Organized A to Z Blog has a new home!
Our new blog address is http://blog.organizedatoz.com/
All of the previous informative content is still available there.
Please update your bookmarks and don’t forget to update your site feeds! Thanks!
Tips For Tax Preparation
If you’re like most people, you’ve been procrastinating on getting your taxes done and are feeling the weight of it on your shoulders. If you don’t have any systems in place, the weight is even greater. Here are a couple of tips to make your tax preparation a little more bearable.
Receipts you don’t need to save: If you itemize your medical expenses, you may be trying to keep track of all those pesky prescription drug receipts. An easier way to deal with prescription receipts is to go to your pharmacy and ask for a printout of your 2009 year prescriptions. They can do one of each member of your family and the entire year will be calculated for you. Now you have one less thing to file all year long!
Tracking vehicle mileage: Most people aren’t real motivated to write down their milage every time they travel for a business or charity event. Here are a couple of other options you may find appealing. I write all my appointments down on my calendar (Lord knows I’d never be able to keep track of them all if I didn’t). At the end of the month, I add up my mileage with the assistance of my calendar and GPS. It takes me about 15-20 minutes to add it up for the month. Another option for technology lovers is downloading a mileage app like milebug to your phone. Milebug is available for iphones and costs $3.99.
Self purging folders: Most accountants agree that you need to save documentation and receipts for 7 years in case of an audit. Here’s an easy way to stay on top of that. Buy 7 identical poly expanding wallets . Using a label maker, label each one for 7 years. On the eighth year, pull the label off the first file and shred it’s contents. Replace with a new label and paperwork for the current year. Continue the process year after year.
Thanks to Organized A to Z partner Susan Stewart of Perfectly Placed for contributing this article!
We have a new home!
We’ve moved! Our new blog address is http://blog.organizedatoz.com/. All of the previous content, as well as new posts, is available there. Please update your bookmarks and site feeds. Thanks!
Organized A to Z.com Products Featured on Better Homes & Gardens’ Web site
Better Homes and Gardens’ Web site for kitchen and bath ideas has recommended three Organized A to Z.com products for kitchen storage.
“It’s exciting to see our products featured by Better Homes and Gardens,” said Kathy Jenkins, Professional Organizer and Owner of Organized A to Z.com. “This is nationally-recognized magazine that many people use as a resource when redecorating and reorganizing their homes. It’s an honor to have our products in the spotlight.”
The BG&H Kitchen and Bath Ideas Web site (www.kitchenbathideas.com) is featuring Organized A to Z.com’s Vertical Cabinet Dividers, Linus Pulz Turntable, and Recipe Nest. These items are also available at http://www.organizedatoz.com in the Kitchen category.
Organized A to Z.com is an online retailer that represents organizing and storage products to help simplify lives. Based in Richmond, Virginia, Organized A to Z.com offers over 1000 products to help consumers organize any room of their home or office.
Owner Kathy Jenkins is a residential professional organizer with Come To Order® and member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), focuses on choosing prod
ucts that are both stylish and functional. To shop for organizational and storage products to simplify your life, go to Organized A to Z.com at www.organizedatoz.com.
Versatile Chrome Pull-Out Organizer Hides Trash, Recycling, Composting
One of Organized A to Z.com’s featured products for February’s “Organize Your Kitchen” month is this ingenious chrome Pull-out Wastebasket Organizer made just for waste baskets. This is a super tool for concealing your trash can, yet making it easily accessible when you need it. The frame glides on a ball bearing design, and it extends fully outside the cabinet for easy basket removal.
Do you recycle? This is a great way to contain the clutter if you have to separate your glass, aluminum, and plastics. The organizer holds 6 gallon (24 qt), 8 gallon (32 qt), or two 8 gallon (32 qt) containers, so you can choose the size appropriate for your needs.
Another great use – composting! This is a super way to hide your composting bucket while still keeping it in a convenient location so you can use it when needed.
We’ve mentioned several uses for the kitchen, but this tool is also handy in the bathroom! Sure, you can use it for your bathroom waste basket, but it also provides a nice way to hide your dirty laundry. Simply place your clothes hamper in the organizer, and you can collect the clothing that needs washed without a cluttered floor.
With all of these great uses, you should probably buy two right away!
However you use it, we’re sure it will be the perfect addition to your organizing arsenal of tools. February is a great month to purchase it – you’ll save 10%! We also have several other types of pull-out cabinet organizers that may help you out. Be sure to check out our 11.5″ Sliding Organizer, Under Sink Sliding Organizer, 14.5″ Sliding Organizer, 20″ Extra Deep Sliding Organizer, and the chrome dividers that fit these organizers for the ultimate in organized kitchen cabinets!
