Cooking Space Week - Nov. 1

[nursemomtothree]

It's time to work on our cooking spaces for the holidays.

http://christmas.organizedhome.com/houseworks-holiday-plan/cooking-space-week

What does everyone have on their agendas for this area of their homes?

 

[SparkleNana]

Hey -- thank you for starting us off, nursemomtothree! This is perfect -- because it is now cold enough (today) that I FEEL LIKE cooking! Filling the house with delicious smells (not to mention - with delicious food too!).

Clearing work space is the big thing for me. Small kitchen. Very little counter space.... which I have usually cluttered!

I'll do some thinking about it...... how about you, nursemomtothree? Do you have goals for this week yet?

 

[grace]

my pantry will get organized tomorrow. I love looking in there when everything is in order. Too bad I don't keep it like that all the time.

 

[SparkleNana]

We stayed around the house today. Tired from Halloween activities! And -- it was raining hard today! But -- we had leftovers to eat! Why do leftovers seem so much better in the winter? I think it is really good to PLAN leftovers. Especially if your family enjoys them!

 

[ChristmasPir8]

I didn't get to the pantry last week and actually am just starting up on all the "spaces and places" week plan. I have to work over night tonight so tomorrow I will be useless. I did start a grocery list of all the things I need to make some freezer meals to start stocking the freezer. So this week i plan to clean the pantry and take stock of my cabinets that have food/spices in them as well. Not a lot of there things to do in my "cooking spaces" area.

 

[rockin_granola]

My main goal for this week is to clear counter space! I have a lovely, large kitchen ... just very little countertop. So, space is at a premium. I need to clear away the piles, give the cookbooks and seldom used appliances a new place to live, and tackle the disorganized cupboards while I'm at it!

Here's to an awesome week! We can do it! Make it magical!

 

[SparkleNana]

Good Morning on Tuesday of our Cooking Spaces week!

Yesterday I cluttered up the kitchen. And then..... I was out of the house all day --- including to dd's house for dinner and an evening with the three grandsons (which she and dh went to a concert!) Win-win for everyone! Except..... my kitchen did NOT win!

Hopefully --- today will be different!

 

[ChristmasPir8]

Today the kids were off school so it was one step forward in the kitchen one step back every where else. I baked a tripple batch of broccoli cheese soup and freezed several bags for later, leaving some for us for dinner tonight. While that was cooking I have been working in the pantry. Threw out a large trash bag of stuff, stale food, consolidated, made list of what I have and what I need.... Still have one shelf left that may wait till tomorrow. Added the soup recipe and another one to my cooking notebook. I don't use it for a lot of other stuff but do have a section of freezer meal from books I got from the library. While in that notebook found a print out of easy food gifts for Christmas so that went in my Christms notebook. Rest of the week I need to clear off the few counter tops I have and deal w/ my one junk cabinet. I can't get any thing out or back in w/o making a mess.

 

[SparkleNana]

Wednesday of Cooking Space Week! YIKES!

OK -- I am going in! (Just as soon as I finish this post. Which may be long..... because I am quite cozy here!)

The refrigerator has been filling up with half-empty packages and covered-dishes and cartons. The counters are cluttered. The dishwasher is full of clean dishes - which need to go to the cabinets. The floor has not been mopped in ---- well, in a while!

I am hoping that Rachel (Ray) and Martha (Stewart) ..... and even Dr Phil (if he is not too depressing) ..... will help me in the kitchen today!

This area really is so important to everyone's well-being ------ both during the holidays and during the cold-flu-illness season!

 

[rockin_granola]

The refrigerator has been filling up with half-empty packages and covered-dishes and cartons. The counters are cluttered. The dishwasher is full of clean dishes - which need to go to the cabinets. The floor has not been mopped in ---- well, in a while!

Are you in MY kitchen? LOL

Can't believe it is Wednesday already! This week is flying by ... and I suspect they all will from now until the end of the year.

So far this week I've gotten a small bookshelf moved from another part of the house where it wasn't being use to the kitchen. I've put my cookbooks and cooking magazines there and my recipe binder. This freed up a little more counter space. It is a start, at any rate.

I need to re-arrange my cabinets. They are just sort of random right now. What I'm *hoping* for is for dh to take the kiddos out for a little while tomorrow on his day off. That would give me a chance to take everything out and be really disciplined about what I put back in and what I donate/declutter ... and give me time to arrange the cabinets in a way that works. But, I'm not sure that will really happen .... xx-crossing fingers-xx

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

 

[SparkleNana]

Rockin-granola -- You are speaking truth here! This week HAS been flying by --- and the rest of the weeks until Christmas will go just as fast!!! time for more reality to be accepted by me!

It takes a fair amount of time for me -- during the regular time of the year -- to keep the house picked up, laundry done, shopping and errands done, and meals cooked and cleaned up. I DO NOT have things running like a smooth, well-oiled machine - during the regular times. I may as well face the fact that it will be A LOT harder to keep things up during December!

It IS absolutely critical to get as much done as possible - during November! Just knock out as much Christmas stuff as possible during Novemeber -- and then try hard to keep up with regular stuff AND a select number of holiday events!

AND -- the Cooking Spaces area is marginally better today! Not a lot better -- but somewhat better! I will keep working all week!

 

[SparkleNana]

Thursday of Cooking Spaces Week.

Hhhmmmmmmmm. This week has NOT been a success so far. Very, very little has been accomplished in my cooking space. There is STILL hope for tomorrow. We are invited to a neighbor's house for dinner tomorrow. So -- that saves cooking and clean up. Maybe I can use that time to work in the kitchen - tomorrow.

 

[rockin_granola]

Okay, major cooking space tasks are on hold until Sunday as my oldest is turning 8 tomorrow and we're having some friends over to celebrate. I'm going into "Birthday Party" mode for the next 48 hours or so LOL

But, I do feel pretty good about gaining some counter space, getting the kitchen sink clean, and the fact that on Sunday I'm planning on pulling everything out of the cabinets and sorting, decluttering, and re-arranging in a way that makes more sense AND my dh has said that he will help me. He even offered to get a tote to store stuff in until next summer's yard sale. Love that man!

TGIF friends! Lets finish up the week on a terrific note!

Best Wishes!

 

[nursemomtothree]

Well, about the only thing I've accomplished is cleaning out all the leftovers from the fridge. I have high expectations for this weekend. Glad to know that everyone else is getting something done.

 

[SparkleNana]

rockin_granola - Happy Birthday Weekend!

nursemomtothree - Cleaning out the refrigerator is no small thing. I have spent the last hour and a half working in the kitchen -- partly on the refrigerator! I have only the top two shelves cleared. I haven't touched the door yet!