Weird Things You Can Freeze

I grew up with a grandma who have a very impressive pantry. Her canning collection was enormous, although sometimes digging into it felt like an archaeological investigation. Her freezer stash was equally impressive. Little containers labelled with dates and contents: would that I were so organized. But what was most impressive was the weird things she liked to freeze. Her freezer wasn’t just full of berries – it was also full of all sorts of oddball items that would make you raise your eyebrows. In the … Continue reading →

In Praise of the Junk Drawer

What a mess! You look into the drawers of your desk or craft area, and what do you find? It’s a mess, but it’s a creative mess. At this time of the year, when we’re inside more often than out, how can you use your junk to spawn creativity in your home? Look in your workshop, or in the place where you put bits and pieces like nails and string. Don’t have a place like this? Make one, even if it’s just one little drawer. Your grandparents probably found this to be the most useful drawer in the house. We … Continue reading →

Taming the Freezer Monster

I have a monstrous amount of food in my freezer, and I think it’s alive. It’s a little sticky, and it’s got some nasty hard edges. Yesterday when I went down there to dig up some strawberries and cherries from the depths, it leapt onto my hand. I am sure it was trying to suck me in. I have a freezer packed full of fruit, jam, and other goodies from the rest of the growing season. This is wonderful. However, I must admit that it’s really quite hard to delve into the depths of the freezer and come out intact. … Continue reading →

Managing Family Paperwork

You know, I just had a realization. This realization involved the family paperwork. I do far too much of the stuff. Our paperwork takes at least 45 minutes every day, and that’s with one child. Granted, we have some complexities, but so do all families. I have a medical condition that involves paperwork. We’re members of a number of farm shares that need paperwork-related attention. We go to church. My daughter has extracurricular activities. She goes to school. I attend classes. We have a lot of pets. I run a couple of small businesses. Oh yes, and there are the … Continue reading →

Creating a Kid-Friendly Lunch Shelf

So it’s back to school. This year, I’d really like my seven-year-old to start making her lunches. While she can come home for lunch sometimes, packed lunches are the way of things most days. I’m no fan of making lunches, and I’ve been known to be notoriously un-creative at times. In grade three, when I made my own lunch, I ate peanut butter sandwiches for an entire year. I still can’t eat a plain peanut butter sandwich without gagging. Enough said. Children have their own ideas about what makes a good lunch. If you’re aiming to have them make a nutritious … Continue reading →

Organizing School Items

So it’s almost time for back to school. You’ve organized the school supplies. You’ve gotten the back to school clothes, or you’ve dug in the closet to find them. You have it all planned out, or else you’re giggling madly in denial at this post right now. La, la, la – I can’t hear you, you say. Organizing? Back to school? What’s that? On Pinterest lately there have been a number of wonderful little ideas for back to school organizing. One area of our home that gets very messy at the end of the day is the entryway. The entryway … Continue reading →

Get Organized – With Toilet Paper Rolls?

Have you heard about the new wonder product? It’s cheap, it’s effective for organizing, and amazingly, it’s found in your very own home! Why yes, I am talking about paper towel and toilet paper rolls. I’ll be using paper towel rolls in the garden, where the squirrels are avidly chewing up my corn from the roots. By giving them a bit of a shield to chew through, I’m hoping to deter them from the corn. Move on to the weeds, please! Cords: we all have them in abundance, usually in a tangled mess behind our appliances. Line the rolls with … Continue reading →

It’s Time to Get those Cars into the Garage

How many of us actually use our garages for our cars? Usually the garage is more of a home storage space for toys, tools and yard equipment. Here are some steps you can take to reclaim your garage. When organizing a space and removing clutter, you really have to start from scratch. Pick a nice sunny weekend, lay some tarps out on the driveway or lawn, and remove everything from your garage. You can go ahead and sort it into piles if you like, as you remove it. Sweep and clean the floor and any shelves if you have them. … Continue reading →

How to Cut Down on Junk Mail Clutter

I wonder how much time that we spend on a monthly basis dealing with junk mail clutter? Kitchen counters or desks piled high with the stuff, late fees on bills that got lost in the piles, time spent sorting through it all.Think about how the minutes can add up to hours or even days in the course of the year. Junk mail can be a big source of clutter. No one really wants to deal with it, especially if we are collecting it right before we walk in the door after a long day of work or dealing with the … Continue reading →

The Importance of Lists

People who make lists are often the butt of a few jokes. They can be seen as uptight and over organized. When it comes to taking care of a home, though, list making can be an important tool in keeping track of everything and even giving you the motivation to get more done in a day. Different Types of Lists There are a number of different types of lists that can help you keep your home and your life organized. There are inventory lists, grocery lists, to do lists, accomplishment lists, dream lists, activity lists, information lists and more. Different … Continue reading →