WFMW 10-1-08

Kitchen Organization is crucial in helping keep the flow going in a busy household. Two of the most important items in my kitchen that I rely on may seem better suited in an office than in the kitchen.

I use a 3" binder for all my recipes that either have been printed off of the Internet or have been given to me. I use clear protective pages to keep them from getting messy or ruined. I have used this method since the early 90s. I keep only the recipes that I have used over and over again plus a few that I really want to try but have not had the chance yet. I also keep my meal planning information in this big binder as well as my Once A Month Cooking plans. It is a very valuable part of my kitchen.

My second item is one I have mentioned at least a couple of times on WFMW...my kitchen notebook! My kitchen notebook is priceless to me! I like to create meals without a recipe quite often. One of my son's would ask me if I had written down what I had done so that I could re-create the meal. One day after watching one of our favorite cooking shows we saw the chef using a small notebook to write down his meal creation as it took place. BINGO! So I began to do the same thing. I keep it in my utensil drawer with a pen. When I am mixing up a creation I pull it out and write down what I have done so that I can make it again!

Both of these items are important to my life in the kitchen! For more Works for Me Wednesday ideas go to Rocks in My Dryer.

WFMW 6-11-08

Healthy LifeStyle Notebook

Okay I admit it, I am a nut for notebooks of any kind. I have always been that type of gal that had a huge love of pen and paper. I mean when I was in the second grade I was designing clothes for my Barbie using my spiral notebook. Suffice it to say that I have a lot of organizational notebooks around my home and even more spiral notebooks! I buy them by the case when the back-to-school sales begin late summer. I justify it because I have four children that attend school and they usually need a notebook for each subject. A case is much cheaper. But I do digress…

Many of you have heard that if you just write down what you eat or drink it will help you keep track of your habits and calories for any given day. I have tried this in the past and have always given up the task. I found it at times to be too cumbersome or I would just plain forget to write down what I had eaten.

Last year I had a life changing event happen in my life and I decided to keep track of what I eat and how much I exercise. It worked wonderfully…..until I quit making time to do it! I am back on track now and I am so glad. I have finally figured out that for me I need the structure. It is also invaluable when you have an appointment with your doctor.

This is what I do:
I have found using an old fashioned steno pad is the best for me.

I write down everything that goes in my mouth. I also keep track of my blood sugar, blood pressure, and weight. I also put down how many minutes I have exercised (or not) and what I did for physical activity. I keep it near me at work and it comes out of my bag once I get home.

I have found now that it is like a dear old friend that I have missed. I write down my feelings or if I am really craving something I write that down and try to evaluate why I have such strong desires to deviate from my plan.

There are several online tracking sites that one can use but I have found that actually holdking the pen in hand and putting it to paper works best for me. For more Works for Me Wednesday check out Rocks in My Dryer.

WFMW 3-19-08

In a large, busy family someone is always needing a pen, pencil, sissors, tape, paper clips, etc. I have solved that problem for our family and it was relatively easy and simple.

Two years ago I purchased on clearance at Target a cute little desk organizer that spins around and is very compact. I store our pens, a permanant marker, mini stapler, scissors, pencils, and the like in this cute little organizer. It sits on top of one of those mini three drawer towers that you can find at your local dollar store. Mine is clear and it is trimmed out in bright cherry red which matches my kitchen. Inside the drawers I store the tape, a glue stick, notepad, and the top drawer I use to put my rings in when I come home from work and begin to cook dinner.

This has been so helpful. It works better than the item that used to serve this purpose. I used previously for years a plastic, magnetic basket that fit on the side of my fridge and it held all those items but it would sometimes get knocked off or someone would spill its contents on the floor. Every now and then I still find the scissors put back in the container because we still use it but for important info from school for the kids.

This works for us great! For more Works for Me Wednesday head over to Shannon's Rocks in My Dryer.

Like every Mom I know, I am very busy. Plus I have a husband that is in law enforcement who has a crazy schedule. Add to the mix four very active teenagers and life can get crazy! If you are not organized things can go south rather quickly! I have struggled for years to find the right purse/handbag for work plus ways to keep that bag organized. I have tried them all! I have come across something lately that really seems to be working for me. I have one of those Mom Bag's my kids call them. You know the ginormous purse that holds everything but the kitchen sink. I hate that it is so dark and voluminous that at times I can't find just what I am looking for. But on the other hand I love the bag. It is a beautiful leather bag that my husband bought me this fall and I adore it and it is sturdy, attractive, and perfect. The following is what has worked for me now longer than anything else:

I bought three clear vinyl zippered bags from Wal-Mart. They are all the same size and were under two bucks each! They are clear so you can see what is inside. I also had a small fire engine red zippered pouch. It is perfect for my driver's license, debit card, and cash. It is so easy to spot it in the cavernous purse.




One zippered bag I keep as a mini office: stamps, tiny sticky notes from the dollar store, a nifty highlighter/post it flag notes pen, ink pen, coupons to local places to eat, checkbook, bank receipts, small calculator, teens schedules on a laminated card, and business cards.




Another bag serves as my make-up bag with powder, eyeglass cleaner, lipstick, gloss, floss, even a small measuring tape, etc. You get the picture.




Then I use the last bag for various snacks that can fit in there such as gum, mints, a protein bar, my favorite tea bags.




I love this! It has worked out so awesome for me! They may not be pretty but I can toss whatever I need in my swanky bags when hubby and I go out and no one is the wiser.

It has helped me feel not so discombobulated and it really works for me! If you want to see more great ideas head on over to Shannon's at Rock's in My Dryer and check out the Works for Me Wednesday!