tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50812665917017496932012-02-22T21:28:21.023-05:00A collection of hints and how-to's for everyday people. Become more organized and efficient, while keeping your budget, family, and the planet in mind.Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.comBlogger621100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-26009748154154628572012-02-21T15:00:00.000-05:002012-02-21T15:00:02.513-05:00

Like many parents of toddlers, I've learned how useful timers can be. Something about that third party timekeeper makes life more fair and alternately speeds things up or encourages patience. I'm in awe at how this device--which I used to think was merely intended for monitoring baked goods--can settle the score between siblings and make a game out of cleaning up. Your timer doesn't have to

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-10241836496070427982012-02-11T21:27:00.000-05:002012-02-11T21:27:44.800-05:00

It's been snowing off and on all day today. I was glad to spend some time with my oldest son playing outside this morning. There is something so peaceful about a snowfall. My favorite part is that it's incredibly quiet and reminds you to slow down and savor the change in routine. And snowstorms are one of those few sacred times in our modern era where you are allowed to cut back on

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-43597308442671170992012-02-05T19:30:00.004-05:002012-02-05T21:31:59.941-05:00

I've talked a lot about the importance of having a place to go with all the things you bring in the door. You need to be able to "stage" things so that you can sort and redirect them. At the same time, there's an equally important need for figuring out what to do with stuff that needs to leave your house. Not only does this include your keys, phone, coat, purse, etc. but can also include other

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-63804013546648968392012-01-31T09:00:00.000-05:002012-01-31T09:00:02.823-05:00

Call me boring, but I crave routine. Since November 4, my life has been a lot less predictable than I like. Fortunately, my babe is starting to establish a schedule and I am feeling healthy again. Recovering from a c-section, then the holidays, then strep throat. Enough! I am thankful for a husband who really helps out around the house, but since he also works outside the home, I feel like the

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-76205788815805029672012-01-24T13:00:00.001-05:002012-01-24T13:00:01.851-05:00

Confession: I don't clean my coffeemaker every month (the way the manufacturer recommends). Honestly, I think I've done the thorough cleaning of the tank less times than I can count on one hand. It doesn't seem all that valuable to me since it's the same thing every day. The un-lovely 'before' photo. I am guilty of not washing my coffeepot regularly. But the carafe (the clear, glass pitcher)

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-42493612939809395032012-01-18T15:06:00.000-05:002012-01-18T15:06:47.552-05:00

(Hi, I am back! After several rounds of antibiotics-necessary illness in our house, and everyone finally getting close-to-enough sleep, I am finally trying to resume normal posting. So far 2012 is not as productive as I had hoped. Anyway, thanks for your patience.) No, the title of this post is not referring to the fabulous British sitcom, cool as it is. I am, however, referring to the items

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-49578312213673051872011-12-22T14:17:00.000-05:002011-12-22T14:17:48.729-05:00

A few weeks ago I posted on the six commandments of organizing and I'm still sticking to them. But this article essentially covers them in three points. I love it! "Outer order contributes to inner calm."  Oh yeah.

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-13253649118902342632011-12-18T10:00:00.000-05:002011-12-18T10:00:00.101-05:00

So, hubby and I have a chronic problem with our bathroom sink. Every few months the drain gets so sluggish that we have to take action. I'm not entirely sure who or what to blame, but I imagine there is toothpaste and shaving cream residue mingling with the main culprit: hair. I'm thrilled that there is a simple and inexpensive remedy to this. First, I unscrew the decorative part of the drain

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-88944091958116593712011-12-12T21:45:00.008-05:002011-12-12T21:45:00.961-05:00

Having guests for the holidays? Want to give your linens a refresh without having to buy new ones? (White sales don't start until January.) Here are a few tips: Wash towels on hot. Though cold water saves energy--I just learned that 90% of the energy used to wash clothes is for heating water--hot kills any bacteria hanging out in the towels. This is particularly important if colds are

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-30819464203952083552011-12-07T20:49:00.000-05:002011-12-07T20:49:56.928-05:00

Overwhelmed? House full of clutter? Already planning how to simplify in the New Year? You're going to want to keep an eye on Glynnis' blog for the next month or so. Love her ideas!!!

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-60689707316174947572011-12-04T14:30:00.034-05:002011-12-04T14:30:01.632-05:00

I was recently invited to a gathering with some of the moms from my MOPS group. One of the organizers prepared a bunch of great conversation starters, including the question "What are you good at?" There are many talented women in this world, and I really enjoyed hearing the answers from around the table. They included everything from 'loving my kids' to 'keeping an attractive home' to 'keeping

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-18440242978996421002011-11-28T15:30:00.000-05:002011-11-28T15:30:01.521-05:00

Today I have another installment of  odds 'n' ends thoughts for you. In my six commandments of organizing, I mentioned having a place where you can dump things and sort them (commandment #3). In our house, this is the foyer. We have a rather large foyer compared to the rest of our townhouse, so this area is often where things are dropped for further review. Beyond that, it's the island/peninsula

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-36046571965008671632011-11-18T09:45:00.000-05:002011-11-18T09:45:01.681-05:00

Here's a quote that I, in my orderly nature, find a bit hard to swallow: "If all we needed to follow was a plan, we'd have no need to follow Jesus." I'm sure that if you are here reading this, you are somewhat like me and thrive on planning. Or at least, you desire to be a bit more on top of things in your life. How would I know how to shape my week without looking over the calendar, listing

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-5860117109777029622011-11-09T17:00:00.024-05:002011-11-09T17:00:05.906-05:00

Here's part two of the post I shared earlier with the cardinal rules of organizing, as I see them (complete list): Each area of the house should be set up for only one type of activity.  Don’t pay bills in the kitchen, or eat in the bedroom. Use rooms for their intended purpose and designate an area for paperwork in an office or at a desk. Don’t cram all your activities into one room, or you

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-18256808136957784252011-10-28T09:00:00.000-04:002011-10-28T09:00:07.651-04:00

So, here we are just a few days until baby is scheduled to arrive. I made some serious "nesting" headway this week, reviewing and filing receipts, making lists and packing my bag for the hospital. I was also cleaning up some of the files that I saved to my computer's desktop, and found a list that I made for a friend several years ago. Here is the first installment for your inspiration:  Each

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-89411894878491101602011-10-22T08:30:00.000-04:002011-10-22T08:30:00.845-04:00

The other day, two of my good friends came over to help make applesauce. This is the third year that we've turned it into a party, and the proverbial saying is true--Many hands do make light work! Regretfully, I didn't think to take many pictures along the way, but here are two shots of the finished product. We started out with four baskets of Cortland apples from Ray's Greenhouse in Telford.

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-113538089140856592011-10-12T13:52:00.000-04:002011-10-12T13:52:40.320-04:00

I'm initiating a new type of post today, called "Tidbits." This format will encompass miscellaneous updates or thoughts that don't really warrant their own full-size post.  I ran into my friend Erin over the weekend. She was pleased to tell me that even though it's been a year, she's completed her recipe project. She typed up and organized her recipes in binders. Each type (Dessert, Vegetable,

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-7308579596944788902011-09-30T15:00:00.000-04:002011-09-30T15:00:00.518-04:00

Before kids, and when I worked full time, Saturday mornings were a time of laundry and frenzied cleaning. I spent several hours racing around trying to get everything back in shape. Now, I do cleaning in short bursts when I have time, or at least before company comes over. I just read an article that affirmed my experience, saying it's more productive and less stressful to break things down into

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0Telford, PA 18969, USA40.3175407 -75.376195240.2691132 -75.4551592 40.365968200000005 -75.2972312tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-10133338691784077322011-09-21T20:48:00.000-04:002011-09-21T20:48:48.404-04:00

Oh bother. My son has a runny nose and I am starting with a sore throat tonight. Just in time for me to do a lot of public speaking this weekend. Before pregnancy and nursing, I would have poured myself a glass of red wine to try and head off the impending cold. However, an online friend introduced me to an even more potent remedy that's safe anytime. It's just not for everyone, though I've

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-13186225719068712132011-09-14T09:00:00.002-04:002011-09-14T09:00:15.738-04:00

Here's a nifty tip that you might not have known about...but someone at the factory has been thinking! Did you know there's a cool little panel on each side that you can press in to keep your foil roll from always popping out of the box? There's also a pair of tabs on the front that (at least in theory) hold the box top down. I checked, and this is true for the foil, the cling wrap, wax

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-8913712454374927472011-09-08T21:04:00.011-04:002011-09-08T21:30:46.800-04:00

This description may not always be the most flattering, but this is exactly how I found myself today. I spent the entire day making soup to freeze for quick and easy meals after the baby is born. Call it nesting or call it crazy, I now have 29 quarts (more than seven gallons!) of soup put away. This was the first time that I spent the better part of a day in the kitchen cooking (aside from

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-57826150153359276602011-09-01T21:46:00.000-04:002011-09-01T21:46:44.507-04:00

This is my second full week working as a Domestic Engineer (stay-at-home-mom) and I'm enjoying it quite a bit more than I might have anticipated. As one of my friends has commented, it does tend to make you a bit more OCD about the house! As you might imagine, I like making lists. I've developed a full-page list of things that I'd like to do before baby #2 arrives November 4. This includes

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-23924248411823856262011-08-17T14:52:00.000-04:002011-08-17T14:52:45.177-04:00

Though summer vacations are winding down, I decided to make a few revisions to my packing checklist based on recent experience and repost it as a PDF for you to use. Enjoy!

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-17622436621160817272011-08-12T06:45:00.000-04:002011-08-12T06:45:01.333-04:00

Do you ever find yourself wishing you could get another family member a bit more on board with organizing, helping around the house, or some other project? I found Mark Gungor's analysis of men's and women's thought patterns to be so interesting (and quite funny). He explains that women think in a winding trail like spaghetti and that men tend to compartmentalize. Take a few minutes and hear

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-37707605122429648072011-07-21T07:17:00.000-04:002011-07-21T07:17:42.357-04:00

Key idea: If you aren't recycling, WHY NOT? My Dad told me something very interesting last week. He throws out about six bags of trash a year. Only six! That really benefits him because the trash pickup in his area is done by paying per bag. So, he spends about $12 a year to take care of what he can't compost, burn in his woodstove, or recycle. Can you say the same about your trash output? I

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-25269396835857864962011-07-10T15:50:00.001-04:002011-07-10T15:54:55.693-04:00

I stumbled across this article a few weeks ago. It seems to fly in the face of everything that hard-core bargain hunting coupon ladies are all about. It tells you not to sign up for customer loyalty cards. In a very roundabout way, the article suggests you don't rely on that card to get you all the deals you need. But you knew that already. Just like you knew many of the tips from my previous

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-56417576732622397312011-06-21T12:00:00.000-04:002011-06-21T12:00:33.679-04:00

I can't believe it. I lost a set of keys! They were a spare set, but still. I pride myself on having a good system in the foyer so that this doesn't happen. It's not appropriate to blame my two-year-old for moving them, is it? Since I went and had a new set made this morning, I'm sure they will turn up later this week! One of the first things we bought for this house was an entryway set with a

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-83749501350892602472011-06-08T21:24:00.002-04:002011-06-08T21:26:09.680-04:00

What can you learn about organizing from a family game? More than you might think! I just returned from several relaxing days at a mountain cabin with my husband's family. It was wonderful! After the kids were in bed, we chose to play a few rounds of the game Boggle. I enjoy word games because I read so much, but I also devised a system for winning. See, the Boggle letters are arranged in a four

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-73186568757279889692011-05-06T06:34:00.000-04:002011-05-06T06:34:06.005-04:00

Check out this post (and giveaway) from Karen Ehman. I really appreciate her encouragement to do what's next, not what is easy. It's also very guilt-reducing and refreshing to hear her say that she doesn't scrapbook!

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-85879971467761390562011-05-04T08:53:00.000-04:002011-05-04T08:53:12.679-04:00

Ah, May is here, and it was 80 degrees yesterday. Time to put away the winter clothes. Ugh. Do you dread the seasonal closet switch like I do? You know, hauling bins of clothing up from the basement and sorting, washing, and packing away the stuff that has been in your closet. Of course, the coming addition to our family means that I had to haul out the maternity clothes, too, and pack away the

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-29199468288239163052011-04-27T09:15:00.001-04:002011-04-27T09:15:00.404-04:00

Every minute is precious.  It's also an opportunity to get something done! When you have young kids, people frequently admonish you to enjoy the time because children "grow up so fast". It's especially fast when you are the parent. Unfortunately, I don't know how to put life on pause. There are a million things that drain your valuable time each day. How can you capitalize on what feels

