I THINK I SPEAK FOR ALL MUMS WHEN I SAY - YOU HAVEN'T KNOWN CLUTTER UNTIL YOU'VE HAD KIDS!

The sheer amount of stuff that comes with kids is just jaw dropping.

There's the clothes that only fit for a few months and then need replacing (or are stained beyond repair on the first wear).

The plastic bits and pieces that take over your kitchen - and are always missing lids... always...

The baby 'accessories' that all the experts told you were 'essentials', but you never ended up using...

And the toys... oh my goodness... the toys...

Now admittedly I only have one kiddo, but over the last 5 years, I've gotten pretty good at controlling the kid clutter and not letting it over run the house, so here are my top tips for containing the chaos.




1. GIFTS:

A lot of kids clutter is well meaning and comes in the form of gifts from friends, relatives - even Santa.

I've often found Missy to be far happier with less than more, you know. For her first Christmas, she was given a baby Belle doll (Beauty and the Beast), which she absolutely adored. The following year Santa gave her another Ariel toddler doll. She barely touched it. Ditto for the Sofia doll she was given for a birthday.

The same happened with the Barbie style princess dolls - she adored Snow White, and I thought it was a bit stingy that she only had one... so Santa gave her four more princesses for Christmas... Aaaand they just sit in the toy basket unused.

Moral of the story? Sometimes less is more and one is enough - and sometimes Santa can buy presents for the sake of it and really, the kids don't need or want it. It just ends up as clutter.

I often ask people to only buy Missy ONE present for Christmas and Birthdays too. Kids toys - books especially - can be so cheap, it's tempting to buy them three or four. But if 10 of our friends got her 4 books each, well that's 40 new books to find a home for...

SO, MY TOP TIPS ARE....

TIP 1:  Don't let Santa get too carried away!

TIP 2: Limit gifts (within reason) to single presents from friends and family.

TIP 3: Sometimes less is more, and one doll is easier and better to play with and enjoy than six.




2. SENTIMENTAL STUFF:

Most people who know me will tell you I'm incredibly unsentimental. And it's true.

That said, I do have a box full of Missy's stuff that means the world to me.

The tiny beanie she wore when she was born, wristbands, cards, photos, and lots of 'firsts' - first drawing, first time she wrote her name, first lock of hair... and the locks from the first time she cut her own hair lol!

This box is full of wonderful memories, but I realize there is just so much stuff I can't keep. If I keep all her artwork, I'll have to dedicate a room to it by the time she's 6 - especially at the rate those pastings get churned out of kinder!

So I'm picky about the sentimental stuff. It all has to fit in that one box so everything that goes in there means something else cant. And I'd prefer to fill it with memories rather than things anyway - photos and ticket stubs and art and writing rather than toys and clothes (although the aforementioned Belle will definitely get a spot).

I think the trick is to look at how much you're really likely to hang on to and want - in 20 years time are you still going to want that thing? If the answer is a huge hell yes, then keep it, if it's not, then rest assured there will be other more important things to hang on to in the future.

Speaking of sentimental stuff and presents, it's tempting to hang onto everything given as a gift because 'such and such' gave it to you. Generally it's guilt that stops you giving that stuff away.

For me, soft toys are the bane of my life. Missy rarely plays with them, and she's been given so many it's not funny. These days, I cull her unused, unwanted toys often, and I know of at least 3 that have gone on to become another child's much loved 'special' toy - and that makes the guilt trip and parting with it all worthwhile.

SO, MY TOP TIPS ARE....

TIP 4:  You can't keep it all!

TIP 5: Think about how much you're realistically willing to keep - 2 boxes or 20 boxes?

TIP 6: Keep memories, not stuff - take photos of stuff and keep those instead.

TIP 7: If they don't love it, give it to someone else - and maybe that toy will find an adoring new owner.




3. CLOTHES:

Far out kids have a lot of clothes don't they?

I like to hang all Missy's clothes in the wardrobe by type - so dresses together, skirts together, jumpers together etc. It makes it so easy to see at a glance what clothes she has (and how behind I am in the laundry) and it makes choosing things that match a breeze.

