This Blog has Continued @ Simply Squared Away (dot) com

Just a quick, AND VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: We are continuing our blog on our website!!! Yeah! Woohoo! Yipppeee!

Feel free to browse here for as long as you like and then come on over to our NEW & IMPROVED & CUTE (but clean, simple and organized) website where our blog continues!!

Please join our mailing list on the website to get blog posts directly in your inbox. We will have a few regular topics like:

• PROJECTS - see before and after pictures and hear the stories behind them
• Got Questions? - get answers to your pressing questions
• It's All About Me - I will be sharing life...mysterious, eh!?
• Guest Bloggers
• Giveaways

You won't want to miss it! See you there!

Tracy

FREE Boots

Do you need a pair of free, stylish boots for this winter?? I just couldn't pass up informing you of a great deal going on by UGG boots...Sign up to receive their newsletter here and be entered to win a free pair of Whooga boots by UGG!!
"What exactly are Whooga boots by UGG?" you ask. This is a mini description taken directly from their website:

"What are Whooga ugg boots?

Whooga is widely recognised as the world’s fastest growing boutique brand of ugg boots. We stand proud as an alternative brand for chilli toes seeking something a little warmer than normal. We achieve this legendary warmth and comfort with Thermofleece which offers a number of benefits over traditional ugg boots.
- Whooga is an internationally trademarked brand
- The fastest growing winter footwear brand for the past 4 years
- A passion for fashion and creating the worlds warmest boots
- We warm ten's of thousands of toes every single day"

This new gold color is my favorite.

If you like free click here to sign up for their newsletter and be in the drawing this month!! Let me know if you win!!! :)

Quote of the Day

A good quote can give you something to think about all day...It can change the way you look at things!

"Instead of being overwhelmed by the vultures be amazed at the peacocks."

                 ~ Barbara Hemphill                        

Learn more about this by listening to her three minute podcast here.

Small Project - Organizing a Bathroom Countertop

Are you ready to tackle a small project? The bathroom countertop can be a constant mess challenge. It gets used every day - most likely twice a day! Removing everything from the counter and storing it in a cabinet would be great but the reality is that it becomes a pain (in the back) to bend over and pull things out of a lower cabinet AND then to bend over and put them back twice a day! Most people will not maintain that system and the countertop returns back to being a mess unorganized! That is why I am a fan of "reality" organizing.

Here is an example of a real life countertop that is unorganized. Can you relate at all!? Stuff has accumulated...and now it is crammed in the corner...somewhat of an eye sore to start your day!

In addition to looking bad it tends to be unclean, too, because wiping down the countertop means lifting each item separately...a time consuming activity.

"What is the best way to organize this?" you ask. Here are a few guidelines:

1. Sort your countertop items into two piles:
• what you use everyday or at least every other day
• what you use less frequently
2. Ask yourself if you have more countertop space, back of the door space or wall space. This helps you decide if you should use the wall to store regularly used items (in a cabinet that you hang or mount), the door (in an over-the-door organizer with individual pockets), on the countertop (in a container), or a little of all three!
3. Choose products that are ATTRACTIVE to you AND durable and the right size to hold your items.

Pretty simple, eh? Here is the after picture of this countertop:
 

Is that not the cutest basket? It was purchased at Pier 1 for $10.00. The webbing is a plastic-y material so that if it does get wet it won't ruin the container. Try using a temporary container first - an old tupperware or planter to check size and see if you even like it before going and purchasing something. Then you can take the temporary container with you to find just the right size!


From now on the countertops can remain organized, kept clean easily and if you want to clear it off for company it takes just one hand to move the basket inside a cabinet!!!

How do you keep your bathroom countertop organized?

Pantry Organization

Sometimes all you need is a fresh perspective and a new set of eyes! My client is known by her friends and in her neighborhood as one of the most organized people they know!! But she was "stuck" on her pantry. She called and asked if I could help.

One key thing that she said to me was that the set of shelves as you enter the pantry were specifically made for and called "can" shelves. The only problem was that you couldn't stack two standard size cans and space was being wasted when only one can was placed there! We all do this. We think that because we have always put sheets in a linen closet that sheets have to go in a linen closet. Another client's house didn't have a linen closet so we hung her sheets up on hangers in the spare bedroom closet!! It worked! So, think outside the box. Have a friend come and think along side you!

BEFORE...the shelves made for cans had to house cans, right?

Also, focus on trying to make your space as beautiful as you can when you first walk in or open the door. I wanted those "can" shelves to be uniform, neat, and appealing to the eye. We used all clear plastic bins to do this and labeled them. We used one shelf  for sauces and we reduced her cookbooks slightly so they could all fit neatly on two shelves! That is the first thing she sees now when she opens the door!

AFTER: Labeled, clear plastic bins, neatly stacked cookbooks...appealing to the eye AND useful!

Next, most pantries have boxes and cans. Free tip: Put all boxes on one shelf and all cans on another. Within those two category you can arrange more specifically. For example, group all breakfast items together, pasta items together, etc. 

BEFORE: A little confusing even though everything is labeled and lots of containers are used.

AFTER: Boxes together, cans together, breakfast together = appealing to the eye AND easy to put things away!

Finally, use square baskets in pantries to house like items - chips, pasta bags, rice, snacks, etc. They are beautiful the shelf. If you housed baking supplies in one you could just pull it out when baking and have everything at your fingertips!

Good, quality BASKETS that won't snag are a useful addition to house like items. These are from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Share your favorite tips for organizing your pantry!

Paper, Paper, EVERYWHERE!

Cute & classy organizing products can aid us in our 5th step of organizing (read about the 5 steps here and here) - Maintain. Below are two pictures of a portable action file that I made. The purpose of the action file is to temporarily house paper coming into your home. Every piece of paper coming in should have a place to go. It could be recycled, thrown out, filed, returned immediately to a backpack or your car for delivery OR housed in your action file.

Creating an action file is easy. This is a service I offer and is very customizable to meet your needs. You can also make one on your own. This action file is housed in a DiVoga Desktop File Bin from Office Max(only in stores). It is made of a clear, hard plastic so that you can purchase any decorative file folder to match your decor, slide a file folder in the front and back and, "Wahhh La", you have made it cute & classy or fun & colorful or simple & satisfying, whatever your taste.

Then, as you sort through your piles of paper see what kind of compartments (files with tabs) you need. In the photo you can see some basic examples people might use. The key is to remember that this is a temporary holding spot - not meant for permanent papers that need to be archived. Enjoy making your portable action file (and of course, send me a photo)!

Go through one stack of papers today and get them put away! Let me know how it goes! Happy Wednesday!

Delayed Decisions in the Basement

Check out our Facebook page - AND become a fan, please (by pressing the "LIKE" button)!! Eighteen photos have been uploaded in perfect "before and after" order of our precious client's basement. Sit back and enjoy them and imagine transforming your space into usable, efficient, BEAUTIFUL living space!

Remember, anytime you delay making a decision about what to do with something you are creating clutter! Try making three decisions today about what to do with your things. Tell me about it by posting a comment below.

Organizing Your Recipes - Part II

In Organizing Your Recipes - Part I I shared 5 steps to organizing your recipes using my organizing acronym SPASM. Following those steps you should have all of your recipes into sheet protectors by category with a tab in front of each main category.

Now we will label each tab. I use the white tabs that come with the insertable plastic dividers. I print out the category name on my label maker and stick the label onto one of the tabs. I wrap the excess label around the back of the tab if there is any so that I don't spend time cutting down the length. But, you could write your category on the tab or print out labels on card stock and cut them out. Here is a picture of my tabs.


Notice that I have BARS separate from cakes and cookies. In my recipe box I would always wonder which category my lemon bar recipe or my Loui's Ooey Gooeys recipe would be under. I LOVE it that I can have my own tab for BARS!!!!! That is the great thing about customizing your binder. It fits YOU!

Next, I wanted them to look great. I went on my computer to create a cover and a spine for the binder. I found an attractive photo and font and made the cover. I printed it on photo paper which I think makes a huge difference in the appearance.

Then I used a text box, adjusted the size to match the spine's width and length and typed out the categories in each binder. I wanted to easily see which binder I needed to pull off my shelf to find the recipe I would be looking for.


Now your binders are ready for your shelf. I keep mine in a cabinet but am considering where I could put them out because they make me so happy! :)

The great thing about a binder for your recipes is that you can use various size sheet protectors to add recipes. Here is a recipe printed off the computer in an 8 1/2 X 11 sheet protector. You may have a lot of recipes like that. GREAT! Just insert those behind the right tab.

What if you print a new recipe off or rip an article out of a magazine that you want to try? I would suggest you put it in the tab folder before inserting it into a page protector. That way when you plan out your next week's menu you will see that you have a new recipe to try and will schedule it into your menu!

