ORGANIZING YOUR KITCHEN

ORGANIZING YOUR KITCHEN

THE FIVE CENTERS
Set up a "station" for each of the five basic kitchen activities. Keep your equipment nearest the appropriate center, making it easier for you to perform kitchen duties:
1. Cleaning (sink, dishwasher, trashcan, soap, rags, sponges, etc.)
2. Cooking (stove, pots, pans, microwave, toaster, etc.)
3. Food prep (countertop, mixing bowls, blender, measuring cups, etc.)
4. Food storage (refrigerator, Tupperware, canned foods, etc.)
5. Serving (dishes, linens, candles, flatware, glasses, etc.)

THE TRIANGLE THEORY
Pay attention to your movement from one center to the next. You should be able to reach major appliances in only a few steps. Set up your kitchen as a triangle, moving from stove to sink to refrigerator and keep these paths clear of obstacles. (Trash cans, dog dish, etc.)

TRANSFORM YOUR EXISTING STORAGE SPACE
Storage tools can do wonders with your current spaces
Stepped shelving makes use of the back space in a deep cabinet
Drawer dividers keep utensils under control
Rectangular storage containers take up less space than round ones
Choose containers that stack
Line up pot lids and flat cookware in a vertical rack
Use overhead bins, cup hooks, and racks for hanging storage
Use pullout racks and stacking bins to make use of dead space
Save your counters for items you use daily

ORGANIZING YOUR CABINETS
Limit yourself to one category of paraphernalia per area (ex: glasses on one shelf, dishes on another)
Avoid storing food and cookware together in the same cabinet
Group your foods together in categories for easy access (ex: canned vegetables, baking goods, breakfast foods)
Alphabetize spices in a rack to make them easier to locate
Keep small packets (gravy, Jell-O, sauces) together in a basket

HONEY, IS THIS GOOD?
Remember that even non-perishable foods go bad
Go through your cabinets and clean them out periodically
Follow some basic guidelines about the shelf life of food

KITCHEN DESIGN
Ask some questions that influence the design of your kitchen:
How often do you shop for groceries?
Do you buy in bulk?
What do you normally buy (more boxed, frozen, fresh, etc.)?
Do you eat in the kitchen or in the dining room?
Is the kitchen a social and family center?
Do you have need of a computer in the kitchen?
Do you want a TV or CD player in the kitchen?
How many meals a day do you cook?
How many people do you cook for?
Do you do much large-scale entertaining?
Do you prepare many elaborate or complicated meals?
Do you bake often?
Do you want a "pass-through" to the dining room?
What items do you use most frequently in your kitchen?
How many recipe books do you have?
How often do you use your recipe books?
Do you have any physical limitations?
Are you tall or short (determines high and low storage)?

Wesley Brown is the founder of Simplified Solutions Professional Organizers. Wesley is an organizing consultant, trainer, and speaker.
Contact us: www.simplifiedsolutions.ca
Copyright © 2013 Simplified Solutions all rights reserved

CLUTTER CONTROL
When it comes to helping you control the clutter around you, you have to ask yourself some difficult questions, let go of excuses, sort through it all, set up permanent and reasonable storage systems, and dedicate yourself to taking a minute or two here and there to keep the system working for you.
No matter what we do to help you get organized, it doesn't do much good if you are unable to stay organized. Here are some of the steps we will help you walk through.

Ask the difficult questions:
When was the last time you used it?
When will you (realistically) need it again?
Why would you need it again?
Who might ask for it?
What would you need it for?
Is it easily replaceable?
What's the worst thing that would happen if you got rid of it?
Is it beautiful, useful, or loved?
Let go of your excuses:
"It was expensive and I can't stand to see it go to waste." (If you aren't using it, isn't it going to waste anyway?)
"I might be needing it someday." (If you haven't used it in a year, would you use it in the next year - even if you can find it when you're looking for it?)
"It was a gift." (Gifts are the most difficult to let go of. If it has true sentimental value, then you should be displaying it or using it. If it doesn't, it falls under the "1-year rule" and remember that no one gives you a gift to be un-used, cluttering your house.)


