I’m excited to partner with Kraft 2% Milk Singles to challenge you to live with 1/3 less in April! How did the first ten days go? My challenge is going well, although it probably wasn’t a great idea to challenge myself to have less garbage and less clutter in the same month!
Here are a few things I’m doing to reduce by 1/3 this month.
Reducing Garbage
- Recycle items instead of throwing them away. Often it is easier to throw something in the garbage than check to see if it can be recycled. Or it is easier to throw everything out instead of sorting it for recycling. It only takes a few seconds to recycle.
- Eating all our leftovers. When we don’t eat our leftovers I end up throwing them away, creating more garbage.
- Consistently use cloth diapers instead of disposable. During soccer season I’ve been using a lot more disposables. It only takes about 10 minutes of my time to wash and dry the cloth diapers, and disposable diapers create a ton of garbage.
- Use rags instead of paper towels. You all know how I LOVE my paper towels, but I can reduce my consumption and use rags when possible.
Reducing Clutter
- If my kids haven’t played with it for months, they don’t need it.
- If I haven’t been able to fit into it for a year, I don’t need it.
- If it isn’t something essential to our well-being I’m not buying it.
Reducing the Junk Food
- I’ve been buying fruits and vegetables like grapes, apples, carrots, celery that are easy to munch on when I’m hungry. I’ve found that if it is easy to eat I’ll eat it. If it is difficult to eat I don’t bother. When I’m trying to only snack on better for you food I’ll often cut up all my fruits and veggies on the weekend and store them in containers in the fridge. It is easy to find the fruits and veggies because they are already prepared.
- Don’t buy junk food. I don’t buy a lot of junk food, but every now and again a box of Oreos find their way into my cart. While I don’t think there is anything wrong with having an Oreo every now and then, if you are reducing the junk food, then they need to go.
- I’ve been using foods like Kraft 2% Milk Singles and whole grain bread to make grilled cheese for lunch in my panini maker. Instead of serving it with chips, (as I normally do) serve it with carrots and hummus.
- For those of you reducing soda during this challenge, consider adding lemon to your water or even having some lemonade in the fridge. Many people I know drink soda because they get tired of the taste of water. Having a soda substitute can help lessen the craving.
Your 1/3 Less Challenge
Here are some of things things you are challenging yourself to reduce by 1/3 this month. I couldn’t list all of your 1/3 Less Challenges, but here are a few. Many of you had similar goals of better eating, cleaning out toys and clothes, and cutting down on internet time. Let’s cheer each other on for the next 10 days!
- Angie: I’m going to reduce the amount of laundry I do each week for our family of 8. I know the kids have a bad habit of trying on something and throwing it down without wearing it.
- Natalie: My family eats out way too often. We need to reduce the # of times we eat out each month (and the amount of $ we spend eating out) by 1/3.
- Elizabeth: I’m going to reduce my Internet time so I can spend more time reading my Bible, journaling, and praying each day.
- Erica: Debt! I have a credit account was at a $280 balance at the beginning of the month. I’ve paid $170 of it off this month! Next month I plan to pay it off and cancel the account : )
- Mary A.: Get 1/3 of the way to my weight goal by eating less junk food and snacks!
- Carrie: We eat pretty well, but I am also looking to reduce my grocery bill by being more mindful of sales and coupons… and maybe growing our own produce.
- Linda: My goal will be to spend 1/3 less time on facebook in order to reduce household clutter by 1/3 and hopefully the increased activity will reduce my clothing size by 1/3!
- Trisha: I’m reducing my consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup by 1/3. Good-bye my beloved Coke (among other things).
- Krista: I’m going to reduce the time I spend watching TV and browsing on the Internet.
- Katie: My husband and I want to cut our gasoline bill down by 1/3! We can walk to the grocery store from where we live plus several other shopping centers, so rather than get in our car we are going to walk to do our errands!
The 1/3 Less Challenge is sponsored by Kraft 2% Milk Singles which have 1/3 less fat* than other American Slices. (Are you getting the whole 1/3 less reference?) To enter to win a $50 Visa gift card leave a comment updating us on your progress. I’ll have one final check-in post next week and then pick a winner. You must leave a comment on all three 1/3 Less Challenge posts to be entered to win the gift card. Even if you fail miserably at the challenge you can still enter, you just need to try!
Kraft Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me. This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by The Happy Housewife.
*KRAFT 2% Milk Singles have 2.5g of fat per slice compared to 4.5g in the leading processed cheese slice.
I got my husbands permission to go through his clothes and weed them out and I’ve already gone through mine. I’ve got a couple bags for Goodwill.
Making some progress toward 1/3 less jarred baby food. She’s been having lots of yogurt, I cooked up and pureed some broccoli, she tried the couscous I made for dinner the other night, and today we shared a bowl of black bean soup. Not where I want to be, but at least I’m paying more attention to her meals.
Good progress toward eating out 1/3 less often! I’ve managed to pack lunches for my husband and I almost every day this month. We also rearranged our dining room (I had overtaken it for sewing) so it is more family dinner friendly. Now there’s room for a family meal and my sewing machine!
Being a fmily of 8 we have to much of everything! LOL I am slowing going through my boys clothing and the toys.
We had made the choice to reduce our energy bill when we had to install a new furnace and hot water tank by going for energy efficient, and we are definitely seeing a drop. So that is great.
I am also thinking I need to cut my coffee consumption too…and up my water consumption so it all works out.
I have been working on reducing the things I own in general, but cannot make it to 1/3–not realistically or soon, anyway. So, I have been content with removing 10 items a day (and have been inspired to do more than that), so the clutter is shrinking! Rule of thumb is, if I have not used it in the last two duty stations (you never know what you will need where), it is gone.
I started this challenge to reduce the amount of stuff cluttering our bedroom. Well, I’m done in the bedroom and I’ve made my way to all of our school stuff! It feels great to reduce and simplify! Thank you!
I have a good start on our closet…Everyday I go in I pull out at least 5 things to get rid of. I’ll stop when I start having a really difficult time finding 5.
Soda….I’m having difficulty with that one because a Coca-cola at peak stress moments is just SO good! But, I’m drinking tea in the morning and I have reduced a little.
I have been working on reducing 1/3 driving by riding bikes to closer locations such as library and park. It works great and feels even better, I get to exercise while saving on gas.
I ended up eating out way less by creating a meal plan for my family. I also have been slowly going threw my husbands clothes and getting rid of stuff I never see him wear. I donated one of the two bassinets we own, to a teen maternity group home.
Cut down clutter in the kitchen, by donating stuff we are not using!
One of my goals was to reduce the amount of laundry I am doing (we average about 15 loads for myself and daughter) I was able to reduce our laundry by 5 loads!!
The second was to reduce the amount of food in the fridge I was throwing away. Planning and making sure I do use left overs had made a huge difference in the amount of food being put in the trash.
I have been cutting back on drinking diet soda and tea. Instead I slice up some cucumber and ginger and toss it in a pitcher filled with water. Once chilled, this cucumber-ginger water is one of the most refreshing drinks I have ever had! I know the combination may sound a little odd, but I was served this at a spa recently and I was immediately hooked!
So I’ve been cuttingg back my portion sizes and sp far have had enough leftovers to freeze and keep for another night. We had 2 meals this week that I didn’t have to take time to cook. It helps me on our grocery bill as well. This is such a great idea that I’m going to try it in a few other areas of our lives.
We’ve gone through our house and gotten rid of a LOT of stuff that we haven’t used since we moved. (TWO YEARS AGO!) Already I am starting to feel like I can breathe again! We still have more to go, but there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel!
I’ve already removed over 1/3 of the un-needed items in my FROG and garage. I’ve also kept up with my goal of eating out 1/3 less. I’m so proud of myself!! I’ve also lost 4lb!!
