It's not to late to start (I told myself). We ran out of items over this winter, and I want to be better at that. So, in my own planner, in which I keep track of bill payment dates and such, I am now writing down what we use.
Every time I open a package of paper towels (writing down the number in the pkg.), Kleenex, peanut butter, softener salt (always running out), dog food, cat food, coffee (oh, we drink a lot of this), I will write it in my calendar. At the onset of next winter, I will have a better idea of how much we use, and what to pre-stock before the snow starts falling.
If you are like me, you almost giggle when you are able to pull food from your freezer, pantry, and canning shelves, to make a complete meal (and not have to run out for supplies). It makes you feel so grand, that all that hard work over summer was worth it. And it's so healthy.
I'm pretty good at our gardening, canning, and freezing, but that all depends on how well of a season we have. I am always thankful for an abundance of a food, as we either can skip it another season (ha, hasn't happened yet), or have extra just in case we have bad season the next year. I'll be honest. I write it down when I can remember, but I'm not always good at that. Which has me a bit concerned I won't keep up at this new tracking thing.
What do you think? Do you track your toiletries, pantry foods you buy, meats you buy?
I think it's a grand idea. Especially now that prices have gone up and up, and the weather is so unpredictable.
10 comments:
The tracking is not a write it down for me but more of a "over the years I have learned" how much we need of what. I am constantly restocking and adding to the bins. Hubs said the other day that we really never run out of anything! I took that as a compliment. And if we do run out of something he would never know cause I just do without it or figure out an alternative! Good Luck!
Yup, I do know how long certain things last us from foods to toiletries to most everything else one could think of. Hubby does a great job to keep a back-up of repair parts, oil for our vehicles, etc. Also, I rarely buy anything that's not on sale. Then I stock up on as much as the budget can afford. When I can and/or freeze our garden harvests, I write how many "servings" or pints or quarts of each product I put by. Then if we run out of something before the next gardening season, I plant more. I try to put by two years' worth of everything, although with the fresh, frozen veggies that's not always wise. But I'm with you . . . if I don't write down nearly everything, I do forget!! Also, if I don't keep track of most everything, I'm often surprised at how much we use of one thing, and how little of another. I guess it all relates to good record keeping! Nothing new there.
Why is it always so hard to develop GOOD habits? I think that's a great idea - it will make life so much easier, when you know you are prepared for just about anything.
Kim, one year I had all good intentions of stocking dog and cat food in the garage in totes. Never happened. We just buy as we need it, and I sort of feel I need to stock it up prior to winter.
Mama Pea, it will be interesting if I remember to write it all down now. We go through toilet paper like crazy with this household. I'd need a room just to stock that up over winter, ha ha ha!
Susan, you are right. It is hard to develop a good habit.
We only have two of us in our home so it is much easier to track use age. I keep an eye on our freezer and pantry closet on a regular basis. I don't do lists as my method is pretty simple. Proteins, carbs, fats, condiments, OTC meds, paper. Works pretty well but could be more precise.
Good idea!!! When you get it done, if you want it compiled into a spreadsheet or database, just let me know. That was a part of my office expertise during my career years.
The house I grew up in had a huge pantry that Dad & Mom kept pretty stocked up, having 6 kids to keep fed, especially when winter months started coming close. Back then, our paternal Grandmother was on welfare and got food from the government, some of which she didn't use, so she sent it on out to us. Now some of it was weird, but I remember being glad for canned meat (Spam-ish), dried egg and milk powder a time or two during a blizzard when we were close to running out. No, it wasn't the same as fresh, but it was better than having nothing.
Ohhh, if kids today had to live like that a time or two, what a wake up call that might be, at least for some of 'em. Hey! LOL
Prayers everyone has a great weekend, and a safe one too.
God bless.
RB
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Little Homestead, I realized this winter, that I need to plant more mullein. We use that often. I used to stock up the peanut butter over summer, and this past summer was such a busy tomato year, it was not. I just need to be a bit more on target with it.
RB, I keep powdered milk on hand year round. It comes in handy if we run out of organic milk.
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