Modern*Simplicity

Day 29: Easy Breakfast on the Go

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:58:00 +0000

The experts say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I’ve never been good at sitting down and eating a healthy breakfast. I’m just not a fan. However, I am willing to nosh on a morning meal if I can grab something and go, particularly back in the days when I still had a long commute to work. Here are some tasty, healthy breakfast ideas that are easy to grab and go.

Apple, cheese and nuts – either chopped and combined in a container or eaten separately, try a nice, juicy apple, an ounce or two of cheese (try Sharp Cheddar) and a handful of walnuts or almonds.
Peanut butter toast – instead of butter and jam, try some peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat toast (or on a waffle). Toss on some raisins, bananas or dried cherries for a little sweetness.
Fruit smoothie – my go-to breakfast most days is a fruit smoothie, usually a handful of strawberries and blueberries (fresh or frozen), some ice cubes, a dollop of yogurt and a splash of milk. Blend until mostly smooth. I use a single-serving size mini blender which doubles as a to-go cup, simplifying the preparation and minimizing the dirty dishes.
Green smoothie – my other go-to breakfast is green juice, either juiced myself in a juicer using kale, romaine lettuce, an apple and some carrots, or my favorite bottled version, Naked Green Machine.
Try combining string cheese with whole grain crackers and a hard-boiled egg.
Use whole-grain English muffins to make your own breakfast sandwiches with bacon or sausage and eggs you batch cook in the evening. Or spread on peanut butter and fresh fruit preserves.
Make breakfast burrito wraps with whole wheat tortillas. Fill with turkey and cheese, scrambled eggs and diced peppers and onions (or salsa), scrambled eggs and bacon crumbles, or peanut butter and banana.
Make your own muffins – blueberry, cranberry, oatmeal or your own mix-in muffin concoction.
Yogurt, precooked or instant oatmeal and cottage cheese all make easy-to-carry breakfasts.

What are your favorite grab-and-go breakfasts?

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 28: Streamlining Kids’ Toys

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:51:00 +0000

Toys and kids' clutter are some of the most frustrating areas to keep clean and organized, which can add stress to the family when toys are scattered all over or when a beloved stuffed animal goes missing among the clutter. With two small boys, we struggle with toy clutter too. Here are some tips and tricks I've learned for reigning in the toy chaos.

Bring all the toys and games to one room and sort them out by kind. Make piles of books, board games, Legos, dolls, stuffed animals, etc. Grab a box or trash bag and immediately get rid of anything broken. Box up anything that your children definitely don’t play with or have outgrown. Don’t keep anything that isn’t loved and played with regularly. If you have older children, you definitely need to include them in the process. For little ones, you can probably get away with doing the sort/purge on your own as long as you don’t toss any beloved toys.
For young children with a lot of toys, consider setting up a toy library. Use a storage bin to box up a selection of toys to be swapped out at a later day. Consider it a “rainy day” box, and swap out these toys with other toys that have lost their luster when your children start complaining that they’re bored. The stored toys will be fresh and interesting again since they’ve been out of sight, out of mind.
To organize the keepers, contain the small parts first. Store toys with tiny parts in their own boxes, such as Legos or Barbies with their clothes and shoes. Consider separate bins or boxes for toys like blocks, cars and video games.
Bins and boxes are an easy way to set limits on the number of toys – when you can’t fit any more toys in the bin, it’s time to let some go. You can also control the number of toys out at any one time – setting rules like “you can’t play with the cars until the Legos are back in their bin” ensures that the playroom never gets too out of hand.
Keep a bin handy for “stuff” – not every bin needs to have a specific purpose. You’ll go crazy if you try to dictate where every single toy goes (trust me, I’ve been there!), so having one or two bins that the kids can use as a catch-all can save everyone’s sanity. The purpose is to make things simple.
Have regular clean-up times so the mess never gets too out of hand. Have the kids do a quick clean up before meal times, before bed or before moving from one activity to another.
Organize on the child’s level, putting the most used toys and most loved belongings on lower shelves and in bins or baskets on the ground.
Keep the decor of the kids' rooms simple, so you can make changes as the kids' hobbies and tastes change.
Give the kids lots of options for displaying their favorite toys and collectibles. We use open shelving for our son's extensive Lego collection, because he likes to display the items he builds.
Use labels to help kids keep organized. Make simple graphic labels for young children, and attach them to bins, shelves and drawers. Pictures of blocks, cars and dolls (with the words written underneath in large, clear letters) can remind children where those items belong and can help them put their own toys away without as much help from you.
Teach your kids to do things for themselves – this will simplify your life greatly if you don’t have to micromanage everything your child does. Teach your kids how to put their toys and books away neatly, in their proper locations, and make clean-up their responsibility, not yours.
Do a toy declutter before Christmas and birthdays – help your children understand that to make room for new things, they need to part with items they no longer use and love.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 27: Organizing Kids’ Clothing

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:35:00 +0000

Daily labels from Living Locurto

If you have kids, you probably have a lot of kids’ clothing. Not just the clothing they’re wearing on a day-to-day basis, but other stuff too, like outgrown clothes, clothing that’s waiting to be grown into, costumes, special occasion clothes. Here are some tips and tricks for organizing kids’ clothing.

Clean it out. Start with the kids’ dresser and closet, and take some time to purge the outgrown clothes and shoes, items they don’t wear, and things that are stained, ripped or otherwise not fit for wearing in public. Don’t keep anything that isn’t loved.
Set aside clothes that you're unsure of fit, and have your kids stage a fashion show where they can try on the clothes and strut their stuff, giving you a chance to gauge fit and style.
Keep the dresser and front of the closet reserved for clothes and shoes that currently fit and that are in season. Life is a lot easier when children can reach their own clothes and learn to get dressed without help. Ensure children can reach hanging clothes (use drop-rods as needed) and that they can reach into dresser drawers. Use child latches to secure dressers to the wall so they don’t fall on climbing children. Use baskets or a shoe rack to organize kids’ shoes at their level.
Use bins to box up outgrown items that you’re saving for younger children, and label each bin by size, gender and season. Likewise, box up clothes and shoes that your children haven’t grown into yet, and label them by size, gender and season. Store the bins either in the back or top of the closet, away from current clothing, and make sure the labels are clearly visible. I like to keep the bin of size-up clothing in my older son’s small closet, and the bins of outgrown-waiting-for-little-brother-to-wear clothing in my younger’s son larger closet.
Make simple graphic labels for young children, and attach them to their dresser drawers. Pictures of socks, pajamas, shirts and pants (with the words written underneath in large, clear letters) can remind children where those items belong and can help them get dressed faster and without as much help from you.
If you’re keeping items to sell in a garage sale or consignment shop, as well as items you’re keeping for sentimental reason, box them up and remove them from the child’s room.
Choose clothing for your children that mixes and matches easily. This will help the child learn to dress himself and save you from battles over matching up outfits.
Go through your kids’ clothes every few months, such as at the change of the season, and get rid of stuff that no longer fit, is ratty, or is no longer seasonally appropriate.
Teach your kids to do things for themselves – this will simplify your life greatly if you don’t have to micromanage everything your child does. Teach your kids how to choose outfits and dress themselves, how to put their dirty clothes in a hamper, and how to put their clean clothes away appropriately and neatly. Involve them in choosing their clothing – if they like it, they’re more likely to wear it – and encourage them to let you know when something no longer fit or needs repairs.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 26: Simplify Your Workspace in 5 Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:44:00 +0000

A cluttered desk doesn’t help you work. Piles of paper, lots of photos, knickknacks, tech gadgets, pens, staplers, tape – how many of these items do you really need to handle all day long? Chances are good that very few are needed to help you do your work. Today, we’re going to simplify and minimize the number of distractions in your work area, so you can think more clearly, find what you need when you need it, and generally feel more calm and collected. Here are five steps to simplifying your workspace.