I’ve been doing pretty well with cooking and eating at home. I was also motivated to reduce the open bottles of shampoo in my shower by more than half! (You know the ones you get a really great deal on, try for a while, and then find a shiny new hair product to move on to but you don’t want to just :gasp: “throw them out”!)
We bought and are eating more fresh fruit instead of junk foods. Also several sizeable outside toys have been donated and winter clothes have been removed from my little boys closet!
Our garage is cleaned out and organized (man did the scrap metal guy love us last week!) and we’ve actually paid about half of our credit card balance!!!!! This week we’re working on the clothes in our closets/drawers and all the toys
I have been doing ok on my challange. Of my 3 areas I have accomplished 1/3. I’ve been spending less time on facebook, but haven’t gotten to the clutter. This is going to be a target this weekend since I am home due to rain. We had a birthday for our now 2 year old, so there has been items added instead of taken away. But I will be going through her ‘baby’ toys this weekend and boxing up for a garage sale in the near future!
I cleaned out our storage area & a section of the basement. I have one truck load of re-usables Im donating to Salvation Army this morning. Gotta run !! Feels great to gain the space =)
I have cleaned out the front hall closet (one of three major clothing “pile up” places!). I’ve reduced the amount of outgrown, ragged or unused clothes and packed away the few items I’m going to hold on to (for hand me downs).
Up next–my bedroom—where all clothes eventually end up stacked for the “some day when I have time.” This week, I will MAKE time!
I have done pretty well. So far–the front closet (winter gear) has been gone through and reduced by at least 1/3 (if not more!). Up next is my bedroom…which claims all the “odds”!
Reducing our eating out by 1/3, Taking sandwiches to the soccer games helps that a lot.
We have been walking more and driving less and so far have paid only $45 in gas this week instead of our usual $75-80! Hopefully we can keep it up! It’s been fun walking to places to go on our date nights rather than driving–getting to walk and talk is such a sweet time together!
Plus I’ve been going through our closet and taking out clothes we don’t wear/need and am going to take them to a consignment shop this week! I’m loving this 1/3 challenge!
Mine was reduce my internet time by 1/3. I’ve been pretty successful. I even had one whole day where I wasn’t on! I can tell the difference because I’ve completed a lot of things on my to do list.
My goal was to cut down on coffee by 1/3 and thus save money and calories. My plan was to do 4 instead of 6 a week, but that was too hard….so I switched to 12oz instead of 16oz….not saving as much money, but it is a start.
Stress at meal time by pre-planning — well…last week I did really well and planned menus for several days. Still didn’t reduce mealtime stress because of other things happening in the house at the time. But, working for a better week.
ive been horribly off my game the last couple weeks, meh. as a result, im getting nothing done!
I did well this week on reducing the amount of soda I’ve been drinking–only 4 times the week before vacation!
Clutter makes me crazy, especially when it’s not mine and I can’t do anything about it.
In my effort to de-clutter, I’ve been able to sell some things to a consignment shop.
Since I gave birth to my second child on April 20th, I have manged to clear out all the maternity clothing in my closet. Yay! Some of it will be sold at consignment, some given to a friend, and some donated. I also pulled out the clothes that I have been hanging onto since prior to the birth of my 1st child (he is now 4 years old) and put them in a large bag to sell at a yard sale. I have managed to do fairly well (but not a 1/3) in terms of clearing our bookshelves. I took all the preparing for baby, childbirth, baby name books, etc. off of the shelves to pass along to a friend. I also went through all my photographs that are waiting to go into albums and threw out the ones that didn’t look so great or were duplicates.
We’ve failed badly on the cutting back eating out. We went out twice this week
But I have been getting rid of a lot of toys/clothes! We’re planning a yardsale in a few weeks and I’m trying to clear out alot for that! It’s hard for me though, because I do daycare and I’m not wanting to get rid of all the baby toys because the daycare kids will use them. Even so, I’ve filled three BIG boxes full of toys and a lot more full of clothes!!
I like to donate my clients unused items to charities; it helps get rid of clutter and they get the satisfaction of helping someone in need!