tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28298064443974136842024-03-13T21:04:17.702-07:00Mission: OrganizationOne woman's quest to create an organized home...one mission at a time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-15915393275053417072010-02-01T07:38:00.000-08:002010-02-01T07:52:25.606-08:00Menu Plan Monday - A Snowy Week Ahead<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://orgjunkie.com/2010/01/menu-plan-monday-feb-1st.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 154px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/S2b4kDf3_jI/AAAAAAAAAqM/lRw6dEiIVH4/s320/mpmpencil.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433303298767060530" border="0" /></a>For those who don't know, I live in Northern Virginia. Just "outside the beltway", yet right in the middle of "we-have-no-earthly-idea-what-to-do-when-it-snows" land. Remember how last year President Obama made news by mocking the fact that there were a couple of inches of snow on the ground and his girls got a snow day? That's where I live. Thankfully, even though I love the snow, we don't get a lot of it. Except for this year. We got another 8 inches of snow over the weekend (made completely worse by the fact that they were only predicting 1-2), and it is supposed to snow Tuesday night and over the weekend. The bread-milk-toilet paper people are out in full force (in addition to freaking out when it snows, people panic when snow is in the forecast, and stock up on bread, milk, and toilet paper...really). So I'm planning easy meals this week that will also be nice and warm on the cold snowy days. :)<br /><br />Our menu plan for the week...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday:</span> chicken enchiladas (these are from Let's Dish, but if you're going to make your own, we really like <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-enchiladas-recipe/index.html">this</a> recipe from Rachael Ray)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday:</span> spaghetti, rolls, salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday:</span> taco salad (a healthier way to eat tacos...I put a handful of tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl, put a scoop of meat on top, a sprinkle of cheese, and then handfuls of tomatoes & lettuce and some black olives)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday: </span>Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches (Let's Dish), oven fries, salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday:</span> out for dinner...if it doesn't snow!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday:</span> Chicken picatta (I use the recipe from the Dinner Doctor cookbook)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday:</span> Super Bowl Sunday...we'll probably hang out with friends and order pizzaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-81444634496038367652010-01-25T09:17:00.000-08:002010-01-25T09:30:06.229-08:00Menu Planning Monday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://orgjunkie.com/2010/01/menu-plan-monday-jan-25th.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 154px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/S13U73_eUiI/AAAAAAAAAqE/_7Zxm_QP42w/s320/mpmpencil.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430730850786234914" border="0" /></a>You know how some people live places where the weather follows a predictable pattern? I am not one of those people. It was cold and rainy yesterday (it hovered around 45 all day), and we woke up to rain today. Except that it was 60 out. Now it's 62 and sunny. And it's supposed to snow on Friday. Welcome to Virginia - if you don't like the weather, wait a few hours. I pay attention to the weather when I plan my menus for the week. In the summer we like to grill, and when it's super cold out I like comfort foods. And there's nothing better on a cold snowy day then making a pot of soup. So what to do in weeks like this? Make everything from the freezer that we planned on making but never did the past few weeks. :)<br /><br />My menu for this week:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday:</span> shrimp crepes (Let's Dish), green vegetables<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday: </span>prosciutto wrapped chicken, egg noodles, green beans<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday:</span> <a href="http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=1176">turkey noodle casserole</a> (this is so delicious - it's the best version of turkey noodle casserole I have found, and is not just yummy, it's really quick and easy to make!), salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday:</span> chicken minestrone ragu (Let's Dish), rolls, salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday:</span> out for dinner :)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday:</span> not sure what we will be doing Saturday...having dinner with the in-laws or out with friends...either way, we won't be home!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday:</span> <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1134074">chicken cordon bleu</a>, wild rice, green vegetablesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-11292742610728866902010-01-20T11:22:00.000-08:002010-01-20T11:32:03.133-08:00Step 1 - Getting it Written DownSo, for me, the first step in getting my healthcare organized is to get it all written down. It's easy, and it's great to share for <a href="http://www.wearethatfamily.com/2010/01/wfmw-lego-necklace.html">Works for Me Wednesday</a>.<br /><br />I learned long ago that the first step is to make a list of every medication I take. It was simple to do, and I have a copy now saved on my computer, AND a copy in my wallet. Hopefully the only time that the one in my wallet will be used is when I go to the doctor and they ask what I am taking. (you know, they always do that, and I always give them that look like "what, I'm supposed to remember these things?") I'm not posting a picture because I don't really need the various asthma medications I take out on the internet, but you get the idea. :) I also have, in big letters on the top of my list, the fact that I have drug allergies. Just in case that there was ever an emergency, it's somewhere on me, and someone else could find what I am taking and what not to give me.<br /><br />The second thing I did today to get myself organized was to put the refill dates for my prescriptions on my calendar. I use the auto-refill service at Target, so I don't have to call them in, but I do have to remember to pick them up. I sometimes get an automated call, but not always, which was how I managed to miss one last week. Now I can see when it's time to swing by Target on the way home. One of the best parts of my neighborhood is that I live down the street from Target, so I can easily stop by or even walk if the weather is nice.<br /><br />Any other things that I should write down to get my healthcare organized? Next stop...tackling the stack of receipts!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-20175995020896678832010-01-19T08:12:00.001-08:002010-01-19T08:24:05.586-08:00Mission #9 - HealthcareWith so much talk of healthcare reform the past few months, it's no surprise that my own healthcare is at the front of my mind lately. Aside from hoping that healthcare reform passes for my own personal benefit, I often think about how lucky my husband and I really are. Sure, our health insurance isn't great. And I get mad every time I think about the fact that they only cover some of my asthma medications. But at least they cover some of them. And I only have to pay the co-pay - it's hard enough to pay $50 for an inhaler; I can't even fathom what it's like to have to pay the list price on these medications each month. But I digress. Keeping my own healthcare organized is tough - REALLY tough. I have a number of medications that I take daily, so I am the Target pharmacy regularly enough that they know my name. The receipts are everywhere, and this week, for the first time, I actually managed to miss picking up a prescription, and didn't realize it until I had both an empty bottle and no new one on the shelf.