It’s summer! The sun, the water, the shade of a leafy tree and the smell of a BBQ–it’s all calling your name.
But, wait…
You say you need to get organized. Your kitchen, your closet, your papers from the last three months–all need organizing.
It’s a dilemma. Spending time outside means you’re not organizing inside.
I’m a Professional Organizer and even I don’t want to spend much time organizing when it’s 85 degrees and sunny!
The solution for the summer (as well as the other three seasons)?
Get organized in 5 minutes.
No, I’m not crazy. It IS possible to get organized in 5 minutes. You’re not going to organize your entire closet or kitchen in 5 minutes but there are teeny-tiny tasks that you can complete that will move you one step forward towards your organizing goals. And, I’ve said it a bunch of times–it’s those baby steps that will motivate you and keep your eye on the organizing prize.
Here are 10 ways you can get organized in 5 minutes:
Declutter your wallet
A bulging wallet isn’t always a sign of wealth–it can sometimes be a sign of a wallet in need of decluttering! Cash, receipts, business cards, and random scraps of paper multiply like bunnies in between clean-outs. Take 5 minutes to make space in your wallet for money to flow into it!
Create a home for an item that doesn’t have one
We’re always bringing new items into our homes whether it’s children’s artwork, a plant, a picture frame, or a new piece of technology. If the item will be sticking around for a while (or permanently), it’s going to need a place to ‘live.’ Spend 5 minutes thinking of the best ‘home’ for the item and place it in that spot.
Create a file for a new document
Papers also need ‘homes!’ Perhaps you opened a new bank account or you just received your child’s school directory. Those papers need to live somewhere (not your dining room table!). Take 5 minutes to label a file folder, place the papers inside, and store it in a spot that guarantees you’ll always be able to find it.
Delete blurry or duplicate photos from your phone
I was telling my kids the other day about how cameras used to use something called film and you could only take either 24 or 36 shots at a time. And then we had to pay to develop the whole roll regardless of what the pictures could potentially look like. And you had to carry an extra roll of film in case you ran out of shots (and flash cubes, but that’s a whole other story…).
It’s so easy to take multiple pictures of the same thing on our phones. But, that takes up precious space on our little hand-held computers. Ever spend time waiting in a line for 5 minutes? Waiting for the water on the stove to boil? Waiting for the laundry to stop spinning? All of these scenarios and many other 5-minute pockets of time are perfect for deleting blurry and duplicate photos on your phone.
Plan one meal
Does this scenario resonate with you? You come home from work or school or from taking your kids to activities and discover you have nothing in your pantry that comes close to resembling a meal. Taking 5 minutes to plan one meal in advance will save you hours in the supermarket and at the stove, put money back in your wallet, and time back in your day. You won’t feel ‘hangry’ and it may even help trim your waistline, too…
Toss expired food from your fridge, cabinets, or pantry
While you’re planning that one meal, take another 5 minutes to dispose of food that has expired or that resembles a science experiment. Sort through and purge one shelf at a time. Check expiration dates and if you’re brave enough, give leftovers the ‘sniff test.’ By doing this for 5 minutes at a time, you’ll stay on top of your food inventory and keep your refrigerator fresh and clean. Best time to do this? The night before your garbage collection.
Unsubscribe to emails from businesses/organizations you no longer make purchases from/donations to
Imagine if all of those unsolicited emails you receive daily were actual physical pieces of mail. You would have one clogged up mailbox and a whole lot of recycling to do! Get organized in 5 minutes by unsubscribing from unwanted email solicitations. It may take a few days for the ‘unsubscribe’ to take effect but those 5 minutes will have been worth it when you’re no longer using your time to sort through so many ‘junk’ emails.
Test pens and markers
Is your junk drawer overflowing with pens, highlighters, and markers? If so, spend 5 minutes finding out if they still work. This is an ideal job for kids! Give them a pad of paper and a bunch of pens and markers and have them scribble and sort–anything that still works stays and anything that is out of ink or isn’t writing as well as it should gets thrown out or recycled.
Create your to-do list for the next day
Take 5 minutes to write out your next day ‘to-do’ list before you turn in for the night. This technique has multiple benefits. It will help you sleep well–you’ll wake up knowing exactly what needs to be done. It gives your brain an opportunity to think about what needs to be accomplished and places that information elsewhere when you write it down (using paper or tech). Now you can use those morning hours to plan and prioritize your tasks instead of spending time wondering what you should be doing next.
Make your bed
It’s one of the first chores of the day and the first accomplishment of the day. It starts your morning off in a calm and organized fashion. No need to make your bed look picture perfect. Cover the bed with your blanket/comforter, smooth it out, and tidy up your pillows. Unless you sleep restlessly it should take you less than 5 minutes to make your bed. If you have a partner, split the task with them–it will take even less time!
5 minutes making your bed = Time.Well.Spent.
You CAN get organized in 5 minutes!
What 5 minute organizing task will you accomplish today?
As a Professional Organizer, mom of two, and former first grade teacher, I have spent much time organizing kids.
Guess which age range has the most stuff that needs organizing?
The smallest of children! For little people, they sure have a lot of things to organize!
And because they’re ‘tiny tots,’ (a name I adopted from my son’s former preschool class) they’re not as independent as a teen, tween, or even eight year old would be.
If you’re responsible for one or more of those tiny tots, you’re probably very busy. And tired. Mmmmm…more like exhausted. You have very little time or energy to keep their lives organized. When you have tiny tots, it’s rare that you have more than ten minutes to spare–especially if you have more than one child!
In the interest of saving you time, money, space, and stress (and your sanity?!?), here are 10 ten-minute tasks to tackle for organizing your teeniest of tiny tots:
10 Ten-Minute Tasks
• Purge photos from your smartphone. I KNOW you have a ton of pics of your tiny tots on your phone. I did, too (and still do…)! Take ten minutes a week to delete any blurry, red-eye, duplicate photos. You don’t want to run out of digital space and not be able to capture future milestones and adorable moments.
