Project #1: Meal Planning

Yesterday I mentioned my two-part strategy for getting into domestic shape this fall.  Well, for my first project I decided to set aside some time and plan out dinners and grocery lists for the next 6 weeks.  Ambitious, I know.  It's just that I hate working all day (I know...I work from home, but it still counts), and then opening the fridge only to find the sad remnants of meals gone by.  Then my husband walks into the room, and the conversation goes like this:

him: so, what's for dinner?

me: well, I'm not sure.  what are you in the mood for?

him:  I don't care.  whatever.

me:  that doesn't help.

him: I can just microwave a tortilla with cheese.

me: but you had that last night.

him: so?

me (concerned by this point for his nutritional health, but still unmotivated to cook): alright.  what's on tv?

The thing that bugs me the most about this scene is that I know better.  I know that homemade meals tend to be more well-balanced and healthy.  I know that cooking makes me feel better.  I know that the food I prepare tastes better than take-out (okay, maybe not all of the time).  And I know that it costs less.

I also know from experience that planning menus ahead of time, with accompanying grocery lists, greatly increases our chances of eating real food (contrary to popular opinion, tortillas and cheese do not count).

My most recent epiphany in this on-going challenge is to create menus ahead of time, and then keep them on file for the next year.  Normally I just throw them away, along with the grocery lists once the week is over.  But I'm going to try to start a "menu notebook" and see how it goes.  I figure that if I liked it this year, chances are good I'll like it next year too.  Perhaps I'll get into a food rut, and the plan will backfire.  But if it has even the potential of saving me time, money and that damn tortilla conversation, it's worth it!

Incidentally, there is always a ton of resources online for grocery shopping and menu planning.  Check out this link to Good Housekeeping on saving money in the grocery store, as well as my go-to place for recipes, MyRecipes.com.

A Plan to Plan

As I launch into this week of "domestic challenges," I can't help but think about my first year of marriage.  Up until that point I hadn't really had full domestic reign, and I therefore had no idea how I'd do at managing my own household (I know...I married young).  Incidentally, right around that time Real Simple started becoming a popular magazine, and I snagged a two-year subscription.

If ever there was a bible for home organization, it would be Real Simple.  I distinctly remember creating some kind of over-the-top flow chart detailing my daily, weekly and monthly cleaning activities based on the advice of the Real Simple gurus.  Of course I never actually implemented the plan, but it made me feel good having it.

The magazine just made everything look so simple.  Sure I could set aside an afternoon and photo copy the contents of my wallet in case it ever gets stolen (six years later I still haven't done it).  Sure I could plan out my meals for a month, complete with a laminated pantry checklist and a perfectly aligned tupperware system (do lime Tostidos count as dinner?).  Sure I could set aside a small box with party supplies in case I unexpectedly need to throw a part (which has never happened, by the way).  It all seemed so reasonable, so doable.

Since then I've decided that reality lies somewhere between the enchantment that is Real Simple and the disaster that is the back of my pantry.  My goal is to find that reality this fall.

I have a two-part strategy.  Part on is to spend some time planning.  Meal planning, most specifically, but also planning ahead for the holidays and parties and emergencies.  Part two is to actually follow up on my plans.  Obviously this is the more difficult step.  I'll let you know how it goes.

For those of you who are glutton for organizational punishment, Real Simple is still faithfully churning out lists.  Here's the link to their "worksheets and checklists," where you'll find everything you need to eat seafood, plan a wedding, prep for Thanksgiving, and grocery shop like a pro.  Just beware of the flow charts in "everyday cleaning."  They can be tricky...

What's to Come...

I mentioned earlier in the introduction of my "back to basics" experiment, that for me "home" means more than just laundry and scrubbing.  Home encompasses my day-to-day activities that fall outside of my job and other outward responsibilities.  So while domestic chores (those we typically associate with the housewife) are part of it, so is managing household finances and personal relationships.  Because quite frankly for me, the cleaning and cooking is the easy part.  It's the money and relationships that I struggle with, especially when I'm busy.

So, I'm challenging myself in all three areas, with the idea that if I take care of them, my career and community goals will naturally fall into place.  And as promised, I'll report back to you my reflections, frustrations, and remarks about the whole process.

Here's a brief calendar, then, or what I'm thinking.  Part one (a week or so) I'll start with the easiest area and talk about my domestic challenges.  Part two (another week or two) I'll tackle money.  And (you guessed it), part three is relationships.

Now, I'm a "resource" person, meaning that if I stumble upon a really good website that helps me in this challenge, or a good book, or read a good article, I'll mention it.  Furthermore, I lve creating resources of my own.  For instance, I'm already breaking in a yearly meal planner (kind of like a day planner, only for meals) I created on my computer, and would love to share it with you if it turns out to be beneficial.

On the flip side, I love hearing from other people.  So if you have any great tips, ideas, or resources yourself, please share.  You can comment here on this blog, or email me at shillberry@comcast.net.

Additionally, I'd like to invite you all to visit my website at www.stephaniehillberry.com.  I'm constantly developing new ideas about how we modern ladies can live unconventional lifestyles and lead our communities with our gifts and talents.  My recommendation is to start with "I'm rooted" and work your way forward from there.

