Organizing Your Freezer

With a family of 7, a husband who hunts, and buying things in bulk, it seems as though freezer space is always at a premium.  Not only do we have our kitchen fridge/freezer, but we have an additional one out in the garage.  We also have a chest freezer and we just purchased an upright freezer as well.

I am not a huge fan of chest freezers.  Everything seems to get lost in the abyss and it is not easily organized.  So that is why I was super excited to find an upright freezer on the local classified ads website for a great price!  I love that it takes up the same footprint as my chest freezer, but I'm able to hold so much more and keep it organized!

I unloaded everything from my chest freezer and put it into my upright freezer.  I purchased lots of inexpensive bins at the local dollar store.  No need for expensive bins here!

My top shelf I loaded all of my newer Zaycon Chicken.  Last November I had purchased 80 lbs of chicken and I've used about half.  But because the price of beef is so high right now, and my husband didn't get an elk this year (it was too warm), we will probably go through it pretty quickly. So I purchased another 40lbs last month.  

My second shelf I loaded with my older Zaycon chicken.  I love Zaycon chicken. I've been ordering it from them for about 5 years.  Their chicken is 100% natural with no added hormones, additives, or artificial ingredients.  And typically it is about $1.99/lb which is incredible!  It comes in 40lb cases, and you do have to trim the meat and package them yourself.  But it is totally worth it for such a great product at a great price.  And Zaycon is a great company too! I have loved purchasing from them.

Update: Zaycon Fresh just announced that chicken will be coming in May/June 2015 for $1.69/lb! That is incredible price! Register now so that you can be notified when it goes on sale in your area!

My third shelf I loaded up with my cinnamon rolls, potatoes, ravioli, and ice cream.

The bottom basket has all my meat (venison and elk that my husband has shot and butchered himself).  As well as a bag of ice for an upcoming event.

The door has all my frozen breads, a few fruits and veggies, as well as my freezer jam and some frozen water bottles.

I like to keep an inventory of what I meat I have.  Besides letting me know how many I started with, it helps me keep track of how fast we go through things so I can plan and budget better.  I write the inventory on the side of the freezer with a wet-erase marker.  It gets updated every couple of months or so.

It makes me so happy to not have to dig through the abyss of the chest freezer in order to find what I need now.  I'd say it is a definite improvement!

Love this post? Be sure to comment! I'd love to hear what you have done to get your freezer space organized!

Organizing Recipes with Linn

I would like to welcome Linn from A Place For Everything as a contributor to An Organized Family. Linn is a good friend of mine who shares my passion for organization.  She has some great ideas and I am so happy she has agreed to share them with us.

Hello there, I am Linn Allen and I am excited and honored that Amanda would ask me to be a contributor on her blog!

So, this particular idea is a pretty simple one, but in all of the organization seminars I have given, I have been surprised at how few people have given more than just a little thought to how they organize and keep their favorite recipes. And additionally, I can’t tell you the number of times I have shared this idea and afterwards, had those attending my seminars come up and mention that they feel a new sense of freedom knowing they don’t have to keep all of the recipe books they currently own. They share that they seldom use them and feel a bit of stress every time they see them, feeling like they should be using them. If recipe books are your thing, go for it! Keep them and enjoy. But if you are someone that doesn’t operate that way, here is an idea that may be of help to you.

I truly do enjoy cooking. Now don’t get me wrong, I have not made dinner every single night in 16 ½ years of marriage, but for the most part, I try hard to have something made for my family most nights of the week because I truly do like to cook.

Nevertheless, I have a confession. I don’t own a single cookbook.

For a few years, I had a large basic cookbook that would tell at what temperature to cook a roast or remind me how to make asparagus correctly if I forgot, but with the internet these days, I was even able to get rid of that.

So what do I use instead?

Funny you should ask.

I’m a big fan of white binders. (If you know me in person, have been to any of my seminars or read my organization blog, you figure that out pretty quickly.) And recipes are no exception. All of the recipes I have are in one white binder that I have complied myself. (And apparently I haven’t changed the cover in quite a while. Looks like a new little project I need to get to.)

