Organizing the Fridge/Freezer

I've told you how much I love Organize Magazine, right? The most recent issue has a short but very informative article about keeping the fridge/freezer organized. I struggle with this a little with my freezer because we don't use a lot of frozen food (we're vegetarian, so it's mostly just veggie burgers, frozen fruit and ice cream!), so I forget what I have. In addition, we are lucky enough to have a nice new freezer, but a downside is that the drawer on the bottom is so large that you lose track of what's in the big drawer.

Organize Magazine had a great and cost effective idea for large areas like this - use a metal (or plastic) shower caddy (that is essentially a small basket). I'm going to do this, after measuring the drawer to see how many I can fit side by side (NOT stacked on top of each other, which defeats the point!). I'm thinking one for frozen berries, one for vegetables and one for random stuff (i.e. panko breadcrumbs...where do those go!)

Just when I thought I've read it all, something like this comes along and I think "ah ha!!"

Doing with less

One of the things I strive towards is living a life with less. Less clutter, less complication, less waste and more calm. It's something that matters to me more as I get older and especially as my children grow and have more things.

Something I'm working on now is truly having nothing in my home that I don't believe to be beautiful or believe to be useful (my favorite quote from W. Morris). Now for someone like me, who is constantly organizing (I would only admit that to you!!), I take this very literally and seriously. Why? Because I'm really prioritizing this! I want to have the calmest environment I can reasonably have (while still having a husband and 2 children to share a house with!!) A calm home nurtures my mood, my mind and my soul.

My project today is the basement. I'm going to pull out some old decorations and things and ask the tough questions, "does this define who I am? who I'm hoping to be? is it still functional?" and then I'll pass some things on (neighbors, Salvation Army, friends) I'm not taking on my whole house, just a room. Just today.

Where can YOU start? Maybe really small like your sock drawer or the area under your bathroom sink? Let me know what your struggles are and I'll gladly pass on some tips!

Garage Clean Up

It's not on the top of most of our to-do lists, but I think summer is a perfect time to spruce up the garage. And if you don't think a clean garage is important, you're wrong :) For a lot of you, it's the first place you start your day (on your way out the door) and the first sight of home when you return. I'll address all sorts of small things you can do to spruce up your garage over the next few weeks.

I use a lot of paint (surprise, surprise!) and am often left with a very small amount left in the can. The problem is it's too much left to just toss in the garbage, which is totally against the rules (!!!) An easy and environmentally kosher alternative? You can get a $2 bag of kitty litter and put some in the can. It dries the paint and makes it easy to toss.

Don't let things like old paint cans clutter up your life! Good luck.

Congrats!

quitecontrary1977, please email me at partridgeathome@yahoo.com with your full name and mailing address and I'll get your bags out to you! You won!!

Giveaway Time!

Some of the blogs I like to read will occasionally have a giveaway to reward regular readers. In the spirit of kitchen/fridge organization, I'm giving away 5 of the Debbie Meyer GREEN Bags. First my disclosure: I'm always very skeptical about anything I can buy on a infomercial...however, I love these bags! I had seen the infomercial at the gym and then picked them up at my local grocery store for $9.95 for 20 reusable bags. Here's what they offer:

Saves you money by wasting less food Each bag is reusable up to 10 times Fruits & vegetables stay fresh 3 to 10 times longer Reduces vitamin loss by up to 50% Active ingredient is a natural mineral So a lucky Bird's Nest Interiors reader will have a small sampling of 5 bags mailed to their house to test them out. Here's all you have to do: leave a comment telling me what you like about the blog. That's all! Your deadline is Friday June 20th at 9pm. Good luck!

Frozen Key Lime Pie - Divine!!!!

You probably know by now I absolutely love Barefoot Contessa recipes. They are real food, rustic and not difficult. I recently had a party for friends and made her frozen keylime pie. It's fantastic!

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons grated lime zest
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4 to 5 limes)

For the decoration:
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Thin lime wedges

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl. Press into a 9-inch pyrex pie pan, making sure the sides and the bottom are an even thickness. Bake for 10 minutes until firm and golden. Allow to cool completely.

For the filling, beat the egg yolks and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 5 minutes, until thick. With the mixer on medium speed, add the condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour into the baked pie shell and freeze.

For the decoration, beat the heavy cream on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until firm. Spoon or pipe decoratively onto the pie and decorate with lime. Freeze for several hours or overnight.

Note: If you have concerns about raw eggs, combine the yolks with 1/2 cup of the lime juice used in the recipe in a double boiler. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture reaches 140 degrees. Use in place of the raw egg yolks, remembering to add the remaining 1/4 cup of lime juice to the filling mixture along with the condensed milk and zest.

*RAW EGG WARNING
Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Planet Green

I recently decided I am going to gradually switch over to all natural beauty products (deodorant, lotions, shampoo, etc.) A dear friend recommended the site Planet Green and it's a very resourceful website. It's worth checking out! There are articles pertaining to all areas of *green*, including gardening, cooking, health and beauty....

Has anyone ever used the crystal deodorants? I'm very skeptical (and so is the person next to me on the eliptical...) Let me know!

Cleaning, one room at a time...

Hello Friends! I apologize for the delay between postings, my computer is being serviced and I'm depending on my husband's laptop after work.

So, I've started cleaning my house in a new way. In the past, I've cleaned all over without much of a plan. If something looked messy, I'd pick it up. If something needed dusting, I'd do it. This week, it occurred to me that I'd have to clean less if I cleaned more thoroughly, one room at a time.

Let me elaborate...Monday, I cleaned the heck out of the kids' bathroom. Beyond the normal toilet and counter top cleaning, I washed the shower liner, dusted the light fixtures, organized the towel closet, etc. If you combine cleaning and organizing and approach it in all all-encompassing way, it feels a lot more satisfying when you're done. Each day I tackled a new room. Nothing over the top, but really really thorough. Try it. Don't take on the whole house one day over the weekend, take on just one room and DO IT REALLY WELL!! And yes, when I say cleaning, I mean organizing as well. The two really go hand in hand :)

Good luck! Tomorrow I'm on to the living room! Time to finally dust the top of the light fixture and dust some bookshelves!

The Story of Stuff

A dear friend/reader sent me this link to a video called, "The Story of Stuff"

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

It's a very interesting look at the life cycle of *things*. It takes a little time to watch, but it's worth it, especially for those of us who are re-evaluating our relationship to clutter/consumerism, etc. Check it out and let me know what you think. I can tell you, it had my full attention!

Let the Gardening Begin!

You have to love New England. Yesterday I was sleeping under a down blanket and today it's going to be 90 degrees! Personally, I'm thrilled because my plants are craving some serious sunlight. My son and I put together our SQUARE FOOT GARDENS last week, and since these pictures were taken, planted several things. The garden on the right is our "cutting garden", filled almost entirely with Zinnias. The garden on the left has the following:

Beets, Summer Squash, Dill, Basil, Sage and Tomatoes (a whole row of them!) I'll occasionally take pictures to keep you informed of the progress.

Happy Summer, friend.

Etsy, I love it!

Okay, let's file this one under "how the heck did I not already know about this!". I was poking around on one of my favorite blogs tonight and a website "Etsy" was referenced. It's fantastic! It's a place where people and buy (and sell) hand made items. Check it out - you'll see some of the most artistic and interesting hand made products: baby clothes, office organizers, amazing bags, etc.

http://www.etsy.com/index.php

Let me know. And Sandra and Laurel, you need to sell some of your handiwork!

Paper Back Swap

I came across an interesting website for people who are interested in swapping books on line:

http://www.paperbackswap.com

From what I can see, it's a pretty simple, and very good concept. You have a book you've read and are ready to pass on. Others do the same. Then, you simply mail your book to your new virtual buddy (and pay the shipping, which is around $2) and they do the same (mail you their book and pay the shipping). I love this. I love to read, but don't like to have books cluttering up my bedroom (unless they're absolute re-reads or reference books, of course). This is a great concept!

Healthy Living from the Inside Out

I'm a bit of a health nut (minus all the chocolate I eat and baking I sample, but I think that's very important for your soul!) I'd like to think I'm fairly well read in the "health" book department.
One of the best books I've read, and re-read is Mariel Hemingway's Healthy Living from the Inside Out. Yes, Mariel Hemingway the actress/yogi/grand daughter of Ernest....

What's special about this book is her focus on the big picture. It's not a diet book or an exercise book, per se. What she does is focus on four interconnected things: Food, Exercise, Silence and Home. Most people are really caught up in the Food and Exercise stuff and forget about the important of Silence and Home.

Here's a quote from the Home section that I love:

"When your home is a haven, it is not only a place that encourages your creativity, it is also a healing place. By that I mean a place where every day you can shed your fatigue or stress, feed and care for your body in a positive way, and lift your spirits so that you experience sustained well-being".

THAT is what I've been trying to preach with organizing :)

So if you're on the look out for a new health book, this comes highly recommended by yours truly!