Inspiration to Declutter: Trust More, Need Less

Photo by LoggaWiggler

It really feels like spring today.  Finally.

I can tell because I was out for two and a half hours with the Little One at the playground this morning, and not once did I stop to blow my nose or search for my gloves.  It was gloriously warm all day, the sky was blue, and the park was surrounded by yellow daffodils and even a few purple hyacinth that smelled like old fashioned perfume.

Spring is definitely a time for getting outside and enjoying the weather.  However, it's also the traditional time for spring cleaning-- decluttering your space and airing out your home to prepare for the season.  Maybe it's because we suddenly realize how musty and stuffy our homes are only after we experience the joy of warm air and blossoming wildflowers.

I'll be posting more on spring cleaning in the future.  For now, read this article on Apartment Therapy that will really inspire you to declutter.  The basic moral of that story seems to be, "Trust more, need less."  I'm definitely going to try it out.

Want more stuff to read on the value of small spaces and decluttering?  Check this and this out.

"I Can't Believe It's Not Leavened!" (Best Passover Muffin Recipe Ever!)

Is it weird that every holiday for me centers around the making and eating of food?

Weeks ago we made plans with friends and invited them over for a weekend brunch.  I didn't realize then that it would be Passover and I wouldn't be able to rely on crusty baguettes or my favorite zucchini bread to supplement the menu.

In our family we give up bread and other associated products on Passover to commemorate the Jews' hasty exodus from enslavement in Egypt and eat matzah-- unleavened, cracker-like, disgusting, aptly named "bread of affliction"-- for 8 days.

So I Googled like crazy, as I often do.  And lo and behold, I am not the only one who obsesses about holiday foods!  A search for "passover muffins" yielded pages of recipes, and after sifting through them I was able to make up a recipe of my own to suit this weekend's brunch.  It seems that I am not the only one who spends two weeks out of every year in a frenzied search for recipes to soften the blow of eight days of no bread

If I do say so myself, these Kosher for Passover muffins will knock your socks off.  They're fluffy, tender, moist, and to be honest, make me feel a little guilty for enjoying myself so much!

This Week's (Big) Small Find: Magnetic Message Boards

I kind of love these.

Fabric Covered Magnet Board by LivyLouDesigns, $26.50 on Etsy
This designer makes fabulous (and even customized) magnetic message boards that include vintage button mega-magnets.  Ribbons and fabric mean it would look right at home in a bedroom.

When I was in college, I collected the corks from the bottles of wine we drank at parties and get-togethers, and when the year was up I used them all to make a homemade pushpin cork board.  I loved it.

Of course, after a couple of years the cork stopped healing and became riddled with holes.  My board ended up looking more dingy-funky than vintage-eclectic.  Not to mention that every photo/memento/message I posted up there was tattered with pinholes.  So, although I am a big fan of DIY and would recommend that project to anyone who drinks enough wine to make it happen, I think it may be time for something a little more grown up.

"Happy Purim! The most joyous holiday of the year!"

So says the book "Good Night Israel" that we have read to the Little One every night for the last week.  The book says good morning, good evening and good night to many different places and people in Israel, and touches on the Jewish holiday Purim, showing kids dressed up in funny costumes, making noise and having fun.

On the next page there is a picture of kids making hamantaschen, the triangle fruit filled cookies traditional to Purim.  On that page, the book asks, "Would you like to help make hamantaschen?"  And dear Little O, she always answers with a resounding "Yes!"

So you can imagine I was excited for Purim to come.  I told her how we would make hamantaschen.  I told her how we'd roll the dough, fill it with fruit, and bake it in the oven, a la the patty cake song.

I had the Jewish equivalent of visions of sugar-plums dancing in my head.

It didn't turn out quite like I planned.

The trauma began with my electric hand mixer,

This Week's (Big) Small Find: Closet Organizers

Photo courtesy of ...love Maegan

A girl can never have enough closet space.  Especially if that girl lives in New York City.

Add a roommate/spouse/kid or two, and you're really faced with a closet conundrum.

It's ironic that in the land of chronic shoppers, those same folk have no place to put their samplesalefleamarketboutique finds.  Walk-in closets are a luxury for the few and the lucky, and the rest of us are faced with a bi-fold door or two of storage.

This week's (big) small find is something that everyone can use... closet organizers.  There are a gadzillion to choose from, and this post will just cover a few, but whatever kind you choose, you will definitely benefit from this home improvement.

elfa System at The Container Store:

The queen of closet organization, as far as many New Yorkers are concerned, is elfa.  The Container Store really knocked it out of the park with the flexibility and allure of this system.

There is an online tool that allows you to design a closet customized to your closet dimensions and your storage needs (like if you're a shoe hoarder, or have a lot of dresses, they account for that and will design accordingly).  The parts are attractive, practical and available in different finishes and colors.

Down side?  Price.  Big price.  Probably worth it though-- their systems are extremely durable.

elfa system at The Container Store

Savory Beef and Vegetable Stew: slow cooker tested, toddler approved!

Back in December, when I shared my recipe for a kale and chicken meatball soup, I made the bold statement that I'd be making a lot of hearty and healthy winter stews this season.

Well, I'm ashamed to say that although I have been making stew after soup (still don't know the difference!), I haven't posted too many of them here because, frankly, they don't photograph well!  I've been really trying to take advantage of my slow cooker, and honestly although food that's been stewed together for hours tastes DIVINE...

A Wake-Up Call For Your Slow Cooker: Caribbean Inspired Pulled Chicken

When I was pregnant with Little One, a friend told me that we HAD to take a "babymoon."  One last hurrah as a couple, in some relaxing locale, where we could enjoy each other and the peace and quiet before diapers and sleep training and playgrounds took over our lives.

So we booked a cheap package deal to the Caribbean and went, 6 month baby bump and all.

It was a great trip.  It was too cold to really swim very much, but we sipped virgin pina coladas and relaxed on the beach.  We took long walks, ate fresh fish and lots and lots of mango.