Home organization: Getting family involved!

I don't know about you, but housework is NOT my favorite thing. I do it, because I don't like to have a messy house, but there are many other things I'd rather be doing than cleaning toilets and folding laundry.

The bigger our family gets, the more necessary it is for the rest of the family to chip in and do their part. It's good for my sanity and for my kids to learn responsiblilty.

Even if you don't have kids at home, share the responsibilities at home with those who live with you.

This takes some effort, especially at first, but don't get discourage. Give your kids (and your spouse) something to do. There are many different ways to do this.

There are about a million different job charts to choose from, even online job charts. We've tried several but what works best for us is a simple list.

Each of my kids has a list with their name and their daily jobs on the fridge. They each have 5-10 things based on their age and ability. My biggest boys can usually get through the jobs without even looking at the list.

We have some arguments about this still, but I just tell them that they are part of this family and they need to help. I think that it is SO important to teach our children about responsibility. This is a simple way to start while they are young. Older children need responsibilities too! They need to be expected to work.

Just last week, one of my favorite blogs, Prepared LDS Family, had a post on Summer Chore Lists. I was so glad to read it! I feel like so many parents are not taking charge and teaching their children hard work. When I was a teenager, I heard adults talking about this and was sometimes a little offended. Now I realize that they were mostly right. So many kids, and adults for that matter, think that others should do the hard work and they should benefit from it. Ranting. Sorry.

Bottom line: I want my kids to not only help out with keep our home looking decent, but I want them to learn the satisfaction of a "job well done."

72-hour kit: Can Opener

As far as 72-hour kits go, I try not to pack any food that requires a can opener, so I personally do not need a can opener in my kit.

However, I think that it is VERY important to have an extra can opener available. So much of what we store is canned food, so it seems only practical to have an extra opener around...maybe even two.

A few weeks ago, our can opener died. The gear thing bent and it was toast...and it was Sunday...and I was in the middle of making dinner...and I needed a can of pineapple.

So off to the neighbors I went. It only took 4 doors til I found one. It was totally embarrassing.

The next day we went out and bought TWO can openers.



This is step 6 on the PLAN 9 pamphlet put together by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.

See right side of blog for additional steps.

3-month supply: Fats & Oils

Let's talk about a 3-month supply of Fats and Oils!!!

How much? 6 lbs. per person

Check out this 3-month supply worksheet to see more information.

This food storage calculator says 13 pounds for one person, for one year. That would be a little over 3 lbs per person for a 3-month supply.

What?

Some common items are:Any of various edible oils made from a plant source, such as vegetables, nuts or seeds.

Vegetable oil is inexpensive and easy to use. The term "vegetable oil" actually includes any edible oil made from a plant including vegetables, nuts and seeds. It does not have a strong flavor on its own so it can be used in baked goods, sauces and other foods. Canola oil has the lowest saturated fat content of the common oils. Shelf life for an unopened bottle can be 18-24 months.

Olive oil comes from crushed olives and is a great source of monounsaturated fat, vitamin E and other antioxidants. Olive oil has a strong flavor and is best when used for savory breads, dressings, meats and vegetables. Shelf life for an unopened bottle can last up to 24 months if stored properly.

Shortening is a fat, because it is solid at room temperature. It is commonly used to make crumby pastries and other baked goods. Shelf life, 6-8 months.

Mayonnaise or salad dressing. Mayonnaise is a condiment which consists of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice. Salad dressing is also a condiment and is similar to mayo, but has more sugar, vinegar and water and less egg yolk that mayo. Both products can be used in sandwiches, pasta salads, and more. Shelf life, 3-4 months.

Peanut butter is a food paste made of mostly ground dry roasted peanuts. Peanute butter contains monounsatruated fats, vitamins B3 and E, magnesium, floate, dietary fiber and is a good source of protein. Shelf life, from 6-24 months.

Butter is made by churning milk and is generally used as a condiment and spread but is also used in cooking and baking. There are several varieties of butter including fresh, powdered and canned. Fresh butter last several weeks in the fridge and can be frozen for several months at least. Powdered and canned milk can last several years.

Margarine is the term used for vegetable fat spreads. While butter comes from milk milk fat, margarine comes from plant oils and skimmed milk. Margarine can be used for the same purposed as butter. Margarine can be stored in the fridge for several weeks or frozen for several months.

Here's some pricing info:

Vegetable oil - $.05/oz.
Margarine- .05/oz.
Shortening-.08/oz.
Mayonnaise or salad dressing- About $.09/oz.
Peanut butter- $.09/oz is good but $.11/oz is normal right now.
Butter- $.11/oz for fresh and $.34/oz for powdered.
Olive oil- $.14/oz.

Because these products have short shelf lives, compared with other food storage items like grain, it's something that needs to be constantly rotated. For me, right now it works best for me to have one or two unopened items as storage which I rotate and replace as I go.

We use primarily margarine at our house so when it's cheap I'll have 5 or 6 boxes in the freezer. I also have several jars of peanut butter because we currently go through that food item quite quickly.

Basically, my theory is to have an extra one on hand so I am not having to run to the store every time I run out of oil or shortening. It makes life more manageable for me.