Now there is obviously not only one correct way to put together a recipe binder, but I will tell you what I do, just in case you are looking for some ideas or guidance.

All of the recipes in my binder I have used myself and, except for a few special holiday recipes, I use on a regular rotation. I personally love putting my recipes in a binder because not only does it look lovely and organized, but it causes me to type each of them up and that is a fabulous way to have an additional copy (on my computer) of all of my recipes.

I list one recipe per page (my personal preference) and categorize them into sections that make sense to me (appetizers, breads, cookies, desserts, main dishes, side dishes, soup, etc.) Each recipe is put in a plastic sheet cover, not only because it makes them look organized and calms my OCD heart, but because when I am cooking, if I spill something on a particular page, it is more than easy to wipe it off.

And what do I do with a new recipe that I don’t know if I want to have in my rotation or make the effort to type it up and put it in my binder?

Great question.

When I find, ask for, or receive a new recipe, I slip it into the front pocket of my recipe binder. I often have at least 10 or 12 recipes together in that front pocket. And there they stay until I know it is something our family will like and that I will use often. After trying it a time or two, if I find I love it, I type it up and add it to its appropriate category. If it isn’t a favorite, it makes its way to the trash.

From my own personal experience and from talking to many people (excluding professional chefs who try new things constantly), I have found that for the most part, people use what they love over and over. To the majority of people I know, they feel like their numerous recipe books are a waste because they hardly use them or use the same group of recipes repeatedly. Nevertheless and again, if you use and love your cookbooks, definitely keep them. But if they just happen to be something that takes up space in your house, without frequent use, the above idea may be something you consider implementing.

Some additional thoughts:

• Compiling all of your recipes may take some time, so go easy on yourself. Choose one category to start with and focus only on gathering recipes in that area until it is completed to your satisfaction. Then move on to the next category.
• Set a goal to look through your recipe book once a year to see if all of the recipes are still being made and enjoyed. Get rid of those that you initially loved, but later found out were not used as often as you thought.
• Email your friends once or twice a year and ask them for their favorite recipe in the last six months. This is a great way to get the best recipes out there.

What I Love About This:

I love that she not only keeps this simple and easy to do, but she gives you permission to purge!  Why keep things around that you don't really use anyway?  Thanks Lynn!

---

My name is Linn Allen and my OCD self writes about my love of organization at A Place For Everything. But first and always, I am a proud wife and grateful mom (six times over). Then I am a nonstop reader, unhurried runner, passionate organizer, relentless picture taker, zealous blogger and perpetual memory maker. Oh, and I’m also pathetically addicted to chapstick.

Organizing Your Morning Routine

With 5 children to get ready and get out the door for school each day, a morning routine is essential for our family.  Our routine sets the tone for the rest of the day and makes everything run a lot smoother.  The kids know what is expected of them, because it happens each and every morning.  Routines are internalized and turn into subconscious habits! When you approach your morning with consistency you can train yourself (and your kids) to complete tasks on autopilot.  Does this mean you will never have a stressful morning again?  NO!  But it does mean, that it will happen a whole let less.

Wake Up Earlier

In order for things to run smoothly, try to be the first one awake.  Have a little bit of time for yourself to get your body jump started.  Even 10-15 minutes can make a huge difference.  If you are not a morning person, this is especially helpful!

Try to do the same tasks in the same order every day

You develop muscle memory when you do the same things each day.  They become habits.  Many times you can even complete the task without even thinking about it.  It becomes second nature.  Think about what tasks you need to get done in the morning and write them down. Put them in order of what makes the most sense for your schedule and try to stick to that.  Think about what happens in each room and try to get everything in that room done that you can at once so you don’t have to constantly be going back and forth. WRITING IT DOWN IS KEY until you get the hang of it!

What can be done the night before to save you time in the morning?

If you constantly find things are hard in the morning, try doing them the night before.  Do you have a child who can never decide what to wear? Have them pick out tomorrow’s outfit in the bedtime routine! Does making homemade lunches slow you down? You can do that the night before too! (We will talk about bedtime routines later!)  Try to do as little as you can in the mornings to help it run smoothly.