<br /><br />It's not just prescription medication that needs to be organized. Over-the-counter stuff litters my medicine cabinet, my linen closet, and my dresser; it's hard to know what we have, and, if we do have it, where it is.<br /><br />So Mission #9 is tackling my own <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/S1Xchcs-haI/AAAAAAAAAp8/2xp1GEFRvaQ/s1600-h/DSCN0296.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 236px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/S1Xchcs-haI/AAAAAAAAAp8/2xp1GEFRvaQ/s400/DSCN0296.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428487393063634338" border="0" /></a>healthcare - my prescriptions, my receipts, my Tylenol...you get the idea. Because this mission is a little broader than some of the others, I'll be tackling it in stages. Stage #1 - prescription receipts. See the Target bags piled up on my dresser? That's not a staged picture - it's what is actually there right now. All of the bags that have been emptied into my nightstand or medicine cabinet and are now waiting for me to do something with the receipts inside. Why are the receipts so important? Well, if your healthcare costs reach a cetain percentage of your income, you can deduct them on your taxes. I keep my receipts so I can track my spending. And we are lucky enough to have a flexible spending account through my husband's job, so I submit all of the receipts monthly to be reimbursed.<br /><br />Wish me luck...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-81183618954755887512010-01-17T12:32:00.000-08:002010-01-18T06:37:00.957-08:00Menu Planning MondayIt's that time of the week again to plan meals. I don't know why, but I feel like this is one of the hardest things to do every week. It's like I sit down to plan out what to make for the week and the part of my brain that decides what we're going to eat shuts down. Sigh...if anyone has any tips for making this less difficult, I would love to hear them! Anyways, we'll be home for dinners most nights this week, though the weekend is up in the air. My in-laws will be in town, so chances are good that we'll have dinner with them at least once or twice (especially over the weekend). But I don't know. I've planned dinners for the weekend that stay frozen until I cook them so that if we're home I have something to make, but it won't matter if we leave them in the freezer another week.<br /><br />This week's menu, in conjunction with <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2010/01/menu-plan-monday-jan-18th.html">Menu Plan Monday</a> at <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/">orgjunkie.com</a>...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday:</span> lasgana (I use the recipe on the back of the Barilla no-cook noodles box and it's always a huge hit!), French bread, salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday:</span> <a href="http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/the-stamos-gyro-burger-with-greek-salad/">Greek turkey burgers</a>, (the recipe calls for ground chicken or lamb, but I use ground turkey breast to make it a little healthier. I also make them much smaller...I use 1 lb of ground turkey breast for 4 burgers) Greek salad, potato wedges<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday:</span> <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-mug-pie-recipe/index.html">Chicken Mug Pie</a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday: </span><a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1134074">Chicken Cordon Bleu</a> (we never made this last week), wild rice, green veggies<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday:</span> Prosciutto-wrapped chicken (Let's Dish), egg noodles, green veggies<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday:</span> Shrimp crepes (Let's Dish), salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday:</span> Chicken Minestrone RaguUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-30860353849568982442010-01-13T07:20:00.000-08:002010-01-13T07:48:36.366-08:00Mini Mission: Organizing Your Grocery Shopping TripMy mom thought I was crazy years ago, when I explained to her that I organize my grocery shopping list. She couldn't see why I would take the extra time to do it, when I could just take my jotted down list (or, in her case, a list in her head) and hope for the best. Then, Wegmans opened. For those of you outside of the New York-Pennsylvania-Virginia corridor, Wegmans is no ordinary grocery store. For one, it's a destination. You can eat at a high end restaurant within the store, browse their wine store, and buy cheap pasta sauce all at th<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/S03nRDriFFI/AAAAAAAAAps/ltth1fUblFE/s1600-h/DSCN0282.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/S03nRDriFFI/AAAAAAAAAps/ltth1fUblFE/s400/DSCN0282.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426247406283002962" border="0" /></a>e same place. It's huge - much larger than our usual grocery store - and with giant carts and wide-eyed newcomers, a plan is a must. But even if you aren't blessed with Wegmans (or a similarly large grocery store), organizing your grocery shopping saves you both time and money. In conjunction with <a href="http://www.wearethatfamily.com/2010/01/wfmw-avoid-toddler-tantrums-wan-iphone.html">Works for Me Wednesday</a>, a few tips to get you started.<br /><br />First, I plan out my meals for the week. If you look at the past few posts, you can see that I try to mix up what we eat, and that we eat the majority of our meals at home. We pack our lunches 4-5 days a week, and I eat breakfast at home (and my husband packs his breakfast as well). A great tool that I recently discovered is <a href="http://www.mommytracked.com/downloads?gclid=CJ2YkMjOmp8CFc5L5QodPg9ZJA">"The Eat Sheet"</a> at mommytracked.com. You can also do this on a piece of scrap paper, but I really liked the one sheet format. Anyways, as I plan out my meals, I keep a running list of items we will need to make each dinner. You can see how there are several items with a question mark - things that we'll need but I think we might actually have in the house (I'll go back and check later). Then I add in other things - stuff for lunches, items from our upstairs list (we keep a white board on our fridge to write things that we're running out of so we don't forget to pick them up), other things that we need for the week.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/S03opM6WJXI/AAAAAAAAAp0/CGTZbWxJxh8/s1600-h/DSCN0287.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 228px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/S03opM6WJXI/AAAAAAAAAp0/CGTZbWxJxh8/s400/DSCN0287.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426248920589542770" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I don't stop there. As I said before, my grocery store is huge, and without a plan you can spend hours in there. Heck, even WITH a plan it takes me nearly an hour to grocery shop! So an organized list is a must. From my first list, I make a SECOND list. Yes, really. This is the list that I actually take with me to the store. I put my first list in the order of the aisles at the grocery store. This took me a few months to perfect - I had to remember the order of the aisles (and the order in which I like to shop...dry goods, produce, meats, dairy, frozen foods...try to keep the stuff that needs to be refrigerated out of my cart until the end), but now that I know the order, it's pretty simple. (yes, that is my actual list from this week...it's so wrinkled because it made it home at the bottom of one of my bags!)<br /><br />How much time does it save me at the store? It's hard to say, because I've been doing it for years now. But it's easily 20-30 minutes. (it takes me 5-10 to rewrite the list in order, and I would rather spend that time on my couch instead of standing in the crowded grocery aisles) It also saves me money on two accounts. First, I only go in the aisles I need, so I buy very few impulse purchases (a huge problem at a store like Wegmans). Second, I can look in advance for coupons. I buy a lot of store-brand items (which don't have coupons), but for things that do have coupons, I can look in advance for them.<br /><br />Saving money AND time? Now that's some serious motivation to be organized!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-43014625500508846522010-01-10T18:49:00.000-08:002010-01-11T06:52:23.016-08:00Warm Meals for a Cold Week AheadI don't know what it's been like where you live, but here in Northern Virginia it's been freezing. Literally. We're used to the occasional day where it drops below freezing, but not like this. It's been frigid for weeks now, and, in spite of my best efforts to eat healthily, all we really want to eat are comfort foods. The good news? Broth based soups are actually quite healthy. And when you load them with vegetables and pair it with a loaf of crusty bread...well...it's perfect for a cold night. So we're going to have a few nights of soup this week (and, lots of soup for lunch...I actually love canned soup, and am a huge fan of the Progresso Light soups!). So, in conjunction with<a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2010/01/menu-plan-monday-january-11th.html"> Meal Planning Monday</a> at <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/">orgjunkie.com</a>, our meal plan for the week is...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday:</span> chicken minestrone ragu (Let's Dish...yes, we're eating this again this week - I made 4 servings of it last month!), rolls, salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday:</span> <a href="http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2010/01/mushroom-and-barley-soup.html">mushroom & barley soup</a> (a new recipe for us, but it looks SO yummy!!), rolls, salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday:</span> <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1134074">chicken cordon bleu</a> (we love this version - it's quite delicious, and quite healthy!), wild rice, green veggie<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday:</span> shrimp scampi with linguine (Let's Dish), salad<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Friday:</span> beef roulade (Let's Dish), baked potatoes, green veggie<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday:</span> <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/emmanuels-pasta-peas-prosciutto-and-onion-recipe/index.html">pasta with prosciutto & peas</a> (a Rachael Ray favorite), salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday:</span> going out - we're seeing Eddie from Ohio with friends and will be eating there!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-68052361514083336352010-01-03T16:11:00.000-08:002010-01-04T06:48:11.202-08:00Menu Plan Monday - New Year, New MenuIt's hard to believe that it's 2010 - 2009 really flew right by! And, like everyone else it seems, I am back on the diet and exercise bandwagon. I try to watch my calories (rather than follow a specific plan), and combined with the attempt to exercise 5-6 times a week, it seems to work for me. All of our dinners this week are on the healthy side for that reason. I also find that I am far more successful when I eat smaller portions of foods I like rather than try to make "diet" dinners or substitute with diet foods (and my husband boycotts all "fake" foods...I would be more annoyed if he weren't so darn skinny, so maybe he's on to something). We also try to not eat out too often - aside from the health reasons, it's just a lot cheaper to eat at home. Of course, now that I've said that, you'll notice that we're going out for dinner twice this week. But it's because a good friend of ours will be in town, and since she is now living in another country, we will be taking every opportunity we can to see her (and take her out to all of her favorite restaurants!).<br /><br /><br />Oh yes, a report from last week. We did not like the potato casserole we made. My husband ate about three mouthfuls; I was less picky about it, but I won't be making it again. And because Friday night's dinner made more chicken that we thought, we ate it again for dinner Saturday night, so that's why you see a repeat from last week in this week's menu - we never ate it! :)<br /><br />This Week's Menu Plan, in conjunction with <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2010/01/menu-plan-monday-january-4th.html">Menu Planning Monday</a> at <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/">orgjunkie.com</a>...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday - </span>prosciutto wrapped chicken (from Let's Dish), egg noodles, green veggie<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">- </span>minestrone ragu (Let's Dish), french rolls, salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday - </span>shrimp crepes (Let's Dish), salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday - </span><a href="http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=1195">Not-Sagna Pasta Toss</a>, salad (this Rachael Ray recipes is one of our all time favorites...it makes a LOT of pasta and is very filling. We make a half recipe for the two of us and find that at least one of us gets leftovers for lunch - usually both of us!)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday & Saturday - </span>out with friends<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday - </span>mushroom strudel (Let's Dish), green veggies<br /><br />Yes, lots of dinners this week from Let's Dish. (and, as always, if you are interested in giving Let's Dish a try, drop me a line and I'll send you a referral email with a coupon code!) I wish they were paying me for the publicity, but they're not at all. I just really love them. :) We have a busy week ahead, which is why I love having a freezer full of dinners ready to go!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-37334417418154666512009-12-28T07:56:00.001-08:002009-12-28T08:18:36.037-08:00Menu Planning - A Weekly Organization MissionGrowing up, my parents would go to the grocery store nearly every day. They would do a big shopping trip once a week or so for all the basics and the things that were on sale, but the day to day stuff would be picked up on the way home before my mom made dinner. My mom sort of planned out what we would be eating for the week, but not really. Most of it was done on the fly, which is even more impressive when you consider that she had two very picky eaters and that she did all of the cooking. My mom is also a good cook - she knows how to look in the refrigerator and throw things together to make a quick and healthy dinner. In fact, one of our favorite dinners growing up was called "Hope For The Best Minestrone" - vegetable soup that really just consisted of whatever vegetables were in the house. As Rachael Ray would say, YUM-O.