Dishes in the Sink- A Kitchen Reflection

I admit it, I'm obsessed with organization. Not that I'm entirely organized, although most my friends would tell you I am, but more that I love reading, thinking and planning on organizing.  Actually doing the organization itself even is enjoyable.  So, it should come as no surprise that for 2015 I signed up to work through the 52 week challenge with Home-Storage Solutions-101.com and accepted the 14 week Organization Challenge with www.abowlfulloflemons.com.  The 52 week challenge is one that focuses on one area for each week of the year.  Not only do they have a theme for the week, you can also download the monthly calendar to access each days 15 minute job.

Really, 15 minutes a day can lead to organization?  YES! Several years ago I read the book The 15 Minute Organizer by Emilie Barnes and it changed my outlook on so many things.  I began to see that what we say we don't have time for can typically be done if we break it into 15 minute a day segments. Doing this helped me not only work on areas of the house I wanted to work on, it also allowed me to get several scrapbooks completed and read several books.  I still use the ideas from that book today, and doing so continues to allow me to take some time for things I want to accomplish each day.  15 minutes isn't a lot of time, but it is affordable time.  I don't believe there are too many people that couldn't find 15 minutes in their day for something.  In fact I'd venture to guess that sometimes, after setting the timer and working for 15 minutes, many would discover that they could actually set it for 15 more minutes and do that much more.  With that in mind, I think the Home Storage Solutions monthly calendar is a wonderful tool for getting things accomplished.  It also has wonderful tips for getting started, and staying organized.

If that's the case though, why does my January calendar on January 8th have all the days of the month except for 8 crossed off?  The main reason is I'm in a different season of my life where I'm working outside of the home pretty much full time. As a substitute teacher, and mother of 2 teenagers it's not always easy to tackle an extra job.  I do still take 15 minutes of the day to do something I want to do, but as much as I love organizing sometimes I want to spend my 15 minute working on my son's scrapbook, reading an extra chapter in my book, or looking through Pinterest. With that in mind I've decided that when I do have a day off I would look through the monthly jobs and do more then 1 days worth.  I started the month doing only the job for the day, but today it's -12 with windchill and school was cancelled, so I decided I wanted to tackle the majority of the kitchen.

A year ago I went though the kitchen and really decluttered. I got rid of plastic cups and containers we never use, bakeware that had been just sitting in the cabinet and ended up with 1 whole drawer and 2 different cabinets with 1/2 empty top shelves! So the decluttering part of this months mission wasn't needed as much as the general straightening of the cabinets.  After all, we live in our house and use our kitchen and therefore sometimes don't put things back where they go. So how long did it take to go through all of the cabinets, wiping them down on the inside and straightening them? 60 minutes. On the calendar itself it breaks the jobs down into smaller sections then just cabinets, so instead of the 16 different 15 minute missions (i.e. food storage containers, plastic bottles and cups) I just chose to go through my whole kitchen at once.

Organization is doable. Find some good books, you can read my blog for reviews on several organization books, download the calendar and missions from Home-Storage-Solutions-101.com/organized-home.html or make your own lists of tasks you want to get done.  Having things where they belong and knowing how to keep them that way really will keep your life running more smoothly.  My final tip, label areas so that others know what goes there, or at the very least tell the family that you just organized, for example, the kitchen and ask them to please look around to make sure they know where things go before putting things away.

Once you have an organization plan, and have accomplished it staying on top of the area is key.  For me I am working on getting some daily and weekly habits going to maintain the kitchen area.
Daily I plan on keeping the dishes out of the sink. Either by loading the dishwasher/emptying the dishwasher in the am or at dinner, or putting any drying dishes away before bed.  Wiping down counters after each meal, and straightening the pantry while making the grocery list every Saturday, as needed. Simple steps that will make the kitchen function better, and make me feel better. After all, coming downstairs in the morning to a sink full of dishes just makes me feel like I'm starting the day behind.

