Trash Talk

One good thing about moving after only one year is that it forces you to throw things out. You would think arriving in June of 2008, there wouldn't be much to throw away. You would be wrong, as was I.

I've mentioned before, I try to pack at least one box a day. Well, that's pretty much stopped. I am now more interested in "cleaning things out" -- you know, going through closets/desks/junk drawers/etc. Today, I decided to cleanse the kitchen. I tossed Aubrey in her Johnny Jump Up and away we went!

I was appalled by the amount of food in the pantry and fridge that converted to the dark side without me knowing. Ashamedly, I remember packing many of the items up in Birmingham. At least they won't be getting packed for a SECOND time. Ugh...

Throwing away an unopened box of chocolate will make any woman cry...

I bought this next item when I was in college, I remember because in my French class we got on the subject of European cuisine, and wound up talking about about couscous. You know how long dry goods last, right? Well, this expired in 2005. 2005!

This lovely pair made me miss my precious Publix. Aubrey and I did a ceremonial "Moo Moo here...and a Moo Moo there...here a Moo, there a Moo...everywhere a Moo Moo..." It made me feel a tad better.


And my all time favorite...the not-so-hot potatoes:

This is what happens when you buy potatoes and forgot you bought them. Doesn't this look like a science project gone bad {or good, in some cases...}?!

Two heavy-duty garbage bags full of expired goods later, and this kitchen has officially been cleansed. As I sat there and looked at these two ghosts of food-gone-bad, I was hit with conviction. We don't have the money right now to be this wasteful. Heck, even if we had the money, it's absurd to chuck this much food into the dumpster.

This might just have been what I needed to get me on track. I think what needs to happen is more planning on my part. What do we need this week? Make my grocery list accordingly and then buy only those items. In the past, I would see an item and say, "Oh, I should eat more of that..." {think low-fat yogurt}. I proceed to buy it and never eat it because, let's face it, I also bought a 2 lb. bag of M&Ms. They'll beat yogurt every time.

Well after today, I'm motivated. No more wasteful spending. I am going to sit down and plan out this week's meals and go armed to the grocery with a clear-set goal. Oh, and now I'm determined to use what's left in the pantry and kitchen before we pack up and move to Oklahoma. Anyone got any good recipes that call for pickles, lemon juice, baking soda, oatmeal, and cupcake liners? No? Well, let me know...

And while we're on this subject, does anyone have any good coupon using suggestions? I will {shyly} admit, I detest cutting coupons. I know a ton of moms out there that practically get high off clipping "Save $.10" but not me. Now I'll buy the generic version all day long {see the Publix brand Evaporated Milk pic in this post}, but unless it's a "No Card/Coupon Necessary" sale item, I don't bother.

It's not that I haven't tried using coupons, it's just I get burned when I use them. One problem I have is that often times the coupons are for items I don't usually buy. I end up getting them because "it's such a great deal!" and then, well...you see what happens: two garbage bags full of "great deals."

Okay, I think I've "junked up" enough of your day with this trash-y post.

I leave you with my little "Oscar the Grouch" Aubrey enjoying her own trash can. And trust me, what's inside hers is even more disturbing than the potatoes.