In the top of her wardrobe I have two big baskets - one for old clothes to give away, and another for next season stuff. This way I can quickly put stuff that she grows out of into the give away basket, and I have somewhere to stash all that end of season sale shopping!

Speaking of next season clothes, I like to lay everything out on the bed and make sure I've bought her enough of everything before the season starts - generally February and August. This way I can return any 'oh-my-goodness-what-was-I-thinking' purchases, and fill in any gaps. This year I somehow managed to buy her sixteen tops but only four pairs of pants, so trust me, it pays to do this!

When buying Missy's clothes I like to keep a bit of a color palette happening and I like to include a lot of basics and plain colors as this helps items mix and match better.Generally I'll have two or three highlight colors, and lots of basics - say blush pink and mint with navy, denim, grey and white or pale blue and raspberry with the same basic colors. But I won't go with pink, mint, peach, raspberry and lavender - nothing ends up matching.

And while I'm on the subject, I find silver/gold ballet flats, navy gumboots and white/navy sandshoes to be invaluable - they just go with everything.

It's not a set in stone thing lol - I'm not that fussy - but most of her wardrobe will follow a color scheme as I find it costs less money, saves time getting ready - and most of all - saves her having a heap of clothes she never wears as they don't go with anything. A bit of planning and foresight helps save a heap of clutter.

SO, MY TOP TIPS ARE....

TIP 8:  Plan out kid's wardrobes at the start of the season, and they'll have clothes that match and get worn.

TIP 9: Have a basket for outgrown clothes to give away.

TIP 10: Have a basket to keep out of season/next season clothes.

TIP 11: Hang everything so it's easy to see and choose outfits.

TIP 12: Keep a simple color palette so everything will mix and match.


I hope you find these tips handy for banishing the clutter from your home!

All the best,

Eliza.

P.S. Don't forget to sign up below so I can email you when new posts and free printables are available!

FRESH HERBS ARE ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE COOKING INGREDIENTS.

I love being able to wander out to the garden and snip a few fresh herbs to add to whatever I'm cooking - they give any dish a lovely, fresh lift and take it from everyday to amazing.

All my herbs are grown in big terracotta pots on our back patio, but there are a few varieties that, no matter how hard I try, refuse to grow.

Oh, ok, I'll admit it... maybe from time to time I forget to water them... for a week or two...

Anyway, I've resigned myself to buying some from the supermarket every now and then.

Compared to growing them yourself, bought herbs are expensive, and over the years I've killed that many plants that I've gotten quite good at making them last as long as possible!

 The method I'll share with you today is the only one that's stood the test of time in my household - and it's simpler than you'd think.



HOW TO STORE FRESH HERBS:

    ~    When you're choosing which bunch to buy, choose crisp, fresh and bright green herbs – avoid any with darker patches, or those that are wilting.

    ~    As soon as you get home, remove the plastic, cut any ties, and loosen them up a bit

    ~    Fill a small jug or vase with water and add a single drop or two of vinegar to keep the water clean.

    ~    Remove any lower leaves which will be submerged in the water, and pop them in the jug. If you need to cram them in, use two jugs.

    ~    Make sure you keep your herbs away from direct sunlight and heat - so not on the windowsill, and not next to the oven.

    ~    Change the water every day, and your herbs will last for ages!

It really is that easy.

Do you love having fresh herbs on hand to cook with too? How do you store your herbs?


LOVE COOKING WITH HERBS? CHECK OUT MY SIMPLE GREMOLATA RECIPE


All the best,

Eliza.

A FEW YEARS AGO, I DECIDED TO TRY SOME OF THAT AEROSOL OVEN CLEANER - JUST THE REGULAR STUFF YOU BUY AT THE SUPERMARKET.

I took it home and happily sprayed it on my oven... and oh-my-goodness!

Within 10 minutes, it had eroded parts of the metal!

Pitted it like orange peel.

My brother, who was staying with us at the time, came home right after this and was absolutely horrified.

