Category: Organizing for Mom

How to Break the “Just One More Thing” Habit

This is not what I had planned to write about this week, but readers asked for More! when I admitted in last week’s newsletter that I had and also conquered my tendency for “Just One More Thing!”.

You know, “Just One More Thing!”? As in … we need to leave in 5 minutes, of course I have time to write 3 emails, or start a load of laundry, or make one more phone call.

Perhaps you have this tendency, too? It is well intentioned. For me, I just wanted to get as much done as I could so I would wring productivity out of every last SECOND of my day. Except, this practice is not very productive and it occasionally tripped me up. It might only impact me or you, but the more complicated our schedules become, the more likely this habit is to impact others negatively as well.

20 years ago, I often fell into this flawed thinking, and this judgement error was exacerbated by the fact that I was the mother of small children. Even if I thought I had an extra 5 minutes, we all know how quickly those can pass as we assemble socks or shoes or backpacks for school. And I was also setting a bad example, pushing-pushing-pushing the deadline for leaving on-time to arrive on-time. (*You could swap out child references with co-workers in the above sentence and draw the same conclusions.)

What about leaving for work or for home or anywhere else you need to get to on time? “Just One More Thing” only works when everything else works exactly as planned. And we also all know that day-to-day life rarely works exactly as planned. There is a last minute search for keys or phone, slow elevators, traffic or bad weather, and as one thing leads to another, we find ourselves rushing around, arriving late and out of sorts.

I recognized and began to remedy my issue of “Just One More Thing” when I worked downtown and commuted on the train. If I drove, it didn’t matter if I left my office a few minutes late. I could just make it up on the drive or get home a few minutes late. No biggee. BUT… if I didn’t leave my office at 4:55 pm, I would not be on the Blue Line Platform in time to catch the EL train to the Metra station to get on the train that got me home by 6:05. Trains don’t care about “Just One More Thing”. Instead, I would have to take the next train that arrived half an hour later and made more stops. And that made a BIG difference.

WHY should you break the “Just One More Thing” Habit?

Why? Because you’re not a jerk. “Wait, Coll, how could ‘Just One More Thing’ make me a jerk?” Late for meetings, drop-offs or pick-ups? And what if you’re the one who called the meeting?! Unreliable? Missed deadlines?


Why? Because you respect yourself. Last week, a friend (you know who you are!) mentioned the words “self-sabotage” when she commented on my “Just One More Thing” admission. Ouch. Hard truth, but truth nonetheless. We have to respect our own boundaries. And we can’t expect others to respect our boundaries if we do not.

Why? Because there is value in “calm”. Or “On-time”, or reliable or consistent, or having time to say Hi to a friend or sitting in your favorite seat at the meeting because you didn’t succumb to “Just One More Thing”. (Find your why and remind yourself!)

Here’s How to Break the “Just One More Thing Habit”:

Realistic Time Estimates: Know how long tasks take. If you have 10 minutes, what can you really accomplish in that time? Two 5 minute tasks or one 10 minute task and nothing more. Nothing more than 10 minutes in 10 minutes! OR… one short task and take a few minutes for a deep breath and an early start. (I know we just talked about realistic time estimates in a recent article, but it bears repeating!)

To Do Lists: Keep a to-do list, so your tasks and ideas are reliably collected and you don’t have to worry so much about JUST ONE MORE THING before you leave the house, go to your meeting, etc. With a reliable list, you can pick up where you left off.

If you really only have 5 minutes right now, “send out the ships” to others first. My accountability partner uses the term “sending out ships” to describe those communications that require a reply or action from others.



I know my pace for work. I do not know, or presume to know, other people’s pace for work. Therefore, I try to send out requests or messages to others ASAP to give time to answer. Then I make a note of when I sent the message or request, when I need to follow up, tack on a great bit WAIT and then move that task to that future time or date. As I write about sending out ships, it feels like a matter of prioritizing, and perhaps it is. But this strategy helps me communicate more effectively and focus in on what really needs to be said or done. Which leads me to….

Prioritize. When we have limited time to complete a long list of tasks, we have to identify what has to get done right now and what can wait. Don’t get distracted by shiny things or loud requests. (Loud and shiny don’t make a task important.)

Know Your Absolute Deadline, and add time in from there. Check your traffic app for commute time, check the weather for possible storms, know your route and a few alternatives. No matter how well intentioned we are, we cannot travel back in time. (Trust me, I’ve tried.)

Give Yourself Grace, as you figure this out. For goodness sake, be as kind to you as you are to others and cut yourself some slack. Forgiving yourself ahead of time for NOT doing “Just One More Thing” is a good place to start!

