key here is efficiency. You want to make sure you have certain items always on hand so that you can create basic meals without having to make a run to the store. My idea of the Perfect Pantry is one that even when it’s at it’s lowest you have a few things that will allow you to whip up a quick meal. Trust me, there is no such thing as overstocking when it comes to pasta noodles and diced tomatoes! ;-)

It took me awhile to figure out the best way to format this section. I didn’t want to just create a grocery list of items for you. I wanted you to have some context as to WHY you should have those items. That got to be a really LARGE entry so I decided to whittle it down a bit. Basically, I’m going to list a bunch of things I have in my pantry and you can use that as a basis for stocking your own. Everyone has preferences and certain allergies or eating preferences so just ignore anything that offends your palette. Remember, make this your own. This is just a jumping off point. There’s no need to get everything all at once. I like to wait for sales when I’m adding to my essentials. Those cans of tuna will be on sale next week and getting 5 for $3.00 is so much more appealing than 99 cents each.

Of course, there are a few things you should always have in your pantry for Emergencies, and I don’t mean last minute guests here. My mum was always fanatical about having her Emergency Kit in the pantry. She chose a cooler as storage and that seemed to work well. You want to fill it with non=perishable items as well as supplies like flashlights and batteries. The idea here is you just grab it and go. Make sure you choose non-perishables you LIKE. There would be nothing worse than being stuck inside during a huge storm, no electricity, and nothing to eat but Vienna Sausages. That would be hell for me but perhaps you’d love it, if you like Vienna Sausages that is. HEH.

EMERGENCY KIT
• Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking, and little or no water.
• Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, and vegetables
• Canned juices
• Staples (salt, sugar, pepper, spices, etc.)
• High energy foods (nuts and dried fruits)
• Vitamins
• Food for infants
• Comfort/stress foods (cookies, snack cakes etc)
• TONS of bottled water

Speaking of non-perishables how can you tell what spoils and what doesn’t? I’d always thought that an unopened box of Saltine crackers was everlasting but let me tell you – they are not. ICK. One of the hazards of stocking up on items is that you can sometimes forget you have them and by the time you need them, they’ve gone off. Periodically check your items for expiration dates and signs of age. If in doubt – toss it!

Below is a link to a document I’ve made with my “essentials.” It isn’t just confined to the pantry, it also lists some things I like to have on hand in the fridge as well as the Bar. Hey, a gal’s got to have fun and that includes some impromptu cocktail parties!

Housewifery List of Essentials

checking in

2007-05-05T15:46:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your great comments. I do hope to see some pictures of your pantries soon. ;-)
I'll be posting part 2 shortly. I've been so busy and have been neglecting my internet duties. HEHE

The Prepared Pantry - Part 1

2007-04-08T17:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the first of a three part series on creating a Prepared Pantry. First up, Setting up your pantry. Part 2 will focus on Pantry Essentials and Part 3 will be all about Keeping it stocked.

Whenever you are ready to create your Prepared Pantry start two lists – one will be for items from the grocery store you want to add to your pantry, the other will be for organizational and decorative (yes, decorative!) items you’ll need to make/buy.

Setting up your Pantry

The pantry. It can be a cabinet in your kitchen, some additional storage in a small kitchen, or a closet in a whole other room. Mine is a re-purposed linen closet in the hallway! No matter where it is it is the heart of the kitchen. Your pantry is essentially a miniature grocery store. It’s the place you go to when you need inspiration and where you go in desperation.

Your pantry should be set up as just that; a grocery store. Group like items to make everything easy to find in a pinch. Short on space? Have a savory shelf and a sweet shelf. If you have unlimited space then you can afford to be a little more detailed. Designate a lower shelf for all of your paper goods such as paper plates, towels and napkins. No matter what type of set up you have you can’t afford to be disorganized.

Organizing your Pantry

Definitely make use of all the low priced organization and storage mechanisms available. Be creative. A desktop letter/file sorter is a great way to sort those packaged gravies and mixes. Use clear boxes to store those items you don’t use frequently. Consider adding an over the door hanging shelf unit for even more storage. Asses the items you have in there now. Are they expired? Are you just never going to use them? Throw them out. You’ll need the room for things you WILL use. Treat yourself to some large clear canisters. Everything that comes in large space-hogging or ill shaped containers can go in these. It’s also a great way to see how low you are running on rice, sugar or flour.

