Ducks 'n a Row

E-book for Bloggers and Blog Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

Welcome to our Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!

Link up your favorite posts below...whatever you'd like!

Please visit other sites and leave a nice comment.

Before you go, please subscribe to Ducks 'n a Row (email or RSS) and

The E-book: This new e-book is for anyone building an online business...especially bloggers. It is called "YOUR BLOGGING BUSINESS ...Tax Tips from a Bookkeeper Turned Blogger" written by Nikki Hughes.

Tax Talk Tips E-book

Its 87 pages include:

Section I: The tax side of things

Do you need to file a tax return?
Understanding income and deductions
Business vs. Personal
Expense vs. Asset
Home Office and “Business Use of Home”
How to calculate your “Business Use of Home”
A word on estimated tax payments and calculations

Section II: The bookkeeping side of things

Introduction to bookkeeping
You know what you need to track so how do you track it?

Section III: The tax-prep side of things

How to file your return

Section IV: Behind the scenes

About the Author
Special Thanks (Behind the Book)
Disclaimer &Disclosure

Section V: Resources

Continuing Education for bloggers
Professional Activity Codes (Sch C)
Sample reports, forms and instructions

And all of this for a mere
$4.99
That's it!
I bought my copy the day I first saw it.
.
Get yours right here!

Click to get "Your Blogging Business" NOW.

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Theme Parties for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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Grownups have so much fun with our kids and grand kids, don't we! Birthday parties are such a special event to look forward to but now they are even better with themes.

Reprint of an article by Sinea Pies
from Genesee Valley Parent Magazine

Look Whose Cookin'! Throw a Chef Party for Your Kids
by Sinea Pies

Theme parties have become the rage for families with young children. Princesses, pirates, sports themes, cartoon characters, luaus, western theme…the list of possibilities goes on and on

I am kind of partial to cooking parties! Your child and his/her guests can play chef, restaurateur and restaurant diner all at the same time.

Children love to help in the kitchen. What fun it would be to pretend to be real chefs! You can put on a super Chef Party for your kids and make the refreshments also be the entertainment!

Things you will need:

Invitations
Favors: chefs hats, aprons, bandanas, goodie bags
Utensils
Menu
Ingredients and other refreshments
Birthday candles
Recipes
Table cloths
Plates, napkins, cups
Centerpieces
Games
Movie: Disney’s Ratatouille
Prizes: Ratatouille coloring books
Helpers:

Photographer
Assistants (adults or older children)

Thank you notes

Pens (Have parents address one to themselves. Also ask them to write their email addresses on a card. You will email photos of the party to them soon as they are ready.)

Birthday Cupcake by Digitalart

Invites: Buy or make invitations that look like chefs hats, cooking utensils or even the finished product: pizza, cake, cupcakes. Entice the guests with the description of elegant dining in a warm, friendly atmosphere where THEY will be the cooks.

Invite them to come learn the art of pizza and cake baking and give the essentials: day, date, time and, of course, the event. Your child’s birthday. Be sure to enlist the help of other adults, perhaps even a local expert who can teach the finer techniques.

Shopping and Setup: Set up your house with an eating area bedecked with cloth covered tables and floral centerpieces, just like in a real restaurant.
Plan the time to include:

pizza making
cake or cupcake baking
cake or cupcake decorating

You will need to incorporate some time-fillers to keep your party goers occupied while the baking is taking place. If you have two ovens to use, that is ideal. If not, to save time you may want to have cooled cakes that you pre-baked in advance for your little guests to decorate.

Party Timeline:

• Guests arrive and are given their chef apparel.

• Play a short game or do a craft while waiting for others to arrive.

• Junior chefs wash their hands and make PIZZA!

• Play a game or two while the pizza bakes.

• Take the pizza out of the oven and slice.

• Escort your cooks (now diners) to the restaurant.

• The maître d' (namely you) will check each guest's name on the list and a waiter or waitress will bring them to their table.

• After lunch, return to the kitchen to experience baking a cake.

• While the cake is in the oven, the birthday girl or boy opens gifts.

• Cake decorating lessons begin. To save time, prebake some cakes or cupcakes to use for decorating. Teach the children how to adorn the cakes with frosting and decorations.

• Light the candles, serve the cake with ice cream, and watch Ratatouille on DVD until the other parents arrive.

• Pack up leftovers in doggy bags for party guests to take with them.

Find Help: As you can see, parties of this kind will needs some assistance. Needs might be: a photographer, pizza baking help, cake baking help, game playing help, set up, clean up. Enlist the help of other adults to keep the party moving along.

Supplies: Children’s chefs hats, aprons and baking paraphernalia can be purchased from Growing Cooks.com or kidsfoods.com . Disney’s official Ratatouille website includes downloadable coloring pages and activities to go with the movie.

Resources:

Genesee Valley Parent Magazine: How to Host a Chef-Themed Party

Disney Movie: Ratatouille

Cooking Costumes and supplies:

Posts:
Easy Cake Recipe
Free Birthday Cards
Kid Recipes - Recipes Your Kids Will Love

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Cupcake Photo (above) credit: digitalart on freedigitalphotos.net

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Cheesecake Brownie

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

Cheesecake Brownies are the Best!

Cheesecake Brownies
Photo by melalicious via Flickr.com

February is an important month.

February is the home of Valentines Day, Presidents Week and Leap Year.

And February 10th is National Cheesecake Brownie Day!

Cheesecake brownies have always been one of my favorite, easy-to-make desserts. It satisfies two sweet-cravings at the same time! Cheesecake and chocolate. Can it get any better than that? (Maybe when it's slightly warmed up with some rich, creamy vanilla ice cream on the side!)

There are quite a few recipes out there for "marble brownies" or "cheesecake brownies" but this Duncan Hines version-- straight from their website and brownie mix boxes-- is one that I prefer.
Any of the Duncan Hines brownie mixes work fine in this recipe.

Ingredients

1 pkg Duncan Hines® Double Fudge Decadent Brownie Mix

1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

3 tbsp butter or margarine, softened

3 tbsp granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 ºF. Grease bottom of 8x8-inch pan.
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth in medium mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, egg, flour and vanilla. Beat until smooth; set aside.
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies.
Spread half of brownie batter in prepared pan. Spoon cream cheese mixture over batter.
Spoon dollops of remaining brownie batter over top.
Swirl brownie and cream cheese batter together with a knife or spatula.
Bake at 350 ºF for 36 to 39 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Chill 2 hours.

Source: Duncan Hines Brownie Recipes

More Dessert Recipe Posts

Easy Cake Recipe
Pumpkin Bread (the best recipe EVER)
Chocolate Cheesecake (two great recipes)
Recipes for Cheesecake

When you are a Facebook Friend of Ducks 'n a Row, you get our latest posts right when they come out, and you also get lots of great ideas.
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"Valentine" Image by digitalart on freedigitalphotos.net

Wednesday Blog Hop and Special Links

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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Welcome!

Blog Spotlight: from a linky party of one of my favorite sites, Nifty Thrifty Things.

When bloggers participate in blog hops or link parties, we love to share links to our most recent posts and hope that others will enjoy them, too.
However, many of us don't actually take a look each others' posts. Some of the link lists are très-long (French for "VEEERY Long") and we feel good if we visit one or two. Sometimes that doesn't happen at all. We "link and run"!

So, to correct some of my own blog-hop failures, I decided to take a good look through the beautiful links I was seeing on Nifty Thrifty Things and feature three sites that I particularly fancied.
Here they are: View from Carol Ann's Camera, Sew in the City and Talking Dollars and Cents.

View from Carol Anns Camera

Simply Elegant!
Photo source: http://viewsfromcarolannscamera.blogspot.com/

Carol Anns Camera is an elegant website. The gorgeous photography is true "eye candy". A breath of fresh air for the soul. Take a moment to stop by and enjoy the view! The post that she shared on Sunday is entitled "Color Personality".

Sew in the City

Photo: Summer Dress in February

How can you resist this? What a professional, crisp summery dress and what great colors! I had to click on the link and loved everything I saw.

It's been years since I've done any significant sewing but I had to join this site anyway! I want to see what she's going to make next! Sew in the City doesn't stay exclusively with sewing projects, btw. She also has some great craft and recipe posts. Stop by and take a look!

Talking Dollars and Cents

Sweet Temptations -Lemon Squares

Photo: talkingdollarsandcents.com

I was really craving sweets when I saw this and I LOVE lemon squares! This picture looks so delicious, doesn't it?

Talking Dollars and Cents is a great site dedicated to sharing wisdom on saving money, attaining financial freedom, great recipes and link parties, too!

Stop by and check them out!

Be sure to visit Nifty Thrifty Things, as well.

Join our Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop below.

Rules: add your family friendly link and visit at least one other site. Leave a nice comment and if you really like what you see, follow them and subscribe!

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photo: www.myfreewallpapers.net

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Craft Buttons - Create Unique Greeting Cards They'll Cherish for a Lifetime!

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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Button, button, who’s got the button? Where’d that saying ever come from anyway? If you really want to know, Click HERE for ANSWER!

I've always loved beautiful, decorative buttons. They are more like jewelry than buttons. And, to combine them with crafts is even better.

How about greeting cards? Don’t you love to give and receive unique greeting cards…something original? Have you ever seen a button greeting card? They have that artsy flare!

Button Baby Announcement
Photo by June Campbell Flickr.com

Making a craft button greeting card:

Is a great outlet for the craft-genius in you!
Is inexpensive. Especially if you have a great assortment of buttons at home already
Is so personal. No one else has one like it!

I have a writer-friend, “Random Creative”, who wrote a great article on craft button greeting cards with lots of beautiful photos.
Check it out here:

Button Greeting Cards: Ideas for Handmade Homemade Card Making

Mother's Day Card
Photo by Etsy Ketsy on Flickr.com

If you want to try your hand at it, here is a guide for making valentine button greeting cards...which really works for any occasion. And some links to supplies plus a cute video tutorial "how to".

DIY Craft Button Greeting Card Guide

How to Make Valentine Button Greeting Cards

Get Your Supplies Here

Martha Stuart Button Punch and more…

Craft Buttons
Blank Greeting Cards

"Cute as a Button"

Video

Recent Posts:

Appetizers – Five Classic Recipes

Centerpieces – Secret Weapon of an Organized Mom
Free Birthday Cards

Post-It Notes – Those Nifty Little Gadgets

Scarf Tying – How to Add That Special Touch to Any Outfit

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Photo by Clare Bloomfield on Freedigitalphotos.net

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Organize & Lose Weight

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

Losing weight is not something that comes naturally to those who, well, need to lose weight! Elementary, huh?
Those of us who do need to lose weight are likely to be "experts" at various diet plans. We've tried them all. And here we are: still needing to lose weight!

Photo by Africa on Freedigitalphotos.net

What we don't want to talk about is the heart of the matter.
Truth is, we don't need a new diet plan, we need to muster up some commitment and discipline. As with a cutting-edge athlete whose goal is to win the big prize, successful dieters have one thing in common. They are determined to press on till they reach their goal: permanent weight loss.

Permanent weight loss doesn't happen accidentally (unless you are sick).
Permanent weight loss doesn't happen with on-again, off-again attempts.
Permanent weight loss happens when you go all out, decide on a method and go for it. Relentlessly!

So, how do we organize for weight loss?

Plan Ahead
photo credit: Stuart Miles on Freedigitalphotos.net

Rid the house of food items that trip us up every time.
Plan. Make a shopping list that includes the healthy food items that you will need, for at least a week.
Track your eating. When you take the time to write down what you ate, including how much, it brings things into perspective.
Do the math. If you are counting calories or carbs, track them. Doing Weight Watchers? Track points. Just as we record deposits and withdrawals in our bank accounts, it is important to keep an accounting.
Weigh in. Whether once a day or once a week, weigh yourself and keep track of how things are going. Don't let setbacks get you down. If you're being faithful to the plan (or pretty close anyway) the weight will eventually come off.
Cut back. Cut back on activities that crowd your schedule. Over-scheduled people don't have time to eat right. They eat on the go and may pop anything in their mouths for lack of time. Make room for better planning.
Pray. Ask for inner strength to finally DO IT!
Move. Even if it's a matter of parking in the furthest spot from the door when you go shopping, add some steps to your day. If you can put a formal exercise plan in, great. But, one way or another, factor in some extra movement daily.

READ THIS POWERFUL TESTIMONY: Becky from Organizing Made Fun has a powerful testimony of how she organized herself into losing 90 lbs. She went from a 250 lb. unhappy woman to a slim, marathon runner! Really! Enjoy her story and get strength from it.
Share your stories and ideas here! If you don't need to lose weight, why? Maybe your good habits will rub off on the rest of us.

Related Posts...
Make a List
Weight Watchers PointsPlus 2012
Filling Foods - Weight Watchers' Alternate Plan
Lose Weight Fast on the Southbeach Diet
5 Great Time Management Tips

Facebook Fans: be looking for "Tips Tuesdays and Thursdays". Helpful tips, tidbits and ideas coming your way every Tuesday and Thursday from Ducks 'n a Row.