How To Organize Holiday Gifts: What Do You Need to Track?

I read in a recent article that many folks kicked off their Christmas Shopping with last week’s Amazon Prime Days.

Also last week, 2 different clients asked about organizing their Christmas presents. I believe in responding to organizing trends, so we’re talking holiday shopping this week!

For the record:
Christmas is over 2 months away,
I have not started shopping, and
I am not encouraging you to start unless you really feel like it.

I just want to answer the question NOW, while folks are asking!

So, the title: How to Organize Holiday Gifts: What Do You Need To Track?

When each client asked me last week how to organize their gifts, that was my first question. What do you need to track?

For example, Client #1 answered: “What I have so far and how much I have spent per person, to keep things even among my grown children and their spouses.”

This is a completely reasonable answer, and typically how I organize my gifts.

Client #2 answered: “How many gifts I have for each person, especially the little kids, because the number of gifts is how the little ones determine ‘fair’, so the number has to be the same.” And she wants to physically organize her gifts purchased so far, to make sure the piles are about equal size in addition to number. Also a completely reasonable answer, especially if you have ever watched little kids in action under the tree!


So, how DO we organize our Christmas gifts?

You have to answer the “What do I want to track?” question for yourself. Sorry. But regardless of what you’re tracking, I suggest a list. Yes, you can make piles of gifts or arrange things physically, but stuff gets moved or people come to visit, etc..

Create your list, perhaps over the course of a few days. On the list:

  • Add the names of people you are shopping for. My lists starts with, for example,
    • Husband Gifts,
    • Husband Stocking,
    • Son #1 Gifts,
    • Son #1 Stocking,
    • Son #1 Birthday (Christmas day),
    • Son #2 Gifts,
    • Son #2 Stocking,
    • Son #3 Gifts, etc….
  • Note anything you have already purchased for each recipient (both clients last week already have some things purchased).
  • Jot down any other ideas you have for each person already.
  • In this technological age, I might also add a link to their Amazon Wish List (like I just received from my Sister-In-Law for my nephew!) or other gift ideas, so I create and keep my list digital in Evernote, but you could do the same in Notes, Google Docs, etc.
  • Then, add columns or notes for what it is you want to track:
    • Perhaps you are like client #1, and want to track total amount you have to spend or have spent per person; or
    • you, like client #2, also want to track total number of gifts per person; or
    • maybe you’re like me – I need a column by due date, as I will need to ship some gifts out of state by early December; or
    • some of the gifts are group gifts, and you need to track who is responsible for which gift; and
    • For goodness sake, MAKE A NOTE OF WHERE YOU HIDE THINGS SO YOU CAN FIND THEM AGAIN!

Start the list this week, even if you haven’t started your shopping! You will be ready to jump in fully prepared when you are ready to shop!

Routines Now To Avoid Emergencies Later!

Looking back at the last week or two, what are some of the hiccups in your day that really set you back? Small annoyances or big problems that slowed you down, made you cranky, threw off your schedule and your flow? 

Now, look again, and ask “Could this have been avoided?”   Some challenges can not be avoided, but many CAN BE avoided with some forward planning and good routines.

Last week, a friend / client mentioned that she liked last week’s article because there was NOT a call to action. 🙂  That made me laugh.  But this week, friends, is all about action.

Imagine how having routines that work for you can actually help you avoid emergencies.  It is possible.  When our needs are taken care of, we are more ready for whatever life brings us.

I am not here to tell you to do what I’ve done (ever!).  I’m sharing my routines as examples of how we choose to handle routine tasks to avoid inconveniences later.  These have been created over time in response to challenges.  So, Where Do You Stumble? and Imagine where routines could help you stumble less! 

Examples of routines to avoid personal inconveniences!

  • Know your re-stocking and re-order levels for regularly used products.
    • Weekly, I re-stock toilet paper and tissues and re-fill the hand-soaps at all the sinks in the house. 
    • Later this week, I will place my monthly order (first of the month) for my eco-friendly cleaning supplies that get delivered to my house. 
    • Same goes for grocery items which we now mostly have delivered.  We add items to the grocery orders when they are low, BEFORE we actually run out of stuff.
  • Handle regular maintenance tasks regularly.
  • Set up a schedule for bill-paying and personal business items.
    • Years ago, a client mentioned paying ALOT in late fees every month on his bills.  I asked him when he set time aside to pay bills and was met with a blank stare. We won’t look at budgeting and bill paying today, but I will say that scheduling time to regularly take care of personal business means we miss fewer deadlines, pay fewer late fees, spend less time on the phone with customer service, etc.
  • What other tasks can you make routine, to save you time later?
    • I fill up my gas tank once a week on a planned errand run (or when we travel, of course), so I don’t have to make unplanned stops.  Because as much as I used to tell myself I would remember in the morning to leave early and stop for gas on my way to work, I would forget.  

