My five-week challenge

pm2326

I use square lock & lock boxes from wilkinsons for my flours, porridge oats & pancake mix.

1 box holds a 1.5kg bag of flour and they're stackable. I get when on sale for about £2 each.

lisa110rry

That's helpful! And in future I shall do similarly, but at present I'm flour-less.

Today is laundry day (though I keep gazing with pride into the pantry), the bedding is in the machine now and as it's such a lovely morning I'll hang it out.

After a nice walk with the little dog, some friends, and their dog, it will be a trip to Port Sunlight for that exhibition of 30s evening wear!

[Deleted User]

I too have a stash of lock'n'lock boxes of all different sizes.I keep dried fruit ,flour crackers and almost anything in my lock boxes and I have found often when there is a boot sale locally you can turn up quite a few Tuppaware boxes for a few pennies as it seems half the world and his wife bought them at 'parties' back in the 1980s.
I have two great one litre jars with lids that I paid 50p for about five years ago and when I make soup for the week I use them in the fridge for storing my 'soup of the week' Everything keeps beautifully in them.I even have a small stash of lock'n'lock boxes that I use for spices and herbs it stops them from losing their oomph (technical term ) or drying out.I use those small ex take away boxes in the freezer for portioning up stuff as they stack so well.I make a six portion lasagne and portion it up and freeze when cold so if I fancy a lasagne its straight from the freezer to the microwave defrosted then reheated.Voila, instant take-away grub when I get home and don't feel like cooking.I do the same with a pot of chilli or curry then I only have to cook the rice which doesn't take long anyway .well done on your eat it up challenge By the way I used a tin of chickpeas from the cupboard to thicken up my HM soup instead of potato's and it worked brilliantly

Toonie

Lisa you've inspired me to go through my food cupboard and I just found two boxes of stock pots, a bag of split peas and a bag of sultanas I didn't know I had. Looks like there will be soup making and some baking in my future! The other bonus find was half a bag of lebkuchen which I had forgotten about! I am currently rectifying that oversight with a cup of tea!

Good luck with the decluttering and glad to know your hubby arrived safely.

lisa110rry

Glad to be an inspiration Toonie and yes, Jackie, I noted that about the chickpeas on another thread, excellent idea!

Last evening I had some of the chicken tikka masala, and, unrelated, I binned an empty toothpaste tube yesterday also.:rotfl:

I was meant to have today off, but got called in to work, so tomorrow as a day in lieu, I shall start on the library! (After taking two bags of stuff from the pantry to the charity shop.)

The exhibition was small, but interesting and I also looked at the pre-raphaelite display.

lisa110rry

I'm doing rather a poor job on this eating up thing at present. When I got home from work I was hungry, so I had a toasted bagel with a little spread and marmalade, so I still have defrosted lentil soup (HM) and some chicken tikka masala in the fridge. However, making the chicktikmas, I did liberate two tins of chopped tomatoes and some spices to make the spice mix.

Tomorrow, however, I'm off work! Tonight I've made another list of 'to do's'. I don't think I'll be in a position to start the library tomorrow, as my list includes:

Clean the back of my car. It's a 4wd in which I took two labs and my little terrier-type mongrel to the beach a couple of weeks ago.

Clean the 'George Formby' grill. DONE

Clean the slow cooker, the bowl of which is still soaking.

Do the clear out, sort, decide what we will use again, clean and repopulate the vestibule, as we've always called out porch area. DONE

Clear my dressing table!!!! On Saturday I bought a beautiful Davidson's Cloud Glass seven piece dressing table set for £20 at our local hospice shop, I feel almost guilty! DONE

Perfect for my 30s home, it has an intaglio tray, two candle sticks, one 5inch powder bowl, two 3inch ditto and one pin dish. So pleased! What a charity shop find!

Do my listings of things from the pantry on eBay. DONE, BUT MORE EBAY STUFF TO DO

File lots of paperwork.

Going to be a busy day tomorrow.

Pollycat

lisa110rry wrote: »

Clear my dressing table!!!! On Saturday I bought a beautiful Davidson's Cloud Glass seven piece dressing table set for £20 at our local hospice shop, I feel almost guilty!

Perfect for my 30s home, it has an intaglio tray, two candle sticks, one 5inch powder bowl, two 3inch ditto and one pin dish. So pleased! What a charity shop find!

This sounds lovely, I'd not heard of it but Googled it.

You should post on this thread:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3859129

pollypenny

Did you make it to the Lady Lever Gallery, Lisa?

I didn't, as I've twisted my knee somehow and can't even go to tai chi this morning.

lisa110rry

Thanks for the suggestion Pollycat, I've posted more info on the thread you suggested. I did go back to the hospice shop today (day off) with two bags of 'stuff' from the pantry and two bags of, well, bags, they're always desperate for thing to put purchaser's items in, so I returned what they had packed my set in, plus more. When I showed them the pictures and told them that, although I hadn't known at the time, a smaller set was on eBay for £55 they were pleased for me! (Not that I would sell.)

pollypenny, I'm sorry to hear you've twisted your knee. RICE, of course, rest-ice-compression-elevation. Reckon the latter is most helpful, along with ice.

I enjoyed my visit to the Lady Lever, it was a lovely day for a drive. I arrived about 1pm, had a tuna mayo roll and a small glass of wine in the cafe, then 'did' the exhibition, which was small, but interesting. Although dress fashions have changed so much, shoes clearly have not, and the ones on display could have been worn today without feeling out of place!

So, on to my jobs list...

Cleared out what we call, and have always called 'the vestibule'. It's not really a porch because it's within the house, but a halfway house between outside and inside, like is often found in Victorian homes, with a lockable door at each end. I store things in there for jam and pickle making and sloe gin making, also sacks of dog food and bird seed. Dreadful, I know, but we always use the side door, which is common in Lancashire. Anyway, all cleared, and shoes which have not been worn for some time, including walking boots, have been put in a sack for AgeUK, which was providentially put through the door as I was turning out.

The slow cooker is still in the sink, trying to get it clean, seems some food has burnt on, but the chicken tikka was nice. So, with the sink in use, I can't yet clean the 'George Formby' grill, darn it.

I've put four items from the pantry on eBay - two waxed cotton hats, a Tefal Quick Cup water heater and a kitch 70s bar shaker that we have maybe used once!

I've not been idle today, but wish I had accomplished more. Currently, while writing, I'm having a small glass of red wine, before taking Madam Doglet out for evening walk. The wine was in the pantry, goodness knows how long, my guess was since a BBQ to welcome our son and daughter in law home in July! That was a good evening with all our friends there and the young ones. No doubt my husband is enjoying the warmth of their hospitality, along with the warmth of Dubai, right now!

FunBrum

lisa110rry you are doing so well.:T

I find that writing a list helps me not only remember what i want to achieve, but also is a great way to look back and feel proud of yourself!

I use lots of different size containers to put things in. Margerine and take-way tubs are a great 'one portion' size for home made soup and stews. Ice cream tubs hold bulkier items for the fridge/freezer, and also to store dry goods. It enables them to be stacked neatly in cupboards as well.
My daughter is such an organised nut, she labels all of her tubs and containers so you know exactly what is in there! :eek:
I also use baskets to hold sewing and knitting project in, and on the top of my wardrobes I have picnic hampers to hold bed lining and towels. Functional and pretty.:D