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Versatile Blogger Award -- We Won!

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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Wow. I was so surprised to hear that I was named for one of the of the Versatile Blogger Awards by Jamie of Frugal Home Design. Thanks so much Jamie...I love this idea!
The hard part is going to be limiting my recommendations to just 15 blogs...I have met so many great bloggers through my Facebook Fan Search and Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!
Well, here goes:

The rules for this award are:

Thank the person that nominated you with a link back to them. See above.
Tell 7 things about yourself. See below.
Pass this award on to 15 newly discovered blogs and let them know that they’ve received an award.

7 Things About Me

1. My passion for organizing comes from a NEED to organize. Some days are better than others. My goal is to be "drop-in-ready" at all times. Not there yet.

2. I am married and have 5 children, 4 children-in-law, 11 grandchildren, 2 great-grands and another on the way. LOVE my family!

3. LOVE dogs. Especially yellow labs. (Secretly love bulldogs, too, but don't tell my labs.)

4. LOVE bright colors: green, purple, yellow, red, blue.

5. LOVE sports, especially baseball and football. Favorite teams? NY Yankees and the Buffalo Bills (for whom I still hold out hope).

6. I LOVE the Lord...lots! He saved my life...literally.

7. We're renovating our house very soon... a HUGE undertaking. It's gonna be an adventure! I'll share it as we go along.

15 Great Blogs
Recipients of The Versatile Blogger Award!

Chubby Cheeks Thinks product reviews, giveaways, blog hops and more!
Coupon Coffee Shop – deals, deals, deals
How To Mommy – making mom’s lives easier!
I Blog 4 Me –great place to meet other bloggers and promote your work!
Love from the Oven – ooooh…baking!
Mom Daughter Style – crafts, reviews, deals
My Blessed Life – inspiring your creativity!
Never Growing Old –this lady really means it! You have to see her picture.
Nifty Thrifty Things Vanessa, a graphic designer, shares nifty things that don't cost much.
Posh on a Budget - ways to live large without spending large.
Rub Some Dirt On It -- family life, great photos, crafts, Happiness Is Blog Hop.
Six in the Nest - giveaways, hops, fun!
The Giveaway Hog- this new blog is destined to be a success! Great giveaways, contests,
World According to Kim – my friend Kim has a sweet wit and fun outlook on life.
Wonderings of a New Mom- my niece's blog all about new-mommy-hood! :)

Special Days on Ducks 'n a Row:

Great new posts Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
Quick Tips on Facebook Tuesdays & Thursdays
WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY BLOG HOPS

Welcome to Wonderful Wednesday!

Enter your family-friendly links below and visit some other sites!

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How To Read A Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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How to read a magazine? Are you kidding? Everyone knows how to read a magazine. Yes, of course we do. But, how do we read a magazine when we don't have time to do it?

Use Tabs to Mark Important Articles

If you are anything like me, you absolutely love magazines and buy them--only to have little or no time to look at them. You'd think we'd stop buying them but we don't...we buy them anyway.

So, here is how to read a magazine when you don't have TIME to read a magazine:

Arm yourself with:

post-it notes
pen
magazine(s)
scissors

First, check out the magazine cover. Is there a feature article that caught your attention? Look it up in the index and go for it. Read it thoroughly or go for the highlights.

Take a good look at the photos--the photos are half of why we buy magazines, aren't they? Enjoy them!

Now, get out your post-its. If you liked the article enough to want to find it again, tag that page with a little bit of the edge of the note sticking out. Write something on the end of the post-it so that you'll remember WHY you tagged it. Months from now, you'll be able to find it.

Much of my interest in magazines is that I'm looking for new tips. There are so many great articles with organizing ideas, recipes, crafts projects and how-tos. But I was finding that my magazines were being ignored, stacked up and finally thrown away. That's why I developed this system.

My pages are tagged with notes that say "recipe", "buy", "organizing tip", "dogs", "decorating", "entertaining", "school"...stuff like that. At first, I used an Excel spreadsheet to record what issues this valuable information was in but it was getting away from me so I made it very simple: tag the pages and done!

Why scissors? Some magazines include great coupons and recipe pages. Clip them soon as you find them. (Before clipping, though, check the other side. Don't mess up an important article. If you do, patch job! Get out the scotch tape! LOL.)

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Related Posts
Organizing Your Magazine Clutter

Organize-Become An Organizing Genius in 5 Easy Steps

15 Great Uses for Baking Soda

Organized or Organizers

Kitchen Timer - A Simple Time Management Tool

Weight Watchers Food

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Tips Tuesdays

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:09:00 +0000

Hey, did you hear that mom?
"Tips Tuesdays"
are coming!
photo: freedigitalphotos.com

----------------------------------------

INTRODUCING "TIPS TUESDAYS" (and Thursdays, too)

Get a quick-tip via FACEBOOK every Tuesday and Thursday. How?

Just go over to the Ducks 'n a Row FACEBOOK FANPAGE right now and LIKE it.

New tips are coming your way!

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Love...

Sinea

Easy Cake Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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When our daughter, Shannon, was little she always asked me to make a vanilla cake from scratch for her birthday. That was many years ago! When her darling daughter Sara-my granddaughter-recently had a birthday, Shannon asked me for the recipe so that she could bake it for her. I'd forgotten just how good it is. In fact, it is so good that you'll want a lot of people there to eat it so that you don't eat it all yourself! :)

I got the recipe from a magazine called “What’s Cooking” printed sometime in the 1980’s! I was noticing that they used top quality paper for magazines back then. The pages are still almost like new.

Easy Cake Recipe
photo: bluechopsticks.com

White Cake With Butter Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour or 2 ¼ cups cake flour

1 ½ cups sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

¾ cups shortening

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or a 13X9X2 inch baking pan.
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat a low speed until well-blended, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and beat 4 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake 25-30 minutes for layers (35-40 minutes for oblong pan) or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Invert the pans, remove and let cool completely on racks. Frost with butter cream frosting (or cheat and buy vanilla frosting in a can!)

Butter Cream Frosting

6 T butter, softened

4 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4-5 T light cream or milk

Place the ingredients for frosting in mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until frosting is very smooth, adding more cream or milk if necessary until frosting is of a good spreading consistency.
Enjoy!

Related Posts
Free Birthday Cards
Gift Wrap
Best Coffee - How To Make It At Home
Great Teacher Gift Ideas
Weight Watchers Points Plus 2012

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5 Great Time Management Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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Saving time...maximizing efforts...doing two (or more) things at once. Getting more done with less effort. That's what time management is all about.