<br /><br />I, however, am not that talented. I can't cook without a recipe, and even with a recipe it's hard for me to know if I will like a dish or not. My husband does a lot of the cooking too - he is an amazing chef, and back when I was working full-time, he did all of the cooking. So, I am a planner. It's easier to know in advance what we'll be having for dinners, and it makes grocery shopping easier as well. Not only do I save money (because I just buy what I need for the week), we tend to not overbuy - no one likes having to throw out food because you just didn't get to it. I also find menu planning really difficult. I like to look around online for ideas, and I love <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2009/12/menu-plan-monday-dec-28th.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ImAnOrganizingJunkie+%28I%27m+an+organizing+junkie%21%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Menu Planning Monday</a> (sponsored by <a href="http://www.orgjunkie.com/">orgjunkie.com</a>) because it gives me some ideas (and lets me know that I'm not alone in trying to organize this one tiny area of my life!)<br /><br />So, here is my first attempt at <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2009/12/menu-plan-monday-dec-28th.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ImAnOrganizingJunkie+%28I%27m+an+organizing+junkie%21%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Menu Planning Monday</a>. This week's meals are a little different, in that we are going out for New Year's Eve (yay!), my husband will be home for 4 days for the holidays, and I am very limited in what I can cook because I injured my finger last week. Oh yeah - we have about 5 pounds of leftover shredded potatoes in our refrigerator as well...we made potato latkes with our friends last night to celebrate a belated Chanukah, and we shredded up a few too many. :) With that, my menu plan for the week...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday:</span> leftover lasagna (I make the best lasagna ever...don't tell anyone, but my secret recipe for lasagna is on the back of the box of Barilla no-cook noodles...it's amazing!)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday:</span> <a href="http://www.halfmysize.com/component/option,com_rapidrecipe/page,viewrecipe/recipe_id,203/Itemid,56/">meatloaf muffins</a> (I leave out the peppers and onions), <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Au-Gratin-Potatoes-II/Detail.aspx">Au Gratin potato casserole</a> (a new recipe for us...trying to use up the potatoes!), green beans<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday:</span> beef roulade (this is one of my dinners from Let's Dish...you can read more about Let's Dish in <a href="http://organizationmission.blogspot.com/2009/09/mini-mission-backup-meals.html">this post</a>), leftover potato casserole, some sort of green vegetable (because my mom taught me that you always need to have a green vegetable at every meal!!)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday:</span> out for New Year's Eve!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday:</span> <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipes/mucho-gusto-latin-recipes/Peruvian-Roast-Chicken">Peruvian Roast Chicken</a>, oven fries, salad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday:</span> prosciutto-wrapped chicken (from Let's Dish), egg noodles, green veggie<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday:</span> raviolis. salad, french breadUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-83671720689746028452009-11-18T07:13:00.000-08:002009-11-18T07:20:56.930-08:00Scheduling Time for MeOn last night's episode of <i>The Biggest Loser</i>, the contestants had to pause from all the crying (Seriously, is there any show where they cry more? Someone should get these people a sandwich.) to speak about their weight loss journey. (Side Note: whenever a contestant on a reality show talks about "their journey", my husband breaks out into "Don't Stop Believing." I must really love him.) One woman talked about how she never took time for herself, and that her message was that you can be a better wife/mom/grandmother/etc. if you do. <div><br /></div><div>With my current mission of organizing time, I thought that this was the perfect theme for today and <a href="http://www.wearethatfamily.com/2009/11/wfmw-deeply-discounted-magazine.html">Works For Me Wednesday</a>. I might be still working out how to organize my time, but with my current Crayola marker-filled to-do list, there is a constant. I always schedule time to exercise. If it weren't on my to-do list, I doubt I would do it. Yesterday I didn't make a list because I was braving the crowds at the mall, and, go figure, I didn't exercise. Today, exercising is the third thing on my list, and I know it will happen. It's why I did so great working with a personal trainer. My workouts were on the calendar, and I had scheduled the time for me. Now, I know I need to schedule time for me in other areas too - time to read, scrapbook, and write. But scheduling time to exercise is an important first step.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-5060014930210968232009-11-12T13:58:00.000-08:002009-11-12T14:08:55.326-08:00A Tip For EveryoneA break from my normal organization tips today to share with you an overall tip. If your computer does not have anti-virus software on it, stop reading this blog and go out and buy some. Seriously. I'll wait for you right here.<div><br /></div><div>In the midst of attempting to write a novel in a month, nearly all of my electronics have decided to die. Over the weekend I got a new laptop, printer, DirecTV box/DVR (yes, my DVR died...I shouldn't have been so upset about losing 80 hours of tv, but...I lost <b>80</b> hours of tv...), and external hard drive. My camera and dryer are next. I don't know for sure, but the electronics might be conspiring against me.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyways, my techie husband went to work on Sunday transferring my files from my old laptop to my new one. And that's when we realized the importance of anti-virus software. I used to have Norton on my computer - the high end one at that. But, due to a glitch in the system, it was blocking mlb.tv. As a Red Sox fan living in Virginia, that's the only way I can watch the games. Totally unacceptable. So I uninstalled Norton. A few weeks later I installed a free program that seemed to be working fine. Or so I thought. On my laptop were many many many files that weren't mine. <i>Adult</i> files. Of all types. We're not sure what did it, but it looks like my laptop was a go between for some sort of adult file-sharing site. It's been 5 days and I'm still creeped out by it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thankfully, it doesn't look like any of my personal information was stolen. And, I suppose, in the grand scheme of things, it could have been a lot worse. But I have learned my lesson. The first thing I did with my new laptop is install good, up-to-date anti-virus software - the kind that scans everything and updates daily. I bought the one that was on sale; just make sure you have one.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-40696583000572675832009-11-05T11:56:00.001-08:002009-11-05T12:10:30.798-08:00Mission #8: Organizing Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SvMuKkoG07I/AAAAAAAAAoo/5JQInush9Uc/s1600-h/101_3168.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SvMuKkoG07I/AAAAAAAAAoo/5JQInush9Uc/s320/101_3168.