Review: Martha Stewart's Very Good Things: Simple Tips and Genius Ideas for an Easier and More Beautiful Life

Martha Stewart's Very Good Things: Simple Tips and Genius Ideas for an Easier and More Beautiful Life by Martha Stewart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Getting things done-cooking

I have a recipe rotation that I use for the family.  Cooking is hard.  Not because I don't like it, nope I don't mind it at all, and I don't mind trying new recipes.  What is hard is my family is very picky.  Neither of my boys eats vegetables at all.  Neither one of them likes anything cooked in a slow cooker.   Our son won't even eat mashed potatoes and forget anything that has touched gravy.  Our daughter (who doesn't live at home anymore) didn't eat meat and the boys love meat.  So it makes things hard.  What I look for is a recipe that I can substitute onions for onion powder and remove all the veggies.  Yes, it is horrible.  What I am going to do below is tell you some of the things my picky eaters will eat.  I have posted some of the recipes on previous blog posts, so I will link to them.  There are so good things here, they would be better if you added broccoli :), or carrots.  Use your imagination and create something new from these, or just try them for a simple dinner night.

First I will give you recipes that I have already posted (this is not all of the recipes I have posted, but they are the family's favorites.  Go to my home page and click on "recipes" on the right and you will see all that I have posted, the Doritos casserole is outstanding!!!

Chicken and dumplins-by far the easiest dumplings you will ever make.  There is not even any mixing here, just dumping.  Super easy and my husband loves it.  

Homemade Ranch dressing-so much better for you than the chemical powdered junk and cheaper than Hidden Valley.  Personally, I think it is spectacular!!!

Poppyseed Chicken-I love this one.  I love to make 2 of them and in mine, I put in broccoli...yummy!!! super fantastic

Peanut Butter Pie- this may not be the main dish, but my family loves it so much.  This used to be a recipe that Cracker Barrel used to make the most delectable pie (in the days when I worked for them).  Try this one for a surprise for your family, I think they will give you big smiles.

Now for some new recipes for you.

Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

Butter (softened)

10 to 12 slices of bread (take off crust)

1 to 1 and 1/2 pounds of sausage

1 and 1/2 to 2 cups mild shredded cheddar cheese

12 to 14 eggs

Milk to make eggs like scrambled eggs (about 1/2 a cup)

Salt and pepper

Brown sausage in crumbled pieces. 

Butter both sides of the bread and cover the bottom of the baking dish with the bread. 

Sprinkle sausage over the top of the bread. 

Sprinkle the cheese on top of the sausage. 

Mix eggs and milk just like you would mix to make scrambled eggs, add salt and pepper to taste and pour the mixture over the top of the sausage and cheese. 

If possible, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. 

Bake at 350 degrees until eggs are down (slightly brown) about 30 to 45 minutes. 

King Hawaii Roll Sandwiches

Getting things done-cleaning

My motto has always been "get your work done and then you can play", but the COVID19 whatever it has done to life has made me a little stray from that mantra.  I used to get up early and have a couple loads of laundry done, dishes washed, and maybe a bed made before 7am. Oh but that world has changed. Monday I start working at the office for the first time since March 19, so I have to do better.  I have not strayed from my laundry schedule so I am doing well there, but I am going to have to get a cleaning schedule going again.  I am going to go back to my old schedule and see if it works in this new house.  You see, we lived in this house for only 2 weeks before the "lockdown" started so I never got to implement that schedule at the new place.  Our new place is double the size of the old place so I expect some modifications will have to be made.  Here is what I am going to start with, do you have any tips to share? 

 

DIY stamp pad holder

I am going to admit right off the bat that this was NOT my idea.  I was trying to think of a cool way to store my stamp pads and I was leaning more towards doing something with pizza boxes since I can get my hands on plenty of those.   I did a little Google search and saw many folks were making pad holders from foam core. Foam core!  Brilliant!!!  I watched a few of the videos, I recommend that you do that too before you tackle this as they are very detailed and informative, then I decided to just dive in.  I cut my foam core back from black foam core, as it was much better quality (wish I gotten 3 of these instead of just 1) at 20"x12.5.  Then I cut my sides 2 pieces at 20"x3" and the top and bottoms are a little over 12.5 x 3" (I put the sides together on the back and measured what I would need to cover the top part o the sides too.

The insides (shelves) were 4"x20" for the long ones and 12.5"x 4".  I would change this to 3" instead of 4" now because most of what I use is Tim Holtz and sometimes I have to dig in the slots for those 3"x3" pads.  The small shelves have slots cut into them at 4.25" and 8.5" (this is seriously where you need to watch those videos) and the long ones are notched at every 1".  I am not going to give you assembly directions because these other folks do it so much better than I did, so why mess with perfection?  

