Ok, so I ran through my kitchen today and did a very quick, speed decision 15 minute clean up of all the cupboards and drawers. Well, the whole thing actually took about 45 minutes, I had to keep on stopping the clock to go tend to either the kids or something that hubby needed. But I got through it!
I was shocked at the amount of food I had to throw away. Most of it was baking stuff, oat bran, corn starch, yeast packages that were 5 years old stuck behind a jar of molasses. I don't know how long you can keep some of that stuff (well, yeast I know gets old) so I erred on the side of caution and dumped it. Most were less then half empty anyway.
I also got rid of a lot of mixes that I don't use anymore. Muffin mix, biscuit mix, pancake mix. I make everything from scratch now. Out of curiosity, I checked out the ingredients lists and oh my goodness, there were so many things in those mixes that I couldn't say. I'm glad that I have switched to made from scratch.
The drawers didn't need much tending to because I actually just went through them before my youngest was born. I got rid of a few tools that I never use and some cookie cutters that were misshapen got sent to the play dough bin.
One thing I did do was start to fill up my new spice rack. My son helped with this, and even though each and every spice jar now has a a few pepper corns in them (I tried to dig out as many as I could when he wasn't looking) he did really well and it kept him entertained while I ransacked my cupboards.
I love how much he loves to help, and he has actually really been a help with the extra cleaning I've been doing. He is so happy just doing a task. Like tearing up cardboard to put in the recycling, that will literally keep him occupied for over an hour. Other things he loves to do is dusting, cleaning anything with a spray bottle full of water, scrubbing the tub (I'm very glad he likes to do this because I hate doing it). And while he always helped me do things before, I think that because I get more enjoyment out of it, he is having more fun doing it.
All this extra cleaning has actually really been a real bonding time for us. Most of the cleaning I do while my daughter is napping and it gives us really good time where we can clean and chat and pretend and just enjoy each others company. I know that it doesn't sound like we would be engaged with each other, each of us cleaning something, but we really are. And he loves it. He takes such pride in his work. I'm sure it isn't going to last long, but I'm going to enjoy it while it is here.
Hubby is away this weekend, but I have a full list of things that I'd like to get done.
The agenda for the weekend:
Read housekeeping manuals kitchen chapters (a night time activity)
Empty and organize the pantry cabinet (BIG job)
Take all the stuff off the top of my cabinets
Cook two one pot meals for the week ahead, freeze after they have cooled.
I'll check in again tomorrow!
Friday, April 16, 2010
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Matthew absolutely loves to help me too, but a couple of the things you listed Alexander doing I wouldn't even consider Matthew doing! What do you use to scrub your tub? Matthew has such skin sensitivities I'd be scared to let him use any cleaning supplies at all. His huge favorites are picking up laundry out of the bathroom and his bedroom and putting it in the hampers, and I have a Swiffer that I never use but he loves to swiffer the floors. Since every floor in the house except the bedrooms are wood, it works great. LOL!
ReplyDeleteLOL, he uses a spray bottle with water in it and a sponge. No chemicals or anything, even when I do it I just use baking soda. Alexander is in love with our swiffer as well. I personally don't like the thing but he manages to dust and sweep a lot while I'm doing something else.
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