Project Organize :: My Cleaning System :: Available for Purchase!

MY CLEANING SYSTEM
by HANNAH CRANER of Sherbet Blossom

I'm a busy mom of three, working full time at home. Juggling my magazine design job, motherhood and my housework is no easy task. Growing up, Saturday was housework day. We'd deep clean everything and make the house sparkle. So, naturally, that is what I first implemented in my own home. During the week, however, my kids tore apart the house and I spent ALL Saturday, my only day with my husband home, getting my home back in order. I realized that wasn't going to work for me.

Before I divulge on my cleaning system, I must add a disclaimer. In no way do I profess to be a housecleaning expert. My home is frequently sub-par. (My excuse is that I live with three little tornadoes who find great joy in following behind me as I vacuum, leaving a trail of crumbs along the way.) This is housekeeping the Hannah way. It works for me. I can answer the door anytime knowing that my house will be almost-in-order. It is leaps-n-bounds ahead of my old clean-the-house-on-Saturday-and-watch-the-house-deteriorate-until-next-Saturday plan.

I created this handy little cleaning system using tips from a few friends and books. This chore list splits the day into three small, but doable, tasks lists: one for the morning, one for the day, and one for night. All the chores are split between the weekdays and the weekends are family & free time. These chores are general, and will apply to almost anyone's home.

I created a cutely designed reminder booklet that I sit on a small easel on my desk. (Lists are much easier for me to follow when I like looking at them!) I bound it with metal rings so I can rearrange days & combine tasks when needed.

MORNING ROUTINE:

empty dishwasher

review calendar + to do list

personal (reading, writing, and/or meditation)

DAILY TASKS:

MONDAY (Cleaning Day):

laundry

vacuum & dust

mop floors

wipe down doors

deep-clean bathrooms

TUESDAY (Free Day)

send out birthday cards & thank yous

clean out car

WEDNESDAY (Problem Area Day)

clean out fridge

clean kitchen (floors, rugs, surfaces, cupboards, pantry, etc)

clean one problem area (pick any area in your home that needs a little extra work)

make menu & grocery list (to prepare for tomorrow's errand day)

THURSDAY (Errand Day)

grocery shopping & errands

clean bedrooms

FRIDAY (Date Day)

do something special for significant other

clean living/family rooms

clean out purse/bag

SATURDAY (Family Day)

quickly tidy house

focus on family

SUNDAY (Rest Day)

read & write

NIGHT ROUTINE:

quick home pick up

run dishwasher

start tomorrow's to do list

personal (reading, writing, and/or meditation)

As for the bigger, home maintenance items, I follow good ol' Martha's schedule from an essential book in my homemaking library: Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook.

***If any of you are interested in downloading/buying the cute chore chart I designed, you can buy the printed one here or buy the file here and print it yourself.

Wplus9 Sept '10 Release Day 4.

I made this card specifically for my mother and father in law. The sentiment was so perfect for them. (And seriously. That font. I love it.) I love making my own patterned paper, and stamping white on kraft paper is my favorite way of doing it. (This would make gorgeous wrapping paper. Hmmm...I'm putting that on my "To-Make" list.)


Thanks for letting me participate in this release, Dawn! You make the most beautiful stamps!

Purchase your own beautiful stamp set from Wplus9 Design Studio! It will be on sale tomorrow! Ever After is my new favorite stamp set and I know you will love it as well!

LOVE ENDURES ALL THINGS ingredients:
Stamps: Wplus9 (Ever After)
Ink: Papertrey Ink (Fresh Snow), ColorBox (Chestnut Roan)
Cardstock: Neenah, Stampin' Up!, American Crafts
Markers: Copic

Want to see more? Check out the other design team's creations:

• Dawn
• Elise
• Jinny
• Kerrianne
• Maile
• Savitri

Project Organize :: My Spice Rack & Pantry.

  MY SPICE RACK & PANTRY
by HANNAH CRANER of Sherbet Blossom

I love spices and I probably own way too many. (They only last so long, you know.) Cooking new recipes is my kind of fun and unique ingredients are often required. I have a box in my pantry full of interesting spices, but I keep the ones I use often on a cute spice rack in my kitchen. This shelf was actually taken from my little sister's room in my parent's house. I painted it black because I thought the spices would "pop" against the dark background. I love having my spices out in the open and I love the color they provide to my kitchen decor. So pretty.

