Kitchen Storage

Five Kitchen Organizing Tips

Part of having a kitchen that functions well for you is having it planned out properly.  I wanted to give you a few of my tips for planning out your kitchen so that it flows well.  You can have each cupboard organized, but if you have your dishes in with your food and your oven mitts way across the kitchen from your oven… then it isn’t going to function and flow smoothly.

1) Plan Your Space – Have Kitchen Zones

Be sure to keep zones in mind when planning where things belong in your kitchen.

Cooking/Oven zone – Think hot food on the stove & what you’ll need.

1) Have your oven mitts within reach of the oven.
2) Have pots and pans by the oven
3) Keep spices near by
4) Stove utensils such as spatulas, tongs, large stirring spoons etc.

Dishes Zone – Think setting the table and unloading the dishwasher

1) Have your dishes between your dishwasher and table if possible.
2) Have your silverware near your dishes
3) Keep your glasses in this same area

Baking/Meal Preparation Area  – Think making dinner and baking a cake

1) Have your flour, sugar, baking soda in this area
2) Have your mixer, measuring cups, mixing bowls near each other
3) It should be near the pantry and refrigerator if possible.

Peter Walsh describes in his book, It’s All Too Much, the kitchen “magic triangle” as the area formed by the sink, oven and refrigerator. He calls this area “sacred ground where the focus is food prep, serving and clean up takes place.  (I’m cursed lucky enough to have a galley kitchen – 2 long rows)

He also discusses zones, but he divides them into four zones: Preparation area, cooking center, eating area and clean up area.  Maybe that is easier for you to think in those terms.

2) Keep What You Use

Don’t keep everything!  You may get plastic cups from every restaurant you go to, but how many can you use? Is the cupboard over flowing?

Sort  into Piles

Go through any cupboard in your kitchen. Take everything out. Sort it.  If you have not used that item in the last 1-2 months put it in one pile. Everything in the “used frequently” pile goes back in for sure.

Now go through that pile of items you have not used in the last 2-3 months.  Go through it again. If you have not used that item in the last year then it sure go for sure. (If it is something like the electric knife that your husband wants at Thanksgiving – put it in the Thanksgiving bin that is in storage. Same with the pumpkin carving tools or Christmas only item.)
Things that you have used in the last year, but not often you need to evaluate.

3) Keep Like with Like

Keep items together that go together.  Baking items in the same cabinet. Dishes together etc.

If you don’t use it in the kitchen – take it out of the kitchen!  The kids baseballs  don’t go in the kitchen.

4) Use Your Space Wisely

Make good use of your space.  Use the cabinet doors & walls – I showed you how easy it can be with the command hooks. No excuses that you are renting or you have melamine and you can’t screw into it.

You can use wire racks to greatly improve the space.  Look at the space in your cabinet.  How much room is above that bottom layer on the shelf.  Is there enough room for a 2nd layer?  If so… use it!

Think under the cabinets, back of the door, wall space (shelves)   Be creative

5) Have routine food checks and clean outs

Mark on your calendar at least every 6 months to clean and reorganize your pantry and refrigerator/freezer.

Check for out dated food items.  Make sure things like flour and sugar, boxes of pancake mix, instant potatoes and Bisquick mix are in sealed containers and if not, be sure there are no bugs.

If you have any problems with mice (it’s not unusual especially if you live in rural areas…. mice want to get warm in the winter too. lol)then be sure that you always keep your food in sealed mouse proof containers.  Check frequently your cabinets and silverware drawers for any signs of mice (their poo!) and if you see signs of them… work on getting rid of the mice, but be sure to wash out all those items and sanitize the drawer before you put anything back in.

If it is a big problem with mice, then I would suggest that you even keep your silverware and dishes in plastic storage containers in the cabinets.

Our farm that is about 45 minutes from our house has an older house and we do get mice off and on different times of the year.  So I have to keep a close eye on dishes etc.

Do you have your kitchen divided into “zones”?  Does it flow easily from preparing a meal to clean up?

I Love Your Comments!

In Place File System by Peter Walsh

Papers need to be handled! Peter has an idea!

Handling paper clutter can be done in many different ways. That is why I do not recommend just one way to do it. People are wired different. A solution for one person..might not be the right thing for another.  ( I apologize..I should have taken all those things off the lid…they look really messy!)

This “in Place System” by Peter Walsh is interchangeable with his whole line. There are some great products and I love how they all work together!  You all know I love Peter Walsh and I’m a fan of his products.

I am using this portable file box (which you can purchase a pack of 6 at Office Max for $11.99.) in my family room. That is where I do most of my work with my laptop. So it is nice to have something portable and small…but yet has a great file system.

Do I like it….yes. My thoughts are this:

If I were designing it…I would have not used a cardboard box.(or if I used cardboard…I would make them in fun colors).  I would have done a plastic colorful box. But of course then you lose the price point. They also did a lot of research based on feedback and this is why they came up with that. So this might serve the majority better.

Tips from Peter Walsh (part 4)

More Tips Directly from Peter Walsh

These Tips were given to me by Office Max to use if I wanted to.  The above picture is of the new line of products that Peter Walsh has coming out in the Office Max stores called you.organized.

Calendars: You might feel like multiple schedules lead to more confusion. For a little planning relief, combine home and work calendars. Simply choose various colors to mark important dates: one for professional tasks and meetings, one for personal appointments, one for social engagements, one for your children’s activities, and so on. (Peter Walsh)

I’m with him on that one. I have tried to keep a calendar in my purse and one at home.  I like having my calendar with me.  I have solved that problem with using a google calendar on my computer and it syncs with my blackberry.  The google calendar does have color coding for events, so that helps.  It isn’t my favorite calendar and I’m always looking for other options….but it has to sync with my phone so I have my calendar with me on the road.

Cork Boards & Sticky Boards: No need to hang lists, phone numbers and reminders all over your cubicle walls. Instead, create a one-stop message center with a cork or sticky board. Hang your daily to-do list, phone numbers, and a weekly calendar of events and meetings. That way, you’ll have all your need-to-know information in front of you. (Peter Walsh)

If you give yourself the limit of a bulletin board or magnetic board…and it gets full – then that is a sign that too much is on there and you can clean it off.

Email: Stay on top of your electronic inbox. Check email when you arrive, and immediately sort each message into an appropriate folder. Even if you don’t have time to deal with the contents of a message or even read it fully, sort it for later action. (Peter Walsh)

E-mail boxes are always a problem. It is easy for them to become very full very fast.  Do use the folders that you can create to sort e-mails you need to keep. Delete junk emails.  Here is a post I did on E-mail organizing.

• Closing Thoughts: Remember that your desk sends a clear signal about who you are and how you approach your work. You should have an organized desk at the start and finish of every day! (Peter Walsh)

Disclosure: I was not paid or given anything to do this post. I was given the above info if I wanted to use it…and I did!

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Tips from Peter Walsh (part 3)

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Tips from Peter Walsh

More tips from Peter?  Here a a couple of thoughts directly from Peter Walsh. These were given to me from Office Max to use if I chose to.  I did decide to pass on this info..because I figured you would enjoy learning from him as much as I do.

Filing: Use a vertical file organizer for “active” files. Reserve your desk inbox for items that need to be dealt with pronto. Name your file folders with nouns. Use the ones that first pop into your mind when you need the material. Banish the concept of a miscellaneous file from your life. If something is worth putting in a file folder, it’s worth putting in a folder than has a specific label. (Peter Walsh)

My question for Peter on the video I did with him was about filing.  Paper work seems to be one of the biggest stumbling blocks for most clients.  How to make a file system work for you. So it is something that you will use.  A perfect system set up but unused is of no good to anyone.  Filing like anything needs to be maintained.

Binders: For travel, business and leisure create a different binder devoted to your important documents. For example, when creating a travel binder, include pocketed folders to store airline tickets and receipts, a contact section storing important phone numbers, and a location portion highlighting hot spots and destination details.

I love using binders.  I have one (color coded mind you) for different projects I am working on.  Depending on how big the project is, I can use just a folder with pockets too.  But bigger projects and for my different clients I do use binders and keep them in different colors for visiual quick identification.