Out of Time?
photo credit: photostock on freedigitalphotos.net

We all can get better at this. And, we all hit times that "time" runs us. When that happens, don't be too hard on yourself. There is a time to work and a time to do something that's not work.

Like when you have a sick child home from school. That is not the time to be getting a zillion things done all at once. That's the time to invest in your little one getting better and pouring in some tender-loving-care.

When times are good, or almost good, THAT is when you plan and implement.
Here are five great ideas that will make time go more smoothly:

Multi-task. Throw in a load of laundry that can be washing while you do something else. In fact, get the dishes loaded up in the dishwasher, too. Now you'll be getting three things done at the same time!
Shop ahead. Rethink your grocery shopping habits. How can you get it down to every two weeks instead of every week? That could put 2-3 hours back into your life!
Make a grocery list and check it twice! Check expiration dates on regularly used items before you go. I learned this one the hard way. Certain that I was making my shopping trip to take care of two weeks, I wrote my list. We had a nearly full gallon of milk in the frig. What I didn't know is that it was one day away from expiration. So, I was back at the store only a day later! Now I check the longevity of our food and plan ahead.
Reschedule your life. Have things changed? Saturdays have always been your shopping days? Will another day work even better?

That was the case for me. My elderly dad has need of round the clock care. Wanting to be with him and be of help, even though he does have a nurse there, I decided to come over on Saturdays for 5 hours to be with him.
Something had to change. So, on Thursday nights after work I now go grocery shopping. It is WONDERFUL. Much less crowded and everything I need is out on the shelves. My husband has dinner ready for us later than usual and, after we eat, the groceries get put away.
5. Do it now. Certain tasks can get put off till later that will become a heavier weight, if you do.

Open the Mail When It Arrives
photo: digitalart freedigitalphotos.net

The first one is opening the mail. The other is putting away laundry. Do not delay. Take care of each soon as it's there.

Mail gets sorted, junk mail goes in the trash, bills and important correspondence gets opened and dealt with.
Laundry? Straight from the dryer, to a laundry basket and then into the closets and drawers.

Recent Posts:

Time Management for Busy Moms
Make a List
Organize-Become an Organizing Genius in 5 Easy Steps
How to Interview for a Job Brilliantly
Weight Watchers Points Plus Calculator (with link to FREE online calculator)

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Link up your family-friendly posts below.

Stop by some sites and leave a nice comment.

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Appetizers - 5 Classic Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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Superbowl parties, holiday celebrations, family gatherings -- every get together is so much better with delicious appetizers. Make enough of them, and you won't need a main dish!
Some of the easiest party snacks are dips. They fill out the table so nicely. But how about some yummy hot hors d'oeuvres, too?

Here are five of the most popular, easy-to-make appetizers that everyone will love!

Grape Jelly Glazed Meatballs

Olive Tarts

Artichoke Heart Dip

Pigs in a Blanket

Crabmeat and Cheese Dip

Grape Jelly Glazed Meatballs
photo: Finger Food Recipes

Grape Jelly Glazed Meatballs

1 1/2 lb 90% ground beef

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 tsp. salt

1 large egg

1 cup chili sauce

1 cup grape jelly

Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, salt and egg. Mush together. Roll into 1/2 balls. Sautee in a large non-stick skillet until done. Drain juices off. Add chili sauce and grape jelly and simmer, gently turning on occasion, until the sauce turns into a glaze on the meatballs (about 15 minutes). Makes 3 dozen.

OLIVE TARTS
Photo: S'kat and the Miscelania

Olive Tarts

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

48 pimento stuffed Spanish olives

Combine cheese and butter; toss with the other ingredients --except for the olives--to make a dough. Using a teaspoon, scoop a little dough into your hand and flatten it. Place an olive in the center. Surround the olive with the dough and roll in your hand like a meatball.
Place on a cookie sheet, very close together but not touching, and freeze them. Once frozen, either transfer them to a freezer bag or bake immediately on a cookie sheet, about an inch apart, at 400° for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

ARTICHOKE HEART DIP
Photo: Maryland Meals

Artichoke Heart Dip

2 jars or cans of artichoke hearts (drained)

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup real mayonnaise

lemon juice

paprika

Mix and bake at 325° until bubbly.
Serve with crackers.

Pigs in a Blanket
Photo: wickimedia.org

Pigs in a Blanket

32 cocktail hot dogs

2 tubes Pillsbury® crescent rolls

Unroll crescent rolls. Cut each triangle in half. Roll one cocktail hot up in a triangle and place on a cookie sheet. Keep them 1 inch apart. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375° for 10-15 minutes. (Remove when lightly browned). Serve with ketchup, mustard or ranch dressing to dip in.

VELVEETA a Key Ingredient in Crabmeat and Cheese Dip
Photo: Tulsa Food

Crabmeat and Cheese Dip

2 lb. VELVEETA® cheese

1 lb. crab meat, chopped

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 dashes Tabasco sauce

2 sticks butter

Combine Velveeta cheese, garlic powder, Tabasco and butter in a double boiler, microwavable bowl or crock pot. Heat until cheese and butter is melted. Stir. Gently add the boneless crab meat and blend. Serve hot with Melba toast or crackers.

Link Love

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Post It Notes -- Those Nifty Little Gadgets

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:50:00 +0000

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Don't you just love alternate uses for everyday items? Like using a coffee filter as a popcorn bowl. We did that all the time at the office, before mini-microwave popcorn was invented.

Well, how about Post-It®'s? Whatever would we do without them? WISH I HAD INVENTED THEM! Who DID invent them?
Previously only available in light yellow 3 inch by 3 inch pads, they now come in just about every size, shape and color imaginable. So, let's repurpose them a little bit. Put your thinking caps on!

Post-Its
Photo: twobee freedigitalphotos.net

How about these?

Bookmarks: stickies are so easy to just pop in wherever you left off! Use them in magazines, too. Label the ends to help you find that favorite recipe or best article.
Cable Tags: before removing the cables from your computer or other electronics, label where they go! Makes life so much easier when you put things back together again. Just write where it came from and then wrap it around the cord.
Clean Your Computer Keyboard: use the sticky side of the post-it to swipe through the rows of keys, grabbing lint and crumbs along the way.
Computer Desktop: this can mean one of two things. Either literally stick a note to the computer screen or download software that allows you to put stickies on the desktop electronically. I love mine! Software: TK8 Sticky Notes* (Not an endorsement of a specific product, just an example.)
Flags a Stack of Papers: use sticky notes as index tabs. If I don't have the micro-minis on hand, I just cut the next size up in half! Waste not, want not.
Labels: label food in the refrigerator to identify contents, when it was first made and who can eat it (or not).
Storyboarding: use stickies on a white board at a planning meeting. (Sure, you could use dry erase markers or a smart board but this is about STICKIES!)
Unique Reminders: Post-It® notes are great for reminders. Put them on your mirror for first thing in the morning or on the dashboard of your car. You'll never pull out leaving your lunch behind again.

