Get Organized Now! Weblog

Organizing a Breakfast Plan

My husband can eat the same exact breakfast every single morning and be perfectly happy. For me, however, I need more variety.

I try to avoid high-carb breakfast foods that pack on the calories, such as pancakes and french toast--on most days.

Instead, I have a healthy 7-day breakfast plan, that I change up a bit for variety.

Here's how a typical week's worth of breakfasts looks for me:

Monday: Oatmeal or cereal, and fruit

Tuesday: Peanut butter or sliced avocado with whole wheat Wheat Thins

Wednesday: Eggs (scrambled, poached or hard boiled), usually with ham or Canadian bacon and/or a fruit cup

Thursday: Plain Greek yogurt with fruit

Friday: Fruit, cheese and nuts

Saturday: Homemade waffles, pancakes, french toast or egg casserole and fruit

Sunday: We usually go out to Perkins after Mass and have a late breakfast/lunch combination there

In having a weekly plan drawn up, I don't have to think too hard about what to make for breakfast, and I can plan ahead to ensure I always have the ingredients I need readily available.

I'm a proponent of 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day.' It's that meal that helps me get going, and gives me enough energy to last me until lunchtime.

'Not So' Hard-Boiled Eggs

I recently made a dozen hard-boiled eggs, or so I thought. Despite timing the eggs exactly (I've done this so many times), and checking online on several sites to be sure the timing notations were correct, to my dismay when I went to peel them the next day, the yolks of the eggs were not quite cooked all the way through, and the whites were slightly runny. That resulted in one dozen eggs we could not use.

But I still needed the hard-boiled eggs. So, I had to do them over. Luckily, I had a spare dozen in the fridge. This time, I cooked them once again according to directions, adding another minute since they were the same size eggs as the first batch, but this time, I decided I would sacrifice one egg at the end of the cooking time--just to be sure the egg was cooked all the way through.

When the timer went off, I removed one egg from the boiling water, immersed it in cold water for a minute, and then peeled it. It was perfect! Then I immersed the other eggs and ended up with a good batch of hard-boiled eggs. I'll use this 'sacrifice one egg' system from now on so there's never a problem again in the future. You live and you learn.

My Favorite Phone Apps

Today, a friend asked me what apps I have on my iPhone. She has over 200--many of which she never uses, and she says they're cluttering up her phone screen. Plus, it's difficult for her to find those apps that she uses often, without scrolling back and forth constantly.

Just as physical clutter and paper clutter can build, so can 'virtual' clutter, like clutter found in your email inbox, on your computer, and YES, on your smart phone.

If you get an app, and you never use it, it's clutter and it should be deleted from your smartphone.

Here are my current favorite Phone Apps. This is not to say they will be tomorrow's favorites, but at this moment in time, this is what I have:

Apps that came with my iPhone that I don't have the option of deleting (they're all on the first 'page' of my iPhone screen:

Calendar
Weather
Maps
Notes
Utilities
App Store
Game Center
Settings
Stocks
Photos
Camera
Messages
Contacts
Phone
Mail
Safari
iPod

Apps that I have on my iPhone in addition to those that came with the phone (all of these are on 'pages 2 and 3' of my iPhone screen and I use them regularly--some daily:

iTunes
YouTube
Netflix
Shazam
Phanfare
The Weather Channel
Facebook
Twitter
Virtuoso
Amazon.com
Evernote
All Recipes
Fox News
Check Please
AroundMe
Pandora
Seize The Day
Dragon Dictation
Fandango
Google
Angry Birds
Groupon
Living Social
Cool Facts
Birthdays

Remember, clutter can take many forms. Don't allow your smart phone to become a clutter trouble spot. Keep your apps under control and your phone will not only be organized, but will also help you stay productive and stress-free each day.

Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow

One important concept, when it comes to organizing, is not putting off until tomorrow, what can be done today.

For instance, leave dirty dishes in the sink for a day or two, and not only will they pile up, but they'll be more difficult to clean. As soon as Joe and I are done eating, the dishes go directly into the dishwasher--and the dishwasher cycle is run every single night. Don't have a dishwasher? It will only take a few minutes to wash those dishes immediately.

If you allow paper to begin piling, it may grow to the ceiling and it will take forever to file it all away if you wait a week or more. I always file as needed, or at the latest, at the end of each day.

Wait a week to clean the bathroom, and it will require deep cleaning each week. Tidy up the bathroom each day for just a few minutes, and you'll never have to deep clean again.

This concept applies to so many different areas of life. Whenever possible (and most times it IS possible), don't delay on the basic, everyday things that tend to pile up. Handle them now and you won't have to even think about them later.

Scheduling in Time for the Unexpected

Yesterday, I had lots of tasks and projects on my To Do list that I was working on diligently, until 11:30 a.m. or so. That's when I got a call from my daughter's school telling me Amanda had a bad tummy ache. So, of course I dropped everything, drove to her school and ended up bringing her home with me, where I comforted her with a heating pad, a little club soda, and some plain crackers until she felt better. It turned out to be nothing serious, thankfully, and she's back in school today.

