Hello all. Hoping this finds you all well and safe. It is a fairly cloudy morning here at the moment. It is very humid and muggy out, and fairly warm already. We are supposed to have storms come through later today - UGH. A nice rain is much appreciated, but storms with torrential rain and damaging winds is not appreciated. I am ready for low 80's or 70's and no humidity!
After working on the pantries, I thought it might be good to talk about how we can keep a nice pantry, whether you garden or not. I know so many people do not garden - no shame there. Some do some gardening or buying from farm markets and put things back for the future - whether canning or freezing. Some just use the grocery - it is all good! Do what works for you and don't let anyone intimidate you or say you aren't doing it right. RIGHT is what works for you.
However, you do your pantries and/or freezers is up to you. You know how you use things and how often you use things.
Buy what you will use and please USE what you buy. Getting a deal and then not using it - is NO deal. It is just throwing money away.
I had been planning on writing this after the cleaning, and then I watched a video by Little House Living, and by golly, she was talking about the same thing. People were bad mouthing her because she had store bought goods!! WHAT? That is crazy. Some things are just cheaper to buy, than to can or freeze and yes, you can buy premade goods that are natural and nothing added.
I think people think growing and canning is the cheapest (only sometimes) but it is so much about knowing what is in your food. You can control chemical use, and you can control ingredients. You can buy many all-natural goods - I see veggies in water with no other ingredients and I see fruit in natural juices with no sugar added. They are out there. OR you can buy frozen as well - they stay pretty natural too - it just takes a little looking.
So do what works for you. After all it is your home and you are the one eating it.
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Now here is a TIP - we have all heard of placing charge cards or money in containers to hide in the freezer for safe keeping. Well, I heard a friend tell a story yesterday that made me think about the cash idea especially. They had a family member pass away, and at the funeral a relative asked the daughter, if they had cleaned the frig out yet. Answer - yes and we threw everything in the trash. This lady had a LOT (major amount) of cash in the freezer and the daughter didn't know!!!!! Out in the trash. Oh my.
So the TIP is - no matter where you may have money hidden, make sure someone that you trust knows where it is and that they hopefully will be in charge of eliminating things from the home, if you pass on.
There are many places to hide things that would never be thought of. In ceiling vents or in jars in floor registers. In a jar of dry beans or rice, freezer, in a book, under drawers, etc. If you are ever given the chore of cleaning out someone's home - just check everything. Have a trusted person know where you have things hidden.
I hope you are having a good start to the week. If you are in the path of storms - be safe.
Have a beautiful day.
Checking everywhere... oh my goodness, is that ever the truth. I had a job years ago with an antique dealer and we got to clear out the home of a hoarder! What a job. Clothing went to the local ministry for the poor and later we heard they had found $500 in a shoe box inside a pair of shoes. Ooops. Our mistake for sure! That's the only one we *heard* about. Heaven only knows what else just disappeared into some fortunate person's pocket.
ReplyDeleteIndeed it sometimes is cheaper to buy and store. There is more to canning than the actual ingredients... consider the electric bill for all that prep and sealing. Canning at home also uses a bunch of water. Not to mention time: if you are employed outside the home, where is *that* going to come from?
I do love homemade jam though, it's just better. One can be careful about sugar content. One can make things that are not available in the shops, like special chutney. Sigh. Decisions decisions! :D
MaryB
I can see that happening. I have actually purchased things at thrift stores that had money in a pocket or a zip space in a purse. Can't believe staff didn't heck them first. Not as much as you mentioned - my goodness.
DeleteYes, we have to pick our battles. I used to work, garden, and can and freeze - and it made for a tiring summer/fall.
You do have to look at everything involved - I just enjoyed doing it all and loved knowing exactly was in my food.
Jam and jelly is so good homemade. I make my salsa and my jellies for special gifts at the holidays, so many expect it! Not like store bought.
Yes, decisions, decisions.
It is muggy this morning and I have a slight headache from the weather. Ugh! Hopefully the weather will not be stormy and cause damage.
ReplyDeleteYour storage and freezer look good! Just so you know where things are. I'm cleaning out the pantry in the house this morning before I go to the eye doctor. Threw away some very old stuff and will vacuum the floor before I reorganize and put things back. I consider the utilities when canning. I prefer the food we raise but sometimes it is not practical to preserve some things.
Some people hide valuables in odd places. Mommy used to put money in the freezer, but we found it after she passed. It is quite a job to go through the home of a loved one and sort things out.
It is muggy and warm for sure. Feel better.
DeleteThanks, I know where everything is now and what I have. That is a good thing in my book.
We do have to evaluate all the things that go into preserving. I love my fresh goods so much, and love eating it - if it gets preserved that is good - if not, it was good while it lasted. I do less canning as I get older.
Yes, money can be hidden in a lot of strange places. I have cleaned more homes of than I cared to, and found a lot of strange things.
When my brother died several thousand dollars were found in the house not including $400 in change and gift cards. I don't know that he was hiding it so much as shoving it somewhere. He wasn't much of a housekeeper. On the other hand, my mom was a cash hider. We found over $500 hidden about. I have one place in a cabinet I put stray cash. That's it. And it's not hidden.
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm straightening my pantry and freezer & fridge I'm reminded how blessed I am.
We've had torrential rain the last few days. I can't believe how loud it is! More rain today.
Isn't that something? I think many do that, just keep it on hand (not hiding) and it accumulates. I try to keep enough to keep to pay bills for a while - just in case. Good to have one place - not so hard to find.
DeleteI feel so very blessed to have what I do.
Sorry about all the rain - it sure can be noisy. Hope it stops soon for you.
Cheryl, you have a nice-sized pantry and I love the beans in the canning jars. You know what you have now and that is the important thing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started posting here I started thinking that maybe I’m not frugal even though I’ve scrimped all my life and I’m financially secure. I don’t garden, can or have a huge stockpile of food. So I’m glad to hear you say that store-bought is OK! (In pondering it I had already decided to follow my own path and in the footsteps of my mom.)
Before I left on my Scotland trip, I wanted to “hide” my checkbooks, debit and extra credit cards, cash (not a great deal) and book with my important passwords. (I left a small amount of cash in a more obvious place in case a thief did get in and hopefully think he found the cash in the house.) I had to write myself a note to be sure I remembered where I put everything! Next time I’ll be sure to tell my best friend the location. Barbara M.
Thanks, it is an area that goes over the basement stairs - quite good size. I have plenty in another room as well.
DeleteEveryone does frugal their own way. There is no right or wrong - it is you. You do things your way and that is wonderful for you. You can be frugal in so many ways - and it all leads to a better life in some other area. You are getting your travel and that is wonderful.
Yes, I think next time you should tell someone.
Doesn't it feel so good to go through everything and tidy and note what you have on hand? I love it. I'm like you, I have equal dry beans and canned beans because sometimes I want to use canned. Heaven forbid, I also have canned tomatoes. lol I see you have a few cans of my favorite Illinois company Goode Foods. I LOVE their products. They have the best. I hope you only get rain and no storms. I hope we get a little too but I'm not going to hold my breath.
ReplyDeleteYes mam it sure does. I found those Goode products on clearance - it was a find. I have canned store bought tomatoes and sauce as well as home canned as well. I keep a real mix of things.
DeleteI hope just rain as well - radar doesn't look promising for just that. Fingers crossed and saying a little prayer they diminish some before reaching our area. Hope you get rain, if you need it.