A weekly meal menu is a key way to make life run smoothly during the busy year. The few hours spent making up a menu plan will save loads of time and frustration in the long run, imagine coming home every evening knowing what you will make for supper!

The menu’s can be as simple or as complex as you want, including only suppers, or adding in lunches as well as morning and afternoon snacks. A menu reduces that after work stress of trying to figure out what you’re going to eat and it makes grocery shopping so much easier. One trip a week with a list in hand can save lots of money as well. If you are a parent, a menu is also a great way to get the rest of the family involved too. Older children can begin preparations before parents get home at the end of the day and enlisting their help with making school lunches helps this chore become a breeze.

Here are the simple easy steps to take:

Involve all family members, set aside some time, and brainstorm.
To help in the brainstorm process, make a list of common foods and favorite meals.  If you want to change your eating habits get some cook books or look online for ideas and commit to trying something new each week.

Take the time to make a master list of all the types of food then you can mix and match and change things up by changing how it is prepared.  For example- hamburger can be made into spaghetti sauce, shepards pie, tacos, lasagna or just plain hamburgers.  Pork can mean porkchops, tenderloins, ham or bacon.  Don’t be afraid to be different, one of my families favorite suppers is pancakes with bacon and hashbrowns (it’s not just for breakfast anymore!) Variety is endless!

Plan main Course first

Start with main dishes and then add side dishes, remember to use leftovers in your plan for lunches and quick meals. If you have meetings, events or kids activities that limit your meal time note them in your plan and add quick meals on those days. 

Once you have an idea what meals you want to include in you menu use a menu template and fill it in.  We have made one available for you just click this link to get it: Blank Menu Template

Side dishes can add spice to your life

When planning side dishes think variety, rice dishes, potatoes dishes, vegetables, salads and pastas. Change it up during the week and enjoy trying new things.

Last thoughts

I suggest doing a 6 week menu plan as this only require you to spend time once every 6 weeks and the plan can be reused or revamped so you are not starting from scratch each time.  I personally have seasonal menus as we eat differently in the summer as we do in the winter (more BBQ in summer, YUM!)

Compare you menu with Canada’s food guide and see if you have included all the important food groups in your plan:

Sometimes you need to use time to save time, I can guarantee that by spending a little time every six weeks planning your menu you will save loads of time, money, frustrations and possibly some calories too. 

Here’s to a happy healthy menu!!

Sorting and purging is an important step in getting control and decluttering a kitchen. This can be done as one big full day project or you can take your time and work drawer by drawer.  The idea is to take out everything in your kitchen and decide if it is useful for the function of this space.

The ‘keep’ pile will have stuff you NEED, USE or LOVE.  If it is broken, you have no need for it, if you don’t use it and it does not make you feel great when you see it and use it (that would be love) then it should go. 

I know there will be things that are hard to part with that someone gave you, you bought on your honeymoon or it was your grandmothers.  If you are holding onto things that do not make you feel good or are not being used ask yourself if you are honoring these memories if it sits in the back of your cupboard neglected and unused. Or do you think it would go to better use by giving it to someone who would use it.  There are plenty of women’s shelters, and less fortunate people who would love to have this stuff. 
Spread the wealth and let go of these items.

Are you are looking for some ideas on how to get your kitchen in order, We encourage you to first think about what you want..what is the dream for your kitchen?  knowing what you want will help you create the plan to get you there..it is like a map so you know your final destination even if you have not totally figured out your route yet.

Take a look around your kitchen and define what IS working now and what is NOT working.  What are the activities that take place in your kitchen,  do you like to bake or is your idea of cooking quick and easy recipes, do you often or rarely have company, how many people cook in the kitchen at one time,  does the mail or other paper end up on the counters here? 

Think about how you USE your kitchen, organizing is not about doing things one way (or what others may think is the right way), it is about making YOUR space work for YOUR family and it is as individual as your family. 

So think about not only what does your dream kitchen look like, but how does it function, create the movie in your mind of what an organized kitchen looks, feels and acts like…then take the steps to create that dream.

This month we are moving to the Heart of the Home…the KITCHEN.

By organizing this one room you can:

• Improve your HEALTH by focusing on meal planning based on a healthy food approach.
• Save TIME by having the food available when you want to cook. The prep time will be shorter so you have more time for other activities.
• You can put MONEY back in your bank account when last minute stops at the local fast food joint or grocery store stops are a thing of the past.
• The STRESS around meals and meal planning will be significantly reduced with the control you have in this high traffic area of the home.

What next you ask, it all has to start somewhere and if you need help getting started there are several options.

• Hire a professional. There are associations of professional organizers on every continent, google Professional Organizing/Organising  Associations  and find a professional in your area.
• Read a book. Just cruise the local bookstore and you will be amazed at the amount of resources to help you get started.
• Watch a home organizing show, there are many online as well as short informative videos on youtube.
• Use the power of facebook and get current information and instant answers for your organizing questions. Connect with us on our page at https://www.facebook.com/organizingconnection we want to help you with your organizing issues.

These people not only pay them on time they save hundreds of dollars every year by not having to pay late fees.

It is all about having a system to manage the Bill Paying activity.

Most people rely on their memory to manage the bills and other paper that flows through the home. This is a great system if you are the only one who has to do the managing. What happens if you are not available. The system comes to a crashing halt.

Creating a system that anyone can is easy and it frees up valuable memory for the good stuff…not trying to remember what has to be paid and when.

To get you started here are the beginning steps to a Bill Payment System:

1. When the mail arrives, open it at the kitchen island or home office desk. Have the Family’s Financial File Box with you for this step.(The Financial File Box how to is found in the Paper Trails How to Video)
2. Separate the bills from the other mail.
3. Divide the Bills into Three categories:

• To Confirm payment
• To Pay Online
• To pay by check

To Learn the remaining steps in the bill payment system please take advantage of our WEEKLY special. This week you can download the Organizing Connection Paper Worksheets for only $2.99. This product is normally bundled with the Organizing The Papertrail Set.

The stress and the pressure of the season is reaching a climax.   You can see it in the way people walk a wee bit faster, road rage is more intense and don’t even get me going  on parking lot etiquette….

Instead of just making it through the next few weeks how about taking charge and making this a holiday that you will look back on with happy thoughts.  

Week 2 Holiday Countdown Last minute details 

• Purchase stocking stuffers and any other gift items left on list.
• Wrap major gift items and tuck them away in a secure location….yes your children will snoop and open them. How do I know that? I did it and I am sure you did too!
• Make all the calls and last minute plans for entertaining.
• Check the grocery store flyers and get those hard to find items now when they aren’t hard to find.  Things like squash and candy cane pepermint ice cream….  

Deck the halls….I mean clean the HALLS…and the kitchen and the closets! 

Getting the Kitchen Organized for the Holidays 

The kitchen really is the heart of the home and with all the activity in this hub, a good cleaning is in order.  Here are some of the trouble spots that may need attention.

• The Pantry is a great spot to store extras for the onslaught of holiday guests. This won’t happen if it is cluttered with food that was purchased in the past year but was passed over and forgotten…time to perhaps donate these items to the local food bank.
• The cupboards are fill to the max you say…when was the last time you used many of the items? Maybe it is time to pack up and donate the excess to the local shelter. Remember your clutter is someone else’s survival. 
• Cleaning out the Freezer and eliminating the 10 bags of bones for soup will make room for the frozen cookies and holiday appetizers.
• The Fridge can be a scary place…make it clean and safe…and as Laura says, “When it doubt, throw it out”.

Getting your closets Organized for the Holidays 

With all of the new items that will have to find a home in the closets there is a need to clear out and declutter. The rule of thumb is one thing in and one thing out…and we have it set to music…maestro please!

PS…for more great organizing videos with tips to help you get organized for 2011, visit us online now.

We are days away from the start of the holiday season…

Yes it is a whole season wrapped up into a five week time span running from December 1^st to the first day of the new year. With all kinds of expectations that send most people into a tail spin of STRESS, you wonder how anyone makes it through it all in one piece!

