Last Week’s Cold-Apalooza Tested My Mug Math (Duplicates) Theory

A recent gift from a beloved friend,

Apparently, we eat a lot of foods out of mugs.

During last week’s Cold-Apalooza (coined by my client J.!),  we dirtied ALMOST all the mugs on the mug shelf.

All 5 of us were home, stuck inside and quite snacky.  There was coffee, of course. Tea.  Soup.  Hot Chocolate.  Brownies-in-a-mug (yes, that’s a thing).  Ice cream.  You get the picture.

Yep, we used ALMOST all the mugs on the mug shelf (approx. 14), but we didn’t run out.   So we have ENOUGH, but NOT TOO MANY.  Perfect.

If you have attended one of my presentations, you have probably heard me mention “Mug Math”.   “Mug Math” is a funny (in presentations, funny=memorable) tool we use to help folks determine just how many of a certain something they really need.

We  discuss Duplicates in the context of clearing clutter.  In my presentation, it goes something like this:

“Let’s talk about Duplicates. As in, how many duplicate items do you really need? For example, ‘Mug Math’.”
(quizzical looks from some, nervous chuckling from others)

“How many people in my house drink coffee?”
(I hold up one finger and then point it at myself)

“How many cups a day does she drink?”
(I hold up two fingers, but then say as an aside, I use the same cup.)

“How often does she run the dishwasher?”
(Every other day.)

Then we conclude with “I NEED 4 mugs, but of course I have more than 4 mugs.”

“But do I have 40?  Um, no.”  Not even if I count the ones on the very top shelf with the good dishes.

“And do I have to see all of them all the time?  Certainly not.”   I do NOT need to dedicate an entire cabinet to a type of item that I only use 5 or 6 of regularly.

My recently purchased Carbon Leaf 25 mug.

So, I am happy to announce that our Mug Math works, even in extreme circumstances. We certainly could have washed some out, but I digress.  I probably could purge more, or store them elsewhere, but I like variety and I have the space on my shelf for the approximately 12″x 12″ (one shelf, one cabinet door wide) footprint the everyday mugs take up.

The question is, of course… in what other areas of our home or office can we apply “Mug Math”? Let’s reframe it as “Towel Math”, instead.  How many sets of towels do you need? How many dirty people will ever need clean towels in your house at the same time?  Assuming regular laundry habits, we don’t need dozens of towels.

How Many of the following items are enough?  How many are TOO MANY?!  Like mugs and bath towels and… (with some help from my FB friends)

  • t-shirts
  • old sneakers for “yard work”
  • charging cords
  • crayons and cups full of pencils, pens or markers (JF, LK, JB!)
  • reading glasses
  • drinking glasses (thanks AR!) of every type
  • dish towels
  • sofa blankets (thanks KM!)
  • storage containers (thanks SM and MW!)
  • jackets (thanks SRC and SM!)
  • kitchen items like pizza cutters, potato peelers, measuring spoons, meat thermometers (thanks, MC!)
  • craft supplies, school supplies (JF, VB!)
  • cleaning supplies
  • handbags, wallets, wristlets
  • fat cells (thanks, CK!)
  • clothes in off sizes (SW!)
  • Tweezers, nail clippers, eyelash curlers… WHY??????? (thanks, KB!)

So what to do about it?!

  • Ask the tough questions and do your own mug math!  How many is enough, and how many is too many?
  • If you never get to the bottom of the piles, you don’t need all of what is in the pile!
  • Consider what you will actually use!
  • Stick with your favorites!
  • Stop buying more, and make sure to rotate your inventory!

So, if the cold is keeping you inside this week, look around and see where you can apply some Mug  Math, too!

Organize Your De-Decorating! (Is that even a word? It is now!)

I wrestled three Christmas trees from their stands and into storage or out the door last week.  Only one was mine.  This time of year, I spend a lot of time helping my clients put holiday stuff away.  We de-decorate, de-forest, call it what you would like.  Let me share tips I have learned!

