Daily Preparedness

As life trundles on, change is inevitable. For the past four or five months, we have had to shift all of the gears in our kitchen due to newly found sensitivities. In the process, we have learned an expensive lesson on the value of thoroughness.

We all know that it is important to notate the contents of our various buckets, boxes, jars and mylar bags as to their contents. Whether the item was frozen, canned, dehydrated and dumped into a plastic bucket, I have always marked the contents, any instructions necessary and the date packaged. BUT, I now know that this manner of minimal labeling is not adequate. (Yes, you are welcome to learn from my mistakes and even snicker if you wish!)

When it became necessary to shift food preparation gears AGAIN, we were forced to go into a form of hyper-drive when it comes to which products can be used safely. Not only are we limited by category, but also limited when it comes to specific brands and packaging sizes. Sound confusing? Oh, it is, trust me. For example, I can cook with sugar but it must be pure cane sugar from one of three or four manufacturer’s. White flour can be used, but, again, it must be from only a few manufacturers. The same goes for everything from shampoo to toilet paper to tomato sauce to meat products to spices. Sound confusing AND time-consuming? It is!

And thus, we get to the importance of my newly discovered respect for those who thoroughly label all items stored. For instance, I may have hundreds of pounds of sugar stored, but I have no idea what brand it is or even whether it is cane or beet sugar. Therefore, at least for the time being, I have to purchase all new sugar and wash out every canister that it goes into. Multiply this by every item in your family store and you can begin to see the cost of skipping a few extra seconds of time in labeling each item.

What is a thorough label? For every product, you should include at least manufacturer, specific type of item, where you purchased it and the date purchased. Also include any expiration date and instructions. For instance, if I were thoroughly labeling canned beef, the correct way to label it would be:

Costco Rump Roast with water, kosher salt, home-ground pepper. 1/12/12

Flour might be labeled with: King Arthur unbleached white flour. Safeway. 1/12/12

Though it might take you a few extra seconds, this type of more thorough labeling may later help you in case your dietary needs change, there is a recall or you find you particularly like one brand over another. Whatever scenario you may face, add a bit more information to each item you label and you may prevent a lot of frustration, loss and expense later on.

In several parts of the world this week, we literally felt the earth move under our feet. Thankfully, the majority of the damage was isolated to a few buildings! However, the unpredictable nature of even minor earthquakes highlights that we never know when disaster might strike. Doing all that you can NOW to prepare for the WHEN, is worth every minute and every dollar.

And if the earth moving weren’t enough, nearly the entire East Coast of the U.S. is keeping a close eye on Hurricane Irene, expected to make landfall this weekend. Some coastal areas are evacuating, while others are busily preparing for a direct hit. Folks living inland may feel that they are safe from the damage that Irene may produce. Wrong!

Areas inland, even if not hit with the eye of storm, may suffer significant damage due to high winds, torrential rain and disruptions in normal services. Modern science allows us to fairly accurately predict and track hurricanes, giving us ample warning to prepare. However, Mother Nature can be a wily woman full of mischief and surprises. Do not be lulled into thinking you are safe just because you do not have a beach view.

Take a few minutes to click on one of the links on the lower portion of the right side bar–FEMA, prepare.org or ready.org– to find out what you should have already done to prepare for any emergency. If you have the basics in place, consider taking these additional steps, designed to make life more pleasant should you experience the wrath of Mother Nature:

• Get your laundry and basic housework caught up. The most common disruption from a major storm is the loss of water and/or power. You want to start with a ‘clean slate.’
• Be certain that your prescription medications are well stocked. Also check your supply of over-the-counter medications, such as aspirin, tylenol, antacids, etc.
• Review your family communication plan.
• Fill the gas tank of every car you own.
• Bring in or secure outdoor furniture.
• Empty your trashcans and be certain to meet your end-of-the-week trash pick-up.
• If you need items from the grocery store, don’t wait until Friday or Saturday. The stores will be packed and the shelves may be empty!
• Be certain that every room has a flashlight handy. If you have outdoor solar lights, you can use those to supplement lighting inside if you lose power for a lengthy period of time.
• Clean up any messes lying around that might present tripping hazards.
• Keep your cellphones charged.
• Have your BOB ready to go if you are ordered to evacuate. If it looks like your area will sustain a serious hit, pack an additional bag with extra clothing, toys, hygiene needs, etc.
• Be certain that you have a good supply of baby needs, sanitary products, trash bags (LOTS of trash bags), bottled water, water for cleaning & flushing as well as food you can eat without cooking.
• Consider the needs of neighbors, especially the elderly, ill, disabled or single parents who may need extra assistance.
• Most importantly, if you are told to evacuate, do it NOW!

Now is the time to prepare!

Dealing with a chronic or rare disease (or merely being mortal) often leads one into the forest of “All Natural Supplements, Ointments, Cure-Alls and Wonder Drugs.” Navigating between the hype, the ridiculous and the dangerous can be an exhausting business. Products that are harmless but expensive are not safe to our wallets. Products that are potentially harmful to us are often disguised as ‘all natural supplements’ that could interact with prescribed medications or contain serious (though natural) products. How do we protect ourselves and our wallets while remaining open to the possibility of improving our condition?

First, a few relevant bits of wisdom to keep in mind:

• Most manufactured medications are based on ‘natural’ ingredients. For instance, aspirin is merely a chemically reproduced form of white willow bark. White willow bark contains most of the properties of aspirin and must be treated as such. For instance, it is a great anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, but it also thins the blood and interacts with a number of medications & conditions.
• Natural remedies MUST be treated with extreme respect and researched thoroughly via independent resources. Many ‘natural’ substances are wonderful to use in the place of prescription medications, BUT one must be certain of the research, the potential risks and the cost implications.
• The supplement and vitamin market is essentially unregulated, untested and unsupervised. Valid scientific research has shown a wide variation in ingredient strength, quantity of active ingredient and verification of ‘research.’
• The supplement and natural remedy business generates billions and billions of dollars per year. It is a business, unfortunately, full of charlatans, snake oil salesmen and abuse. Buyer beware should be the basis of all decisions you make when entering this world.
• Learn and understand what true peer reviewed scientific literature is. Some of the most infamous charlatans publish their own ‘vanity’ pieces, mostly in online publications. Their review process is highly flawed and their ‘research’ is aimed at selling their product.
• There is little valid peer reviewed research into the interactions between ‘natural’ remedies and prescribed medication. ALWAYS ask your pharmacist if they are aware of any interactions between what you are currently taking and what you think you might want to take. A responsible pharmacist can run a quick search and tell you if there is solid research. They may also be able to tell you which manufactured medication correlates with the ’supplement’.
• ALL ‘remedies’ that we swallow, apply, inject or soak in should be carefully considered. Our bodies are sacred and it is our job to protect them as much as possible.
• A physician recommending a product does not necessarily mean that it is safe, effective OR cost appropriate. Be wary of a physician that is constantly jumping on the latest medical fad bandwagon!