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400711137312822194" border="0" /></a>Have you ever had one of those days (or weeks) when you have so much on your to-do list that you can't even get started? That's how I'm feeling lately. I'm lucky that I only work out of the house once or twice a week, so I have time during the day to get a lot done. But I also have to balance that time with freelance work (and looking for/querying for freelance work). Some days are easier than others. I get up, set aside a few hours to write, run some errands and clean my kitchen. Other days...well...I spend an hour on facebook to avoid the list of things around here that need to be done.<br /><br />So, we're taking a slight departure with Mission #8. Rather than organizing something around the house, we'll be organizing our time. Right now, I try to organize my day around a paper to-do list. But, clearly, that's not cutting it. Not that my paper & markers (yes, the list in the picture is my actual list from this week written with a Crayola marker - my favorite) are bad. I just need to upgrade.<br /><br />One other note - while I will definitely be working on this mission over the next couple of weeks, the posting will likely be sparser than usual (as you have probably already noticed). I'm participating in NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month. You can read all about it at <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org">http://www.nanowrimo.org</a>, but the basic idea is to write an entire novel - at least 50,000 words - during November. It's a huge undertaking, and way harder than I thought it would be (though, when I said that to my husband, he looked at me funny and said something about of course it being hard). So I'll be spending more time than usual this month writing (hence the need to organize my time better!), and am unsure how much time I'll have to write other things. But rest assured that I'll be here, and I hope that you'll work on organizing your time with me (and share your tips in the comments section!).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-26293453789503963182009-10-28T11:56:00.000-07:002009-10-29T07:18:44.673-07:00Mission #7: COMPLETE!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SuiUKq1N54I/AAAAAAAAAoQ/k5uP5efZmDI/s1600-h/P1030357.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SuiUKq1N54I/AAAAAAAAAoQ/k5uP5efZmDI/s400/P1030357.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397727064420640642" border="0" /></a>I'm more than a little proud of finishing this mission. It's not just a matter of my nightstand now being clean; it's that it barely looks like its <a href="http://organizationmission.blogspot.com/2009/10/mission-7-nightstand.html">former self</a>.<br /><br />The top of my nightstand now just has the essentials - my alarm clock, remote controls, tissues, water cup, lotion, and a lamp. That's it. And the only reason that the lotion gets to be on top is that not only am I disorganized, I am cheap. I buy lotion in ridiculously large containers at Costco, and the over-sized pump doesn't fit in the drawer. (and yes, if you are fan of Cetaphil, you too can own a vat of the stuff from Costco for the same price as a small tube at the grocery store. You're welcome.)<br /><br />Inside the drawer are just the essentials - the medications and vitamins that I take every day, Tylenol PM, nail clippers, fancy hand cream, and the like. I got rid of all of the nail polish that was living in there, along with a slew of expired medicine and questionably old lotion. A surprising find in the drawer were buttons. Lots and lots of butto<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SuiWIUnWzTI/AAAAAAAAAoY/Qd3_NqGhhYU/s1600-h/P1030360.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 186px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SuiWIUnWzTI/AAAAAAAAAoY/Qd3_NqGhhYU/s200/P1030360.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397729223120440626" border="0" /></a>ns. All of the extra buttons that come attached to a new shirt had somehow found their way into my drawer. I don't know why. Since I apparently throw them in my drawer anyways, I felt like they should probably live there permanently. I took a small candle holder, put it in the corner of the drawer, and filled it up. I know the picture isn't the best (by the way, if anyone knows how to reset the settings on a camera, please let me know - I apparently have set my camera to make all indoor pictures fuzzy, and I can't get it back), but you get the idea. It's a pretty simple fix, especially considering that the candle holder probably cost less then a dollar (buy a 4 pack at Ikea & put candles in the other 3!). And if I ever really do need a button, I'll know where they are. (you can see lots of other great tips over at We Are THAT Family's <a href="http://www.wearethatfamily.com/">Works for Me Wednesday</a> post)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-87899127576619060972009-10-21T07:30:00.000-07:002009-10-21T07:50:58.453-07:00Mini Mission: Nail Polish<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/St8fMdBZ1cI/AAAAAAAAAoI/pHsYzMpTZH8/s1600-h/P1030325.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/St8fMdBZ1cI/AAAAAAAAAoI/pHsYzMpTZH8/s400/P1030325.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395065177422550466" border="0" /></a><br />For many women, a luxury that has been cut out in these tough economic times is manicures and pedicures. And while nothing really beats an afternoon of being pampered, it does make better financial sense to buy a nail file and some pretty polish and do it at home. But, did you know that nail polish expires? Ever wonder why your at-home manicure sometimes peels and bubbles moments after it's dry? It turns out that it's the age of your polish. So, as part of my mission to clean out my nightstand (there are a ton of bottles in there) and <a href="http://www.wearethatfamily.com/2009/10/wfmw-ten-ways-to-please-your-husband.html">Works for Me Wednesday</a>, today's mini mission is to clean out your nail polish.<br /><br />A couple of nail polish guidelines for you. First, depending on which expert you listen to, nail polish has a shelf life of ONE to TWO years. Most actually say you should toss it after ONE year. This is hard for me, since I know I have not purchased any new nail polish in 2009, so I should probably toss all of mine. Aside from the whole germ thing (you're touching your hands with the brush, then it lives in the polish), the nail polish itself changes consistency as it ages. Once it gets thick and goopy, toss it. Notice how when you use an older bottle you get more air bubbles or it peels or chips more easily? It's not you - it's the age of the polish. And you know how after it sits for awhile, it starts to separate? That's a sure sign it's past it's prime. As for me, I'm getting rid of nearly all of mine. I found some super old bottles in my nightstand, and I know that a few of my more "current" bottles are actually nearly 4 years old. Ew.<br /><br />Next, when you buy a new bottle of nail polish, write the date you got in on the bottle. The easiest way to do this is with a sharpie on the bottom. So the new polish you buy today (because, now that you've thrown away all your old polish, you need to buy new stuff, right?) gets labeled 10/09. That way you can easily see when it's time to toss.<br /><br />Finally, storage. I know that some people store their nail polish in the fridge - don't. Nail polish is especially sensitive to temperatures and humidity, so keep your nail polish someplace dry and with a fairly even temperature. I like to also keep mine somewhere where I can see it - I'm more likely to use things when I know I have them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-53072131826710768982009-10-19T10:29:00.000-07:002009-10-19T10:45:22.321-07:00Mission #7: Nightstand<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/StyliU0pp_I/AAAAAAAAAoA/8ZBzz7WwB3g/s1600-h/P1030313.