Disclosure:  I was not paid to do this post. It was my decision and the information from Peter was given to me. The orange comments are my own.

Tips from Peter Walsh (Part 2)

Here are some Office  Organization Tips & Inspirations directly from Peter Walsh

These are some tips that were sent to me from Office Max that Peter Walsh gave them for us to use. I wanted to share them with you!!  I have added a couple of my own thoughts after each one…

• Desktop Organization: There’s no faster way to inspire an immediate change in attitude than with an uncluttered, clear and pristine desk. Think of your desk as a reflection of your head. No matter how creative and brilliant you are, you’ll perform better with an organized desk. You shouldn’t have anything on your desk that isn’t “active,” meaning it still needs to be dealt with.  (Peter Walsh)

Isn’t that the truth?  I have said before, Clutter in your home = Clutter in your head.  Think how nice it would be to walk in to work in your office and see a nice clean desk to work out. Ahhhhh…. is the feeling you get rather than…..Gggrrrhhhh!!

• To-Do Lists: When writing a to-do list, group alike tasks together such as making calls or running errands to increase efficiency. But avoid getting overwhelmed with your workload by breaking it into small, manageable tasks. Write to-do list items on individual sticky notes and put them on a wall calendar. Rearrange them as your priorities change. At the end of the day, review your checklist and cross off completed items. Move any pending items to a fresh list for tomorrow.  (Peter Walsh)

I like this idea.  I am hoping to try (hoping to review, but if not…I will probably buy myself) his new you.organized wall modular unit.  I think you could use this with his sticky note idea.

• Paper Clutter: Deal with new papers first. No matter how high the old piles are, begin by devising a system for the new arrivals. Decide immediately what to do with each piece of paper that comes across your desk. Do not postpone these decisions. Paper piles are messy monuments to a long series of small procrastinations. Once you are faithfully dealing with new papers in a systematic way, haul out all unfiled older papers and take them through your new system. (Peter Walsh)

Reminds me of what I used to say when I sold Creative Memories scrapbooking supplies.  Start with the new pictures first. If you look at that huge back log of pictures, you will never do anything because it is too over whelming. You start at the present.  Works the same with the paper clutter.

The above picture is a picture of the line of products that Peter Walsh created and is being carried in the Office Max.

Disclosure:  I was not paid to do this post, I was offered the information to use if I would like to use it.  It was my decision to use the information because I think Peter Walsh rocks and love what he has to say.

Interview with Peter Walsh!!! (part 1)

Interviewing the King of Organizers!!

I was thrilled to be able to interview Peter Walsh today via web cam.  He could not see me (thank goodness because I was sitting with my sweatshirt on and no makeup!) but I was on the phone.

I was asked by Office Max if I wanted this opportunity. Heck yes!!

Peter is coming out with a new line (they are soooo cool) of organizers for the office called the you.organize series and we are lucky enough to get a preview here.  I am glad….I was sure hoping he would.  My favorite is the wall modular system! I love the look of it and it is so functional.

I asked him about filing though. That seems to be my biggest challenge when I work with clients. I wanted to see what his thoughts were. Also on the programs where you log all the information into your computer and each file folder gets a number. Then you put in a key word and it shows you where your file is.  They work great and I have used a version or one with one client. But….I do not like that you can’t open the file drawer and find your file without logging onto your computer first.  *The client I had use this system, I still labeled the front of his files with the file name & the number.

Enjoy my interview (as nervous as I was…) with Peter Walsh. Plus the fact that I could see him in the video but was talking to him on the phone. Well when we were  making this…his voice didn’t match his mouth! I felt like I was watching a foreign film. LOL  So I had to keep looking away from the screen because it was throwing me off. (You know as I get older it doesn’t take as much to throw me off! ) Thank goodness on the final video he talks just fine!

Thank you SO Much Office Max and Peter for this opportunity!

You can follow Peter’s Facebook Page to get answers to even more of your questions.

Tomorrow I am going to share some tips that are from Peter.

Disclosure:  I was not paid for this interview with money or products. I also did not have to pay them to have this interview.  My reward? I got to interview Peter Walsh!!!  yippee & squeels!