And what about, routines to avoid emergencies professionally? 

  • You know your work!  I will not assume to tell you how to do your job, but we can ask the same questions professionally that we ask personally:  Where do I stumble?  And How can I avoid the stumbles in the future? 
  • For example, Mondays and Tuesdays I am writing my article and newsletter, like today.  But Thursdays host a block of recurring tasks for my business. 
  • On Thursday mornings, I: do my bookkeeping and pay my bills; check in around upcoming presentations, confirming details and sending invoices; check in on my website comments and social media, etc.   All of these tasks keep me ahead of challenges and course corrections I need to make to keep things running smoothly.

On the other side of routines, I love the flexibility that comes when an emergency actually does arise.  Let’s say I or a family member gets sick, or I am called away out of town on short notice.  Perhaps my routine tasks don’t happen for a few days or even a week.  Guess what?  No biggee.  When we regularly take care of things, emergencies or blips in our schedules don’t throw us off too much.  

Your action items this week is to ask yourself:  Where Do I Stumble? Where could routines help me to stumble less!  Now, get busy crafting those routines to help you avoid emergencies tomorrow!

The Second Best Thing You Can Do With Your Stuff Is To Put It Away.

THE SECOND BEST THING YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR STUFF IS TO PUT IT AWAY. The best thing to do with your stuff is to use it, of course. And if you never use it, the third best thing to do would be to purge it / donate it / sell it, etc.

The Power of Away.

I spend time with clients putting things away. If they are new clients, perhaps we are establishing an “Away” or home for their stuff.

We are naming a dresser drawer the sock drawer. We are naming a shelf the coffee mug shelf. We are naming a cabinet the office supply cabinet. We are naming a closet My Clothes Closet. And that is where those items live.

If they are existing clients, perhaps we just need to maintain the organizing we completed before. Stuff migrates out with use, and that’s ok.

We are SUPPOSED to use our stuff. Otherwise, why do we have it?

We know, though, that when we use our stuff, it doesn’t (ever!) automatically put itself away and let’s face it, we can get distracted or forgetful and then our space is filled up with stuff. And it looks messy and we feel overwhelmed and out of control. I spent an appointment last week just putting summer things away. Simple really. Stuff needs a home, and stuff needs to be put away in its home if you ever hope to find it again.

Notice how I have not called the stuff we used and need to put away Clutter? Your stuff that you used and now needs to be put away is probably not clutter. Clutter is unused, unneeded or unloved. Your stuff that has been used is not clutter. They’re your belongings and you need to take care of them.

Establishing an “Away” for an item means that item is important. It means you plan to use it again some time in the future. That item is not clutter because you need it or use it or love it. And you put it away because… YOU WANT TO FIND IT AGAIN.

And there, right there, is the Power of Away. Being able to find your stuff again when you need it.

Your space looks better when your stuff is Away.

Your space is safer, with fewer things to trip over, when things are AWAY.

Your items last longer and stay in better condition when they are put AWAY.

Small pieces stay put, stuff doesn’t get dusty or dirty or sun-faded. Delicate items are protected. Sets are kept with sets. Shoes, socks and mittens stay with their mates.

AWAY doesn’t take long. Once you establish a home for your stuff, putting stuff away gets a lot easier. Doing it regularly means the piles don’t spread or get tall. Cleaning off your surfaces once a day or a couple times a week, and just putting clothes and books and papers and things way goes a long way to maintaining order.

As we talk about National Preparedness Month in September, the best way to prepare for any possibility is to set yourself up to act and react quickly and confidently. To find your stuff when you need it, should the need arise and a wildfire or hurricane comes or maybe you’re just called out of town and need to pack a quick bag. And putting your stuff AWAY so you can find it again is one of the best ways to prepare for ANYTHING life may toss your way.

Commit this week to just putting stuff away. A few extra moments when you finish using something, or a couple times a week to catch up. Small bits of time really add up when your stuff is maintained and your space is clear!

We all need a Plan B. Because life throws you curve balls (and snow balls, asteroids, hurricanes and a pandemic).

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Please, take a few deep breaths with me before you read this. I started writing this last week out of frustration, and while I’ve softened my language and my heart A LOT with edits, it still feels harsh. Probably because this is a tough time and topic. So, breathe with me and know I’m writing this from a place of love!

To say we always need a Plan B is an understatement. We need a plan C and D and E and more, until we run out of letters. And this need to plan existed long before our current situation, and will continue long after. I’m just using it as a shining example of why we need to plan.

Why do we need a Plan, and then a Plan B? To care for and protect those people and things that are important to us. And the only predictable thing that we can say about life is that life is unpredictable.

I chatted with a friend at Mass on Sunday. She is an educator and administrator and she mentioned that she flew past Plan B for this school year weeks ago and now is onto Plan P at this point. She also mentioned the very real possibility of moving into double letters soon. I feel you, sister.

A friend is a Marine Biologist, which means she always lives near an ocean. She has become proficient – well, amazing, really – at prepping for hurricanes. Supplies, generator, battened hatches, reading materials, non-perishable food, water. Some things just stay prepared, especially this time of year, and some steps are activated as soon as the weather reports start coming in. She’s got this.

And You Can, Too. So, let’s make a plan.

“A plan for what, Coll?” you say? A plan to care for what is important to you. If you have people or work or things (tangible and intangible) that matter, you need a Plan B to protect and care for them. And for yourself.

Look at the people and things and plans that are most important to you.

Imagine scenarios, and recognize what those scenarios all have in common.

Check your notes. Look back at the last 6 months and identify where life has fallen apart or had avoidable unnecessary stress.

Your favorite outfit or uniform? Identify it and a back-up.

You need a route to your regular destinations, and a few alternatives if the way is blocked (I live on the south side of Chicago – TRAINS anyone?!). Perhaps you download the app for public transportation, too, in case of car trouble.

Weak wi-fi? Call your provider and boost it now, for working and learning from home.

Uncomfortable work-and-learn-from-home spaces? Tweak them now.

I will be talking about prepping for cold and flu season next week because I want my comfort measures and OTC medicine in my house BEFORE one of us starts feeling poorly.

In this uncertain time, you need your Plan A and then Plans B, C, D to Infinity for child care and back-up schooling situations and flexible expectations. I know it is hard and I know this uncertainty feels uncomfortable and inconvenient, but unfortunately adulting (and parenting) often are.

Do you know what is on my list for later today? “Check out (insert University name here)’s current policy” – as in TODAY because things can change – for handling COVID on campus and what actions my son and I will need to take should someone at his school test positive.

Because… plans need to evolve, too. I’ve read somewhere that over 90% of flight plans are not completed exactly as filed. There’s the rub, right? That we can look at our current situation and plan for today and for contingencies, and then our situation changes again and we have to make a new plan – Ugh! But, yes. We have to do it again. We can rail against the injustice, or we can remember that we know how to plan because we have done it before and we can get to work.

So, my friends, it is time to get to work. Soften the blows of uncertainty later by planning now.

“In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” – General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

The Shower Gel Survey, July 2020 (Shopping Best Practices)

I would happily NEVER RUN ANOTHER ERRAND AGAIN. It seems like an impossible goal, but a girl can dream, right?

Here’s something funny – the idea for this article, along with the original working title (the first line above), were in my draft folder from June, 2019. Look where we are now! I shop so much more on-line now than I did a year ago!

Truth is, I have happily made the switch to on-line shopping for essentials and non-essentials. I really don’t like to shop, especially not in-person. Even after we are through this pandemic tunnel, I will still use on-line fulfillment for essentials and as many non-essentials as possible.

Just to clarify, and thanks to my Facebook tribe for chiming in:

  • Essentials = groceries, toiletries, household items
  • Non-essentials = everything else
  • I am applying this broadly, just for today.  Because the walking shoes I bought on-line were essential to me, but I don’t consider them “essentials”. 

There are rules or Best Practices to shop by, regardless of how you choose to shop or what it is you’re buying. I’m going to list them all together, and then explain each.

  • Stick with your list. Know your needs.
  • Know what you need and don’t get distracted by “shiny”.
  • Know your time line.
  • Know where you typically source your essentials from. 
  • Know where you typically source your essentials from, but have a plan B.
  • Have at least a vague idea of your current prices for essentials.
  • Realize that, at least at first, there is a learning curve and setting up an account and a habit will take time.
  • For non-essential purchases, be aware of return policies. And be ready to actually complete the returns.
  • The obvious, and a topic for another day: know your budget.

 




Stick with your list. / Know your needs.
I have a master grocery list in a spread sheet (email me and I’ll share it with you as an example). I print out 5 copies at a time, and leave one posted on the white board in the kitchen.

This single sheet has an area with grocery items listed that I buy regularly (which I usually buy in person or, recently, on-line from Jewel), Costco items, Target / Amazon items (household and toiletries) and Melaleuca items (cleaning).  Just this week, I also made space in the corner of it for notes on this week’s Menu Planning.