What uses for Post-It® notes can you think of?

Re-purposing Masterpiece

BOOK: 869 New Uses for Old Things (From Real Simple)

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Personalized M&M's 10% Off

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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Personalized M&M's in pink, red, purple and white are just the neatest gift for Valentine's Day! Give them in a beautiful jar or giftbox or bake them in a scrumptious snack. Whatever you do, they will have special meaning with your loving message written on them.

Photo credit: Love from the Oven

More than once I have thought about how cool it would be to give them to my family and friends but it was too late to do anything about it! This year I found an ad in the Sunday coupons that tipped me off in time. The advertising slogan says "TURN YOUR Sweet Nothings INTO Sweet Somethings WITH MY M&M’s®"

How to Get Them: Visit their website and select the gift you want to send. You can add your own message to the candies... or even a photo! There are all sorts of sweet possibilities for you this Valentine's Day.

Click here for the My M&M’s® website

PROMO: Get 10% OFF orders of $25.00 or more* Promo Code: CRUSH10 or get FREE SHIPPING on orders of $75.00 or More* Promo Code: CRUSHSHIP . *Check their site for promo details.

M&M’s® have an amazing history!

History of M&M's: M&M® Candies

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Sweet and Sour Pork

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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Homemade sweet and sour pork is a favorite in our family. The recipe that I use is nothing like you get in Chinese restaurants, though. In fact, it may be a little more Polynesian than Chinese.

Whatever the case, I was introduced to it by a childhood friend. Soon as I took that first bite I LOVED it and asked for the recipe. Gee, that was in the '70's so I certainly have made it 300 or more times since then.
Told you it's good!

Sweet & Sour Pork
Photo from Company's Coming*
Note: their recipe calls for carrots. I use tomatoes, instead.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Serves 2 in my family...4 in anyone elses!

Ingredients

6 boneless pork chops
2 T cooking oil
1 green pepper
1 ripe tomato
1 can pineapple chunks
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (or more) cider vinegar
1-2 T soy sauce
1 T corn starch
dash ground ginger

Directions

Heat skillet on medium-high with the oil.
Core the green pepper, discarding the seeds and stem, and cut it into 1 inch squares.
Add to the skillet and "stir fry" for about 2 minutes.
Cut pork into squares about 1 inch in diameter, add them to the skillet and cook, turning them over frequently.
When they are nearly cooked through, add brown sugar and ginger and "stir fry" a bit more.
Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice.
Add pineapple to the skillet and heat through.
Put the corn starch in a small cup and add pineapple juice and blend until you have a thin paste. Add to skillet. The sauce should thicken. If it is still too thin, make another little cornstarch mix and add some more to the skillet.
Right before serving, cut up the tomato into bite-size pieces and add to the skillet. Gently mix through and allow to heat for 2-3 minutes.

Serve on rice. Put the bottle of soy sauce on the table for those who want to sprinkle some on top.

Bloggers - stop by every Wednesday for our Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!

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Organizing Tax Documents

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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Taxes! Don't you hate 'em? All that paperwork and for what?
If I have money coming back, I start thinking about getting my paperwork together on January 1st and eagerly watch for the W-2 to show up so I can get my taxes done. If I anticipate that I may owe...well, it's lots harder to get going.

February?
March?
April 14 @ 11:00pm?

Whenever it gets done, though, the pain will be lessened if everything is already in order. Here's advice from Lisa Mason on just how to do it:

Photo credit: Robert Cochran - freedigitalphotos.net

Whether you are scrambling to get your documents together for last year's taxes or just planning to do things better for this year, the key to a less stressful tax return is organization. Being organized doesn't have to mean complicated filing systems but it does mean you have to give up the "file pile" mentality.

There are some simple steps you can take to simply the tax preparation process while keeping your sanity.

Most people can use a 3-folder system. Income, deductions and investments are the three major categories you will need. This is a great way to stay organized so that you can always find what you need when you need it.

If you have others, make folders for them as you deem appropriate. Let's look at what goes into each folder.

Income

Create one file for all sources of income. This file should hold pay stubs, tips, dividends, distributions, rental income. If you have numerous sources, you may want to have several folders and group them logically. Each folder should have a tally sheet where you record each item as you file it. It makes it easier to total everything at year's end then to wade through the stacks of paper. If you've been diligent, all the documents are in one place for reference and the details are entered on the tally sheet for easy processing.

Deductions

Store anything that can be deducted such as mortgage interest, child care expenses, medical expenses, non-refundable work-related expenses. As with income, it may be easier to manage with multiple folders. Tally sheets for each category of expense can reduce compilation time come April. While you may not feel like taking the time, it will pay off once you see how much time you save later.

Investments

IRAs, Roth contribution records and distribution records if you've started collecting from various plans are all important documents. Grouping them by how they are taxed: tax-deferred, non-taxable and taxable invests, can simplify the process.

When it is time to do the prep work, review each folder, total the numbers for each category and fill in the blanks on your itemized return. Match W2s and 1099s with your records, checking for any discrepancies. A little preparation all year long can save headaches at filing time.

Taxes do not have to bring you stress and worry. When you take some time throughout the year to prepare, it makes it all easier when tax time comes around.

About the Author:

Lisa Mason is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles and the author of How to Earn a Living Writing for the Internet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_A_Mason

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Notebooks -The Organizing Tool I Won't Do Without!

Organize - Become An Organizing Genius in 5 Easy Steps

Get Your Papers Under Control

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Notebooks -- The Organizing Tool I Won't Do Without! Will you?

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

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Remember when "notebooks" were just "notebooks"? They had two covers, a top and a bottom, and paper in between? Well, though the computer-age has brought us some wonderful tools, including laptops (notebooks), I still love a brand new pad of paper...the cuter or prettier the better!

So, what about you? Have you gone all-technology or are you still drawn to the colorful, quaint or even elegant notebooks on the office-supplies aisle? Do you get excited about a never-been-written-on pad of paper, fresh from the shelf? Me too!

Notebooks for Every Occasion
Photo credit: www.businesswifeandlife.com

There is something to be said about notebooks...the paper kind. They are inexpensive compared to their electronic counterparts. If you get bored with one, just buy another one with a new look! And, depending on the contents, you can leave them lying around without too much concern that someone will take it!

Ecosystem's Colorful Notebooks
http://coolgreenmag.com

Their value? Priceless! Notebooks are a time management, organizing tool that can be a key to success. Use them for reminders, lists, schedules, deep thinking, ideas, even BRILLIANT ideas.

Styles? Spiral, spiral with dividers, top-spiral steno style, side spiral, adhesive bound, hard cover (journals), large, medium, small, micro-mini. And they come with covers that are uniquely different as we are! One for every taste.

HEY, TEACHERS: have you yet discovered the MAGNETIC NOTEBOOK PAPER that attaches to a white board? So cool!

Do you use paper notebooks? What kind do you like? What do you use them for?

And welcome to our Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop. Add your family friendly links below and visit at least one other. If you like what you see, be sure to leave them a great comment, subscribe and/or follow and why not "like" their Facebook Fanpage while you're there!

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Centerpieces - The Secret Weapon of an Organized Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

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Centerpieces are the secret-weapon of an organized mom! They make a statement that says "this table is decorated and off-limits." Try it sometime.

Sunflowers
Photo credit: healingdream freedigitalphotos.com

Clear off a table that otherwise collects clutter and place a stunning centerpiece right in the midst. It dares anyone to mess with the look. You'll have a clutter-free table for days. Switch up the centerpiece once in a while to re-establish authority. Who knows, a clean table could become a family tradition! (More in How to Declutter Your House and Keep It Organized.)

What kinds of centerpieces do you like? They can be simple or ornate, depending on your tastes and decor. Here are some centerpiece ideas for you to consider:

Flowers - a fresh bouquet or arrangement of flowers in a decorative vase is a beautiful centerpiece for any dining room, kitchen table or accent table in your hallway. Artificial plants or flowers can work well, too, just remember to dust them.

Candles - a centerpiece arrangement of candles is an elegant addition to any room. Concerned about fire? Don't light them or, use floating candles or electric candles. Each one is lovely.

Candles, Pinecones and Berries
sxc.hu

Candy - a candy dish on a smaller table can be a centerpiece. You may want to frame the look with candles on either side. Fill it with colorful M&M's or foil wrapped candies. Stash a supply in the cupboard to replenish for your centerpiece will disappear!

Fruit - place a stunning ceramic bowl or graceful wicker basket in the center of your table and fill it with colorful fruit, fresh or artificial. Again, fake fruit needs to be shined up once in a while.
Need a Bowl? Fruit Bowl Ideas

Marbles, Stones or Sea Shells - shiny marbles or colorful stones can make a great centerpiece. Arrange them on a shallow decorative plate or in a clear, glass vase.

A Simple Sea Shell Centerpiece: For a totally original seashore kind of feel, try making this simple centerpiece, featured as Elle Décor’s August centerpiece. Start with a cluster of green Hydrangeas inside one hidden vase of water, all set inside a slightly larger glass vase filled with white sand and sea shells.

Fish - yes, you read it right. FISH! Using a clear glass vase with marbles at the bottom, add an underwater plant, water and a dazzling Betta Fish. Kids will love it. Take good care of that fish, though, and kee him alone or your centerpiece will become a crime scene! How to Make a Betta Fish Centerpiece

Photo: Betafishguru.com

Note: fish are living beings and should be treated with care. This centerpiece is best reserved for a short-term event such as a wedding reception or dinner party. Be nice and transfer him to larger, more fish-friendly environment soon thereafter.

What kind of centerpieces do you like? Share your ideas with us! You're welcome to add your links in your comments, as well.

You are Invited: join us every Wednesday for our Wonderful Wednesday BLOG HOP!

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Chills? Warm Things Up This Winter!

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

Chills? Shivering cold? Drafty? If this sounds familiar, you've got to be uncomfortable (Did someone say "miserable?") Wintertime can be oh-so cozy if you just make the environment right. Here are some ways that you can warm things up and feel better in the process!

Chills? Bundle Up for the Cold!
Photo credit Stuart Miles Freedigitalphotos.net

Blankets and Throws: curl up with a good book and a fluffy blanket. There are several styles that are particularly comfy. Plush fleece, high pile (I love this Jungle Theme Blanket for kids), and soft mink (not real mink but very luxurious).

Corn Bags: these nifty little bean bags are often filled with corn or some kind of grain. Microwave the bag and use it as a heating pad. If you like your feet to be warm at night, slip one in your bed and be cozy warm all night long! (Note: do not over-warm it.)

Bundle Up: when going outdoors in cold climates, dress warm and in layers. Remember your hat/hood, warm coat, insulated gloves or mittens, warm shoes or boots and a scarf.

Draft Guard: if you're the thrifty, home improvement type, ending the drafts is on your mind! Get a "draft stopper" for your outside doors. You'll feel the heat staying in and save on your utility bill in the process!

Heating Pads: they come in the standard flat style or for your neck & shoulders but heating pads will do the trick!

Fuzzy Slippers: when your feet are warm enough, the rest of you will feel much warmer as well. Try some fur lined slippers. So soft and your feet will be warm!

Electric Fireplaces Keep You Warm and Glowing!

Glowing Fire: if you have a fireplace in your home, put some logs on and get that thing going. Don't have one? Do you know that the new electric fireplaces are very attractive, with flames that look as if they are a real gas fireplace, and they emit some heat? My daughter has one and it's beautiful.

Space Heater: when used properly, an electric space heater can really take the chill out of a room. Be sure to read the directions and use them properly to avoid accidents or fire.

Hot Coffee!
Photo: Digitalart from Freedigitalphotos.net

Warm that Cup: ah, what a good cup of coffee or some tasty hot chocolate can do on a cold winter's night! I learned this one at my favorite pancake-house restaurant, Perkins: pre-heat your coffee cup before pouring in the coffee. That way your beverage will not lose it's heat.

Snuggie: along the same line as a cozy blankie, a Snuggie is a blanket that you wear! They come in blue, pink, camel, camoflage, leopard, zebra and others. You can also get Snuggies for Kids including Princess, Youth NFL and Spiderman Snuggies! (Check out the video below for Snuggies for DOGS!)

Take a Hot Shower: take a long, luxurious bath or shower in very warm water and, after drying off, put on some comfy pj's or sweats to keep the heat in!

Cuddle with Someone You Love: this may be the best idea of all. When you get out that fuzzy blanket and set a roaring fire in the fireplace, cuddle up with your honey. No honey? Let the dog up on the couch. She'll cuddle with you! :)

And, yes, there are SNUGGIES FOR DOGS! Yup! Catch a glimpse in this video! (Reading this in an email? Just click on the title to go to the blogpost to see the video.)

How do you stay warm in the winter? Leave a comment below...and share your favorite links as well in your comment or in the Linky Party!

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Martha Stewart -Ever thought about just how Martha Stewart BECAME "Martha Stewart"? Here's the scoop!

Family Photos - What To Do With Them - Overrun by so many wonderful family photos but at a loss for what to do with them? Here are some great suggestions.

Meatballs-A Delicious Warm-Me-Up Meal for a Cold Winter's Night -- a good warm dinner will surely help!

Top 20 Diets to Lose Weight- organizing is more than getting your stuff in order. It's about getting life in order. Let's start the New Year by organizing your eating and the pounds will melt off. :)

Add your "family friendly links" here!

Living a Luxurious Life at Half the Price -- Posh on a Budget

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

This week's Wonderful Wednesday highlight is a nifty little website called "Posh on a Budget". "Little" might not be the right phrase...their Facebook following is over 14,800 fans and growing daily! They're not so little.

Why, you might ask, would so many find this worth following? Posh on a Budget gives you the inside scoop on deals that can spice up your life without spending a fortune to do it!

We all love pretty things, trendy accessories, neat little gadgets.

Posh on a Budget tells you just where to find treasures at the right price so that you still have money in your pocket after you buy them!

Fashion Finds

Couponing Tips

Deals

Freebies & Giveaways

Savings Galore!

Stop by Posh on a Budget and you'll see what I'm talking about. Subscribe and become a Facebook Fan to keep up on the best of the affordably-best out there. (And, bloggers, they have a list of daily BLOG HOPS as well!)
Speaking of HOPS...enter your latest blog post to our Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop below! Lets start the year making friends and getting subscribers. Be sure to visit some of the sites, add great comments, subcribe and LIKE Fanpages of those you want to visit again and again!

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Meatballs-A Delicious Warm-Me-Up Meal for a Cold Winter's Night

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

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What do you serve your family on a cold winter's night? We have a number of tummy-warming favorites but there are some days that there can only be one: Spaghetti and Meatballs! Nothing else will do!

Two of my best friends are Italian, Rosemary and Annie Marie. They make it all from scratch and it tastes wonderful! Any restaurant would be proud.
My version is less authentic. Partially homemade, partially Prego. It won't win awards but it's very easy and my family likes it a lot. Try this on for a size!

Photo: Creative Commons

Homemade Meatballs

Makes 12 meatballs

1 lb 90% lean ground beef

1/4 cup unflavored bread crumbs

1 eggs

generous dash of dried onion flakes

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

dash oregano

dash dried parsley flakes

Mush it all together and form into meatballs approximately 2 inches in diameter. Put on foil-covered baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until juices run out. Place the meatballs in saucepan of piping hot spaghetti sauce.

The Spaghetti Sauce

1 jar Prego Traditional flavor sauce

1 small can tomato paste

1 tsp. sugar

Add garlic powder and dried basil to taste

Add water and stir until it is the desired consistency.

Prepare a box of spaghetti, per the directions on the box, and voila! You have a wonderful hot meal for a cold winter's night. Serve it with a tossed salad and some Italian bread with butter on the side.

Some more great meatball recipes:

Swedish Meatballs

Grape Jelly Meatballs

Paula Deen's "NEW" Favorite Meatball Recipe

Need some accessories to make "Spaghetti Night" even better?

Italian Sauce Cookbooks

Special Pasta Cookware

Spaghetti Containers

Spaghetti Makers

Spaghetti Servers

Do you have a favorite "warm-me-up" recipe?

Tell us about it in the comments and feel free to add a link, too!

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Take Control--Clean a Drawer!

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

Did the holidays leave you feeling overwhelmed? Regain control -- clean a drawer! My kitchen has several drawers. One for cooking utensils, one for silverware and then there’s "the other one."

Overwhelmed?
Photo by ningmilo freedigitalphotos.net

The “other one” has been unfortunately named “the junk drawer” and I think it believes it. It gets junkie really fast. What it should contain is pens, pencils, scotch tape, safety pins, new birthday candles, bottle opener, can opener and maybe a notepad. What it often contains is beyond imagination. When I found out I would be guest blogging, this topic was the obvious choice. The junk drawer needs to be brought back under control!

Organizing a drawer shouldn’t be a big deal. After all, it is just one drawer! Then, why do we let them get this far?

First of all, it’s not all our fault. Kitchen drawers are handled many times a day by a number of users. Each person has a different interest in its contents and doesn’t care at all what condition it’s left in, just as long as they find what they need. With that many “helpers”, it doesn’t take long for a neat, organized drawer to become a tangled mess.

Second, clutter sneaks up on you. You don’t notice it right away, until it gets really bad.

Great Organizing Secret: when life is spinning out of control, clean a drawer. That’s right. Organizing even one drawer gives you a momentary success, sense of accomplishment and peace. See? There is at least one thing that you can control. Organizing a drawer can be downright therapeutic!

How to do it:

Multi-task. Select a time that you will be waiting in the kitchen, anyway. While you’re waiting for the coffee to perk may be a good time. Or how about while you’re waiting for something in the oven to get done. Those are good times to tackle this little project. It should take 10 minutes, or less.

Yikes! How'd I let it get this bad?

Set Up Stations: Toss It, Back in Drawer, Put Away.

Tip the drawer onto the towel and start sorting.

Final Result...a lovely, organized kitchen drawer!

FIRST STEPS:

Clear a space on the kitchen counter or table.
Lay a dishtowel out and tip the drawer over onto it. (If you use kitchen drawer dividers, pull them out and tip their contents onto the towel, then scoop out the rest of the drawer’s contents to add to the pile.)
Tilt the empty drawer over the sink or waste basket to get out the crumbs and residue.
Take a damp sponge, soaked with Orange Cleaner and clean the drawer out.
Dry it.
Do the same for your separators. Soap them up, rinse them and dry them. (If they are made of wood, use Pledge or wood cleaner instead of soapy water.)
Put the drawer back in place.
Add the clean dividers.

Now, turn your attention to the stuff on the counter.

You will be sorting three groups: throw away, put away or back in drawer.

Throw away

Bring your waste basket right up next to you. Start picking out the scrap papers, old plastic bag ties, expired coupons and other trash. Quickly rifle through it, sorting out the trash and toss it in the garbage.

Put away

Some things undoubtedly have shown up in that drawer that don’t belong there. Use a bowl or small container for the “put away” group. If they go in a different drawer in the kitchen, quickly lay them aside on the counter to take care of in a minute. The items that don’t belong in the kitchen at all go in the bowl to be carted to where they do belong when this job is over.

Back in drawer

Finally, put the items back that do belong in the drawer. Make it neat, stand back and look. Ahhh. Feels good. Ten minutes and the job is done!