Best of luck with the organizing in 2015 should you choose to jump into the challenges that are out there to rid your lives of the extra clutter that is taking up your space!

March Challenge: Craft Room Organizing

I committed to becoming more organized in 2013, and so far it's going well...ok! To be honest, if I looked at myself through the eyes of many of my friends they would tell me to get a grip and stop thinking I need to be organized, as no offense to many of them, but I'm slightly, how shall I put it...TYPE A! Yes, I can admit it, just as I can admit that I am addicted to organization books, and organizational tips on pintrest posts. As I spent the last few hours going through my office I've come to the conclusion that the reason why I'm addicted is that I want my home to run smoothly.  For me smoothly involves a place for everything, and everything in it's place.  When this happens, I don't end up running to the store for that extra craft item the kids need or another folder, when I have a full drawer of folders the kids can choose from.  There are certainly areas of my life that stay organized better than others.

Last month the focus was photos. This is one area, that I continually have organized.  I thank Creative Memories for that, which you can read about in previous posts should you choose too. This month the challenge on Delightful Order, somewhat changed.  The writer of this blog determined that she needs to step back from all she is doing and focus on her family as they are growing up too fast.  I applaud her! One of the reasons why things are taking longer for me to get done, is I'm trying to do the same, to spend time with my kids and husband, and not be so "busy" with things that honestly can wait.  Instead of a new challenge posted each week she has posted the entire year, with the information under each tab.  This month is Craft Room organizing. For me, that means my office as my office is my craft room as well.

The first step in organizing my office was rearranging it.  It was functioning before, but was beginning to feel closed in.  By changing some things around, including turning a shelf on it's side, I've been able to find more useful storage space.  In January, I had organized my files so organizing the 2 other drawers in my desk didn't take much time.  I purged old pens, pencils and markers, and used a drawer organizer I had purchased at Ikea to maintain the top drawer.  Next up was my desk surface itself.  The  more stuff we have on a surface, honestly the more messy it can seem.  My desk top is down to my printer/scanner topped with a basket where I place my to do items, forms to fill out, or things I need to respond to.  Each Sunday, I clear it out of anything I didn't take care of during the week.  By having the items I need to take care of in this basket, it's easy to grab a couple of things to put in my purse to take with me for working on in the car, or during a break at work.  The other items on my desk are a stapler, adding machine, and a mug with a few pens, pencils and a pair of scissors, plus of course my computer. That is all.  The white space that I have open around me, makes me feel less closed in, and more productive. 

Step two for me, was my craft desk.  I got rid of those things that I set aside thinking I would use someday, and haven't yet used. Again, I focused on making sure everything that was there had a place and if it didn't belong it moved on, either to the garbage, to it's actual home in the house, or to the bin in my laundry room to donate.   From there I reorganized my paper, stickers, and other scrapbook materials.  Again, I looked at everything from the perspective of will I honestly ever use this stuff.  Funny, how the desk, craft desk and my scrapbooking things were the easy part of the process. What I worked on today was all the rest.

The rest is all those things you may need for school projects, construction paper, Styrofoam balls, pipe cleaners, envelopes for mailing things, or for projects waiting to be accomplished.  The stuff that simply is necessary, but not pretty to look at.  I looked around the house first for containers that were not being used and moved them into the office.  Then the sorting began.  I put computer type items and office supplies near my desk, and craft supplies were grouped together as well.  As I went I  made note of things that I need on my grocery list, such as business envelopes.  Here is how I grouped things:

On the shelf

Sewing machine, and sewing kit
Sewing machine parts, knitting items and cross stitch went into their own bin.
Business items for my Creative Memories business
Office items: I filed in a box, stamps, note cards, and address labels.
Projects currently being worked on have their own shelf now
Books and extra office supplies.
Markers, Crayons, Craft books
Construction paper, stencils and stickers

In a cabinet
Paint, Glue gun and glue sticks
Extra school craft supplies: glitter, Styrofoam, pipe cleaners etc
Frames to be reused
Computer related items
Camera related items

I'm thrilled it is done, as it was my topic for the month.  I still want to go back and label the shelves and items, but I like to wait for a week to make sure it is actually working for me, like I think it will before I do that.

February Challange: Organizing Printed Photos

Organizing Photos can certainly be overwhelming if you have not attempted it before, and you like most people have lots of photos in your home.  This is one of my favorite aspects of being a Creative Memories consultant.  I simply love to organize, and helping people get organized with their photos is a great way to get them started in getting their photos into their lives.


 First of all, if you are organizing printed photos, not in albums, you need a safe place to put them.  Creative Memories Power Sort boxes are perfect for this.  There are a LOT of products out there, the biggest problem is that many are made of card board, or plastic.  While they may claim to be acid free, they are not chemical free and over time chemicals from these products will leak in and damage your photos.  Creative Memories tests all of it's products in a time vault that can simulate hundreds of years later.  This allows us to be clear about what will happen to your photos over time.

As far as how to organize that will depend on what you wish to someday do with your photos. Chronological is a great way to organize.  I do keep my photos organized in this way, as well as by child, school, sports, and other potential albums I might like to create.  Album making does not have to be scrapbooking.  Using Memory Manager software I created a Picfolio album layout for my 2013 photos.  At the end of the month as I was going through the photos from the month I just moved them into the layout part of the software, and put them in order.  I sent them off to print at Walgreen's, and in 30 minutes slid 125 photos into their correct spot in the album. I am waiting for the journaling paper I ordered to arrive, but once it does I will have completed pages for all of January and February of 2013, in a total of about 2 hours time.  That is over the course of multiple days, and 15 minute increments here and there.  As, none of us have 2 hours these days to just sit down and work on a project.
 This is the picfolio I am using for 2013, and the pages that fit into it.

I also quarterly print out photos to put in various frames in our house. I think it's important to update them, in order to keep special moments in your life yearly.  I do this quarterly, so that I keep up with it, but also so that it isn't a constant job.

Once you have your photos organized, and stored somewhere working on albums, frames and other projects with them becomes so much easier.

Here are some more tips:

-Do use acid free storage- acid can discolor your photos over time, make sure to use products tested and not just listed as acid free. Look for ISO# that means these products are up to International Standards. 
-Photos need to live where you do, not in a hot attic or damp basement!
-Don't use plastic bags, or the cardboard sleeves the photos come back from the store in to organize your photo's.
-Don't use post it notes. After time, the adhesive will stick to your photo.
-Don't use pencil or ink on the back of your photos. If you are not having them printed with information on them, then use a photo marking pencil. Yes, Creative Memories has these!


Now Get started!
- create a large space to work
- realize it is a process
-decide how you wish to organize and create post it note labels to put above the stacks as you sort them
-decide what you will store them in
-sort and file
-give yourself permission to throw out those photos that are horrible (over exposed, or just plain bad!)
-once you get everything you have organized, create a space to always put those that need to be filed, if you are not filing them right away.
-keep up with it, like paper if you don't stick to it, it will pile up.

I've been working on several photo projects lately and my file of photos to put away has gotten pretty full, so I'll be getting those put back into their boxes this weekend.

I'm grateful for the tips shared on http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/2013/02/february-challenge-organizing-photos_19.html?spref=tw  I'm hoping next month's challage is one that involves a place I haven't given much thought, to keep me motivated for getting my home even more organized.

February Challenge: Organizing Photos (Back Up)

This month the theme is organizing photos.  Something I'm thankful that I already have a system for.  True sometimes I get behind on keeping that system going but, just the same I have a system in place.

While it would be ideal to sit down every time I take photos and to go through them that is just not in my time table.  Instead I go through them about once a month, sometimes more if I have the chance.  As I mentioned in a previous post I use and LOVE Creative Memories Memory Manager software. I could not live without it in organizing photos. So as not to repeat myself, see the previous post if you want more information on this product.

To start my monthly organization I take my camera, iphone, and ask my husband to email me, any photos that he has taken, and load them into Memory Manager. 

Next, I sort through them and delete the ones that are really not any good. When sorting I try to rate the ones that I really like, with the star rating system that is in the program.  I sort them into various folders, which is great because 1 photo, does not need to be saved 5 times to be located in the various folders.  For example a picture of all of my family goes in the year folder, and each of our individual folders.  From there if I need to find a picture I can just search based on what I am looking for.

As I come across photos that I would like to share, I can quickly email them to the person I want to share them with, post them on Facebook, or print them out.

Finally, and this is the challenge for the week, I back up all of my photos to a DVD.  Once they are backed up, I delete them from my phone and camera so that I have more space on both of those devices.  At the end of the year, I also back up the entire year to our external drive. 

I store the DVD's currently in my home, but have been thinking about how important it is to move them to another home or location.  The reason for this is I would like to think we will never have a fire, but should it happen, I'd like to be able to get to my photos again.  I think for me this will be the challenge step, to find a safe container to store them in, label and then find the person who would be willing to keep that container in their home.

Don't forget to back up your photos! Computers are great, but we all know the horror stories of people losing everything.  Memory Manager reminds you periodically to back up your photos too, which is also wonderful, because sometimes on our own we'd forget.

January Organization Challange: Organizing Papers Week 5: Organizing Children's Papers and Paint Swatches

The month is almost over, which seems really hard to believe. The older I get the faster the time seems to slip away.  I feel pretty good about the organization that has taken place this month.  Some of that comes from the fact that I already have some paper organization systems in place, which has led me to not have too much "organizing paper" homework.

Organizing Children's papers certainly can be a chore, considering how much paper they use.  In fact, if I had more time in my life I'd probably start a campaign to get all schools to give kids Ipad's do do all their work on so as to stop the huge about of paper that is copied and then thrown out in some way after it has been used.  Yet, since I don't have that kind of time, I use the recycling bin at our house faithfully with kids papers.

Once again, the challenge organizer has some great tips for you to use on her blog about organizing Children's papers. 
http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/2013/01/january-challenge-organizing-papers_25.html#

Since I already have a plan in place here is what I do:
1. Birth certificates, SS cards, Passports are kept in a fire safe box
2. In my desk I keep a file marked with both of my kids names for papers that I need access too on a fairly regular basis. For example: shot record, current school schedule, my copy of any Dr notes that have been sent to school, current sports card information
3. In my kitchen I also have a file for each child. When they bring papers home from school they go in that file for about a month. That way I can make sure that their teacher has logged the grade.  Sometimes grades get missed and it's helpful to have that information.
4. At the end of the month those papers get sorted either into the recycling bin or into their papers to keep box which I keep on a shelf in my laundry room for easy access.
5. Once a year we go back through the papers to keep box to see if the papers in there are really ones that after a year we still care about.
6. I have a clip for each child on the side of the refrigerator for important papers that we need to refer to often.  Current newsletter, HW assignment information, etc. I go through those monthly too and recycle what we are done with.


Children's Art Work is a whole different beast of it's own. It gradually decreases, which is a little bit sad when you realize how much they've grown up.  I used to hang it all on a closet door and once a month take a picture of it.  I'd put the picture in their School Year's scrapbook, and then keep only those things that were really important to me.  As the art started to decrease I have framed, with Target frames, artwork from each of my kids that they were really proud of and have it hanging in various places in the house, as our home's art. 

I do scrapbook their school years, in their own albums so I have a file in my office, scrapbook area for school programs and ticket stubs or fliers that I may want for the album. I scrapbook their school year, each year, in June when school is over for the year.  It's a good way to be able to put all of the information together at one time. 

The big thing with children's paperwork, or any paperwork for that matter is pitch/recycle what you don't need. You really don't need to keep every spelling test, or math paper your child has ever completed.


Organizing Paint Swatches is something I haven't thought much about, however sounds like a good idea.  I don't really have any I need to organize at the moment, but do plan on adding a file folder to my desk labeled house information where I will place information about colors for the home, so should I need to purchase paint, or other items I will be able to access it.  I plan on seeing how the file folder works for me, before I consider purchasing a binder.

January Organization Challange: Organizing Papers Week 4: Coupon and Receipts

Week 4 of the Organization Challenge for the month of January is tackling coupons and receipts. These much needed, much space taker uppers can be a hassle to organize and a hassle to maintain, unless you have a system.  On the blog http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/2013/01/january-challenge-organizing-paper.html she talks about using binders to organize both items.  I too use binders to organize coupons and receipts.

Starting with coupons.  I have used the little accordion pocket organizer in the past, but never seemed to be able to maintain a system.  About a year ago a friend mentioned that they used a binder with baseball card holders for the pages.  It took a little bit of time to get set up, but I have found this method works great for me as well.
Here are the steps I've taken:
1. Find a binder in a color you like
2. Purchase 1 pack of clear baseball card sleeves (can be found near baseball cards at least at Walmart)
3. Put the sleeves into the binder and use a labeling system of some kind, (I used post it note strips and scotch tape) to divide the binder into the various types of coupons. For example, breakfast foods, beverages, snacks, cans, meat, paper products, beauty products etc.  If you shop primarily at one store I suggest keeping the sections in order of the store aisle.
4. I use the front pocket of the binder for restaurant coupons and the back pocket for store specific coupons (Bed, Bath, Beyond etc)
5. Set up a place to put coupon fliers as they come into the house. Mine is a Tupperware container in my kitchen cabinet with my recipe books
6. Set a time to cut coupons (tv time, day of the week, etc)
7. File coupons when you cut them into the pockets of the baseball card sleeves
8. Once a month go through the binder and pitch expired coupons
9. Keep the binder where it is easy to access if you are at a store. My binder stays in the car. I just grab it out when I need to file coupons and put it right back so it is ready to go to the store with me.
10. For more information you can google search coupon binder, and find various ways to set one up
11. DON'T BUY THINGS YOU WILL NEVER USE!!!!  I know coupons are great, but is it really a deal if you don't use it, dislike it, or would never buy it without a coupon?  Just something to consider

Receipts are a whole different stack of paper that seems to be taking up space. I use a binder for receipts as well.
My set up looks like this:
1. Front pocket for paid bills: once I get the next statement showing the previous month has been accounted for I shred the already paid bill, and replace it with the bill I am paying for that month
2. Pocket for Large Item purchases
3. Pocket for Christmas Receipts
4. Pocket for Internet orders that do not charge tax (have to account for these on taxes)
5. Pockets for each month
I file the receipts as they come in after I've logged them in my Money Matters software.
I also shred anything that I don't need to keep, for example the Caribou Coffee receipt is no needed once logged, as I'm not going to be returning the coffee! Use a shredder and only keep what is necessary!!!

With my coupons and receipts filed, there is a lot less extra paper lying around.  I also have a accordion folder with a file marked receipts, where we place all receipts, bills or deposits coming into the house before they are logged, paid or taken to be deposited.  That way the financial stuff is always taken care of.

Happy Organizing!

Organizational Thoughts for Digital Paper Piles

I'm convinced that a lot of people who are organized think that they aren't, just as lots of thin people think they are not at the right weight. Something weird is in our brains that makes us feel this way. If there is a good thing from this weird connection that is going on up there it's that we keep looking for ways to get more organized. Or, as we read all those organizational tips we read we think, maybe I'm already organized.

Regardless, I have openly admitted that I am one of those people that can't stop reading about being more organized.  On pinterest, I jump at the organizational pins, I've accepted the Organizational Challenge for 2013 on the Delightful Order Blog, and my non fiction books on my Kindle mainly deal with organization.  So, it would come to no surprise that when I opened up All You Magazines February issue and read the caption "Get Ahead, Organizing Papers" I couldn't wait to read the article.  Considering this lines up with the months challenge I was even more excited.

The magazine outlines 4 steps that they feel should be taken with paper organization.
1. Clear the clutter- they talk about not keeping physical junk mail, as well as not keeping digital junk mail.

 2. Sort documents- this was the magazines second tip.  Again, part of this month's challenge. They did include a place to go for a list of things to save/shred. http://www.allyou.com/budget-home/organizing-cleaning/

3. Maintain your inbox- suggestion is to take 10 minutes a day to organize this.  Don't have 10 minutes?  If you have a smart phone this can be done while waiting in line anywhere.  Use your time wisely.

If you follow my blog, you know that I've already posted this month about handling mail, but what about the digital mail that we get bogged down with. I try to get rid of things in my inbox as fast as I can. If it's junk email I just delete it as soon as I see it. If it's important and I need to take action of some kind on it, I flag it, and leave it in the inbox until I've done what I need to on it. If it is something that I might need to refer to later, I move it to a file marked with labels such as finances, school, hockey, diving and so on. Here's the big step though that we forget to do. Go back through those files too at some point down the road and delete unnecessary emails we still have. With January being about reorganizing files I've begun sorting through the digital wasteland again. Each time I check email, I have been taking 5 minutes to go through one of my digital files and delete things I know longer need. I know that digital files aren't making a mess on my desk, but for this organizational crazy person, it feels good to delete a file I know longer need.

I'm also doing this for the other digital forms of papers on my computer. I have a file for both of my kids for their school work, as well as a file for home, hockey, PTA, etc. When I save a document, I take the extra time, of 3 seconds, to save it to the correct file. Again, going back periodically and purging those as well.

4. Make a plan They suggest, as does anyone who ever has written about organization, that you have to have a plan and stick with it.  Find one that works for you. What I do, might help, but it also might be too much, or too little depending on who you are and what you consider important.  Pick and choose ideas from what you read, or hear about and go for it.  It's about you, not someone else.  We are all different, and need to find what works for us, or we won't stick to it at all.


Good luck, and Happy Organizing!!

January Organization Challange: Organizing Papers Week 3 Organizing Papers (Inspiration)

This week, or last week as the case is at this moment, was about organizing the papers that we collect because they inspire us in some way.  These papers come from magazines, or websites that we've printed off information for.  While the challenge suggests using binders, my amount of inspirational papers don't take up that much space. I simply have a file folder in my "misc." category in my file drawer labeled magazine clippings.  If something in a magazine jumps out at me, I pull it out and stick it in there.  Occasionally, I go through this file and see if I'm still feeling inspired by it.

I also use pinterst http://pinterest.com/kathrandolph/ Feel free to follow me.  I think, if nothing else this is a great way to organize all those great ideas without having piles of physical paper stacking up on you in your home.  Periodically, I look at my boards and delete, or rearrange as I feel necessary. 

For recipes I use a website called http://saymmm.com/ you can copy recipes from pinterest there as well as from other sites.  You can also type in recipes, which means you really don't need to rip them out of your magazines, just take a minute or two to type them in. This site is also great for menu planning!

I also have a accordion file where I keep ticket stubs, or programs that I might want to use for scrapbooking purposes.  The file is organized by topic, school, sports etc, as well as months for things that would only go in our family albums. I really try to use the rule of thumb of "only touch it once" for all paper types.  Touch it once from the mailbox to the office, or from the school music event to the file for programs.  This way things stay organized without the pile up before it gets to it's final destination.

My biggest suggestion for this week's challenge is only save what you really need.  You don't need the whole magazine, if you are only interested in one article.  You can always scan and keep the article on your computer in a file and then pass the magazine onto a friend, or simply rip out the article and recycle the rest. 

Happy Organization!!

Quick Grocery Shopping Tips

Organization is something I haven't always had a good sense of control over. Trust me if you asked my Mom, my room was never clean enough or organized enough. I was for a long time a person who would tell you, "Don't touch it, I know exactly what pile it is in!" I'm really not sure what changed, other that getting addicted to organizational books, and finding that I needed to take control of my time, or it would get away from me.