Now that we have the ground work laid, how do we quickly and effectively research the latest ‘wonder cure all’? Having done this a few dozen times over the last decade (and not being a medical professional), I will use my latest product research to outline the steps you might want to consider.

Fellow individuals with a rare genetic disorder, Dercum’s Disease, recommended a topical pain relief ointment known as DRL 100. At $19.95 (plus S& H), it is rather dangerous to the wallet, but maybe worth it if it relieved the constant pain of Dercum’s. The steps I followed to research this possible ‘wonder drug’ apply to any supplement, vitamin, ointment, salve, injection or treatment.

1. Learn to read the label! The most important item is ‘active ingredients.’ These are the ingredients that are in substantial enough quantities to do something for you. In the case of DRL 100, the only active ingredient is menthol. The label states it contains ‘hyaluronan,’ a supposed miraculous pain reliever. The inactive ingredients list hyaluronic acid, but being listed where it is indicates that legally it contains so little that it is useless–essentially enough to be able to list it, but not enough to do anything.
2. Learn what the active ingredient actually does. Menthol (Methyl Salicylate), the active ingredient in DRL 100, is an age-old local pain reliever. Menthol does not actually numb the area, but rather floods the brain with so much incoming data that the brain essentially ‘forgets’ the pain in the area. Muscles relax, the skin feels cool and the pain is ‘gone.’ It works and is essentially harmless UNLESS you have certain underlying conditions or medications. For instance, menthol creams interact with blood thinners, increasing the risk of adverse side effects (as in internal bleeding, hemorrhaging from a simple cut, having a stroke). It should not be applied to broken skin or those with allergies to certain foods or ointments. Pregnancy is also listed as a possible prohibitive condition. Menthol is cheap, readily available in a variety of preparations and well known. It is essentially ’safe,’ but the price of DRL 100 is exorbitant. Similar products are available for less than $5 for 2 ounces.
3. Run it past the pharmacist. Give them a list of the active ingredients and ask if it interacts with anything you are taking. When I did this, the pharmacist recommended multiple over-the-counter preparations that would do exactly the same thing at a fraction of the cost. It is even possible to order menthol and add peppermint if you prefer the smell of peppermint. (Peppermint is a relaxing smell to the human brain). For the price of 2 ounces of DRL 100, you could make a quart or more of stronger menthol cream.
4. Research the company. Though this step wasn’t necessary for the DRL 100, I did it out of curiosity because the product is being hyped to a group of folks who already have enough problems! I simply googled the manufacturer, Dermal Research Laboratories. I skipped all of the sales pitch sites and found them listed on ‘corporationwiki,’ which provided a link to Dun & Bradstreet, a highly respected collective of corporate information.
5. From the above, I found the names of the two principles of the company as well as their business address, which was limited to a Post Office Box (always a bit questionable). I also located their company phone number. A sidebar listed a street address, which confirmed what I found below.
6. I used the company phone number to perform a reverse phone number search, which revealed that it was co-listed as the ‘business’ phone for Dermal Research Laboratories and a home number for one of the principles. The address tied to that phone number was the home address of one of the company principles.
7. In order to double check that the address was a home, I utilized google maps and mapquest. Their satellite imaging confirmed that the ‘business’ location for Dermal Research Laboratories is a very nice home in a very nice residential area. No serious laboratory here. No research facility. No large scale shipping facility. Just a nice suburban neighborhood (as in VERY nice). I am not against home based businesses; I think they are wonderful. BUT, they are not serious scientific research laboratories producing serious life-altering products. Supposed medical miracles produced in someone’s home are most likely paying for that very nice home in a very nice neighborhood.

Navigating the forest of alternative medicine can be frustrating, confusing and potentially dangerous. Before investing in the newest wonder drug, supplement, treatment or diet, do a bit of research on your own. Thirty minutes of your time may not only save you money, suffering and frustration—it may even save your life…..and that is provident living at its best!

As we pause this weekend to celebrate the freedom won for us, do not forget that one of the most critical forms of personal freedom you can achieve is financial freedom. The greatest obstacle to financial freedom is the Debt Monster. Debt is a crippling master that neither sleeps nor takes a day off. As we have all seen, overwhelming debt not only cripples the individual, but also endangers our nation.

One obstacle that prevents many from achieving financial freedom is the art of self-deception. Lying to oneself is often the easiest of all lies to tell. Our inner conversations can lead us into the chains of financial prison. Understanding and then breaking those chains can lead to a future of true inner-happiness, peace and freedom.

It is important to point out that there is nothing wrong with working for and obtaining items you want! Capitalism is a beautiful thing and learning to use our resources wisely can reap great rewards. However, consumerism has driven many to believe that they must live beyond their means.

Not only are we as a society too often failing to provide for tomorrow, we are mortgaging our ‘todays’ to the point of breaking. Take a bit of time and see if you are falling prey to the Debt Monster and his wily lies!

If you are currently debt-free and prepared for tomorrow, take a moment to review these common financial lies. Be wary if you find yourself falling into these carefully laid mine fields!

