Easy Work is Hard Work

Well, I am super bored, so I figure it's the perfect opportunity to do something I've been procrastinating! In this case, it would be blogging. I like thinking up ideas for my blog, on what to write or how to do something creative.. But actually doing it is a whole 'nother matter.

Actually, since I've already coincidentally brought up that topic, it's the perfect introduction to my main thought I've had this weekend.
See, yesterday I organized a couple of our kitchen cupboards. They're about two inches off the floor, underneath our counters, so I did a lot of going up and down and up and down, taking things out and putting them on the counter, cleaning the cupboards, then putting things back in a nice, organized fashion. So today my upper legs r-e-a-l-l-y ache. But it's okay- I like telling people that organizing temporarily crippled me.

Anyway, while I was organizing, I kept coming up with all these neat ideas or concepts on how to make your kitchen life a lot more accessible and easy. However, to make it easy, it has to be difficult. For example: we have these tupperware containers that are supposed to hold cereal. Now, a long time ago, my mom came up with an idea to put the label of the cereal box inside the cereal container, letting us know what kind of cereal is in said container. So whenever we bought cereal, we emptied it right away into the containers, ripped off a label off the box, and stuck it inside the container. I think we did that for maybe a couple months. And then it just became a nuisance, so we did it less and less. Until one day we just didn't do it at all, and since then we've had the cereal stay in their boxes.

Another thing we used to do was sort out or sandwich meat. Mom got this container that had three seperate, smaller containers, inside (they stacked on each other, each container being the lid for the one underneath it). Because we had that, mom would get three different kinds of sandwich meat at once, then we'd take them home and put them in each tupperware container. It was great- whenever we wanted a sandwich, we had three, easy accessible choices. Until one day we didn't separate them in the container. Maybe the container needed to be washed, or still had some old meat in it or something, but it didn't happen that time. And then it just stopped happening. Because in order to re-start that tradition, we would have to get the container out (which used to be a chore until I organized the cupboard yesterday :D), actually buy three different kinds of meat (with limited funds, that's more of a luxury than a necessity), and then take the time to open all the packages and put them in each container.

Now you might think that that's silly. Thinking that finding a container and opening packages, or emptying a cereal box into a container, being lots of work. But when you do it every week, or every other week, for months, then it gets to be more of a chore than a fun idea.

My sister had this great idea that she posted on her blog the other day (http://thevaluablesparrow.blogspot.com/)- it was where you go out and buy vegetables like maybe you usually do (think about carrots and celery, maybe peppers), and when you bring it home, the first thing you do is wash it, peel it (if they need to be peeled), cut them up, and stick them in a container. That way, when you're craving a munchiable, you'll have easy-accessible vegetables instead of those double chocolate granola bars on top of the fridge. Now it's a really great idea. And wouldn't be that much work if you were really motivated. But what happens when you're having a bad day, come home from the grocery store, and it takes all you've got to just stick everything in the fridge? Then you go sit down on the couch and watch tv. and those carrots never get peeled, and that celery never gets cut up. Then you want a snack, decide that those vegetables would take too much work, and you grab a granola bar. Then your tradition of easy snack preparation is gone.

The point is this: easy work is hard work. It's the hard truth. If you want a system that makes it easier in the long run, looks better, and overall makes everything easier, then every once in a while, every single 'once in a while', you're gonna have to do a little extra work. You're gonna have to do something fiddly that takes a lot of simple steps and a big clean-up. You're gonna have to suck it up and do it every time, in order to keep up this beneficial and efficient system. Now, when you're a teenager living at home, spending every day in your pjs lounging around and twiddling your thumbs, it's easy to keep up those simple mundane tasks (unless you're me). But when you're a stay at home mom, or someone keeping up two jobs and can barely keep the house tidy, or a full time student, it's kind of a big deal.

So here's what I come up with. Instead of that weekly or twice-a-weekly movie night, or video game night, or even bath night, take 20 minutes off of that, and fill those cereal containers. Cut up that celery and put "I bought this on this date" labels on the containers. Refill that sugar container, and take out the recycling. Take 20 minutes a week that you would be doing on something not as important, and do something for your house. Do something for your sanity. Make it fun. Make it a family thing. Or a husband-and-wife thing. Or even a roommate thing, if you're living at college. But just remember that even if it's a great idea- easy work is hard work.

That's my advice for the.. time being.

These are just some pictures I found off of google that gives the idea of what I'm talking about.

Something good to remember: Keep your containers clean. Every time you've completely emptied one- before you refill it, give it a quick wash. The top of the lid is one of the most important parts to clean- That's the part that everything ends up touching. A clean container is an inviting container! (Yes, I'm a nerd)

Look at that! That could be your pantry! A little paint, a few new baskets, and voila!