  1. Create a First Out, Last In box.  Our FO/LI box holds the decor items that come out around December 1:  Advent Wreath, Christmas card display ribbon and basket, countdown calendars, table runners and our Creche and lights.  These are the first items we put out in December, and also the items that stick around through the holiday season and are last to put away (hence the name).  It is easily distinguishable in the crawl space, and always on top of the pile of containers.
  2. This is one of the few times I will say this – Cardboard is not your friend.  Plastic is your friend. My husband and I were reminiscing about our childhood holiday decor.  He has clear memories of putting away the cardboard boxes in the garage rafters every year.  Sometimes that works, but sometimes it doesn’t!  Plastic is better for long-term storage.  It’s sturdier, water and bug resistant, stack-able and reusable.  Bonus – lots of home improvement stores have plastic containers on sale right now!
  3. Choose your themes, and pack accordingly.  Choose to store your decor by room (meaning, all the items you display on the mantle or in the dining room go in the same box) or by type (meaning, all the snow globes go in the same box, regardless of where they are displayed).  This is your choice to make, but please make it.  Putting away this year and unpacking next winter will go much more smoothly!
  4. Purge now, not later.  Any decor items you didn’t use this year – Why didn’t you?  Is it broken? Outdated? Not looking too great? These characteristics will not change, so you may need to purge these items.  If you rotate your decor annually, and your stuff looks fine but just didn’t make the cut this year, go ahead and keep it.
  5. If your decor is already neatly stored away, there are still a few things you can do to make the process go more smoothly next time!
    • Label  EVERYTHING.  Make your life easier next December, and label everything clearly this year.  Maybe, just maybe, people will even be able to help you since stuff is easy to find and access… (maybe).  And if your labels never stick, try this:
      Post-IT Note + Sharpie + Clear Packing Tape = a label that will actually stay on.
    • Leave yourself some notes fir next year!  What worked? What did not? What was a hit with the family? I’ve made lots of notes of “favorite cookies” that I make, so I can spread the cookie love as a surprise come next December.

Happy DeDecorating!

About Spices (So many bad puns I could make, but won’t)

Do you have an area of your house that you’re really proud of?  That you like so much that occasionally you think it should have it’s own spotlight or theme song?  

Ok, maybe that’s just me.  But today that area of my home is my spice drawer.  A small project with a big impact, one that makes me happy when I see it and makes my life and cooking easier.

Need to get a handle on your spices, just in time for holiday baking and feasts?  Here’s how!

Sort what you have:

  • Clean off a counter.
  • Collect your spices from all the places you have them stashed in the kitchen and pantry.
  • Line them up on the counter and put them in alphabetical order.  Trust me on this one.  Many kitchens have at least a few duplicates, 2 or 3 jars of the same spices.

Get rid of spices past their prime: 

  • Once you know what spices you have on hand and how many, review what you have to determine if some of the spices are no longer spicy.
  • Ever wonder how long spices last?  A quick google search yielded a lot of information!  The cooking and spice websites seemed to agree:
    • whole spices can last 4 years;
    • ground spices last 3-4 years;
    • dried leafy herbs can last from 1-3 years (color is an indicator, too – herbs usually are green, even when dried, but can turn brown with age!); and
    • extracts are good for 3-4 years, except for vanilla which can last longer.
  • One website suggested that you can just use more of an older spice or herb to make up for lost flavor from age but that could get confusing!  If you open the jar and don’t strongly smell the spice, it’s time for it to go.
  • Make a list of spices you purge, so you know what you may need to replace.  Keep in mind, some items are seldom used, so you don’t have to replace those until you need them again.  However, if you tossed the black pepper or basil, replace them soon!

Decide where and how to keep your spices:

  • Store your herbs and spices in a spot convenient for cooking but not next to or above a heat source.  Prolonged heat will ruin the flavor and aroma of spices and herbs.
  • My spices are in a drawer near (but not too close) to my stove.  I have this great insert for my drawer, seen here from a side view.  Unfortunately, I’ve had it so long that I can’t find an exact replacement.  I found something similar to this on a quick Amazon search, for “spice drawer organizer insert”
  • A client who bakes –  a lot! – had a basket of savory herbs and spices (curry, basil, oregano) and a basket of sweet spices (cinnamon, nutmeg,
    baking extracts) in her cabinet so she could grab what she needed depending on her task at hand.
  • Of course, there is the lazy susan option, a great idea for all those little bottles.  Sometimes the spices fall over like bowling pins, but this is option improves visibility.  