Some of the most common lies and myths we tell ourselves and others, include:

• This (insert item) will make me happy, more beautiful, more successful, ‘more anything’. Inanimate objects do little to produce true happiness. Though they may provide you with greater comfort, ease in accomplishing daily tasks, entertainment or fulfill a real need, an item you can ill-afford will accomplish nothing more than increasing your stress and decreasing your self-reliance. Carrying a designer purse, driving a fancier car or buying a home you can ill-afford will doing nothing for you other than increase your bondage to debt.
• I ‘need’ this. Really? Carefully analyze that statement and then think through what a purchase will actually do for you. Can you differentiate between need and want?
• Budgets are for nerds and those good with money. NOT! Though you may not need to record every expense on a spread sheet, knowing how much money you have and carefully planning how to spend it is essential to financial freedom. Budgets really amount to common sense–spend less than you make and plan for tomorrow. Whatever method you choose to use, anticipating expenses and realistically analyzing your income is essential.
• I deserve this. Ah, the entitlement mind is a lovely thing. If you must reward yourself regularly for performing routine tasks, you need a little dose of ‘grow up juice.’ Take comfort in knowing you are not alone, as the corporate world now holds seminars on how to deal with this method of thinking among their employees. Break this one and you will save yourself untold years of disappointment, debt and stress.
• Eating out is as cheap as eating home. Again, NOT! Super savvy bargain hunters can often meet the expense of eating at home in a restaurant, but that is a rare accomplishment. Overall, simply not buying your lunch while working saves the average worker between $2000 and $3000 annually. Learning to properly purchase, store and prepare food at home is not only a huge money saver now, but potentially a life-long savings in decreased medical bills, etc.
• I don’t make enough money to save. No matter how little you make, it is possible to save everyday. You may not quickly build up a trust fund, but you can live slightly below your means and try to make every dollar s–t–r–e–t–c–h as far as possible. The ability to save is not based on income, but on self-discipline and strategy.
• It’s such a deal! This one may seem a bit hypocritical from a ‘bargain shopping maven,’ but not everything on sale is a good deal. Nor do we need to grab every ‘deal’ we come across, especially if we have not done our own research, we cannot really afford it, we don’t really need it, nor do we even really want it! As I used to tell my children, “Half off of ridiculous is still absurd.”
• Student debt is always okay. Says who? Yes, a reasonable amount of student debt may be absolutely necessary, but only after all other options have been exhausted. Starting out one’s adult life saddled with debt is a heavy burden to bear. Sadly, student debt often goes to cars, stereos, clothing, trips and other unnecessary expenses. Plan early to apply for scholarships….middle school is when the planning should begin! Apply for every scholarship or grant you can find. Teach your children early that they need to save for their education. If you cannot afford a four-year college, begin your higher education at a community college. Be certain that credits earned there will transfer and that you complete every general education requirement that you can. Students should be fully aware of how marketable their desired degree is and what their earning potential is in that field. Internalize that the level of debt you take on will weigh on every decision you make after graduation–which job to take, when you will marry, who you will marry (remember the potential spouse may enter marriage with a debt load), when you will have a family and what lifestyle you will achieve.
• Save for the kids’ education before saving for your retirement. Though this was a common mantra for years, the realities of failed pension plans, Social Security bankruptcy and housing markets falling, are changing the tune. The truth is that there are multiple ways to pay for higher education and only one sure-fire way to pay for your retirement years! The worst thing you could do for your children is to burden them with elderly parents who have little or no means to support themselves. For many facing retirement, what they have saved is what they will have.
• We show love by what we buy. Whether that love is directed at ourselves or others, true love is shown with time, attention and self-sacrifice. Yes, gifts are wonderful things and I love giving them more than most, but the amount you spend is not necessarily commiserate with the feeling expressed.
• You always get what you pay for. Though quality items may cost more than inferior ones, price is not always an indicator of quality. Name brands, designer labels and fad items may be priced higher than a ‘generic’ counterpart, but they may not be of great value. Look past prestige and price to study the true value of what you are paying for. How long will the item last? Do you need it to last a long time? Would a less expensive substitute function just as well? How can you purchase the item on sale, used or possibly borrow something you will use infrequently?
• Real estate agents are whizs at budgets & finances. Successful real estate agents are good salesman, who make the most money when they sell the most expensive houses they can get someone in. Know what you can reasonably afford (and it might be smaller) in a home. The real estate pain and panic we have seen in the past few years would have been prevented if more people had read the fine print, done their own math and been completely realistic about what they could easily afford.
• I’m ‘just looking’ or ’shopping is my hobby’. “Just looking” often leads to increasing our desires beyond our means. Shopping as a pastime, hobby or therapy is just one more trap the debt-monster builds. Spend your time improving yourself instead of creating a more demanding self. Remember that retail outlets and salespeople are all waiting to lure you in.

Recognize, analyze and overcome the chains keeping you in financial slavery. Watch out for the traps set for you and be truly free!

After organizing your laundry system, it is important to organize the way you store and retrieve clothing. Depending on your lifestyle, organizational personality, number of children and storage options, you may need to be creative in approaching this topic! Finding what suits you and then making it work is key to being able to quickly put away and then locate what you need.

The first step is to analyze your organizational personality. Regardless of what many closet organizers will tell you, there is no one system that works for everyone. In order to figure out where you are on the spectrum of organizational personality, ask yourself a few questions:

1. Are you someone that folds things with military precision, stacking items neatly and using every inch of space?
2. Are you more free spirited, preferring to simply group items by category?
3. Do you like to organize by outfits? (this works particularly well for children)
4. Do you prefer to separate by color? Function? Type?
5. Do you tend to leave clothing lying around?
6. Do you change your clothes when you come home from work?
7. Are you short on space?

Honestly answering these sorts of questions, and taking a hard look at how you function best, will help you determine the best method of organizing your clothing in the space you have available. Regardless of which system works best, the first step is to:

1. Sort through the clothing you have. Discard what you will never wear again. Be brutally honest about this, but also don’t be so over-zealous that you discard items you may indeed use. If there are items that might be out of fashion but serviceable, think first of your ‘Bug Out’ Bag.
2. Separate clothing that needs repair. As you organize look for items that need repair, cleaning, etc.
3. Look hard at the space you have available. Look up, look down and be creative in expanding the space.
4. Separate out-of-season clothing and store separately. Again, be creative. Decorative trunks, hat boxes, higher-than-you-can-reach-easily shelves and cabinets, under the bed, at the back of shelves, etc. are spaces that might hold out-of-season clothing.
5. Separate clothing that you rarely use, but should keep such as formal wear, ‘funeral clothes’, etc. If you have an extra closet, move those items there.
6. If you can’t find a mate for the sock, take the loners out of your sock drawer! If nothing else, they will become great dust rags.
7. Donate what is still good but you know you won’t wear. Keep a receipt for tax day!