Apparently he used to use the same stuff to clean shovels and machines when he worked at a concrete plant…

Aaaanyways, it was about this time that I became a big fan of limiting harsh cleaning chemicals in my home!

I know household cleaners seem safe, they’re advertised as fairly harmless, and everyone uses them… but... you know... once upon a time they thought DDT was safe too…

Anyway, these days I make what I can.

Not everything – I know enough chemistry not to mix up my own detergents or anything, but I do make this little spray all the time and it’s fabulous.

Not only is it a disinfectant, it’s an odour neutralizer and air freshener, so I use it liberally throughout our home - it's lovely and mild on the skin which is great too.

And it couldn’t be easier to make – here’s how to do it.




Take a clean, empty spray bottle and add:

    ~   I cup vodka
    ~   I cup white vinegar
    ~   A few drops essential oil (peppermint, lemon or eucalyptus are lovely)

Top your bottle up with water (no more than a cup), give it a shake and it’s ready to go.

I like to use filtered water – the stuff you can buy for your iron – just so I know it won’t mark any fabric it gets sprayed on. Any vinegar scent will also disappear pretty quickly too.

Also, the essential oil I use for this is actually an edible one I bought for flavoring chocolate years ago, and if you can find yourself an edible one too, you won't have to worry about where you use it.

So there you go! Once you use this spray, you’ll never go back to the supermarket ones!


All the best,

Eliza.

SO THERE I WAS THE OTHER NIGHT, HAPPILY COOKING DINNER FOR DAN AND MISSY.

It was the day before my big grocery shop, so I was using up all the leftovers in the fridge.

All of a sudden - a surprise phone call, a knock on the door... and we have unexpected dinner guests.

OMG!

I mean, I was already being pretty creative with the dregs I had on hand, and it was already going to be a bit rough... how on earth was I suddenly going to stretch it to feed another three people?

I'm sure you can relate. There's nothing like trying to make dinner for three stretch into dinner for six, and have everyone happily satisfied.

Luckily, I had a few tricks up my sleeve, which I thought I'd share with you guys today.




 1. Garlic bread - if you have a ciabatta or baguette in the freezer, this is mighty helpful, and garlic or herb bread is quick to make.

2. No bread? damper rolls take minutes to make up, and are a nice variation.

3. Add an appetizer - even just cheese and biscuits will help fill them up.

4. AND, if you really, truly have nothing in your cupboard, you can always make.... Stracciatella alla Romana which is just hot chicken stock, with an egg or two whisked in, and topped with a little parmesan and parsley – you’ll be amazed how gorgeous it tastes.

5. An oldie but a goodie, you can always stretch mince with a handful of breadcrumbs.

6. Yorkshire puddings or a quick 'stuffing' (baked separately from your meat) is a great way to stretch a roast - or even make pan fried meats go further.

7. If you don't have enough meat, like chicken, turn dinner into a risotto or pasta. You can get away with very little meat as long as the dish is full of flavor.


 LOVE THIS POST? CHECK OUT THIS ONE TOO: 30 AWESOME GROCERY SHOPPING TIPS


8. Polenta is a great pantry standby. It’s a handy substitute for potatoes or bread, is exceptionally filling and great for soaking up rich meat juices. You can easily make it creamy and soft, or let it harden in a pan, slice it and fry in butter.

9. Add a first course of soup - just stock, potatoes and a vegetable of choice - simmer until tender and blend it.

10. Add a filling dessert - canned fruit is very filling, and topped with sponge or crumble, it will fill the hungriest tummies.

11. Custard is another filling dessert - rice custard, bread and butter pudding, or just plain with fruit is always lovely.

12. If you're making pasta, mix in the sauce before serving and no one will see how small their serving of sauce really is.

13. Make pasta as a side - toss pasta with butter, some fresh herbs, salt, pepper and a little cheese, and you have a perfectly elegant side dish. Ditto if you have cous cous, quinoa or even a can of cannellini beans on hand.

So, what did we end up having that fateful night?