This weekend I was craving my favorite Bran Muffins so I pulled out my binder and under BREAD I found it! It was so fast and enjoyable just looking for the recipe! My daughter helped my make them. I didn't even take the recipe card out. I just left the binder out on the stove. All the recipe cards are protected behind plastic.

PLEASE share with me how you organize your recipes. And, of course, send pictures of your new binders if this post has motivated you to organize your recipes!!

As promised in Part I here is my favorite bran muffin recipe...

Simply Squared Away's Bran Muffins

In mixing bowl stir bran and milk. Let stand 1-2 minutes.

2 1/2 cups Bran Flake cereal

1 1/4 cup milk

Add egg and oil to bran mixture stirring.

1 egg

1/4 cup oil
In separate bowl mix dry ingredients.

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup white flour

1/2 t salt

1 T baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

(I add 1/4 cup ground flax seeds)

Mix dry ingredients with wet JUST until combined. Put into muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes. Eat fresh and hot with butter.

Organizing Your Recipes - Part I

I knew it was time to organize MY recipes because...

• My recipe box looked like this! Ugh! It was crammed full with recipe cards, torn slips of paper and recipes printed on full sheets of paper folded up! The tabs were worn and bent. AND, the lid kept falling off!!

• Every time I needed to find a recipe I had to grab the whole category (e.g. main dishes) and look at each title one by one to find the recipe I wanted. OR, I had to sift through loose recipes and papers.
  
• I had so many recipes in each category that as I scanned the titles I would think, "I should throw that out. I have never even made that! That looks too hard. That doesn't even sound good."

I finally had the time to work on this project. I had some of the supplies I needed and then actually remembered (wow!) when I was out running errands to look for the 3X5 page protectors. Here are the supplies I used:

• A Binder - I used a 1 1/2 inch and a 1 inch binder. I later switched this blue one to a white one so the two binders matched. In part two I will show you the after picture of my awesome recipe binders! :)
• 3X5 page protectors - I like the 3X5 size because my cards are that size (duh!) and because there are 4 per page (the 4X6 only have 2 per page). I found mine at Office Depot. I bought 10 packages just so I wouldn't run out.

• Dividers - I LOVE this kind. They have 8 dividers and each one has pockets - I will talk about how to use the pockets later.

So, let's get STARTED!!!

The 1st step in organizing is to...SORT! Since recipes in a box are already sorted I sorted my loose papers/recipes into the existing categories in the box. Then I took one category (i.e. main dishes) at a time and sorted them down further: Chicken, Beef, Ham, Italian, Mexican, etc. Please note that I continued with step 2 and 3 for each main food category before starting the next.

The 2nd step in my organizing acronym - SPASM - is to PURGE! Get realistic. If you haven't tried a recipe in a year don't keep it. If you decide to keep it then get it on your calendar and buy the ingredients. When you have whittled it down to those you want to keep you are ready for step three!

The 3rd step is the A - ASSIGN A HOME! Each main category's 'home' will be after it's tab divider. Place the first tab into your binder. Use a sticky note to label this tab temporarily until you are certain that this is the order you are happy with. Before placing your recipes into the protectors decide how you want to order the recipes/mini categories. I put them into the sheet protectors by mini categories. For example, I choose to put my chicken recipes in first with my favorite chicken recipes in the front. Then I put my beef recipes in with my favorite beef recipes in the beginning. And so on... There were a couple of blank pockets after each mini category so I would have room to add recipes later.

CONTINUE this process until all of your recipes are in the binder(s) with each main category behind a new tab.

The 4th step is to SET LIMITS. Try and think of natural limits that help control your stuff. Here, it could be the actual binder - once the binder is full you must purge. Or, another limit could be the number of page protectors per section - for example, 5 pages per category, etc.

The 5th step is to MAINTAIN. Here again try and think of natural occurrences where maintenance could occur. For example, with a closet you could maintain each time you wash clothes, each season when you switch seasonal clothing, each time you bring a new item in, etc. With your recipe binder(s) you can maintain each week when you menu plan or whenever you pull your binder off the shelf.

In Organizing Your Recipes - Part II I will talk about labeling the tabs, creating the cover and spine, and what to do with new recipes coming in! I will even post a picture of the first time using my new binder AND a favorite recipe!

Hangers: Can they change the way you FEEL??

Okay, I have to admit that I have not organized, or even purged, my own closet in the last two years! Well, maybe an item removed here or there but nothing big. I have walked into it several times ready to do some purging but stood there unsure where to start and decided I didn't have enough time, felt overwhelmed and turned around and walked out. Can you relate to that? I had these images in my mind of a complete closet restructure/makeover but when reality hits the closet is the last thing to get done.