Sorting through it all:
When it comes to sorting, the first thing we will do is create piles or set up boxes to work with. Some of the labels for these piles or boxes might be:
· Keep (items you want to keep and use)
· Don't Keep (items you know you don't use and don't want to keep)
· Give Away (items that should be donated to charity or given to someone specific you know that wants them)
· Sell (valuable items that you want to consign or save for a garage sale)
· Undecided (items you are not sure if you want but you are pretty sure you're not ready to let go of - these items will be placed in "storage" and dated, and if you don't use them within 1-year, you should get rid of them.)
Before setting up storage:
Before we set up your storage system, you need an idea of what you want from your storage.
Are you looking to maximize space or simply stay organized? Do you want the items hidden from view or in full view? Do you want metal, plastic, wood, or some other type of storage system for the particular area we are working on? What room will the stored items be placed and how do you want the storage to work in with your decor?
These are all decisions that need to be made in advance to achieve an ultimate storage system and maximum clutter control.
Remember that whatever system we establish, it has to be a system that makes sense for you and your family, and one that is useful and easy to maintain. A system that is difficult to maintain - simply will turn out to be a disaster - and a cluttered mess again!
Setting up storage:
Once the difficult storage decisions are made, we install and organize all the storage systems you have decided on. The next step is to put the system into action!
You must create a set home for everything you own. You've heard the phrase, "A place for everything, and everything in it's place." There is no such thing as halfway here. It either has a home, or is not in your home.
You should have a good reason for storing an item in a certain place. It should always make sense. For example, you shouldn't store bathroom towels in your bedroom because you never need them in there. Things have to be easily accessible in an area that you will use it. Food does not belong in a hallway closet or shelves in the garage; it belongs in the kitchen.
We will work to store similar-items together according to their purpose. For example, if you have a travel alarm, a toiletry bag & travel accessories, they should be placed together in a sensible place, preferably close to your suitcase or overnight bag.We also want to work toward storing items you use most often in easily accessible spaces. For example, if you prefer to iron your work clothes the same day you are going to wear them, it would make no sense to store the ironing board and iron in the back of a closet - you'd spend more time digging the supplies out than it takes to do the ironing.
Likewise, items like Christmas decorations should be stored in hard plastic containers (where items cannot easily be "crushed") and can be placed in an out-of-the-way place (such as an upper storage shelf) that you don't need to access often. You'll only be taking those containers out twice a year - once to put the decorations up and once to take them down and store them again.
We will want to make smaller organization systems work for you as well, such as using drawer dividers, shelves to subdivide larger spaces, hooks and racks for hanging things, under bed boxes for storing items that always end up under there, and modular components that can be adjusted as your needs change.


Wesley Brown is the founder of Simplified Solutions Professional Organizers. Wesley is an organizing consultant, trainer, and speaker. Contact us: http://www.simplifiedsolutions.ca/
Copyright © 2013 Simplified Solutions all rights reserved