We add items to the list as we use them up or identify a need (well, “need” is occasionally gummy bears or tortilla chips, but I digress). In addition to using the list like a regular list, I also use it to inventory things I purchase regularly and make sure I have these essentials on hand. I have it next to me as I place on-line orders, or I take it with me when I shop in person.

In this strange time, it’s more important than ever that I plan my shopping efficiently so I don’t have to run back out for something because I’m still trying to socially distance. Thank you, List!


Stick with your list / Know your needs AND don’t get distracted by “shiny”.


Learn to say “No, thank you” even just in your head.

We all know that impulse shopping happens when we stand in line at a store. Cookies next to the check out are? Why, yes, certainly, don’t mind if I do.

But impulse shopping happens on-line, as well. Ordering one package of cookies? It’s just as easy to hit the “+” button. OR, ordering sneakers? “While you’re here on our website, perhaps you also need new socks with your new sneakers?” (Nope, got some, thanks.) Or “A good pair of sneakers – maybe you would also like some flip-flops, too?” (never). Amazon’s ploy – “Shoppers who bought that item also bought these 47 other items, perhaps you’d like to buy them, too?” No, thank you.

Keep your eye on the prize – fulfilling your needs and completing the transaction – and steer away from those impulse buys.



Know your time line.

If you need an item for Thursday morning, best not to wait to shop in-person until Wednesday night. The same goes for on-line shopping – be aware of how long a shipped item may take to arrive or what your delivery options are, and then add a day at least for just in-case! (And BTW, what ever happened to that dress I ordered three weeks ago?! Ugh…)

Know where you typically source your items from. AND Have a Plan B.

I was using Target Restock for pantry items like toilet paper, paper towels, some cleaning supplies, etc., every 3 weeks until things went crazy back in March and now they no longer offer the service. In stricter shelter-in-place times, I bought some of those items with my weekly groceries though they were more expensive, just for convenience. Most recently, we’ve been transitioning to Amazon for household items and toiletries.

Hence, the shower gel photo and title. As we transition to Amazon, we have to find new favorites. The Solimo brand shower gels are a better deal when you buy them by the 6-pack, but we don’t know which type we like best yet. So, we bought one of each. The wasted space on this drives me buggy, but I know it is for a good cause! We’ll try them all, pick our fave, and purchase in bulk.

For most items that I buy, I have at least a couple different vendors where I can purchase them, so I can bundle my purchases as needed. This is where the grocery list mentioned above is just SOOO handy! What if there is a sale, or someone is running an in-person errands and can pick up items? Or your typical source is out of your item?

Let’s say I usually body wash from Amazon, but my husband mentioned he needs to go to Menard’s, and I know Menard’s carries body wash at a reasonable price, saving me the need to order them.

Ah, Menard’s. Where else can you buy a new toilet flapper mechanism for home toilet repair AND shampoo AND DampRid AND dishwasher tablets AND garbage disposal tablets AND beef jerky AND Wylers raspberry drink packets (my husbands’s recent Menard’s list)? I realize, as I type this list, why my husband went alone to Menard’s and kept his own list. He knows I won’t buy most of the items on that list. (DampRid, dishwasher tablets, garbage disposal tablets? Yeah, nope).

The point is, Know your “Typical” but be ready for a plan B.




Have at least a vague idea of your current prices.

I placed an on-line grocery order last Friday. On Saturday, we took a planned (every 3 or 4 weeks) trip to Costco. The bag of our favorite tortilla chips I ordered from Jewel (approx. 3.79 for 14 oz) didn’t arrive. But the 3 lb bag of still-good Kirkland brand tortilla chips at Costco? Also $3.79.

Yes, please!

There are some things I don’t mind buying in bulk for the lower price point, but that is why it’s helpful to know what is a good deal or not.

Check out this article from Kiplingers about the best things to buy at Costco.

From this list, we buy bacon, chicken stock, diced tomatoes, gas, rotisserie chicken and tortilla chips. We also buy cascade brand pods from there, looks like we’ll make a switch the next time we need them. Some things listed are never on my grocery list anyway, like Italian sparkling water, vitamin water, vodka or wine, or – well – the cheese wheel (I kid you not) so I’m not missing them!



Realize that, at least at first, there is a learning curve and setting up an account and a habit will take time.

To quote a friend, “I realized recently that I am not giving this category the proper time respect that it deserves. Because I’m no longer leaving the house to acquire things we need, I have deluded myself into thinking this somehow does not take any time!” (thanks, J!)

