This Week's Menu 1/10

This is what I received in my half of the Bountiful Baskets this week.

It is still the cheapest way for me to buy produce, especially this time of the year! I am still loving B.B.! The produce is always fresh and lasts well over a week, or longer. The menu this week is kind of boring. It's a super busy week for our household, so I am opting for easy meals. I had a spare few hours Saturday afternoon (that hardly EVER happens), so I baked a batch of rolls, two loaves of Cinna Burst Bread, and Apple Cake to save myself some time during the first part of the week (The cake looks burned in this picture. I promise it's not. It's spice cake of sorts, so it is just dark on top. It really is tasty.....and sinfully moist!)

I am also relying on several  items I stashed in the freezer over the Holidays to make dinner prep easier.

Sunday

Ham and Bean Chowder (thank you One Crazy Cookie)

Home made rolls

Apple cake (Delicious recipe that used up several mushy apples. I'll be sharing it soon!)

Ice Cream

Monday

French Toast (using Homemade Cinna Burst Bread)

Orange Slices

Milk

Tuesday

French Dip (thawing out leftover sliced roast in the crock pot)

Au Jus

Home made rolls

Steamed Brussell Sprouts
Frozen Corn (for the Brussell Sprout haters)

Wednesday

Shrimp Lo Mein

Stir Fried Veggies (using yellow squash and broccoli from B.B.)

Cubed Pineapple

Thursday

Chili  Topped Baked Potatoes (Last time I made chili I doubled the batch and stashed it in the freezer.)

Green Salad

Pudding Salad (this is bumped from last week's menu)

Friday

Pizza Night 

Green Salad

Cinnamon Sticks (another recipe from One Crazy Cookie)

Saturday 

Leftovers

Finally, I just wanted to share the fabulous deal I got at Big Lots this week. I decided to make a quick trip to Big Lots to buy some facial cleanser (a.k.a. Noxema) and mascara for Child #2. When I walked in the front door of the store their was a cart full of discounted grocery items. They had these jars of Spaghetti sauce marked down to $.50 a jar (regularly $1.90). Their sell by date is for January 13, 2011, but jarred spaghetti sauce will still be good for at least another 9 months. A few of the troops aren't huge fans of Chunky Style Spaghetti Sauce, but a quick whirl in the food processor will take care of that!

 

Here's a handy tip if one jar of Spaghetti Sauce isn't quite enough to feed all the hungry mouths at your house (Mine seem to eat more and MORE  all the time!).  Stir in one (8 oz) can of tomato sauce, 1/2 can of water, 1 tablespoon of ketchup, and a teaspoon of Italian Seasoning into the sauce. It should give you and extra serving or two and no one will be the wiser. 

Handy tip #2. If you have a tiny amount of ketchup left in the bottle, add a tablespoon or two of water into the bottle. Screw the lid back on tight and shake the bottle to mix the ketchup and water. Pour into spaghetti sauce, soup, chili, or sloppy joes. Waste Not Want Not!

Check Out This Fabulous Advent Calender!

The majority of the turkey at our house has been consumed. There is just enough left to make a few more sandwiches and a delicious turkey pot pie! Now that the leftovers from our holiday feast are disappearing it's time to start thinking about Christmas (where has the time gone?). As I was blog stalking this morning, I came across this super darling Advent Calender!

 (photo courtesy of Jaimie Cook's It Up)

 I just love Advent Calenders. It's a fun way for the kids (big and little) to count down to the big day! Jamie at Jamie Cooks It Up (One of my most favoritest blogs, by the way! She's a kindred spirit, don't you know!) shared this great idea, and I couldn't stop thinking that it would be a fun and frugal gift for some lucky person on your Christmas list! Bake ware is always on sale this time of year for cheap, so keep your eyes peeled for mini muffin pans! Of course, and candy can always be bought in bulk! So, all you crafty bloggers out there, go take a quick peek at this cute Christmas Creation at Jaimie's place!

Tip Carnival

Today I am linking up with Around My Family Table for Tip Day Thursday! I personally am a tip junkie! There is nothing I enjoy more than reading good ideas out of blogs, magazines, and books. I bow down to handy tip gurus like Heloise and Amy Dacyczyn. It takes the "village" to get through life anymore, so if someone has a great idea for making life easier, we all benefit! Go check out this cute blog and all the fun ideas people have shared!