Maintain the system:

  • Buy big spice containers (often cheaper per ounce) and share with friends or family!  I love shopping at Costco, but their containers are huge!  Vanilla extract lasts forever, and we use a lot of cinnamon, so those are two items I buy in large sizes.
  • Consider growing your own herbs. Even just a pot on the windowsill can keep you in basil for a long time!  (I love my basil, oregano and lavender plants!)

This little project can reap big benefits!  Give it a whirl this week!

What To Do With All These Storage Containers?!

I’ve gotten some questions about food storage containers, for example…

  • What to do with them?
  • How to store them?
  • Where in the world did all of these come from?
  • Where are all the lids (or bases!)?
  • Sound familiar?

I hope you all had a chance to take advantage of National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day last week!  If you browsed through your fridge last week, perhaps you now have clean and empty containers to put away (or perhaps the contents were so very nasty, the container went out as well!).

However… perhaps you are one of many people who cannot put more storage containers away because the cabinet space or drawer you have dedicated to storage containers is full to overflowing…

Or…. maybe you don’t have a space dedicated to storage containers, and that creates a different problem!

Let’s figure this out, friends!  And for the sake of brevity, I will just call them “storage containers”, regardless of plastic, glass, ceramic, etc.

First Things First, clear off a counter for this little project.

Open all the cabinet doors, drawers and pantry and collect all the storage containers (bottoms and lids) scattered through out your space.

Sort bottoms and tops by shape and then size.  You should end up with a pile of round bottoms and lids, a pile of square bottoms and lids, rectangle bottoms and lids, etc.

Once your sizes and shapes are sorted, match up bottoms and tops.  This step can be very entertaining and / or frustrating, when you realize you have 20 bottoms and no tops, or 17 tops and 2 bottoms, etc.

And once you have started sorting and matching up items, it will start to become apparent which items need to go and which can stay.  Stained, cracked, warped or mis-matched items can go.   Re-used butter tubs or yogurt bowls?  Yes.  Go.

Seriously?  Those items are not manufactured to be re-used.  Yes, go.

Now, if you have to part with a lot of your containers because of wear and age, DO NOT run right out and buy the same amount to replace them.

If you want to purchase new items, or make the switch to glass containers, slowly transition out your old containers.

 

Ask your self:

  • Do you really need as many containers as you had?  Have you ever had every container in use?  Has the cabinet every been empty?  IF not, you have too many!
  • Slowly determine what you really need, and only purchase new storage when you really need it.
  • To really streamline the process, consider using only one or two sizes or styles of containers. These to the right are our favorite.  Stackable with a good seal for freezing, storing and transporting liquids.  Perfect for meal planning.  (2 cup size, Ziploc brand).  We use them for everything!  We have a few other sizes and types, but these are definitely my go-to!


Decide on a home for your storage containers,
and let the folks who live in your house know where you put them!  Make sure the home is convenient and easy to reach.  As you put your containers away, consider how to store them to make life simpler!

Perhaps you could try a container for your containers, so you don’t have to worry about stacking them! (see picture to the right!)

I use an empty storage container to corral the lids to all the other containers!

Or how about storing them matched up, to make it easier to find them?

Whatever you choose,  tuck them away and close the door on this quick but satisfying project.  And if you’re hosting Thanksgiving this week, you will be the best hostess on the block if you have your storage containers ready to send home left overs with your guests!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

 

 

My November and December Planning Hour

I have a marketing calendar, and that calendar told me I’m supposed to be writing about cleaning out your garage to get your car under cover before it snows (per the forecast, that could be as soon as this Thursday).  However…

I just can’t seem to wrap my head around that this morning.  Instead, my mind is working through the questions I asked in last week’s newsletter, finding clarity and focus around:

  • November / Thanksgiving
  • Christmas
  • Finishing the current year with a flourish, and
  • Starting the New Year strong.

