January: Kitchen - update

January has already ended! How is this possible?! My house organization project for January was the kitchen and although I did a pretty good job, I didn't quite get everything I wanted done. Oh well, better than nothing and I'm sure I will finish up a few things and I can finish the other things in July I guess (if this confuses you see post titled "A new year, one month at a time"). Maybe I would have had more done if I didn't have a sick punkin' that turned into a sick momma!

What I did get done: Emptied, cleaned, and organized most of the cupboards and am getting rid of stuff I'm probably never going to use or haven't used in a long time. Found a place for most of the stuff on the counter in the cupboards. Created a cupboard for the punkin' to keep her coloring stuff.
What I wanted done: There were a few cupboards that I didn't get to, the food, and the garbage mainly. I also wanted to get the fridge, inside and on top, a little more organized and it needed to be cleaned. More stuff off of the counter and table. Need a few organizational things like a spice rack and maybe some bins for small things. Cleaned the oven, dishwasher, fridge, etc.

In reorganized and simplifying my home, I want to also think about routines and the things we do in the house, not just things. So for every area I wanted to come up with ways to be more green (here comes the slippery slope).
*We already use earth friendly or homemade natural cleaning products (7th generation dish and dishwasher soap, and homemade vinegar/water all purpose cleaning spray). My husband and I also made a few modifications to a swiffer wet awhile back. I bought a reusable microfiber pad for it and then we made is so you can take the cap on and off and filled it with vinegar and water instead of using that crap that's in there.
*Use less water: I used to do my handwash dishes with a soapy sponge and running water. Now I wait until the sink is full of dishes and fill up that sink with hot water and soap, and then fill up the other sink with clear water to rinse. The time it takes to fill the sinks is much less than the time of running water and you end up using less soap too. Also, we are trying to scrape most dishes before we put them into the dishwasher instead of rinsing them, but there are some I know won't come clean if I don't rinse a little. Already waited until the dishwasher was full, sometimes too full, before running.
*Use less electricity: Turned off the heated dry off on the dishwasher and they are just as dry...it's a conspiracy! I also am starting it at the start option instead of hot prewash. Getting closer to the water saver setting, but I have had bad luck with the dishwasher so I have to do it gradually! We already have a toaster/convection oven that I use most of the time instead of the big electric oven. Why heat up that whole oven for a few egg rolls? Light bulbs are already energy efficient.
*Food: already buy local/organic/sustainable foods. I'm going to start making more homemade foods, thus reducing packaging (and $ too!). I started making bread again, and am trying to figure the yogurt thing out, and also going to try stock. I used to make pasta, maybe I will try that again too. This month I also made my own minestrone soup and froze it instead of buying canned, and have been making my own cream of chicken soup for meals (if I make stock I can use it in this instead of buying!). I use cloth grocery bags too and bring back my plastic produce bags. I would like to make some mesh produce bags though. I also try to buy bulk foods.
*Paper products: We use real cloth towels and washcloths instead of paper towels and napkins. I always get mad when I see the commercials for paper towels and they say it has a cloth like feel. If you use cloth, it will really feel like cloth!
*Garbage/recycling: I recycle everything I can in our cub side bin. I need to get an actual bin for under the sink. I have been using paper grocery bags because I had a bunch and I was used to having to separate our paper, etc. but now we can mix. Everything that can't be recycled in our bin I put in a big box and am going to take to the recycling center. I might figure out a way I can compost and then I would have hardly have any garbage, but I don't know if this will happen (ya know, townhouse and all makes composting a lot of work and planning, but not impossible!)
*Keeping it clean: Clean up for 10-15 minutes after each meal instead of waiting until it's a disaster!

Next: Living room!