Inspiration videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSBnDd3Oi-8 foam core holder with storage (very cool)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNo3jWxosIc (this lady has so much DIY stuff)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YZRp4c15NI (this one is so detailed)

Things to accomplish in 2019

I started out this post with talk about resolutions, but I am not a resolutions person so I deleted all of that and decided that I am more a goal person.  I do keep goals in my planner.  My planner is not one of those beautiful things. It is simply a planner with an elastic band. I write in my appointments, cool things, house cleaning checklists, glue in ticket stubs and write down the greatest thing of each day.  That is all.

Goals for 2019:
Mail more cards (letters) ---will this be hampered by the .05 increase in the cost of stamps
Learn to make a hardcover book
Go to Halifax
Stop eating candy (haven't had any yet in 2019)
Finish organizing my photos on my external hard drive
Read 100 books and review them

I am trying to stay on target to finish them, but looking for ways to hold myself accountable.  Habit trackers are NOT for me.

I am curious if you do goals/resolutions and how you stay on target to finish them.

How I have a cleanish home

My attention span is short. I cannot help that I am wired this way.  I try hard all the time to stay on task.  I give myself assignments, memorization techniques and goals.  I write them down or type into my phone to hold me accountable.  A schedule is the best thing for me.  I've discovered as I age that deviating from the schedule does not make me freak out as it used to, but I much prefer my routine.

The first thing I created was rules.  I like rules. There is a clear expectation of what is expected and I know once the required is finished all the time that is left is MY time.  That is it!  The reward.  Get the work done first and then all the time you have left is YOUR time.  I have found not only do I feel better knowing my work is done, but I have longer to "play" and enjoy that extra time.

Rules
1.  Today's work gets done before you play
2. Daily jobs are split up over the week so that one whole day is not spent cleaning or doing laundry
3. I keep a checklist in my calendar or on a notepad so I know what I have done.  As I mark off daily tasks I have a sense of accomplishment
4.  Today's tasks can be bumped until tomorrow due to an event that is unavoidable, but not more than one day (unless you are sick).
5.  Don't look at it as a chore. Look at this as maintaining your home and family, and having time for your sanity.

The following information is how I get it all done. It is not perfect, but I feel like I am doing a good job.  Not a GREAT job, a good job. I am not striving for perfection just for functionality and time with the family and craft time.  Craft time is very important to my mental happiness. 

About our house:
1.  We have a 3 bedroom, 2 baths, 3 car garage 2000 square foot house.  We chose small so we could vacation, so if you have a larger home (and you probably do,) you may need to tweak my ideas if you are going to use them.
2, I do 95% of the inside work in our home and only about 5% outside (yard).
3.  I am the home repairman so I have to allow time for repairs.
4.  I am not a great housekeeper.  What we have is a functional mess.  I figure I can have a showplace once all the kids are gone and I retire...for now I am content to have things done and LIVE.
5.  I am not a great duster (worst duster ever). I may swipe at it every once in a while but I have limited knick knacks down to just a little so I don't have to worry about that.  I dust the tvs when I think of it. I do not dust the kid's rooms, they are old enough to do their own.  On that line, I don't even clean their rooms...they are more than old enough to clean their own rooms if it is important to them.

I have developed a routine for my home in regards to housework.  I know I have shared bits and pieces before today I plan in sharing the whole shebang.  THE SCHEDULE!!

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Clean out litter box	Clean out litter box	Clean out litter box	Clean out litter box	Clean out litter box	Clean out litter box	Clean out litter box
Clean kitchen	Clean kitchen	Clean kitchen	Clean kitchen	Clean kitchen Deep clean kitchen day, clean thoroughly today	Clean kitchen	Clean kitchen
Laundry (wash and fold)			Laundry (wash and fold)  Sort into baskets		Laundry (wash and fold)
			Clean hall
			Drop off any dry cleaning (If applicable)			Pick up dry cleaning (if applicable)
						Prepare supper calendar for next week
Make a couple of meals for the week and menu planner for the week
	Declutter living room (make kids put away video games and toys)		Declutter around house
		Sweep floors (I have hard wood floors they are mopped as needed swept every Tuesday)
					Clean day---hall bath-everything Master bath-everything Kitchen, utility, bath floors mopped
Vacuum Living room (if needed)			Vacuum Living room (if needed)			Vacuum Living room (if needed)
Ironing (I do not have much, this may need to be bumped to another day if you have loads)
		Jumpstart any Wednesday cleaning you have time for		Jumpstart on any Friday cleaning you have time for		Jumpstart on an Sunday afternoon cleaning that you have time for

I know my system won't work for everyone and maybe even no one else but me.  I just hope my system encourages you to be all you can be.  Have an order in the world of chaos and time for yourself and family (and crafts).