Gather up your papers, pile them up, then deal with them. On Days 23 and 24, we talked about paper piles and filing systems. If you still have papers piled up on your desk or stuffed into “deal with me” files, take some time to sort them, purge them and file what’s left.
Declutter your knickknacks and desktop office supplies. If you have a lot of “stuff” on your desk, try a little experiment and box up everything except your favorite photo. Get rid of the stuffed animals, funny signs, candy bowls and desktop toys, and put the pens, stapler, paper clips and other office supplies in a drawer or nice box you can leave on the desk. I don’t have drawers in my desk, so my trinkets and supplies are organized in cubbies against the wall so that my desktop itself can stay clear. Try working with a sparse desktop for a few weeks – I bet you’ll love it.
If you have drawers on your desk, go through each drawer and get rid of unused items. Keep only the supplies and gadgets you actually use. Organize each drawer according to its “purpose” and make sure each item has a home. Get in the habit of putting things away when you’re finished with them instead of leaving them out on your desk all day.
Try decluttering your computer’s desktop as well, removing all the unused icons and filing documents into folders within the My Documents folder, instead of leaving everything out on the desktop. I keep my most-used programs in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen, and all my files are organized in folders either in My Documents or my Dropbox.
Make some time to sort through your filing system and purge old documents that are no longer needed. This will make space for you to keep up with current filing and make it easier for you to find documents when you need them.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 25: Simplify Bill Paying and Budgeting

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:46:00 +0000

Bill paying and budgeting are areas where simplifying can have an immediate positive impact on your stress level. By simplifying your accounts and setting up a regular budget and bill paying strategy, you can know where your money is going and find ways to keep more of it.

Keep all your bills together in one place. As soon as you get your mail, sort through it, separating your bills from all of your other mail and placing them in one spot all together so when you’re ready to pay bills, you know where to find them.
Use online billpay instead of writing and mailing checks. The time it takes for the payment to be applied to your account is reduced, and you can save on checks and stamps. I prefer to do all my online bill paying in one place, from my bank’s web site, so I can see all payments on one screen, as opposed to going to each company’s website individually to pay bills. Paying bills now only takes me a few minutes each week.
If you haven’t done it already, think about going paperless. Instead of receiving bills in the mail, you’ll get emailed statement notifications that allow you to log in to your accounts and see your statement online. To keep a record of statements, open the electronic version when it becomes available and save it as a PDF file on your computer.
Create a monthly spending plan, either on paper or electronically. I prefer Mint.com, a free service that lets me consolidate all my financial accounts in one place to review, and I can set up budgets that Mint automatically tracks and categorizes for me. Mint can also send you bill reminder alerts and can alert you if you’re going over budget in an category. Having a spending plan in advance helps you spend your money with more purpose and less “oops, where did all my money go?!” I highly recommend checking out Dave Ramsey’s books and website for more information on how to set up a budget.
Consolidate accounts as much as possible. Roll over IRAs and 401Ks from previous employers into investment accounts in one financial institution, which makes it easy to keep track of them. Likewise, consolidate checking and savings accounts if you have several in different banks. Consolidate credit cards down to just one or two (or even better, get rid of the credit cards completely!)
Make savings automatic. If you use online banking, you can usually set up automatic transfers between your own accounts, and that makes it easy to transfer money from your checking account to your savings account. Set up an auto transfer to regularly transfer money to savings, such as on each payday. Some banks, such as Bank of America, offer to “round up” your debit card transactions each day and transfer the change into savings automatically. These tools take the thought out of saving and can grow your bank account much faster with little effort on your part.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 24: Creating Simple Filing Systems

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:48:00 +0000

On Day 23, we talked about conquering paper piles. Today, we’re going to talk about what to do with those papers you deemed important enough to keep. Simplicity is key when you set up a filing system – if it’s complicated, you won’t do it. Staying organized, particularly with paper, can save you time and money and keep your stress levels down, so taking a bit of time to sort through your paperwork and get it under control is time well spent. Filing systems are an individual preference – it doesn’t matter how you file as long as everything has a place and you know where to find it when you need it. Here are a few tips and ideas for filing your important papers.

Reduce, reduce, reduce. The most important part of paper organization is getting rid of what you don’t need. Be ruthless, and only keep what’s really important – information you must have for financial, tax, medical or other reasons, information you can’t find easily in another location (such as on the Internet), and information that would be difficult or impossible to replace.
File by kind, according to your needs. I don’t keep receipts in a file folder – I keep them in a rectangular basket. I don’t keep paid bills in a filing cabinet – I keep them in a tickler-style file box which gets transferred to an accordion file at the end of each calendar year for easy tax preparation. Tax receipts and donation information goes in a folder in the same system as the paid bills, also for easy location during tax prep time. Each child has their own box of artwork and memory pieces, not located in my filing cabinet. Our filing cabinet is reserved for items needed for long-term storage, such as home owner’s insurance, medical files, etc. This system has been working for us for years and we no longer need to think about it. Think about how you use your information and set your system up according to your needs.
Store information online when possible. Most banks have online banking, with easy access to not only bill paying options but online statement storage, which means you don’t have to keep paper bank statements on hand. You can view statements online, or if you prefer, save them as pdf files and file them electronically.
Stop printing copies. Save files on your computer or online, and reduce the amount of paper you file. Very few emails need to be printed – if you need to save them, organize them into folders and keep them tucked into online storage. Bonus is that by storing them digitally, you can use the search features to find what you need much faster than sorting through file folders.
When you sit down to do your filing and organize your papers, make sure you have plenty of supplies on hand: your preferred type of file folder, labels or a label maker, stapler, pens, a recycling bin, a shredder or shredding box, etc. Allow plenty of time, and don't feel you have to conquer it all in one sitting.
Going forward, don't let the filing pile up. Keep a small To File folder or box with a limit that requires you to file regularly.

Next up: Bill Paying and Budgeting

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 23: Conquering Paper Piles

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:07:00 +0000

Confession: Paper piles are my nemesis (my son loves that word, nemesis). I've always had a tendency to read through papers, stack them up to deal with “later” and then leave them in piles for weeks on end. Last weekend, out of necessity and a wee bit of shame, I gathered all my various paper piles and tackled them in one marathon afternoon of purging and filing. Having consulted on many organizing projects, I know I’m not the only one who battles paper clutter.

It’s a common problem that even the most organized people face. Paper clutter leads to stress and costs both time and money. If you’ve ever had to track down a missing permission slip before school or misplaced bills that led to late payment fees, you know that one little piece of lost paper can be stressful. Here are some tips for dealing with paper piles and ensuring you don’t have to deal with paper clutter again.

Select specific areas for dealing with paper and put a system in place for organizing it. I’ve created two areas for handling papers – one in the kitchen, where I read mail and collect papers my son brings home from school, and one in my home office, where the filing cabinet and my desk are. In the kitchen, I have a three-tier mail sorter I created, with one pocket for bills to pay, one pocket for school work that needs action, and one pocket for papers that need to go upstairs to my office for filing. The mail sorter conveniently hangs right above a recycling bin, so junk mail and unneeded papers can be immediately recycled. In my office, I have another recycling bin, a box for papers that need to be shredded, and several filing systems for organizing the papers we need to keep (more on that on Day 24).
Be ruthless when dealing with paper, and recycle as much of it as possible.
Reduce paper clutter before it even gets in the door by removing yourself from mailing lists, signing up for electronically delivered bills and bank statement notifications, and cutting back on magazine subscriptions that you don’t read.
Decide what to do with each piece of paper the first time you handle it. Does it require action, like a party invitation needing an RSVP or a bill to be paid? Is it informative, something that was strictly meant for your information, and now that you’ve read it, can it be recycled? Is it junk that can be immediately recycled without reading? Is it something important, such as tax information, that needs to be filed so it can be found again easily?
If a paper needs to be filed, file it as soon as possible to avoid letting it pile up. If you keep a “to file” stack, put a limit on how much will fit before you’ll run out of space and be forced to file. I used to keep a three-inch inbox tray, but that lead to a six-inch document box, which lead to one almost nine inches tall. Since I hated the thought of tackling that much paper, I kept transferring it to a bigger bin to avoid dealing with it. Now my kitchen To File pocket is only about ½ an inch thick and doesn’t hold much, so I’m forced to file more often.
Go digital when possible. I transfer a lot of the paper I feel like I want to keep for informative purposes into digital files using Evernote, which I can access from my iPhone, my Color Nook and any computer connected to the Internet. Even easier, most of the time I transfer the paper to Evernote by simply taking a photo of it with my iPhone and uploading to the Evernote app. Then I can toss the paper. Evernote files the papers into “notebooks” that I can search, categorize and sort, and if I find I don’t need the information after all, I can delete it easily.
For calendars, addresses and phone numbers, digital is key again. I remember in the 1990’s using a binder-style organizer and carrying it with me everywhere, although I was in a constant state of anxiety over possibly losing it and forever losing my calendar, address book and notes. Not anymore. Transfer calendar events and appointments directly to your digital calendar (I love Google Calendar, viewable online and on most mobile devices) and recycle all those little appointment cards, reminder postcards and scraps of paper. Keep contacts in a digital address book (Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo!, etc.) and shred your old paper address book. Never worry about losing important info again.

What are your best tips for conquering paper clutter? Share them with me!

Next up: Creating Simple Filing Systems

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 22: Getting Help Around the House

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:50:00 +0000

Sometimes, the simplest trick for kick starting a new habit or gaining some relief with necessary tasks is to get some help – whether you ask a friend to lend a hand or hire someone. Just about any task you can think of can be outsourced to someone else, usually for a reasonable price. Getting some help, whether for the long-term or as temporary relief, can be a practical way to fill in the gaps during busy work times and holidays, or a productive, educational way to jumpstart you on a task you’ve been dreading.

I’m a big fan of hiring extra help when needed. I occasionally hire a cleaning service to help me clean my house before hosting events, or to help with deep cleaning in spring or fall. When I was working outside of the home full time, I hired a neighbor’s son to poop-scoop my backyard a couple of times a week, ensuring my kids had a clean place to play when the weather was nice. I recently found both a neighborhood babysitter (for nights and weekends) and a drop-in playcare (for school days) to help me with the kids so I could more freely schedule meetings and date nights. When I was having trouble writing meal plans for my family full of preservative-free, fresh foods, I turned to a service that specializes in healthy cooking, and now I have six months of meals to rotate through.

Help doesn’t always have to be bought. Think of tasks you could share and swap with friends. Cooking, child care, house cleaning, decluttering, car pooling, shopping and errands, lawn care – the options are limitless for swapping time and talent with friends. I’ve gone to friends’ homes and offices to help them declutter and organize, and I’ve offered my writing and graphic design skills in exchange for help with freezer cooking, painting rooms and extra eyes for book editing.

Take a look at your To Do List and goal sheet, and think of ways you could swap or hire for extra help. Perhaps a couple hours of babysitting could free you up to organize your home office or deep clean your kitchen. Maybe scheduling a housekeeper to come for a couple hours next weekend would motivate you to declutter your living spaces this week. Maybe inviting a professional organizer (or a super organized friend) over for a day could help with that declutter. Is there any way you could get some help to kick start your new habits?

Day 21: Keeping Up With Routine Appointments

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:34:00 +0000

We all have regular appointments that we need to take care of, from doctor’s check-ups to haircuts to visits with the tax accountant. One way to simplify your calendar is to schedule these appointments well in advance, particularly if you’re in charge of coordinating several people’s schedules. Booking appointments early can help you nab the best timing for your calendar, plus since the appointment is already made, it’ll ensure that you actually make it in for important meetings that might be otherwise delayed or missed entirely.

The easiest way to keep on top of routine check-ups, such as with primary care doctors, specialists and dentists, is to make your next appointment while you’re there. If you’re at the dentist and they want to see you again in six months, go ahead and make that appointment before you leave their office, and add it to your calendar right away. As the appointment approaches, it’s much easier to reschedule an appointment you already have than it is to remember to make it in the first place. Chances are good that since you know so far in advance and were able to select a convenient time (before work, over lunch, etc.), you won’t need to reschedule anyway.
For kids’ appointments, scheduling in advance can ensure that you get your first-grader in after school and your toddler in before her morning nap. Considering scheduling kids together for back-to-back appointments to reduce the number of trips you have to make.
Haircuts and the like can be treated the same way, particularly if your salon fills its schedule quickly – book your next appointment when you check out. This works well for pet grooming, car oil changes and similar tasks as well.
For appointments too far out to schedule (such as an annual meeting with your tax accountant), set a reminder in your calendar for two or three months before your desired appointment, then call to schedule when the reminder pops up. If your doctor’s office won’t let you schedule your child’s school physical until summer, make a note in your calendar in June to call and schedule.
For routine household appointments, such carpet cleaning, house cleaners, spring window cleaners, quarterly pest control, etc., ask your service provider if you can preschedule appointments. For appointments that can’t be scheduled in advance, make an entry in your calendar to call at the appropriate time.
Take some time this week to schedule any appointments you may be behind on or have been postponing.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 20: Clean Out Your Car

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:07:00 +0000

If you drive a car regularly, it can become a home away from home, your household on wheels, subject to the same clutter and mess that your home is. It's much more pleasant to drive when you're not wading in trash. Cleaning out your car doesn't have to take long, and you can keep it clean by removing items each time you get home, regularly emptying out the trash, and making time periodically to wash and vacuum the grunge out. Here are 10 steps to get your car clean and organized, which can reduce your stress and help make your commute (or your mommy taxi-service duties) simpler and more pleasant.

Weather permitting, wash the exterior of your vehicle. The simplest way to clean a car is to pay someone else to do it. It's also the most expensive. The cheapest way is to do it all yourself with a bucket of suds at home, which may not be an option in the dead of winter. We've been fortunate to have a mild winter here in Texas so far, so today I was able to run the car through the $5 express wash, then I used the free vacuums on site to clean all the Goldfish Crackers, dirt and other odds and ends out.
Empty everything out of the vehicle and trunk, trash the obvious garbage, and return water bottles and travel mugs to the kitchen for washing.
Sort the remaining items by type, such as auto maintenance supplies, kids' toys and gear, music and videos, manuals and maps. Remove any items you absolutely don't need, and organize necessities. Items left on the floor and seats can become projectiles in a crash, so secure loose items as much as possible.
Clean the interior by vacuuming the floors and seats; wiping down the dash, doors and cup holders; cleaning the windows and mirrors; and shaking out the floor mats.
Put a trash bag or bin somewhere convenient - I keep a cup-shaped bin in my front cup holder. A trash bag can be tucked into the side door pocket or hung over the back of the seat - try reusing an old zipper bag or shopping bag. Empty the trash receptacle whenever it gets full or when you fill up with gasoline, whichever comes first.
Stash kids' toys, books and travel games in a behind-the-seat organizer, within reach of backseat passengers. Periodically rotate items in and out to keep kids interested. I also keep a few bagged snacks and a water bottle, plus extra mittens in the winter.
Stow CDs and DVDs in visor organizers, or transfer your music to an MP3 player that can be stashed in the glove compartment when not in use.
Store the following in the glove compartment: owner's manual, vehicle registration information, auto club information, accident report form, notepad, pen, disposable camera, flashlight, list of emergency contact names and numbers, a few napkins and any other frequently needed items.
Purchase or make an emergency kit for your vehicle and store it in the trunk or rear of the car. Include battery cables, a tire gauge, a window ice scraper, flares, reflective tape, a help sign, a screwdriver, pliers, a first aid kit, work gloves, a blanket, an old towel or rags, a jug of water and motor oil.
Consider putting together a survival kit, especially if you live in a cold-weather climate. Include candles, waterproof matches, energy bars or candy bars, large plastic garbage bags and rubber bands. Keep larger items, such as cat litter (for slippery roads), a collapsible shovel, an extra blanket and heavy socks, hats and mittens (enough for several passengers), in a sports bag or tub in the trunk or rear of the car.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 19: Stop Telemarketing Calls

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:20:00 +0000

Like Day 18's tip to reduce unwanted postal mail and unsolicited email, this tip is designed to reduce unwanted phone calls to your home or mobile number. By registering with the National Do Not Call Registry, you can stop most telemarketers from calling. The service is free, and your number remains on the list until you remove it or you discontinue phone service. Unfortunately, the Do-Not-Call registry doesn't prevent all unwanted calls - it doesn't cover calls from organizations with which you have established a business relationship, calls for which you have given prior written permission, calls that are not commercial or do not include unsolicited advertisements, or calls by or on behalf of tax-exempt non-profit organizations. Register up to three phone numbers online at www.donotcall.gov or call toll-free 1-888-382-1222 (you must call from the phone number you wish to register).

Most states (like my home state of Texas) also have a statewide Do Not Call List. Find it by Googling "Do Not Call List {STATE}"

One final tip: you can also further reduce calls by telling telemarketers who call to take you off their list before you hang up on them.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 18: Reduce Junk Mail and Unwanted Email

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:20:00 +0000

If you spend precious time every day dealing with unwanted advertising, preapproved credit card applications and other unsolicited mail, whether it's in the postal mail or your email inbox, today's the day to put a stop to it. Your name, address and buying habits are a commodity that is regularly sold and traded on the open market. You can cut down the number of unsolicited mailings you receive by "opting out" with just a few phone calls or web visits. Here's a few tips on getting rid of unwanted postal mail and emails.

Postal Mail

To opt out of receiving prescreened offers for credit or insurance, you can call toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT or visit www.optoutprescreen.com. This service is operated by the major consumer reporting agencies, and you can choose to opt out for 5 years or permanently. They'll ask you for a bit of personal information, including your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth, and this information is used to process your opt out request.
The Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Mail Preference Service lets you opt out of receiving unsolicited commercial mail from many national companies for five years. When you register with this service, your name will be put on a "delete" file and made available to direct-mail marketers and organizations. This can reduce most of your unsolicited mail. Unfortunately, registration will not stop mailings from organizations that do not use the DMA's Mail Preference Service. The DMA regularly updates its list, but the companies it notifies may not update their lists as frequently, so it can take up to six months for all the lists to be updated. To register with DMA's Mail Preference Service, go to www.dmachoice.org.
If you’re getting swamped with mail order catalogues, including those from companies you’ve never ordered from, it’s probably because at some time you made a purchase or requested information. Your name and address were likely handed over to Abacus, an alliance of catalogue and publishing companies. Abacus members routinely swap customer information. To stop individual catalogues from reaching your home, contact the specific company in question. To stop en masse mailings, send an e-mail to optout@abacus-us.com with your name and address.
“Resident” and “Occupant” mailings, such as flyers offering various goods and services, can be opted-out by contacting ADVO, Inc. Call 1-888-241-6760 or online at www.advo.com/consumersupport.html.

Email

The DMA also has an Email Preference Service to help you reduce unsolicited commercial emails for up to three email addresses. To opt out of receiving unsolicited commercial email from DMA members, visit www.dmachoice.org. Registration is free and good for six years. You’ll need to confirm within 30 days your receipt of a notice sent to each e-mail address you submit.
If you regularly receive email from company you've done business with before (sale notifications, newsletters, etc.), check the bottom of the email for an "opt-out" link. Most mailings have a one-click opt-out program that takes care of unwanted emails quickly and easily.
If you're getting random spam mail, do not open it or respond to it. Send it straight to your email program's spam folder for deletion. Many of these spam emails contain trackers, and if you open them or click on any links within them, you'll confirm to the company sending it that your email address is live and they'll send you more unwanted email.
The best way to avoid spam email is to avoid using your real, primary email address anywhere on the Web. Instead create "disposable" email addresses you can use that forward email to your real inbox. You can delete a disposable address at any time, and you'll no longer receive messages from it. Many services, including Yahoo! and Google, offer disposable email addresses from your primary account.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

SOPA/PIPA Protest

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:29:00 +0000

Many websites are blacked out today, January 18, 2012, to protest proposed U.S. legislation that threatens Internet freedom: the Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA). From personal blogs to Google and Wikipedia.com, sites all over the web — including this one — are asking you to help stop this dangerous legislation from being passed. If I knew how to do it I would black out this blog for the day, but I'm not tech-savvy enough to be sure that I could ever get it back up again.

Please check out these links for more information about SOPA and PIPA:
SOPA explained: What it is and why it matters
Vimeo video explaining SOPA and PIPA
Could Facebook Shut Down? Understanding SOPA and PIPA (Vader video)

Modern Simplicity will resume the 31-Day Fresh Start Series tomorrow.

Day 17: Creating a Restful Bedroom Retreat

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:35:00 +0000

Your bedroom should be your sanctuary, a retreat from the world where you can relax and rejuvenate. Studies show that what you're thinking when you go to sleep affect how restful your sleep is as well as your mood when you wake up. A peaceful bedroom free of clutter and chaos can greatly affect your outlook - it should be a welcoming retreat, not a source of stress.

"A bedroom requires a bed. Everything else was extravagance." ~Audrey Meadows

If it's not restful or sensual, it doesn't belong in the bedroom.
Less is more in the bedroom. Remove unneeded furniture, and get rid of the "stuff." Keep horizontal surfaces as clear as possible. To avoid clutter on your bedside table, put away everything except maybe the book you’re currently reading, your alarm clock and your reading lamp. Some lovely flowers, or a candle, or a favorite photo of you and your sweetie are a nice touch, but don't go overboard trying to "decorate." The bedroom is a place where minimalism truly is important and will contribute to your happiness immediately.
Choose low-impact, high-quality bed linens. Cotton grown in the U.S. uses 25 percent of the insecticides in the world, so going organic can make a difference. You spend a third of your life in bed, and skin is our largest organ, so it makes sense to be careful what it comes into contact with eight hours a night. Launder linens in nontoxic laundry products for a restful night's sleep.
Make your bed every day, preferably as soon as you get up in the morning. This simple habit not only keeps your room looking tidy, it's a cue that tells your body and your brain that rest time is over and it's time to get a move on. It's also a welcoming sight when it's time to turn in for the day.
At the end of the day, hang your clothes neatly back in the closet or place them in the laundry basket. Don't toss them on the floor or on a piece of furniture. It's far easier to keep on top of laundry and maintain your wardrobe if you take the extra seconds now to put clothing away properly. The same goes for shoes and accessories.
Keep the bedroom sacred. Try to keep activities such as web surfing, bill paying, studying and working out of the bedroom, and do them somewhere else, such as a home office, living room or even dining room. The bedroom will be far more restful if you don't associate it with "work."
Keep it clean. By spending a few minutes daily putting away clothes, making your bed and keeping the bedroom free of clutter, you can easily keep the bedroom tidy. Make sure to dust and vacuum often to keep the room free of allergens, and wash bed linens regularly.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 16: Streamlining Towels, Bedding and Other Linens

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:34:00 +0000

I love a comfy, well-made bed, with a cushy mattress pad, soft sheets and a big down comforter. I also adore getting out of a nice hot shower and wrapping up in large, fluffy bath towels. Household linens are some of my favorite things, and a neat, streamlined linen closet can extend the life of expensive bedding, towels and other home linens. When properly cleaned, folded and stored, linens are protected and ready for use. Here are some tips for decluttering and organizing your bedding, towels and other linens.

Sheets and Bed Linens

If you spend a third of your life in bed, you might as well have nice bed linen. Sort through all your bedding, and get rid of anything torn, faded or threadbare, and unload anything that doesn't fit the bed sizes you currently have. There is no "right number" of sheet sets to keep, but a good guideline is two sets per bed.
If you have kids that have the same bed size (I have two boys both in twin beds), consider having them share bedding. Buy sheets that can be mixed and matched, so you don't have to worry about matching up sheet sets.
Store bedding either in a central location (if you have a nice-sized linen closet), or store it near the bed it's used for. Sheets for the master king-size bed are stored in our room, the boys' twin sheets are stored together in one of their closets, and the queen-size guest room sheets are stored in the guest room. Storing linens with their respective beds saves you from having to sort through sheets of different sizes.
Sheets sets can be folded neatly and stored inside one of the pillowcases to make it easy to keep sets together. If you mix and match sets, fold sheets neatly and keep fitted sheets together, flat sheets together and pillowcases together.
Clean and fold extra blankets, comforters and duvet covers, and store them with sheets for easy bed-making.

Towels

Sort through all your towels, and get rid of anything torn, faded or threadbare. Divide towels by size so you can see how many bath towels, hand towels and washcloths you have. There is no "right number" of towels to keep, but a good guideline is two sets per person, plus an extra set or two if you have guests regularly.

Towels can be used more than once if you hang them to dry thoroughly between uses. You're clean when you used it, right? An easy way to keep track of towels is to assign each person their own color.

If possible, store towels in the bathroom they're used in. Master bath towels in the master bath or closet, kids' towels in the kids' bathroom, and guest towels in a cabinet in the guest bathroom. Or, if you have a nice-sized linen closet, you can store all the towels together. Depending on how much space you have, towels can be folded into squares or rolled to save space.

Store beach towels separately from bath towels. I keep mine in a drawer under my dryer in the laundry room (and they're easy to get to in case of a "water emergency!")

If you have pets, keep one or two old towels around for pet emergencies, for baths and for wiping muddy paws.

Other Linens

If you use tablecloths, try to pare down to just two or three. Store them on hangers in an extra closet, or on an over-the-door towel rack in the pantry or linen closet, as near to the table as you can.
We use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins. Try folding them into rectangles and storing them in a basket on or by the table. Since we use cloth napkins daily, our napkins don't match, but it's not as obvious since they're stored in a fabric-lined basket.
Rags and cleaning cloths can be corralled in a basket near the cleaning supplies.
Sort through dish towels and dishcloths, and discard any that are stained and raggedy. About five years ago, I invested in 10 coordinating dish towels, and they're still going strong. Since they're all the same, they fold and stack nicely, and they take up very little space in a kitchen cabinet.
When discussing simplifying laundry days, I recommended washing towels and sheets separately from clothing. However, when it comes to dish towels, cloth napkins and cleaning cloths, I toss them in with regular laundry and clothing all the time. We use natural and green cleaners, so they don't have any weird chemicals on them, and it's easy to keep up with them since they take up very little space in a load of laundry.
What do you do with all the old linens you're discarding? Items still in good, usable condition are always needed at missions and shelters. Threadbare and worn items can still be very helpful to animal shelters and vet clinics. Or, if you have a pet of your own, consider filling their bedding with your discarded linens.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 15: Simplify Laundry Days

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:22:00 +0000

Yes, this really is my laundry room.

Laundry is a topic that makes most people cringe – we all like closets full of clean, ready-to-wear clothes, but we all hate doing the work. Laundry is a never-ending task, but it's not a difficult one, and it can be simplified to make it go a little smoother and a little quicker. Here are 15 tips to help simplify Laundry Days.

First, you have to get caught up. To truly simplify the laundry, you have to conquer Mount Washuvius. Grab all the dirty laundry you have – clothes, towels, sheets, hand washables, etc. – and block out some time over the next couple of days to get caught up. You may even want to consider going to a laundromat so you can use several machines at once to get it all done in just a few hours.
Simplify your wardrobe – if you don’t have as many clothes to pick from, you won’t have as much laundry to wash. If your closet and drawers are less full and the clothes have room to breathe, you'll also save yourself some ironing.
Wear clothes more than once to reduce your laundry pile. You can often wear clothes more than once before washing them. Jeans, in particular, benefit from less washing. Pajamas, shirts and sweaters can usually be worn a couple of times before laundering. Towels can used more than once – just hang dry between showers. Socks and undies, of course, should be washed after each wear. Another benefit to washing clothing less often – the clothes last much longer before they wear out.
If you can sort your clothes as you take them off, you'll save time and effort. Some people swear by having separate laundry bags or baskets for sorting as they take clothes off, then washing as each separate basket gets full. That's a great way to organize the dirties if you have space for it. That said, I'm actually a fan of the sort-when-I'm-washing method. My husband and I have a laundry basket, then there's a basket in each of our boys' rooms. When a basket gets full, I take it down to the laundry room, chuck the whole thing on the floor, then sort directly into the washing machine. If you use multiple laundry baskets, buy all the same size and style so they will stack together and take up less space.
Make a rule today: if it’s not in the basket, it doesn’t get washed. Don't waste time tracking down the dirty laundry. Train family members to put their dirty clothes in the basket or it won't get washed.
Do laundry more often. A lot of people will tell you to do a load or two each day, but that doesn't seem simple to me. But with four people (two of them messy little boys), I can't wait and do laundry once a week either. Keeping your eye on the basket levels and doing a load or two every few days is an easier way to keep up without adding another item to your daily To Do list.
Keep towels and bed linens separate from clothing. It's best to wash these items in their own loads. It'll save you from lint overload on your clothes.
Simplify your laundry products. Instead of an assortment of detergents, chlorine bleach, color-safe bleach, oxygen bleach, liquid fabric softener and dryer sheets, try a smaller arsenal that works just as well. An all-purpose detergent that works in cold water, a color-safe bleach and a bottle of white vinegar can save you money and space on the laundry room shelf. White vinegar helps reduce static clean, as well as removes soap build-up from fabrics so they last longer. Instead of dryer sheets, I use a Bounce Bar in the dryer, which lasts months at a time. Fewer products save you money. Organize supplies so they're easy to reach, and stop worrying about accidentally bleaching your favorite jeans or finding dryer sheets in your pant legs.
Check pockets as you load clothes into the washer, and keep a bowl or basket handy to collect what you find. Finding crayons and tissues before they go through the wash will save you a ton of time and headache, and you may even find some pocket change. Keep a wastebasket nearby so you can toss trash and deposit lint from the dryer's lint trap.
Use cold water for washing. Not only does this save the energy needed to heat water, but it also reduces dye running and color fading. Particularly after clothes have been washed a few times, using cold water can buy you a lot of leeway in the sorting process.
Iron less (or not at all). I hate ironing, so I rarely do it. By buying easy-care fabrics and taking clothes out of the dryer while they're still warm, I avoid most wrinkles. A spray bottle full of water smooths out wrinkles quickly and works just as well as those "wrinkle release" sprays. Hang a clothing bar or over-the-door hanger rack so you can hang clothes as they come out of the dryer. If you air-dry your clothing, smooth wrinkles as you hang them, then smooth them again when they are about half dry.
Identify kids' socks, undies and other clothing with a dot of washable fabric paint on the toe of the sock or sizing labels of undies or other clothes. My older son has a red dot and my younger son has a green dot, so sorting goes much faster even as their clothes get closer in size.
Avoid the post-dryer sock-and-undie sort by giving each family member their own mesh bag, and have them put their small items in before they go in the washer. Then just give the cleaned bag of items back to their owner – no sorting needed!
Teach children to fold towels and other easy items so they can help. Even young children can be taught to put folded clothing in their drawers and hang clothes on rods their height. I do almost all of the washing and drying of laundry in our house, but everyone pitches in to put their clothes away (my least favorite part of the process!)
If you have hand washables or items that hang dry, set up areas for drying them. I have a wall-mounted drying rack in the laundry room for items that can be washed and spun out in the washer, but I do actual handwashing in a spare bathroom so I can easily drip dry on a tension rod above the bathtub.