My Routine

Here is an example of my own morning routine.  Keep in mind that what works for me, may not work for you.  But hopefully it will help you see how I do things and you can get a better handle on your own morning routine.

Note: I have 5 children to get out the door 2-3 days per week and 3 children on the other 2-3 days per week.  The two oldest are in Junior High, I have 1 at the nearby Elementary who rides the bus, and 2 that I drive 40 minutes (one-way) to school.  So, I basically have 2 similar routines, but it varies depending on what day of the week it is and if I have to drive the girls to school.  I will include both here.  If I happen to have something going first thing in the morning, I will wake up earlier to get myself completely ready before waking up the kids.  Right now, all 5 kids share one bathroom (we are currently finishing our basement with another bathroom for the girls), so the girls usually do their hair and makeup in my bathroom while T is in the shower. My husband leaves for work very early in the morning, so he is not home to help or take up bathroom time.

Essential Oils are a great way to help everyone get going in the morning.  They are great for helping you feel energized, lifting your mood, and I also use them to ward off any illness.  

To help keep us healthy, I make sure my kids get their daily medications and vitamins.  I have a basket with all of our daily medications, so its easy to divvy them out into individual condiment cups (which I got at Walmart).

I set each condiment cup by the kids place at the bar or breakfast table so they can be sure to take it when they eat.

Want some ideas for great easy breakfasts on school mornings? Check out my Homemade Pancake Mix and Homemade Syrup.

What are some of your morning routines? What helps you stay on top of things?



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Pretty Pantry Update!

Hello friends!

I am busy unpacking and organizing the new house but I thought I would share with you a quick update.  I wanted to show you my new pantry.  It is very similar to my old pantry so I employed the same techniques to make it pretty and organize it as I did for my last pantry.  I had ordered a few more rolls of my favorite Chevron Contact Paper and lined the shelves before I put anything away.  There are still more things to do in here, but it was something easy to do since I had already done it once before.

More house updates coming soon!

How To: Creating a Pretty Pantry

Hello Friends!

I don't know about you, but I am in my pantry about a thousand times a day.  It is a space that is used constantly by me and my family. And like all the spaces that I use all the time, I really like it to be well organized and pretty! So it was time to pretty this space up with some cute contact paper.  I also wanted to show you a few things I've done to keep the space organized and pretty at the same time.

I found this great Chevron Contact Paper and ordered (3) 2-packs a couple of weeks ago.  I finally had a day to devote to the project, so as soon as the kids left for school I started emptying shelves.  I then wiped them down really good before I started to lay down the contact paper.

I measured the contact paper by laying it down on the shelf and then creasing it where I needed to cut.  The contact paper was also wider than the shelf, so it needed to be trimmed to the width before I could lay it down.  I laid it across the right side of the shelves first and used a ruler to get out all the bubbles so that it would lay flat.

On the left side of the shelves, I wanted the chevron to go the same direction, and I wanted it to match up perfectly so that it looked like one seamless sheet, so I had to use 2 pieces to cover that side.

Then I just repeated it on each shelf and then started loading them back up.  I don't have a lot of cabinet space in my kitchen, so my pantry not only holds food, but most of my small appliances as well.

My pantry has gone through several arrangements, trying to find the right organization for each type of items.  I think its important to put the most used items at eye level.  I also use several types of bins, shelves, and organizers to keep things corralled and together.

Top Shelf - This shelf has my small appliances (Rice Cooker, Crock pot, and the Shelf my handy husband made for my waffle iron and griddle, as well as other small appliances)

Second Shelf - This shelf has all of the treats, snacks, drinks (on an Ikea lazy susan) and cereal.

3rd Shelf - This shelf has all of my baking supplies, vitamins, and baking mixes.

4th Shelf - This has all of my canned/boxed foods, oils, drink mixes, and breads.

Bottom Shelf - This shelf has a set of drawers that holds the accessories for my blender and my Bosch, as well as my bosch, blender, hot cocoa maker (in the winter) and paper goods.