Frugal Friday Fun At The Shabby Nest

I was so excited to show off my corsage making project that I decided to be brave and join Frugal Friday over at the SHABBY NEST! Wendy's blog is always full of fun ideas and projects. She inspired me to create my own mini mudroom! Go check out all the other fun projects other Frugal Divas have done!

Antiques, Glorious Antiques!

I am in love with antiques! My palms get sweaty every time I go to a consignment shop, thrift store, yard sale or flea market and come across a "deal" on some vintage treasure. I have been lucky because I am related to (and married into) a generation of pack rats. I have found tons of treasures in basements and storage sheds. My kitchen is loaded with vintage antique canning jars (some purchased; some "inherited") that are storing bulk kitchen staples; like pasta, dried beans, cornstarch, baking powder, etc.. The jars in the picture above are holding odds and ends on my kitchen window sill. They remind me of my hard working fore bearers; that whiled away many hours filling those jars with garden produce to sustain their families through the winter. My philosophy is that if they have lasted this long they are probably more durable than a comparable item I could buy at Walmart. The great thing is you can nab old canning jars very inexpensively.

Another of my favorites are old stoneware crocks ( I think of them as pioneer Tupperware). I have them all around the house. I have a large one holding firewood by the fireplace, another holds dog food. In fact, you can find vintage things in all sorts of places! My dear hubby surprised me with these earlier this spring.


Our local feed, seed, and pet supply store has stored their bulk garden seed in these crocks for as long as I have been married (and that would be 20 years.... HOLY COW!). In fact, one of the reasons I would buy my garden seed there is because I could admire the collection of crocks on the shelves while I bought my seed. Well, this year when I went to buy my seeds they were sitting in a row on the top shelf with price stickers on them. I about had a stroke! In my tightwadishness I could not justify buying the whole stash; so I only bought two small and one large. Unbeknownst to me, my dear hubby secretly sent my son (the one who can drive) back to the seed store to buy the rest!

My hubby and I have a running joke that whenever we surprise or do something nice for each other (such as buying a much needed diet beverage, or a chocolate bar) we are giving each other "flowers". This may sound bizarre, but when we were first married my husband spent money (a precious commodity for two newlyweds) on a flower arrangement to surprise me. I appreciated the thought, but I hated that he spent grocery money on buying flowers that are were over priced and would die. A total waste of money, in my book. After (kindly; we were newlyweds after all) explaining my stance on the subject, we now find ways to show our appreciation that are free, cheap, or that will last longer than a few days. I still get real flowers, but now they are a hand picked bouquet delivered with a kiss and an "I love you" ( Okay, I'm getting back on subject now). Imagine my surprise (and joy), when I came upstairs from the laundry room later that night to find six more glorious crocks sitting on the kitchen counter (and a big cheesy grin on my hubby face)! This little surprise is the equivalent to a dozen roses in my book!!! Now the large ones hold cooking utensils in the kitchen. The small ones hold cotton balls and q tips on the bath vanities. Another holds pens and pencils on the computer desk.

Bountiful Baskets

(MY HALF OF THE BOUNTY!)

My dear friend and neighbor, Stacy and I have been participating in Bountiful Baskets for about a month now, and I have to say it has been one of our greatest finds! Every Monday night (log in times vary by state so check the site for your time. Idaho's time is 8:00pm.) we log on to the Bountiful Baskets website, and place our order for a basket(actually two small laundry baskets worth; one of fruit and one of veggies), which costs $15.00. In addition to fruits and veggies, there are other items that can be purchased. Usually, there is 9 grain bread (5 loaves for $10.00). I was worried my family wouldn't eat it, but it has been a hit. It is very tasty, and freezes well. There are also seasonal items that can be purchased. So far (since we have been participating), there has been flats of strawberries, packages of salsa vegetables, (7 dozen) assorted tortillas (also freezes well), and gallon cans of extra virgin olive oil. Bountiful Baskets co ops with small farms to purchase in bulk, and relies on local volunteers to keep the costs down. On Saturday, with laundry basket in hand (You have to bring your own container to bring your food home in. I would recommend a Rubbermaid tote or laundry basket. Cardboard boxes got heavy, and were hard to hold on to!), we go to our designated site at the time appointed (for us it's 8:00 am) and wait in line (for about 15 or so minutes). When it's our turn we show our voucher (which you print off of the computer from an e mail you receive on Friday), and sign the log book. Then we get our basket (if you signed up for extras you go to a second table to show your voucher and sign a second log book). Since, Stacy and I, split a basket and whatever else we purchase (which feeds two families, one with six and one with seven,for one week) our average cost is about $13.50 each. For instance this week we got:

• A BIG head of Romaine lettuce
• A BIG bunch of Spinach
• 3# of bananas
• 3# of apples
• 1 cantaloupe
  
• 1 honeydew melon
• 2 cucumbers
• 8 tomatoes
• 8 kiwis
• 2 small bags of radishes
• 3 (6 oz) containers of blackberries
• 2 artichokes

This would definitely have cost much more than $15.00 at the supermarket! Each week brings a different variety of fruits and veggies. It has been kind of fun for me because of the variety of produce we get. I wouldn't usually buy blackberries, kiwis or honeydew right now because they aren't really in season, and I have never bought fresh artichokes in my life until now. In fact, I have a blackberry/ strawberry pie in the oven (and it smells HEAVENLY!). I have also been very impressed by how fresh everything is, and how long it keeps in the refrigerator. So, THANK YOU to all the great people who have worked hard to bring Bountiful Baskets to our area!! I have to give them a two thumbs up for sure!!!

P.S. Pie anyone?

Freezing Strawberries and A Nifty Trick For Hulling Them

Strawberries are a favorite at our house, so I have been taking advantage of the great deals on strawberries this week. The only down side to strawberries is that they don't stay fresh for very long (even in the refrigerator). Even though my family has been happily trying to keep up with influx (strawberry jello, strawberry shortcake, strawberries on their cereal, strawberries after school, strawberries on ice cream, strawberry smoothies) I decided to freeze a bunch. That way we can enjoy them later in the season when they aren't so readily available (and cheap!). Freezing strawberries is very easy to do, and if you flash freeze them individually you can store them in gallon plastic freezer bags (using fewer plastic freezer bags). When you need strawberries you can take out only as many as you need. To freeze strawberries:

1. You will need a large cookie sheet covered with wax paper (make sure wax paper is 2-3 inches longer than the cookie sheet on both sides), a straw, and gallon plastic freezer bags.



2. Wash strawberries under cold running water. Place in a colander to drain.

3. Hull the strawberry. I read this method in a magazine several years ago, and it makes hulling strawberries so fast and easy (plus there is less waste) that I have been using it ever since.

A.Push non flexing side of the straw through the bottom of the strawberry.



B. Push up through the strawberry popping the stem out of the strawberry. If you don't get it all the first time, just pull back on the straw a little reposition and pop the rest out.



4. Place hulled strawberries on the cookie sheet.



5. Place cookie sheet on a flat area in the freezer. Let the strawberries "flash" freeze for about two hours. They should be firm, but not frozen to the cookie sheet. If you let your strawberries freeze over night, and they are frozen to the wax paper, let them sit on the counter for 15 minutes before removing them from the tray.

6. Remove from cookie sheet by lifting the corner of the wax paper and loosening the strawberries.



7. Place in a gallon plastic freezer bag. Write the date you froze the strawberries on the bag with a permanent marker. Place in the freezer for storage.



Now your strawberries are ready to enjoy. Use them to:

• Make smoothies.
• Make milkshakes
• Use them in place of ice cubes in lemonade or punch.
• Chop them up semi frozen and throw into pancakes, muffins, cake, or quick bread batter
• Thaw them whole and make fresh strawberry pie
• My kids like to eat them frozen like a popsicle. Just thread them onto a straw for a handy handle.

What are your favorite ways to eat strawberries?

Cold Cereal Stretchers

Yesterday, I was downstairs in my storage room organizing my cereal stash. At last count I have 75 boxes of cereal (there have been some VERY good cereal sales lately!). I try to buy the healthiest option, but sometimes the only choices are pretty sugar laden (those of course are the favorites). The funny thing is that my family really doesn't eat it for breakfast! It is our after school, second dinner (I have teenagers; after all), late night, or I'm craving something sweet (and at least cereal is lower calorie and higher fiber than cookies, brownies, ice cream, etc.). My family (and assorted neighbor children) can go through a regular size box of cereal in a day (my 17 year old son can do it in a sitting). To help cut down on the amount of super sweet cereal they consume, I have started combining a sugary cereal with a similar healthy option. For example:

• Rice Krispies with Fruity Pebbles or Cocoa Krispies
• Kix with Cocoa Puffs
• Plain( or Fruity) Cheerios with Fruit Loops
• Plain(or Multi Grain) Cheerios with Lucky Charms
• Corn Pops with Puffed Rice cereal
• Corn Flakes with Frosted Flakes
• Bran Flakes with Total

There was some scoffing at first (child #3 is a purest. Cereal intermingling is a sin in his book.), but after the initial shock; it has been business as usual.