Take Responsibility

Take Responsibility

Identify your personal values and write down the ones that matter most to you. List them in terms of priority. Is accumulating wealth and possessions at the top of your list? Having more time to spend with friends and family? Advancing your career? Committing to better health through diet and exercise? Travel? You can't devote time and energy to everything at once, so it's critical that you identify what is important to you and begin to eliminate activities that aren't consistent with these values. ("We can't do everything at once, but we can do some things at once." Woodrow Wilson)
Set goals for yourself. Focus on a short list of goals you'd really like to achieve. Outline steps for achieving these goals and make a commitment to accomplish at least one task toward each goal every day.
Delegate. Non-priority activities can steal away hours of precious time better spent on developing your goals and projects. Assign routine tasks to others. A few examples might be hiring a housekeeper twice a month or delegating clerical or administrative tasks to a personal assistant.
Just say no. Your time is valuable. Don't take on more responsibility just to please others. Realize you have the right to live life your way.
Spend time wisely. Cut back on the number of hours you spend watching TV. Cancel subscriptions to magazines you never get around to reading. Remove your name from catalog mailing lists. Limit the amount of time you spend mindlessly surfing the Internet.
Organize your space. Eliminate clutter and clean out your closets, basement, attic, and garage. Organize your office space. Sell or donate items you never use that are just taking up space. Hire a professional organizer to help you make decisions on how to store belongings and find items quickly. Make room to breathe and reduce your stress and increase your energy!
Take time for you. Engage in at least one activity per day just for fun. Exercise, enjoy a hobby, go to the movies, and spend time with friends.

Remember – the hardest part is just getting started!


Wesley Brown is the founder of Simplified Solutions Professional Organizers. Wesley is an organizing consultant, trainer, and speaker. Contact us: www.simplifiedsolutions.ca
Copyright © 2013 Simplified Solutions all rights reserved

The Top Ten Best Organizing Tips

The Top Ten Best Organizing Tips
1. Keep it where you use it. Clutter occurs when items accumulate in the places people use them but where there is no designated place to store them in that area. For example, if you like to listen to CDs while you cook, keep your CDs in a rack in your kitchen near your CD player. This will avoid the otherwise inevitable "pile" of CDs on the counter.
2. Keep similar items together. We waste both space and time looking for things when they are put away randomly. Define specific areas for specific types of items. For example, in the garage you might have specific areas for lawn and garden supplies, automotive supplies, sports equipment, and tools.
3. Sort your mail every day. Look at each piece of mail and decide what is the next thing you need to do with it. Remember the acronym RAFT to help you sort your paperwork: Refer it to someone else, Act on it, File it, or Trash it. Take care of the R's, F's, and T's immediately. Schedule time in your planner to do the A's.
4. Use only one calendar or planner. Write all appointments and to-do lists in it. Keep it with you at all times. If you must also keep a family wall calendar at home, schedule time every week to coordinate calendars.
5. "Think Stewardship". If you don't wear it, use it, or love it, let it go. There are many charitable organizations that can use your unneeded clothing and household items.
6. Get things off of the floor. Your room or storage area will appear to be (and actually will be) much more organized if you don't have items lying on the floor. If you must use the floor because there simply isn't enough shelf or closet space, place the items in labeled containers.
7. Don't buy containers until you know what items you need to contain. We're fortunate to be living at a time when storage containers in all shapes and sizes are readily available. Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of buying these nice, new containers before they know what they intend to put in them, or where they will put the containers when they are full. They frequently end up with a pile of empty containers next to their existing piles of clutter.
8. Keep a Master Task List. Using a spiral notebook, a paper-based calendar/planner, a computerized list, or a PDA (such as a Palm Pilot), keep one (and only one) master task list. This will be your listing of everything you think of that you need to do. You may want to divide it into sections for Personal and Business tasks, or you may combine them into the same section. This will be your "menu" of tasks from which you will choose how to spend your time each day. Avoid making notes on small slips of paper. Write everything requiring action on your part in your Master Task List.
9. Plan each day the night before. Before you leave the office, or before you go to bed, look at your Master Task List and make a separate Daily List of the tasks you plan to accomplish tomorrow. Then rank them by order of importance. Tomorrow, begin the day by working on your #1 priority, then #2, etc. Don't worry if you don't get to complete all of the tasks on your Daily List. You will have at least accomplished the most important tasks. Cross the task off of your Master Task List only after you have completed it.
10. Strive for a balanced life. Decide which people and activities are of most value to you. Write down those categories (such as Family, Work, Sports/Leisure, Home, Volunteering, and Self-Care). Over the course of a week, be sure to allow for time in each of your important categories.

Remember – the hardest part is just getting started!

