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Post by theroyaldump on Jul 13, 2009 14:53:52 GMT -5
My kitchen is sooooo bad that I will not cook or prepare any food in it. Fridge needs to be nuked and then cleaned as well. So I eat out a lot to be SAFE!
Just wondering, do you eat out alot because of the messes in your home?
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Post by fragileindustries on Jul 13, 2009 15:17:46 GMT -5
I have done that, yes! I totally understand. For a while when I lived alone I made do with paper plates and plastic utensils so I wouldn't have to wash, then it got so bad I just ate out all the time.
Now that I share my space, while my kitchen won't win awards from Good Housekeeping, right now it's not in an unhealthful state, I am able more or less to erase the evidence (in a day or so, but it gets done). And I have to provide meals for my mother. But I do often get take-out just to spare myself the work of "erasing," especially now that I'm putting that effort into the disaster rooms! Is that cheating? I think not, as long as there's progress elsewhere.
Also, sometimes I just go to restaurants for the quiet and orderly space, to drink coffee and read and relax. (PS: I tip really well -- I used to wait tables and I hated folks who sat for hours and left a tiny tip!) I look forward to when I can sit in all my rooms and feel that calm.
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Blackswan
Banned
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 6,388
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Post by Blackswan on Jul 13, 2009 15:24:31 GMT -5
All the time. I am too disgusted to eat in my house, so I go to drivethrus and eat in my car. Pretty much every meal.
It has caused a ton of health and financial nonsense for me. Thousands upon thousands of dollars have been wasted. Hundreds of pounds have been gained. Literally.
I think today is the day that I am going to love myself enough to get that kitchen cleaned up, finally. I am worth putting the work into it, and so are you.
HUGS
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Post by AnnieOkie on Jul 13, 2009 16:00:28 GMT -5
Yes, this was a problem for me in the past. Now I am able to cook for my family....and clean up the same night! Finally getting the squalor cleaned up (my floor could use a good scrubbing/waxing) really helped me to get in the habit of keeping it (relatively  ) clean. However, I still spend too much money eating out. I enjoy taking my sons to nice places to eat. We also have a fav place that we go to weekly. I have been working on reducing our meals out, so I can have extra money in my budget. |
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Post by yearning4order on Jul 13, 2009 16:38:12 GMT -5
Yes, definitely. I'm on a limited budget so this was really a bad thing for us, not to mention, it wasn't like we were going out to eat high quality food, it was always cheap, fast junk.
The fridge is still chaos, although waaaaaay better than it was a year ago, when I had my "rotting milk" experiment (ie food squalor) going on. My hope is before the summer is over to try to clean out the fridge for real, you know with cleanser and rags and stuff, but I'll be happy just to keep cycling bad food out, good food in.
I do cook more now that there is space to do so, and now that fridge isn't filled with rotting food. Don't ask me why there was so much rotting food, I have no clue.
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Hazel
New Member
Actually, still sorting it all out...
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 78
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Post by Hazel on Jul 13, 2009 16:38:29 GMT -5
Have done the paper plate and plastic cutlery thing (not very eco-friendly so felt guilty, but it saved the yuk of mounting piles of crockery/cutlery when I just knew that realistically I wasn't going to do any washing up, resulting in cutlery going rusty in sink, etc. which is a waste anyway). Hardly ideal, though! I do better than that now, but partly because I favour eat out / takeaway = less mess in kitchen. Not exactly recommended (health issues, financial cost as noted above) but lots of single people without children have that lifestyle anyway.
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Post by yearning4order on Jul 13, 2009 16:47:08 GMT -5
I keep meaning to buy paper plates.
And tbh, one thing I didn't mention--I do struggle with depression, right now I'm in an "up" phase. I don't know if I'm going to crash in the Fall when the rain comes back, or if quitting gaming is the reason behind this--but when I'm feeling horribly depressive, I do give myself permission to eat out. It's been a few weeks since I was paralyzed by inability to get moving for dinnertime, but I remember how harsh it is.
The reason I mentioned the paper plates--in case I have more depressive times coming up, I definitely want to be armed with paper plates and throw away cutlery as a way to combat this and keep feeding us without having to go buy meals all the time. It may not be environmentally sound, but ah well.
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Post by clutterfree on Jul 13, 2009 17:31:41 GMT -5
It may not be environmentally sound, but ah well.
If that thought starts to bother you, realize that nothing we do is environmentally sound, technically. Washing dishes isn't. Even recycling creates pollution and hazardous materials. But we're here, and we have to use something!
Besides, you generate less waste using throw away stuff than would be generated by that fast food joint in making and packing your meal. Go guilt free.
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Post by messymimi on Jul 13, 2009 19:21:05 GMT -5
I am obsessive about two things.
The kitchen has to be clean. Has to. I cook, a lot, and I feed any and every person who comes by and asks. I cook for church functions. I cook for people who have just had a baby or some other life event and need a break. My grandmother was just like this, and I jokingly say I channel my grandmother. If the kitchen is not clean (read, bleach the counters every day, etc.), I could not do these things, I would not serve food that is not "clean" to my way of thinking. This would choke off something important in me.