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 324px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/StyliU0pp_I/AAAAAAAAAoA/8ZBzz7WwB3g/s400/P1030313.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394368462806689778" border="0" /></a>Oh, the nighstand. Holder of alarm clock and remote controls; hider of all sorts of personal junk. I wish I was one of those people who had a tidy nightstand. You know those people - the top of it has their alarm clock, their remote control, maybe a box of tissues. Inside they hold their hand cream, some vitamins, maybe some other personal items. But not me. My nightstand is essentially a junk drawer for my bedroom. Some stuff in there is necessary - I take a few medications at night, so it holds those, plus vitamins & Tylenol PM (I could write an ode to Tylenol PM...oh, how I adore you...). And I suppose that the nail clippers and lip balm are necessary too. But the expired medications & old nail polish? Probably not. So this mission is simple - clean it out & organize it so I can get to what I need and let go of what I don't. Let's just hope that it goes more smoothly (and more quickly) then my desk. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-55769951220948534702009-10-15T13:52:00.000-07:002009-10-15T14:01:15.306-07:00Is That My Desk Top?Well, in spite of more mess than I had realized and a couple of family emergencies that slowed me down, my desk is actually clean. That's right - there is an actual desk top where all the junk used to be! I can't even begin to describe how exciting this is. I haven't seen the desk top in at least a year, though considering some of the things I found living on it, it's likely been much longer than that. Just in case you forgot what it used to look like, here is my desk BEFORE...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SteMFDprcQI/AAAAAAAAAnw/UrdZsN6xaKs/s1600-h/101_3076.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SteMFDprcQI/AAAAAAAAAnw/UrdZsN6xaKs/s400/101_3076.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392933097306812674" border="0" /></a>And now...here's what it looks like AFTER...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SteMPR_qJ-I/AAAAAAAAAn4/6Ramq8vJoM4/s1600-h/101_3115.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SteMPR_qJ-I/AAAAAAAAAn4/6Ramq8vJoM4/s400/101_3115.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392933272955791330" border="0" /></a>Yes, that is the same desk! You'll notice that my old desktop computer is still on my desk. My husband says that there is something we can buy to transfer the files from it to my laptop, so that is a project for the weekend when he can help me. As soon as we do that, the old monitor, keyboard, and mouse are on their way out. But even without that, there is space for my laptop, which was the whole goal in the first place. :) And yes, those are all my little toys and tchotchkes still there - just because I'm organized (and, hypothetically, an adult) doesn't mean I can't have my fun while I work.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-88930262112914868372009-10-09T15:34:00.000-07:002009-10-09T16:05:50.394-07:00Organizing MemoriesI took a break from my desk today (because, yes, I am still working on it) to sort through a stack of papers in my spare bedroom/storage space/black hole. The stack I grabbed happened to be high school newspapers. I worked on our paper all four years of high school, and was the Associate Editor my senior year. Not a big deal at some high schools, but I went to a school where we published and mailed home a full issue (18 pages) every 10 school days. So it was a huge deal - huge enough that I saved EVERY issue. On the early issues I found post-it notes, carefully detailing what I had done in each issue ("wrote headline for varsity football story"). And as I looked through I found some of my earliest published writing and memories of fun times at late night deadlines. I can't save them all, nor do I want to. But I do want to save a few, especially the articles I wrote.<br /><br />Looking through this stack today brought back a lot of memories, and a definite sense of pride. I was involved with something much bigger than myself, and while I didn't stick with journalism in college, I developed the strong writing skills that would last me a lifetime. But more than anything else, I was struck with a sense of time and place. In the newspaper were commentaries on issues of the day - some school related, some of a broader concern. We wrote about the new bell schedule, the lack of privileges, the election of Bill Clinton, censorship, and the Persian Gulf War. I read about the controversy surrounding a presentation on AIDS, the portrayal of a gay couple in a student skit, and the visit from a POW, and was struck by how far we have come. While I would like to keep politics and religion off of my blog, my one true belief in life is that we should treat others the way we want to be treated, and I am so proud that my high school self felt that way as well. I took a stand then against animal cruelty and bullying, stereotypes and censorship, just as I would now. I am shocked by some of the letters in the editorial section; I hope that the ignorance of 15+ years ago is not as prevalent in high schools today. I cut out my commentaries and articles, carefully saved the masthead with my name on it, mailed a picture of an old friend to him, and recycled the rest. And I know that what I learned from 4 years of journalism will stick with me forever.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-56271344882590865842009-10-07T08:53:00.001-07:002009-10-07T09:02:26.667-07:00Cleaning vs. OrganizingThe theme of this week's "Works for Me Wednesday" over at <a href="http://www.wearethatfamily.com/2009/10/wfmw-themed-edition-cleaning-tip.html">We Are THAT Family</a> is cleaning. Which is perfect for this blog, since for me, cleaning and organizing are one in the same. Yes, there are some things that are purely cleaning - washing the dishes, swiffering the floor, etc. (and, by the way, how great is it that Swiffering is a verb?) But I don't think that there are things that are purely organizing - even tasks like filing the bills or organizing my sock drawer help to keep my house clean. I do know that it takes me ages to clean my house because I am so unorganized. And I also know that as I complete each of my missions, keeping the place clean also becomes a bit easier.<br /><br />So, in the midst of my longest mission yet (seriously, why is my desk taking so long??), I share a combination cleaning-organization tip with you. It has to do with the mail. I love getting mail. Even junk mail makes me happy - there is just something about going outside and finding a full mailbox. So sorting through the mail (and paying the bills) is a chore that falls to me. I sort my mail every day - waiting only makes it harder. I can go through it quickly and throw the junk mail that doesn't have my name on it in the recycle bin. Stuff with my name on it, especially credit card offers, get shredded (and yes, the shredder bin gets emptied into the recyling too). I pay bills each day - doing it online takes less than a minute. And anything that my husband should look at goes in a big green poly folder on our kitchen table. It keeps us organized, keeps the paper clutter down, and makes it easy for my husband to know what he actually needs to look at.