Some may think that the kitchen is the obvious place to start with organization and maybe that’s true.  When you move in and first set up a kitchen, you are intentional about where you put things; you organize the pots, pans, dishes, and glasses as you put them in their new home.  However, once you begin to prepare meals and cook in the kitchen, there is usually a need to re-vamp your system.  It does not matter the size of your kitchen.  I have clients with galley kitchens and others with huge center islands and breakfast nooks.  The complaint is almost always the same – “There is not enough room” or “My kitchen doesn’t flow well.”  Some of what makes a kitchen work better in to have efficient storage containers inside of the drawers and doors.  These containers can be drawer organizers, bins, baskets, or canisters.

Today’s blog will focus on the use of canisters… and how you can win a set of canisters!

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Bradley House in Folsom CA

Just got back from a great weekend, filled with creativity.  At least once a year, I enjoy a 3 day binge on my papercrafting and scrapbooking. This weekend I stayed at the Bradley House B& B in Folsom, CA.  The innkeeper, Jerry, was great and the rose garden was in full bloom and beautiful.  As with anything, there is a lesson to be learned from this scrapbook retreat. READ MORE

Okay, so it doesn’t have to be a “closet”, it can be a drawer, shelf, or box.  In other words, do you have a stock of gifts that you have purchased in advance (or are going to re-gift)?  Having some gifts on hand is great for those last minute invites or the times when you forgot someone’s birthday.  Shopping for gifts this way can also save you money.  My sister-in-law, for example,  shops for Christmas all year long, and puts everything into the gift closet with a tag for the intended recipient.  She only shops sales and has plenty of time to wait for the perfect gift to be the perfect price.

Many of my friends have gifts that they have purchased in advance or plan to re-gift but the gifts never seem to leave.  Why?  Because they don’t remember what they have.  They purchase a gift, put it away in their gift closet and then add more and more and pretty soon, forget that they purchased the perfect gift for someone and it lays gathering dust in the back of the gift closet!

The solution: (you knew I had one)

As you purchase gifts, log them on a gift list.  This can be done on a handwritten page or on a spreadsheet in your computer.  Here’s an example:

Add things to the gift list as you add them to the gift closet.  If you purchase an item that does not have an intended recipient (yet) then just note what gender or age range it is for.  As you give these gifts be sure to cross them off the gift list.  Update your list annually after Christmas so you can start fresh.  If you begin to have things in the gift closet that never get given away, then consider using these items for hostess gifts or white elephant/secret santa gift exchanges.

And remember, shop in the gift closet before you leave home to shop!

Many times when I speak to moms groups or have mothers in my audience, there are always these sort of  questions:

1. How do I get my child to keep their room organized?
2. How do I organize all the stuffed animals?
3. How do I get my ADD/ADHD child to stay organized?
4. How do I get my child to let go of some things?

Bottom line – Is organizing your kids possible? Yes.

Will they keep things organized the way you want them? Probably not.

Think about the things your mother suggested you do in your room.  Did you always do it as she suggested? If you say yes to this question, then I guess you were the perfect child so you can skip this blog post.  We’ll address perfectionism another time…..

Your children are individuals who are uniquely created, having their strengths and weaknesses that may differ from yours.  They will also have different ideas about what being organized looks like. There is no “one and only way” to organize. What you can do for your children is to set some boundaries as far as your minimum expectations for their room and possessions. Give them time to get used to these boundaries; give them tools that will help them be successful.  And most important, be a good role model.  My friend, Kevin Bracy, reminded me yesterday that children can’t hear what you are saying because your actions are speaking so loudly.

So how organized are you? What are your children seeing?

Really, I mean off the hook.  In other words, here are my thoughts on how to best use the hook.  A hook is an organizing tool that attaches  to a vertical surface and is used to hang things.  Sometimes, when organizing we forget about the ever important hook. Where there are space limitations, going vertical may be the answer.  Here’s a partial list of uses for a hook, categorized by room:

• In the Bedroom – hang robes, work out towels, jewelry, scarves, belts
• In the Guest Room – hang towels, laundry bag
• In the Bathroom – hand towels or clothes you will wear after bathing
• In the Kitchen – hang keys, aprons, shopping toes, display plate collections
• In the Mudroom – hang dog leash, jacket, purse, umbrella
• In the Hall Closet – hang ironing board, work out bag, hats

In Saturday’s newspaper (I only read the weekend editions) the Hints from Heloise column sported these ideas from a reader:

• Next to the kitchen sink to hang rings, watches, etc. while doing the dishes
• Install one near the back door for various uses
• Put one in the closet to hold belts, scarves, etc.
• Place one in the bathroom to hang necklaces, bracelets, etc.
• Use to keep training plants happy

What unique ways have you found to use hooks to keep things organized?  Would love for you to comment here!

It seems that every six months or so I have to do a “kitchen checkup”. As there is more than one person helping in the kitchen, preparing meals, and unloading the dishwasher, things can become unorganized over time. Because things don’t always end up back where they belong I use the “SOUP” method to reorganize my kitchen.

S – set up a work space. Use the dining table or set up a card table to stage your project. Have a box nearby for your donations and an empty trash bag for the throw aways.

O- organize by type. Start by emptying one cupboard, shelf, or drawer at a time. Take everything out and decide what to donate, throw away, and keep. This is the time to reduce the number of vegetable peelers, plastic cups, and plastic ware. Be brutal, it will simplify your life!

U- unify the space. Before returning the kitchen items to the cupboard, shelf, or drawer consider the location. Are the pots and potholders located near the stove, are the glasses and everyday plates in close proximity to the dishwasher? Put things as close to where they will be used as possible. Are all baking goods together in the same location? Are all non refrigereated snacks in one location? Having like items together helps with making the grocery list because it is easy to spot check your inventory.

P- put it away. As you return things to the alloted space, don’t fill it up completely. Leave room for the things that are in the dishwasher and future additions to your collection. Overstuffing the space will cause things to not be put away in the future (especially by other household members). It is inconvenient to straighten a shelf to make space every time something needs to be put away. Use the lower shelves for items used daily and the higher shelves for less frequently used items.

The “SOUP” method is easy to remember and helps you do the kitchen one cabinet at a time because who wants to spend all day in the kitchen?!
© 2005 -Natalie Conrad

You’ve come home from a long day at work and now you have to think about dinner… You don’t know what is in the freezer or the kitchen cabinets. Or you just went shopping yesterday and now you have to put a meal together and you forgot a particular ingredient. If this sounds familiar, then maybe try menu planning. Planning in advance what to have for dinner can actually alleviate some of your daily stress.

Typically, a menu is created for a week or two at a time. But as with many things, just start slow… try planning your dinner menu for just the next five days. As you write down what it is you would like to prepare, also write down the ingredients (groceries) that you are lacking. When you are finished planning, your shopping list is now ready to take to the store. If you plan to use a particular recipe, write down the name of the cookbook and page number or location of the recipe so that it can be easily retrieved when needed.

Don’t feel controlled by your menu plan. If you planned to cook chicken tonight and you’re just too tired then open a can of soup or eat a sandwich. That particular meal can be prepared on another day. Sometimes you may find that you need to switch days on the menu plan. For example, let’s say I planned hot meatballs sandwiches for Tuesday and a crock pot dish for Wednesday. My son has an extra soccer practice (last minute of course!) on Tuesday. So, I switch days and have Wednesday’s meal on Tuesday because I can fix and forget it until after we get home from soccer practice!

After planning your menus for two months, not only is it a habit but you can start rotating the same meals and not have to spend as much time planning! Menu planning has also helped those who are seeking to change their eating habits by planning more low calorie, low fat meals. Menu planning will also have a positive effect on your food budget because you will be making less trips to the grocery store and eating out less! If you would like a sample menu plan sheet, email me at craftynat@prodigy.net.