Now that you have the clothes separated, think about the space you have available and what will work best for you. Here are some options for different personalities:

• Military Precision Personality. You are the perfect personality for drawers, either a free standing dresser in the bedroom or smaller drawers in the closet. Each drawer should hold one type of item, such as socks, underclothes, t-shirts, etc. Your closet will most likely make you happiest if your clothing is separated by type, color and season. Hanging as many clothes as possible will make your job easier and you might consider putting together a week’s worth of wardrobe at a time. You do not need a lot of extra ‘closet organizing’ paraphernalia as you are naturally precise. Extend your storage capability by utilizing multi-hangers for slacks, belts, ties and other accessories. Give yourself places to put small items such as jewelry, change, watches, etc. A cutlery tray in a drawer is a great way to organize those small items. Your biggest weakness may be that you think any item neatly folded is worth keeping, such as neatly fold odd socks, worn clothing, undies better off in the trash and even dirty clothes. Be certain that you analyze what you are saving and why. Likewise, you may find yourself stagnated in your methods. You are the type that will find it hard to change to a better solution!
• Middle Of The Road. You aren’t determinedly precise nor a complete free spirit. You lapse between organized and not-so-organized depending on life’s happenings. You may find yourself behind the power curve! For you, hang up as many clothes as possible. Utilize the multi-hangers for anything you can and group them by categories, such as casual wear, business wear, dress clothes, etc. Hang your clothing by types and pull out empty hangers whenever you can. Give yourself as many over-the-door hooks as you have places for. Utilize them for items you don’t have time to hang up or items you use frequently, such as robes and night clothes. Hanging shoe bags are another great option not only for shoes but for small ’stuff’ such as ties, scarves, socks, hair accessories, belts and other small items. Wall-mounted hooks can help to organize jewelry. Don’t be limited in options for storing folded clothes. Shelves may work well for you. Cubicles and open storage, such as toy bins placed in closets are great for frequently used items. If your closet is big enough, don’t store out-of-season clothing elsewhere. Simply group clothing by season and purpose. Always select your clothing, including accessories & shoes, for the next day before going to bed. For special occasions, set aside the complete outfit and store together. When traveling, take a tip from stylists and snap a photo of the outfits you will wear.
• Free Spirit. (Or you are a parent with too much to do!) You are the highly creative type whose mind jumps from topic to topic or you simply can’t be bothered with the mundane of life. However, all of that creativity and ‘chilling’ can be disrupted by spending too much time trying to find something to wear. Don’t waste precious time trying to find your sock or trying to be Military Precision, simply adapt your storage systems to you! Be certain to first organize your laundry process and then follow through with how you store your clothing.  You need a lot of divided, small containers with easy to read labels. You might try baskets on shelves, shoe bags, cubbies, tubs and, my personal favorite, the small shelf units with tubs designed to hold toys. Place any and all of these in your closet. FORGET BUYING DRESSERS as you will probably never be able to close the drawers. OR limit the drawers to holding one type of item with plenty of room to spare. If you are okay with it, some items really don’t need to be folded. Undies, slips, stockings and other small items can simply be divided by type and then placed in their ‘container’. You needs LOTS of over-the-door hooks, shoe bags, and shelving. If you can’t be bothered placing an item back on the hanger, just toss it on the hook! Set aside one time during the week to clear off those hooks. Organize clothing within your closet by type. Make certain that any sort of organizing device you buy is really easy to use. For instance, if you are buying multi-hangers for slacks, buy the kind with clips, not the kind that require you to carefully drape the slacks over a small rod. Try to buy non-wrinkling clothes that require minimal care.

Children’s clothing is often best sorted into small, easily accessible containers. Again, a traditional dresser may be nothing more than a catch-all for the riff raff of life. Little hands may have trouble opening and closing drawers without pinching their fingers. Instead, think creatively and try to analyze your little one’s organizational personality.

• Plastic tubs labeled with contents that sit on shelves work well for most children. If the child cannot read, draw a simple picture that shows the clothing inside each tub.
• If the child is old enough to take clothing off hangers, hang a secondary lower rod that they can reach. Save the upper rod for less-often clothing.
• Be certain that hangers fit the child’s clothing.
• Consider assembling a week’s worth of outfits at one time. When my daughter started school, we organized everything down to hair accessories and placed on hangers with simple wooden tags that displayed the day of the week the outfit was going to be worn. This system allowed us to avoid the early morning scramble to find the right scrunchy or hair bow! She was free to scramble the days within the week if her mood changed, but the outfits stayed relatively intact.
• The same separation technique works well for Sunday or special occasion clothes. Laundry them early in the week and reassemble, including necessary accessories.
• Provide children with places for accessories, shoes, etc. Hanging shoe bags are great for everything from barrettes to socks to shoes. Use the ones at child’s level for items they can use independently.
• Provide low hanging hooks or bins for frequently worn clothing, such as pjs, coats, etc.
• Store out of season or clothes in larger sizes out of child’s reach. Clearly label containers with contents and sizes.
• Teach children early how to use a laundry hamper. Place a hamper where they actually undress!
• Your laundry will go easier if you keep socks and undies in the same color range.
• If you have multiple children, initial their hard-to-tell-apart clothing. A permanent marker on a tag will save time when sorting undies, socks, etc.
• For babies, keep the items you use frequently close at hand and easily accessible.
• Restock diaper bags with clean clothing when you come home.

Whatever system works best for you, just remember to use it! Keeping your clothing organized, accessible and ready-to-wear will smooth over many of life’s frustrations. Treating your clothing properly will extend their lifetime and your budget.

Happy sorting!

Who knew it would take me that long to clean out the junk drawer? As previously written, organizing the kitchen can take you awhile, especially when forward momentum is hindered by Lyme Disease and life. Onward and upward, people!