Grocery shopping is one of those necessary evils.  I haven't met too many people who really enjoy going grocery shopping.  I think some of the issue is, it takes time to make a list, gather the groceries, remember the coupons and then load them from the cart to the belt, from the belt to the cart and back to the car.  Then to top it off, you have put them away.  I have found a few tricks in the last few years that really help with all of those issues.

First, let's start with the list.  In order to make the list, at least for me, I have to have menus established. I need to know what I'm planning on cooking and what ingredients I'm going to need. I discovered http://saymmm.com/.  This site allows you to plan a month, a day, a week.  There is an area where you can save links to create a recipe database, which if you are using Pintrest is wonderful! You can also create your grocery list on this site, however I don't use that feature.  It typically takes me about 15 minutes to plan a weeks worth of menus.  While planning menus I keep an eye on my google calendar.  This allows me to realize which nights we are going to need quick meals, and which nights I have more time to prepare.  We eat dinner together.  I know families find this hard, but we have made it work.  Some nights it means eating earlier some times later, but this is family time and with very few exceptions we make it happen.

Once menus are planned I go to http://www.ourgroceries.com , to enter my list.  I look through my menus and enter what I need to get.  Ourgroceries,  allows you to make multiple lists. We have a Target list, a grocery list, a Home Depot list, and I've also done school supplies, or trip lists on this too.  I love that I can access it on a computer, and type things in quickly, but also can fully access it on my phone.  In addition once I enter it, the item appears not only on my phone, but Phil's so if one of us ends up at a store we can look at the list, pick up the items and cross them off the list.

Once I finish entering the items I double check the pantry, fridge and freezer and cross off anything I added that we still have. From there it is off to the store.  I keep my coupon binder in my van, as well as my reusable shopping bags. So once at the store I simply grab both and head inside.

When I get to the checkout line I have discovered that I can quickly organize the groceries on the belt with my shopping bags. I put a bag down, then put the items I want in it behind it. I continue this process with all the items in my cart.  I organize them by what is going in my kitchen, outside fridge, or pantry. By having my groceries packed this way, I save time when I get home.  The reusable grocery bags also stand up better in the car, so my groceries are safer then when they were in the plastic bags.

Once at home I simply carry the bag to the area it was packed for, put the items away, fold the bags and stick them back in my car. I fold them, then stick them in one bag that I hang from the back seat rest.

Usually, the whole process from start to finish only takes about 90 minutes.  Menus/List/Store/Put away. 

Hope these tips help!

January Organization Challange: Organizing Papers Week 2 Manuals and Warranties

Before I get to week 2 on this months challenge I feel the need to update where I am so far on the first week.  Organizing Mail and Bills was the 1st challenge, and while I didn't feel like this was an area I struggle with, as my current system of handling mail as little as possible, and my bill paying set up work for me, I did decide that it was time to purge the file cabinets. I am now using a Three Tiered System with my files.  Those I need immediate access to are at my desk, reorganized with any personal information I no longer need in a laundry basket that is currently overflowing with papers to shred, that is the first tier. The second tier is papers that I may need to access that are located in a separate filing area. Again, they have been purged as well.  It is amazing how much paper I have kept that I don't need any more.  Receipts for restaurants, and items purchased dating all the way back to 13 years ago.  The good news is the filing cabinets are cleaned out, labeled for easy access and papers not needed are being shredded before being added to the containers at my daughter's school where they earn money for the weight in recycled papers.  Win-win, if you ask me. The third tier is papers that we want to keep long term but do not need to access. These types of papers, mainly school paper and kids art work is already stored away in their closets and the attic.