Wesley Brown is the founder of Simplified Solutions Professional Organizers. Wesley is an organizing consultant, trainer, and speaker. Contact us: www.simplifiedsolutions.ca
Copyright © 2013 Simplified Solutions all rights reserved

It's your event, Give it your all.

It's your event, Give it your all.

CLUTTER INTO CASH: Garage Sales
Garage, tag, sidewalk, or yard sales – whatever you call them, they are an excellent way to clear away clutter and generate a little profit. Think about moving out things you haven’t used or thought about in a year or more – they just might qualify for the garage sale pile. Don’t worry if you don’t have enough merchandise to warrant a sale. Get together with friends and neighbors and have a multi-family sale. Garage sales are social events – the more the merrier! When planning your sale keep the following points in mind:
Set a date. April, May, June and September are the peak garage sale months. Avoid holidays. Try to schedule on or near a payday (1st or the 15th). Saturdays and/or Sundays are best. Plan your date at least 1-2 months in advance to allow time to get ready. Schedule your sale during the day – between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. is best.
Sort through your stuffHigh priced or large ticket items are best sold on their own. (Cars, motorbikes, furniture sets, boats). High quality clothing and formal wear will get top dollar at high-end consignment shops. Go through your closets, attic, basement, garage and storage areas and assemble all your sale merchandise in one location. Create categories of your finds - books, toys, children’s clothing, dishes, records/CD's, etc.

Decide how you will advertise.Check local newspapers for pricing and advertising policies and deadline dates. Local bulletin boards in grocery stores and community centers can be an inexpensive or free way to advertise your sale.
At least 3 weeks before the sale: Get Merchandise Ready.Wash linens, iron tablecloths, polish silver, and repair any items necessary to get them into saleable condition.
Equipment/Supplies.Folding tables, blankets, plastic tarp, bungee cords, string, cardboard, markers, price stickers, tape, scissors, etc. Write your ad.Write and distribute your ad to as many people as possible. Get it posted on company Intranet bulletin boards.
At least 2 weeks before the sale: Submit your ad.Don't bypass the deadline for your ad. It should run for at least 2 days before the sale.
Sign locations.Choose locations along key routes to your home or site to post signs.
Begin pricing.This takes a lot of time so don’t leave it to the last minute. If you have a lot of small, inexpensive items, you can place them in a box marked "Everything $1.00".
The week before the sale
Make signs.They should be large and easy to read.
Finish pricing. Get garage or sale area ready. The day before the sale
Get cash.You should have between $30-$50 dollars in cash to make change. Make sure you have a lot of one-dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels and some $5 and $10 bills.
Assemble items that will show better if put together.The artificial Christmas tree, the playpen, jungle gym, etc. Hang your sale posters. Arrange items attractively.Polish and arrange furniture as if it were in a room. Put some for-sale items like a vase or some books on a table.
Garage sale day! Prepare for "early birds."If you don't want to deal with early arrivals, post a sign telling them when the sale begins. Otherwise, get up early and be ready for them when they arrive - and they will!

Decorate.Use colored flags, balloons, or sale signs with arrows pointing to the sale site to make it clear that there is a sale going on. Set out a few lawn chairs if possible, and have some music playing to generate interest. Pay attention. Never leave money or merchandise unattended and keep house doors locked at all times. Throughout the day, walk through the sale and neaten and rearrange merchandise. Consider adjusting prices as the day goes on (perhaps dropping prices 25% in the early afternoon, 50% towards the end of the day.)
Congratulations!At the end of the day you will have cleared out your home, streamlined your life a little more and have cash in your pocket! Think about how much fun you're going to have spending it, and congratulate yourself on a job well done!

Wesley Brown is the founder of Simplified Solutions Professional Organizers. Wesley is an organizing consultant, trainer, and speaker. Contact us: http://www.simplifiedsolutions.ca/
Copyright © 2013 Simplified Solutions all rights reserved