If your house is like mine, and there are always several containers (or boxes) of cereal with a minuscule amount of cereal left in them. I have been dumping those remnants in a gallon plastic ziploc bag. When it is full I make "Krispie" treats with it (who wouldn't eat leftover cereal covered in butter and marshmallow goodness?). Other great ways to use up cereal:

• Stir shredded Wheat crumbs into muffin or quick bread recipes.
• Stir shredded Wheat crumbs into oatmeal before microwaving it.
• Stir in crushed Shredded Wheat, Bran Flakes (or any flake cereal crumbs) into the dry ingredients when making bread.
  
• Crush Rice Chex, or Corn Flakes and roll chicken pieces (dip the chicken in egg first) in them to make baked fried chicken or chicken nuggets.
• Sprinkle crushed sugary cereal (like Capt'n Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Krispie, or Fruit Loops) on top of cupcakes after you have frosted them, or over ice cream.
• Crush slightly and stir into yogurt (or layer between yogurt in clear glasses and call it a "Parfait").
• Mix crush cereal into cookie dough before baking. Also good in no bake cookies.
  
• Mix odd and ends of different cereals together with raisins, dried fruit, pretzels, peanuts, and chocolate chips to make trail mix.

The sky is the limit really! This way you can stretch your cereal dollar a little further.

My Hill Billy Clothesline

One of my favorite things about spring is that I can hang my laundry outside,again! I have had to get creative with a clothesline, though. We do not have any trees in our back yard to tie a rope between, and our lot is not huge, so I don't have a place to create a permanent clothes line. So, once again, I had to put on my thinking cap.

Because of the way our house sits on our lot, it is necessary to put a Quick Shade awning on our back deck to shade the French doors (which saves my poor family from roasting alive inside the house, and to keep the air conditioner from running 24/7). About every second year the canvas top on the awning begins to rip (requiring numerous duct tape repairs). By the third year the top is not salvageable. After some research I realized that it is more expensive to buy a replacement awning than to buy a whole new Quick Shade on sale. This leaves me with a supply of roofless awnings.

By now, you should know it causes me great stress to throw anything away that may have even a tiny bit of use left in it. So, I started thinking of ways I could reuse the awning frame. That's when I had my AH-HA moment!

I ran to the Dollar Store and grabbed some supplies:




Then I set the old Quick Shade frame up in the back yard:



Tied the clothesline in five sections across the frame (make sure you pull it tight and wrap it around several times. Then tie it with a triple square knot):


Add some laundry:





I made a quickie clothespin bag by sewing the bottom of one of the old kids cotton T shirts and hanging it on a hanger:


How's that for recycling? My family calls it my Hill Billy clothes line, but I call it pure genius. With the money that I save hanging laundry out to dry all summer (electric clothes dryers are one of the most expensive appliances to use); I can justify using our air conditioning (Bless modern appliances. I become very cranky when I am hot and sweaty!).

P.S. Here is a great POST from Living On A Dime.com on the proper way to hang laundry.

Help! It's Snowing .... Popcorn?

Last night the kids wanted popcorn. I stopped buying microwave popcorn awhile ago because:
1. Our new microwave burns microwave popcorn (even if you hover over the microwave and push the stop button the second the popping slows down).
2. Child #3 delights in licking the butter of the inside of the bag when it is empty (which is disgusting all by itself), and leaving the licked remnants all over the kitchen and/ or family room. (House rule #2 - no eating in any area besides the kitchen/dining room. House rule #3 - Throw your garbage away when you are done eating. Yep! That's working out well)!
3. It is cheaper to buy popcorn in bulk and pop your own.
4. I am trying to serve healthier options to replace junk food (which, by the way, is not being well received here in Barrettpotamia), and I can monitor the butter to salt to popcorn ratio better with air popped corn.
Imagine my chagrin, when I pulled the air popper out of the lazy Susan to discover that someone had lost the the little butter cup (see picture above) that plugs the large hole in the top of the lid! I knew that if I popped corn with it in this condition, we would have quite a snow(popcorn) storm in our kitchen. At this point there was much wailing from the troops, thinking of something to cover the hole that wouldn't melt or explode from the heat; I grabbed a ceramic mug that one of the kids received for Christmas ( child #4 is very attached to his Santa Claus mug, and keeps digging it out of the thrift store box! Drat, foiled again!). The mug actually fit just right in the hole, and the heat from the popper melted the butter I had placed in the mug just before I started popping popcorn (a little experiment). Success, the troops were placated (for now)! Quick thinking has bought me some time! Now I can scour the thrift stores to find a replacement for the missing portion of the popcorn popper. I guess, desperation truly is the mother of invention!
P.S. AT WHAT POINT DID MY LIFE BECOME A COMEDY ACT?

