Do you ever cook for a large number of people?

Are you the entertaining hub for Family events, Thanksgiving, or Holiday Dinners or maybe a large barbecue to celebrate a long summer weekend?   Here are some simple tips to make the day stress free and make the event an enjoyable one for all – including you, the host!

1.         Assign dishes to your guests.  Really, they don’t mind, would you?  Dessert for Aunt Dot, appetizers to Cousin Andy, bread to Brother Ben and so on.  You get the idea!  I like to be in charge of the big items, such as the Turkey, stuffing gravy for Thanksgiving, or the meats for the summer reunion.

2.         Not enough room in your oven for all the cooking?  Use your barbecue as an oven, simply turn on one side to high and cook your item in a pan on the other side.  Or use a crockpot to keep items such as mashed potatoes hot, or even cook a ham.

3.         Set up stations in your kitchen.  Plates and cutlery in one corner, hot foods in another, rolls in another and condiments and even a drink station will keep the buffet line moving and help with congestion when everyone is ready to serve up.

4.         Set your table ahead of time!  This is a great job for younger ones in the family to tackle.  If the occasion warrants, use name tags so no one is wondering where to sit.  Or if your event is casual, provide plenty of seating and options for your guests to park themselves.

5.         Cooking vegetables ahead of time?  Keep the stock for use in your gravy…or freeze for another day.

6.         Make sure you dishwasher is empty and ready to receive dishes as they are used.  Keep a sink with a small amount of small, hot, soapy water to wash as you go.

7.         Using your fine china?   Yes, it can go in the dishwasher, just don’t use soap!  They will still be sparkling clean but without the abrasiveness of dishwasher detergent.

8.         Do as much as you can ahead of time.  Salads are easy to prepare early in the day, save the dressing to the last minute.  If you are cooking a large turkey, then make sure it is done ahead of time with the gravy made – it will stay warm and moist if you cover with tinfoil and will save so much stress when your guests are anxiously awaiting the big meal.

9.         Set up garbage cans and recycling bins for paper plates and cans of pop, or keep a box handy for empty bottles and the like (such as wine/beer).

10.       RELAX! Enjoy the day, don’t sweat the small stuff and don’t spend all of your time trying to keep things clean and perfect, your guests would much rather you mingle than steal yourself away to make your kitchen spotless!

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Sue West – Organize Your Support During Life Changes

Feng Shui Design Concepts to Create a Calm, Organized Vehicle All Year Long

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Whether you use a paper, audio, digital or electronic calendar, the main thing is to USE a calendar and not rely on memory alone.  The general organizing theory is to have only one calendar.

If you use both paper and digital calendars to keep track of family, work and life, take the time to enter the information in a MASTER calendar.

I have a smart phone, but write my appointments in a paper calendar as I remember events better when I actually “hand write” them. I take about 10 minutes a day to re-enter and reinforce the information. So much for the theory of having only “ONE” calendar!

Instead of worrying about sticking to a one-calendar system, think about “centralizing” the information. We have the ability now  to sync appointments from our emails to our calendars and yet we still receive appointment cards from doctors and dentists, as well as life event invitations.

How do you manage not to forget important things that should be on your calendar?

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I have positioned it near my fridge and I am using it as grocery list reminder and a “to-do” list.  The smooth surface works with both a dry-erase and wet erase marker, and wipes easily and quickly.  It’s the perfect size to use for short notes and reminders and is attractive and practical.

I like the fact that I can remove it and reposition it without leaving marks or residue. This could be a very handy note-taker and perfect addition to a small office, dorm space or kitchen/entrance area.

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Ask yourself  these questions:

• What do my family and I actually need in the glove compartment?
• Would a seat organizer work better for some items?
• When was the last time that the items in your glove box were accessed?

Here’s what I have in my glove box:

• Something to contain the items
• Vehicle registration
• Automobile Insurance – check to make sure that it is up to-date
• Flashlight
• Phone charger (s)
• Hand sanitizer
• Tire pressure gauge
• Pen/pencil
• Note pad
• Snack
• Swiss army style knife
• Tissues
• First aid items are usually in the trunk

What do you need in your glove box?

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It’s called feng shui – the words sound exotic, mysterious. But in truth, feng shui is simply the art of placement. Originating in China more than 3,000 years ago, it’s considered a way to bring harmony as well as organization into your environment – whether that’s a home or a vehicle.

Feng Shui your vehicle.

The principles of feng shui suggest your environment reflects every aspect of your existence – from finances to relationships, to knowledge to career. There are many different ways to practice this ancient art and a wide variety of applications. However it’s practised, the basic aim is the same – to create calming, positive surroundings.

“Some people raise their eyebrows when they hear the word feng shui” says Dawn Simpson, a design consultant in Ottawa and owner of Simpson Design & Decor. “People think feng shui is a design gimmick, but in fact, designers use feng shui principles to design and arrange structural elements such as furniture, buildings and even cars.”

Consumers spend so much time on the road these days, staying relaxed can only be beneficial. And with a vehicle that offers as much interior feng shui, taking the next step toward peace and harmony just makes sense.

“During my studies at the Carleton School of Industrial Design 12 years ago, my classmates and I were asked to design what we envisioned the Ford Focus to look like in 2010. Although this was an industrial design project, we incorporated the same elements and principles of interior design: line, colour, shape, texture, form and value.”

Here are a few general feng shui design tips to incorporate into your vehicle just as you should in your home:

• The No. 1 enemy in feng shui is clutter – no matter where you are. The most dramatic thing you can do to shift and change the way ch’i behaves is to get rid of the clutter, whether it’s in your home, your car, your office or workspace. Over time, clutter creates pressure, depression or tension. “Keep your car clutter-free,” adds Dawn. “I organized my trunk just like my closet at home and I throw out garbage as soon as I can. Nothing’s worse than a bad smell or sticky, dirty seats to dampen your mood.”

• Add some ch’i enhancers to the interior of your vehicle. A ch’i enhancer is something that promotes well-being through the senses. Of course you don’t want anything that distracts your vision while you’re driving, but instead use your other senses. Maybe you hang small chimes in your vehicle. Pick a calming essential oil if you’re stressed, an enlivening one for a quick pick-me-up, or an antibacterial one for a quick wipe down. “I’m sensitive to perfume and sprays, but I love it when my car smells fresh and new” said Dawn. “I use a laundry scented spray or Febreeze. Because I’m sensitive, I spray it quickly around the car then shut the door to allow the scent to settle.”

• “In feng shui design, color is very important,” says Dawn. Ford’s Technical Leaders of Design discovered there are shades of yellow that stimulate parts of the brain, bringing clear-headed, decisive action, while green, on the other hand, affects the nervous system, causing us to breathe slowly and deeply, helping the heart to relax by slowing the production of stress hormones. Red will likely evoke the strongest emotions, be that passion or anger. Dawn recommends choosing a car color that balances your personality. “My car colour is a bright blue called Dyno Blue Pearl. In Ford’s news release called “What your car colour says about you” blue means I’m calm and composed, while being conservative yet loyal, but have a mind of my own. I think that fits me to at ‘T’.” Ford vehicles also offer a palette of ambient or detail lighting that allows drivers to customize the interior of their vehicle based on their mood. 

• Symbols are also important in feng shui. It doesn’t even have to be something visual – just something the driver knows is there. It can even be something tucked in the glove box. For example, flowers symbolize energy, beauty and grace. The traditional mystic knot is one of the most often used symbols in feng shui. Being a combination of six times the infinity symbol, this feng shui knot symbolizes a long and happy life full of good fortune. Then there’s the Buddha. When you have a busy, hectic lifestyle – which is the expression of active/yang feng shui energy - it is very important to focus on creating a peaceful/yin quality of energy in your space.

This article was provided by Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd. and co-written by Samantha Hartley on behalf of Direct Impact and Ford of Canada

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twitter.com/FordCanada

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Do you have your goals written so that you can see them everyday?

Keeping your goals visual helps you stay on track.

One easy way is using photo frames, scrapbook paper and dry erase marker

(An idea from Pinterest)

Just remember to hang in on the wall so little fingers don’t erase your written goals.

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When you’re struggling with a joyous, unhappy or difficult life change, that kind of change goes on for a while – a transition period. It’s difficult to keep up with what was your regular life.

What do you know for sure? Not much at the time of the change. Manage your home, schedule, emotions? Exceedingly difficult, even for the most organized person you may know. Change is all about letting go.

Organizing systems and self-care will help tremendously, as you move through this transition time. Taking care of the basics (with organizing systems) and of yourself (self-care/support) will make life easier on a daily basis.

In Nancy K. Schlossberg’s book Overwhelmed: Coping with Life’s Ups  and Downs, she suggests four areas of focus: Self, Situation, Strategies and Support. I’ve also had education and experience using A Life That Fits, an approach discussed in my organizer coaching program a few years ago. I’ve melded these to work in the organizing context as “reorganize life to eventually move ahead”.

Today’s focus: Supports – because there’s one key detail that’s different here.

When I was going through a separation and divorce, I didn’t do this on purpose, but I experienced the most amazing breadth and depth of support. Until that point in life, this was the most difficult life change I’d been through. (Of course, if you’ve been reading for a while, you’ll know that I didn’t “just” get divorced. I went through a lot of life changes in a short period of time.)

The key is to get specific on the type of support you need. So here is my example:

I felt like I needed a big sister: even though I don’t have one in my family. I found one, though, in an older, wiser, close, lifetime friend. No judgment, just encouragement to do what was right for me, listening when I needed to talk and talking, when I needed not to talk. Comfortable when she asked if I wanted someone to go with me to divorce proceedings.

Family/extended family: The people who asked because they cared “what happened?”; who wanted to try to understand. Those who surround you with love and support no matter what, and may I say, I really learned about having extended family at this time, very powerful and comforting.

Closest friends:. Say anything and know it’s confidential. Do fun things together to create a new social life. Friends, wine, cribbage & pizza. Sharing feelings and stories.

New community: to belong to. My friends at my then-new church community, the place where the world feel a bit smaller, got me out of the house and belonging somewhere.

Another part of support can be people who handle practical details for you: errand running, lawn mowing, driving to
doctor’s appointments, the trash pickup service, or the broader community of friends who provide this practical level of support. For me, it was friends/family who packed me, moved me and found me the professionals I needed to begin anew.

We all talk about needing “support”, but what’s so powerful here is recognizing that there are different TYPES and levels of support.

Saying you need “support”is not enough if you’re going through a life change. Ask for what you need specifically and you’ll get through this more easily.

Tough to figure out, tough to ask, but tougher if you don’t.

And for the most part, people will be honored that you did ask and included them in your support network.

Sue West is a Certified Organizer Coach (R) & Certified Professional Organizer (R) and the Author of Organize for a Fresh Start: Embrace Your Next Chapter in Life.

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Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Heather Burke

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