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-40550551030276278702011-04-18T20:26:00.001-04:002011-04-18T20:26:31.199-04:00

Well, we have exciting news...baby #2 is due in November! I guess this is a partial excuse for my infrequent posting the past few weeks. As we prepare to welcome a new little one, we will soon say goodbye to our office (the third bedroom). Truthfully, we've been working towards this goal over the past year. We have gone virtually paperless, paying bills online and scanning documents that we want

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-60017814014789110232011-03-16T15:00:00.103-04:002011-03-16T15:00:05.362-04:00

I've observed something about women and men: They use the refrigerator differently. I hear from so many women that their husbands can't find anything in the fridge that isn't exactly at eye level or in the very front. Imagine my surprise that there is actually a technical term for this "condition." It's called Refrigerator Blindness, or RB. (For more, read this fascinating study. I still can't

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-15054731426718457682011-03-09T13:52:00.004-05:002011-08-17T14:55:21.211-04:00

My sincere apologies for not having any new posts for awhile. Work has been busy and thus preempted some free time during naps. DH has been working hard too. Fortunately, we were recently able to get away for the weekend at a lovely bed and breakfast in Lancaster County. Thanks to the grandparents for watching our boy! I don't know about you, but there are two parts to going away that really

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-78889331121309660732011-02-10T20:34:00.004-05:002011-02-10T20:39:25.235-05:00

Just about everyone I've talked to this week has spring fever. Enough of the winter, dashing from heated house to hopefully warm car, trying to avoid the bone-chilling cold. Doing errands in this weather is no fun, bundling up and toting a toddler around. I'm freezing or sweating, and there is no happy medium. So, let me share with you my new, favorite way to do errands: Amazon.com. I've been a

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-49684249656311370152011-01-21T14:29:00.000-05:002011-01-21T14:29:04.082-05:00

Congratulations to Megan, the winner of the January organization services giveaway! She is expecting her first child and needs to find space for playing, sewing and storage all in one. I can't wait to get started on this project; babies are so much fun!

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-22400191229978945522011-01-20T09:30:00.002-05:002011-01-20T09:30:02.440-05:00

Ah, the smell of fresh, clean laundry. There's nothing like it, right? Well, unless you get that fresh scent from hanging your clothes and sheets on the line, you may want to think again about why it smells that way. (There's one particular baby detergent that makes me sick to my stomach because of the artificial fragrance they use.) The more I get away from using mainstream cleaning products,

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-54988699914801598432011-01-12T15:00:00.001-05:002011-01-12T15:00:01.169-05:00

Today's entry includes a hodge-podge of information abut laundering your clothes and troubleshooting some common problems. Ever wonder what those hieroglyphics on your tags mean? I have this taped up in my laundry area for reference (sorry for the image quality...it has been hanging up awhile.) Sour smell: This happens to kitchen linens, washcloths and towels. The soap, food particles and body

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-491137480201030842011-01-06T20:09:00.000-05:002011-01-06T20:09:45.726-05:00

I am again giving away three hours of free organizing services. Want me to tackle a closet, basement or junk drawer? Just post a comment and let me know what you need done. The lucky winner will be selected at noon on January 21.

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-15301685695427917522011-01-02T07:30:00.000-05:002011-01-02T07:30:01.341-05:00

Confession: I love doing laundry. I always have, even when I was a teenager. Perhaps it has something to do with sorting, folding and putting away, all of which feels organized. Or maybe it's the fresh smell of clean fabric. Whether you enjoy laundry, or merely tolerate it as a necessary chore, I hope today's tip will save you some time. Consider getting a laundry basket or dedicating a bin of

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-32352845696617868372010-12-23T13:00:00.000-05:002010-12-23T13:00:01.440-05:00

I am in love. My parents got me this carrybag from Reisenthel as a birthday gift. Okay, I picked it out and emailed them the link. But still, they bought and wrapped it! By now, I hope you have caught on to the trend of using your cloth or sustainable grocery bags when you shop. Target gives you five cents off for every bag you take in, my grocery store takes off three. Legislation in

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-1006264118299412812010-12-15T20:30:00.000-05:002010-12-15T20:30:04.995-05:00

Just paged through my January issue of Good Housekeeping, and it's no surprise that the first issue of the New Year addresses organizing. Two fabulous articles: The pictures in this article are great, which features the homes of actual magazine staff! Make sure you check out the pantry!!! It's tempting to consider buying this lady's book, based on the quick tips contained in the article.