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-54420704435871705372009-10-06T11:17:00.000-07:002009-10-06T11:22:22.184-07:00Tales from My DeskI shouldn't be surprised. But, here I am. I have been working on cleaning off my desk, admittedly slowly, for nearly a week, and I don't think that I am even making progress. I looked at it this morning, thinking that maybe I would take a picture to show you how much I've accomplished. But it looks almost exactly the same as it did last week. I wish I was joking. I mean, I know that I am baring my mess every week for the world, but this is just ridiculous. Where is the mess coming from? And why am I not making a dent in it? And, perhaps most importantly, if you know how to keep your desk clean, please share your secrets. I'm begging you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-31765252210937532382009-10-01T19:24:00.000-07:002009-10-01T19:24:00.379-07:00Mission #6 - My DeskIn our little townhouse, we are lucky enough to have an extra bedroom to use as an "office." I put office in quotes, because we barely use it as that anymore. Back in the day of desktop computers, we spent a lot of time up there. In fact, we have THREE desks in there - one for me, one for my husband, and an extra one that I use for scrapbooking. For a long time, if I had work to do on my computer, I needed to sit upstairs to do it. Then came the laptop, and the need for a desk flew out the window. So, what do I do with that desk now? Pay bills, keep my laptop, work on my writing? No. I stack stuff on it. It is just a spot to stack things that I don't know what to do with. And that's about to change.<br /><br />I really want to reclaim my desk. I would like to make writing my career, not just my hobby, and while I like to sit on my couch and write, I need a place to write undisturbed. I would also like a place to take care of household management stuff (like paying bills, keeping track of appointments) so that stuff doesn't get stacked on my kitchen table. So Mission #6 is to reclaim my desk. And it's going to take some work, which is evident when you see what my desk looks like now...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SsPQwfhMvjI/AAAAAAAAAno/Q4TUxsdubng/s1600-h/101_3076.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SsPQwfhMvjI/AAAAAAAAAno/Q4TUxsdubng/s400/101_3076.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387379110778289714" border="0" /></a>Yes, this is really what my desk looks like. I didn't add or move anything for the picture. And yes, that is a computer under all of that. My desk does have drawers, but for this mission we're just going to focus on the top - desk drawers are a mission unto themselves. My plan is pretty simple - sort everything into piles (scrapbook ideas, pictures, papers to file, etc.), then go through and put them away. I honestly have no idea what's on here...this one should be an adventure...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-75782260791377371152009-09-30T13:55:00.001-07:002009-09-30T14:04:43.759-07:00Mission #5 Complete!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SsPF7Tn7G0I/AAAAAAAAAng/PE8V74cpwmU/s1600-h/101_3069.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SsPF7Tn7G0I/AAAAAAAAAng/PE8V74cpwmU/s400/101_3069.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387367201935924034" border="0" /></a>I can barely believe it - that is actually MY hall closet! Isn't it bee-you-tiful? :)<br /><br />This mission took a lot longer than I expected because I have been battling a nasty stomach bug. But even if it took awhile, it was most certainly worth it! I can't wait for the cooler weather to set in so I can ask my guests if they would like me to hang up their coats. :) I put all of our hats & gloves in the fabric basket on the top right of the shelf (a fun Target find...gosh, I LOVE Target...). The big gray box is a good example of what I am doing with my extra space (now that I've thrown away the old notebooks and forgotten gym & beach bags that were stuffed in there). The box is a box of silver wine cups that my husband inherited from his grandfather. We have never used them, but both the cups and the box itself mean a lot to him. We were going to take the cups out of the box and put them in our china cabinet, but he really wanted to save the box as well. So with the extra space, they are now going to live in our hall closet. I think that's an important lesson from this project - sometimes, it's important to keep little things that mean a lot, and by getting rid of things that aren't quite as meaningful, we have the space to store them. I am excited for my husband to get home from work and see that his grandfather's cups now have a home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-81480970739688456122009-09-24T13:02:00.000-07:002009-09-24T14:53:23.809-07:00There MAY Be Signs...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SrvqOIcZJHI/AAAAAAAAAnY/4p4532jxmGA/s1600-h/101_2996.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SrvqOIcZJHI/AAAAAAAAAnY/4p4532jxmGA/s320/101_2996.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385155307957199986" border="0" /></a>How do I know that I am way overdue to clean out my hall closet? Well, the duck boots from college were the first clue. My husband's college letter jacket is the second (no, I'm not going to get rid of it, even though he did recently celebrate his 15th reunion). Today's sign could not be mistaken. On the top shelf of my closet was a stack of notebooks and folders that I didn't even know where there.<br /><br />The notebooks themselves weren't that upsetting. I mean, I DID already find a roller derby program from a few years ago (FYI - if you like to "people watch", go to a roller derby match). But the age of the notebooks...well, that may be the biggest sign I have a clutter problem. In the first notebook were notes from a class I took when I made the switch from teaching middle school to elementary school. In <span style="font-weight: bold;">2001</span>. The second and third notebooks weren't as bad...mostly handwritten assignments that I needed to type for my students. Math quizzes, instructions for a research paper on insects, questions about a novel I was teaching, and the steps to making a database. Of course, there was the folder explaining the dental benefits I was eligible in 2002. But the worst was the notebook from the year I was the reading teacher at my middle school. In it are the names and notes on all of the high-risk kids in the sixth grade. From <span style="font-weight: bold;">1999</span>. These kids are now seniors in college. I can't believe this is still in my closet. Or, more accurately, WAS. It's now in the box of papers to take to the community shred event next month. (because, even though these kids are no longer my students, I don't need any sort of law suit about letting their sixth grade test scores be out in the trash for anyone to see.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-67321952970528024832009-09-23T07:03:00.000-07:002009-09-23T07:32:33.111-07:00Mini Mission: Backup MealsThe past few weeks here have been a little rough. I have been battling a sinus infection that just won't go away (I'm on my second course of antibiotics) and the stomach flu, and my husband broke his finger over the weekend (which, apparently, means that he can not do the dishes for the next three weeks). But even though we're both sort of out of commission, we still need to eat. And while ordering a pizza or Chinese food is yummy, it gets really expensive (and really unhealthy) quick. So today's mini mission, in conjuction with <a href="http://www.wearethatfamily.com/2009/09/wfmwsock-it-to-me.html">Works for Me Wednesday</a>, is to have a backup plan for meals. Thankfully, this is something that I already do, and it has truly been a lifesaver. But I'll share with you how I do it so you can have some backup meals ready to go as well. Hopefully you'll use them because you're feeling lazy, not because you need them!