The other day I was out returning something at Kohl's when I saw these hangers - the ones in all the pictures, sleek black velvet to keep clothes hung up, thin to create more room in your closet. I was inspired to once again organize my closet and since the hangers were on sale (and I had a coupon) I purchased them!

If you have stood at the door of your messy closet and felt overwhelmed and stuck here is the one, magical tip that helped me get started and keep going AND it can help you, too:

Organize and purge by color.

This makes it EASY to do a little at a time. It is EASY to get started. It is NOT overwhelming. Here is my step by step...

1. I grabbed all my white clothes - shirts, sweater, jackets, etc (I did pants/skirts separate). I placed the white pile on my bed and went through one piece at a time. Do I wear this? Is it in good shape? Does it fit good? Will I wear it next season? Answering those questions directed the piece to the donate pile OR I switched hangers and put it in my "keep" pile.

2. When I finished the white pile I grabbed the white "keep" pile off my bed, hung it at the front of my closet, arranged it in the order I wanted - I like short sleeve, sweater, jackets...

3. Then, grab the next color. It is easy to pick another color because color stands out. Choose a color you have less of. That way it is not overwhelming to go through a pile of five items verses 75.

4. Decide if it goes in the donate pile or "keep" pile, switch hangers and move to the next piece. Once that color is finished take the keep pile with nice, new hangers and place it next to the white clothes in the closet. Arrange in the order you like. Choose another color and repeat.

5. You may find an item that needs mending. Make a hard decision here. Are you going to take it to the seamstress right away or will it sit in a pile for a year cluttering your space. If you won't likely deal with it then donate it and move on.

6. I finished the process with black because I had a lot more black items.

7. Then move to pants and skirts. I fold some pants and shorts so once I finished with my hanging items I started on my shelves. The hangers were so beautiful to look at AND my clothes were color coordinated...I gained momentum and inspiration to keep going.

The great thing is that if time is running out and you need to move on to another activity you can easily come back to this project and just start in on another color!

Here is a section of my closet before (yes, a little embarrassing):

And, here is the same section after:

The hangers DO change the way I feel...EVERY time I walk into my closet!!

Organizing a Toy Room

I LOVE before and after pictures!!! Don't you? They inspire! They help you remember what life was like "before"! They remind you of the potential! They motivate you to move to the next space! They even help you remember to maintain!

I have the honor of sharing some before and after pictures of my client's basement (by the way, have I shared that we have been organizing a lot of basements lately?). In the next few weeks I will post the rest of the pictures but today we will see just the zone designated as the play area/therapy room.

This wonderful family has been blessed with four children - two of which have autism. The last five years have been a whirlwind of emotion, therapy, paperwork, learning, hard work, challenging times and joy filled moments for them. In the midst of all that some things were set aside - one being the home. Now, as the family comes to a point where they can focus on their home they have called me to help. I LOVE HELPING!

The basement was an area where things were taken and left until...later! When you stand and look at an area in your own home begin by asking yourself what will take place in this area. This basement needed to have 4 areas, or zones:

1. Toy/therapy
2. Workout/exercise
3. Relaxing - TV/books
4. Game room

Once we talked this out we could begin the organizing process:

• Sort
• Purge
• Assign a home
• Set limits (with containers, shelves, etc)
• Maintain

Remember my acronym SPASM? If not read about it here.

Here it is...what was once the office and holding area is now a bright and cheery playroom used for play and for therapy!

BEFORE:


AFTER:

Amazing, eh?

INDEPENDENCE From Clutter

Happy Independence Day!!!

As we plan to celebrate Independence Day this July I wanted to remind us how to have "independence" from clutter. First, remember that clutter is delayed decisions. Look around at the piles in your home, on your counter, stashed in your closet or basement. Look at your inbox and see the piles of emails. Most piles are because you (or someone in your home) either haven't had time to put them away OR you delayed to make a decision on what to do with it.

The first step in improving clutter build up is to be aware of it. Then, when you are tempted to put something down before making a decision, you can ask yourself, "Do I want clutter that I WILL eventually have to deal with later OR can I make a decision about it right now?"

Ask yourself questions like:

1. Can I put this away right now?
2. Can I throw this away (delete this)? Or give it away?
3. What is the next step I have to take regarding this?
4. Do I need to find a permanent home for this?

Take one item off a pile right now and ask yourself these questions. Deal with that one item. Try one more item... Keep it up for five or ten minutes and repeat daily!

Happy Independence-from-clutter Day!

Even Your Font Can Save You Money!

Last week I heard a great tip from Chuck Bentley on Crown Financial's MoneyLife about what FONT to use when printing to save you the most money on ink!! I can't say that I have ever thought about changing my FONT to save on ink! Click here to get all the details of their research and read the article from printer.com's April 13th blog.

Bentley had more "Tips To Cut Expenses and Reduce Stress". Click here for all the tips and links.

Oh, enough suspense...the FONT that will save you the most money is Century Gothic. EcoFont is second and Times New Roman is third. The worst of the 10 most commonly used fonts is Franklin Gothic Medium.

Which FONT do you use the most? Will knowing this information cause you to change the font you use?

Lunch Making Tip

This is the best idea for organizing your mornings!! I Facebooked this yesterday:

"Tip for making lunches (courtesy of Jenn Rogers): Buy deli meat on sale, take a loaf or two of bread, make it all into sandwiches (PB&J, too) and place into the freezer in individual freezer baggies. In the mornings, just grab a sandwich from the freezer add the sides and whaalaaa... Lunch! I made a loaf of sandwiches this morning! Please, add a lunch-making tip of your own!"

So, today, I just had to report this...I was running out of the house taking two of my girls to a softball game. From there we had to go straight to my son's piano recital and from there I was leaving to meet with a client. At the last minute (of course) I realized that I wouldn't be able to eat for several hours and may not have time to stop and get something. I was soooo happy to be able to grab a sandwich out of the freezer, grab an orange from the frig and a bag of chips and a water. Off I went.

As I drove to the recital I just couldn't wait any longer. I had to try out this sandwich from my freezer! Here goes, the results I had been waiting for...It was AWESOME!! I loved it. It had just thawed. The bread wasn't soggy at all. It tasted like I had just made it! You all must try this, too. Healthier lunches, less stress, better organized... Life is good!

Does This Photo Make My Butt Look Big?

So, have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered if your pants made your butt look big? I was in a photo shoot recently and had chosen the one photo that I liked to send in for an article about my business. I got home and was about to email it when my two boys and husband came over. I showed them the photo and much to my surprise they were NOT impressed!

They pointed out that my head looked small and my butt looked like it had an entire extra pad attached to it!!! (I am sure it is the way I am sitting!) I guess, because I have never been accused of having a big butt, I never even thought about if the photo made it look big. They also pointed out that the organizing bins looked as if they were falling on me and they did not understand the background. "What are those pictures??" they asked.

After we laughed for several minutes they helped me decide on another photo and I sent that in. But (no pun intended :)), because I will probably never use this photo now I thought I should ask, "Does this photo make my butt look big?"

Odd Job: Proffessional Organizer

I have had the honor of being interviewed by Katy Ryan, a freelance writer for KC Free Press. To read the full interview Click here .

KC Free Press launched in December 2009 as a Web-based news and information source serving metropolitan Kansas City. As Kansas City’s first “built-for-the-Web” media outlet, the site was founded on a belief that a multimedia approach to reporting combined with a focus on local content and voices provides the best experience for users.

Katy is doing a series for KC Free Press titled "Odd Jobs." In addition to me, a professional organizer, Katy has interviewed a storm chaser, toy designer, KCMO fountain maintenance manager, geese police, T-shirt boutique owner and more for her 'Odd Jobs' series. It is so fun and interesting to learn about these people and their jobs and know they all live right here in the Kansas City area!

Katy Ryan is a blogger, too. Take a little trip over to her blog titled "girl about KC". She also has just published her first book, Moon Kansas City, which you can find here. As a Missouri native she covers the best of the Kansas City area, including River Market, Crossroads, Westport, and Brookside. Ryan provides various travel strategies, including The Best of Kansas City in Four Days, and explores notable restaurants as well as the various arts and entertainment the city has to offer.

Sounds like a must read for us Kansas City residents, eh?! Or for those who might visit Kansas City. This could help you locals ORGANIZE your summer outings and help introduce your out of town visitors to the treasures of KANSAS CITY!

Let me know your thoughts and what 'odd' job you have right now!

What Papers Should I Keep?

Everyone wants to know what papers they should keep and what papers are okay to throw away. With so much contradicting information going around how do we know what to do?

I received a flyer with my ING investment statements that I found quite helpful and wanted to share that with you. It is simple and to the point. Here is a wrap up of what papers to keep and for how long...

Permanent Papers: (keep forever)

• Birth, marriage and death certificates
• Passports
• A copy of your will and health care directives
• Copies of beneficiary designations for retirement accounts
• All current insurance papers

Long-Term Papers:

• Federal and state income tax returns with the supporting documentation (minimum 3 years)
• Household papers including receipts, instructions and warranties for major appliances as well as records of capital improvements (keep as long as you own your home/appliance)

Short-Term papers:

• Monthly statements
• Investment papers confirming transactions
• Pay stubs (discard once you receive the year-end statement)
• Utility and telephone bills (shred as soon as they're paid)
• ATM receipts and deposit slips (destroy once they appear on your bank statement)

If you wanted to make files simple you could follow this outline for your file tabs! Keep the permanent papers in a fire proof box or safe.

As always, check with your accountant or tax advisor. For a complete guide to tax record keeping, see IRS Publication 552, Recordkeeping for Individuals at www.irs.gov.

"The Cabinet"

Do you have one of these cabinets...It is the catch all place for all office supplies, phone books, papers of all kinds, markers, kids crafts, cords, electronics, etc. Usually it is around the area you handle the mail. For most it is in the kitchen near a desk...

I wanted to show one of my client's NEW, organized cabinet. Too bad I forgot to take a before picture so that you could see how full of papers and stuff it was - unrecognizable. But we all have something like it...somewhere. And even the most organized people out there have to consistently maintain this special cabinet.

This cabinet is great because it has adjustable shelves. If you look closely you will see that we put the black notebooks in a clear-ish magazine holder turned on its side so they wouldn't fall over. Most of the paper that was smashed in the cabinet was thrown out or moved to permanent files but the white binder with clear sheet protectors keeps important documents.

My client found the Clear AkroBins on the left at The Container Store. We labeled them for the various things she wanted to keep near her kitchen/desk area: markers, pencils, nail supplies, office supplies, money, postage, etc. The top shelf has four areas reserved for stationary, pet supplies, cameras/cords, and checks.

To start a project like this on your own use my organizing acronym "SPASM" to help...

1. Pull out the things in your cabinet one by one and Sort them into piles. Use a sticky note to write each category name near the pile so you don't forget. You may have categories like crafts, paper, phone books, addresses, office supplies, etc.
2. Purge each pile. Throw away, donate or recycle all that you can.
3. Now Assign a home to each category. Do you want to keep it in this cabinet? This step is a little like a puzzle - figuring out how and where each item will fit into the cabinet. Try it different ways until you come up with a solution you like.
4. Next, Set limits by using containers. Decide what kind of containers you need. Try items you have around the house - old Tupperware, cups for pencils, shoe boxes - just to see how it fits. Then you can search the stores or online to find just the right containers. Set limits with statements, too. Say, "I will only use this area for stationary (or pens, phone books, post-its). When it is full I will purge and donate some to make room for the new."
5. Lastly, Maintain! This is key to continued organization. When you notice it is getting messy follow this acronym again. Maybe you will have to make some changes, add a new category or move a category to a different location.

Have fun! Send me before and after pictures of your project! Enjoy the results but don't waste too much time staring at your beautiful cabinet!!

Organizing...Creating an Environment of Support

In response to my previous post - our GO Month project - Ray Smith, National Director of Finance and Administration of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation, said,

"We are so thankful for the help we received in organizing our kitchen and storage areas after our recent move. In our old space, we had one large storage area, and everything just got stored wherever there was an open space for it. Now we have segmented areas for certain items and departments – and the organizers developed a labeling system that will help us to keep things where they belong. It is going to be so much easier to find what we need, to know when items need to be re-stocked, and to purge items we are no longer using."

Organizing is meant to create an environment that supports your work and your life. This project will support the work that the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation is doing. That is what it is all about!!

What in your work or in your life needs the support that organization can bring?

GO Month Project...A Success

Our local Kansas City organizers have completed our GO (Get Organized) Month project. I had blogged about here. We were so interested in helping the Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Foundation that we waited until March 1st, after they moved into their new office space, to complete our project.

As promised I am posting the before and after pictures! Here is all of the organizers after finishing our project...still smiling because we LOVE organizing. Can you pick me out? (clue: I am the tallest one in the picture!)

It feels great to help a cause... Without the worry of unpacking and organizing these areas the PKD staff is now ready to start working at their highest level of productivity and efficiency!

There were 4 areas that we organized. First, is the mail room:

A quick tip: The temporary blue post-its are being replaced by 3x5 plastic sleeves that will attach to the front of each cabinet with a computer printed label that slides in the sleeve. This makes it attractive AND easy to change out when supplies in the cabinets change.

Next, their kitchen:

A quick tip: Create stations in your kitchen. The coffee station is right by the coffee pots. The coffee cups are right above the pots and all the creamer, stir straws, etc are right there, too. The water station has all water cups right above the water filter machine.

Then, the storage room:

A quick tip: We created a center work station where they can wrap and prepare packages to send out! Also, be prepared to have an area for packages coming in to be housed temporarily until there is time to put them on the right shelf.

Lastly, the marketing closet:

A quick tip: Each box has a sample taped to the front of it so that anyone can easily see what is in the box. No wasting time reading labels and opening boxes. Also, it is important to have open space available for incoming supplies.

If your storage spaces need organizing, or your entire office is moving, why not invest in professional help. Have an organizer or a team of organizers get your space Simply Squared Away! You can reach me through my website!

Meal Planning

Meal planning - getting a healthy, balanced meal to our tables - is an area where many people lack organization and become frustrated and disappointed.

I always find myself drawn to this topic. I usually plan a menu and go to the grocery store to buy the ingredients I need but I am always looking for new ideas and recipes. I have friends on both sides of the spectrum - those that don't have any list or meals planned out and those that have it down to a science with coupons, fliers and deal-hunting focus. My mother-in-law always tells me that she menu planned around the sale ads - whatever meat that was on sale was the center of her menu.

Categorizing each day of the week is a handy tool that helps with menu planning. Of course, you need to arrange the categories to fit your schedule. Try these category ideas:

Monday - New recipe
Tuesday - Crock pot
Wednesday - Easy/Fast
Thursday - Kid's Favorite
Friday - Meatless
Saturday - Asian
Sunday - Eat out

Or you could also try categories like these:

Monday - Mexican
Tuesday - Italian
Wednesday - Crock pot
Thursday - Asian
Friday - American
Saturday - Frozen
Sunday - Eat out

Or what about salad, pizza, soup, sandwich...Remember to stay flexible! Have an outline of meals for the week but when it comes down to it don't cry if you forgot to put food in the crock pot on Wednesday morning. When you get home, eat the frozen meal from Friday and do the crock pot meal later in the week. Also, if you ate Mexican on Sunday when you went out to dinner you might want to switch your Mexican Monday with your Asian Thursday meal.

I get on these kicks when I am reading a new [recipe] book and have to try a ton of new recipes. My favorite book, click here for my post reviewing this book , The Eat Clean Diet has a RECHARGED version out now. In it is my new favorite recipe: Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice that is unbelievably delicious. This was the first time I cooked with fish sauce and oyster sauce...not a nice smell when you add it to the mix but somehow it turns into fabulous flavor! Also, the Thai Steak on Soba Noodles was wonderful. I think that is why I have a category for Asian in both lists!

Try this:
Take an hour this weekend and plan out a month of meals using the category ideas above. Write your grocery lists for each week. Keep the menus and lists in a binder for easy access. Let me know how this helps you stay organized with your meal planning this next month!

Are there other ideas that work for you when it comes to meal planning? Please share!

Becoming... In Order To Reach Your Goals

I am going through Darren Hardy's The Best 10 Years material and am learning sooo much. I would recommend that everyone go through it! Last week he talked about goals. I have gained a new perspective! This quote summarizes what I am learning...

“To achieve something you have never achieved before you must become someone you have never been.” —Les Brown

Here is an example of a goal and then asking the question, "Who do I need to become to reach that goal?" Darren uses this example on his blog. I highly recommend you click over to read the entire post! He says,

"Let me give you another example to bring this home for you. Let’s say your goal is to earn another $100,000 this year. Now we need to ask the question, ‘Who do you need to become to be an extra $100,000 valuable?’ Your answer might contain some attributes—stated in the positive, “I am”—such as:

• I am a disciplined master of time efficiency.
• I focus solely on high-payoff and high-productivity actions.
• I wake up an hour earlier and review my priority objectives each morning.
• I fuel my body properly and exercise four days a week so I am energetic and highly effective each work hour.
• I feed my mind ideas and inspiration that will support and bolster my passion.
• I surround myself with peers and mentors who elevate my expectations and prod me to rise to greater levels of discipline, commitment and achievement.
• I am a smart, confident and effective leader. I seek and cultivate the strength and greatness in everyone around me.
• I deliver excellence to my clients and continually find ways to ‘wow’ them, encouraging repeat transactions and abundant referrals.

Before you can have, you must do. And before you can do, you must become."