• Gather and carve out a small space (a lower cabinet, drawer, or basket) for kid-friendly dishes, bowls, and cups. Taking ten minutes to set this up will save you hours in the future. Creating a space for a child to retrieve a bowl or cup by themselves (and put it back after being washed) encourages independence and teaches them beginner organizing skills.
• Organize food storage containers. Purge out containers with missing lids or those that have gone through the dishwasher one too many times. With a little direction, some children as young as two or three can help match lids to bottoms and group similar-shaped containers together. *This task is especially important if you pack your child a lunch every day for day care or preschool.
• Before heading to the market or placing an online order, take inventory of baby food, formula, and diapers. Depending upon how many kids you have, this should take you less than ten minutes but save you a lot of time, energy, and grief.
• Scan your kid’s play area for sticky, broken, or infrequently used toys and take a few moments to wash them, repair or toss them, or donate them.
• Using strips of low-tack blue tape, create ‘parking spots’ in your play space or garage for large toy trucks, doll carriages, or ride-on toys. This designates a ‘home’ for these bigger toys and just like you park your car in a lot, on the street, or in a driveway your child will park their toy in these designated spots. And if they don’t, you can play a game I like to call, ‘Mommy Meter Maid…’
(For some of my other toy organizing ideas for your tiny tots, read more here.)
• Create a ‘home’ for your kid’s favorite bedtime books. When bedtime isn’t going as smoothly as you’d like, at least you’ll know where their ‘sleepy-time stories’ are!
• Grab diapers, cream, wipes, and a mat and set up a ‘satellite’ diaper changing station in an area you spend the most time in with your tiny tots. Doing this will save you time from having to run to your changing table, from having to clean up a blowout (you know what I’m talking about…), and then having to do some messy laundry. *Spend less than ten minutes a week refilling both diaper changing stations with more ‘supplies.’
• Similarly, use a ten minute pocket of time to take note of and re-stock the contents of your tiny tot’s diaper bag. Jot down a checklist of must-have and nice-to-have items and keep it in the pocket of the bag for reference–a real time and brain-space saver! It’s important to have a diaper bag prepared for when you want to leave the house, when you have to leave the house, or in an emergency situation.
• Take ten minutes to brainstorm more ideas for organizing your tiny tots in under ten minutes. I would say, “Take ten minutes on Pinterest to to look up more kid organizing ideas but let’s be honest–who can be on Pinterest for only ten minutes?!? So, instead please–take ten minutes to yourself. Organizing your tiny tots is important but so is self-care. And if Pinterest is part of your self-care routine–take at least fifteen if you’re able to…
Little kids are unpredictable–be realistic with your ten minutes. If you have a task you think will only take ten minutes but it really takes more, split the task in two parts and tackle them at different times of the day. And if you don’t have ten minutes one day, you’ll have it tomorrow or over the weekend. Keep these tasks as simple as possible and enlist help from a friend, family member, or kid-loving teenager.
Put these 10 ten-minute tasks into practice to make parenting ever-so-slightly easier. You’re on your way to modeling and teaching your tiny tot the how-to’s and benefits of being organized.
What? It’s time to send the kids back to school? Already?
Are you sure? Because I’m still enjoying the warm weather and not having to pack lunch boxes–how about you?
OK. Time for a reality check. School starts this week for my kids. Others across the country began weeks ago and have already submitted their ‘What I Did Over Summer Vacation’ assignment.
As we all know, it’s important to start the school year off on the right foot. Freshly sharpened pencils, a positive mindset, and solid sleep habits are first-rate ways to get the year in motion. An apple for the teacher couldn’t hurt…
If you’re feeling stressed just thinking about everything you need to do to keep you and your kids organized throughout the school year, take a deep breath. There are basic organizing principles that can help you simplify and streamline what needs to get done and help you and your kids get an A+ in ‘Organization’ for the school year.
One of these basic organizing principles is known as ‘Give Everything A Home.’
Everything that comes into your home and already exists in your home needs a place to ‘live.’ The concept may sound overwhelming, but if you think about it–most of what you own already has logical homes. For example, your clothes live in a closet, your toothbrushes live in the bathroom, and your wallet lives in your handbag.
Establishing ‘homes’ for your belongings helps you to easily locate them when you need them. As the back to school season begins and as the school year progresses, you and your kids are going to need to find and access school-related items quickly, efficiently, and sometimes (for the kids) independently.
Here are some tips and solutions for giving everything ‘back to school’ a ‘home’ in your home:
What needs a home: Papers
Create a Home for School-Related Papers
Since my eldest started kindergarten a decade ago, the amount of paper that comes home from school has been drastically reduced. But, even with schools using email, texting, and the Remind app to communicate with parents and reduce paper usage, papers still come home and still have to be read, filled out, and dealt with. Beware! Papers like to multiply like rabbits when left on a kitchen counter or dining room table!
Solutions:
• Designate a ‘home’ for papers that parents need to review and designate a ‘home’ for papers dedicated to each child. This could be a shelf, a set of stacking inbox trays, plastic drawers, or shoeboxes–whatever works for your space and budget.
When they come home from school, have each child place papers to be reviewed in the ‘parent’ spot and when the parent is finished processing the papers (permission slips/book orders/money collection) they are then placed in the ‘child’ spot. The child then takes those completed papers and puts them in their folder/book bag to take back to school.
Bonus tip: For papers that need to be referenced often during the course of a school year (school holiday schedule, class lists, etc.), consider placing them in a binder or folder and designate an easy-to-access ‘home’ for the binder or folder to live in.
What needs a home: Kid’s Artwork
Create a Home for Artwork
First, it’s scribbles on paper. Then, finger paints and leaf rubbings. Soon, the artwork becomes 3-D and it’s living on your dining room table. And in the entrance way. And all over the floor in your kid’s room.
Solutions:
• Determine where your children’s artwork will ‘live’ before it even starts coming through your door. What space works best? Your child’s room? The refrigerator? A mudroom or hallway space? Knowing in advance where the artwork will ‘live,’ makes it less likely for it to take up residence across your dining room table. Decide where the artwork will live and reserve that space for that purpose.
• Create space limits for displaying and keeping artwork. Will it be displayed on the front of the fridge? An eye-level shelf in the family room? Will it be stored in a portfolio folder? A clear bin in your attic? Let the size of the space determine the amount of artwork you can display and store.
Too much artwork and not enough space to put it on display? Have the kids select what they want to keep–this improves decision making skills. Photograph much-loved 2-D and 3-D pieces and create a small printed or digital photo album of their work.
• Create time limits for displaying and keeping artwork. This can be determined by how much artwork is coming through your door multiplied by the number of children you have. Work with your child(ren) to figure out how long they would like their art displayed before giving up the space to another work of art or another person’s work of art. A week? A month? Until the next piece of art comes home?
• Create an ‘exit strategy’ for the art (you parents of preschoolers know what I mean….). Will it be photographed and kept? Mailed to Grandma? Will it be photographed and tossed? Yes–your trash receptacle may at some point become a permanent ‘home’ for your children’s artwork.
Bonus tip–Don’t throw artwork away in front of your budding artist!
What needs a home: Library Books
Create a Home for Library Books
Raise your hand if you or your kids have accidentally mixed library books in with the books in your home. I’m raising my hand, too! (Yes–it even happens to Professional Organizers).
Solutions:
• Create a specific home just for library books–a simple way to prevent school and town library books from accidentally co-habitating with other ‘like’ books in your home. That ‘home’ may be a shelf, a container, a basket or a designated spot in a closet. Wherever that spot is, put a label on it that says ‘Library Books’ so everyone can see it. When books are brought home from the library, place them here first. After reading them, return them to this spot. When they’re ready to be returned, you’ll know exactly where they are.
Speaking of returning books…
* Bonus tip–Make a note in your calendar of the day books are due back to the library. Make another note one week in advance of that date. Knowing the due date means not having to pay a ‘late book’ fee!
What needs a home: School Supplies
Create a Home for School Supplies
Have you gone shopping for school supplies yet? Not just for the supplies the teacher would like for the classroom–I’m talking about the ones you need in your home. Yes–those purple glue sticks, crayons, packages of loose leaf paper, and poly folders–they will need a ‘home,’ too.
Solutions:
• Designate a space in your home for the storing of basic school and office supplies your kids may need for the year. For quick access, this spot should be close to where they do their homework. The supplies can live in one central location or each child can create a ‘home’ for their personal school supplies in their room or close to where they prefer to do their work.
• For small items like erasers and paper clips or items in multiples such as markers and crayons, use containers that act as smaller ‘homes’ to keep these items grouped together in the space, bin, shelf, or drawer designated for school supplies.
Bonus tip – Take inventory of school supplies at the beginning of every month. You’ll still need glue sticks and sharp pencils in May and June!
Give the ‘Give Everything A Home’ principle a try. Soon you’ll begin to see just how manageable the school year can be when you give everything a home. And if it works well for school, just think how well the ‘Give Everything A Home’ principle would work in other areas of your home and life…Hmmmm…
Wishing you and your kids an organized school year!
Good morning, class! Welcome to Label Maker Hacks 101. I’m Professor Murray and in today’s lesson we’re going to be discovering 3 label maker hacks to save you time, money, and stress.
Please take out your label maker, place it on the desk in front of you, and make sure the batteries are working. We’ll start off with some fingertip exercises, a quick review of the QWERTY keyboard, and then move on to today’s lesson.
If you have walked into my lecture hall by mistake but wish to stay and learn, please refer to my blog post: 5 Reasons Why You Should Own a Label Maker. It is required reading for the Label Maker Hacks 101 course…
No need to take any notes–I have all the label maker hack details outlined for you below. Let the learning begin!
Todays Lesson: 3 Label Maker Hacks to Save You Time, Money, and Stress
Hack #1: How to Save Tape
If you do not own a label maker you may not be aware of the fact that although a new label maker often comes with one ‘starter’ tape cartridge, in order to print more labels, you must purchase more tape cartridges. They can be purchased individually, in 4-packs, and in bulk.
When printing a label, the label maker leaves the first approximately half to three-quarters of an inch of tape blank and then starts printing the word(s) or phrase. After it has been printed, the label maker leaves another half to three-quarters of an inch blank on the right side of the word/phrase.
That’s A LOT of WASTED label tape. Wasted label tape = wasted money
For those who own label makers, you know how quickly a tape cartridge can run out of tape–usually in the middle of typing a long phrase or when you need to it to print out quickly (not that I have any experience with either of those…ahem…).
I’ve been using my label maker on the job and in my home for close to twenty years and in that time, I’ve discovered a way to save label maker tape. This works especially well when needing to print many related labels such as for folders in a file cabinet or for kid’s school supplies.
Here’s how you do it:
1-Think about your needs. What are you labeling? Spice jars? File folders? Pantry shelves?
2-On paper or on your phone, write the words or phrases you wish to create labels for.
3-Type those words/phrases into your label maker. As you type, press the space bar 5-6 times between each word/phrase. This will create a small blank space between each word/phrase.
4-Press the ‘Print’ button and watch your label maker miraculously give birth to one long label with all of your words/phrases on it.
5-Use the built-in cutting tool to separate the label from the label maker.
6-Use a scissor to cut in between each word/phrase.
Look how much label maker tape you’ve saved!
This label maker hack will eliminate a bulk of the wasted tape on both ends, saving you inches of tape and piles of money.
Hack #2: Keep Your Font Sizes and Styles on Display
Every label maker is different but most offer the user multiple font styles and font sizes to choose from.
Depending upon how old or new your label maker is determines how many font styles and font size options it has. I own a nineteen year old label maker so I only have 5 font sizes and 9 styles. Newer models have upwards of 14 fonts and 10 font styles.
When creating labels for a project, I like to be able to offer my clients some size and style options. Sometimes the nature of the project dictates what size and style font to use. Attic bins need the largest font while small objects require the use of the smallest font. But, sometimes we’re able to use any size and style–that’s when I ask my client to consider their choices.
In order to show my clients their style and size choices without printing all of them out on the spot (and repeatedly using an excessive amount of label tape), I devised a system that would save me precious time and precious label maker tape.
Here’s what I did–I advise you to do the same:
1-Select a short word (I chose cat because it’s short and hey, I like cats…)
2-Print out one label of that word for each size and style your label maker can create.
3-Stick the labels to the back of your label maker or on a large index card for easy reference. Keep the index card in the same place where you store your label maker.
Taking time to set this up takes the work of remembering all the font styles and sizes out of your brain and onto the back of your label maker or on an index card.
After creating the font display almost two decades ago, I now just turn my label maker over, show my client the selection and say, “Pick the font you want!” Happy clients!
Hack #3: Split it Down the Middle
Label maker tape has two parts to it–the label itself and the backing that covers the stickiness.
If you’ve had a label maker for as long as I have, you may remember that label tape was not that easy to work with. When I started using a label maker almost twenty years ago, it was very challenging to get the backing off the label. And frustrating. The backing was about a hairline larger than the actual label. With a keen eye, a few long fingernails, and a lot of practice I was able to remove the backing fairly easily and look like a label maker rock star to my clients.
People must have filed complaints because Brother (the label maker company) eventually changed the backing of the label tape. Hallelujah! Now, the backing of the label splits in two horizontally allowing for MUCH EASIER removal. On the Brother website, it’s called ‘easy-to-use and easy-to-peel-off split-back’ tape. Less stressed customers = happier customers!
No more struggling to remove the backing of the label. Here’s what to do:
1-Take the label with the words facing away from you and gently bend it in half away from you on the horizontal. You’ll notice a line that will divide the backing in two.
2-Remove both backing strips and apply the label to your surface.
Now you know how to take the backing off the label–what a time (and fingernail) saver!
I hope you enjoyed today’s class. There will be no final exam on the material. Your homework is to practice what you’ve learned and share these hacks with other label maker owners.
Now, go forth and share your new-found knowledge. Class dismissed!
If there’s one thing I hear over and over from my clients and others, it’s that one of the most challenging parts of getting organized is starting. Many people don’t know where or how to start. And we all know what happens when you don’t know where or how to start. You.Don’t.Start. (Insert sad face here)
I want you to start! And I want you to succeed. But there are a few steps you’ll need to take before you can even begin to contemplate setting an organizing project in motion. Don’t toss anything in the trash. Refrain from buying cute bins and baskets. Read on.
In order for you to get organized and stay organized, it’s necessary to ask yourself two important questions.
What is my WHAT?
and
What is my WHY?
Yup. Ask yourself those two questions. And grab either your phone or paper and pen to help you remember your answers. Let’s start with ‘your WHAT.’
Your WHAT = What do I want to get organized?
Is it…
-your clothing closet filled with multiple sizes?
-your basement filled with thirty years of accumulation?
-your overstuffed file cabinets?
-your overstuffed kitchen cabinets?
Coming up with answers to ‘What is my WHAT?’ is the easier of the two questions to answer. Your WHAT is the part that is usually easy to determine because you come in contact with it all the time in your home. You see your WHAT on a daily or weekly basis so it’s easy to name. Write it down.
Next, consider your WHY.
Your WHY = WHY do I want it to be organized?
also know as…
WHY do I want to get my ‘WHAT’ organized?
This is the more challenging of the two questions. Asking yourself WHYrequires that you dig deep for answers. The answers may not be simple ones and may require the examination of past habits and patterns as well as the reflection of past decisions and choices. Pay attention to your feelings and take time to understand them. I know–easier said than done. But, being honest with yourself and your struggle to get organized will benefit you short-term and in the long run.
Let’s get back to figuring out your WHY…
WHY do YOU want to get organized? You might say…
“I’m tired of running late because I can’t find the clothes in my closet that fit me. I want to organize my closet in order to be able to get dressed in less than ten minutes. I want to look good and feel good and not start my day off stressed out anymore.”
or…
“I’ve been spending a lot of money in credit card late fees. I want to create an organized bill paying system so I can pay my bills on time, stop wasting money, and eventually raise my low credit score. I can’t save for a down payment on a house if I’m letting money slip through my fingers. I’ll never be able to buy a home if my credit score prevents me from getting a mortgage.”
or…
“I’m exhausted from always running to the supermarket at the end of my work day. I want to organize my kitchen cabinets for meal planning. I don’t want to do the ‘5 o’clock scramble’ anymore! Knowing in advance what my family and I are eating for dinner will save me time and money and may even help me eat more healthily and lose weight.”
Whatever your WHYis, write it on a post-it and hang it somewhere you’ll see it often. Make it your screen saver or your phone’s wallpaper. Keep it on a card in your wallet. Don’t lose sight of it. During the organizing process, you might feel stuck, frustrated, or overwhelmed. Go back and look at your WHY.
Your WHY will focus you and keep you on track to complete your organizing tasks.
Your WHY is there to remind you WHY you’re working hard to get organized.
Your WHY will motivate you to move forward towards your personal organizing finish line.
Just by knowing your WHAT and your WHY, you’re ready to take the next step on your path to a more organized life.
What is your WHAT and what is your WHY?
Click the image below to print a *free* worksheet to help you think about more than just your WHAT and your WHY!
This blog post is the second in a series of posts designed to teach you how to meal plan during times of crisis and in your everyday life (post-coronavirus). If there was ever a time to consider practicing the Art of Organized Meal Planning–it’s now.
With most of the country required to adhere to ‘stay at home’ orders, it’s just not practical or safe to be running out to the grocery store on a whim for today’s lunch or dinner. It’s time to start planning out the meals you prepare for yourself and your family. In my last blog post, I discussed the benefits to meal planning and shared my seven step system for meal planning success.
Ask anyone who has been meal planning for awhile whether they think it’s worth doing and I’m sure a majority would agree with a resounding, ‘YES!’ Meal planning saves you time, money, energy, and stress. It automates the process of what you and your family will eat every day. Three times a day. Not including snacks. That’s a lot of thinking about food that your brain doesn’t need to do on a daily basis! Meal planning prepares you with fuel for your body and brain and in unpredictable times such as these, meal planning will keep you safe.
To assist in keeping your tummies full, your brain less stressed, and your health in check, I’ve gathered some meal planning do’s and don’ts to help you reach your meal planning goals:
Organized Meal Planning Do’s and Don’ts
General Organized Meal Planning Do’s and Don’ts
Do pick a day of the week to do your meal planning. Many people choose a Saturday or Sunday but it doesn’t matter what day you set aside for meal planning as long as your meal planning gets done.
Don’t worry about meal planning on the same day every week. Just make sure you meal plan before leaving for the grocery store.
Do start small, start easy, and start where you are. No one learns to meal plan for a week at a time overnight. It takes practice, know-how, and desire.
Don’t become overwhelmed with meal planning. If you’re new to the concept, start by meal planning for one day. When you become more comfortable with meal planning, try doing it two days a week. Baby steps eventually reap big rewards.
Do your meal planning when your energy levels are at their highest. You need a good amount of brain power to meal plan successfully.
Don’t meal plan when you’re tired, frustrated, or hungry!
Do inventory your pantry closet and cabinets before buying more food and household goods.
Don’t forget to check your fridge for any foods about to turn green. ‘Almost-green’ food items can be turned into a meal with a bit of creativity.
Organized Meal Planning During Crisis Time or Anytime Do’s and Don’ts
Do block out at least one hour for the task. In the first post in this series, I discuss the process for meal planning. It takes time to check your pantry, look at recipes, and make your list–I promise you it will be time well spent.
Don’t rush through the meal planning process. Meal planning will save you time, money, stress, and energy. Giving meal planning the time it requires for success will make your life easier when you go to prepare meals and feed your family ALL DAY LONG. EVERYDAY. For the UNFORSEEN FUTURE…
Do choose recipes/meals that members of your family enjoy eating. This is a stressful time already. Planning and preparing what I call ‘crowd-pleaser’ meals keeps family members happy and willing to eat leftovers!
Don’t deprive yourself of certain indulgences if they are in your budget. Our bodies crave certain foods–even more so in times of crisis. If a more expensive cut of meat or a cake from your favorite bakery will make you or a family member happy, then plan for it.
Do check your store circular for sale items to build a meal around. Meal planning from the sale circular is a tried-and-true money-saver!
Don’t cook many meals that require expensive or ‘for-one-recipe’ ingredients. Save these recipes and ingredients for a time when the economy is more stable. You’re going to want to celebrate when this is all over, anyway!
Do plan out at least 3-5 days of meals with a week’s worth being optimal.
Don’t run to the supermarket every day. At the time of writing this, we are still being advised to leave the house for essential items as infrequently as possible. For this reason alone, it is imperative to jump on the meal planning bandwagon and make it a part of your weekly routine.
Do check your calendar before planning your meals for the next few days. Maybe you have a late afternoon Zoom meeting on Thursday or an early evening birthday drive-by on Sunday? You’re going to want to plan for quick-cook or easy-to-serve meals for those days.
Don’t think your calendar is just for jotting down events and reminders! Write the meals you’re cooking in your calendar to keep track of what you’ve cooked and when. You’ll know exactly which Tuesday you made tacos and which Sunday you chose to indulge in take-out. No need to strain your brain thinking about what meals you’ve prepared in the past–it’s all in your calendar.
Organized Meal Prep and Cooking Do’s and Don’ts
Do review your recipes before heading to the store. Write all ingredients on your shopping list to ensure you’ll have what you need when you start cooking.
Don’t think you can keep it all in your head. Recipes, ingredients, family favorites–take that information out of your head and write it on paper or in your phone/tablet. Use your pantry or cabinets as storage space–not your brain!
Do consider doubling your recipe or making a bit extra while you’re cooking (if you can). This will save you time in the future when you’re looking for a quick lunch or an easy-to-reheat meal for the family.
Don’t let leftovers go to waste! Not eating leftovers is a waste of money as well as the time it took you to cook it. Organize your leftovers on one side of your fridge or at eye level so you don’t forget about them.
Do plan to cook with fresh vegetables within the first few days of bringing the home from the supermarket. Unless they are a hearty vegetable like squash, carrots, or onions, there’s the possibility that your veggies will wilt or become mushy if not used quickly.
Don’t forget that frozen vegetables have similar amounts of nutrients as fresh. They are often harvested when they’re at their freshest. So, go ahead and buy some for your freezer. They’ll be there when you need them.
Meal planning may seem challenging and time-consuming but like any other task, the more you do it, the easier it gets. Remember to start small, start easy, and start where you are. Your meal planning efforts will become effortless in no time.
Which set of Do’s and Don’ts do you think you’ll find most helpful? Leave a comment–I’d love to hear from you!
What we’re experiencing with the Coronavirus is unprecedented.
Many of us are on lockdown. With children. My kids are 13.5 and almost 10. They’re great kids who play well together (most of the time), take their new online/distance learning education seriously (it’s week 1…), and have a basketball hoop outside to help them shake off some energy. I spend my mornings shuttling between their two bedrooms answering questions, assisting with technology, and I even learned a new skill–how to highlight text in Google Docs.