Week 2's challenge: Manuals and Warranties

This is an area that I've been wanting to tackle for a long time, but honestly since I keep a binder of warranties in a closet, and the manuals in drawers I haven't thought about it much.  After reading the tips this week on Delightful Order
http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/2013/01/january-challenge-organizing-papers_7.html?spref=tw

I feel a new resolve to get this area organized.  The first step of course is weeding through those items that we no longer even own.  From there I plan on using the different areas she suggested: Home Manuals, Misc Manuals, and Electronics Manuals, Computers, Printers, and Scanners, but I am intending to use these sections in the top of my now almost empty filing cabinet.  I feel this will be a cheaper solution, as I have lots of file folders that are not being used, and they will still be organized, out of the way, but easy to access should we need them. 


I'm hoping to have this job done by the weekend!


After writing this I finished organizing the manuals and warranties in 15 minutes. They are now safely in their folder in the filing cabinet.  Although, I am considering as money is available getting 4 large binders, and separating them out in clear plastic sleeves in the binders, just so it would be even quicker to find them. 

January Organization Challenge:Organizing Papers

Challenge Week 1:
Today the challenge is to organize mail and bills. The tips shared on http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/2013/01/january-challenge-organizing-papers.html are good.  When I start into a project, like reorganizing my home, I do it with a rule I learned from a book called Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel. In the preface of her book she states something to the effect of  "if you think this book will fix all of your problems take it back right now."  As she continues she basically says that when you read a book on tips you need to take what you think will work for you and not stress about trying it all.  Some things just won't work for your family.

While I like all the printable ideas that the Delightful Order blog offers, I don't plan on changing everything I do.  I did click on the link to mail organizer and printed off the picture because I think it would work on our closet doors.  Not to organize mail, because I have a system, (I'll explain in a minute), but for having things ready to go out the door the next day so that they don't have to lay on the ledge between our entry and living room.

My Mail/Bill System 

Mail should be handled as little as possible.  Sometimes my family brings in the mail, in which case I find it on my kitchen table or counter, other times I bring it in.  Regardless, here are my mail steps.
1. Sort it as I'm walking to my office.
- I move the junk mail to the bottom of the pile and as soon as I'm in my office toss it in my paper recycling bin. (which I empty at my children's school when it gets full-they earn $$ for weight in recycling!)
- Bills I immediately put into our Money Matters folder at my desk
- Mail other than bills, but needing to be taken care of goes into my to do basket on my printer
- Magazines go on the magazine shelf in our family room.

Once it's organized I know where to find it when I go to work on bills, or my to do items.

I process bills a couple of times a month. The last day of the previous month or the first day of the next month I process everything I pay online that I have received as well as a few paper bills that are due at this time.  Everything once paid and logged on my Money Matters Software gets checked off on my log of all the bills that come in. My log includes those items too that are deducted monthly from our account.  I list them on my log to make sure I've entered them into my software monthly.  I use an accounts ledger that I've organized by title of the bill down the left side and the month across the top.  On this ledger I also have a section to check off each month once the account has been processed. I keep all paid bills papers in my Money Matters file with the authorization code on it, until the next bill arrives then I shred the previous month.  At the beginning of the month I also list the next bill pay date on my calendar, usually this is for only the cable bill and our Visa bill which are both due later in the month, and arrive later.  Once I've paid everything I can at the beginning of the month I highlight the squares representing the bills not paid (cable/Visa) so that one quick look reminds me what I need to make sure to take care of.

My system could still use some tweaks, so I'm looking forward to reading more about paper organization this month.

Becoming More Organized in 2013

Yes, the new year always brings about a start of new ideas and new goals.  Something about starting over with a fresh slate that just gets under almost all of our skin.  I had decided that this was going to be the year where I finally finished off projects that I've started throughout the house, and also scaled down our stuff and got more organized.  (Funny, I can see my best friend rolling her eyes at me!) I admit I am addicted to books, magazines and posts about being more organized.  In fact that is what is drawing me to write this blog and accept the challange for the blog that I'm linking to.  Want to join me?  Want to get more organized in 2013?  I'm accepting the challenge, consider accepting it with me.