3 months ago, it took me hours to set up my account and them populate a cart for on-line grocery ordering. Now it takes no time at all. Same goes for Amazon – setting up my standard shopping lists took time, but now taking care of my orders are a breeze.



For non-routine purchases, be aware of return policies. And be ready to actually complete the returns.



So, how are you shopping differently these days? And which of these tips resonated with you? Let me know!

The Highs and Lows of Summer Meal Planning

It’s seems my sons knew that I was planning a Summer Meal Planning article for this week. Since, when I finally got home after coaching all morning and cleaning out a basement this afternoon then running errands on my way home, not one not two but all three of them wandered through my office at different points in 60 minutes and asked “so what is for dinner?”

My responses may have included one or even all of the following…

  • I don’t know, what are you making?
  • Ugh, Seriously! Didn’t we just have dinner yesterday?
  • (fake crying with my head down and eyes closed)
  • Take out? Um, we just had that yesterday.
  • Left overs? Oh wait, no, we ate all of those.

My kind and wise husband who had to go into his downtown office today (and I’m sure had his own busy day) replied with “Whatever you want”, when I texted him to ask what he wanted. Kind and wise. But not exactly helpful.

Here’s the thing. We are fully stocked with food. However, it is some-assembly-required food. And it is also almost all frozen. We have plenty of food, but I was lacking focus this morning, and my well-planned menu for the day / week required defrosting beef. Without defrosted beef, dinner became a question mark once more in my tired brain. (sigh)

There are highs and lows here, friend. The Highs and Lows of Summer Meal Planning. Yes, meal planning in the summer is totally different for me than planning in cooler weather.

The current lows of summer planning:

  • Shelter-In-Place orders inspired scratch cooking, baking, labor intensive recipes and let’s face it – more time to do it all. I made Risotto, for goodness sake! Do you know how long you have to stand over a hot stove top to make Risotto? There is no chance I will make that again until Fall.
  • In summer, we don’t like to heat up the kitchen with baking.
  • The hearty soups or stews and home made bread or baked pasta dishes don’t have the same appeal when it’s hot outside.
  • Work is busy again, which is both good (I like work) and bad (at least when it comes time for making dinner!)
  • In other seasons, daylight waning reminds me to get up and start dinner. In summer though – “Oh gosh, it 7 pm! How did that happen?!”

But, enough about the lows, I want to focus on the highs!

This evening, I finally found inspiration and whipped together chicken noodle soup. For some crazy reason, my sons LOVE this for dinner. Tonight’s was the total hack summer version, made with pantry items like store-bought chicken broth and egg noodles, frozen peas and chicken from the last rotisserie chicken we picked up at Costco. Hack, yes, and they still love it. (In cold weather, I would make my own stock and noodles, etc.)

So that is my first of many highs in the current Highs of Summer Meal Planning:

  • I spend a lot of time worrying over meal planning, while my family isn’t nearly as picky about these things as I am. My easy peasy chicken noodle soup made them happy, especially with the bakery bread I received as a thank-you gift over the weekend.
  • While I had a captive audience (as they sat and ate soup), I asked for input on menu ideas for the next few weeks. And there was a lot of laughing – absolutely a HIGH of summer meal planning!
  • It turns out, the soups and stews from colder times are still requested, so I will use the crock pot EVEN MORE in the next few weeks! (and while writing this, I made sure the frozen beef is now in the fridge to defrost over night for tomorrow’s beef stew!)
  • Put some fun into your planning (like our dinner time silliness today)!
  • Enlist aid! Guess what? My sons are all capable of cooking! Yes, they will be owning more of the “what’s for dinner” process!
  • We also spent some time thinking of our favorite dishes and how to tweak them for summer. Shepherds Pie? Um, who says it has to be baked in the oven?! Maybe the crock pot? OR just the stove top with a quick broil to toast the top? Yep, I can work on that!
  • One of my favorite parts of summer meal planning is all the beautiful summer produce! My own herb garden is quite lush (fresh pesto, anyone?), local farmer’s market are back with social distancing guidelines, there is just so many fabulous colors and flavors to enjoy!

So, what’s it going to be this week? If your meal planning has hit a mid-summer lull, join me this week in giving it – and yourself! – a boost!

What Do Instant Coffee and Travel Sized Toothpaste Have in Common?

I drank instant coffee yesterday morning. It wasn’t too bad, actually, Starbuck’s Via Dark Roast. I keep some packets on hand for when I travel, just in case there is not morning coffee at my destination.

Goodness knows I’m not traveling this week, so what gives?

(And Why?! do my posts seem to involve coffee, pictures of coffee or drinking coffee?!)

