Week of Organizing Day Four: The Craft Cabinet

Now, this was a project.

We are at Day Four of our  organizing and today I chose the craft cabinet.  I would allow some time if you have an extensive craft supply collection.  I don't have a HUGE amount of craft supplies, but, I made sure that I had plenty of time to go through everything.

before

My pretty papers are already in containers and are stacked nicely in the office (under the printer).  My painting supplies are in the laundry room.  They are in a box on the shelves and will stay there.  Sewing supplies are also in the laundry room in containers and will stay there.  (the containers will not fit inside these cabinets)

The best way to start is to pull everything out of the cabinets and start sorting through your stuff.  I made piles of things that go together (glues, sequins, ribbon, washi tape, etc.) so I can store them together.  Makes it easier when I need something, I can go to one place and find everything that I have.....

I realized that I had A LOT of empty containers that I thought I would use to store craft supplies.  I recycled quite a few containers.  I also had items that were broken (tossed those), one or two of something (combined them and threw out any extra packaging).  All in all I think it was worth the time and effort.

after

What do you think?

Are you organizing along with me?  What have you organized this week?

Week of Organizing Day Three: The Cleaning Closet

We made it to day three.  Day two was easy for me since I had a helper.  Today, everyone has mysteriously disappeared.  There's probably a good reason.  I picked the Cleaning Closet today.  This is the one place I try to avoid.  It becomes a dumping ground for me.

"Where should I put this?"

"Oh, how about the cleaning closet?"

Before

Dubbed the cleaning closet because it holds cleaning supplies.  Vacuum, broom, dust mop, rags, cleaning supplies and a whole mess of other things that I have no idea how they ended up in there.  I was able to take out the items that don't belong.  Some of them were placed in a new home (where they should have been put in the first place) while others found a new home (donated or garbage/recycling).

after

Ahh.  Much better, don't you think?  I can get used to all of this organizing.  I might actually be able to find things now.

Are you organizing along with me?  What have you organized so far?  What is the strangest thing you have found in your organizing process?

You know it's really cold out when....

...you open the door and the dog runs back to his blanket and refuses to go outside.

Week of Organizing: Day Two: The Pantry

Yesterday went so well, I thought I would attack the pantry today.  It always seems to get messed up.  This might take a little longer than 15 minutes if you never go through your pantry.  Now is the time to check use by dates.   You might want to ask yourself if you are ever going to use certain items.   I try to go through our pantry quite often.  And, since I was sick for a week (and didn't go grocery shopping for about two weeks) a lot of the items mysteriously cleared out of the cabinet.

before

I was all set to pull things out when a little helper came by and decided to take over.  I don't want to discourage organization help so, I let Bella take over and organize the pantry.

after

I think she did a great job.

What you probably can't see: 

We put some items in glass jars (rice, dry beans for soups, craisins, etc.)

Bella organized the shelves:  cereal/breakfast shelf, pasta shelf, baking items

This is the bottom half of the pantry.  I quickly cleaned up the top shelves and straightened everything out so they match the bottom ones.

The top shelf is RT's personal secret storage spot.  That's where he hides his candy and coffee.  I guess it isn't a secret if I (and the kids) know about it, is it?

Are you organizing along with me?  What have you organized so far?

Week of Organizing: Day 1: Night Stand

I thought I would start off the year with a clean slate and a (somewhat) organized life.  I'm not the most organized person and with working so much last month, I think things were just getting put anywhere and everywhere.  I don't like the disorder and I didn't have the time or energy to fix it.  I thought this would be a great way to start off the new year.  Get organized and try to stay that way (so disorganization and messes don't happen).  And, what better place to start than:  the night stand.  Hey, it's the spot next to where you start and finish your day (well, if you sleep in your bed every night?)  And, we have to start somewhere, right?

I always wondered why it was called a night stand.  I had to search and find out.  Here is what wikipedia has to say:

A nightstand,^[1] alternatively night table or bedside table, is a small table or cabinet designed to stand beside a bed or elsewhere in a bedroom. It serves the role of a coffee table^[2] during nighttime hours, at a person's bedside.Before indoor flushing toilets became commonplace, the main function of a nightstand was to contain a chamber pot. As a result, early nightstands were often small cabinets, sometimes fitted with a drawer, and usually containing an enclosed storage space below covered by one or more doors. Another term sometimes given to such cabinets was commode.

Okay.  Just so we all know that my night stand is just to hold some essential items and that we have a separate indoor bathroom for all of that other stuff.

Okay...  Let's continue, shall we?

This organization activity should take you about 15 minutes (unless you plan on studying every. single. item.)  Go ahead, set the timer.  I dare ya'!

I have the essentials in the drawer.
lip balm
hand lotion
notepads and pen*
book mark (I had about 5 in there and pared it down to two)
Vick's nasal stick (just in case I can't breathe...you never know)

*to write down all of those great idea's in the middle of the night
I think I need a little light so I can see what I'm writing.

On my nightstand:
a sock owl (it's so cute!)
rose (from Nick)
a bee (from B, I mean Bella)
a coaster (for my water glass)

I should have taken the before picture.  For some reason I had blank note cards and a glue stick in my drawer.  You know, for those nights I can't sleep and feel like making pretty cards for everyone.  Doesn't everyone do that?

So, what did you find in your nightstand?

Vegetarian Hoppin John

Happy New Year!

Thought we would celebrate this year with a little Hoppin' John for good luck for 2015.

Hoppin' John is a black eyed peas and rice dish that they serve in the South.  It is a meal that is to bring good luck to you in the year when eaten on New Years Day.

I had a hard time finding a vegetarian recipe for Hoppin' John.  A lot of the recipes call for cooking with a ham hock or some bacon.  Not going to happen here, so, I decided to wing it and come up with my own Hoppin' John recipe.

Here goes:

Hoppin John

2 1/2 cups of Vegetable broth
1 cup of Farro*
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tbsp Sunflower oil
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 15oz can black eyed peas
Cajun seasoning

Bring Farro to boil in Vegetable broth and cook until done.

In a pot, cook onion in Sunflower oil until onion is translucent.  Add tomato, black eyed peas and Farro.  Mix.  Add in your Cajun seasoning.  Heat through.

*I used Farro instead of rice.  You can substitute rice (white or brown) for this recipe.  I just like Farro.

I didn't have any Cajun spice on hand, but, put some ground (cayenne) red pepper and some cumin.  I even added one clove of garlic.  You can even add a jalapeño!  Mmm!  Delicious!

Happy New Year!

Random Act of Kindness

This year I have decided to try to do something positive for someone once a month. Yea, I don't want to be nice too often, that would ruin my image.

I should probably explain. My positive experience would be a random act of kindness.

Taken from Wikipedia:

"A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual person or people. "

"Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty" (Anne Herbert)

Why not try to cheer up or help other people?

Not sure where I will start or what I will do for my first RAOK, but, I will certainly keep you informed.