Pantry

• The best way to begin is to pull everything out of the pantry, tossing items that are damaged, look suspicious or too old to be used. If in doubt, throw it out. At the least, consult with food storage experts to know what can be saved. Hint–be certain that you can’t salvage parts of prepared foods. For instance, the cheese powder in boxed macaroni and cheese will go bad, but the macaroni lives on for years. You can repackage the macaroni in a sealed container and toss the cheese powder if it looks darker than normal.
• Set aside items that you need to use soon. When replacing items in the pantry, be certain these are up front & marked as ‘use soon’.
• Clean the floor & shelves. Inspect for evidence of bugs or rodents. If you find evidence, treat the area appropriately before proceeding. Mark your calendar to recheck the area in two weeks, then a monthly for at least six months.
• Check that shelving is secure before reloading. Look carefully at the plastic brackets that often hold metal shelving. They can become brittle and chipped, leading to a shelf falling without warning.
• If you have solid shelving, consider lining the shelves to make clean up easier. Inexpensive plastic place mats make great shelf and drawer liners.  Fabric stores often carry vinyl coated fabrics intended for tablecloths. These can make your pantry shelves very colorful and are easily removed & washed. Avoid adhesive backed plastics as the residue they leave is hideous.
• Analyze what you want to put in the pantry and decide if the current shelving is adequate.
• Need more shelving? Add it with simple shelf brackets, removable shelving, tiered racks that sit on existing shelves or any manner of devices readily available.
• Need stronger shelves? Use inexpensive metal shelf brackets to stabilize the middles of shelves.
• Think about ’stations’ as in preschool and kindergarten rooms. Place together like items.
• Put items that you use frequently in the easiest to see and reach places.
• Add door shelving if you need places for small bottles, condiments, etc.
• Use plastic shoe boxes or other organizing aids to corral small items such as gravy packets, drink mixes, etc. Recycle existing or old containers for this purpose. Even plastic food storage containers missing lids can be used to organize a pantry or cabinet. Empty plastic juice bottles work well for storing small grains, specialty flours, etc. They often fit in door-mounted shelving.
• If the outer packaging is bulky, repackage items into tighter quarters. A good example are the little ‘Crystal Light’ type containers. The small tubs inside the larger tub will fit into a plastic shoe box and reduce the shelf space needed. Recycle the outer container to hold even smaller items. Write on the outer container with a sharpie so that you know what is in the container.
• Sharpies (or any permanent marker) can be your best friend! Use them to label expiration dates, which container is open, the contents of a shoe box–nearly anything. Think about restaurant organization–they almost always mark containers with notations such as ‘Open’, ‘Use First’, ‘Use Last’, etc.
• Glass canning jars are great organizational aids. They allow you to see what you have on hand, are pretty much rodent and bug proof, can be vacuum sealed and are nearly eternally reusable.
• Empty #10 cans can be re-used if you purchase the corresponding plastic lid. (available from LDS Home Storage Centers). You can line the can with a plastic food storage bag and you have a wonderful canisters.
• If your pantry is deep, consider the newer slide out shelves, racks, etc. that are readily available in a range of prices.
• As you purchase new items, place the new to the back. If you store a large quantity of any item, you might want to mark the labels with use by dates. Some people prefer to mark their labels with purchase dates, but I have found that the use by dates are more important to see at a glance.
• Racks made to hold and roll forward canned goods can be a worthwhile investment. They are now available from a variety of companies in plastic, wood or cardboard. You can also make your own.
• If your shelving is wire and you need a more solid platform, cover the wire shelves with a layer of acrylic or similar material. Many home improvement stores now carry acrylic/plastic/etc. materials that they can cut to fit your shelves. Providing a solid platform will allow you to use tiered shelving, roll-outs, etc.
• Place items you want your children to be able to access at their level. Likewise, place items you do not want them to access up high or behind a childproof door.
• Items like sugar, flour, etc. are often best stored in some sort of canister. The original packaging is not meant to hold up for repeated access or storing at home. Leaking sugar and similar items are an invitation to critters.
• Add a measuring cup to dry items you frequently use, such as sugar, flour, rice, oats, etc. Purchase inexpensive measuring cups and place the size you use most often for that item in the canister. You now have a scoop that will make cooking faster. Just be sure that your hands are always clean when you are dispensing from the canister.

Kitchen Cabinets

• Again, take one cabinet at a time and allow yourself enough time to finish the job.
• Remove all items, clean the cabinet, inspect the shelves and then consider what needs to go where.
• Add shelves as needed or measure before going shopping for tiered shelving, pull out racks or other organizational items. Be sure you check to see what you have at home first.
• Move items you use infrequently to less convenient locations. Keep the easy to reach and see shelves open for items you use frequently.
• As you sort and organize, make note of items you need to replace or replenish.
• Place dishes and glassware you frequently use in cabinets nearest the dishwasher.
• Group like items together OR items that you use for the same process–think ’stations’ as in the pantry. For instance, place baking items together.
• Repackage items as needed.
• Place items that often become sticky, such as honey & molasses, on a plastic tray to make clean up easier.
• If you frequently pull out large canisters for a small amount of product, consider having a secondary small container in a nearby cabinet. For instance, I bake ‘30 minute artisan bread’ multiple times a week. The recipe requires that cornmeal be placed on the baking sheet and flour dusted on the top of the loaf just before baking. Tired of hauling out the flour & cornmeal canisters, I placed flour and cornmeal into separate small easily-closed containers that allow me to shake out the small amount required. One container is a large salt shaker, the other a shaker for Parmesan cheese.
• If your lower cabinets are difficult to reach, consider investing in the roll out shelves & racks.
• Toss or donate items you do not or will not use!
• There are a variety of organizational products on the market; entire sets of plastic storage containers that fit into a rotating holder, pan racks, pan lid racks, plastic bins (I like the inexpensive toy bins sold by IKEA and inexpensive plastic trash cans for holding small things), plastic shoe boxes and spice racks galore. Be certain to think through what you need and measure carefully before hauling home a group of misfits. As always, compare price and quality.
• Don’t forget to utilize the inside of cabinet doors. 3-M hooks, special door racks, magnetic racks, over-the-door racks and other useful items are available to organize everything from spices to knives and your car keys. Use the inside of a cabinet door near your phone to post frequently called phone numbers. Don’t forget to include the poison control center, physician & family contacts on that list. Or paint the inside of a door with chalkboard paint or white board paint and have an instant message center.

Finally, stand back and admire your work!

Whether you cook everyday or infrequently, the kitchen is one of the most important areas of your home to organize. Being able to locate what you need quickly is essential to efficient food production. Keeping the kitchen clean is essential to food safety. The two definitely go hand-in-hand, as an organized kitchen is one that is easier to keep clean.

