Do you set household goals each year & if so, what are they??

**cheles2kids** · 04-12-2010, 11:26 AM

I've been giving this some thought the past few days and wondered if other people also have household goals that they set for themselves each year?

I just posted in my blog about mine this morning but this is a very shortened version of what I posted.

3 things that I really want to focus on this year, as far as my household goes, are eliminating plastic out of my kitchen and replacing items with glass.

Purchasing more cast iron cookware, I love cooking in cast iron, and my 1 skillet just isn't cutting it anymore.

Starting a very small garden.

Another one that I forgot to mention in my blog post is also food waste.
Although I don't think we waste very much in the way of leftovers, things that have gone bad, etc. each week, I feel like if we waste or need to throw out any food, then I'm not doing enough to keep this under control.

I guess after cleaning out my fridge this weekend, this brought to light this problem in our household.
I had to add 2 bananas to our compost bin, about 2 cups of banana pudding and about 1/2 cup of chili was thrown out.
It doesn't sound like alot but this was for one week.

So...this is something that I really want to concentrate on for the rest of this year.
Making sure that if we have any leftovers, that they are consumed and trying to get a better handle on using up any little bits of food.

For any of you who would like to share you're new goals that you've set for yourself, I would love to hear them.

**Libby** · 04-12-2010, 11:30 AM

Sounds like a great idea...something to definitely think about. The two banana's could've been used up for a banana bread but not sure about the bread pudding/chili though - as in how to reuse them if they are spoiled.

Great thread!

**Josephhgoins** · 04-12-2010, 11:33 AM

I usually set a few resolutions or goals in January and the Houshold is always part of it. Sometimes its as simple as "This year I will purchase all of my strawberries in season direct from a local producer" Other times, its more complicated like remodeling the bathroom on a budget using items from the Habitat store or yard sales/Flea markets.

This year I plan on getting my financial house in better order and starting my preparations for a house next year.

I live in an Apartment now so I can only do so much to my living space.

BTW, Cast Iron is AWESOME, you should invest in a coated cast iron piece. I have a few pieces of it and love it. The Lodge versions work about as well as the Le Crueset at a tenth of the cost.

**cheles2kids** · 04-12-2010, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Josephhgoins

BTW, Cast Iron is AWESOME, you should invest in a coated cast iron piece. I have a few pieces of it and love it. The Lodge versions work about as well as the Le Crueset at a tenth of the cost.

Funny you should mention the coated Lodge pieces, I've got my eye on a green dutch oven.
I won't be able to purchase many pieces of these because of the cost, but I do want to own at least a couple, they're soo pretty.

Lodge is also my preferred choice as well because of the cost and you can find them about anywhere.

**Josephhgoins** · 04-12-2010, 12:13 PM

You know they are starting a chain of outlet stores. I got a small coated 3 qrt dutch oven at eth one in Myrtle Beach for $20 last September. The kitchen collection also carries them at a good price too.

There is a green 6qt that I have been looking at for $59.99 at the kitchen collection. I may have it in my collection before too long.

A word of warning, DONT put them in the dishwasher. I am not sure what magic happens in there, but it can cause the coating to chip and hen peck. Also, don't heat the pans empty, put oil or something in them while they are coming up to tempature.

**mauimagic** · 04-12-2010, 12:29 PM

What a great idea and I am embarrassed to admit that I have never really set annual goals for our home. Mahalo plenty - why didn't I think of this?

**Vanilla** · 04-12-2010, 02:23 PM

I've made personal goals but never thought about household goals. Great idea. Let me ponder this a bit, maybe I can come up with a list.

**gapeach** · 04-12-2010, 02:51 PM

We setup a projects list every January and break it down by month. This month is to clean the front of the house (clean the mold off the brick steps and porch, clean mold off the garage door trim, paint the porch railing, etc). We've done this for about as long as we've owned our home and it helps to keep it neat and tidy!

**monkeywrangler71** · 04-12-2010, 05:21 PM

This is such a great question and I'm been mulling it over since I read it this morning.

