How do you people get motivated?

rosieben

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

The things that keep me motivated most in OS are my meals. I have become so confident in the kitchen that I enjoy cooking because I know (most of the time) I'm making food that will taste much better than any ready meal or take-away.
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OS food is great motivator GR, I was thinking yesterday of how my life has changed since I found OS - if anyone had told me years ago that one day I would be eating soup, bread, butter and jam and that all these things would be home made by me, I would have laughed my socks off!

I'm probably the only person on here who hasn't tried twinks hobnobs though ...

scuttles off to find recipe....

Aril

I think the other thing to bear in mind is what do you enjoy doing? Old Style is not about wearing a hair shirt in my opinion:D I for one love baking cakes and biscuits but really don't enjoy any type of cooking that is tricky...the recipe has to taste nice/be a good price/idiot proof and quick for me ever to repeat it. I have the greatest admiration for those who make everything from scratch but I am too unmotivated to make my own pizza bases for example..I definitely take the short cut old style route. I buy pitta breads and then make them up from there. Another pet hate of mine is gardening....the likelihood of me ever having an allotment is about as much as me flying to the moon. Gardening generally leaves me in a right grump but I do like to have a pretty garden...my shortcut solution is to fill the border with easy to grow perennials which are hardy and will grow anywhere. I'm afraid it's do or die in my garden...if I don't kill them then sure as eggs are eggs the slugs will have a feast:D We are going to be having a go at growing some tomatoes and cucumbers this summer in pots though. I shall see how it goes before commenting further. The other thing about OS is it all about experimenting and not worrying if you have a disaster. I think most of us have or have tried something and thought what a palaver...it's simply not worth the time spent on it.
Aril

Zazen999

Hi
For me it is not buying stuff and using up the stuff I have. So bathroom stuff such as shampoo and beauty related 'stuff' - don't buy it until all the old bottles are used up and in for recycling [with points back from the tesco's recycling which we have nearby]. Ditto the kitchen stuff - so not allowed to buy any cleaners until all the old bottles/tubs are used; and then only stardrops and white vinegar. I do have a cleaner come around once a fortnight - but in between I want to get the amount of stuff we have around the house to a minimum.
Also, I love cooking, and we menu plan - best thing ever...everyone knows what we are having and no arguments.

next thing to tackle is the sheer amount of spices i the cupboard; i use most of the but am sure there are some that I haven't touched in ages...they've go to be used up or go...so I'll take them all out, clean the cupboard and store them in a box for a month. As they get used, they can go back in - any not used in a month are going to be chucked and the containers recycled.

It's all little by little here. And we grow most of our own veg...but that's because I love growing veg.

vivw_2

Some very good advice there Zazen999. I know that life is certainly easier if I menu plan

Sola

What motivates me is time - I work long hours and am time-poor and know that when I'm organised, I feel much more in control and less stressed. When I'm not, we tend to reach for the takeaway menu, but slowly we're getting there. DH commented today that the second freezer is full of stuff in tubs that I've cooked and which he can use as a basis for dinners this week; okay, we haven't a clue what's in them as apparently I didn't label them, but I'm having a stab at the assumption that it'll go with rice whatever it is ...

Mics_chick

I think my 2 biggest problems are my total lack of organisation and wanting to do everything straightaway so I feel overwhelmed and give up before I start :rolleyes:
I think I will start with the one day a week thing and see how it goes from there

Zazen999

Sola wrote: »

When I'm not, we tend to reach for the takeaway menu, but slowly we're getting there.

Oh yeah - and shred the takeaway menus - they are the work of the devil!!! For the same £ you can eat for a week!!! Never looked back since I put them straight on the fire when they come through the door.

arkonite_babe

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

And Twink's hobnobs. They are a surefire way of reminding myself why I love to be OS.

I have gone from being a BG on the OS board to falling off the bandwagon in a spectacular way.

Twink's hobnobs made me realise what I have been missing

Seriously though sammy_kaye's thread put me to shame and made me decide to get back on the OS wagon once and for all. I work full time so will just have to shuffle slowly back in this direction...............

sammy_kaye18

Hi All

My way of keeping on top of things is Lists, lists and more lists.

Ive got a littel white board ting that i write my chores 'To be done...' on. Then i have a list of menu plans, lists of grocerys i need, lists of the 'extras' that i could do but only when the 'to bes' have been completed.

i have hundreds of lists and christmas is just one big list of lists for me.

arkonite_babe

I think if I make anymore lists I will be on my way to a divorce, less than 6 months after getting married :rotfl: :rotfl: