9 Organizing Mistakes to Avoid, Mistake #4

May 15, 2012 in inspiration, Uncategorized with 0 Comments


There are 9 common organizing mistakes.  Previous posts focused on Mistake #1,  Mistake #2 and Mistake #3.  This post will cover mistake #4.

Mistake #4:  Tackling too large of an area. Do you feel overwhelmed when looking at the photo above?  Where would you even begin?

Solution #4: Break your large project into small projects.  The photo above is a very large project,  but not if you break it into mini projects.  Sort one box or one shelf at a time and allow several weeks or months to complete the project.  Now it’s doable and not so overwhelming.

Are you facing a large project?  Break it down and tackle a little at a time.


9 Organizing Mistakes to Avoid, Mistake #3

May 8, 2012 in inspiration, Uncategorized with 0 Comments


Organizing mistakes are common.  They may cost you valuable time, money and stress.  I covered Mistake #1 and Mistake #2 in previous posts.  Today we will look at Mistake #3.

Mistake #3:  Perfection.  Does perfection prevent you from getting organized?  Do you think, “it won’t be perfect so why even try?”

Solution #3:  Stop It!  Done is better than perfect.  Good enough is good enough.  Let go of perfectionism and strive for your best.  You may always return to the area you organized and tweak it if the system isn’t working.

Attempt to do your best today.

9 Organizing Mistakes to Avoid, Mistake #2

May 1, 2012 in inspiration, Uncategorized with 0 Comments


Would you like to avoid common organizing mistakes?  I’d like to help you succeed by providing solutions to the 9 common organizing mistakes.  Today we will look at mistake #2.  Click here for mistake #1.

Mistake #2:  Believing you will need to set aside a large chunk of time for your organizing project.  False!  You can organize in short spurts.  In fact, it’s good to take breaks.

Solution #2:  Block off 1 hour to get started or if that is too daunting, set a timer for 15 minutes.  When your time is up, you may walk away.  Reward yourself for your progress, no matter how big or small of an area.   You may have even gained momentum and want to keep right on organizing .  Imagine that!

Has this belief stopped you from getting started?  Set your timer right now and GO!

 

 

9 Organizing Mistakes to Avoid, Mistake #1

April 24, 2012 in inspiration, Uncategorized with 0 Comments


Blunders, mishaps, and mistakes are all part of human nature.  They can also sabotage your organizing efforts.  I’ll share tips for organizing success by covering 9 common organizing mistakes over the next 9 blog posts.

Mistake #1:  Not starting.  Waiting until someday.   Unfortunately “someday” is not a day of the week.  It’s not on any calendar. Once you start you will feel better and have momentum.

Solution #1: Set a date.  Write it on your calendar.  Tell family and friends and ask them to hold you accountable.

What day and time are you going to start organizing?

5 Essential Paper Organizing Tools

April 17, 2012 in paper with 2 Comments


Are you overwhelmed by paper and feel like giving up?  You are not alone.  It’s a common and frustrating issue for many of my clients.  There are 5 essential organizing tools that every home or home office should have.   These tools will help you regain control over your papers and you will also be able to find the papers you are looking for!

1. Containers for papers that need recycling and shredding.  Put these containers near your mail and other paper sorting area.  This will allow you to quickly sort your papers and eliminate junk mail.

2. File folders.  Do your reference papers need a home?  A simple hanging or manila file folder will protect your papers and if labeled, allow you to find them quickly.  Alphabetize the folders in a file cabinet or file bin for easy access.

3. Action file box.  This tool will provide a home for papers that require action. Simply place them in a labeled hanging file folder inside the file box.  It’s compact and portable.  Storing your papers vertically keeps them visible. It’s going to feel good knowing you will be able to locate your important papers.

4. A home for recipes.  Do you enjoy clipping recipes or printing them off the web?  Once you clip them, do they end up in piles around your home?  I recommend storing recipes in a 3-ring binder with plastic sheet protectors.  Slip your recipes into the sheet protectors, to keep them clean, and use tabbed dividers to categorize the pages.  Now you will enjoy trying those new recipes.

5. Magazine file boxes.  Another vertical storage option for your magazines, small recipe booklets, directories, and projects. They fit nicely on bookshelves and may be labeled.

Do you currently use these tools in your home?

 

 


Biscotti Recipe

April 10, 2012 in Kitchen, Uncategorized with 0 Comments


I’ve given biscotti as gifts to clients and they have asked for the recipe.   Before I made this recipe I imagined biscotti would be difficult and tedious to make as well as too hard to bite into.  Not these delicious little morsels!  The recipe I use contains a secret ingredient that usually isn’t found in biscotti.  See if you can determine what the secret is!  Leave a comment with your guess.

Chocolate Almond  Biscotti

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter, At Room Temperature

1 Teaspoon Almond Extract

2 Large Eggs

1 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips (or for less chunky-chocolate Biscotti, you can use Semi Sweet Mini Morsels)

1/4 Cup Sliced Almonds (Optional)

 

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a large, heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Beat the sugar, butter and almond extract in a large bowl to blend.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Add the flour mixture and beat just until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

 

Form the dough into a 16-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log.  Transfer the log to the prepared baking sheet.  Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes.  Cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.

 

Place the log on a cutting board.  Cut the log on the diagonal into 1/2- to 3/4- inch thick slices.  Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the baking sheet.  Bake until pale golden, about 15 minutes.

 

Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.  The Biscotti can be prepared 2 days ahead.  Store airtight at room temperature.  **I keep it in the freezer for longer period of time.

 

From the ‘Gilda’s Family Dinners Cookbook

 

What to eat on busy days.

April 3, 2012 in Kitchen, Meal planning with 0 Comments


Did your morning start out like this?  Are you running behind and haven’t caught up by the end of the day and now you have to make dinner?  Not an easy feat when you are exhausted and the kids are not exhibiting their best behavior!

You need something super easy and super fast on days like this.  It doesn’t have to be expensive or unhealthy takeout food.  I’ve put together some ideas for some super simple meals.

Use your crock pot/slow cooker.

A year of slow cooking recipes

More slow cooker recipes

On a not so busy day, double the meal you are preparing and freeze to have on hand for crazy, busy days.

Martha Stewart freezer meals

Taste of Home freezer meals

Throw something on the grill.

Grilling recipes

Always have ingredients on hand for 2 recipes that can be prepared within minutes without thawing.

My simple, go to meals are:

Fettuccini Alfredo

Spaghetti–jarred sauce

Choose 2 very simple, go to meals for busy nights and put the ingredients on your shopping list right now.

 

Essential Kitchen Organizing Tool #4

March 27, 2012 in Kitchen, Uncategorized with 0 Comments


The 4th essential kitchen organizing tool is the Lazy Susan.  Check out the 1st, 2nd and 3rd essential kitchen tool blog posts.  I’m not sure about the history of it’s name but a Lazy Susan is a great addition to kitchen cabinets, pantries and refrigerators.   If you aren’t familiar with a Lazy Susan it’s a turntable on top of a base.  They are available in different diameters and in different materials (plastic, wood, metal).

I use a Lazy Susan in my baking cabinet to hold salt, pepper, vanilla, baking powder, and baking soda.  All it takes is a slight rotation of the Lazy Susan and I’m able to access all the items on it’s base.  No more lost items or having to reach over items to get to the back.

Lazy Susan’s are perfect for oils, vinegars, condiments, spices, vitamins, and even craft supplies.

Would a Lazy Susan be useful in your kitchen?

Essential Kitchen Organizing Tool #3

March 20, 2012 in Kitchen, Uncategorized with 2 Comments


The canned goods, in my pantry, are visible.  Instead of hiding behind one another I can see the items in the back row and middle.  Am I some sort of magical, organizing genius?  I would like to say the answer is yes, but really all I did was purchase a tiered spice shelf and use it for canned items.  Think of it as bleacher seating for your cans.

If you missed the previous posts, here are essential kitchen organizing tools #1 and #2.

Would the tiered rack increase the storage space in your kitchen cabinets or pantry?

Essential Kitchen Organizing Tool #2

March 13, 2012 in Kitchen, Uncategorized with 0 Comments


Unclutter your pantry, kitchen cabinets and drawers with bins.  Bins are especially useful for holding a group of like items together.
These are 2 bins in my pantry which contain snack foods.  We love carbs!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a photo of my odds and ends drawer in my kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can find things in a snap when they are contained or divided into bins.

I’ve also been known to use bins in my freezer.  One holds shredded cheese and another one holds frozen vegetables.  Check out the 1st essential kitchen tool here.

Do you use bins in your kitchen?

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