I thought I did this, but the fact is I don't even remember what my home goals for this year were supposed to be. I usually come up with a list of projects, then either don't write them down or write them in a challenge that I later forget I even joined. I have a master list of what needs to be done, which I made when we moved in, but my progress has always been slow and erratic.

One thing I really love about your household goals is that they aren't just a list of home repairs, but rather a combination of projects, lifestyle changes, and planned purchases. You're so much more well balanced than I am

Regardless of what they may have been at the beginning of the year, my project goals right now are to do absolutely everything that needs doing so that we can sell our house. As for the rest of it, I'm going to have to give some serious thought. You'll probably see me revisit this thread later in the year because I'd really like to do this after we move.

**jas** · 04-12-2010, 05:21 PM

Great post! I have never made a household goal either. Gets the wheels moving. I will put some thought into this. Great ideas you guys have. From small things to big ones.

**nancycg56** · 04-12-2010, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Josephhgoins

BTW, Cast Iron is AWESOME, you should invest in a coated cast iron piece. I have a few pieces of it and love it. The Lodge versions work about as well as the Le Crueset at a tenth of the cost.

I have 2 of those Dutch ovens ~ awesome and I didn't spend $$$ for the Le Creuset

**pollypurebred39** · 04-12-2010, 06:53 PM

Yes!

This year will be a small container garden of my own. Husband plants a big garden but does not always put in everything I'd like. This growing season I'm planting grape tomatoes, kirby cucumbers and chives.

I also will be changing our dining room into a butlers pantry. No construction, just shelves. Our dining room is so small we could never fit our table (and it's not big) in it and open our back door at the same time. If we put our hutch in there with the table no one could sit down. Forget putting the server in there! I can't wait for the room to have a really usable purpose.

I'm also finishing our bathroom in a Hawaiin theme decor. Long process there.

and

Doing DS1's bedroom in a cabin theme, also a long process.

**AmyBoz** · 04-12-2010, 09:36 PM

We currently have our house on the market, and so, my immediate goal is to keep the house purged of clutter and when we move, to keep the new house organized and to stay in good habits in a new home.

If we get the house I want (I really want this one house), it has a garden area already fenced off, and so, making it productive would be a big goal for me. I'm so interested in gardening (vegetables), but have never done it. Having it already started would be helpful!

**cheles2kids** · 04-13-2010, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by AmyBoz

We currently have our house on the market, and so, my immediate goal is to keep the house purged of clutter and when we move, to keep the new house organized and to stay in good habits in a new home.

We sold our home, moved out of state and started over about 2 years ago, after Mike retired from the Navy.

I learned early on with all of our moves over the years to keep them purged on a continual basis and till this day I do not tolerate clutter in my home.
I guess it came from having to box up all of that clutter and move it so many times~lol.

But I found even after our yard sale, donation and giveaway period before we listed our home on the market that after the move and moving into our new home almost twice as large as our home in Florida, and I began unpacking boxes, I *still* found items that I didn't need or hadn't used in years.
Although I knew that we had the xtra room to find a place for it, I might as well purge it now while unpacking, instead of having to go back through in a few months time and purge it then, kwim?
So...I started another donation box and as I unpacked boxes, I would add items to this box.

I was like you...I did *not* want to start out my new household with any items that I did not use at least on a yearly basis.

**cheles2kids** · 04-13-2010, 09:57 AM

I thought I'd also add that making a continual list of items needed around our house for projects, really helps to remind me to do some price checking in order to get the best prices on an item.

It always seems the little items are the ones that I seem to forget so I try to keep a small notebook in my purse at all times, so that even if I can't purchase the item during that trip, I can jot down the price at that particular store.
Almost like a grocery price book but for non-grocery items.

I also like to keep an ongoing list of projects that we would like to get to at some point, again, so that I don't get sidetracked with something else~lol.
Having it written down really seems to help us stay focused a bit more *and* makes sure that we don't start too many projects at once without finishing the ones that were already started.