One more time with my motto....get what you have to do done and then you can play the rest of the time.

I have no time to read

I have no time to read, ugg, I used to say this and I hated it.  There has to be a way to better manage my time. I started doing many things in my life to "get things done" and while I am always busy, I feel I maximize the time to the best of my ability (for now at least--it is ever changing).

Before I tell you how I cram time in for reading you need to know that I have a strict schedule I follow for household chores and unless there is emergency cleaning to do, it helps carve out more reading time.  I have covered my weekly cleaning schedule here if you are interested.

I do the same thing every single day because I am one of those people that do better with a routine.  My daily schedule allows more reading time because my goal is 100 pages a day and I achieve it almost every day.

Mornings: I get up and brush my teeth and drink water and do at least 2 miles.  After I am done with that I settle down with my breakfast, coffee, and a book. I often have Law & Order or Dateline on in the background. I read for almost an hour then spend 20 minutes getting ready for work.  This is DEDICATED reading time and whether I go to work or not that day, I eat breakfast and read...7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Evenings: I read every night before I fall asleep.  There have been evenings when I only get about 10 pages completed and others where I stay up way too late, but I read.


I mainly read on my Kindle Voyage so it goes wherever I go. I can sneak in reading at the spur of the moment, such as:
1. While stuck in traffic on the interstate
2. While soaking in a bath or hot tub
3. While cooking dinner
4. While walking my miles indoors
5. While waiting on hold on the phone
6. When I eat lunch alone at work
7. When I eat supper/dinner alone at home
8. Anytime I am waiting on something or someone
9. I can also read while ironing, drying my hair, waiting for the concert or ballgame to start,  watching tv, folding laundry and brushing my teeth.


Tips to help you maximize reading time:
1. Start with a goal you want to achieve, say reading for 10 minutes a day or 20 pages a day.  Maybe choose a short book to give you a great sense of satisfaction that you completed the book in a week!

2. If you don't like the book don't be afraid to say, "you are not worth my time" and put it away.  My rule is if the book doesn't grab me in about 50 pages, I am done.

3. Maybe keep a list of the books you finish.  I find I get a great sense of satisfaction to see that list grow, and if you like to complete goals then this may work to give you more time to read.

4.  Along the goal lines, maybe join a reading challenge. I do lists to explore other genres of books because I am mainly going to read historical fiction, history or biographies if I don't do a list challenge.  PopSugar is my favorite of all time and I do it every year.

You can find me on Goodreads at www.goodreads.com/michellechampion

My organization system

I am not sure how all my stuff will translate to a blogpost, but I am going to try.


 I am Michelle, and I have a problem with schedules.  I like making them and I like following them. I don't like FBSP (fly by seat of pants), but I can do it.  I prefer my spread sheets, my detailed junk and most importantly a schedule.  I have told you before I have a strict schedule that I follow.  I am going to post it for you here today so that you can see what I do during the school year to keep my sanity (the little bit that I have left).

I have said before and I will say again, I am not a great housekeeper, but the work gets done.  My motto is, "you know you have to do it, do it now, get it over with then you can do whatever you want later."

First I have my written down chores. I keep these on my computer in case my family ever needs it.

Remember this is my school year schedule.  I don't have to make all the lunches during the summer!!!!


 

Sunday-the fridge is basically empty.  Today I do shopping and meal prep for the week.

Sunday afternoon-make all lunches for the week.   Trevor takes his lunch every day so I make them for the whole week.  Yes, he has 5 lunch boxes. I have a shelf set aside for the kids lunchboxes.

Sunday afternoon is also the meal prep day.  I do the calendar for the week and if something can be made ahead I do it today.  Lasagna, chicken for meals, etc…that can be premade is and either frozen until the day we eat or put in the fridge. I have two shelves to accommodate prepped meals. Trevor has one day a week where he cooks hamburger meat, either for tacos or for hamburger helper. 

Laundry days-Wednesday am, Friday am and Sunday afternoon

Ironing-done Sunday afternoon.  All outfits are planned in advanced and written down so that the pants can be ironed and ready to go.

Dry Cleaning dropped off on Wednesday usually picked up on Friday

Cleaning-Friday am

                Both bathrooms (john uses the daily shower thing in his shower every day….I clean my tub on Tuesday and Friday)

                Laundry room

                Hallway

                Sheets changed on all beds. I change mine  that am.  Kids take their sheets off (they have for years) and turn in Friday afternoon.  I wash them on Sunday.  We make their beds together (Hannah mostly does hers on her own now)

Cleaning-Saturday am-

                Bedroom (kids responsible for theirs)

               

Kitchen is cleaned every day (deep clean on Thursday)

Floors are mopped as needed in between but every Saturday am. I have hard woods this takes a while J

Living room is vacuumed as needed but also Wednesday after work

Lists are made for things that need to be fixed and I try to assign a time to get this done. (usually it is a break from school). I buy the supplies to fix before the scheduled day and then on the day get it done.  Over break I have to change the flapper in a toilet, change a wax seal on a toilet, see what is wrong with leaky faucet, clean out kids closets and touchup kitchen cabinet paint.

We keep the hall closet cleaned out enough so we can store bins. One bin for items to sell, one for donate, one for gifts purchased (I Christmas shop all year).  On breaks (days out of school) I price items to sell and place back into bin until consignment sale time, donate items and the Christmas I don’t touch. I do keep a notepad there to write down what is for what person when I put it in the bin.

Kids have unloaded dishwasher for years.  They put dishes on the counter if they can’t put them away.  I fill the dishwasher after dinner every night. I run it when I get up in the am, while I am exercising.  Kids empty dryer and load dryer. Delegate to help you out! 

I go to bed later than I used to 9:00-10:00 but I still get up around 4/4:30.  I can get up at 5 and get my work done but there is no exercising.  On weekends I sleep in until 7ish, my body won’t let me sleep late.  I don’t do outside work, but do 90% of inside work.

I can miss a day and put it off, but it is very hard.  I do not clean the house before we go out of town because we destroy it within ten minutes of coming home. 

I do not sit down much at home.  I have too much to do.  I like being busy if not fall asleep.  Ha ha

First and foremost, I am NOT a great housekeeper.  It is not a showplace. It is an organized mess.  I find that we can be functional, messy and still clean.  It works. I figure I will really clean the house when they are gone. 

I rarely get the dusting done.  And in recent years  I have limited knick knacks to a minimum. I do have photos/scrapbooks/art things everywhere…I just don’t always clean them. 

I do have laundry rules.

1.     If it’s not in the basket it doesn’t get cleaned

2.     Everyone has a basket in their room, it is their job to turn it in or it doesn’t get done.  Everyone knows the schedule so it is good

3.     There are family baskets in the hall, large bathroom and utility room, they can also put their clothes there.

4.     I have 3 laundry baskets (small) for clean clothes.  As the clothes are folded the laundry goes in there.  Each person is responsible for putting away their clothes and turning in their basket before laundry day.  Often Trevor empties his basket after the Sunday laundry day…no not often 99.9% of the time he does that.  His drawers are a mess!  But I can’t go behind him and straighten them.  He and I do it good over Christmas break and sometime in the summer every year, so twice a year his drawers look good.  He started doing this in Kindergarten.  Before that we did it together. 

I read fly lady when I started but I thought, I am very organized with our trips (we have a rigid schedule at Disney world, but we see a lot), and in my crafts so I thought “I can do this” so I jumped in with both feet. 

I would get the laundry caught up before you start anything.  Unless, I am sick, out of town, or washer is broken. I stick to laundry/cleaning schedule.  I have explained to everyone, once that is done I am free to do whatever.  It is hard, but you get behind if you don’t do it.  If I miss a day, the next day I wash and stay on my schedule all the other days.

Oh and as to storing things or leaving things lying around, I often say to myself “who’s going to pick that up?  Just do it now and get it over with”.  I don’t let piles  happen,  yes, I have to be very disciplined.  I don’t like it, don’t want to.  Get it done now, so you can play later. 

You may do better to do your cleaning at night. I am a morning person so I like to do it in the am. I get up running every day.  My sister is trying my method and she does it at night. 

My cleaning the kitchen means I put the dishes in the dishwasher, clear the table, wipe the cabinets, and general straightening.  Only on Thursday does it get a good clean.  I run the dishwasher every day. I cook meals most nights (most are prepared on Sunday pm I just have to heat/cook). 

The pictures below represent....a Wednesday laundry with the family baskets, a week where Trevor wanted tacos everyday, and my family boards. 

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Lunches (prepare all 5 of Trevor’s lunchboxes for the week)	Clean kitchen	Clean kitchen	Laundry(wash and fold)	Clean kitchen (deep clean)	Laundry(wash and fold)	Clean bedroom (kids clean their own-won’t be perfect)
Laundry (wash and fold)	Declutter living room (make kids put away video games)	Sweep floors (I have hard wood floors they are mopped as needed swept every Tuesday)	Drop off dry cleaning		Clean day (this is the day you clean bathrooms, dust, change sheets….etc…)	Clean kitchen
Prepare supper calendar for the week	Clean hall bathroom		Clean kitchen		Clean kitchen	Mop Kitchen and baths
Make a couple of meals for the week			Vacuum Living room (and as needed)
Ironing
Clean kitchen