With any large project, it is wise to pace yourself. Unless your kitchen is small and nearly empty, this will be a project that will take several days. Do not attempt to do every cupboard in a day. To do so is likely to result in a catastrophic mess that will accomplish little. Instead, break the kitchen into components and work on each one individually. Following that sage advice, this will be a three part series on kitchen organization. As always, share you tips and tricks!

As you work at organizing your kitchen, keep notes as to what you think you might need in the way of organizational aids. Don’t begin your project with a trip to the ‘organizing store’. Instead, begin at home and analyze as you go.

Here we go:

1. Counter tops. Begin by clearing them off as much as humanly possible. Counter tops are your primary work surface and, like most flat surfaces in a home, likely to become magnets to every stray object around. Attack the clutter with a few of these ideas:

• Cover and store appliances that you do not use on a daily basis. Store them in high cabinets, the garage, basement or attic. Consider designating one storage area for appliances so that you do not have to remember the location of each individual item.
• Get rid of what you don’t use. If it works, donate it. If it doesn’t work, toss it.
• Consider investing in under the cabinet devices to reduce the clutter. Toaster ovens, knife racks, paper towel holders, can openers and food processors are just a few of the items that can be installed under cabinets.
• Corral the paper. If the kitchen is the repository for school papers, bills, mails and memos, devise an alternative location OR create a home for the paper. A small kitchen office can be carved out of a little used counter area. Or simple provide an attractive basket for the paper to be housed in. Deal with it as soon as possible and get rid of it! Consider switching to paperless bank statements and bills. Get yourself off of junk mailing lists.
• Containers. Collect like objects, such as wooden spoons or whisks, in decorative containers. Re-purpose vases, pitchers, baskets or crockery. Store within easy reach, utilizing the space under the upper cabinets.
• If you have the floor space and need additional counter space, invest in a kitchen island, small cabinet or desk for the kitchen.
• Liquid soap is much cleaner than bar soap. Keep a dispenser near your sink to promote frequent hand washing.
• Be vigilant in cleaning counter tops! Use a disinfectant cleaner, clean dish cloth and clean frequently. Always be certain to clean thoroughly after having raw meats & eggs on your counter tops. Better yet, always use a non-wood cutting board for meats!

2. Junk Drawer. We all have one and we all fight with them. Every kitchen needs a place to stash       rubber bands, paper clips, twist ties, a pencil–all of that riff raff that we need access to. Keeping it manageable is an art form. No time like the present to attack it!

• Throw away everything you don’t really need!
• Clean out the drawer and line with an inexpensive plastic place mat. Plastic place mats can be cut to fit the drawer, can be removed for easy cleaning and are less expensive than sticky shelf lining paper that can leave a residue.
• Sort the junk drawer items by purpose. If you have another place to store a particular item, get it out of the junk drawer.
• Ask yourself if you really need all of these items in the kitchen!
• Utensil trays. Inexpensive to absurdly expensive, these little gems can help control the small stuff.
• Small zip-lock bags can corral items you don’t need on a daily basis. You can purchase really small zip-lock type bags in many craft stores.
• Office organizational items such as small boxes, trays and cubes can be fitted into the drawer to maximize divided storage. Check out the stationery department at discount stores for useful items.
• Utilize small plastic food containers, baby shoe boxes, check boxes, or plastic cups as organizational assistants.
• When you have a few extra minutes, maintain the junk drawer. Stuck on hold? Open the junk drawer and throw something away!

3. Utensil drawers. Now, go after the utensil drawers! You may need to attack several drawers at one time to maximize storage and organizational nirvana.

• Again, empty drawer, clean and line as above.
• Get rid of utensils and other gadgets you don’t use. If you think you might use it in the future, or use it a few times a year, store elsewhere. A suitably sized lidded plastic container may be perfect for storing that melon baller, meatball scoop or lemon zester. Label the box and store near your extra appliances.
• Sort items by size or function. You will need to determine what makes the most sense for you. You might divide items by broad categories such as stove top, preparation, carving, etc.
• Sort small items with utensil drawer trays or other sorting device.
• Remember that knives are dulled mostly by rubbing against other knives or utensils. Store them together appropriately and away from small fingers!
• Store items you use at the stove near the stove.
• Check any childproofing devices you may have installed. Replace if worn.
• Too many utensils? Store some as described in the counter top section. Utilize racks, containers and even the inside of cabinet doors. Julia Child hung many of her utensils, molds & pans on the walls of her kitchen. If you choose that route, remember to clean them before each use!
• Over-sized utensils, such as BBQ tools, should be stored in their own drawer or in a separate location.
• Store items children can safely use in a drawer or cabinet they can easily reach.
• Utensil trays are a must for table utensils! Many are available that can be cut to size.  Keep this drawer handy to the dishwasher and table. Regularly check it to be certain that it remains clean.

4. Linens. Every kitchen needs a place to store dish towels, dish cloths, aprons, etc. Be certain that used linens are not returned to the clean linen drawer until they are thoroughly laundered!

• Keep these where everyone can reach them.
• You may need to experiment with methods of folding to see what works best in the space you have.
• Sort and toss what is worn or no longer needed.
• If you have a spare shelf, store your linens as you would sheets and towels.
• Utilize shelf dividers if you have trouble keeping your folded linens tidy.

There you have it, the first step. An organized and sanitary kitchen is within your grasp!

After quite an absence to ’savor’ 10 weeks of IV antibiotics and then the crunch of Christmas, it is time once again to get organized! There is no better time than the beginning of a new year to re-evaluate, re-organize and re-do those areas of our lives that could use a bit of attention.

One of the rooms that is often most lacking in usable storage is the bathroom. We need to store necessities and frivolities while protecting them from the range of temperature and humidity that are common in bathrooms. It is also a room that needs to be cleaned frequently and well, which means that the little stuff needs to be put away! A bathroom that is orderly is a bathroom that is easier to clean.

AS YOU ORGANIZE, BE CERTAIN THAT YOU HAVE CHILDPROOFED YOUR BATHROOM!!! THE CLEANERS, MEDICATIONS, RAZORS, COSMETICS, PERFUMES & ASSORTED SMALL ITEMS OFTEN FOUND IN A BATHROOM ARE ALL POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ITEMS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN OR PETS. IF ANYONE IN YOUR HOME IS EVEN SLIGHTLY MOBILITY IMPAIRED, HAVE GRAB BARS INSTALLED NEAR TUB.