Here’s the thing. I inventoried my kitchen cabinets before a grocery trip over the weekend, and I noticed the coffee packets were nearing their expiration date. Obvious next action, use them up before they expire.

In keeping with the coffee topic, I started out this social isolation by using up ground coffee in my french press. Why? To use up open inventory and clear clutter before returning to my usual K-Cups in the morning. My Intelligentsia coffee beans are still in the freezer, they will last a long time in there.

(For more information about using up your food inventory, check out last my article from a few weeks ago, “Menu Planning: This Just Got Real”.)

HOWEVER, this is not about coffee. Today’s topic is inventory management.

I know why I talk about coffee, but Why am I talking about Inventory Management? Because utilizing the items we already have in our home is the best way to save money, save time, clear clutter, waste less, make better choices, flatten the curve, etc.

I’m also using travel sized toothpaste right now. Who knows why we have 6 of them, but I’m using up those before I start on any new full sized tubes.

I mentioned inventory management to a coaching client yesterday. She was adding “finish organizing the bathroom” to her plan for the week, and when I brought up inventory management, she said “Yes! I always seem to tuck things away in clever places but then can’t find them again when I need them!”

Yep.

So, to save money and time, clear clutter, waste less, etc., here’s what to do this week!

Find Your Inventory!

Corral all your stuff by category. For example, the toiletry category, like soaps, shampoos and toothpaste. Other home inventory categories could be cleaning supplies, light bulbs, paper goods and the like.

Check the medicine cabinet, the linen closets, under bathroom sinks or in bathroom drawers, the travel bags and where else? Where does that stuff land in YOUR home?

Bring it all together, open or still sealed, on the bathroom counter or the kitchen table if you need more space. Sort the broad toiletry category into sub-category piles, like soaps, shampoo, dental, personal care, etc.

Purge the Stuff That HAS TO GO.

If you have a 5 year -old partial bottle of conditioner that has turned lumpy and smells funny – would you actually put that on your head? (No. The Answer is No.) Purge the old and the empty, recycling containers if you can. Pet shampoo when you don’t own a pet? Old shower poofs or loofahs? Go, go, go.

Establish a Designated Location For Your Home Inventory.

Some folks like to keep a stash of toiletries in every bathroom, and I understand that … sort of. I find that having multiple locations in your home for stashing inventory is what makes inventory management so difficult. So, choose a spot or maybe 2 – one on each floor of your home, perhaps? And store your unopened inventory in that spot, to stock the spaces where you use it when you need it.

Plan to Use The Open Stuff First.

Stock your storage space like a store. Freshest (items with expiration dates farthest in the future) inventory goes to the back of the shelf, with inventory that needs to be used before it goes to waste moves to the front. If we are talking about those other categories of inventories, like cleaning supplies or paper goods, place partial containers at the front and use them first.

Check Your Stock Before You Restock.

Get in the habit of checking your Inventory before you shop.

Use the empty spot to alert you to when something needs to be replaced or reordered. If the “bleach” spot on my chrome shelves in the laundry room is empty, I know it’s time to buy bleach. If the cup of new tooth brushes in my toiletries bin is empty, it’s time to buy toothbrushes.

DON’T BUY MORE UNLESS YOU NEED IT!!

Just like retailers or manufacturers, Know your re-order point, and recognize that stuff takes longer to arrive these days, whether you go out and shop for it or order on-line. For example, over the weekend I ordered more dishwasher detergent pods. We’re not out of them yet but we will be in a week and shipping takes longer than it used to, so I placed my order.

Do your home and your $$ a favor, and spend some time setting up your inventory management this week. Get the most out of what you already have and clear some clutter while you’re at it!

It’s Time To Make A “Some Day Soon” List

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Friends, this, too, shall pass! Notes for Some Day Soon.

I’ve suggested before to create a Future To Do List. 

Most Decembers, for example, I suggest that folks make a “January List” for the things that we can put off until after the holidays.  We want to keep the ideas as they occur to us, but we might not need to act on them until the New Year, in that case.

Personally, I have a rolling Master To Do List for most facets of my life. 

What that means is that I have, in an online platform called Evernote, a Master To Do List that contains my tasks for family life, home maintenance and improvements, Ministries and Public Service, plus all facets of my business and my own self-improvement.   This makes it easy to move tasks around the Evernote document as I complete a task or need to move it to next week, etc.  

As I write all that, I realize it may sound nutty to keep all that info in one document, but this practice really helps me to track tasks and projects each day, week, month, etc..  And I’ve tried keeping separate lists for each area of interest, but then I forget to regularly check them.  This just works best for me.  

