Habits Can Save You Money

(c) FlyLady

In our household only my husband has a steady job (ie, income) so we need to be frugal. I plan out our meals a head of time, make up shopping lists, and pretty well stick to the list. I budget for things we need and want. And, I try to make do with what we have, re-purpose items, and repair what can be repaired.  Any money I make from my part-time job or my artwork goes back into the family or gets us the little treats that make life worth living (books, art supplies, music).

In one of FlyLady's Morning Musings Marla Cilley wrote about how our Habits Can Save You Money. There are some obvious ideas such as "you save by paying your bills on time and not running up your credit cards", but have you considered that "if you did not spend $20 a week on more clutter then you would have saved $1040 a year."? Read Marla's essay. There are five (5) good, strong tips that will help you save money.

FlyLady's Morning Musing: Habits Can Save you Money, by Marla Cilley

The Kitchen Wall

Our kitchen is large for an apartment but like many kitchens there is very little usable storage space. Luckily there was a large empty wall by the stove. I decided to use it as both a decorative and useful space. On this wall I have many of the things that I need to have near at hand when I a cooking. 

I have even added the dry measures to the side of a cupboard where I can easily reach them. These help to add colour and interest to the area.

This wall is the focal point of our kitchen. It turns a boring, dull space into a colourful area of interest. I am very fond of roosters and chickens. It could be my Portuguese heritage coming through with the love of Barcelos's Rooster. (In truth, I am very fond of birds. Period.)

People who know I am an artist often ask if I painted the tree and bird motif on the wall. I did not paint the tree and bird motif on the wall. That is a wall decal that I found at a favourite shop. The rooster hooks are painted wood and those were found in a specialty shop many years ago.

All items are placed far enough from the stove to not interfere in cooking or be a fire hazard.

Here is a close up of the dry measure scoops. I have them on self-adhesive hooks. These are used nearly on a daily basis so they don't have time to collect dust or a fine mist of cooking grease on them. It is handy to have them so close and accessible. 

I hope my post has inspired you to think outside the box/cupboard/drawer in finding storage solutions that are both interesting and useful.

See you next Friday!

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