So, what does this look like?  This morning,

  • I … Thought and planned.  This morning is about thinking and planning, and once the plan is in place, I will start taking care of tasks.  TIP:  But planning comes first!

  • I … Added events to the calendar, like fundraisers and concerts for the high school, exams and travel plans for the college students.  TIP:  Add events now to avoid double booking dates moving forward, but also to notice any snags that need resolved now instead of in a month.  Much better to resolve issues now!

  • I …  “Sent out ships.” That is what my friend Jan calls it when we send out requests or notifications via email or text, and then wait for a reply.  There are a number of events coming up, with lots of people involved who need to be part of the decision making, so I sent out emails to family members, clients, network partners and fellow ministers this morning.  TIP: Communicate with family and friends this week about upcoming events! Even if we don’t receive immediate answers, at least the conversation is started!

  • I … Looked around my house and updated my Project list:  this past weekend, we (ok, mostly my awesome hubby and youngest son) cleaned up the yard, the deck and garage to get ready for Fall / Winter.  Next weekend, we need to look INSIDE the house and make a plan around any minor house projects we need to complete before holiday hosting happens in December. TIP: Update that project list NOW while there is still time to accomplish your tasks!

  • I …   Took care of business, confirming clients and speaking engagements for this week and this month, and did a little bookkeeping.

  • TIP:  Kept the rest of life in mind, as well.  The HOLIDAYS can become all consuming if we let them.  We have to keep the rest of our day to day life moving along, too, though: Work, wellness, sleep, grocery shopping and house cleaning and bill paying, school, ministries, etc. Sooo….
    • TIP: Now is a great time to make wellness appointments:  check ups, dentist and eye doctor for college students over holiday break, etc.
    • TIP: Make your house services appointments now, too.  Call the carpet cleaner, plumber or painter now, so you aren’t left in a bind if you call in December and they can’t fit you in.
    • TIP: Find some short cuts or outsource regular tasks like grocery shopping when you can!

I challenge you to invest an hour today or this week that will save you many hours of stress and anxiety in the next few weeks!  Grab your planner and your laptop and take a good look around to see where you can set yourself up to succeed!

Deep, Philosophical Towel Questions…

Towels.  Have we ever chatted about towels?  We should.  These underappreciated workhorses in our homes get used all day every day, without a thought.  So let’s think about towels.  There are deep and philosophical towel questions like:

  • How many is too many?
  • How old is too old?  Do you need a rag bag?
  • How often should you wash them?
  • Does every one get their own towel?
  • How should you store them in the closet?
  • How should you store them in the bathroom?

How Many is Too Many?

If you are asking if you have too many towels, the answer is probably Yes.

In my organizing classes, I talk about Towel Math.  How many of certain items, like bath towels or coffee mugs, do we really need?  How many dirty people will ever be showering in your home at one time?  This is an extreme example, I know, but it helps us realize that most of us have WAY too many towels.  Bath towels, beach towels, kitchen towels, hand towels, etc.

Our linen closets are full to bursting.  Even if we did catch up on all the laundry, there is no room to put all the towels away.  Sound familiar?

Let’s talk about where to get rid of towels.  If they’re in good shape, consider sharing them with a friend or college student , or selling them.  Donate clean old towels to your local animal shelters (old bedding and t-shirts, too), like PAWS in Tinley Park.

How Old Is Too Old? 

Review the status of your towels.  Can you see daylight through them?  Are they stained, discolored?  Would you offer them to a guest? Do they match anything in the house?

Our oldest towels graduate to Dog Towel status.  Keep in mind, we have not owned a dog since 2007, but we still call them dog towels.  And instead of being used to dry off the dog after a bath (hence the name), now they mop up large spills, dry cars, line boxes for moving stuff, etc.  To cut down on confusion, once an old towel is relegated to dog towel status, mark it with a Sharpie on one corner with an X, or cut a corner out of the fabric, and then store them where they are needed, like on a laundry room shelf and not back in the linen closet with the actual people towels.  Also, set a limit for the number of dog towels you have.  We want the oldest dog towels purged as new ones arrive, too.