‘Online school’ in our town will be from 9am-1pm Monday through Friday for at least the next two weeks. After lunch and some ‘chillaxin’ time,’ the plan is to use part of the afternoon for what I call ‘Electives.’ This afternoon my kids will be taking ‘Home Economics’ and helping me make meatballs. Yesterday, my youngest son and I explored watercolors during ‘Art’ and tomorrow he’ll practice his xylophone during ‘Music.’
Besides the basic school electives, I could not call myself a Professional Organizer if I didn’t at least try to engage my kids in a little organizing while we are house-bound. It’s an important life skill and we’ve got the time to practice it!
Life with kids regardless of their age can be hectic. Over the past few months, my husband and I have been juggling our workloads, our two kids on three different basketball teams, volunteer work for religious and professional organizations, family and friends, with little time to tackle some organizing projects that have needed our attention (Familiar with the whole ‘shoemaker has no shoes’ saying?).
You may have experienced a similar weekly/monthly time crunch. As long as no one is ill in your household, this would be a good time to have your kids sharpen their organizing skills after completing their schoolwork. It will teach them a life skill, help keep your home in order, and keep them busy with a productive activity when the day feels like it may never end.
Here are some ideas on where to begin and tips to make it as painless as possible…
Three areas of organizing to focus on with your kids are: organizing time, organizing space, and organizing stuff.
Organizing Time
For many kids, their online schooling will take place in the morning. But afternoons, evenings, and weekends are wide open. Let’s work with them on some time management skills…
Promote the benefits of sticking to a basic schedule – Kids thrive on routine. It gives them a sense of security and predictability. School-aged kids follow a schedule in school–create something similar in your home. During this period of time spent at home, it’s imperative for your child’s well-being for them to know what’s coming next in their world in the days and weeks ahead.
Create a visual schedule of their days
Work with your kids to create a paper-based or digital schedule for weekdays and weekends using the concept of Time Blocking. From the website Doist.com: “Time blocking is a time management method that asks you to divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to accomplishing a specific task, or group of tasks, and only those specific tasks. … With days that are time blocked in advance, you won’t have to constantly make choices about what to focus on.”
Together with your kids, create a list of everyday and weekly tasks, to-do’s, projects, and fun to plug into their daily at-home schedule. Tweak as necessary.
Help them prioritize tasks
Prioritizing is all about figuring out what is most important. Assisting your child with the art of prioritizing gives them a life skill that prepares them for the future. Take that list you made with your kids for Time Blocking purposes and use it help them make decisions as to what’s most important to accomplish during a ‘school’ day and on the weekends while at home. Be flexible–this unusual time isn’t easy for them or us.
For more on the how time management can make your life and your child’s life easier, read…
An organized space is key to one’s physical and mental well being. Your kids are already being forced to stay indoors for most of their day and may be stressed about the global pandemic. This is the time to help them make sure their personal space is clean and orderly.
Bedroom/Playroom Stand with your child in the room and together determine the categories of items that need to be organized. Basics are books, toys, clothes, electronics, etc. I don’t recommend purging much more than any trash that might be around the room. This is a challenging time for everyone and keeping the space in order is more important at this point than getting rid of what you think your child doesn’t need anymore.
Online learning workspace Your child(ren) will be engaging in online/distance learning for at least a few weeks–it’s important that their space be organized. This may include laptops, Chromebooks, scrap paper, pens/pencils/crayons, a spot for a snack, etc. Talk to your child(ren) about their needs and help them set up and organize their temporary school space for success.
Organizing Stuff
Oh, the things that can be organized when you’re at home for weeks on end!
Books, Toys, Art Supplies, School Papers Like I mentioned above, no need for much purging unless something is broken and beyond repair. Just keeping each category of items all together in one spot will be sufficient. The phrase, ‘organized enough’ is one to keep in mind as the days turn into weeks.
Clothes
Spring is coming! After we ‘flatten the curve’ and we’re safe to go back to our usual lives it’s going to be too warm (in many parts of the country) to wear the clothes we wore in March. This is the perfect time to try on shorts and bathing suits and take inventory of what clothes your kids will need for the Spring and Summer. *Tip: I park my kids in front of the TV to try clothes on them. It keeps them occupied, I hear less complaining, and it gets the job done fairly quickly and painlessly!
Pantry
Do you have a space in your kitchen where your kids can get their own snacks? If not, this is the time to make one. You’re most likely trying to work–the fewer interruptions you have, the better. Talk to your kids about what snacks they’d like to have accessible in the fridge and pantry/cabinet. Set up a bin, bag, or shoebox (whatever you have handy) and place the snacks where they can reach them themselves. *Tip: Know your kid–if they can’t be trusted alone with a baggie of Cheerios when you’re not in the same room, stick to something less messy or one or two of something like a Fig Newton or a granola bar.
Helpful Tips
Group Like with Like
Most kids as young as preschoolers can follow this basic organizing principle. Dolls with dolls, all socks in one drawer, all copies of Captain Underpants live together on the shelf, etc.
Break it Down
Keep organizing projects short and sweet. No more than 15 – 30 minutes a day for everyone’s sanity! One shelf. One drawer. One bin of Hot Wheels cars. That’s it. Do more tomorrow. Or wait for the weekend.
Put things back where they belong
This is a basic organizing principle that is used in schools and is beneficial at home, too. Take 10-15 minutes a day to do a sweep of toys, books, school supplies, etc. and put them back where they live. This will make it easier for your kids to find what they need next time they need it–and less likely for them to need to interrupt you while you’re TRYING to work from home.
Plan for tomorrow
Planning is another important life skill. Have your kids think about what they want to eat for lunch tomorrow, what they might want to wear (most likely pajamas), and who they might want to FaceTime with after their schoolwork is done. Planning ahead helps kids to make decisions and focus on their future needs.