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-3906036652962174052010-12-10T09:30:00.004-05:002010-12-13T19:56:03.578-05:00

Key idea: Make holiday shopping simpler by tracking your purchases in one place. I love buying presents. I love watching people open their gift. I don't like stressing about gift buying. Lots of people set a holiday budget, either based on amount per family member or a grand total. I don't have a firm budget. However, for the past four years, I've been tracking my holiday purchases in a basic

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-68724664695025443852010-12-02T21:52:00.002-05:002010-12-03T12:42:51.748-05:00

I am tired of spending hours wrapping up Christmas gifts. Every year, I pick out the nicest wrap (with the grids so that I cut straight) and then painstaking fold and apply tape. All that and still the wrap is torn and crumpled up into a trash bag on Christmas morning. In less than a half hour. No more! The answer to my frustration came when someone turned me on to the idea of reusable

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-9563598179425974212010-11-24T11:00:00.000-05:002010-11-24T11:16:25.045-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving Eve (and Happy Birthday to me)! Sure enough, we are in full-tilt holiday season and will be going, going, going until sometime in mid-January. But for today I am reflecting on Thanksgiving and all the people and things that are dear to me. I am also wondering what it means to enter my fourth decade of life. (Wow, did I really say it that way? It makes me sound even older!)

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-35795132522978799062010-11-03T13:23:00.000-04:002010-11-03T13:23:30.710-04:00

Yesterday, my darling son decided he wanted to wake up at 2:30am. He went back to sleep at 5:00 but by then, I had far too many projects in my mind that needed doing. Many were work projects. I also had to make soup for dinner with friends, but since I needed ingredients from the store, that had to wait until later in the day. (So much for my buying ahead/meal planning every week). Once I had

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-45688250755580788382010-10-27T13:00:00.000-04:002010-10-27T13:00:02.080-04:00

The pantry is a natural extension of keeping your kitchen organized. It holds non-perishable canned or packaged goods that you want to keep on hand for common recipes. Not everyone has the luxury of a pantry closet or extra cabinet space. You might have to create a space: shelves in the basement or on the stairway to the basement, a rack in a somewhat climate controlled garage, or even in part

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-18724085130373850142010-10-15T11:22:00.002-04:002010-10-15T11:25:26.584-04:00

Key idea: It might take a few steps to move you into using your ideal system. Key idea: Sometimes it helps to have someone with you, helping you tackle the problem. Congratulations again to Erin for being brave enough to enter my organization services giveaway! We got together recently to take a look at her recipe collection, which included: A binder with neatly typed out pages (and the Word

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-88728039487484525812010-10-02T12:34:00.000-04:002010-10-02T12:34:22.575-04:00

Before My friend Rachel is one of the two lucky winners of the organization giveaway that I did in August. She and I had a blast reorganizing her kitchen one Saturday morning while the daddies took our boys to the park. Challenges: An older kitchen with limited counter space.  A cabinet needed to be emptied and eliminated so that she could install a permanent dishwasher. Her hubby then built

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-47309315814289071722010-09-27T20:57:00.000-04:002010-09-27T20:57:08.770-04:00

Key idea: Food shop (strategically!) once a week to save time and money. I'm sure it's no surprise to you that grocery store owners and food distributors would like to help you part with your money. Here are a few notes and tips on how to get some bang for your buck next time you go food shopping. Did you know that stores make money when: Necessities like milk and bread are placed at the far

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-86140102607164343652010-09-15T08:00:00.001-04:002010-09-26T20:43:53.523-04:00

I'm going to dedicate the next number of posts to ideas for each room of the house. We'll start with one of my favorite places...the kitchen. Utensil Drawer Before I mentioned last time that I was going to sort through my kitchen utensils and gadgets. It feels so good to have this finished! I have a whole drawer dedicated to my gadgets as well as part of a silverware drawer and a utensil crock

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-47416787585029882432010-09-14T21:36:00.002-04:002010-09-14T21:39:08.518-04:00