It’s All Too Much DVD & Book *CLOSED*

Peter Walsh It’s All Too Much DVD Reviewed

I think most of you who read my blog have come to realize that I love Peter Walsh.  So you can imagine how excited I was to watch this DVD and read the book when it came in the mail for me to review.  He breaks down the organizing and gets into your head to get to the root cause of your organizing problems. Plus who doesn’t love listening to his accent?

His book, It’s All Too Much, has been a great success….now he has that information on DVD form.  So many of us don’t have the time to read or find it is harder to digest  ”How To” information in book form.  Having someone do it for us makes it much easier.

Peter Organizes

1) Your Kitchen

2) Your Living Room

3) Your Entertainment Area

4) Your Closet

5) Your kids Room

6) and much more

He simplifies is and gives his reasoning and some great principles along the way.

I don’t have one of these DVD’s to giveaway (I wish I did…as I truly recommend it) But you can purchase the Peter Walsh DVD here. it

It’s All Too Much – So Get it Together Book for Teens – Review & GIVEAWAY!

It is best to break habits earlier better than later right?  If you feel your teenager is already having a problem with clutter, then this would be a great book for them.

It tackles the “head” stuff that goes along with clutter, but in a digestible way for teens.

The book discusses how to organize:

1) Book Bag

2) School locker

3) Bedroom

It discusses:

1) shopping

2) excesses stuff

3) extra curricular activities

I think any information that can start a teen off right before they have their own place is worthwhile.  Coming from Peter Walsh..it’s just icing on the cake.

To Purchase Your Own:

You can go to Peter Walsh’s site to order It’s All Too Much (Teenager version)

To Win a copy of the Teenager version of It’s All Too Much – So get it Together Book:

Tell me about a teenager who could use this book.

**Be sure to come back here and leave me a comment.  Your e-mail needs to be either on your comment or easily accessible in your profile.

For Extra chances to Win:

**Each of these HAS to have a separate comment written please. (I know its a pain, but other wise you won’t have as many chances if you don’t)

You can find all the links in my right hand sidebar.

1)Subscribe to my Organizing with Sandy blog – 5 chances to win (be sure to leave 5 comments)

2)Subscribe to my NEW Blog Chat with Sandy for 5 chances.

3) Follow me on Twitter

4) Follow me on Linked In

5) Tweet out this giveaway up to 3 times per day. Write a comment for

each time you do with the link.

6) Add any of my 3 buttons (Organize with Sandy, Reviews, Chat with Sandy) to your sidebar and come back to let me know. Separate entry for each one you add.

See….lots of ways to enter to win!

This contest will run until 11:59pm est on  Monday April 26th, 2010.  THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED*

Any comment that comes in after the above time will be deleted.

This is open to US mailing addresses only. One person per mailing address only. Winner will be chosen by Random.org

You will have 48 hours to reply to my e-mail if you win to be eligible. If I don’t hear back then I will go to the next winner.

Disclosure Policy I was given 1 copy of the Peter Walsh DVD and 1 copy of the Teenage book to review without cost.

Peter Walsh’s Book – It’s All Too Much! Review

Is it to anyone’s surprise that I like Peter Walsh?  If you know the TV show on TLC called Clean Sweep or you watch Oprah then you know Peter Walsh.  He came to the NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) conference in 2008 that I attended. He was a dynamite speaker….funny and very informative too. (cue the picture I took there)

I have also been involved with him on a couple of webinars with Office Max.  Ok…now on to his book.

It’s All Too Much is very easy reading and very simple. It helps you to cut the clutter and make your life easier. Of course as all of us know…that is much easier said than done.  But Peter has some great ideas and puts things in terms that help erase the guilt of giving up things that are either “keepsakes, expensive or gifts”.  Here is a quote from his book:

“If you’re tempted to keep something because it was expensive, remember the difference between value and cost.  Value is what something is worth. You spent a lot of money on it.  To throw it away would mean admitting that the money was wasted.  Now you need to think about the cost.  What is it costing you to keep this item? How much space?  How much energy?  What about the peace of mind that comes from having a clean home full of things you use?  You once made a decision to purchase this expensive thing that you never use.  Now, if you keep it, you’ll be throwing good space after bad money.”  – from Peter Walsh’s book  It’s All Too Much.

