Control Journal Evolution
It's really sort of interesting how my habits and my control journal just seem to be naturally evolving. Previously, my kitchen was in such a mess that I couldn't cook. My fridge was a rotten wasteland of well-intentioned but neglected leftovers and half eaten then forgotten take-out. Now that I've been baby-stepping it, my cupboards are full of clean dishes, my counters are nearly completely cleaned off, and there is finally space to cook and without the dread of having to clean dishes afterward - I know that I'll be shining my sink that very night, and doing a refrigerator boogie within the week.
So now, I'm not so afraid to take on the task of cooking. Hubby and I were negotiating on some errands today and I ended up having to stop to pick up dinner. Now I'm starting to get the sense of how nice it would be to only have to stop by the store once a week and already have things on hand...but here I am, making a list of things to pick up for tonight.
And then it started...the snowball effect. I made a short list: butter, 2% milk, a meatloaf seasoning packet, a can of tomato sauce. These were things that I should have on hand all the time, either because we use them so often, or because they aren't perishable and will be used eventually. Thus started my master shopping list, which is now divided into Perishable, Non-Perishable, and Household Goods and subdivided in each category more or less according to the area of the grocery store in which they might be found (canned goods, boxed goods, dairy, meats, produce, laundry stuff etc.) It's not finished, I'm sure, but I have a nice solid list started that would get us through most of our basic meals and doesn't include anything that we don't regularly eat.
I hadn't expected to start formulating this list for another several weeks, to be honest, but I guess the moment happened when I was ready to do it, sort of like the Bill Paying page.
So now, I'm not so afraid to take on the task of cooking. Hubby and I were negotiating on some errands today and I ended up having to stop to pick up dinner. Now I'm starting to get the sense of how nice it would be to only have to stop by the store once a week and already have things on hand...but here I am, making a list of things to pick up for tonight.
And then it started...the snowball effect. I made a short list: butter, 2% milk, a meatloaf seasoning packet, a can of tomato sauce. These were things that I should have on hand all the time, either because we use them so often, or because they aren't perishable and will be used eventually. Thus started my master shopping list, which is now divided into Perishable, Non-Perishable, and Household Goods and subdivided in each category more or less according to the area of the grocery store in which they might be found (canned goods, boxed goods, dairy, meats, produce, laundry stuff etc.) It's not finished, I'm sure, but I have a nice solid list started that would get us through most of our basic meals and doesn't include anything that we don't regularly eat.
I hadn't expected to start formulating this list for another several weeks, to be honest, but I guess the moment happened when I was ready to do it, sort of like the Bill Paying page.