Easter Basket Alternatives

Due to some unforeseen financial set backs over the last three months (2 major plumbing repairs that required a plumber, 2 semi major car repairs that required a mechanic, and 1 major knee cap repair that required a surgeon) we are currently sucking up our budget so that we can pay off doctor bills and replenish the emergency fund that we drained to pay for all the unexpected repairs (when it rains it pours at my house!). With Easter quickly approaching I have been racking my brain for the cheapest way to celebrate. With four kids, filling Easter baskets can quickly spiral out of control! This year I bought some candy in the bulk section of our local grocery store. I found darling Easter ziploc bags at the Dollar Tree that I am going to fill with the candy, and place in their baskets. I am also going to whip up a batch of Froot Loop candy (basically 2 cups white chocolate chips melted. Mix in 2 - 3 cups of Froot Loops. Grease a tablespoon, the kind you eat with not measure with, and use the spoon to drop rounded spoonfuls unto a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Let cool completely and store in a ziploc bag. My kids love these and devour them every Christmas when my mom brings them to Christmas dinner), and I am going to also bake and decorate sugar cookies to replace the chocolate rabbit ( I just discovered a chocolate rabbit from last year that one of the children shoved in the back of the freezer, so I don't think they will be missed).

My biggest problem was that I could not find our Easter baskets (I think they were ruined in the basement flood - hence, plumbing repair #2, and thrown away). I did not want to go buy new ones, and all my wicker baskets are currently in use. I was pondering a cheap alternative Saturday while I was washing strawberries to dip when I looked down at the plastic container that I had just emptied and thought here was my answer! It was the perfect size, sturdy, there were four of them (just the number I needed), and best of all; they were FREE! I dug through my gift wrap drawer and found some tissue paper and ribbon, and this is what I created:


1. I started with an empty strawberry container, tissue paper, and curly ribbon.


2. I cut the lid off of the container (make sure there are no sharp edges).


3. Next, I taped the ribbon around the container with clear tape. Tie the ends together in a knot. Curl a second piece of ribbon about 18 inches long with a pair of sharp scissors. Fold into fourths. Tie securely with the end pieces of ribbon on the basket. Curl the ends.


4. Place a piece of colorful tissue paper or Easter grass in the basket. Now it is ready to fill with Easter treats.

I am going decorate each basket with a different color ribbon and tissue paper so that each child can identify their basket (and hopefully to avoid any fights over who ate whose candy!). My baskets are pretty plain because I was using up odds and ends around the house (WNWN!), but the skies the limit. The Dollar Tree has all sorts of cute ribbon, tissue paper, scrapbook paper, and Easter decorations that could be used. You could also decorate empty ice cream buckets, shoe boxes, brown paper grocery bags, or small plain colored gift bags (2 for a $1 at the Dollar Tree). Let your kids decorate their own baskets for a fun weekend craft project!

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries and Waste Not Want Not Challenge Day 10

What do chocolate dipped strawberries and the WNWN challenge have in common? Not a whole lot, but I wanted to show off my handiwork (which did use several recycled items), and I am sure you are all dying to hear more about my new WNWN lifestyle!

First, the strawberries! My family have some dear friends who's son just got married. Being smart people they wanted to put together a nice open house for the newlyweds without breaking the bank, so they asked friends and family to help make refreshments. When I was asked to make some chocolate covered strawberries; I was thrilled to help! I have always wanted to try this, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity. I went to this great WEBSITE that gave me all the instructions, and when our friends drops off the supplies I enlisted my dear hubby and a great friend to help. Because we were going to be dipping 16 pounds of strawberries, and they had to be portable, I went to Costco and asked for several empty cardboard boxes (that we lined with wax paper) to put them in. My other frugal idea was to put the melted white chocolate that I was going to drizzle over the dark chocolate in an empty mustard bottle. The opening in the lid was the perfect size to make a thin line. I have seen it done with a plastic bag with a corner cut off, but I never have good results ( I always end up with the bag "farting" - please, forgive the crude remark- and leaving an ugly mess); plus I needed two cups of melted white chocolate to cover all of the strawberries; that a lot to shove in a Ziploc bag! The mustard bottle worked beautifully, by the way! Here are the "fruits" (forgive the pun) of our labor:


I don't know who was prouder my hubby or me!