So, do you have any little tricks to get an element of control back into your busy life? Leave a comment and share 'em here!

Article first printed as a guest post by me, Sinea Pies, on Angela Coffman’s The Grocery Shrink April 2011 Title: "How to Organize Your Kitchen Drawer in 10 Minutes or Less"

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Organized or Organizers

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

Organized or organizers...how's that for a title? Those of us who want to be organized LOVE organizers. But it is important to remember that organizers do not organize you. YOU organize you!

That being said, what new organizers are you thinking of adding to your collection? I have added some air-tight BPA free rectangular food containers to keep the bugs out and freshness in. They are made by OXO GOOD and they have a pop top to seal in the food.

As soon as I saw them, I knew they were my answer to keeping my food fresh and cupboards clean. Though they seem a little pricey, I think they're worth it in the long run. Did you ever think your cupboards could look so pretty?

Oxo Good Pop Top Containers

Have you found a great organizer that you can share with us? Tell us what you've found in today's comments!

And, today is Wonderful Wednesday and our first Blog Hop of 2012!

Share links to a favorite blog post here. Plan on stopping by some of the sites yourself and hopefully you'll pick up some fans and followers, as well!

Martha Stewart Magazines

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Happy Organized New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

The holidays come and go so soon. With every new year we consider what we would like to see. Was life too hectic in 2011? Did time run away from you? Maybe your household ran away from you, too! Consider what you would you like to change this year and also think about what you should consider dropping altogether. January is the perfect month for reflection, planning and a brand new start!

Photo by Dream Designs freedigitalphotos.net

Declare a war on clutter!

First you need to get rid of things that are getting in your way. Clutter, over time, produces inner turmoil. If you lack peace, it’s hard to get things done. You’re stepping over or around things and struggle to find a place to put things. The items you want to find, aren’t easy to find. You know that they’re there but getting to them is too much of a hassle. If this describes your household, then it’s time for the clutter to go!

1. Remove the holiday “leftovers”. By January 5th, “Twelfth Night”, most families are done with the Christmas tree. It’s time to take it down. Real trees can be recycled. Artificial can be packed up for another year. Put away the trimmings in plastic, safe from moisture that can damage them in a year’s time.

Tip: leave yourself a reminder for next year. It can be an electronic note on your online calendar or a printed note, right on top of the decorations that you are storing away. Jot down incidentals that you want to remember for next year. They could be anything from the holiday meal—what you would do differently or what everyone loved—to remembering that you need to buy a new string of lights because one burned out right at the end of the season. You’ll be so proud of yourself next December when you see your reminders!

2. Holiday home-clearance: for every gift that just came into your home, two things need to go! You can declutter by throwing away, giving away or selling items that are no longer of any use to you. If you keep this method in mind, you will reverse the tendency for more clutter to accumulate. Will you really be using those bows that you pulled from the packages? If you will, put them away. If you think they’ll look old by next year, pitch them now!

3. Overall decluttering: Set 30-60 minutes per week for a “decluttering event”. Pick a room and bring in a bag for “throw away”, a box for “give away” and another box for “put away”. Set a timer so that you don’t go over your time. Do not get hung up on reminiscing or moving things around. This is not a time to rearrange but a time to remove things from your house, permanently.

Tip:

“Throw away” goes immediately to the garbage can in the garage.
“Give away” goes right to the car to be taken to the local Good Will store the next time you are out.
“Put away” must go immediately to where it really belongs. If you’re a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM), you may be able to put this into motion more than one time a week during month of January. You will make amazing progress. Working moms (WMs) should feel good that you will get the job done, too, though it may take a little longer.

Prioritize

What matters the most? Has your busy schedule been shortchanging somebody or something? Now is the time to make a change.

Refocus your concentration on what really matters: relationships, spiritual matters, organizing your record keeping, your health, studying for a promotion or change in occupation. Whatever it is, keep this new focus in mind as you set your course for a great new year.

Itemize the things that are second and third on the list, as well. There are many elements to who you are and what may need your attention. Don’t get overwhelmed as you look at the big picture. This is just an exercise in “decluttering your thinking” and not a mandate for a complete overhaul in the first month of the year! You’ve got time.

Strategize

Whenever you add something to your schedule, another area will probably lose. Identify the things that need to go away to make room for those things that are most important. Are you over-obligated? You may have to graciously drop some committees or extracurricular activities in order to redirect your attention to more important things.

Organize

After you clear out, you should set up. Organize your surroundings: your home, your office, your schedule, even your computer!

As you are making inroads in your decluttering project, organize the areas that affect you most, first. What room drives you crazy when it is disorganized? If it’s a room that you cannot close off and ignore for another time, that is the one that should be first on your list!

Enjoy!

Article reprinted from Genesee Valley Parent Magazine article by Sinea Pies December 2010

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Organizing Your Magazine Clutter

noreply@blogger.com (Sinea) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:05:00 +0000

Photo: jdorganizer.blogspot.com

Overrun with PAPER? Here are some magazine solutions!

We buy magazines because we like them. We like the content. We like the look. We like the feel of the glossy paper and enjoy reading it that way, not on a computer screen. But magazines can take over! They take over the kitchen counter, dining room table, living room couch. Face it, get enough of them and they can overrun your house!

Here are some simple suggestions on how to win over magazine clutter and organize your house:

Maintain the pages you like, and toss the rest.

Don’t keep the whole magazine, just keep the pages you like the best. Either scan the articles you want into your computer or cut them out, put them in a protective sleeve, and store them in a 3 ring binder. Be sure to label for quick reference. You’ll be glad you did as the binder grows.

If you aren’t a binder person, you can keep the article in a labeled manila folder and place it in a file.

Store them in upright magazine holders
To keep entire issues of your favorite magazine, keep them in an upright magazine holder. Again, keeping an index of the most important articles and what issue they're in will save you lots of time later.

Use them to enhance your living room décor
Most of us have kept magazines on our coffee tables. The beautiful covers can add to the look of the room. However, they can also get to be too much and problematic every time you need to dust.

HGTV’s design expert Vern Yip came up with a novel idea for those living room magazines in a previous appearance on Regis & Kellie. Why not use a decorative tray, preferably one with handles, to store your magazines and display them? He demonstrated placing them on the shelf beneath a glass-top coffee table. That way they are easily removed --just pick up the tray and go. What a great idea!

Another decorating idea is to keep them in a home magazine rack next to your reading chair, or in the bathroom! Sometimes the bathroom is the only place to find some time and solitude. It IS the "Reading Room" in some homes. Keep them there and recycle when new magazines arrive at your home.

Read and recycle quickly! Treat them like a pest and don’t let them sit any place for long!

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