Another great tip to steal from the grocery store is to rotate items. After your shopping trip be sure to move older items to the front before putting in your new finds. This will ensure that your never stuck with an expired can of soup just as you are making a last minute casserole!

It’s spring, and it’s a perfect time to pull everything out of that cabinet and start over. Trust me, your meal times will go much smoother with a well-stocked and well-organized pantry. It sounds like a little thing but it makes a HUGE difference.

Spicing up your Pantry

Lastly, make your pantry fun! Sound crazy? Think about it, you look in there every day, several times a day. Why not make it fun to look at? Paint the shelves different colors, use cheerful patterned shelf paper or wallpaper on the back wall of the cabinet. Buy packaging that you like the looks of. Organize using different colored boxes. Use your imagination. I've taken a shot of my pantry being decorated. Here I've just used some cute wrapping paper and double sided tape. That's it!

I’d love to see pictures of YOUR prepared pantry. :-)

xoxo
audrey

the sun is shining on my neck

2007-03-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

Oh my! Has it really been this long since I've posted? I'm terribly sorry. Between work and life and being sick not much has gotten done on here. However, I have almost completed Part 1 of the Perfect Pantry lesson. I just have to take some pictures to go along with it and then I shall post. Hopefully by the end of next week. It turned into a much larger piece than I expected. :-)

I'm also very excited because I'll be participating in another craft swap!
Over at the Crafty Daisies there is going to be a fun Summer themed swap and my brain is already swimming with ideas.

Thank you for all the lovely comments you've been leaving. It really does make me feel great to read them.

xoxo
audrey

Small update and request

2007-02-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

So sorry for the lack of postings. I've been busy writing my first "lesson" as well as gathering all of the materials and ideas for the other lessons. What would YOU like to see here? I have a plan all mapped out but this is a blog for everyone interested in housewifery. I'd love to know what you'd like to know more about.

My first lesson will be on creating "The Perfect Pantry." You know, those must have staples so that you can whip up a last minute meal in no time while looking like you worked really really hard!

I promise... it's coming soon.

Also, I'd like to take a minute to thank you for all of the emails I've gotten about the site. I'm so glad that this is going to fill a need. :)

xoxo
audrey

What is Housewifery?

2007-01-13T19:08:00.000-08:00

I started Housewifery because after many years of feeling like I wanted to “do it all” I realized what I really wanted was to be June Cleaver. I wanted the 50’s housewife life with all of the perks of today. The idea of taking care of the house, cooking, cleaning, decorating, and being mistress of the domain made me exceedingly happy.

As a pre-teen I was lucky enough to have Home Economics classes and, along with my Art classes, I have to say that they were my favorite classes. Unfortunately, the days of classes filled with cupcakes, designing a meal on a budget and ironing techniques are gone for most people. There are very few schools that still offer Home Economics classes.

My idea of fun was watching Food TV followed by HGTV and learning all the latest techniques but at the end of the day I felt overwhelmed. I wanted to try out all that I had learned but I felt that I was lacking the basics.

I decided to give myself a refresher course. I scoured thrift stores and used books shops and created quite a collection of 40’s and 50’s Home Economics manuals, cookbooks, and Housewife “training” books. With so much information at my fingertips I was in heaven!

When I mentioned my dream of creating Housewifery.com to other girls I was astounded by the positive response. So many girls wanted to learn the tools of the trade. I was inspired. Housewifery was born.

I hope to recreate the Home Economics classes of the past but give them an updated twist. Housewifery is not about doing things “Martha Stewart perfect” but rather about working smarter and enjoying the work. It’s about being stylish and crafty and creative and smart. This site will be a resource. It will be a destination, a time-saver and a refuge. Unleash the little woman inside of you!

xoxo
audrey

The very first Housewifery post!

2007-01-08T23:16:00.000-08:00

So here it is! The very first Housewifery post. I'm still tweaking the layout and finalizing a few things but... TADAH!

xoxo
audrey