Now, on to the WNWN challenge. It has really hit me lately how important frugality is. I have a couple of friends who have lost jobs this week. It can happen to anyone of us at any time; it is important to be prepared! I am on day ten, and I have to say, I have become a reusing junkie! I lay awake at night thinking of ways to maintain my family's lifestyle as cheaply as possible. It has been extra challenging this last week because my children have been home for spring break! So, I have had to be very creative to keep them entertained and not break the bank. This week:

1. Saved an empty cereal box and used it to make new inserts for two reusable grocery bags that have lost their plastic inserts.
2. Made refried beans in the crock pot. It made enough to serve for two meals.
3. Taught my daughter how to sew a darling skirt (but that is another post for later) for cheap.
4. Took my little boys to our local library to participate in "A Wimpy Kid" party, check out DVDs, and books.
5. Discovered episodes of Bewitched and Gilligan's island on Hulu.com; which my children loved (and I did not have to rent any movies).
6. Made a double batch of homemade pancake syrup to get us through Spring Break week (also made a double batch of pancakes and waffles and froze half for hot breakfasts this week).
7. Made "soap on a rope" for both of the bathrooms.
8. Poured baking soda and vinegar down the garbage disposal to kill the funky smell (Pour one cup of baking soda into the garbage disposal. Pour one cup vinegar over the soda. Let it bubble for 5 minutes. Pour HOT tap water from the faucet down disposal for 2 - 3 minutes and run the disposal for a minute. This method also works great on clogged drains.)
9. Used dinner leftovers for lunches the next day.
10. The only item I went to the grocery store for this week is milk. We used up leftovers and I cooked out of the freezer and pantry.
11. Saved the plastic containers that the strawberries came in to make Easter baskets for my kids.

We survived (okay, I survived) a whole week of Spring Break with only minor skirmishes between siblings, and the kids seemed content to create their own fun. All in all I think this week has been a success.

Tablecloth Recycle

Today's quick tip. Don't throw away your holiday vinyl flannel backed tablecloth after the holidays are over. It makes a great waterproof mattress cover for a child's twin bed. The flannel clings to the mattress so that is won't slip around. Just cover it with a mattress pad or old swim towel so that your poor child doesn't sweat to death. If someone does have an accident it's super easy to throw the sheets in washer and wipe your "new" mattress cover with a disinfecting wipe (much better than having to cleaning the mattress).

More Garbage Recycling

Okay it's another quickie idea, again! I swear, after the holiday's I will sit down, and produce some quality frugal ideas. Unfortunately, right now the house is still not clean, and HOLY COW, the laundry is pouring out of the laundry room door! If I don't get on top of it today; child #3 and #4( both boys) will be wearing their sister's Hello Kitty underpants tomorrow!

I am a bread baker (and also a bread snob). Unless I can find a great deal on good quality bread at the store I like to bake my own. When I do find good sales I save the plastic bread bags to store my homemade bread in (right now Fred Meyer has been selling the Country Oven brand for $.79 - .89 a loaf. It's at its sell by date, but throw it in the freezer and your good to go. I have been finding it back by the dairy piled in shopping carts). After a while those bags start to pile up; making a mess of my pantry. Well, today as I was picking up an empty Kleenex box to toss in the trash I realized they are the perfect thing to store my bread bags in! Kleenex boxes would be great to store plastic grocery sacks, or washed out Ziploc bags, too. They hold a ton of bags, and they stack great. I have also been known to cut the tops off the boxes, and use them to organize my bill drawer. Just make sure you label your box, so someone doesn't try to blow their nose on your good reusable bags!!!

Reuse Those Mesh Bags

Okay it's just a quickie hint today because if I don't clean my house soon the Health Department's going to shut me down!! Save those mesh bags that the Cutie Clementine's come in. There have been some great sales on them at Fred Meyer's lately, and they are the perfect kid friendly fruit. My kids love them. Anyway, the mesh bags make great storage bags for tub toys. Have the kids put the toys in it when bath time is over, and hang it from your shower caddy to drip dry. If your in a pinch for a pot scrubber. You can scrunch it up, and scrub away! When your done toss it in the trash. You can store bread bags in them, too. Hang it from the pantry wall with a push pin, and your bags are easily accessible. Let your imagination be your guide!!!