Let’s first look at the necessities. Toilet paper needs to be accessible and readily restocked. A few ideas to consider: decorative baskets, bins in a cabinet (small inexpensive trash cans work well under sinks to hold ’stuff’), over the toilet cabinets, holders designed to sit on the floor and holders designed to hang from the tank are a few options. Extra toilet paper should ideally be stored nearby. Think about storing extra in an under-the-bed box, on the top shelf of a closet, on the floor of your linen closet or even in decorative hat boxes.

Sanitary supplies can become a jumbled up nightmare without some organization. Again, small, thin and inexpensive trash cans are great for sliding in cabinets. They will protect your products while organizing them. Their slender size allows several to stand side-by-side in a typical under the sink cabinet. If you store extra supplies, store them elsewhere but still accessible. The suggestions for toilet paper can apply to this category.

Have holders in your tub or shower for shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, etc. Holders can be found that hang from the shower head, the shower curtain rod, the wall or with tension rods. Whatever you choose, dispose of empty containers quickly and replace items as they are used.

If you have trouble keeping up with clean towels, install an extra towel bar. Doubling your in-the-bathroom storage capability will save those hysterical calls of “I need a towel!” Have a hamper to hold soiled towels and teach your family to use it.

Medications that will be stored for long periods of time should be stored outside of the bathroom. The heat and humidity of the bathroom will reduce the shelf life of most medications. Keep your current medications well labeled and safely stored. If you take more than one medication at the beginning or end of a day, invest in a plastic pill case that you can fill for weeks at a time.  Make it a point to regularly dispose of medications you no longer need. Store your current medications either in a medicine cabinet or a set of drawers (only if you do not have small children in your home). If you have trouble reading the small print on the medication label, write the medication name on the top of the lid or across the label with a permanent marker.

Emily T. suggested storing first aid supplies in a cabinet made up of small drawers, typically used for small hardware parts. She has the drawers clearly labeled as to their contents. In an emergency, she can quickly locate what she needs. Inventorying her supplies is easy.

Small drawers of all sorts are great ways to organize any number of items commonly found in a bathroom. We have more counter space than drawer space. We extended our storage capability by purchasing a small shelf ‘tower’ that sits on the counter. The tower holds several sets of small drawers that hold commonly worn jewelry, deodorant, dental floss and host of other items.  Each drawer has a ‘theme’ of the type of item it holds. One shelf has small trays on it to manage bottles of ’stuff’. Another has a set of very small drawers that hold cotton swabs, make-up sponges & other very small items.

If you have larger drawers, inexpensive plastic silverware trays will help organize items within the drawer. Cosmetics, razors, brushes, combs, etc, etc, etc. can be grouped together in one drawer and then kept manageable by the dividers. There are a variety of drawer organizing systems on the market, widely available at discount stores, hardware stores and online.

Install hooks on back of doors & walls to hold bathrobes, towels, etc.

Be sure to have a toilet bowl brush for every bathroom, as well as a supply of necessary cleaners.

A small, lined trash can is a necessity in every well organized bathroom. Line it with shopping bags or small trash bags to make clean up easier. Store extra bags in the bottom of the trash can.

Under sink cabinets can become orderly in minutes by utilizing small, thin trashcans, wire racks, pull out shelving, small drawer sets and stair-step type shelving. Add hooks to the inside of the cabinet doors to hang small items.

A divided laundry hamper with sections for each type of laundry will speed sorting and help keep dirty clothes off the floor.

Organizing your bathroom should take only a few hours. As you organize, check for expiration dates, products you no longer use, empty containers and duplicates. Make note of everything you need to store and then find the perfect solution for your organized bathroom!

Clean clothes, dirty clothes, clothes waiting to be folded, clothes waiting to be matched, clothes waiting to be ironed, clothes waiting to be mended…..it makes us envy our furry friends who can forget the bothersome realities of acceptable society. A task that few really enjoy doing, getting your laundry organized, processed and back where it belongs in a timely fashion reaps great rewards. A few ideas to consider:

1. Remove clothes from your closet and drawers that you do not use. Reducing the clutter will make it easier to find and use what you have! Store out of season clothes under beds, in boxes, at the back of the closet, in an extra closet–anywhere that they are out of your way.
2. Teach EVERYONE in the house that dirty clothes belong in the hamper and clean clothes should be stored appropriately. The two categories of clothing should not be mixed.
3. If possible, have hampers that sort the clothes as you remove them. A divided hamper with areas for white, lights, darks, etc. cuts out the sorting step.
4. Do not place wet articles in hampers. Allow to dry to avoid mold, mildew and damp smells.
5. Keep stain sticks in each bathroom or near each hamper. Treat stains as soon as you see them.
6. If you live in a multi-story house where dirty clothes and the washer are not on the same level, consider bagging dirty laundry in laundry bags for transport. Bag according to the type of load. If you want to avoid accidents on the stairs or multiple trips up and down, simply toss the loaded bags down the stairs.
7. Do a sweep of bathrooms and bedrooms when you bag the laundry.
8. If you have family members that are constantly leaving dirty clothes where they don’t belong, develop a reward or penalty system. Don’t wash the clothes that aren’t in the hamper. Add extra chores for whatever you have to pick up. Be creative!
9. Have baskets or hampers for clean clothes. Don’t put clean laundry back into the dirty laundry bags that you used to bag up the dirty clothes. Inexpensive mesh folding hampers are great for clean clothes. You can have one for each category of laundry and each person’s clothing.
10. Have a place near the washer and dryer to keep the filled laundry bags before they are washed. NO LOOSE LAUNDRY. IKEA makes inexpensive folding hampers that are wonderful for storing dirty clothes.
11. Organize your washer and dryer area. Having a bin that holds laundry soap, bleach, etc will keep the area clean. Hanging shoe bags can be mounted to a wall and help keep the area well organized. Place dryer sheets, stain sticks, bleach pens, etc. near the washer and dryer. Have a bag for ‘orphan socks’. A bag designed for holding plastic garbage bags works well to hold lingerie bags. Post laundry instructions, including water temperature, cycle, etc. if others are doing their own laundry. Have empty hangers and a place to hang clothes as they come out of the dryer. Over-the-door hooks work if you don’t have a clothesline or clothing rack.
12. Remember to always clean out the dryer lint trap with each load. Every few months, place the lint trap under hot tap water and let it run until the water runs through the mess easily. If your washer has a lint trip, clean it as well.
13. Hang up clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer. This can reduce ironing time!
14. Fold easily wrinkled clothes as quickly as possible. If your dryer down folds down, fold the items onto the drawer as they come out.
15. If an item needs mending, mark it and hang it in a place reserved for mending.
16. Decide if there are items that you could skip folding. Could you organize under clothes, children’s play clothes, towels, washcloths, etc in such a way that folding is not necessary? Bins, baskets and drawers dedicated to one type of clothing or household linen can help you avoid folding.
17. Match socks as quickly as possible. You might want to consider buying a lot of socks exactly the same, thus making matching easier or unnecessary.
18. If  you have multiple sizes of sheets, label each sheet along the edge with a permanent marker.
19. Simplify linens by having all one color of towel, sheets, etc.
20. Items that do not need to be folded immediately, can be stored in a clean hamper and folded while watching TV or talking on the phone. Everyone can help, including young children. Their small hands are perfect for washcloth folding.
21. Always have extra laundry soap, bleach and dryer sheets on hand.
22. For big events or especially busy weeks, be certain that you have every item you need cleaned and stored properly well in advance.
23. Before buying clothing, consider the care instructions. Buy clothes that do not require more care than you wish to give them.
24. Use an inexpensive dry cleaner for shirts you don’t want to iron. Many are as cheap as $1 a shirt.
25. Have a set place to store items that need to be ironed. Before steam irons, our grandmothers ’sprinkled’ clothing with water and then stored in the freezer until it was time to iron them. This works really well for linen and cotton.
26. If you use spray starch, be sure to cover your ironing board and the floor underneath it.
27. Change sheets in the morning and put the clean sheets back on the same bed in the afternoon.
28. Laundry backlog can be avoided if you do a bit each day.
29. Don’t change all of the sheets on the same day unless you have time to process multiple loads.

Whatever systems you use, keeping clothing clean and well organized not only reduces stress, but increases the lifespan of all things textile!

Thanksgiving is nearly here–time to review safe turkey handling procedures. Serve up a feast, not a germ-fest by following these simple guidelines:

• Turkey is nutritious, low in fat and freezes well. Purchase an extra one at the season’s rock bottom prices and store in the deep freeze for nine months to one year. After that time, quality will begin to go downhill.
• Safe food handling is CRITICAL! Don’t fall into the ‘but my mother did it this way’ trap.
• If purchasing a fresh, never frozen turkey, purchase it only a day or two before Thanksgiving. Most stores allow you to reserve a fresh turkey. Purchase it last at the store and get it into the refrigerator at home quickly. Keep a tray under it to catch any drippings.
• Never purchase a pre-stuffed fresh (as in not frozen at the store) turkey.
• There are safe, FDA-approved frozen pre-stuffed turkeys. Follow instructions for these birds religiously.
• Allow plenty of time to defrost your turkey in THE REFRIGERATOR. Place turkey at bottom of frig with a drip tray under it.
• ALWAYS WASH HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER HANDLING THE TURKEY, EVEN IN THE PACKAGING.
• Never thaw a turkey on the counter. If you must rush the thawing process, keep the bird in water that is less than 70F. Change water every 30 minutes.
• Keep raw turkey away from other foods.
• Clean all surfaces that will come in contact with the raw bird–before and after contact!
• Remove packages of turkey ‘extras’ from both cavities of the bird.
• According to Julia Child and Jacques Peppin, your turkey will cook quicker, more evenly & the white meat will be moister if you cut down to the joint where the thigh meets the body & then disjoint the thigh at the body. You can do this by bending the leg/thigh joint and pushing it toward the neck, then back and finally out from the body. A sharp knife is sometimes necessary, so be careful! Also, cut off the tip of the wings and the end of the leg bone.
• Don’t rely on the ‘pop-up’ timer that comes with your turkey.
• Cover the breast portion of the turkey with cheesecloth or aluminum foil to hold in juices. Uncover for the last 30 minutes to allow that skin to brown.
• Consuming stuffing baked in the bird is a great way to contract a multitude of food-borne illnesses. Instead, stuff the turkey with ‘throw away’ items to keep the meat moist and bake your stuffing separately. The tops of celery, wilted lettuce, even apples are great things to stuff the turkey cavity with.
• If you absolutely insist on eating the stuffing from inside the bird, use a reliable meat thermometer to make certain that all inner parts of the stuffing have reached at least 165F. As an added precaution (but still NOT recommended) you can remove the stuffing, place in a baking dish and return to the oven until it reaches 180F.
• DO NOT cook your turkey in an oven below 325F. Some of the slow cook methods allow parts of the turkey to remain at too low a temperature to kill off harmful bacteria.
• Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey in multiple deep locations, such as the thigh joint. Even if the bird has a pop-up indicator, double check for yourself. Reliable digital meat thermometers that can sit outside your oven and alarm when a desired temperature is reached can be purchased for well under $20.
• You can safely let the turkey sit after roasting for 20 minutes. The maximum amount of time, in a cool room, that the food should be left out is two hours. Timing begins as soon as foods are removed from the oven or stovetop.
• Keep foods warm during dinner utilizing hot plates, warming trays, etc.
• Quickly refrigerate leftovers in small packages, spread out within the refrigerator. If your refrigerator is fool or leftovers are extremely warm, pre-cool them by immersing the sealed container of leftovers in a large container of ice.
• If you want to get a head start, prepare turkey stock this week. Freeze after cooled and you have the beginnings of gravy. You can also thicken the stock before freezing. Add this to the ‘brown bits’ in the bottom of your turkey roaster on Thanksgiving Day.
• Eat up leftovers quickly. Stuffing, pies, meats and gravies should be eaten with three to four days. Reheat only the amount you will eat at that meal. Freeze what you will not eat within the prescribed amount of time.
• THIS WEEK, check the temperature of your refrigerator to be certain that it is within the safe range–lower than 40F. Your home freezer should be 0F or lower.

Have a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving!