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Save on Groceries with a Kitchen Inventory

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Did you go over budget on groceries these last two months? That’s easy to do with holiday baking and entertaining family and friends. Odds are you have leftovers or your pantry is bulging from extras that were not consumed.

Why not take a Kitchen Inventory? A Kitchen Inventory lends itself to meal planning and is a good way to put feet to your New Year goals of healthy eating, watching finances, or spending more face time with family.

Let’s get started then!

1. Grab a pad and pen. Divide your paper into five sections: Refrigerated (fresh) Food, Dry Goods (canned and boxed), Frozen Foods, and Expendables (spices, leavening, oils). If you want to get fancy, EHow has instructions on making a computer inventory here. Just don’t make this harder than it is, OK?

2. Make a list of what you have on hand in fridge, freezer, and pantry, checking “use by” dates as you go. Throw out any bulging cans!

3. Put a star by:

Fresh food more than a week old (like those baby carrots you swore you would eat instead of cookies and candy)
Canned goods/boxed foods more than a month old
Frozen food more than 2 months old
Spices/seasonings more than 1 year old for ground, 2 years for whole.

4. Brainstorm meals that will use only what you have on hand, especially the starred foods. Think soups, stir fry, casseroles. Recipe sites that allow you to search by ingredients can help. These are a few of my favorites: recipe.com, allrecipes.com, RachelRay.com

5. Make a grocery list including only the staples (bread, milk, eggs) you go through regularly and specific ingredients you will use in the next 5-7 day’s meals.

Yes, making the inventory takes time, but this process gives back to you! What you will save: time wondering what to have for dinner, money you can put toward any holiday charges hanging around your neck, space in fridge/pantry for fresh ingredients.

Do this exercise once a month to truly gain is control over your kitchen storage spaces, your food consumption, and your grocery bill. You are your manager. Would you hire yourself?

Posted in Home Life, Time Management | No Responses »
Tags: focus, get organized, get started, organizing, planning, storage

Declare War on Time-Consuming Clutter with Action Zones

Friday, January 6th, 2012

Does your struggle to be productive at work and at home feel like waging war with yourself and others?

Perhaps it makes sense to perceive that struggle as a battle ground. You are the commander. You are waging war on several fronts – special projects, ongoing skirmishes, and supply logistics. You have a map of the terrain (the floor plan) and know what your resources are: equipment, personnel, and supply lines.

To win the battle, you must match trained personnel with specialized equipment and ensure that needed supplies are available for immediate use. In other words, you want to have all the components needed to engage the enemy to come together in the same place at the same time.

I’m sure you have decided (as I have) to work on a certain project only to spend 20 minutes or more gathering all the varying pieces of information, supplies, and equipment before you can begin. Whether that is finding your mixing bowl in the kitchen, asking yourself “Where did I put my 3-hole punch this time?”, or just trying to get the kids out the door in the morning, it is time-consuming as well as frustrating!

The answer is to designate action zones.

First make a decision that you are going to start now! The time you spend in planning for efficiency will be returned to you tenfold.
Brainstorm. Ask yourself what activities you actually DO in the room/area you are organizing. Perhaps the question should be – what activities do you ideally want to do there!
Assign specific areas in the room, or zones, to similar activities. Try to limit each room to 2-3 zones. In an office you might have action zones for:
- Communication Central – your desktop and shelf above
- Reference library – bookshelf and file drawer
- Action/Projects – credenza with In/Out boxes and incline sorter for specific activities/projects.
Place equipment and supplies within arm’s reach in the appropriate zone for each activity.
- Filing – extra hanging files, manila file folders, labels
- Enjoying media – TV, Radio/CD player, VCR/DVD player, CD’s, DVD’s, and remotes, of course.
- Paying bills – computer, bills, calculator, check book, stamps, address labels
- Baking – measuring cups and spoons; mixing bowls; baking pans; spices, extracts and leavening agents
- Getting in the car – keys, diaper bag, shoes, coats, hat, gloves & backpacks

Now that you have the stage set for control over each new project, all you need are the trained personnel. Is that you or do you have employees, friends, or children you can delegate the task to?

The beauty of action zones is that whoever is assigned to that battle will have all the tools necessary to succeed! That will save you time in both set- up and in wages paid.

You may find that once you know where everything is to get started quickly, you are raring to take on that project yourself, right now. You are the commander and it is an easy victory!

Posted in Featured, Home Life, SOHO Small Office/Home Office, Time Management | No Responses »
Tags: disorganization, efficiency, efficiency. organizing, get organized, get started, organizing, planning, productivity, reference files, strategy, stress, time

Getting That Project from To Do to DONE!

Tuesday, July 26th, 2011

My husband, Jeff, is a Project Management Professional (PMP). He oversees Information Technology (IT) projects for the State of Ohio.

You and I are project managers, too. Without thinking about it, we go through certain steps to make sure something gets done on time. Sometimes we miss a step, the project falters, and we are scrambling to catch up. Perhaps we can learn some tips from the experts.

First, let’s make sure we agree on what a project is. This is the short definition in Project Management for Dummies by Stanley E. Portny, PMP:

A project is a temporary undertaking performed to produce a unique product, service, or result.

In plain English, that means:

A project has a beginning, middle and an end with specific start and end dates.
The result or product is well-defined and measurable.
Resources are necessary to complete the project (ex. people’s time and effort, money).

There are 5 steps that constitute a complete project cycle. Let’s walk through the steps and apply them to a summer project. Say, for example, you want to take a trip to see the Grand Canyon.

Initiating – Starting the project by clarifying needs/desires, expectations, budget, who will be involved.~~ Decide you are actually going to take that trip to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon. Invite
people to go with you, ask what else they want to see. Estimate how much the trip will cost
and whether you can afford it.
Planning – Working out details on what is involved (scope), resources available, timing, and what can go wrong. Decide who will do what and when in order to be done on time.~~Check out airfares to see where and when you will fly out west. Plan how long you will stay based on available resources. Map out what you will see and where you need to book overnight stays. Look at the extended forecast for an idea of what to pack. Think about what could go wrong and plan for contingencies.
Executing – Taking action; work as a team.~~Book flights, rental car, hotel rooms. Have mail and papers held. Pack suitcases, get spending money and meet at the airport at the appropriate date and time. Delegate some tasks to make other traveler(s) feel invested in the process.
Monitoring/Controlling – Tracking performance to stay on time and budget.~~While vacationing according to plan, be flexible to account for unexpected delays or expenses. Adjust your itinerary accordingly to stay within your budget and get to the airport on time to come home.
Closing – Get approval on final results. Do a post-project evaluation to acknowledge what did well, lessons learned on ways to improve.~~Pat yourself on the back for checking that wish off your bucket list! Jot down a few notes on what you will do differently next time.

My Request to You

Take a piece of paper. Identify one project you are thinking of starting or are in the middle of.

Write the 5 steps on your paper. Next to each one, brainstorm what tasks/actions will be needed.
Assign a start and an end date to your project. Then work backward asking yourself, “When will I have to get this particular task done in order to finish my project on time?”

You will be amazed at the solid plan you end up with! Call this your “skeleton” and flesh it out as you walk through each stage. Don’t you love having a plan on paper so you don’t have to waste brain cells rethinking all the time? Now, just do it!

Posted in Featured, Personal Development, Time Management | Comments Off
Tags: get started, howto, planning, project management, strategy

Organize with Friends: More Fun, More Accountability

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Organizing your cluttered space can be lonely and downright depressing! Who wants to spend a couple hours looking at the clothes you could fit into two years ago, the mementos you saved from your now-grown children’s early years, or the projects from work that you poured your life into and have now been replaced by newer, better?

The solution: make a party of it! Invite a bunch of friends, promise to feed them, and divide the organizing among the lot of you.If you only have one friend kind enough to help, make it a reciprocal agreement. He/she comes to your place first (of course) and you go to to help at the friend’s place the next week. To quote English playwright and poet, John Heywood, “Many hands make light work.”

Take these steps to ensure your organizing party is both fun and productive:

Choose a date that works for you and your friend(s).
Dream and plan your ideal layout for the space.You can always make a course correction later.
Purchase any large storage pieces you know you will need: bookshelves, end tables, storage ottomans. Wait to purchase smaller organizing systems until you know what they will contain and the dimensions of the drawer/shelf to hold them.
Gather supplies: black trash bags, cardboard boxes or plastic bins for sorting, felt tip pens, sticky notes or 3×5 cards, masking tape.
Use an proven organizing method like Julie Morgenstern’s S.P.A.C.E. Explain how it works to your guest(s)
Feed the workers before you start, and take water breaks.
De-clutter and organize for a set time, say 1-2 hours, stop and straighten up.
Celebrate the great progress you made and make another date to complete the task!

In addition to the extra hands and brainpower, this method works well because once committed, you can’t back out. We may break appointments with ourselves on a daily basis, but hesitate to let our friends down.

Just think… if you and a friend did this trade once a month for a year, you could organize your whole house or apartment! An added side benefit is the relationship building time together. How fun!

Use an organizing method like S.P.A.C.E.

Posted in Featured | Comments Off
Tags: accountable, de-clutter, efficiency. organizing, encourage, get organized, get started, storage

Jill’s Story, Behind the Scenes Coaching on De-Cluttering

Friday, March 12th, 2010

You want to soar, stuff gets in the way (neoliminal/Flickr)

Over the last month or so, Jill and I have been emailing back and forth. She shared that she is finally motivated to let go of all the paper she has been storing with her business. I hope you will be encouraged by her story. I asked Jill if I could share our email correspondence. She was surprised that I thought she could be of help to someone else, but agreed graciously. I will post her “Before” pictures soon. Jill has promised to show us her “After” pictures when she gets more work done. I think she has come a very long way already!

Hello Martha:

I have enjoyed reading your 60 tips. Nice to know that I am on the right track and not as bad as I thought!!!

I have my own business as a graphic designer/marketer/printier and I am a paper hoarder. I save samples of my work, sayings, books, reference materials, magazines, business journals, catalogs, postcards, etc. I have the thought of “just in case”

In my office, I have 5 file cabinets with 15 drawers, book shelves, cabinets, etc. with these items stored. I even have the paper piles on the floor in my office which I can’t seem to get through and is driving me crazy….I know it is a bit of OCD. …but I am trying to plow through.

Here is my Serious question: How do you deal with samples, catalogs, etc.? I have had them on file for their information and use as photos of an item, like a magnet, shirt, signage, etc. Do I input all of the info about the catalog/company in a database and pitch the catalogs? Keep them? ETC? I was just trying to make room in my files for other info and to reduce the weight on my floor!

Help! I could really use your advice. Thank you so much.

Jill

Hi Jill!

I am so glad you found the report helpful. Yay! You have systems in place already!

It sounds like you have a filing system for your work-related papers. Before I answer your question of “How do you deal with samples, catalogs, etc?” I want to get a little clarification:

How often do you use what is in the files in your present projects?
Are you able to find what you need when you go to look for it?
Do you replace the old catalogs with the latest version when it comes?

In principle, you probably use only 20% of what you have. The only trick will be to figure out what that percentage represents in your mix.

I may be able to get some hints from your answers to the questions.

You are brave to ask the questions, Jill. Kudos!

Martha Clouse
Professional Organizer and Speaker

Click to continue »

Posted in Downsize / Move, Featured, Home Life, Paper Management, SOHO Small Office/Home Office | Comments Off
Tags: accountable, clutter, coaching, disorganization, downsize, encourage, focus, get started, Paper Management, personality, reference files, small spaces, storage

Ask NOT What Organizing Can Do For You…, Better Yet DO Ask!

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Perhaps intelligence can lessen the consequences of ADD tendencies? Maybe, maybe not. My father labeled me a “scatterbrain”, but I was able to excel in school and in my first jobs. The real challenge in my life began when I became a military wife and eventually a mom of four. To survive, I was forced to develop systems that would guide our home life as well as our packing and moving 11 times in 20 years.

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, my family began to experience the added turmoil of cancer diagnosis and treatment, anorexia, mental illness, and death of parents. I trust in a big God, but had to tell Him, “This is really too much, Lord!”

Although I was not thrilled with these situations , they have stretched me and given me an added measure of compassion. I know what it is like to feel buffeted by situations you can’t control, to feel helpless and hopeless. I also know that to do what I can no matter how little that is, is all that is required of me. Small actions taken consistently can produce extraordinary results!

My desire for you is that you…

Get clear about what you really want. What is that? Do you want to be able to find what you need when you need it, to have only furniture sitting on the floor, to enjoy a calm retreat at the end of a busy day, or to finally get rid of paper piles… what is it? In other words, why are you reading a post about organizing?
Know why you want it. Be specific. How will that result improve your life? What will it allow you to do? How would that feel?
Stop allowing the past to dictate your future.
Eliminate the physical and mental clutter that is holding you back.
Make room for something new in your life – a new vocation, volunteer effort, or creative pursuit.
Be realistic about where you are now.
Dare to dream about where you want to be. Expand your possibilities.
Do not be a victim, or a survivor, but be ready to thrive.
Let go of those things and attitudes that are blocking your success.

Once you have taken an honest look at where you are and have decided you don’t want to stay there, allow me to be a part of the solution. On my home page, you can request the F.R.E.E. 60 Tips to Organize Your Life. Use that as a quick guide to de-clutter, take control of your time, and save an hour a day.

You will find that taking those small positive steps will increase your self confidence. That begins a ripple effect that makes you want to take the next step and the next – rather like painting your living room and then seeing that your old ratty couch doesn’t fit anymore.

Let me know what tips you decided to take action on first. I want to be able to cheer you on. As the L’Oreal commercial says, “You are worth it!”

Posted in Downsize / Move, Featured, Home Life, Paper Management, SOHO Small Office/Home Office, Time Management | Comments Off
Tags: ADD, ADHD, efficiency. organizing, family home, get organized, get started, motivation, organizing, planning, simplify, time

Free From Life Clutter! Throw Out 50 Things – Book Review

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Available at Amazon, $20

Do you wonder if you can ever streamline, but are afraid to throw out something that is important? Life coach Gail Blanke’s book Throw Out FIFTY Things might be just the thing you need for that extra push!

This book is not only about clearing out physical clutter, as freeing as that is. Once you take the first steps of tackling drawers and shelves that are holding debris from actions and attitudes long past, you are pumped up to do the real work of pitching the emotional baggage that is weighing you down. Gail’s vision is “to empower men and women to live truly exceptional lives.”

What is your “life plaque”? What is holding you back from, as the Army puts it, being all that you can be? This book is a great motivator to just get started!

Posted in Commentary / Other Authors, Featured, Product Review | Comments Off
Tags: clutter, encourage, get started, L.I.F.E., motivation, priorities, procrastinate, simplify