The bathrooms have to be clean, too. My kids have their friends in and out of the house all day. Other people show up, too, neighbors, friends, repair people, etc. They know I am a slob housekeeper but the bathroom is clean and the kitchen is clean and they can come in for a drink of water or to use the facilities any time. I wouldn't be the neighborhood "house to come to" for the kids around here if I couldn't offer them these two things. All of them know they don't have to go home from the park, spoil the fun, just come here across the street.
These days, too, if we had to eat out, we would be in even worse financial shape than we are. So, since I love to cook, I do.
messymimi
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Post by yearning4order on Jul 13, 2009 23:33:20 GMT -5
It may not be environmentally sound, but ah well. If that thought starts to bother you, realize that nothing we do is environmentally sound, technically. Washing dishes isn't. Even recycling creates pollution and hazardous materials. But we're here, and we have to use something! Besides, you generate less waste using throw away stuff than would be generated by that fast food joint in making and packing your meal. Go guilt free. Thank you for this! The whole recycling thing was one of those reasons I wouldn't start cleaning, so freedom to not recycle when I can't, or do it when I can is huge. |
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Post by notsomessyshell on Jul 13, 2009 23:52:28 GMT -5
I understand this dilemma completely. We ate out all the time before I found my kitchen. It was detrimental to our health and finances. I began small. We used the microwave and paper plates. Now I have a (usually) clean kitchen and have rediscovered my inner creative chef! You can start small. Just one shelf in the fridge. Before you know it-- all done. One counter at a time.  |
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Post by mouse on Jul 14, 2009 9:33:58 GMT -5
I did eat out a lot for a while, which was half the result of squalor and half the result of my job, which makes me work at the times I would normally be having my meals. I found it easy to skip breakfast and grab food outside constantly. As a result, I ate very unhealthily, and it cost me a fortune. These days I eat "out" less, but I work even weirder hours, so I often end up buying stuff outside to eat, because I don't have the time or energy to cook. All of it goes into my work, or into those necessary errands that have to be run in-between work shifts. I'm better than I was, though. I try to cook in bulk and freeze as much as I can for easy consumption. ~Mouse  |
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kiz
New Member
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 86 
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Post by kiz on Jul 14, 2009 19:43:28 GMT -5
I know this one well. I love to cook, I am a very good cook, but my last kitchen was so dirty that I would not cook in it.  How could I? So I ate out, or take away, or microwave meals, which I disliked and cost too much, and is not healthy. This leads to depression and loss of money, the depression leads to further messiness, which leads to bad eating... which means more depression. I use paper plates for the cats' food. I know it is wasteful and unenvironementally sound, but right now, I really need to focus on my health, both physical and mental. I cooked for the first time at home last night... in a clean kitchen, cleaned up after myself, too. I want to keep this up! It's enjoyable, healthful and cheap. |
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Post by crazycatlady on Jul 14, 2009 22:26:24 GMT -5
Cooking and clean-up used to overwhelm me. I always had to wash a pan before I could cook. And never had clear countertops. Rarely had table space. Cooking was a drag.
Now, post decluttering, my kitchen is clean for the most part. (Not MessyMimi clean, but clean enough for my standards. I do understand what you are saying, Mimi, about keeping certain areas clean...and I do clean extra before cooking for others....but I digress.) I have found that it is really lovely to cook. I can (almost always) choose a clean pan, and have clear counter space. I generally wipe the counters before using them for food prep, just to be sure somekitty hasn't been leaving little footprints or noseprints. I have used my crockpot a lot more, and have learned new recipes here and at recipezaar. It is a joy.
I still don't want to cook every day, but I try to feed the family economically and healthy by cooking often.
I am not saying this to brag, but to say that someday you can be here too. Sure, I still fall back on fast food, eating out, or serving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. I still fall back on "fend" where each person has to fend for themselves. (A great idea for using up leftovers...after my fridge was cleaned out so only fresh leftovers were available!) But some days, like today, I throw some chicken and spices in the crockpot in the morning, and come home to a delicious smell. Chop up some lettuce and tomatoes (sadly throwing out one bagged salad, one mushy tomato, and some rusty lettuce). Warm up some canned sweet potatoes, and call it a meal.
Tomorrow night, dh is going to cook some beef on the grill, and one of us will peel and chop potatoes to cook on the grill in foil packets. I will probably add frozen mixed veggies to fill out the meal. Easy peasy, and hopefully there will be some delicious leftovers for my lunch at work the next day!
For now, I suggest that you take your time. Clean your home. Use those paper plates (we still do sometimes). Order take out. You are in "survival mode". I was there, too. We have to do whatever it takes. But someday, you will be on the other side of it, and you will have a useful kitchen, and it will be lovely.
Edited to add....one thing that helped A LOT was assigning someone else to do the dishes. I can either cook, or clean up after. I am not capable of doing both. DS20 has been the "dish czar" for the past 2 years. Starting this week, dd13 will be taking over, as he is moving out.
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Post by Meme on Jul 14, 2009 23:19:50 GMT -5
no- we just never had the money but I am kitchen fussy as I took the food safe course - after working in some cafes I think my kitchen is still safer--  --do not fall for the idea that eating out is safer - maybe try some crock pot recipes until you get your kitchen back- recipes that do not require a lot of prep------- I do buy the already cooked chicken as it is about the same price as starting from scratch. I now try to do clean up as I am cooking - the best thing to do is to determine some areas that must be clean by everyone all the time- hugs and take your kitchen back............ |
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