Have you ever heard of essential oils? These are often used in aromatherapy because they capture the essence (scent) of different plants. Some oils like thyme, lemongrass and cinnamon have recently received buzz for their antibacterial qualities. A few months back, I was treated to a sample of a non-alcohol antibacterial hand wipe, and the active ingredient was thyme oil. It was nice, but I

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-52494517280398886502010-09-10T12:51:00.000-04:002010-09-10T12:51:42.624-04:00

Check out this article from the October issue of Good Housekeeping. It's an interview with and sneak peek into the home of Jamie Lee Curtis about her organizational systems. Not everything she does would work for me, but I love the principle behind what she does--making sure that she has time to do important things (volunteer at her son's school, read, develop relationships) rather than being

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-49751267841553443692010-09-06T11:00:00.000-04:002010-09-06T11:00:05.734-04:00

Key idea: Keep things as close as possible to the place where they are used. Several years ago, our family had the 'opportunity' to clean out a farmhouse owned by then-deceased relatives. The home had been lived in by generations of the same family for at least 100 continuous years. Imagine the things that we found! Many of the items that we found were amusing, not the least of which was an

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-86085883531472527122010-08-25T15:14:00.001-04:002010-08-25T15:23:06.383-04:00

Remember the promises that computers would create a paperless society? We certainly aren't there yet! Nonetheless, today I want to challenge you about going as paperless as possible. We all have different comfort levels, but even a few steps in the right direction can make a difference. At our house, we are now receiving all our bills online. It was a pain to set up at first--DH had set up some

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-89079710863272703432010-08-21T10:36:00.000-04:002010-08-21T10:36:08.247-04:00

Congratulations to both Erin and Rachel! Since you ladies were courageous enough to enter the contest, you both win. I'll be contacting you privately to arrange for your three hours. Thank you!

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-86156154909585074222010-08-14T10:00:00.001-04:002010-08-14T10:00:03.814-04:00

So now that we've considered a calendar option that hopefully works for all members of your group (family, work team, etc.), let's talk about efficiency with to-do lists. Generally, you can classify your to-do items in one of the following categories: A task or appointment that must be completed at a set time. A project or task that must be completed by a set time. Rolling responsibilities or

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-70462600397597568072010-08-03T11:58:00.002-04:002010-08-11T10:07:30.040-04:00

I will be giving away three hours of free organizing services during the month of August. If you are in Berks, Bucks or Montgomery County, PA, please leave a comment about why you need organizing help at your home or office! The best story will win. Contest ends Friday, August 20 at midnight EDT. (Please note, comments are set to be moderated, so they won't post immediately.)

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-53351596314697573162010-08-03T09:00:00.009-04:002010-08-03T09:00:03.318-04:00

Key idea: Handle a piece of paper only once. At most, twice.  Key idea: Find a system that works, then trust the system. My brother-in-law saw my recent post about mail and questioned me (in a loving way) about my suggestion to handle paper just once. He started telling me about a manila file folder system his former boss encouraged him to implement (like the one described here). Important

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-13870799854741058052010-07-26T20:35:00.002-04:002010-07-26T21:02:41.507-04:00

Special thanks to my very organized coworker for suggesting this topic. File drawers overflowing with papers? Here is an easy-reference list of what important documents to keep and how long to keep them. (Note: this article is several years old, so the 2013 reference is no longer valid.) Documents that you should always save: Birth certificates Marriage licenses Death records Social security

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-38211769110212745422010-07-24T09:13:00.008-04:002010-07-24T15:27:44.854-04:00

Key idea: Handle a piece of paper only once. At most, twice. Mail is one of the most aggravating things to keep up with, because it comes nearly every day. And 90% of it is stuff that we don't need or want. Who wants bills, right? Here's a typical scenario at our house: My darling husband checks the mailbox when he gets home from work, before he even gets in the house. He drops his briefcase

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081266591701749693.post-27839146176381209222010-07-23T22:20:00.000-04:002010-07-23T22:20:16.894-04:00

I've been dreaming for several years about starting my own organizing services business. And now, the time seems right to start sharing some of my ideas and how I can help others. You see, ever since I was a little girl, organizing has been part of my everyday life. My mom laughs as she recalls three-year-old me lining up shoes underneath the bed, or straightening books on the shelf and

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629726054819341988noreply@blogger.com0