I am often asked how I know what spice is in which jar without labels. The answer is that I have 3-4 of the similar-looking looking spices labeled on the bottom of the jar, but for the most part, I know what they are by looking at them. I've thought about labeling them, but I change them out with different spices too often.

These little jars were purchased at Roberts, a local craft store. Now that IKEA is near, though, I am coveting their spice jars. I'd love to have them all uniform in a row. But, for now, I'm happy with what I've got.

My pantry, though rather bare at the moment, is something I am quite proud of. It works marvelously for us and makes it very easy to stay organized. These boxes are from the children's section of IKEA and sell for $4/each. I made very un-exciting, but practical, labels for each box so we know what-goes-where.

I store my cookbooks in my pantry as well. I like keeping all the food-themed items together. Oh, I also keep my Homekeeping Handbook in the pantry. I refer to that book often. And for some reason, I feel that all things Martha should be in the kitchen.

***Tomorrow will be the final post of the Project: Organize series. I am so grateful to all who participated and commented. It was so motivating for me, and I hope it gave you all some great ideas as well.

Wplus9 Sept '10 Release Day 3.

I love coloring with copics on colored cardstock. It almost feels like cheating. It is so easy and really adds a punch of interest to the card. I combined this beautiful flower stamp with the butterflies from Dawn's famous Woodgrain Silhouette stamp set.

THE HEART BLOOMS WITH LOVE ingredients:
Stamps: Wplus9 (Ever After)
Ink:Versamark, Memento
Embossing Powder: Stampin' Up!
Cardstock: Neenah, Stampin' Up!
Ribbon: Offray
Markers: Copic
Jewels: My Mind's Eye

Want to see more? Check out the other design team's creations:

• Dawn
• Elise
• Jinny
• Kerrianne
• Maile
• Savitri

Wplus9 Sept '10 Release Day 2.

My in-laws, little sister, sister-in-law and I all have anniversaries within 2 weeks of each other. Dawn's beautiful set inspired me to make cards for everyone. I went a little glitter and Spica Pen crazy with this card. (I can't even tell you how fun Spica Pens are! Sometimes, when I get started with them, I go a little overboard!)

HAPPY EVER AFTER ingredients:
Stamps: Wplus9 (Ever After)
Ink: Memento
Cardstock: Neenah, Papertrey Ink
Markers: Copic
Glitter Pens: Spica by Copic
Glitter: Stampin' Up!

Want to see more? Check out the other design team's creations:

• Dawn
• Elise
• Jinny
• Kerrianne
• Maile
• Savitri

Project Organize :: How to Organize a Small Office.

 HOW TO ORGANIZE A SMALL OFFICE

by JANELL MARBREY of Empty Inkwell

Hi there Sherbet Blossom readers! I’m Janell from Empty Inkwell, a blog where I write about everyday adventures, family, children and crafts. I’m delighted to be a part of Hannah’s Project Organize series! Here’s a little peek into my world of (sometimes) organized chaos:

My husband, eight month-old daughter and I live in a two bedroom apartment in San Diego. Apartments are small enough as it is in San Diego, but because my husband and I both work out of our home, space is extra tight in our little place. When our daughter was born, our office/my craft room was turned into her bedroom. Instead of opting to move into a larger place, we are making it work where we’re at so that we can continue to save for a large down payment on a permanent home of our own.

Luckily, my husband and I are master space-savers and have managed to create workspaces that are both attractive and functional. He works full time, so a corner of our bedroom has become his little office nook. But because I only work part time (and don’t need quite as much stuff as he does), my “office” or lack thereof, consists of a deep bookcase with baskets where I organize my files and supplies. I’ve also managed to store a lot of my craft supplies in this small space, too, which my husband loves because he’s not staring at paints, stamps, pencils and sketchbooks all over the place.

The bookcase is from IKEA, and I found different sized, matching baskets at Michael’s for a great price. They came in packs of three for $29.99 each (and I had a 40% off coupon for one of them!). Michael’s has a pretty extensive basket selection, so it was easy to find ones that matched the colors in my bedroom. Because the bookcase is deep, my printer and laptop have homes right on top, and the baskets fill in the shelves. Whenever I need a file or other supply, I pull it out—this works the same no matter how your workspace is set up—so there’s no difference between an ordinary office and my bookcase/basket office there. The only (obvious) thing missing is the chair/desk combo. I usually like to sit on my bed while working on a laptop (like I am doing right now), but when I’ve got too much out, I bring my laptop, files, and whatever else I need for the day to my dining room table (sometimes I even grab entire baskets). And because it’s all so organized, it takes just a few moments to put back when I’m done.

I’ve always loved the idea of basket storage—baskets are cute, and you can tuck stuff away without anyone really knowing what is inside! My little bookcase/basket “office” doubles as pretty décor in our room (which I love!), and manages to organize everything needed for a work-at-home financial director. How’s that for organized!?

Thanks again, Hannah, for allowing me to share some ideas with your readers. Have a great day, everyone!

Project Organize :: Organizing Children's Clothes.

ORGANIZING CHILDREN'S CLOTHES
by JAICI RAZAK of Just JaiCi's Crafts

My name is JaiCi, and I blog over at Just JaiCi's Crafts. I love to craft and create, but I don't like messes! Things need to be neat and orderly for me to maximize my creativeness.

I grew up in a military family, which meant there wasn't a lot of space to store things that weren't NECESSITIES! That was ingrained in my head from day one, and it stayed with me into my married life. I don't let my husband keep things he hasn't used in months and we don't buy things unless we LOVE them or NEED them.

Well, then what do you do with things that you don't need anymore, but most definitely can't get rid of? Such as, kid's clothing! It isn't financially responsible to buy an entire new wardrobe for each child, so you must save the clothes, right?! RIGHT!

I have found the greatest way to maximize storage space while keeping it 'cute' and functional.....Rubbermaid and SPACE-BAGS!

My favorite way to pack away kids clothes is to pick a bucket! I like Rubbermaid best, but it's so hard to find the right size for what I need, that I have defected...my kids like the colored bins better anyway! Then, get a Space Bag and put it IN your bucket. After that, put the clothes IN the Space Bag, and over-fill what you think'll fit...a few inches above the rim. Add a few dryer sheets for freshness. Then close and suck out the air. Put lid on. Bam! All done! You even have space to stuff socks or blankets down in the spaces.

Now, now only are clothes stored and put away, but they'll stay fresh, keep out bugs, and you didn't have to use more than one bucket! Don't forget to label...helps in locating later.

This always works AMAZING for winter coats and blankets.

Wplus9 Sept '10 Release.

I am so, so excited to introduce you to Wplus9's September releases! My, oh my. This one is the best of the best. I am in love with Dawn's beautiful images. A bunch of friends and family already received cards made with this stamp set because I haven't been able to put it down. It is a must-own!

Ever After

• is a 6x8 clear photopolymer stamp set
• contains 14 stamps; 4 sentiments, and 10 images
• will be available for purchase September 1st for just $19

CONGRATULATIONS ingredients:
Stamps: Wplus9 (Ever After)
Ink: Colorbox, Stampin' Up!
Cardstock: Neenah
Patterned Paper: October Afternoon
Jewels: My Mind's Eye

Want to see more? Check out the other design team's creations:

• Dawn
• Elise
• Jinny
• Kerrianne
• Maile
• Savitri

Project Organize :: Organizing Your Books.

ORGANIZING YOUR BOOKS 
by KATIE JOHNSON of Crossing Georgia

I used to keep every book I’d ever owned. I loved displaying them all on bookshelves throughout my house. What I didn’t love was moving and storing them. I never had enough bookshelves and there were always books in boxes somewhere in my house. Usually when I was looking for a book, it would end up being in a box somewhere. Then, one of my friends brought over a couple of books and asked if I wanted them. I said, “You mean to borrow?” “No,” she said, “I don’t keep books; I just read them and pass them on.” I was blown away. But over the next couple days I starting thinking about how all my books had really become more of a stress than a joy in my life, and I realized that she was on to something. I did a major overhaul and got rid about half of my books and it feels great! Most of the books I got rid of had not had a second look once they were initially shelved. I love the idea of passing books on for others to enjoy instead of hording them to collect dust in my house.

Carlee gives these great tips on how to decide whether or not to keep a book:

Carefully go through your books. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Is this a book I will ever read again?
2. Do I love this book?
3. Is this a book I want to pass on to a friend?
4. Do I have the room for this book?
5. What do I benefit from keeping this book?
6. Is this a book I can get from the Library if I want to read it again?
7. If this is a type of reference book, is the same information available on the internet?

If you have a large amount of books, you can check your local charities, libraries {so many libraries right now have budget cuts, it's a good place to start}, schools, etc. to donate. Here are a few more places to start:

1. Freecyle.org
2. BookCrossing.com
3. PaperbackSwap.com
4. BooksThroughBars.org

After you've done that, make your piles: The books you want to keep; the books you want to pass on; and the books you will donate.

Once you have purged your bookshelves, Caitlin Wilson, author of design blog Style Files, gives this tip:

“Display essentials in a stylish way. Face it, bookshelves are supposed to be functional (I have to remind myself of this) so display books and other items in a creative way. Coordinate your books by color, cover them with pretty papers or fabrics, or even turn them backwards so you can see the pages! Put your pens or colored pencils in a clear glass vase, stack your bowls next to some books, and use frames and fun accessories as bookends. Even necessities can look good!”

I love this bookshelf. Not only did they make it interesting and beautiful with the picture frames and accessories, the wall behind the shelves is painted yellow, which gives it a great pop of color!

Project Organize :: Organize Your Dresser/Changing Table.

Hello All! We are in our last days of Project: Organize. I am thrilled with all the tips that the guests bloggers have shared and I've been putting them to use. Slowly but surely. (By hosting this series, I am in no way claiming to be an organized person. Rather, I am hosting this series to become one. I am seriously grateful for the motivation and tips I have implemented. I have miles to go.) I have a couple more tips to share myself and we have 4 more guests sharing their tips. In fact, we will have TWO today and tomorrow. Yes, two! Please come back if you want to read all about them.

On with the post!

ORGANIZE YOUR DRESSER/CHANGING TABLE
by SUEANN TAYLOR of alilbird.blogspot.com

Hi!  This is SueAnn from a lil bird, we blog about all kinds of things, cooking, projects, random musings, etc.  My sisters and decided it was time to stop flooding our personal blogs with all of our projects and keep them as a place for grandparents to read fun stories about their grandkids.  Thus, a lil bird was…hatched!  I am very honored to be featured here on one of my favorite daily reads, thanks Sherbet Blossom!

I am a new Mom and opted for a dresser instead of a changing table in order to save money.  I wanted it to be as functional and organized as possible, with everything I would need daily easily accessible.

This project takes about 5 minutes to do and is a great way to get organized with minimal time and effort, because let’s face it we all have a million things to do everyday and sometimes getting organized can fall to the bottom of the priority list.

 I bought the KOMPLEMENT drawer organizers from IKEA, threw them in the top drawer and instantly went from chaos to fabulous!  They are fabric and just zip on the bottom, and fit nicely in most drawers.  You can use as many or as few as you need depending on what items are in your dresser.  I buy my diapers in bulk, so I love being able to store a few weeks worth in the top drawer.

Thanks Hannah for letting us be a part of Project Organize!

Project Organize :: Kami's Organization Tips.

KAMI'S ORGANIZATION TIPS 
by KAMI BIGLER of NoBiggie.net

Hi Sherbet Blossom Readers!

I love this series that Hannah has organized for all of our benefit. When I feel organized, my life just seems to run better. Here are a couple things I do to stay organized:

First Up: I'm addicted to those small ziplock baggies that you'd find in the craft section that might be used for jewelry. I use them for everything from my extra business cards to all the items you see below. I love when the items inside fit the container or 'baggie' they are in. It just looks cleaner.


1. beads
2. board game pieces - this one is a great Quick Tip if you have a busy toddler
3. extra ribbon - that is too short to wind around anything and too long to throw away
4. gum - this is great for keeping gum quiet in your bag so it doesn't rattle around at church or in a movie theatre
5. small hair accessories and Q-tips - great for traveling
6. paper craft supplies - die cuts or any other scrapbook supplies that are small

Next Up: In the closet

These three things help keep my closet organized:



1. Hang all items facing the same way.
2. Have matching hangers. Even if they are the same ugly hunter green hangers from 1997 like I have (I really need to update it in here). Having all your hangers the same size and color really gives your closet a uniform look.
3. Organize your clothes by color (as best you can). This makes it easy to always find the items you are looking for.

Good Luck, Happy Organizing!

Project Organize :: Tips for Having a Sane and Organized Move.

TIPS FOR HAVING A SANE AND ORGANIZED MOVE
by SARAH JOHNSON of Redhead Recipes (My DARLING sister!)

I moved from Utah to Nebraska about 3 weeks ago. It was a big move for us, but we really felt things went quite smoothly. I would have felt a little better if my baby would have napped more during the 15 hour drive, but other than that, it was almost picture perfect. Here are some tips I found useful for our move. Hopefully some of these tips will work for you!

Tips for having a sane and organized move:

-Get help. Have people on both ends help you pack, clean, unpack, clean, babysit, or whatever else it takes to get the work done.

-Set some goals. I am a big list/calendar/schedule maker. It helps with the stress. I made a schedule of the two weeks prior to the move. I first put in the activities (ie goodbye parties, lunches, visits, etc). Then figure out what items you need the longest. Then each day pack a room. My first days I packed decorations, books, things I didn't need. Then I packed a suitcase and lived out of those, like we were on vacation. That way I didn't pack up things we needed. Once the kitchen was packed up, we ate out for about 5 days. 

-Write the room and specific box content visibly on the box. If you need to get in that box later you don't want to search through 5 "Kitchen" boxes just to find your silverware. This is especially true if you are placing your items in a storage unit or won't be getting to it for a few days/weeks; however long your memory retains (me = hours).

-Color code. Each room has its own color. Instead of writing on the box, write on half a sheet of colored paper (I suggest neons, you can't miss them and they are easy to see the writing of a black sharpie on them). Then when it is time to unpack place that color of paper of that room above the door or some place very visible.

-Keep the little ones away. They don't like the stress of a house being packed away, and you don't like having them unpack and wandering off with something and hiding it. Pack during naps and bedtimes. 

-Save the little one's rooms for the last. Let their room be a sanctuary, and let it be the same as long as possible.

-Obtain many more boxes than you think you need. There are always those little things that you forgot to pack or just wouldn't quite fit in the box.

-Have all the same size boxes, or just a few different sizes. This makes packing up a moving truck really easy.

-Pack your valuables well. You get what you pay for with movers. If you are having friends and family help you move for free, remember they are not professionals. Pack accordingly.

-Buy the ends of newsprint rolls from your local newspaper. It is like a roll of butcher paper only thinner. Perfect and inexpensive. Call your newspaper to see if they sell it. (Bonus! Kids love to make big artwork on the leftover newsprint! It will keep them entertained while you are packing the truck!)

-When unpacking, have someone manning the door. Look at the box/furniture and direct the traffic. This will make unpacking a little easier.

-As you pack each item, think if you have really used it in the last year. If not, throw it in the good will pile. You don't need it taking up space in a box if you aren't going to use it. Be brutal. You'll be happy to not move with so much clutter.

-Wrap your furniture in newsprint to prevent from minor scratches. You can put something with a little more padding on the corners if you are worried.

-Keep original boxes of items you care a lot about. They make packing easy and you can feel safer about how they are packed. I have my boxes for my computer, food processor, printer, and Kitchen-aid. 

-Relax!

8 Years.

8 years ago, I was 19. And getting married. I'm not sure how a youngin' like that made such a brilliant choice in husbands, but I did. Luck, I think. Certainly not maturity.

Since that day, a lot has happened. We are nowhere near where we thought we'd be 8 years later. Dreams change so much from age 19 to age 27. I'm sure I'll say the same thing in 10 more years after life takes us for a few more unexpected turns. But through all the uncertainty of life, one thing has remained constant: I am completely and totally in love with my husband.

A few wedding pictures for your enjoyment:

Minutes after we said "I do!" (I am holding my small, back-up bouquet in this picture.)

My gorgeous bouquet. The flowers at my wedding were out-of-this-world. When I was at my consultation, the wedding planner asked me what I wanted my colors to be and I said "Bright! For sure yellow in the mix."  With her help, we came up with this beautiful bouquet and the colors made me sooo happy. The gerber daisy is actually a salmony-pink, which helped calm down the bright-bright-bright of everything else.

The pretty cake. This cake was DELISH. The fruit tied in with my bright, bright theme. At the time, I wasn't really a cake-kinda-girl, so this was oh-so perfect for me.

Our kiddo entourage. My sweet little princess cousins and nieces. (And one handsome little red-headed boy who looks amazingly like my own red-headed boy. They must be cousins.)

We had two receptions. One that my parents put on (seen above), and one that was hosted by my husband's parents in Idaho. Both were lovely. One of the best thing about getting married to someone from Burley, Idaho is that you are required to register at Ace Hardware. (No, really. You totally read that right. ACE HARDWARE.) I remember telling my future father-in-law that I didn't really want to register there and he said, "Well, that's fine, but no one is going to give you any presents." So, we did. When we arrived at the reception, before it began, there was a table of matching-presents already waiting for us. Ace delivers! Oh, it was the highlight of my day. We have had a few too many laughs over that.

We're going to be celebrating all weekend. (Our actual anniversary is Sunday, but we like to drag out the festivities.) Will be back Monday with some of our final organization tips and maybe an announcement.

Thank you.

I am overwhelmed with the response given to me about the Project:Organize series. I have am inbox full of great ideas and can't wait to share them with you all.

As of now, the series is booked. Thank you all who submitted! Next month we are moving on to a new, less frequent series that I am WAY too excited for. It's about one some of my favorite things. Oooh...I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Project Organize :: Mental & Craft Room Organization.

MENTAL & CRAFT ROOM ORGANIZATION
by Dawn Woleslagle of Wplus9 Design Studio


Organized. Not the first adjective that leaps to mind when I think of myself. In fact, when Hannah asked me to participate in Project Organize, I laughed out loud. Literally. After my husband laughed at me as well, my defenses kicked in. Hey, I'm a mother of two rambunctious school age boys, work full time outside of my home, host cub scout meetings and outings 9 months out of the year, and run a small stamp company, Wplus9 Design Studio, from our home. I can't possibly be that disorganized, can I? So how do I juggle it all? Mental Organization. The key is to keep it all compartmentalized.

1. Make a schedule
I'm sure I'm not alone in the "wears many hats" department. I have found that blocking out my time helps me to keep on track. For example; from x-x go to work, from x-x family time, from x-x personal time, etc. Get as much as you can done in the time allotted, but remember rule #2.

2. Be Flexible
Accept that you can't do everything, all the time. Every week brings with it a new list of "to dos". Go through this list and identify the "have to dos" and designate the days and times to do those first. Be sure to include a "want to do" for yourself at least once a week.

3. Write It Down
Whether you use a handwritten calendar or a PDA device, or a smart phone, having a visual or audible reminder is priceless. I could not live without my iPhone. I have my work Outlook Calendar as well as my personal calendar synced so that I don't have to worry about double booking or missing a meeting.

4. Stay Connected
Use modern technology. I'm serious. In addition to my calendars, I have all of my email accounts synced with my iPhone as well. As long as I have my phone, I can answer all emails, re-schedule appointments if I'm running late. pay bills, update my e-commerce store. I'm never down or out of touch.

5. Create Space
Designate a space for yourself. It doesn't have to be a whole room, a desk will work just fine. Have a least one piece of functional furniture in this room to store or file the materials you use most frequently. We only have a three bedroom home. So I've had to improvise a bit. We have a desk with file drawers in the bedroom for all of personal and home filing, and I use the top shelves of my sons closet to store my inventory for now. My "studio" where I craft, fill orders, and design for my stamp company, doubles as our formal dining room.

I chose a buffet that would not only accommodate all of my crafting supplies, but look like it fit in with the room as well.

The over-sized table is large enough for me to work at as well as have the boys join me to do their homework, or craft along with me. The location of the room allows me to still be "present" even when I'm working, so I am never out of touch.

Sometimes, a little mental organization can be just as powerful as physical organization...just remember to be flexible.

At least I have the necklace.

I am still undecided on what to wear to my brother's wedding. I'm having the hardest time finding a dress that I like on me. I've tried on a ton of dresses. Blah. I have, however, found the necklace! Isn't it gorgeous? It is called the Pearls and Blue Coral Silk Necklace. I've already worn it a couple times and it is really pretty on!

And even better? It's almost half price right now! Get 'em while they're hot!

Project Organize :: The Two-Week Dinner Plan.

THE TWO-WEEK DINNER PLAN by Serene Heiner of Serene is my name, Not my life!

I think the two most frustrating things about making dinner are one, not having the faintest idea what to make, and two, having something you want to make but are lacking all the ingredients.

So what happens? You think to yourself, “Blast. Well, I guess its macaroni and cheese again! Oh wait... we’re out of macaroni and cheese? Uhhh... do we have any tator tots?”

Been there, done that.

I also LOATHE throwing out food. It feels like I’m tossing money into the garbage. Then I feel guilty for wasting! Yea, you know what I’m talking about mister vegetable drawer! Anyway, I finally decided I needed a plan. Not only to keep dinner organized, less time consuming and less hectic, but also find a way to stick to our grocery budget better and waste less food.

Enter my two-week dinner and grocery shopping plan. It’s easy peasy and works like a charm!

To start, sit down with all your cookbooks, visit your favorite cooking blogs, or browse the internet. Pick out twelve recipes. Yup, twelve. I say twelve instead of fourteen because this allows for one day each week to be the designated “left-over” night. Pick out easy recipes for half the days, like spaghetti or baked potatoes, and half more time consuming recipes.

Now, here’s the trick. When you pick a recipe, write down what it is and where you found it so you don't have to waste time trying to remember. Then add what ingredients you need for it to your shopping list! And wa-la! You will use up what you have in my fridge, resulting in less waste, and you'll always have the ingredients you need for dinner.

Here are a couple other ideas to help organize your meal planning:
- Gather all your recipes for the two weeks and put them together in one place.
- Have your recipes set up so they are compatible with what your day will be like. Will you have company? Will you be gone all day? Etc.
- Cook in bulk. When cooking something, such as chicken for dinner, and you know you are going to need some chicken for a recipe in a couple days, go ahead and cook up the extra right then! It will save you time.
- If you are on a tight budget, don’t be afraid to shop with a calculator! If you find yourself going over your budget, just put that extra box of crackers or cookies back on the shelf.

Cards for Kids: Crafting for a Cause.

Hello and welcome to the Lawn Fawn Hearts Cards for Kids Blog Hop! We have all come together today to make cards for a wonderful cause, Cards for Kids! We hope to encourage you to also make cards for this great cause and have fun along the way, too! So please hop along with us, and make sure to leave comments as there will be prizes for commenters and participants! So let's get going! Also, if you are lost in the hop, you can always start at the beginning at the Lawn Fawn blog. Thank you so much for hopping along with us today!

Here is my contribution:

Stamps: Lawn Fawn
Ink: Memento, Colorbox, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Versamark
Cardstock: Neenah, Papertrey Ink
Border punch: Stampin' Up!
Pen: Uni-ball Signo Broad

NEXT UP:
Laurie http://lalybi.blogspot.com

Project Organize :: Tickler File Organization.

TICKLE, TICKLE, TICKLER FILE ORGANIZATION by Kristi of Creative Kristi


Hi all! My name is Kristi and I blog about cheap home renovations, frugal living, crafting, and life!

I am so excited to share my best organizational tip today! I implemented a ‘tickler’ file system almost 2 years ago and I have not forgotten a payment/bill/etc. since then! It takes a little bit to set up but after it’s set up the ‘up-keep’ is minimal!

This is something you can easily make yourself with just a couple hanging file folders & manila folders but I went the ‘easy’ way and bought a tickler file from here and then put hanging folders behind it.

Here is the picture of my set up:


It is housed on a shelf under my computer in a plastic crate from Wal-mart.

Assemble your tickler file/hanging file folders. To make your own you need a folder for each day of the month numbered 1-31 and 12 folders each with a month of the year written on them. When a bill comes in the mail look at the due date and if it’s due that month then put the bill into the numbered folder about a week before it is due. Example: bill is due August 10 so you would put the bill in the number 4 (August 4) part/folder of the tickler file. If you pay your bills online just write on a piece of paper the name of the bill and stick it in (you can re-use this from month to month).

However if it is a once in awhile bill or a birthday, you would put it in the month part of the tickler file. If it’s a bill you received in August but isn’t due until September then you would place it in the September folder. At the end of every month (I do this a week before the end of the month) you open next month’s folder and place the bills/reminders into the appropriate number slots.

That’s it! The only thing you need to do is remember to check that day’s number folder every morning! It will hold all the items you need to get to that day! Easy peasey!

The hanging file folders I have behind my tickler file have various names and help me stay organized in a lot of other ways. Some of their titles are: To do NOW (needs to be done before I check my tickler file- might be things I didn’t get to the day before), To File (after I pay a bill I place it in here and file it about once a week/every two weeks), I have one for coupons (I check when menu planning), Goals, Awaiting Reply (I use this for rebates I’m waiting to get back, etc.), and Write (this is where I put my blog post Ideas or guest posts I need to get to).

So there you have my organizational tip! Easy and cheap!

Have A Happy Day,