Holiday Planning does not have to be this way.

 By stepping back and asking yourself whose expectations you are trying to meet and being honest in your answer, will save you plenty of time, some money and your peace of mind over the next five weeks.

Back in the days when Martha Ruled it was all about complicated 10 part recipes that required ingredients that were so rare only the keenest of Holiday Hostesses were able to locate. Today things are different…people are stressed out, overworked, sleep deprived, drive through eating, and taxiing the most demanding little people everywhere.

On top of all that you really can’t imagine adding five weeks of parties…well it is a reality, it is coming soon, and you need to be ready.

Here are my TOP Holiday Party Going TIPS:

• Get out the calendar, gather together all the party invites and pick the ones that you really want to go to. Your time and energy are valuable…don’t waste them.                                        
• Flexibility and versatility are the name of the game when it comes to the Holiday wardrobe. Save money by making the most of the pieces you already have in your closet. Classics like dress pants, the button up shirt, a dress and some jewelry will have a whole new Holiday look when you add just the right shoes and accessories.     
• When the five week marathon of eating begins and there are more events than days in the week you have to really curb the expectations and the calories.  It is also the time of year when all the local grocery stores advertise their Holiday menu items…and for good reason. Check out all those decadent grocery store options, read some labels and find the perfect item for the event. Presentation is everything, so get out a nice tray and serve up the goodies, I am sure you would probably fool even Martha herself.      
• Take the Stress of getting home with the volunteers at Operation Red Nose (ORN). It is a free, designated-driver service that helps keeps roads safe during the holiday season. From the national ORN website, “It’s the only anti-drinking-and-driving program that gets drivers who may be unfit to drive, and their passengers, to their destinations safely – in their own cars. The safe delivery of the cars is vital to the success of the program, because drivers often cite concern about leaving their cars behind as a factor in their decision to drive or not drive.”   For more information on this service visit their website at http://www.ibc.ca/en/ORN2010/ride.asp

 Now that you have your calendar of events, a great wardrobe and a plan B for the ride home you can truly enjoy the Holiday Party Season 2010…with less Stress!     

The dog days of summer are over and the shorter crisp fall days are upon us. Cooking takes on a whole new feel at this time of year and you may be thinking of retiring the outdoor cooking to get back to the warmer indoor kitchen.

From mythical to modern times, the kitchen hearth (or high tech oven) has been the centre of the family. This high traffic area of the home, is also prone to chaos.

One of the ways you can combat this chaos is by organizing specific areas of the kitchen. Kitchen gadgets can be a blessing when it comes to kitchen efficiency…or a curse when they have taken over every inch of valuable kitchen real estate.     

APPLIANCES & GADGETS…. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GADGETS “MACGYVER”

Getting your Kitchen Gadgets in tip top shape for the long winter months will be quick and easy with these Kitchen Organizing Tips.

 • Multi Purpose is the name of the game when purchasing kitchen gadgets and small appliances.  Look for appliances that do more than one thing…a food processor and blender in one or a nifty four in one sandwich/waffle/griddle and grill. These will take up less space while still cutting down on valuable time.

 • Ahhh, the appliance garage.  This is a space that can serve many purposes. This valuable space could be used for a coffee center with coffeemaker, spoons, mugs and sugar. It could be a breakfast centre with a toaster, a variety of breads, cereals, sugar and the cinnamon shaker. Last but not least you could use it for your small appliances. Get creative, keep like items together…who said the appliance garage was just for appliances.

• Keeping all of your small appliances together in a deep drawer or in an awkward cabinet…like the one in the corner that is useless for everyday items but quite handy for items that are not used regularly. This provides valuable real estate for important items you use daily; like sippy cups and bibs, cloth napkins and place mats or a drawer for bills and important papers.

 • Sort gadgets in a drawer near the cooking area in containers with dividers. Watch out for the sharp scary items. Keep them in a separate spot.

 • If you like to bake (for some of us that involves a trip to the bakery and a sprinkle of powdered sugar to look like we did)…have a prominent place for your mixers,gadgets along with all of the baking tools. Items such as the sugar, baking soda, chocolate chips etc. could be kept in this spot. Make it easy….