Finally, join me tomorrow for the first edition of "Saturday Sussies."  Sussy is a word I picked up from my Texas family.  Apparently it stands for a small trinket or treasure that is stumbled upon unexpectedly, perfect for gifting or keeping yourself.  Saturday Sussies, then, are treasures--be they great websites, blogs I love, home design items, cute handbags, etc.--that I stumbled upon and want to share with you.

So hopefully I'll see you tomorrow!  Happy Friday!

In Defense of Clean Sheets and Fresh Bread

I got up at 6:30 the other day, and within an hour of rising I had started a loaf of homemade bread, put in a load of laundry, changed the sheets on my bed, and tidied up the house.  You see, it's all part of testing my "getting back to the basics" theory.  I confess that I was feeling pretty good about myself by 7:30.

I started to imagine people coming into my home, smelling the bread and seeing the crisp linens and thinking, "wow, she's really got it together."  They would marvel at my productivity, the beauty of my home, the taste of my food.  They would want to be like me, and tell all their friends about me.  

Oh wait.  That's right.  None of this stuff is cool.  In fact, my morning was pretty lame by today's standards.  Maybe even offensive to some.  I mean, I'm a college-educated woman without children, for crying out loud!  I should be out there building my career or saving the hungry or something.  Who cares if I bake bread and have clean sheets?

Well, I suppose I care.  I'm not exactly sure why.  Lame or not, I still felt good about the morning.  Not "I've reached the pinnacle of my personal goals" good, but good nonetheless.

I bring this up because "keeping house" gets a bad rap these days.  I mean, normally when you want to accomplish your personal and professional goals, making the bed isn't the recommended place to start.  I feel a little silly even bringing it up.  But I can't shake the idea that reviving the "household arts" might actually help us modernized women reach those feminist goals we've been nurturing since grade school.

Take me for instance.  After the sheets and the bread, I went on to have a very productive "career-building" morning.  My domestic start actually gave me some focus and momentum for the rest of the day.  So far the theory seems to be true.  Only 8-12 more weeks left!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take the bread out of the oven.

Back to the Basics: testing my theory for a successful life

I have a compulsion.  I can't get to work--really get focused--unless my house is clean.  Not spring cleaning clean--just run-of-the-mill tidy.  Bed made.  Dishes in the dishwasher.  Stuff off the floor.  That kind of thing.  If things are a mess, my brain feels cluttered.  I can't concentrate.  I feel out-of-sorts.  

I have a theory based on these feelings.  My theory is that our lives operate more smoothly when our home is in order.  By "home" I mean that broad category of domestic duties that fall under the household, like chores and cooking and finances.  And by "operate more smoothly," I mean that we are more equipped (have more energy and focus) for our goals, our careers, and our community.

Since the fall is about to begin, and I have a long list of goals I want to accomplish before the long days of winter set in, I thought I would test this theory out on myself.  Historically the fall has always been a busy, somewhat overwhelming time.  Everyone seems to kick into high gear with sports and social activities and school, and so it seems the same for me.  My life doesn't slow down until after the holidays.  Suddenly it's January and I'm looking back over my list of goals and feeling...well...disappointed.

So I thought, Hey, maybe I could get organized at home, and maybe that organization will flow into other parts of my life.  Like my entrepreneurial career, and my plans to connect more to my community.  Maybe my theory will prove true--that when home base runs smoothly, I'll have more focus for the other important things in my life.  Maybe if I get back to the basics--making my bed, following a budget, planning my meals--I'll find that I have more focus and energy for the other stuff, too.

I think that for the next month or two I'll try it out, and report what I learn.  The theory could be a bust--we'll know soon enough.  Or perhaps I'm right, and having a strong home base makes for successful living.  We'll see.

I hate to be the guinea pig alone, so please! join me and test the theory too.  Or just watch as I ramble on about home life and work life and my life.  Either way, don't be a stranger as I get back to the basics.

Farewell to Summer

Well, it's finally here.  The end of summer.  Yes, I know that technically fall doesn't begin until mid-September, and the weather is still warm.  But for me, the season is over when Labor Day commences.  Football starts, and the days get shorter, and it won't be long before I have to add another blanket to my bed at night.

Summer's end, of course, marks the end of the Summer Squeeze series where I celebrated all things fun and leisurely.  Fun and leisure isn't over, per se, but it's time to refocus for the fall.  

I've been talking all month about starting a Back to the Basics series in September.  This series, starting next week, will focus on one thing: making sure our "home base" is solid.  By home base, I mean the home.  And by solid, I mean that it is strong enough to provide us with the peace and energy we need to tackle the busyness of fall and the holidays.  My theory is that we need strong roots so that we can be strong leaders.  As HGTV says, we'll "Start at home."

You'll also notice a few changes to this blog, like a new title.  Yes, I'm still passionate about domestic life, and we'll still talk a lot about it here on this blog.  But I'm also passionate for community leadership and female entrepreneurship, so we'll be talking about that too.  

Other changes are happening even now on stephaniehillberry.com, and you can expect me to be mentioning my website a lot in the months to come.  Why?  Because it is a hub for all of the ideas I mention here on this blog, and I'll be adding new resources, testimonies, and activities frequently!  I invite you to check it out, and keep visiting, to find "lifestyle inspiration" and opportunities to share!

Though I am a little sad to see the sun set on summer, I am excited to jump into fall.  I hope you'll jump with me!  See you next week!