I don’t want to spend too much time today cleaning. I’m going out to dinner and cocktails tonight. So other than my daily vacuuming and a quick folding and hanging of some laundry that’s fresh out of the dryer, I’ll just do a small project today.
With two Family Night dinners per week, my kitchen is getting a lot more use than usual. I want it in tip top shape for the next dinner party. I think I will get the kitchen tidied up. That way it’s ready to get totally messy tomorrow if I have friends over for dinner!
QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:
- Visit an ATM for cash for the weekend; drop off or pick up dry cleaning and library books; fill up with gas as needed.
- Tidy up for the weekend. De-clutter the living room and mail table (or your kitchen desk where you keep bills and papers), empty the dishwasher and put dirty dishes in it, wipe kitchen counter and sink, empty trash, wipe down bathroom mirrors, counters and sinks.
- Plan something to do this weekend just for you. If you can steal two hours, treat yourself to a movie out (whether by yourself or with a friend), a two hour window shopping excursion, or a long book-reading session. If you can only steal one hour, try a hot bath, a quick shopping trip errand by yourself or a walk alone. If you can only carve out 15 mins for yourself, try dancing to two fun songs, or sitting in complete silence, eyes closed, relaxing.
- Any friends you haven’t seen in a while that you might like to catch up with? Call them up today (for that added personal touch – don’t just ping them on Facebook) and try to set a date to meet up.
- Need to check your supplies of pet food? I was getting a bit low on cat food so I made a quick trip to the store to remedy that. They would certainly have kept me up all night crying if I’d forgotten!
- Have you enjoyed any of autumn’s harvest foods this week? Peaches, pears, apples, apple cider?
- Have you made your front porch homey with a potted mum or other autumn plants and flowers?
TODAY’S PROJECT: Kitchen Tidying
I am not ready to do a full-on fall kitchen cleaning. That comes next month, according to my personal internal homemaking schedule. For now, I want a clean, clutter-free, cozy atmosphere to work in. So I’m whisking through the kitchen and my former breakfast nook (which is now a sitting area) making everything look nice.
I’ll start by lighting my kitchen’s “Mexican Pumpkin” candle. Next I’ll turn on Food Network on my small kitchen TV so I have some background noise to listen to while I work. I mopped the kitchen floor yesterday and it’s held up well, but I do need to wipe down the counters.
I’ll want to make as much counter work room as possible for tomorrow night when I’m cooking. Some decluttering is in order. I’m not using the rice cooker tomorrow, so I should put it back into the cupboard. I need to unload the dishwasher, fill it with dirty dishes, then scrub the kitchen sink. The microwave needs cleaning inside and out, and the toaster needs crumbs removed and a good wipedown.
I’ve kept up with my regular Sunday fridge/freezer cleaning habit, so I’ll have a nice sorted, organized fridge to work with tomorrow.
Next up: Taking out the recycling and checking my fruit basket for moldy food. I’ll finish by removing pictures and magnets from the fridge, wiping and drying it and returning the photos. The last thing I’ll do is wipe down the outside of my dishwasher.
I’m now ready to make a nice dinner for family tomorrow!
LOVELY BLOGS: Cooking by the Seat of Our Pants
“The joys of cooking without a recipe, and sometimes without a clue.” Here’s an easy to read blog with fun recipes such as this Spooky Silhouette Chili Recipe; an Americanized version of Colcannon; and a recipe for Halloweenies.
LOVELY SHOPS: Shabby Apple
While the Shabby Apple doesn’t explicitly come out and say they specialize in retro or vintage style looks, their clothes here remind me so much of 1940s and 1950s styles. I appreciate how feminine and modest the clothing here is. (At my age I really don’t need to be showing off my luckily-still-gorgeous legs with really short skirts!) Browsing the site is a pleasure, as collections are divided up into collections with evocative names such as “Highclere Castle,” “Lighthouse,” “Twin Palms,” and “Tinsel Town.” Check out the nice modest ladylike swim apparel, too. I think you’ll enjoy the photos here too. Browsing this site is really enjoyable.
LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:
Balenciaga Florabotanica Review (Now Smell This)
Balthazar’s French Onion Soup (Cupcakes and Cashmere)
The Best Ever Cutout Cookie Recipe (The Decorated Cookie)
Chocolate Mascarpone Cupcakes (Your Cup of Cake)
DIY Vintage Inspired String Holders (Handmade Charlotte)
Drinking Lesson: Absinthe (Cornichon)
The Genius Egg Trick (Honest Cooking)
Looking Back at the Summer Through Fruits and Sweets (She Who Eats)
Mermaids the New Pop Culture Trend (Fashion Tribes)
Raspberry Martini Mousse Shooters (Bakers Royale)
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (Cranberry Morning)
20+ Ways to Use a Pumpkin Cutter (The Decorated Cookie Blog)