The Floor - A few larger items like my clear water dispenser and a basket with the kids lunch boxes.  

I got these great glass jars at Walmart that I put my baking items in.  I used vinyl (cut in a circle with a punch) and I wrote on them with chalk markers.  In the past I had used stickers but found that they don't hold up well when I wash the jars, so I switched to Vinyl.  I love how pretty the glass jars are (although they are not super kid friendly - we've had several dropped lids!)

In my pantry I also have several glass jars that are airtight (like the one I use for my homemade Cream Soup Base) and I got the tall plastic jars from Ikea.

So there ya have it! I'm thinking I may paint the back wall of the pantry in the future so pretty it up even more, so stay tuned!

Organized Baking Cabinet

Hello my friends! It's Organized Your Kitchen month here at AOF and I have a quick little fix to show you.  Have you lived with something for quite a while and it's driving you nuts and you finally just have to stop everything you are doing and fix it?  Well that was me today! My baking cabinet has been driving me nuts for quite a while.  It was somewhat organized, but the kids would just throw things back in, things would fall over, little items weren't being corralled, and I had just had enough!

So here is the before.  And honestly, it doesn't look that bad! But it just wasn't working for me.  And if it doesn't work for you, then try something else!

A few weeks before, I had picked up these cute little boxes at the $1 spot at Target.  They were perfect for corralling all of my decorating items together and they fit just perfectly at the top of my cabinet.  I got out my handy dandy label maker and voila!

I also added another one down on the bottom shelf for my muffin cups.  Ahhh....makes me heart so happy!

While I was at it, I just straightened up a few items and things were looking much better!  I'm totally happy with the outcome and it was such an easy and inexpensive fix!

Organized Appliances

It's Organizing Your Kitchen month here at An Organized Family and today I am really excited to show you one little thing that has really helped me in my kitchen.

This is a before picture of one of the shelves of my pantry.  You can see that on the bottom shelf, the small appliances are pretty organized, but on the top shelf, they are not.  The griddle is just kind of thrown in there.  This drove me CRAZY!  We use the griddle nearly every morning for breakfast and I hated that it just got thrown in there and it wasn't easy to get at.  And, if we needed the Panini maker or the Waffle Iron then they weren't easy to get at either.

So, I asked my super handy (and handsome) husband to build me a little shelf just for these appliances.  And guess what, he did.  And I LOVE IT!!!!  Now each item has their own organized home and they no longer have to stack on top of each other.  This little shelf makes me happy.  I smile every time I get the griddle out of the pantry.  Every single time!

Is there anything in your kitchen that drives you nuts?  Have you employed a solution to it?  Tell me about it! Better yet, send me a picture!  anorganizedfamily@gmail.com

February is Organize Your Kitchen Month

Well the month is half over and I am just getting started!  Well, actually, I've been doing quite a bit and just haven't had time to sit down and blog about it.  But, I have been organizing, and taking photos to show you what I have been up to!

Over at my favorite organizing blog IHeartOrganizing.com, Jen issues a monthly organizing challenge and February is the Kitchen.  Well I had just happened to be planning on issuing the same challenge here, so I figure I will just go along with her challenge and show you what I've done!  Maybe between both of our blogs you will be inspired to organize your own kitchen!

I love my kitchen.  I love the colors of the cabinets.  I love the granite.  I love the tall ceilings and how it is wide open to the dining and living areas.  It truly is the heart of our home and I spend a great deal of time there.  The one thing I don't love about my kitchen is the amount of cabinets we have.  It really just isn't enough.  But, by keeping the clutter down and having a home for everything, we are making it work.  I've done quite a bit over the last 9 months organizing and tweaking the way I do things.  I think I have rearranged the pantry 3 times already.  Maybe, eventually, I will figure it all out.  But just as all organizing is, it is a process to get it just right!  But I have done a few things that I really do love that have made a huge different and I am excited to show them to you over the next few weeks.

So, start thinking... What do you want to organizing in your kitchen this month?