Sunday, May 23, 2010

Simplify Sunday (#6)

Amanda and Julie arrive today! Amanda is my cousin (Julie my aunt) that I mentioned in my last Simplify Sunday.

While our house pretty much always remains a mess (those of you with kids understand the overrun-with-toys feeling that we live with on a daily basis), at least Amanda will have a clean, toy-free bedroom to which to duck away when the craziness overwhelms her. And now, thanks to a big trash bag and my first thorough pantry cleaning since we moved in almost 6 years ago, she will also have a place to put her much-much-much-healthier-than-the-Herman-family-would-dream-of-eating food.

Friday night, I seriously threw out an entire trash bag of expired canned/boxed goods. In fact, at one point, I sent Dale (who was out of town working) a text message that said:

RIP, Slim Jims. Best by Feb. of 2007.

The beef jerky strips were from Dale's South Beach Diet days, and had been "hiding" in their box in a back corner of the pantry, out of daily view (or so I tell myself to justify the fact that it took me 3 years past their prime to throw them out). I don't have an excuse for the canned goods that were on the eye-level shelf for, in some cases, four years past their expiration.

But I'm proud to report that nothing remaining in the pantry expires before September of 2010! And, Amanda? Bring on the healthy food! Maybe we'll learn a few good habits from you while you're here this summer (though I doubt you'll talk me out of stocking Pop-Tarts)...

BEFORE


AFTER

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