 • Baskets are great for hiding a multitude of sins in an open concept kitchen. This is especially true if you don’t like to see everything out in the open.

• Use drawer dividers in all your drawers to keep like items together. From a high tech custom drawer divider to basic plastic containers make this work for your budget and your space.

With these quick and easy tips you will be transitioning from Barbeque to Crock Pot cooking in no time.

This article is adapted from OrganizingConnection.com’s Ebook Organizing the Kitchen- My Kitchen is My Domain copyright 2008.

For more helpful tips visit http://organizingconnection.com/products

We would like to wish all our Canadian readers a Happy Thanksgiving. This is a perfect time of the year regardless of where you live to be thankful for the good things in life. 

And we are Thankful to all of our Readers…near and far.

Thanksgiving will be here soon and thoughts of the Turkey and all the fixins are on everyone’s mind…and perhaps how the kitchen will be used so much over the long Holiday weekend. 

Do you cringe at the thought of your kitchen and having to entertain? 

If so then here are some solutions for you.  We have scoured the internet and put together a great list of  resources to help you take control of your Kitchen.

We want to start with a great friend of ours and one of  THE best Organizing Bloggers out there- Laura the OrgJunkie.

It is hard to pick just one as she has so many great articles…take a peek at Laura’s Kitchen category page and pick the articles you want to read they are all great. From the Fridge to Cabinets, it is all there. Check it out. 

We cannot talk about kitchen organizing without mentioning the queen of clean- The Fly Lady.  She has been an inpiration to thousands, after reading her website it is hard to walk by a clean sink each day without thinking she would be proud that I keep it shiny and clean (or worry she may be looking on those days that it is not so shinny).

It does make a difference in our mind set when we take simple steps such as a shiny clean sink when we lead such busy lives.  For more tips on how to have a shiny sinks, check out Shiny Sink 101

Keeping the fridges clean is always a challenge especially when dealing with leftovers from the holidays.

Check out this video on organizing your fridge but beware it can be a bit scary(well not shary scary…but leftover food scary)

For more great Kitchen inspiration you can purchase the entire Kitchen Organizing Video, worksheets and ebook now. Check it out!  

Although you may sometimes feel overwhelmed by your disorganization or clutter, remember that getting organized is an ongoing process and cannot be done in just a few hours. 

Everyone thinks, lives, and works differently, and there is no right or wrong way to get organized….So get started and make your Kitchen holiday perfect!

watercooler

This is what happened at the Watercooler this week….

One final bit of information to share ….the LA Organizing Award winners list courtesy of our friend Lorrie Marrero over at the Clutter Diet Blog…check out the list of winners

Back to Canada where the option for organizing resources and help is just getting warmed up….thank heavens for that because there is nothing warm about Canada right now…..seriously…it is -29 today…brrrr.

Let’s head to the wild wild west to visit a fellow Canuck, Laura the organizing junkie,….this woman has a thing for baskets…no really she does. Anyhow Laura has resurrected her 28 Day Challenge and you are invited to join in.  There are some pretty serious prizes for the winners and in Laura’s words,  “We have some absolutely amazing prizes to offer you as motivation as well.  I’m just so excited to tell you about them.  These are some of the finest organizing services and products out there, all designed to help you live your best organized life possible“. check it out

More exciting news, for you…Laura loves our video set so much that she had her online store people call our people…that would be Kim…and they wanted to add actual hard copies of our product to their site…well holy smokes….we were over the top on that one….so Kim quickly sprung into action and in less than a week our video set is now available in Laura’s the Org Junkie’s store….this is now another option to the digital download….if you want something that you can actually touch…it is now available…get it now

At last but not least our friends over at Canadian Parents Online have made us a part of their Clutter Club this month with the addition of the Organizing the Fridge video to their site, Our hostess Laura…not to be confused with Laura the Org junkie….well it must be Laura Month…is brilliant in this video, I am sure that we have all felt a bit scared when heading to the back of the fridge…you never know what can be lurking in the depth of the abyss….check out the video.