<br /><br />There are a few ways to go with backup meals. One way is to buy pre-made meals for your freezer. I have a friend who always keeps a Stouffer's lasagna in her freezer. There are also companies that are coming out with ready-made meals to keep in the freezer. Even though they can be pricey, they are still cheaper than ordering take-out. Another way is my grandmother's method. She would make her own "tv dinners" - you know, frozen plates with a piece of meatloaf, some potatoes, and some green veggies - and all she had to do was stick them in the oven. She would make an extra batch of meals when she cooked and freeze fully-cooked dinners that could be heated up at a moment's notice. My mom follows in this tradition, and always has containers of spaghetti sauce, chicken soup, and turkey in the freezer. If you want to cook ahead, there are phenomenal cookbooks that are specifically designed for freezer cooking - browse through a few at your local library, and freeze a few backup meals for the cold and flu season.<br /><br />My backup meals fall somewhere in the middle. I go to a local meal prep chain where I make 8 or 12 meals that go in my freezer to be cooked at a later date. For those of you who don't have a meal prep chain in your area, they are amazing. Everything is chopped and sliced - you just follow the recipe and put everything into large ziploc bags to cook at home. I love it because I can control what I put in (we are sort-of health conscious around here) and I go with my friends so it's also a social night out. There are many chains - Let's Dish, Super Suppers, Dinner Done, etc. - and they all work on a similar principle. Look at the menus before you sign up, especially if you have more than one chain in your area. I go to <a href="http://www.letsdish.com/">Let's Dish</a>, not just because the dinners are tasty, but because the meal selections are fancier than I would make on my own but not too fancy that we wouldn't eat it on a Tuesday night. Some chains are pretty fancy; others have ham and cheese sandwiches on their menu (which I don't need to go to a meal prep place to make). Call before you go and ask if you can take a tour and make a sample dish. That way you'll have a better sense of flavors, portion sizes, and cost before you sign up. If you are in the Virginia-Maryland-DC area, I can't recommend Let's Dish enough. (and if you are in the area for Let's Dish, drop me an email or leave me a note in the comments and I'll be happy to send you a referral email with a coupon code)<br /><br />Having a freezer full of dinners has been a lifesaver for us this week. And it's really helpful for my regular weekly menu planning as well to have some variety without much work (there is a certain joy of knowing that even though both of us are working late we will be able to have a nice dinner that no one has to make).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-73268126056503818482009-09-22T13:24:00.000-07:002009-09-22T13:36:57.063-07:00Mission #5 - Hall ClosetI blame the mess in my hall closet on the people who owned my house before us. Yes, you read that right. I have lived in this house for nine years, and the blame for the mess rests squarely on the shoulders of the previous owners. You see, they were nice enough to install two decorative coat racks in the entranceway of the house. And with just two of us, that's really all we need for our day-to-day coats. Even though it has been swimming pool weather for months, our lightweight coats, winter coats, and my favorite windbreaker live on the pegs year-round.<br /><br />So, what's the problem? Well, because of the well-placed coat rack, we rarely need to use our hall closet. For awhile, it was holding a wealth of coats that we no longer wore. (my mom was shocked one day to open the closet and realize that the coat she had bought me in high school was in there) A few years ago we bought new coats, and donated most of the old ones to the elementary school for kids who needed a coat for recess. But while the hangers are mostly empty (great for when we have company over), the shelf and floor is a catch-all for everything that doesn't have an actual home. My gym bag and pool bag belong there, but I can't say the same for everything else. When we emptied the bottom part to put the new floor in I found every beach bag I have ever purchased, along with their contents (and, strangely enough, a program from a roller derby event we attended a few years ago). The shelf is equally random - there are hats & gloves stuffed up there along with a frisbee and old backpacks.<br /><br />Now, I know that my hall closet problem is way better than most. If you actually use yours for coats, yours is probably way worse than mine. But I would like to reclaim the space, especially now that the shoes in the bottom are all neat and organized. And the thought of knowing where to find my pretty pink Red Sox knit cap as it starts to get colder makes me very happy.<br /><br />So...mission #5 is simple - clean out the hall closet. If you have old coats, donate them. Schools are great places, since they often have kids who show up without one. Hopefully the shoes are already organized from last week. And take a good look at everything else that's in there and keep only what you really need. Good luck...I think I'll need it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2829806444397413684.post-60118869177777335242009-09-17T14:58:00.000-07:002009-09-17T15:08:35.978-07:00Mission #4: Complete!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SrKyhn64S4I/AAAAAAAAAnI/mFezX0XOkcs/s1600-h/P1030244.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SrKyhn64S4I/AAAAAAAAAnI/mFezX0XOkcs/s200/P1030244.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382560795382532994" border="0" /></a>Once I got all of my magazines recycled, I thought that no organization mission could be quite as embarrassing. That is, until today. Today I both finished <a href="http://organizationmission.blogspot.com/2009/09/mission-4-shoes.html">Mission #4</a> to organize my shoes and realized just how disorganized we really are. Including the eight pairs of sneakers that I recycled last week, I got rid of a whopping <span style="font-weight: bold;">29 pairs</span> of shoes. Yes, you read that right. 29 pairs. What makes it even worse is that there are just two of us in my house and that we have enough shoes left to need all three shoe racks. Yes, they are much roomier now, and the shoes actually fit on them. But still, it is <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SrKyqWUDKAI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/KOJzEuIt6t8/s1600-h/P1030245.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oJLD8fF69H8/SrKyqWUDKAI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/KOJzEuIt6t8/s200/P1030245.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382560945275086850" border="0" /></a>pretty sad that it got to this.<br /><br />Now that they are organized, it's much easier to see what we have, and find the shoes I am looking for. I found more than one pair of black flats - I'm guessing that one pair was purchased because I couldn't find (or didn't realize I had) the other. And hopefully I have learned my lesson and will get rid of a pair whenever I buy a new one.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0