Tips for Kitchen Organization
What does an organized kitchen look like? The first step is to take a look at what you have – cull out duplicates, old or broken items, things you don’t use, and tidy out drawers and cabinets. Once you have streamlined the contents of your kitchen, you can better organize what you have. There are so many organizing products on the market today that are specifically intended for kitchen organization.
Our 11.5" Chrome Sliding Cabinet Organizers is a Featured Product for February.
Consider where you could utilize cabinet pullouts, tiered racks, specialty holders, flatware trays, roll-out or swing-out racks, spring-loaded drawer dividers and other kitchen organizers to help maximize space.
In an efficient kitchen plan, the 3 most heavily used work areas should be laid out so that the lines that connect them form a triangle. Your kitchen may not be laid out this way, but you can still keep the rationale of keep-highly-used-things-nearby in mind. Put things near to where they are used. Cups, glasses, dishes, cutlery should be ideally located in the drawers and cupboards closest to the dishwasher. Pots and pans go beside the stove if possible. Gadgets go in the drawers right below the counter where prep work is done. Obviously it is not always possible to make these things happen based on space, kitchen configuration and storage, but it is worth examining.
Try our Fridge File to store extra papers that you need to keep close at hand.
Hang things up. Remember that any space you can use to hang something will free up flat space inside a cabinet or drawer. Move knives out of a drawer or a wood block by using a magnetic strip put on the wall to hang them. Get a magnetic sorter box to hang on the side of the fridge for coupons, takeout menus, a notepad and pen, and other papers that tend to accumulate on the countertops.
Another step to maximize kitchen organization is to manage frequently-cluttered areas. To better control freezer clutter, use plastic baskets in the freezer to hold like items such as frozen breakfast items or bagged side dishes and veggies. Reduce your inventory of empty plastic storage containers, and then separate lids from containers. Be realistic as you look at one-use gadgets and appliances – how often do you use them, and should they take up valuable cabinet space on a daily basis?
Remove original packaging whenever possible. Instead, use lidded food storage containers that are square or rectangular in shape (they are more space-efficient than round) for staples such items as flour, sugars, rice, chocolate chips, tea bags, and small bagged snacks for on-the-go. Having uniform, clear containers with labels on the top lid and on the side will make items easier to find. If you do need part of the original label or package, cut out and tape the directions or information onto the outside of the bin.
Our Linus Pulz Pantry Organizer works great for storing miscellaneous baking supplies a Kool-Aid packets.
Keep small packets (i.e. Jell-O, sauces, dip mixes) and miscellaneous baking supplies (cake decorating tubes, muffin cups, food coloring) together in a open plastic basket/bin, where it is easy to pull down the bin and pull out one of its contents.
Thanks to Organized A to Z.com partner Patty McPherson for contributing this article. Patty is the Owner of Orderly Manor® in Plymouth, MA (www.OrderlyManor.com). Orderly Manor provides organizing and redesign services for residential and small business clients. Patty is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, the American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners, and the Real Estate Staging Association.
The Kitchen – Family Central
The kitchen is the hub of family activity and is usually the best place to communicate with each other. It often becomes a dumping ground for mail, kids’ backpacks and accompanying school papers and projects, telephone messages, recipes, and other household junk.
Consider setting up a command central or message station where there is a place for all these various incoming (and outgoing) papers and objects. You can get as fancy or as simple as you like with this. I have two small magnetic baskets on my refrigerator – one holds keys and the other holds ID cards that are shared by family members (such as children’s gym membership and health insurance cards in case one or the other parent is not around at the time of visits to the gym or doctor). A family calendar is magnetically held to the refrigerator, as are resources and references for school and town information.
A desk under the telephone holds phone books, message pad paper, pens and other office supplies needed for leaving notes. A bulletin board holds kids’ artwork.
To cut down on the dirt in the house, there is a shoe rack just inside the door for family members to put their shoes and keep their slippers for a quick change when entering and exiting the house.
Thanks to Organized a to Z partner Amara Willey of Time to Get Organized for contributing this article!
De-clutter Your Kitchen for Divine Dining
My kitchen is always organized, but there’s always room for an update, too, as we all tend to accumulate things over time. I donated two large plastic bins of stuff to charity from my tiny kitchen! Here’s what I did so it will get you motivated to get going on your own kitchen de-cluttering campaign! Good Luck!