So today's list is basically double in size--all of today's work, plus yesterday's work that never was completed. But that's just how it goes sometimes, and flexibility is critical. For this very reason, I always keep my schedule on Fridays very light, with plenty of room for catch-up work.

When adding tasks and events to your schedule for the week, always pad with plenty of time for unexpected things that may come up. This way, you won't feel like you're drowning in work if you or another family member is feeling under the weather, or a situation arises, or if your computer decides to act up without warning.

A big part of being organized is preparing for times like these. If nothing occurs and you have lots of extra time, great! You can use that time to get a head start on next week's work, or to do something fun and relaxing. If something does come up, you'll be able to still get those things done without the pain.

Keep Track of What You Own

I just stumbled upon a great site that can help you on your organizing journey. It's called Keepio, and I'm not getting a dime for encouraging you to try them out.

With Keepio, you can keep track of what you own. Imagine, your own own personal inventory of all your stuff!

But it goes a step further by allowing you to sell the items you own--that you no longer need--sort of like your own ongoing rummage sale.

Ok, you're probably thinking, 'well, I can do that already on eBay and Craigslist.'

Yes, but not with all the nuances of Keepio's service.

First, Keepio provides a tool that allows you to keep an accurate inventory of all your stuff.

Second, Keepio allows you to keep track of items you've loaned out. Ever loan a tool or DVD and never get it back? Keepio helps you keep track of the things you've loaned out so that you don't forget.

Third, Keepio allows you to only invite those you wish to your personal 'rummage sale.' Ever want to sell something within your social circle and not have to deal with random people you don't know? With Keepio, you can create a group of trusted individuals with whom you can share and swap products, without the worry of strangers participating.

Fourth, you can also share and swap items and collections with your trusted friends on Facebook and Twitter!

Fifth, and MOST IMPORTANT, Keepio is a completely FREE service! No fee to use it! No transaction fees when you sell stuff!

You're going to love it! For more information, visit:
http://www.keepio.com

Giving Away Some Work

Tax time is rolling around once again. Today, Joe and I drove out to Sun Prairie, Wisconsin and met with our new accountant--Terry Weisensel--he was super (very knowledgeable and pleasant).

We find it easier to just have a professional handle our taxes, especially since business taxes are a bit more intricate than personal taxes. We feel that if we really want to move ahead, personally and professionally, having others help us with various services and tasks is key.

Don't ever discount the possibility of farming out some of your workload. It may be just the thing you need to get higher priority projects accomplished.

Spring Organizing and Cleaning: My 7 Day Agenda

Starting the first day of spring, March 20th, for 7 days straight, I plan to do a spring organizing and/or spring cleaning project each day. Here's what's on my agenda...

DAY 1 Begin outside clean up, including getting rid of any leftover winter brush, snipping dead branches from plants to get them ready for the warmer weather ahead, and sweeping the walkway and driveway.

DAY 2 Put away any winter clothing for the season that is still in our closets, and bring out our spring and summer wardrobes. Iron anything that requires it.

DAY 3 Begin sorting through my daughter's spring toys from last year (bubbles, chalk, watering cans, etc.) Determine if she has enough to keep her occupied, while I'm outside taking care of my gardening and other outdoor work. If not, make a list of a few items to make and/or pick up from the store.

DAY 4 Clean areas in our house that get neglected most of the year, such as the tops of our high cabinets, under the fridge, and the dust behind the beds.

DAY 5 Revisit our calendars and determine if we're doing just enough or too much. Cancel excessive activities that we're not too excited about so we have time to simply stop and smell the roses.

DAY 6 Empty the fridge and freezer and clean them out before returning our perishables back inside. Also, defrost the little fridge we keep in our basement.

DAY 7 Make arrangements for our summer help, including the lawn mowing service, grass, tree and plant service, someone to re-stain our deck and make an appointment to have the car detailed.

By the end of these 7 days, I know we'll feel great and a lot will be complete and behind us!

Time Is Your Most Precious Commodity

According to a Lou Harris survey, the amount of leisure time enjoyed by the average American has shrunk 37 percent since 1973, while the the average workweek (including commuting) has increased from fewer than 41 hours to nearly 47 hours. In many professions, an 80-hour work week is not uncommon!

Harris concludes that "time may have become the most precious commodity in the land."

Look at your typical week. Is it balanced between work and leisure time, or is the scale weighing heavily on the work end?

Don't ignore leisure time. You work hard, and you deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Cute 'Oh So True for So Many' Cleaning Poem

I saw this post on a message board and thought it would be fun to share. Hope it makes you smile.

I asked the Lord to tell me
why my house is such a mess.
He asked if I'd been 'putering',
and I had to answer YES.

He told me to get off my fanny
and tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up
the smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.
That really did the trick.
I was just admiring my work.
I didn't mean to 'click.'

But click, I did, and oops I found
a real absorbing site
that I got SO way into,
I was into it all night. (Sigh)

Nothing's changed except my mouse.
It's very, very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess
while I sit here on my hiney.