Tomorrow: Streamlining Towels and Bed Linens

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 14: Take a Day Off

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:40:00 +0000

We're almost halfway through our 31-Day Fresh Start, so it's time to take a break and look back on what you've accomplished so far. We've worked in the kitchen this past week, and we've also simplified our morning and evening routines, made a meal plan, and simplified our closets and bathrooms for a quicker morning to get out the door.

If you've missed a couple of days, take a look at what you've missed and spend a few minutes working on those areas. If you've stuck with me so far and are feeling good about your progress, great! It's time for a day off. Spend some time today thinking of things you'd like to do that you don't normally set aside time for, then schedule some time (either today, or another day soon) to actually do those things for a bit. Taking time regularly to recharge your batteries and do something fun is vital.

If you've been simplifying with me, feel free to email me photos at FreshStart@modern-simplicity.com, and I'll feature them in a future post! I'd love to hear about how your simplifying is going, so emails and comments are always appreciated!

Day 13: Simplifying Grocery Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:37:00 +0000

Shopping is something we all have to do to fill the fridge. Some people shop daily, while others prefer to shop weekly or even less often. How frequently you shop depends on factors such as your affinity toward fresh foods, storage space in your kitchen, and budget. Here are a few tips to help simplify your grocery shopping, no matter how often you hit the store.

Keep a running list of what you need on your fridge, on your To-Do list or somewhere else easily accessible. Ideally, this will be someplace all members of your household can see it and add items to it as needed. Be sure to include not just food products, but also staples like toilet paper, toothpaste and other household necessities.
Check sales papers each week for the best deals, then plan your weekly menu according to what’s on sale. Not only will you save money, you’ll be eating seasonally based on what’s available at the lowest prices for the time of year.
After making your meal plan for the week, check your pantry, fridge and freezer for the items you’ll need, then add only what you’re lacking to the shopping list. By knowing in advance what you’ll be eating, you’ll save money, time and storage space by not buying items you don’t need.
Plan ahead for breakfasts, lunches and snacks. If you don't mind repetition, eating the same thing for those meals several days in a row can drastically simplify both the shopping and the food preparation.
Once you have your list, use it. Don’t forget to take your list to the store and actually use it. Buy only what’s on the list, and avoid impulse purchases as much as possible.
Before you go to the store, make sure you have any coupons that you need, as well as shoppers’ discount cards and proper payment.
Limit the number of stores you shop at. I tend to do most of my shopping at three stores, and which store I go to any given week depends on what’s on the shopping list.
If you think you’ll buy enough to warrant a cart, park next to the cart return. This is particularly helpful when you’re shopping with small children.

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 12: Decluttering Kitchen Drawers (and the Dreaded Junk Drawer)

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:35:00 +0000

Today we’re doing a quick purge of the kitchen drawers: silverware, cooking utensils, pot holders and, in many cases, a junk drawer. Clearing out drawers can be a quick activity, and it is a very effective way to simplify your kitchen in a short amount of time.

Do one drawer at a time. Pull everything out, wipe out the drawer, then place needed items back in, using drawer organizers and utensil trays as needed to keep items neat and easy to find.
Clear out tools and gadgets you don’t use. Items that are seldom used contribute to clutter. Be honest with yourself about how often you really use those specialty tools, such as the melon baller, the garlic press or the avocado scoop. If you use it regularly, great! It’s earned a spot in the drawer. If you can’t remember the last time you used that nut cracker, then toss it in a donation bin.
Get rid of duplicates. Think about how many of each item you really need, then pick your favorites and donate the rest.
Look for tools that can be used for more than one purpose. Before buying or keeping a specialty gadget, ask yourself, “can I accomplish the same thing with another tool I already have?”
If you can’t bring yourself to part with something, put it in temporary storage. Box up items you don’t think you use often but aren’t willing to part with yet, and put the box in the closet, garage or other out-of-the-way place. Mark the box with a date six months in the future, and see how many items you pull out of the box for use between now and then. Part with the rest with the deadline arrives.
Organize drawers by use. Group like items together, so all the cooking utensils go in one drawer, while silverware goes in another.
Many people have a junk drawer, also known as a “kitchen black hole.” Using drawer organizers is an effective way to give a junk drawer a purpose. My junk drawer is more of a “multi-purpose” drawer – it’s where I keep the zipper baggies, foil and parchment paper, plus there are small bins for organizing spare envelopes, dry erase markers and charging cords. By using organizers and assigning functions to the space, you can break the junk drawer cycle. Make some time every couple of weeks to sort through the drawer and get rid of items that don’t have a designated “spot” in your multi-purpose drawer. If it’s not important enough to assign a spot, it’s probably not important enough to keep.

Up Next: Simplifying Grocery Shopping

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 11: Decluttering Kitchen Cabinets

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:35:00 +0000

Today we’re doing a sweep through the kitchen cabinets: home to dishes, glassware, pots, pans and a random assortment of small kitchen appliances. An efficient, convenient kitchen needs to be pared down and organized with like items together so they can be easily found. The less cluttered and more organized your kitchen is, the easier and more pleasurable it will be to cook dinner every day (trust me, it's true!)

Clear out tools, dishware and gadgets you don’t use. Go through each cabinet individually and pull out all the items you don’t use regularly. With the exception of seasonal items, items that are seldom used contribute to clutter. Get rid of the excess appliances you don’t really need. Be honest with yourself about how often you really use that yogurt maker/popcorn popper/electric griddle. A few months ago, I finally buckled down and learned how to make real iced tea – using boiling water, a pitcher and tea bags – just so I could get rid of my too-hard-to-store iced tea machine.
Get rid of duplicates. Yes, it’s perfectly normal to have more than one cup, plate, bowl, and so on. But you don’t need 20 coffee cups or four sets of dishes. Think about how many of each item you really need, then pick your favorites and donate the rest.
Look for double-duty items. There’s no need to keep a specialty chip-and-dip tray when a tray and bowl will do. Look for tools that can be used for more than one purpose. Before buying or keeping a specialty gadget, ask yourself, “can I accomplish the same thing with another tool I already have?” This, my friends, is how I finally gave up my “perfect brownie making pan” in favor of my workhorse baking dish.
Pull seasonal items out and store them in high cabinets or in another room. Think carefully about which items you really use during the holidays. In my house, the cupcake stand and large roaster get regular “special occasion” use, but the adorable reindeer plates and coffee mugs have been boxed for years. Time to let them go.
If you can’t bring yourself to part with something, put it in temporary storage. Box up items you don’t think you use often but aren’t willing to part with yet, and put the box in the closet, garage or other out-of-the-way place. Mark the box with a date six months in the future, and see how many items you pull out of the box for use between now and then. Part with the rest with the deadline arrives.
Organize cabinets by use. In my house, that means dishes go near the dishwasher, and pots and pans go next to the stove. The roaster goes in the back of the cabinet, while the crockpot goes in the front prime position. Group like items together, so all the baking items go in one cabinet, while glasses and coffee mugs go in another.

Tomorrow: Decluttering Your Kitchen Drawers (and the Dreaded Junk Drawer)

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 10: Clearing Out the Pantry

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

“Even the most resourceful housewife cannot create miracles from a riceless pantry.” ~Chinese Proverb

Yesterday we talked about cleaning the fridge and freezer so you have easy access to fresh foods for creating healthy meals. Today we’re extending that to the pantry, the place where stale crackers and old cans of beans hide. The pantry can be tricky, because old food in the pantry doesn’t usually “announce” itself the way yucky food in the fridge does. It’s so easy for an expired can to slip to the back, or for a cereal bag to be left open and the contents go stale, so it’s important to take time ever so often to do a clean sweep, get rid of the old, and organize the good stuff. Here are a few tips for cleaning out the cupboards:

Go shelf by shelf, starting at the top. Remove everything from the shelf and wipe the shelf down with warm, soapy water, then dry thoroughly. Toss food that is past its expiration date, is stale or has bugs (weevils are common in dry goods, so check carefully!) If one of your goals is to eat healthier, this is a good opportunity to get rid of the some of the unhealthy snack foods that often live in the pantry (you wouldn’t believe how much candy I found in mine!)
If you find food that’s still good but that you don’t plan to eat, set it aside for a donation to the local food pantry.
Consider storing dry goods such as rice, flour, sugar and other staples in air-tight clear containers. I use large glass jars with rubber seals for my staples. If you opt for plastic, buy containers free of Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in many polycarbonate plastics that may migrate from containers to food (types 3 and 7 plastics may contain BPA).
Arrange like foods together. For example, use one shelf for canned goods, and group soups together, then gravies, canned veggies, canned fruits, etc. Group together baking supplies on one shelf, and snack foods on another. Not only will you be able to find what you want easier, you’ll be able to tell at a glance what needs to go on the grocery shopping list.
Corral small items together in bins, baskets or clear boxes. An over-the-door shoe organizer with clear pockets works fabulously on standard pantry doors. Small items such as tea bags, drink packets, microwave popcorn, spices containers, oatmeal packets and bags of beans can be organized easily.
If you keep cleaning supplies in your pantry, weed out the ones you don’t use, and get rid of the rest. Be sure to dispose of toxic chemicals properly as hazardous materials. If you keep cleaning supplies in your pantry (or just want to keep the little ones out of the snacks), consider putting child locks on pantry and cupboard doors.
If you have high shelves that are difficult to reach, consider getting a folding step stool that can be stored in or near the pantry. We keep a folding stepladder tucked next to our fridge for reaching high shelves.
When you do your weekly maintenance of the fridge and freezer, do a quick sweep through the pantry to straighten the shelves and get rid of any stale or expired products.

Tomorrow: Decluttering Kitchen Cabinets

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 9: Cleaning Out The Refrigerator and Freezer

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:29:00 +0000

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” ~Virginia Woolf

On Day 3 we talked about meal plans and how to simplify dinner plans. This week, we’re going to work on streamlining and decluttering the kitchen so that it’s easier and more pleasurable to work in. A key habit for a useable kitchen is keeping the fridge and freezer clean and well-stocked with healthy food you actually like to eat. It’s far too easy to let food go by the wayside in the big box: forgotten produce rots in the bottom crisper drawer, leftovers get pushed to the back of the shelf, seldom used condiments get left in the door shelves “just in case” we need them later. A healthy kitchen that’s fun to cook in needs to have only the good stuff in it, and it’s hard to find something healthy for dinner when there’s an assortment of mystery meat crowding the fridge shelves. Cleaning out the fridge only takes about 10 minutes.

Clean shelf-by-shelf, starting on the top shelf. Pull everything out, wipe down the shelf, then put back only the food and beverages that are still safe to eat and that you actually plan to consume before their expiration. Old ham-and-cheese science experiments and sour milk go straight to the trash or compost bin. Have a sink full of hot, soapy water to soak the dishes once you toss the food. Put all the keepers back on the top shelf, then repeat the process for the second shelf, all the way to the bottom of the fridge. Pay close attention to expiration dates, and discard anything with an “off” smell or mold growth.
Repeat the process for all fridge door shelves, making note of any condiments that need to be replaced.
Pull out crisper drawers and wash them in hot, soapy water. Dry them thoroughly, then line them with paper towels or kitchen towels to make future clean-outs easier.
Try organizing food and condiments by category. For instance, all beverage pitchers go on the top shelf, leftovers go on the second shelf (at eye level so you don’t forget to eat them), staples like butter and eggs on the third shelf, lunch meats and cheese in the meat drawer, fresh fruits and veggies in the crisper (preferably fruits in one drawer and veggies in another). Organize condiments as well: salad dressings together, mayo, ketchup and mustard together, etc.
Wipe down the walls and seal on the fridge to keep the cold air in.
Repeat the whole process for the freezer, removing any old or unidentifiable foods and anything that’s freezer-burned. Organize contents with frozen veggies on one shelf, breads on another, meats together. Keep ice cream towards the front so it can be eaten quickly – ice cream can quickly grow ice crystals if forgotten in the freezer.
Keep your fridge and freezer clean by doing a maintenance clean-up once a week, removing old leftovers, wiping up spills with a warm, soapy washcloth, and arranging older items toward the front to use them up faster.

Tomorrow: The Pantry

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 8: Streamlining Your Closet

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Frances Janisch

If you haven't cleaned out your closet lately, it's time to get started. Streamlining your wardrobe can shave precious minutes off your morning routine, make laundry day easier and increase your self-esteem when you have clothes that fit and that you actually like wearing. Here are some simple tips for clearing your closet and simplifying your wardrobe.

Start by pulling out anything you don't love or doesn't fit. Pull out anything that has stains, holes or rips or that needs to be altered in any way. If you haven't worn it in a year or two, take it out. If you can't see everything in your closet easily, you have too much stuff and it's time to toss. Be ruthless about only keeping clothes you wear and love. Clothes wrinkle if they're crammed in together, so don't overcrowd them.
Bag up the discards and put them in your car to drop off for charity. Bag up anything that needs to be altered or repaired and make plans to take it to the tailor or fix it yourself in the next week. Anything that's dirty or stained needs to be laundered or dry cleaned this week as well.
Sort out the out-of-season clothing and either store it in the back of the closet, another closet in a different room, or in a storage container elsewhere. Make sure storage clothes are clean and free of body oil and stains, which can attract moths.
For the clothes left in your closet, turn all the hangers around backward (so the open part faces you). As you wear items, turn the hangers back the right way. In just a few weeks, you'll be able to tell at a glance what clothes you wear and which ones you don't (so a second purge may be in order!)
Arrange the clothes by category -- pants, shirts, skirts, dresses, etc. If you want, you can divide them further by sleeve length and color.
Repeat the above steps for any clothing you have in drawers or storage boxes, plus shoes and handbags. It's helpful to go through this process every time the weather changes for the season, especially if you rotate storage with out-of-season clothes.
After just one or two purges, your closet will be more streamlined, and this process will be easier each time you do it. And getting dressed in the morning will be a lot simpler!

Got a specific closet dilemma? Check out these closet problem solutions or send me your question via Twitter or the comments section.

Tomorrow: Your Refrigerator and Freezer

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 7: How to Clean the Bathroom Quickly and Easily

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:31:00 +0000

Now that you’ve streamlined your bathroom, here are a few ways to keep it clean and shiny. A few minutes of cleaning each day can save you from a scuzzy bathroom that needs marathon cleaning, and you won’t be mortified the next time a friend stops by and needs to use your loo. Here are some tips to help you keep your bathroom clean on a daily basis.

Do a thorough streamline, and keep the clutter to a minimum. Less junk in the bathroom = easier to clean.
Keep some basic cleaning supplies stored in the bathroom. A bottle of nontoxic all-purpose cleaner and a few clean rags, nontoxic shower or bathroom cleaner and a scrub brush, a toilet brush, and, if you like, some disposable cleaning wipes. If you have glass shower doors, get a squeegee to keep in the shower.
I prefer to clean toilets before I take a shower (mental thing, I think!) Spray inside the toilet with some bathroom cleaner, and while that soaks in, use a rag and cleaner or a cleaning wipe to clean the lid, seat and the outside of the toilet, including around the base. Wipe down the rim, then swish around the water with a toilet brush and flush. Total time = about 2 minutes.
If you use nontoxic products, you can easily and quickly clean the shower while you’re in it! Take a scrub brush and nontoxic bath cleaner (I swear by Melaleuca) and hop in the shower. Rinse the shower thoroughly, scrub scrub scrub, then rinse. Now clean yourself, and you’re done. Cleaning the shower only takes about 2 minutes if you get into the habit of scrubbing it while you’re in it once or twice a week. Shampoo or liquid body wash work very well for cleaning the shower too, so use what you’ve got – this is a great way to use up products you don’t particularly care for, and you’ll avoid harmful fumes from chemicals. Hang washcloths and scrubbies up to dry in the tub. If you have glass shower doors, spend the extra 30 seconds to squeegee them dry before you get out – they’ll remain spot-free and look cleaner much longer.
If you takes baths (or bathe small children), erase the filmy ring from the tub at the end of the bath as you let the water out. Take a washcloth and just scrub around the inside of the tub using the soapy bathwater as it drains away, then splash some clean water through it to rinse it clean. Hang washcloths up to dry so they don’t get mildew waiting in the hamper for wash day.
As you get ready for the day, put your products and tools away as you’re finished with them, then take a rag and cleaner and wipe down the counters and mirror once you’re done getting ready. Rinse out the sink and wipe off the faucet, hang towels up to dry, and take any dirty clothes and rags to the hamper.
Every few days, use a rag and cleaner or cleaning cloth and take an extra minute to wipe off switch plates, doorknobs, door jams and decorative items of dust.
Once a week, shake out the rugs, then either sweep the floor or run the vacuum around to pick up loose hair. Mop the floor, then put the rugs back down. Empty the wastebaskets and check for needed supplies such as toilet paper. This step takes about 10 minutes each week.

If you have more than one bathroom, take a couple of minutes each day to use that bathroom and clean it while you’re in there. I clean my sons’ bathroom while they’re in the tub, and I maintain our guest bathroom with a quick pass-through every other day or so. Spending just a few minutes each day cleaning a bathroom will keep the yucky from building up, ensuring you don't have to spend an hour scrubbing away nasty stains and gunk.

Tomorrow: Streamlining Your Closet

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.

Day 6: Streamlining the Bathroom

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Kreps) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:22:00 +0000

The bathroom is one of the first rooms you use in the morning and one of the last you visit at night. Bathrooms also tend to be the easiest and fastest to declutter, because they are the smallest rooms in the house. They’re faster to sort through, and the contents of a bathroom usually don’t have much emotional value, so it’s easier to let go of items you don’t need. Streamlining can have a huge impact on your morning and evening routines, because a simplified bathroom will make it easier to get ready in the morning and much more relaxing to get ready for bed at night.

Start by taking everything out of the cabinets, drawers and other storage areas, so you can see everything you have. Be ruthless about getting rid of items you don’t use, products and medications that are old or expired, products you don’t like, and excess products you can’t possibly use before they expire. New, unopened bath products that you won’t use can be donated, and old medication should be bagged separately for disposal by your pharmacy. If you have duplicate tools, such as hair brushes, curling irons, etc., choose the one you use the most, and decide whether you can get rid of the others or store them elsewhere (such as a spare hair dryer in a guest bathroom).

Separate items you’re currently using from new or extra products. Keep out only one cleanser, one body lotion, etc., and set the rest aside to create a storage spot to hold products until you run out and need another bottle. Many people open a new product before the first one is completely empty – either because they wanted to switch to a new scent/brand or because the old one is close to empty. Going forward, don’t start on a new product until the old one is finished. If you don’t like the old one, get rid of it, then open a new one. If you have a collection of half-full bottles of shampoo or lotion you can still use, consider combining them into one bottle. Half-used bottles of shampoo or body wash that you don’t like can also be used in the shower as a bath cleaner – just put a bottle in your shower along with a bath scrubber, and you can scrub down the shower quickly while you’re in there, without toxic fumes.

Create a storage area for your extra products, creating a “store” to shop from as you use up current items. An undersink cabinet or storage cabinet above a toilet works well for this, as does a separate linen closet or even an underbed storage container. Organize products by type so you can easily see what you have and what you’re out of. Going forward, don’t buy more product than you can easily store or use before the expiration date.

“Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul,” ~Yiddish proverb

For your daily products, group items according to function (shaving items, face products, hair products, etc.) and store loose objects in clear boxes or cups. I like storing items out of sight, in drawers and cabinets, using baskets or easy-to-clean plastic bins to corral like items. If you keep items on the counter itself, consider using a tray, which corrals products in a consistent space and is easy to move for cleaning the countertop. For make-up, try using two separate spaces for daily make-up and special occasion make-up – I have a stacking plastic organizer box where I keep my daily make-up in the top compartment and special occasion items in the second tier, so I don’t have to paw through everything when I only have a few minutes to get ready.

In the shower, use a caddie with enough space for all your necessities -- don't try to balance everything on the ledge of the tub or shower stall. Look for one with hooks to hang wet washcloths or razors, and a shelf for soap. Store only the products you’re currently using in the shower, and don’t open a new shampoo or soap until the old one is gone. Keep only your current razor with your toiletries – store extra blades away from the humidity so they don’t rust.

Cut back on the number of towels you have, and consider keeping only two sets of towels per person. Donate extras, and store guest linens (only one or two sets) in a separate location from your daily towels.

After purging expired medications, corral all your medications and first aid supplies and consider storing them in a locked cabinet, away from small children, and preferably outside the humid bathroom. We have a metal IKEA cabinet in our closet with a simple combination lock that is easy to get into in an emergency but keeps curious children safely out.

Tomorrow: How to Clean the Bathroom Quickly

This post is part of the Fresh Start Series, 31 days of tips and tricks to simplify in the new year.