I was initially making:

    ~    Oven baked wedges (three potatoes only)
    ~    Pan fried chicken (I only had two small chicken Maryland cuts)
    ~    Steamed asparagus, broccolini and peas (had very little of each)

And this turned into....

    ~   Oven baked wedges as an appetizer
    ~   Fresh chicken soup (poached chicken, stock, finely sliced veg, some pasta, lots of herbs).
    ~   Served with ciabatta (from freezer) with grilled cheese on top.
    ~   Plum crumble (I also had stewed plums in the freezer) with thick vanilla custard.

So there we go! Have you ever been in a situation like this? What are your favourite ways to stretch a meal?

I’d love to hear your ideas in the comment section below!

All the best,

Eliza.

A FEW YEARS AGO, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO THE ICONIC QUEEN VICTORIA MARKETS IN MELBOURNE.

They had every type of fruit and vegetable you could possibly want, straight from the farmer, as fresh as fresh can be, and oh so cheap!

I remember buying a box of richly perfumed mangoes for $4, huge bags of cooking apples for $1 and sauce tomatoes could get down to 80c a kilo...

I could get our week’s worth of vegetables for about $12 - and we were absolutely spoiled for choice!

It was during this time that my love of cooking really flourished, and I learnt so much – so much more than I realized at the time - just by talking to the sellers and trying different things.

These days, I get given buckets of seasonal fruit and veg from friends and family who've grown them, or if there’s something amazing at one of the local Farmer’s Markets I’ll just buy a box - then think about what to do with it later :)

At the moment I’ve just been given a big box of strawberries, and I bought heaps of beautiful sugar snap peas at the market last weekend.

So today I thought I’d share my top ways of using up a seasonal bounty!




1. Jams. Who doesn't love it on their toast for breakfast? Jam is so simple to make, and makes a great present for Christmas too. Watch out for my Jam post coming soon!

2. Ditto for chutneys. There are so many types of chutneys and relishes, you’re sure to find one to suit you – and they make a very elegant hostess gift with a loaf of fresh bread and a little wheel of brie.

3. Stewed fruits. Spiced and sweetened, or left plain and simple, these are great to make and freeze so you can enjoy them for months. We like them on their own with yoghurt or icecream, and they’re also lovely served hot on porridge.

4. Pies, tarts, strudels and crumbles. While you’re doing up some stewed fruit, why not make a few desserts to put in the freezer too? These will all freeze well, and are especially handy when you have unexpected guests.

5. My husband’s a big fan of fruit smoothies (I'm sure it’s just so he can eat ice-cream for breakfast...). I often puree fresh fruit in the blender and freeze it in small portions so he can quickly whip one up before work.

6. Drying fruits, in a dehydrator or low oven, is also a great way to store a bountiful harvest for later on. Dried fruits can be added to so many things, as well as being a great snack on their own. And the kids will love it if you make them fruit leather too!

7. Canning or pickling fruit and vegetables – you can easily make these at home, and they’re just like you buy in the shops.


LOVE THIS POST? CHECK OUT MY SERIES OF LEMON RECIPES, STARTING WITH THIS ONE!


8. Snap freeze produce. Just freeze in a single layer on a tray, then transfer into snap seal bags. This is great for anything you would normally buy from the freezer section in the supermarket – beans, peas, corn, berries etc.

9. I like to make a big batch of soup when we have lots of fresh seasonal veges. We generally have it for dinner, and I’ll freeze the rest in meal sized portions – it’s our standby lunch in cooler weather.

10. Quiches and frittatas also freeze really well and are great for lunches. I like to add a spoonful of corn flour to the egg mixture if I know I’m going to freeze it – this just helps stabilize it through the freezing/defrosting process.

11. There are heaps of recipes for cakes and loaves that will help you use up your seasonal bounty. Carrot cake is the absolute classic, but apple cake, zucchini loaf and chocolate beetroot cake are also well known and loved.

12. If you steam, then puree vegetables and store them in the freezer, you can sneak them in to lots of meals without fussy husbands kids even knowing they’re in there!