Not About Organizing, But Still Helpful Tips
• While you’re cleaning out your drawers/cabinets/shelves if you find something a local friend or neighbor could use, drop it off at their apartment or front stoop (and call/text/email them to let them know it’s there!). Kindness goes along way during a pandemic…
• Organize video playdates for your kids. It’s not really organizing but it does take planning and effort. My youngest son has had two already and it has kept him happy and in touch with his friends.
• Stay as calm as you can with EVERYONE home ALL THE TIME. Here’s a great Youtube channel with relaxing music that I listen to when I’m feeling stressed: OCB Relax Music.
• Engage in some adult and kid coloring for stress relief. It’s a relaxing group activity and goes very well with the relaxing music I just mentioned. If you don’t have any coloring books in the house, type ‘adult coloring book printable free’ into Google–pages of hits appear. Do the same for your kids, print a few pages, and relax a bit while coloring.
• Buy (if you can find any…) these Clorox wipes that smell like a piña colada. Who couldn’t use some of THAT right now? Am I walking around disinfecting my house or am I walking on the beach? (I’ve heard being sequestered can make one delusional…)
We’re living in stressful times but getting your home and kids organized can help reduce that stress. Be safe. Be healthy. Please do your part to ‘flatten the curve.’ Together we can save lives.
Happy blogging anniversary to me! As of this October, I have been blogging for ten years.
I. Can’t. Believe. It.
Even though I’ve been a Professional Organizer for seventeen years (which I find astounding) it’s equally as astounding to me that I have been blogging about organizing for a decade. That’s a loooong time.
In the past, I have started off these Blogging Anniversary Posts with a few lines on how I started blogging. The short story is that I took a blogging workshop at the NAPO Conference in 2009 and started my blog a few months later after dropping my then three year old off at preschool. That kid is now thirteen.
A few days ago, he walked into my home office as I was writing this post. He asked me what I was doing so I told him what I was writing about and how I started the Organized Artistry blog. He laughed when I said that I waited until he was in preschool to compose my first blog post in silence!
Besides talking out ‘how it all began,’ I use this post to hold myself accountable for the goals I set for myself and my blog. This year, it was challenging to keep up with my blog. I had some major family obligations to put my energy towards and I had made the decision to start a YouTube channel. The learning curve that came along with it ate up much of the time and brain power I often allotted to blogging.
My 2018-2019 goals were to blog 1x a month, use the blog template I created for myself, and add Canva generated/Pinterest worthy images to blog posts. How did I do?
Goals for 2018-2019
Blog 1x a Month
OK, I dropped the ball on this one. Family obligations kept me from blogging this summer. Family first! My goal was to get back to blogging this Fall (and here I am blogging!). Also, in the beginning of 2019, I was putting most of my writing abilities into scripting my YouTube videos and had little left ‘in the tank’ for blogging. I did though, use the blog template. It focused me and saved me hours of ‘thinking time’ when I had a rare moment to turn my ideas into a blog post.
Keep Using Canva to Update Images on Already Existing Blog Posts
Did it! And I’m continuing to do it. I created a list of blog posts that need a Canva generated/Pinterest worthy image and every few weeks I design one and upload it. This has allowed and will continue to allow me to generate traffic to my website via Pinterest.
Goals for 2019-2020
Blog 1x a month
I created a YouTube video script template for myself (much like my blogging template) and the writing of my video scripts are now more streamlined, leaving me more brain power for blogging. I’ll continue to use the blog post template I created for myself last year–it enables me to concentrate on the task and saves me time. Besides composing a monthly newsletter, I’m going to try my best to make sure I compose a monthly blog post.
Tweak and Update Existing Posts
When you’ve been blogging for ten years–that’s a whole lotta content to keep track of! Not all of it is as up to date and evergreen as I’d like. So, I’ll be going back in to those posts to create Canva generated/Pinterest worthy images, update the text, check links, and delete any that no longer serve my readers.
Consider a Pin Scheduler such as Tailwind.
Using Tailwind is something I’ve been thinking about for a while. My blog gets a ton of traffic from Pinterest. There are only so many hours in a day for me to be pinning to my boards. Believe me, if I could spend a few hours a day pinning, I’d be a happy girl but I have clients to organize and dinner to cook! I’ll be putting more thought into using Tailwind this year.
Create New and Relevant Content
Even after ten years of blogging, there are still a ton of topics that haven’t been written about! I keep a running list in Evernote (one of my favorite productivity apps) of organizing topics I’d like to blog about. I’ll be consulting that list as I jump back into blogging.
And guess what happened this past year?
Look on the right side of this blog page under the ‘Categories’ list. In January, I became a Superstar Blogger of the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival for taking part in 25+ Blog Carnivals! Big shout-out to Janet Barclay of Your Organizing Business who created the the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival as well as a space for us ‘Blogging Organizers’ on Facebook. 🙂
I recently returned from the 2019 NAPO Conference held this year in Fort Worth, Texas. I always enjoy the conference–I get to take workshops, meet new Professional Organizers and reconnect with ones I haven’t seen in a while. The latest organizing products from NAPO’s business partners are on display and stepping away from my everyday responsibilities for a few days helps to ‘recharge my battery.’ The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Education is Bigger in Texas.’ Even my hotel room was big. It was so large, I could cartwheel through it. Not that I did–I’m just sayin’–everything is bigger in Texas…
As silly as it may sound, one of the things I look forward to at the NAPO Conference is the conference bag that’s given out every year. I have a nice collection of them by now running the gamut from a lovely red handbag-like tote (Lillian Vernon – Chicago 2004) to an amorphous recycle bag (New Orleans 2013) to a bag with a zippered top and water bottle/holder (Chicago 2018). I use the conference bag I received at the Orlando conference (2009) as the work bag I take to my client’s homes.
It’s important to me that everything I need to drag around with me during the day fits in the conference bag. After the not-so-fab New Orleans conference bag, I started packing an old conference tote (Minneapolis 2007) with me in case I didn’t like the conference bag been given out. But, this year, I did not pack the Minneapolis tote…
The night before I left for the NAPO Conference, I was thrilled to see that someone had posted a picture of this year’s conference bag on Facebook.