Very interesting, eh? It makes me think about my goals and what I need to 'become' to reach them and be the best person I can be. And, it is not all about money. Darren is big on life balance. Goals should be balanced around work, family, your calling, mental, spiritual, etc.

What are some of your goals? Has this helped you think about how you will achieve them - who you will 'become'?

GO Month Project: Organizing the PKD Foundations' New Office Space

January is NAPO's National Get Organized (GO) Month. It is a time for professional organizers around the world to give back to their community and educate the public about what we do and how it can be of help.

The professional organizers in Kansas City are giving back to our community by helping the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation. The PKD Foundation is the only organization, worldwide, dedicated to fighting polycystic kidney disease (PKD). The mission of the PKD Foundation is to: "Promote programs of research, advocacy, education, support and awareness in order to discover treatments and a cure for Polycystic Kidney Disease and improve the lives of all it affects."

We will be organizing their mail and storage rooms when they move into their new office space. Since their move doesn't take place until the end of February our GO Month project will not be finished until then. We didn't want to miss this opportunity to give the PKD staff a fresh, organized and productive start in their new offices.

Yesterday, three other organizers and I toured the PKD's national headquarters' current office space and then traveled to their new office space. We compared and planned how they could fit their current inventory into the new space to create optimal productivity, be visually appealing AND be easy to maintain.

Ray Smith, the National Director of Finance and Administration, commented, "The timing could not have been more perfect...Before construction begins on the new space we now have a plan to best organize our storage and mail room supplies AND a list of things to do to get ready for the move! Thank you!"

Be looking for the before and after photos in early March when the project is complete!

I am the Winner of the NEW $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook

Is there anything better than finding out you WON something?! I sat down this afternoon to check my email and read that I had won the brand new $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook! Laura, over at I'm an Organizing Junkie, has wonderful giveaways and product reviews along with her very informative blog that I subscribe to and love to read. I sign up for as many of the giveaways as I have time for and I have WON a very exciting prize.


Erin Chase, the $5 Mom, has a wonderful story. Visit her blog and read about her and her talents! Her website has TONS of deals that she finds out about and shares with her readers. She gives the links to print coupons or sign up for these deals. It is amazing. She has just published her cookbook where every meal in it she has made for $5! I cannot wait to see it, learn from it and cook from it. I spend way too much money on groceries and am not a coupon/deal queen. Since I do cook most of our meals from scratch though I am very excited to learn some new tips and recipes! Thanks, Erin and Laura!

FREE Program To Learn How To Achieve Lifelong Goals

I have just been introduced by Laura, over at I'm An Organizing Junkie, about a FREE program that started January 5th (but you can still join in). It is being given by Darren Hardy, publisher of Success Magazine. The program is called Designing the Best 10 Years of Your Life: Your Personal Strategic Plan for Achieving Lifelong Goals. Click here to visit his site and watch an 8 minutes video from Darren himself explaining exactly what he is doing in this one-time-only-FREE event. To register you will need to enter your email address in the right column on his site.

What a better time than NOW to strategically plan and learn how to achieve your goals. Darren does explain that he learned this skill when he was 18! Please feel free to forward this to friends, family or colleges so they, too, can join in. Lets do it together!

I love in the video when he says that the motivation and commitment we have when we sign up will disappear in a couple of weeks (isn't that the truth!) BUT that is when we need to push ourselves and keep going, completing the process! I will keep you posted on my progress. Keep me posted on yours!

2010 Workout Motivation

Okay, I don't know about you, but when I am on the treadmill my brain tells me things like, "You are going to DIE!" "You cannot make it!" "Stop NOW, you cannot go another step!!!" Do you all feel like this? I have found it helpful to have distractions - pictures, verses, very loud music on my ipod - to motivate me to keep going.

I also need new contests, programs or ideas to keep motivated. This year my sister-in-law and I are having a 12 week contest. I won't give you the details but I have my workouts planned -thanks to my personal trainer brother-in-law. Now it is just making sure I do those workouts!

As some of you may know my motto for 2010 is...

live Simple. dream BIG.

This week I spent some time enhancing (I had a few things up from last year) my motivation! I wanted to share this picture with you all!


I love it! The first thing I see is my motto which starts my mind to thinking, dreaming, planning... When my brain is telling me to quit I look at the two girls running and my "brain talk" changes! It says, "They are doing it, so can you!" "She is going up that mountain, look how beautiful it is." "Look at their muscles!" When I get bored I read my verse for the year and recommit to it in every area of my life.

It is nothing fancy - just a simple, unpainted cement wall! But, it works! Please share what motivates you!