But here is the snag, friends.  While I typically complete a one-time task and then remove it, or move ahead a recurring task to a specific week or day in the future, I am facing a new and (admittedly) uncomfortable new category.  The “Some Day Soon When We Can Return to Normal” task category.

You know what I am talking about.  

  • The events that we have had to postpone due to social distancing. 
  • The appointments we need to set up once offices and service providers are open again.
  • For me, the in-person client appointments that I’ve had to cancel, and presentations that have been put on hold.
  • The actions that we have promised ourselves in these rougher times that we are ABSOLUTELY going to do when we can again!

But we don’t know yet when that will be. So I want to keep the ideas until me and the world are ready to take action on them again.

My challenge to you this week is to start and then add to  your Some Day Soon List.

  • Work or medical or personal appointments to reschedule.
  • People to meet up with (not just connect virtually).
  • Non-essential errands to run.   
  • Service people needed, like the tree I need planted in my front year, or having the plumber or electrician out.
  • Birthdays to celebrate in person!

Maybe it’s a wish list!  

  • That Some Day soon, I will drive to Michigan and hug my parents and siblings and families.
  • That Some Day soon, I will spontaneously hug friends at the grocery when I see them.
  • That Some Day soon, I will go to restaurants and sit and soak in the ambiance and linger over dessert.
  • That Some Day soon, I will go to a movie theater, or enjoy our Broadway in Chicago membership again.
  • That Some Day soon, I will go to church.  I will bask in the peace, I will thrive on the energy, I will sing and pray with others. 
  • That Some Day Soon, I will do something as simple as go to my favorite local bakery to virtually work from their booth while enjoying the people and the steady supply of hot coffee.

I think of this list as Hopeful and Happy, and I hope you feel the same.  This strange and awkward time will pass.  For my own sanity and outlook, I have to believe it will.  And when it does, we will emerge better and stronger and more grateful for what we have.  And we will be ready to take action on all these ideas and wishes we make now!


Meal Planning: This Just Got Real.

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These are interesting times we’re living in right now. I have written and presented A LOT about Menu Planning and Strategic Food Prep, etc., but these ideas have gained special importance over the last few weeks.

You bought the food, now what are you doing with it?

If you didn’t inventory your stock on hand before you bought all your groceries over the last few weeks, you really need to do that now.

Sort like items together, pulling the foods from all the areas in your house it might be stashed or stockpiled

Check expiration dates on all of your food, cabinet / fridge and freezer! Pay close attention to expiration dates, friends. Even in this uncertain time – perhaps ESPECIALLY now – saving money over an expired can of tuna could land you with a case of food poisoning.

Rotate your inventory like a store, meaning put all that new food you’ve recently purchased at the back of your inventory in the cabinet / fridge / freezer and pull the older food towards the front to be used up sooner.

What to eat first:

Eat your leftovers first. I issued a moratorium on throwing out leftovers. With our current status around here, it’s even more important that we not waste food. Check the pantry, too, and use up what is open first.

This is the actual note I left my family members the other day, with the board placed under a bag of crackers left on the counter overnight with TWO crackers in it, a loaf of soda bread with ONE slice left, and a bag of 6 banana mini-muffins in it left open on the counter. (grrrr…..)

Finish. The. Bag. And then throw it away!


(And I’ve already reminded all the young adults in my house to NOT EAT ALL THE SNACKS in the first few days!)

Make your plan: I am not necessarily assigning meals to dates just now, but I have on hand the ingredients to make the following:

chicken pie, shepherds pie, baked ziti, crock pot – chicken tacos (today), beef stew / home made bread, crock pot – creamy chicken and rice soup, bacon-potato soup with cheddar, pork roast and risotto, pork chops and ??, chicken breasts and ??, spaghetti and meatballs, breakfast for dinner, crock pot chili, beans and rice (Friday).

Most of these meals rely heavily on frozen meats and veggies (which will last for months), non-perishable pantry items and some fresh produce that I’ll need to use in the next week, choosing those recipes first – hence the chicken tacos today!

In this new normal where we find ourselves, I have to think about having lunch food on hand, too, which is new. Granted, around here, planning for lunches means making sure we have sandwich stuff, leftovers or make-your-own-breakfast stuff available.

We’re actually having some adventures in cooking, since we have the time! I made french bread from scratch the other day, which was time consuming but so gratifying and delicious, paired with my home made beef stew! And now that I found bags of caramels at the store this morning, my sons are planning to bake some type of new cookie they want to try (works for me!).

I hope these ideas help you to get a handle on your own kitchen inventory and your meal planning! I wish you all good health – physical, emotional and spiritual!