1. Open Sesame. I opened every single cupboard in my kitchen and if anything had a chip, it was put in a box to donate to charity. You can also use chipped pitchers for flowers or to water plants if you don’t want to get rid of them entirely and if the chip is small. Think how to re- purpose things as you go and then decide if they get donated, or stay for a new purpose.
Try our Under the Shelf Cup Holder to organize the coffee cups and mugs you keep!
2. So Long Set. If a piece of any set (three floral mugs instead of four, for example) was missing, out went the partial set. I could have used the mugs for pens on my office desk etc., but I already have some colorful mugs serving that function in my office so I hope someone else enjoys them on their desk!
3. White is Right. I’ve decided that other than our set of rose-motif antique china, I now only want to use white dishware and clear glasses and serving pieces and then use colorful napkins, placemats, tablecloths, and napkin rings to enhance my table setting. I like how nice food looks on crisp white plates and if a piece breaks, I can find another white piece to go with it easily even if it’s not an exact match; I actually like a mix of white and clear dishes with different textural designs. And it’s less expensive to update your table with new tablecloths, placemats, and napkin rings than to buy new sets of dishes.
4. Drastic Plastic. Too many plastic storage containers! Any that did not have lids or the lids did not fit, I donated. You can also re-use them in drawers etc. for separating small items like tealight candles, match books etc.
5. Let There Be Light. I went through all my candles and got rid of any that had wicks that were too short. I’ve decided that I’ll also only use white candles now for a nice uniform look, and I like to use different styles and sizes for a romantic twinkle when I entertain. I use unscented beeswax candles due to my scent allergies. I often put tealights in my antique stemmed juice glasses and set them all along my bookcases for a soft white ambiance.
6. Utensil Usage. I decided I don’t need three large meat forks! I only need one so the others went into the charity box. Ditto stray knives and duplicate measuring cups.
7. Recipe Reveal. Like most people, I sometimes tear recipes out of magazines and put them in clear sheet protectors
Our Recipe Nest is a great way to organize your favorite recipes, and it's a Featured Product for February!
and put them in a three-ring binder. I looked through the binder, and I decided if I haven’t made it by now, I probably won’t make it later. Trash time!
8. Bye Bye Bugs. I decided I really don’t need a hot pink mesh net contraption to cover food at a picnic in case of flies! In fact, my hubby reminded me that we seldom even have bugs in SoCal! He’s right! Bye bye pink mesh bug cover!
9. Crazy for Christmas. Out went the Christmas-motif salt and pepper shakers. White ones will do.
10. Vase Vanity. I’m lucky that people are kind enough to bring me flowers but after awhile the vases proliferate and are duplicates. My new rule for vases is clear or white, just like my dishware. Clean. Simple. Elegant.
If your kitchen cabinets are groaning from too many dishes and appliances, ask yourself if this is the style of entertaining and living that you still want to do today. If so, go for it! If not, why not donate your dishes and kitchen things you no longer want or need so that someone else can enjoy them? There’s a college student or budget-minded young couple setting up a new apartment who would love to have them!
As for me, I’m off now to set my table for breakfast tomorrow morning and I can’t wait to eat off my simple, but elegant, white dishes.
© 2009 by Kathryn Bechen, All Rights Reserved
Thanks to Organized A to Z.com partner Kathryn Bechen for contributing this article. Kathryn is an award-winning professional freelance writer for national home and garden magazines, regional wedding magazines, and creative entrepreneurs. Combining a B.A. degree in English and Education with a certificate in interior decorating, her biggest life passion is writing about order and beauty as a way to live one’s best life. She also enjoys writing and consulting for other professional organizers and interior decorators. Visit her Web site at www.kathrynbechenink.com.
Your Kitchen: The Hub of the Home
In today’s busy lifestyle our kitchens have truly become the hub of the home. We ask one room to perform in so many different ways. Not only do we prepare meals in our kitchens but many pay bills, manage kids school papers, help with homework, entertain, etc. No wonder entering this room can make us feel overwhelmed. But there is HOPE!
With just a few “tweaks” here and there you too can have a kitchen that functions for the way your family lives.
Try our What's For Dinner Meal Plan System!