“How old is too old?” leads to the Rag Bag question.

Do you need a rag bag? 

No.  Seriously? Just No.

We may dedicate a “rag bag”, but few people actually use their rag bags.  Towels, t-shirts, random fabrics pieces – all end up in the rag bag but nothing EVER COMES OUT.  The bags sit and mold and take up space without accomplishing anything.

Perhaps a rag pile (no more than 10), or a ventilated rag bucket?  No bag.  Trust me on this one. And if you really plan to use them again, don’t call them rags. Call them cleaning cloths or painting cloths, or anything BUT rags.

Better still, invest in microfiber cloths, re-use and wash them a MILLION times, and ditch the rags all together.

How Often Should I Change / Wash Towels? 

I know folks all over the towel spectrum, between “Wait, I’m supposed to wash my bath towels?” to “I use a new towel every time I take a shower.”  As in all things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

If you google the “Wash how often?” question, the leading answer is ‘after 3 or 4 uses’.  Bath towels need a chance to dry out before being used again, but can be re-used a few times before washing.

Dish towels and hand towels, on the other hand (pun intended), should be changed every day.

And PLEASE – every body gets their own bath towel.  Just because, you know, ewwwww…

How To Fold Towels? 

This was a conversation early in our marriage, as each of our families fold towels differently.  I come a “fold in thirds down the long edge, then folded three times so it fits on the shelf AND easily hangs on the towel rod” family.

My husband came from a “a half across the short edge and then half  again, so they fit better on the hall closet shelf” family.

Then there is the popular “rolled” approach…

I’m not going to tell you how to fold your towel, but I suggest you pick a way and be consistent, so your stacks look and work better.  I still hold to the triple / triple fold, because it fits my towel shelf best.  Take your pick, just be consistent.

Finally, How To Store Towels In Use?

Remember, ventilation is key for towel storage.  A wet heap – whether it’s a dish towel, bath towel  or beach towel – serves no one well.  So, make sure your towels get some air.  I love the standard towel rod, but space becomes tight if more than 2 people use a bathroom.

A towel hook works, and can be personalized to hold each person’s towel.

You can also set up an over the door towel rack, either in the bathroom or in a bed room,  for good ventilation and storage!

Just make sure the towels get hung up and the hooks get used!

I bet you didn’t know there were so many towel questions to ask! (Neither did I, until I started to writing!)  But show your towels some love this week, purge the old and take care of the good!

300 Words About Gift Wrapping, Then We All Have Things to Do

300 words about Gift Wrapping.  Keeping it brief, since we all have things to do.

During high school and college breaks, I worked at a a great local Hallmark chain, Don’s Card Hut in Kalamazoo, MI.  Much to my delight,  I could spend my whole shift this time of year just wrapping gifts for customers!

So I know a few things, let me share…

  1.  DO NOT WAIT UNTIL CHRISTMAS EVE!
  2. Set up a folding / banquet table today, and plan to leave it up for a few days (this may be the only time I will ever say this.).  Mine is in the basement.
  3. Collect your wrapping tools (tape, scissors, pens, etc.) and place them in a shallow container on the table.  Expect to misplace them as you wrap, but at least you will start strong!
  4. Gather the gifts you have bought for your loved ones.  This step provides an opportunity to check your gifts so far, and make plans for finishing your shopping (SOON!!).
  5. Match up the gifts with the necessary wrap. Inventory your supplies, factoring in additional wrap for the gifts you haven’t bought yet and for the wrapping needs of anyone living in your house (they WILL be wrapping on Christmas Eve.)
  6. Go shopping for your gift bags / wrapping paper / tissue paper / gift tags / ribbons, etc.
  7. Get wrapping!  Do not wait!
  8. If you have multiple destinations, set up and label boxes near your wrapping area for each destination, and add your wrapped items as you go (For example, “Christmas with my family in Michigan”, “Christmas Eve”, etc. ).
  9. Collect the receipts for purchased items. Keep yours in a labeled envelope for Just In Case.  Place the gift receipts for each household in their own envelope with the family name on them, and plan to hand the envelope off to that household when you exchange gifts.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Even Santa Knows, Lists Can Be Naughty or Nice

The List.