I love this!!  I have clients all the time tell me something is too expensive and they can’t get rid of it.  E-bay is an option and a few have used it, but usually if we dont’ do something with it right then, it will continue to sit and collect more dust.

This is a good read!!  Here is the link on Amazon

Disclosure: I bought and paid for this book with my money and was not asked to write a post nor did I receive any payment for the post or the link.

Peter Walsh Back to School Web Cast with Office Max

I took part in a web cast with Peter Walsh that Office Max sponsored yesterday. He had with him in this picture from left to right a Teacher, a middle school student, Peter, a Mom and a High school student. He would ask different questions and then compare how the different people viewed the different situations.
He went over how to get organized to start school. I want to share the information that he gave because I think it is valuable.
(My pictures aren’t very good of this because I took a picture of my computer screen and I kept getting the glare back)

These are the screens he put up. I wanted to show this one to show you what we saw..but I will just write up the test of them.

TIPS FOR HOME
1) Find the vision you have for a space (what do you want it to look like)
2) Make Organization a Family Value
3) Use the Right Tools for Organizing

TIPS FOR ORGANIZING YOUR CHILD
1)Show that you value Organization
2)Establish Clear Limits and Routines
3)Always Finish a “cycle”. Finish a task

TIPS FOR THE CLASSROOM
1)Establish Clear Routines
2)Involve Kids with Classroom Organization
3)Use Word pictures and color to help Organize

One of the things that the teacher pointed out that really doesn’t have to do with Organization but I thought it was a wonderful thing to mention was – That teachers do not want wooden apples and little gifts for holidays etc. They want classroom supplies. Peter Walsh said on the average teachers spend about $1,200 a year of their own money on classroom supplies. So next time instead of buying your teacher another little trinket that will add to her clutter at home….buy her things she can use for classroom supplies.

Peter got on twitter for about 15 minutes after the web cast. Of course remember he has over 200 bloggers all trying to “chat” with him via twitter. I said a few things, but he did respond to me.

I wrote him, Thanks @Peter_Walsh You are like chocolate to an Organizer.
He actually saw it and said Thanks Sandy.
I know that seems crazy….but it made my day. LOL

Peter Walsh’s In Place System and Office Max Team Up – Review

Peter Walsh is a guru of organizing. You have probably seen him on the Oprah Show as her organizing consultant. He has teamed up with Office Max to bring his new organizing system to all of us. It is called “In Place System“.

I got to take part in a web cast with him a few months ago and it was great. (You can see it here yourself)
This is a office organizing system that is designed to be simple, affordable and usable.
He makes folders clear so that you can easily see what is in them. He uses specially made sticky notes so that you can change labels as you need.
There are several components and you need to see them at your local Office Max.

I was also given some really fun and colorful folders and clips to use from Office Max. It is the DiVoga line of fun accessories. I love them. I use them for my children’s files that I keep current information in. It is fun to have something different than you plan old cream color folders.
The plastic snap folders are great too. I am using one to put all my BlogHer paperwork in. I am dividing up the 3 days schedules, confirmations and party schedules into the clear folders from Peter Walsh with sticky note labels and then putting them all into the fun snap closure folder from Office Max. Great combo!
The paperclips are just so cute and fun. I use them in a clear magnetic tin that I display on my magnetic board.
Great stuff Peter Walsh and Office Max!

Peter Walsh

Oprah and Peter Walsh

 

Oprah has started the Clutter Crew headed by Peter Walsh. He is an Organizing Great, I had the pleasure of meeting at my National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) conference last year.
He has partnered with Oprah and had a show on springtime organizing.
I have never seen a sale like this at The Container Store (really!!) I have seen some sales on their Elfa shelving, but never on everything in the store. I suggest you take advantage if you know of some specific things that you had planned to purchase anyway. (Don’t just buy because it is on sale)

I will put another link on my side bar. This promo is good through April 13th, 2009 if there is something that you were planning to purchase, this is a good way to do it.