Let’s start with the classic function of the kitchen – cooking. A great way to keep your pantry organized is to have a meal plan. Sound funny? Here is the reasoning. If you know what meals are planned you will know what ingredients you need on hand and will stock only these. This saves overloading your cupboards with a mish-mash of goods that don’t work to create a meal and saves your grocery bill because you won’t be buying items on a whim. You now have a plan and will buy only what is needed to make your meals. With this system you won’t find expired canned goods in the back of the pantry unused. Remember any wasted ingredient equals wasted money.
With your pantry cleared and stocked with only the ingredients you will use let’s talk about a few ways to keep it organized.
- Keep like items together. Create zones for canned goods, dry goods, baking items, snacks, paper products, small appliances, recycling, etc.
- Put items you use daily at eye level.
-
Our Linus Pulz Turntable works great and is a featured product this month. You can save money!
Create a lunch station. Use bins or baskets to organize all items used to prepare a sack lunch. With a quick visit to the lunch station your child can pack his/her own lunch.
- Use every inch of possible storage space by using a turntable in a corner cupboard or adding an extra shelf or under shelf basket in a cupboard.
- If your pantry has a door use an over the door rack to add even more storage.
- Remove goods that come in a bag to a container with rigid sides. This allows you to store vertically and you won’t have items falling all over your shelves.
- If you store crackers, pop tarts, granola bars, etc in their original box tear off the top flaps. No one ever closes the top anyway; this way you will create a more organized appearance.
- If you want to go all the way label, label, label. This helps family members get things back to where they belong and won’t leave mom with all the responsibility.
Well we’ve tackled the pantry. How are your kitchen counters looking? They may need more TLC than the pantry. With the kitchen being the hub of the home our counters collect dishes, appliances, keys, paper work, backpacks, electronics and more.
Here are a few quick tips to keep your counters clear of clutter.
- Choose only 1 or 2 appliances you use daily to keep on the counter. Store others in the pantry or appliance garage.
- Load the dishwasher after each meal. Store everyday dishes near the dishwasher for easy unloading.
- Have a basket for each family member and fill with belongings that found there way to the kitchen counter. Try this rule – by bedtime baskets must be emptied.
- Install hooks for backpacks, coats and keys
-
Try our Faux Leather Charging Station
Have a charging station for electronics; store bought or homemade is fine too.
- Give that paper a home. Create a master binder. This binder will contain all things paper. From school hot lunch menus to party invitations, dance class schedule to book order forms. Use dividers to categorize for each child and or event and place all those important papers in one place. The next time you need to reference an important paper you’ll know right where to find it.
As you work to organize your multi-tasking kitchen remember that it is a process – but one with HOPE! Every step you take is moving you closer to conquering that clutter. Commit to one small step a day and watch the hope return. You can do it!
Thanks to Organized A to Z Partner Kara DeBord for contributing this article. Kara is a professional organizer in Mid-Michigan and the founder of Organize with Hope. Her heart for organization is not about making a home picture perfect; it’s about setting up systems to make the client efficient so they can spend time on things that matter. With encouragement and ingenuity she brings hope to a client’s home. Visit her site at www.organizewithhope.com.
February’s Storage Plan – Tackle Your Kitchen!
For our monthly organizing project, the month of February will focus on your kitchen. We have several items that will make kitchen organization much easier for you, but remember to create a system that will work for you. Below are a few tips. 
You can accomplish them all in one afternoon, or set a goal to complete one task each week. By the end of the month, you’ll have a neat and clutter-free kitchen that fits your lifestyle!
- Start by cleaning out those drawers! Remove utensils and other items that you don’t use and place them in a box that you will donate to a local charity.
Use drawer dividers and sectioned trays to help keep silverware and kitchen tools easy to see and grab when you need them. - Next, tackle the cupboards! Throw away outdated food and spices, and use expandable shelf organizers and risers to keep items within reach. We love our Bamboo Expandable Step Shelf! It adjusts to fit in any size of cupboard and promotes an efficient use of space by allowing you to use the back of your cupboards without burying items.
- Saving receipts? You can easily organize these in a pocket photo album, accordion file divided by month, or in a binder with sheet protectors. The same concept works for user manuals for your appliances and smaller kitchen tools as well.
- Take advantage of the surface space on your refrigerator! Use a dry erase board to track schedules, write notes, or record phone messages. Purchase a magnetic basket to store pens, pencils, paper, and even freezer tape. This gives you easy access when labeling items that you place in your freezer.
Let us know your tricks and tips that help you organize your kitchen. We love to share with our readers, and you’re sure to help out someone who has the same organizing goals that you have. Leave a comment or send your tips to [email protected]. Happy Kitchen Organizing!
Organized A to Z.com BLOG 