13. Homemade sorbet is a great alternative to icecream for dessert, and if you make it yourself, you’ll be able to adjust the sugar content to your liking.

14. Tomato and barbeque sauce. I grew up on homemade tomato sauce, and it’s vastly different to the commercial one – if you’ve never made it, give it a try – there’s nothing like it.

15. Sundried tomatoes can be made just as you would dry fruit with a dehydrator above – and they’re so versatile. I add them to anything from risottos to salads to pastas and stuffings. If you choose to store them in oil, try adding different herbs and spices to each jar for variety.


Ok! So that was quite a list!

Hopefully you've now got heaps of ideas for next time you have a huge supply of seasonal fruit and veg!

It’s also mighty useful for me to use up all those sugar snap peas and strawberries… I’m thinking pecorino and pea frittata… a minted strawberry sorbet… strawberry and vanilla crumble... hmmm...

What are your favourite ways to use up an abundance of fruit and vegetables? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below.

All the best,

Eliza.

IS YOUR LAUNDRY LOOKING WAAAAY MORE ORGANIZED AFTER LAST WEEK'S POST?

If you missed it, last week was all about getting the laundry sorted and I shared some of the ways mine went from major mess to clean and organized.

If you missed it, you can find it here: HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR LAUNDRY: PART ONE

Today I’ve got a bunch of little hints – little things to do and remember that make a world of difference!


1. Clean out your lint filters regularly and your machines will wash and dry more efficiently. It’s so easy to forget to do this too. I’m not sure I should actually publicly admit this, but I use the vacuum cleaner to clean my dryer filter… I just remove the big ring of lint, and run the vacuum over the door so it’s nice and clean – too easy.

2. Always keep coat hangers handy for things you need to drip dry, or things that go straight on hangers when you’re putting washing away.

3. I go one step further and often hang clothes on the line on hangers already – it makes putting things away a breeze, and there are no peg marks! This works beautifully for business shirts and very light, non-precious knits.

4. Keep your liquids and powders handy to the machine – it’s obvious I know, but I thought I’d mention it anyway. I keep mine in a cupboard right above my washing machine, so they’re easy and quick to grab.

5. Remember to give your machines a little TLC every so often – they work hard, they deserve it! Wipe them down, vacuum any air filters and put your washer through a hot wash with nothing but some vinegar and bicarb soda in it – you’ll have sparkling clean machines, and it’ll make doing the laundry that much more pleasant.

6. Everyone needs somewhere to put those little things you find in pockets – I have a pretty bowl for the ever present coins, screws and golf tees.

7. A place for lost socks is always useful – just a little basket on a shelf means they’ll find their mate at some point.

8. Never fill your dryer more than two thirds full! The more room for hot air to travel around your clothes, and the more they can tumble freely, the quicker they’ll dry. Also, there will be far fewer wrinkles.

9. Dryer balls will also help separate and tumble your clothes, and are easy to make at home.




And my final two tips, which are probably the most helpful of all:

10. Don’t wash what’s not dirty! If you’re a relatively clean person, you can wear some things more than once! Even with Missy, if it’s really not dirty, I hang it on the end of her change table to be worn again in the next few days. For the husband and myself, I just fold them and pop them on a certain shelf in our wardrobe.

11. If you really want less washing, have less stuff. I hesitate to count how many t-shirts my husband has – just crappy ones for round the house – but there would have to be at least thirty. Which is ridiculous perfectly fine. It just means when they all fall out of the cupboard on the floor, I assume they’re dirty again and have to re-wash them (and this goes hand in hand with the above tip).

The other thing is, the more clothes you have the less often you’ll actually DO the laundry because you don’t NEED to as often – so when you do, it’s a massive disaster zone.


I hope these tips give you some ideas to get your laundry organized!

Given it’s something we spend so much time doing, having it clean and organized makes a world of difference.

If you can make your laundry a beautiful space, one you enjoy spending time in, then doing the laundry becomes a pleasure, not a chore.

How do you organize your laundry? What methods do you use? I’d love to hear about them in the comments section below.

All the best,

Eliza.