I was happy to see that it had contrasting colors and a little button closure–cute! It was roomy without being too big.
But, there are times when a bag can be too big and become a black hole for everything they’re carrying. When you’re at a conference, you need to use your brain power for learning and networking–not for searching and worrying about where all of your stuff is. You don’t have time to send a search party out to find your business cards and hotel room key!
If you or a friend, family member, or colleague are attending a conference in the future, here are 5 tips for keeping your conference bag organized so you’ll always be able to find what you need when you need it.
Tip #1 SORT
What items do you think you’ll want handy the day of the conference? Gather them and place them on a surface in front of you–couch, bed, desk, kitchen island–whatever works…
Then, take those items and sort them into categories such as electronics, items you’ll need to access quickly, note taking items, and most important–SNACKS!
Tip #2 CONTAINERIZE
Now that you’ve categorized your stuff, it’s time to put them in their own containers so they’re not floating around the bottom of your conference bag (eliminating the need for that search party mentioned above…) Pack a few pouches and small/medium/large Ziploc bags for this purpose. The size of the pouches and baggies are dependent upon the items you plan to carry in your conference bag.
I kept my necessities in here–phone, business cards, lip balm, pens, hotel room key.
Tip #3 RETURN ITEMS TO THEIR ‘HOME’
Conferences can be non-stop learning and networking events. You might feel rushed during your conference day and tired at night but it’s important for you to take the time to put items back in their baggies and pouches after using them. This will save you time later in the day and the next morning when you need to access your phone charger or hand someone your business card.
Tip #4 MAKE IT YOUR OWN
Whether there are fifty or six hundred and fifty conference attendees, almost everyone will be carrying the same conference bag. You’ll want to ensure that no one accidentally walks away with yours thinking it’s theirs! Make it stand out with a large pin, decorative ribbon, or brightly-colored scarf that no other bag will have. You’ll always know which bag is yours!
Since I saw a preview on Facebook of what the conference bag looked like, I packed a color-coordinating scarf to tie around the handle. I always knew which conference bag was mine!
Tip #5 PURGE
Purge your conference bag at the end of the day of items you no longer need–used tissues, energy bar wrappers, and the free swag you couldn’t resist putting in your bag. Getting rid of what you no longer need makes room for the items you will need the next day.
If you’re a visual person like me, click on my YouTube video below to see the 5 steps and get a sneak peek at this year’s NAPO Conference bag:
These 5 tips are going to ensure you have the most organized bag at your next conference–I guarantee it!
Are you heading to a conference soon? What item would you need most in your conference bag?
Some people blog about their small business, some blog about personal challenges and accomplishments, and some even blog about blogging!
Whatever you choose to blog about, it’s important for you to organize your blog. Why does your blog need to be organized?
• An organized blog is an easy blog to read
• An organized blog is a blog readers want to come back to (and isn’t that what we want our readers to do?)
• An organized blog represents YOU. You don’t want to look disorganized to your readers!
Whether you’re thinking about starting a blog or wish to tweak an existing one, here are a few tips based on basic organizing philosophies that will keep you on track and help you organize your blog:
Schedule It
We make appointments for the doctor, an oil-change, and the cable guy, Why not make an appointment for yourself to blog? Blocking out the time on your calendar gets you one step closer to accomplishing the task. Figure out how many times a week or month you are able to post and stick to that schedule. But, be realistic. Brainstorming, writing, taking photos/video and commenting takes more time than you think it does.
Sort It Out
Compile a list of topics you’ll want to discuss on your blog. Look at a calendar–are any of your topics seasonal? Plug them into the months they belong in. For instance, as a Professional Organizer, I would start blogging about Spring Cleaning in March. A chef might blog about the best foods to barbecue in May. Other topics may revolve around holidays, trade shows, milestones, or history.
Break It Down
Take your topics and create sub-topics for them. So, if the chef were to blog about Barbecuing in May and has decided to schedule one blogging ‘appointment’ per week, he or she might blog about the benefits to cooking on a clean barbecue the first week, do a hot dog review the second week, offer grilling tips the third week, and list his or her top ten recipes for summer grilling during the fourth week.
Delegate
Sometimes we need to take a break from blogging. Find other blogs of similar topic/interest and link to their information for your readers. Check out blogs that are pertinent to yours and invite their authors to be guest bloggers on your site. You get a break from writing while your guest blogger gets a whole new set of readers (and possibly followers). It’s a win-win!
Get Rid of the Clutter
Too many pictures, videos, or advertisements detract from what you’ve written. Keep the look of your blog simple and streamlined. You have to grab the reader’s attention within the first five seconds of their arrival at your blog. If they have to spend those five seconds looking for your latest blog post, they may not return out of frustration. (Nooooo!)
Maintain It
Stay on track with posting to your blog. If you know you’ll be on vacation or going through a life-changing event, write posts in advance or have a guest blogger fill in for you. Keep all photos and videos for your blog in one place on your computer. Once a month, review your topics and subtopics and make any necessary tweaks or changes.
After applying the above principles, your newly organized blog will be low-maintenance, a pleasure to post to, and a joy to read.
Which organizing philosophy would help you organize your blog the most?
A blog by Professional Organizer Stacey Agin Murray bursting with cool products, 'gotta-tell-a-friend' ideas, and a whole lotta organizing know-how. Learn more...
Subscribe to the Blog
Subscribe to the blog and never miss a post!
About Stacey
When you grow up in a 5’x12′ bedroom, you learn to organize pretty quickly! I chose to take that knowledge and turn it into a business helping people find what they need when they need it. I’m also the author of The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook–a book that offers wedding thank you note-related organizing tips and how-to’s plus 101 unique sample thank you notes (what bride can’t use that?).
Contact Stacey to Get Started!