I love lists.  Lists can be powerful productivity tools.  Or they can just be words on a page.  I want my lists to work for me.  So I turn my lists into Action Plans with a few simple steps.

Let’s turn that jumbled bunch of ideas into a list and then a useful, manageable Action Plan!

I worked with a client last week.  We were scheduled to work on a couple of projects, but when I arrived, she mentioned that what would really help her to feel organized was to plan for an upcoming brunch she was hosting for family.  She said she always got anxious about hosting big meals, and she really just wanted to enjoy her family this time!  Her goal was to be done and  leisurely sipping a cup of coffee 30 minute before the guests arrived.

Here is what we did:

Write it all down.   ALL OF IT.

Is your brain full?  Of thoughts and ideas and to-do’s, Oh My!

Every once in a while, I sit down and get all the thoughts and ideas and tasks out my head and down on paper.  I used to call this activity a Brain Dump, but that seemed inelegant, so my friend Jen came up with “Cranial Cleansing”.   This is a very useful activity!

Write it all down, don’t bother to edit.  Just get it all out.  And “write it all down” could also be “makes notes on your computer or smart phone or Ipad”.  I use either my Bullet Journal (by hand) or Evernote (technology) for such things!

With my client, we started with the notes she had already jotted down.  We added a lot more items, without editing, just adding them to the list!

The list included:

  • clean the house;
  • iron the napkins;
  • hang the wreath;
  • take the Christmas decoration storage bins downstairs;
  • organize the holiday storage closet;
  • make the breakfast casseroles using her mom’s special recipe;
  • set the table;
  • wash the china and wine glasses;
  • decorate the Christmas tree;
  • make the grocery list;
  • go to the grocery;
  • pick up champagne and other beverages;
  • get the table linen cleaned and pressed;
  • take back returns;
  • put appetizer trays together;
  • print up the Christmas photo and keepsake poem;
  • buy the paper to print up the photo and poem;
  • make or purchase desserts;
  • put together the salad;
  • clean the garage.

Make a Not Today or Not Now List.

A few items on my client’s list, like “Clean the Garage” and “Organize the Holiday Closet”, are good and worthwhile projects but were not necessary to the success of the Holiday Brunch.  So we put them on the “Not Right Now” list, and focused on the work in front of us!

Enlist Aid.  What can be delegated?

Fortunately, this client hires cleaning people a couple times a month, and they were scheduled for the next day.  Also, she and her husband would be home together on Saturday, and he had offered to take care of some of the errands.

Realistic Time Estimates.

This looks like a very long and overwhelming list, I know.  But when you start to break it down, most of these tasks are actually pretty short and to the point.  So we assigned time estimates to them all, so we could be more objective.

Assign a Day, sticking with your strengths.

As we worked on the list, my client mentioned she had a full day of work the next day, so we didn’t put too many tasks on that day (Friday).  Also, she likes to go to the grocery around 8 pm, as it tends to be empty that time of night.  So we worked with those details!

So, after the above steps were applied, our Action Plan looked something like this:

THURSDAY:

  • (Thursday, 10 minutes) hang the wreath
  • (Thursday, 10 minutes) take the Christmas decoration storage bins downstairs
  • (Thursday, 20 minutes) make the grocery list
  • THURSDAY ERRANDS:
    • (Thursday, 10 minutes) drop off table cloth to be pressed
    • (Thursday, 30 minutes) buy the paper to print up the photo and poem

FRIDAY:

  • (Friday, Cleaning team) clean the house
  • (Friday or Saturday, 30 minutes) print up the Christmas photo and keepsake poem
  • FRIDAY ERRAND
    • (Friday evening, 90 minutes with putting away) go to the grocery;

SATURDAY:

  • (Saturday, 45 minutes) make the breakfast casseroles using her mom’s special recipe
  • (Saturday or Sunday, 20 minutes) put appetizer trays together
  • (Any day, picked Saturday, 10 minutes) iron napkins
  • SATURDAY ERRANDS (husband will run):
    • (Saturday, 10 minutes) pick up table cloth; cleaned and pressed
    • (Saturday, 30 minutes) bakery to purchase desserts
    • (Saturday, 30 minutes) pick up champagne and other beverages

SUNDAY:

  • (Sunday morning,  20 minutes) wash the china and wine glasses
  • (Sunday morning, 15 minutes) set the table
  • (Sunday morning, 20 minutes) put together the salad

Not Now List: 

  • take back returns;
  • clean the garage
  • organize the holiday storage closet;

We spent a little time and effort at the beginning, turning jumbled thoughts into a solid, easy to follow and completely manageable action plan!  What was really great was that once we completed this process, which was quick and easy and painless, we had time to tackle some of the items on her list!

How can you apply these steps to a current project?  Give it a try!

(P.S., I texted the client this afternoon to see how the brunch went, I’ll let you know her response next week!)

To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
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Save Time and $$: Stop Running Errands (Over and over and over…)

Perhaps you love running errands.  Maybe you love shopping.  I love neither.

I detest errands and shopping.  The expense, hassle and time spent.  But, of course, there are items  – food, clothing, supplies, etc. – that I need for my family, our home and my business.  Errands and shopping are a necessary evil.

I have been pondering how to spend less time, money and hassle on running errands and shopping.  I’ve talked to a lot of people also working on the same challenge, and we’ve learned a lot from each other!

Why Change Your Shopping and Errand Running Ways?  Here are a few examples of why:

  • I want to make more client time available in my schedule which means streamlining some recurring errands and tasks.
  • A friend travels for work, and is looking to streamline the household errands and shopping to spend more time together with family on weekends.
  • A client has chronic health problems that make shopping or running errands difficult, and lugging supplies into the house nearly impossible.

How to Change Your Ways:

  1. Answer the questions:  What tasks / errands do you regularly run?
    Grocery or groceries, cleaners, coffee, bakery, post office, bank, pharmacy?
  2. Pay Attention:  For a week, take note of Where Your time Goes.
    Are you running off to the same place multiple times in a week?  A couple of grocery runs, dropping off cleaning, a handful to trips to the ATM or bank?
  3. Which of those tasks / errands / places could you complete less often?  Just once weekly, or even monthly?
  4. If you HAVE to run errands, bundle what you can.  I bundle the Errands I absolutely have to run onto one morning per week. I don’t need to run them more than once a week.  These may include: the cleaners to drop off and pick up; gas up my van; drop off donations for myself or for clients; or in-person banking if necessary.

More Importantly, what Errands could you eliminate entirely?  This week, I asked my FB community: “What is one regular errand you have been able to outsource or delete?”

 

Groceries / Household Supplies:

  • Scan-n-Go app for Sam’s club has been a major game changer. My husband and kids even come with me now that I don’t have to wait in that line! (KB)
  • Mariano’s click list I order my groceries online call them from the parking lot and they load my groceries in the trunk. They even give me 2 free cookies. (ND)
  • Love Peapod! Use them almost exclusively because I do not like grocery shopping. (KK)
  • InstaCart app (favorite groceries will deliver!) (BK/CK)
  • Amazon Fresh for groceries when I don’t have time to go. (MK, KB)
  • Amazon Prime Pantry for cleaning supplies, toiletries and paper products delivered monthly (NR, DCD, MK, LB)
  • Amazon for lots of little purchases, saving time, gas, and most importantly, aggravation. (LB)
  • Melaleuca.com, my first foray into home delivered household supplies!  (Me!!)

