First of all.. thank you thank you to everyone who left Paris advice! I read every comment (so many great tips!) and my husband and I have been trying to plan so many things you all suggested. CAN. NOT. WAIT. :) Thank you! 
K. About a month ago I gave my fridge a good clean out. This is the before pic. Obviously. :) To be honest with you all, these pictures I’m about to share aren’t all that special or earth shattering. In fact, I came close to just not posting them at all. But then I thought about how for me, seeing pictures of a cleaned out space motivates me. Even when the after isn’t anything special or earth shattering. So maybe these pictures will motivate one of you to clean out your fridge? And maybe you will feel better after you do. And that will make happy. So I will now proceed with mediocre material. ;)
In my defense before I share with you everything in my fridge, I took these pics right after my girls had their friends over for a party. Hence the reason we have 4 pizza boxes and cookie dough galore. Usually we NEVER have those unhealthy things in our fridge. Ha. ;)
When ever I do a major fridge clean out I always pull every single thing out. I work fast and toss everything that’s garbage. Then I put all of the leftovers that need to be tossed or put back on the island next to my sink.
I set everything else I’m keeping on the other island.
Then I round up any fruit I have and wash it and put it in clear containers so it’s easy to grab and eat. We didn’t have much left over after the party!
I fill up a small bowl with hot, soapy water. I could use my sink, but like I said, I try to work fast when the fridge door is open so I like to have the bowl with me in the fridge. That way I can clean my dish towel multiple times quickly while I wipe down every shelf and nook and cranny. Yes! Pull those drawers right out if you have to!
Then I put things back. Like I said, this post is revolutionary. ;) I don’t use any containers or organizers in my fridge. I’ve tried them before, but for me they just seem to get in the way. I do better just trying to keep it cleaned out and full of only the things we use/need. Consolidated those 4 pizza boxes down to 2.. nice. I didn’t have to cook for two nights. :)
Here’s another tip: I always do a major clean out like this when I know I NEED to get groceries. When I know most of the stuff in my fridge needs to go and it’s time to get more food. Doing it after a big grocery run just means you have more food to pull out and put back.
So clean! And empty! I got groceries later that day and put everything in its spot and my fridge was full and happy again. And after eating more pizza.. so was I.
The best news is that I took these pics weeks ago and my fridge is still clean. Once you do a major overhaul, it’s easy to just keep shelves wiped off and things in their place. Like I said, nothing earth shattering here. But a clean fridge makes me happy every time I open it to feed my kids. Which feels like somewhere around 24,865 times a day. A good spot to have organized. ;)
I tried a new recipe last week. It’s called Tomato Parmesan Chicken and I found it here. It was good. Not amazing, but good and easy to make and 2 out of my 3 kids and my husband ate it. Which means I’ll make it again. Here are step by step instructions if you want to try it.
It’s one of those stir everything together and dump it on top of the chicken and then cover it with cheese recipes.
I always like those. :)
Mine came out a little soupy so I think next time I try it I’ll use less tomato sauce. Or drain my tomato’s better? I’m sure all of you can make it taste amazing. Good but not great is the norm around here when I’m cooking. Which is why I’d rather just organize my fridge and eat leftover pizza. :)
On another note.. I have been LOVING our light and sunny springtime evenings. Even though it’s still cool outside, the sunlight pours in all of my windows and makes 7:00 in the evening feel like 4:00 in the afternoon. The only problem is that my kids’ bedtime keeps getting later and later. The 3 little people in our house wouldn’t exactly call that a problem..
I’ve had so many questions about this table in my dining room nook and PB finally got it back in stock! And it’s on sale! YEA. Happy discovery a few days ago because I always felt bad saying they didn’t carry it anymore (they didn’t for a while!). And yes.. I know it is an outside table. That we have inside. Story about that here and I’ve never looked back. We love it.
(p.s. My favorite chunky wool/jute family room rug is also on sale now! Details on all of my rugs in this post.)
Ok.. clean out your fridge, cook some chicken.. or order pizza, enjoy the longer days, use outdoor furniture on the inside, and get your kids to bed on time. I think that sums up today’s post.
Insightful as always around here.
;)
Dining Nook Sources: Abbot Dining Table, X back chairs, similar rug, similar wooden tray, clear Barcelona vases, faux plum blossoms, light fixture.
*affiliate links used.
Hi Erin,
Little information on the trip to Paris , I live in France (Sorry for my English) and I know Paris is a wonderful city , of course you have to visit the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, go night Champs Elysées with lights and do a tour of the giant wheel in front of the tuileries garden . You can visit the Louvre with the Joconde she’s wonderful
Along the quays to reach the foot of our NOTRE DAME , there are a lot of painter along the waterfront for a very Frenchie atmosphere.
Go to Montmartre , the neighborhood is pretty with a special atmosphere , visit the sacred heart , there is a breathtaking view of Paris .
If you go Normandie, Etretat it’s very special, with its needle-shaped hollow cliff, it ‘s wonderful, and you can go Honfleurs , it is small but very beautiful with a church in wood and a pretty harbor.
if you need information I can help you , beware prepare the apareil photo France is beautiful.
Bye.
Magali
I completely agree with a visit to Montmartre and the Sacre-Coeur. One of my favorite memories of Paris is sitting on the steps watching people and street performers while overlooking the city.
Magali! Thank you so much for your France tips and suggestions! We have done a lot of the things you mentioned and are having the best trip! So kind of you! xo
Erin, I make that same chicken recipe. Leave it juicy and serve over pasta!!!
Going to try that next time for sure! :) Enjoy your weekend Angela! xo
Thanks for sharing, Erin. I do appreciate your posts. They show you are “just one of the gals” to me, if that makes sense. You aren’t trying to dress to impress if you will. It’s like chatting over coffee/tea. Maybe a tad one sided, since you carry the conversation, but the comment section could be the other side. Ha ha! Anyway, That chicken parm does look good and I am all about those recipes, too. I subscribe to a couple of newsletters (Kraft, Betty Crocker, Taste of Home) and a couple of months ago bought a Taste of Home Easy Weeknight Meals cookbook (found it at Joann’s craft store of all places) and a lot of the recipes taste really good. In case you were interested. Your fridge looks beautiful, by the way and so does that table. And I bet your house looks amazing when the sun is setting!! Hugs!
Oh thanks for the good cooking ideas Jeanne! I should subscribe to a few newsletters like that. I keep thinking it would be fun to take a cooking class with my girls. We can learn together. :) Thanks for your sweet comment! Definitely just “one of the gals” and it makes me happy that’s how you see me! Totally one sided though for sure.. ha! That’s why comments like yours always make my day. What!? Someone is listening!? ;) xo
Love it! And this is probably a no-brainer (don’t all of us Mormons read the same blogs?!) but if you haven’t before, check out Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. She has GREAT posts and I’ve really loved most of the recipes I’ve tried from her site (bonus: most are also pretty easy!)…plus I think you would love her friendly conversational style, since I’m convinced that I would be best friends with both you & Mel IRL because you always write like we’re pals. ;-)
Oh my word.. I don’t read her blog! Off to check it out for sure! And I have no doubt we would be friends IRL Rachael! I always think of my blog as one big sleep over party.. ;) Thanks cutie! xo
Is it me or is there something great about looking into other people’s fridges lol…I love to see what they like to eat.
This totally made me want to clean mine.. I’m putting it on my list for tomorrow!
My husband’s biggest pet peeve ,and I mean biggest is wasted food. I clean out the fridge when he’s not around lol.
Ha ha.. I love looking in other people’s fridges too! And houses. :) Happy this inspired you to clean your fridge Heidi! Definitely wait for your husband to step out.. ;) xo
Hey Erin! I noticed your refrigerator and freezer are Thermador. I’m getting ready to do a kitchen remodel and I’m trying to decide between the 24″ units and the 30″ units. What size are yours and are you happy with them or do you wish you went bigger? smaller? I’d appreciate the feedback. Thanks in advance🙂
Hi Amy! Sorry I’m responding to this so late! Our Thermador fridge/freezer are the 30″ units. They are big and I love them! Definitely glad we went with the bigger size. If you have the room I’d go for the 30″.. especially if you have kids! I’m always amazed at how much food we go through! xo
Does your rug shed a lot? I have a natural fiber rug from pottery barn and it sheds a ton, even after having it for 4 years. I’m looking for a similar look without all the shedding. My kids can’t lay on this rug or it leaves fibers all over their clothing.
Hi Jennifer! Sorry for the slow response! My PB rug shed A LOT for about 3-6 months after we bought it and then it just slowly stopped! Hasn’t shed a bit since. They told us at the store it would shed for a while and it did. But once it stopped it hasn’t shed at all anymore. Hope that helps!
A note on the soupy sauce. If you put it in a pot first and boil it down (gently) for about 30 minutes, that will help thicken it and intensify the flavor – win win!
I have been putting off cleaning my fridge and it really needs it. Maybe this weekend although the mountain of laundry might win out. We’ll see. Thanks for the motivational post. :)
Thanks for the great tip on my soupy sauce Jen! Totally going to try that next time! :) xo
I clean my fridge the same way and it’s true, it is so easy to keep up after a complete clean. Your chicken recipe looks good. I’ll have to try it. Seems simple enough as long as I set a timer. I burn more food then I would like to admit. I’m loving the longer daylight. I get so much more done, like scrubbing Burnt pans. xo
Cathy you made me laugh. I spend LOTS of time scrubbing burnt pans myself.. ha! :) xo
Having a clean fridge is such a good feeling! Good for you for trying a new recipe. I tend to make the same things over and over (when I actually get around to cooking!).
Thanks Kristen! :) xo
I just love these posts. Real, humorous, just the right amount of photos. And my family wouldn’t survive if not for meals that combine chicken, cheese and some type of pasta. I’m with you on cleaning out a somewhat empty fridge. Then all the groceries have a perfect spot to organize themselves into. I may or may not have told my kids that they can’t have a yogurt because the fridge is still cooling off from all the time spent cleaning and restocking it. I really just don’t want them to mess up the beautifully lined up yogurt containers! Ha!
Audrey! I had to respond to this comment and thank you! Such a sweet thing to say. I’m so happy you liked this post. I laughed out loud when you mentioned not letting your kids have yogurt because you don’t want them to mess up the beautifully lined up yogurt containers after you’ve cleaned everything.. ha! TOTALLY something I would do! :) xo
I’m wondering if your rug sheds a lot? I’ve had a natural fiber pottery barn rug for over 4 years and it sheds an insane amount. I always tell people not to sit or lay on it. I love the look but need something that doesn’t require so much attention.
Hey, Erin! Love your fridge work! :)
I wanted to say a little something about Paris, since I’m European and have been there several times.
You’ll see the touristy stuff for sure, but what makes Paris so great it’s the atmosphere. And food. :) Paris, however, is a crowded and really diverse city. It’s almost impossible to see everything in just one trip and I’d suggest you don’t even try. That’s not the point. The point is to FEEL the city and it’s soul. Sights will be there for years to come and you can come back with your kids sometimes in the future if you’d want. Anyhow, I’m making this consumption because I’ve been working in tourism for a couple of years and have seen Americans wandering around European cities, rushing to see every.single.monument. Don’t be like that. I’m sorry if that was a rude thing to say, it’s more of a stereotype, I know. Enjoy this week in the city of love with your husband and take it sloooow. :) Explore the city on foot. Or you can rent a city bike, if you’ll feel like it.
Get lost in the streets of Montmartre – it’s the most beautiful Parisian quarter and that’s the place where Amélie was filmed. If you haven’t heard about it, please check the movie, I promise you’ll love it. People are mostly nice but not always. It’s always good to politely ask if they speak English, and knowing a word or two in French will definitely help.
I’d avoid metros if I were you, but that’s just my personal opinion. Anyhow, just get lost in the streets and observe the people passing by, sit down to drink a coffee in one of the charming little cafes and enjoy the food. You’ll have an amazing time and Paris is so gorgeous in springtime. Beware of the pickpocketing in crowded areas and stay safe. :)
Sara! Bonjour! Can’t thank you enough for your wonderful advice about Paris! We are here right now and are loving every minute! I have really tried to soak it all in just like you said! You gave the best advice. Thank you sweet friend! xo
A little heads up. While the Abbott Table looks the same and has the same name, it actually has a concrete top instead of a zinc top.
I thought long and hard about getting the table last year. Do love it, but was worried the zinc would be easily scratched or patina’d. Glad to hear it’s held up well for you!
Katherine! Thank you so much for pointing this out to me! I’ll have to mention that! xo
Erin, loved reading this! I love seeing inside other people’s refrigerators! Weird- I know. Thank you so much for answering my email. It meant a lot to me and I’m saving it. Love all your pics! Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much Jamie! I like peeking in other people’s fridges too.. and houses! :) Not weird at all. :) xo
Sometimes you make me think. Sometimes you make me smile. Sometimes you make me laugh (today.) Sometimes you make me inspired. Thanks for being you. :)
Jennifer. Oh my word. This comment was so incredibly kind! I was so touched when I read it and I didn’t have time right then to respond, but it has stayed with me! I just had to write back and tell you thanks. Thanks for being YOU! And for writing something that I will always treasure and remember. It means so much to me. :) xo
I totally miss posts like these! I love your posts about your new home, but I really really loved the posts you did in your last house, organizing, cleaning, tips, easy cooking/recipe ideas! This post was awesome! And I am totally going to organize my fridge now!
Stefanie! Thank you! Your comment made me so happy! I’m thrilled you liked my post! Especially since I almost didn’t post it! Ha! :) Happy it inspired you to clean out your fridge. I will definitely share more things like this in the future (my old style posts)… just for you. ;) xo
The clean fridge is so nice. Better to post how it really is then worrying about making everything Pinterest ready. Sometimes you just have to get the job done, lol.
I keep things pretty simple with my fridge. I basically just buy enough food for the week and then that way the fridge empties itself out and I’m all ready for the next week’s groceries. It saves a ton of time from having to track everything that you have in your freezer and having to toss out leftovers. I try to really use all of our leftovers so if I have some leftover vegetables then I’m making a soup or adding limits pizza toppings or something like that. As for containers, I store most everything in glass jars. They can be washed in the dishwasher and then all I have to do is wash up the lids. I also am in the habit of taking my leafy greens and making the salads in a jar so that when I’m ready to eat all I have to do is to dump the jar in a on a plate and add some protein and fruit to it. Makes things really easy.
Love that salad in a jar idea Sue! I’m going to try that one! And I so agree.. sometimes Pinterest perfect gets tossed out the window for the sake of getting things done! We are on the same page there. ;) Thanks cutie! Enjoy your weekend! xo
Girl…Where are all your condiments?? LOL (Just did a fridge clean today and then, as I was cleaning out all my emails, I came across this week old post!) :)
Hi Erin! Your house is stunning and love getting tips/ideas here! Are those chairs in your book comfortable?
Thanks!
Hi Tara! Thank you so much! Do you mean the chairs in our nook? I’m thinking “book” is a typo. ;) They’re actually not bad! Definitely not something you’d want to lounge in for hours, but for dinner they are great. :) xo