Doing Dishes (Once a Month) and Other Household and Kitchen Tips
Right now I’m eating soup. I love soup. All kinds of it. I could eat it every day.
Not stews so much though.
There’s just so many wonderful things to eat, but you can only consume so much in one day!
Dirty dishes are a disturbing side effect of eating. They stack up unbelievably fast. I just throw them in the sink until I run out of pots and pans and have to finally wash them (and no, I do not have a dishwasher). What a pain. I just got done doing my “monthly” dish wash, and I’m so glad that’s over with for a while.
But I have formulated some principles and guidelines, which, if adhered to, make a remarkable reduction to the dishwashing load. Being as benevolent and gracious as I am, I shall pass them on to you.
1. Use paper plates. I use Chinet premium strength, they’re very stiff and durable yet economical. What could be faster than just throwing it away when you’re finished eating? No plates to wash!
2. Use styrofoam bowls. I use the Hefty 20oz. (I’m eating out of one right now), don’t mess with anything smaller. They’re just not worth your time, you do nothing but constantly get up and refill the bowl! These 20oz.’ers are strong and also microwave friendly.
3. Use plastic cups. I use the Jack Frost (made by SOLO) 16oz. clear plastic party cups. I would really prefer something bigger, but I like the clear and also I had to strike some economical middle ground. The bigger ones tend to be more expensive. Note: You may notice in my cornbread picture that my iced tea is in a real glass. That is pure photo op, I never do that. I thought about getting a real plate too, but just couldn’t convince myself.
4. Use plastic spoons. As much soup as I eat, if I used regular spoons I’d spend all my free time washing them.
5. Use plastic knives. I really don’t use a knife too often, but when I do it’s sure nice to just throw it away when I’m done instead of washing it.
6. Use plastic forks. See number 5.
The response you often hear to these six points of brilliant common sense is usually along the lines of “That’s a waste of money.”
Hogwash! Is your time worth nothing ! And really, figure the cost of these inexpensive items and calculate how much time you spend doing dishes you wouldn’t have to do. I’ll bet you’d find that you’re saving cents an hour! That’s just not worth it in my book.
One of my ideals for this cutting edge medium was to keep my posts fairly short. But I find that’s hard to do on a subject I feel such passion about.
9 Responses
February 16th, 2005 at 6:32 am
I’m with you on the dishes issue. While I love to eat, (and it shows), I REALLY don’t like dishwashing. I even bought Naomi a rolling, freestanding dishwasher for Mother’s Day last year, before Olivia was born, because I knew that it was cheaper and easier for me than having to do them myself. Iknow, I’m pathetic, but I’d rather scrub the bathroom then wash dishes.
You lost me on the soup, though. 1 meat, two sides, and a glass of tea–that’s me.
February 16th, 2005 at 8:39 am
Tom! I had no idea we share the same passion for soup. I, too, could eat it daily. What’s your favorite?
Karen
February 16th, 2005 at 2:07 pm
Paul, I can’t imagine! I share your dislike for washing dishes, but choosing the bathroom over dishes?!?!
I guess that’s proof that God made us all different. . .
February 16th, 2005 at 5:08 pm
Naomi Yates said…
Hello, Tom. I’m Paul’s wife. He commented about buying me a dishwasher because he doesn’t like to help me clean up the kitchen. Well, that was only part of the problem; you see, I myself don’t care to wash a lot of dishes (especially if I don’t get any help!). So we had a double problem, and dishes would often pile quite high. That’s a sad commentary on a “good little housewife;” but hey, who says we all have to be alike? I really like having a dishwasher. My counter still gets cluttered, but when there’s enough dirty dishes there, I can just fill up the whole thing and wash them all at once.
Anyway, what I really wanted to comment about was your taste for soup. To me, soup is wonderful! For many reasons: it is delicious, it is easy to fix, it contains well-balanced nutrition without having to fix two/three/four dishes, and it’s easy to eat and enjoy! Soup is comfort food! As Paul already mentioned, he isn’t a “soup man;” so I run into some conflict sometimes when I try (or even want to try) to fix it as often as I’d like. Also, I like to make biscuits. (And I make very good biscuits, if I do say so.) But I think biscuits and cornbread go with soup!! I don’t fix them to go with meatloaf, mac n cheese, green beans, and jello. Then I just serve sliced bread, (if at all).
I just love soup – potato soup with biscuits, taco soup with cornbread, vegetable soup with Butter Dips, etc.
Any tips on teaching a man to really enjoy soup? :)
Hey, and don’t let Paul fool you guys. He’s great, but he really doesn’t clean the bathroom that often either. :)
-Naomi
February 16th, 2005 at 6:17 pm
So Naomi, you and Paul identified with me, but you didn’t say what you thought of my solutions and philosophies!! How about it?
I don’t know, I was talking to my sister this afternoon and she was telling me she just fed baby Trenton peas for the first time. He wasn’t too impressed. Not much you can do but let them grow up and learn to appreciate what’s good, right?! Maybe Paul just needs to . . . hmm, I’d better stop!
Karen, I don’t think I could pick a favorite. I like just about all of them. From Ramen noodles to everything Campbells to my Mom’s canned hamburger and vegetable to my future sister-in-law’s shrimp chowder.
PS Me and my sister talked about you too.
February 17th, 2005 at 7:42 am
Naomi said…
I don’t know, Tom. How much is a stay-at-home mom/housewife’s time worth. When she isn’t the one bringing in the paycheck each week, and the family is struggling to get by anyway… Paper, styrofoam, plastic, OR Corelle, Tupperware, glasses, and sippy cups…either way makes no difference – I don’t get paid for my time. So I guess I should be using my “time” during the day while my husband is at work to save us a few $dollars. At this point, I think I have more time than money. I don’t like it, but I think that’s how it is.
-Naomi
February 17th, 2005 at 12:52 pm
Noami, being at home with your babies, being able to raise them and teach them about life and God is worth alot more then a few extra dollars, THUS, your “extra” time is more beneficial to all in question then a few bucks AND it is indeed worth the “price” of having more time then money.
Ag
February 17th, 2005 at 7:21 pm
Great post, definitely. In response to No. 3, though, I DID use a glass at your place for tea last July. :-) Maybe I can use a plastic cup when I’m there in June? :-)
David
February 18th, 2005 at 1:04 am
My, my, if this isn’t the odd bunch. I don’t like to wash dishes or the bathroom, but I’ve done both on rare occasion. Soup is good at times, but then I don’t eat steak often either. Food is from God let’s be thankful for it in any form, and Paul it won’t kill you to let Naomi to fix soup in order to save time and effort. Naomi, does Brenna like soup? I fix soup when I am in a hurry, specially the Ramen noodles. Naomi, your time is unaffordable for what you are and do for your children. A stay at home mom is priceless to young children and their father! God bless you all!