Gifts / Cards:

  • Gift giving. Sending an electronic gift card to out-of-town family saves me 1.) having to go to the store to search for a gift, and 2.) having to wrap and make a trip to the USPS to mail said gift. (JB)
  • Send out cards for sending g thank you cards and such. You can even attach gifts. (MK)

Errands:

  • I reserve my library books online. That way, despite having to go pick it up my reads at the library, they are at least waiting for me at the circulation desk, and I don’t need to search for them in the stacks. I guess true outsourcing for this would be using an e-book for reading on a Kindle or Nook. 
  • Mail-order prescriptions in 3-month supplies. No more long lines at the pharmacy! (MJS)
  • I have Chewy.com deliver my 30 lb bag of dog food every 5 weeks and I get great reminder emails when they are ready to ship the next box. I can move the auto ship out another week if they still have food or ship immediately if they are almost out. No more trips to the pet store to break my back on dog food. (AB)
  • Mobile banking is a big timesaver.  (LB) 
  • Chase quick pay and deposit (BO)
  • Auto pay for bills. (MK)
  • Stitch Fix (Me!!!):  I just received my third monthly Stitch Fix. This is an on-line styling and shopping website that sends me an great outfit every month based on my own preferences.  I can choose to keep as many of the items they send or none at all.  For this self-proclaimed non-shopper, this is GOLD!!
  • Target.com (Me!!) I shop at Target every other week for household items like paper goods, toiletries and cleaning supplies.  Amazon Pantry doesn’t carry a few of the items we regularly buy, so recently, I set up my on-line account at Target.com, paid with my Target Red Card credit card for free shipping, and received my first shipment.  They were delivered to my door.  It was beautiful.

So, in the interest of saving time, money and hassle, what errands are you willing to outsource or delete entirely?!  Let’s Go!

Kitchen Upgrades Without a Remodel

We spent our summer with a Kitchen Remodel Project.  I say I spent my summer with it because

it was my constant companion.  Most days, amidst working and family and living our lives, I was also planning / orchestrating / cleaning or occasionally waiting for activities centered on the Kitchen, and by extension, my office.  No summer va-ca for this girl.

HOWEVER,
IT
LOOKS
AMAZING!
We are so glad we undertook this project this summer!  The happiness outweighs the now dimming memories of washing dishes in the bathroom sink (also where the coffee maker lived for 3 weeks), the refrigerator in the corner of my dining room for 12 weeks, the lack of a home offices for 3 months while I still ran a business from home, etc..  But I digress.
What I really want to share with you are the Parts of the New Kitchen that Have Improved our Days! (and how to achieve similar benefits without a kitchen remodel).  There are many more than 5 things that we LOVE about the new kitchen, but this is a good start!
  1. Under-cabinet lighting!  This is truly a game changer.  In the Old Kitchen, we had ceiling track lighting.  As soon as we stood at a counter to work on food prep or anything else, we would block our own task lighting.  The under-cabinet lighting makes the whole kitchen GLOW, while providing task lighting any where we need it!  This is a simple upgrade. You can purchase ropes of LED lighting that simply plug in at any home improvement store.

  2. Clear counters.  Our counters were always clear before, but now that they are also beautiful, I am truly loath to leave anything on them.  One of my favorite (and cheap) purchases to complete the project was this dish drain that fits over the smaller side sink and can be easily slid over or rolled away (Amazon.com, ILifetech Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack).

  3. Zones.  Inspired by hotel stays and our occasional house guests, I now have a breakfast station.  My coffee maker lives on this small counter, along with the fresh fruit basket and napkins. In addition, the cabinet above houses breakfast bars and Pop Tarts (my sons’ quick breakfasts of choice), our daily vitamins and supplements, the toaster, and coffee / tea / hot chocolate supplies, etc.

  4. Cabinets that reach to the ceiling. Our old cabinets ended about a foot from the ceiling.  The tops were dusty, and storing stuff up there looked cluttered, so we never used the space. If you don’t want to remodel, you can also re-imagine how you use your cabinets.  Use the bottom shelf or 2 for daily use items, the middle shelf for items you use once a week, and the top shelves for items you use less often but would still like to keep accessible.

  5. Our SUPER QUIET new dishwasher.  Our kitchen opens into our family room, so the quiet dishwasher has made relaxing in the evening much easier.  You can achieve the same quiet results by running your dishwasher when you’re not around, either while you’re sleeping or at work.
    There are more kitchen remodel tales to tell, most of them good, and all of them with a happy ending!  But spend some time in your kitchen this week, and think about how you can make small changes with big, positive impact!