Crusty Bread No More!

Again, this is a tip I read somewhere a while back, but I can't remember where I read it... So you don't get a reference. Sorry!

Anyway, I just LOVE baking bread. I have a fabulous Zojirushi bread machine (that I got for FREE! see below...). I use it to knead the dough, then put the dough in a super-long bread pan I purchased at Ikea, let it rise, then bake it. It's roughly the same size as the loaves of bread you purchase at the grocery store. Anyway, my only complaint was the crustiness of the bread. It wasn't soft like store-bought bread. While I didn't mind (and actually preferred it crusty) my kids wouldn't let me make sandwiches with it because the crust was too crunchy. TIP: Remove the bread from the pan right out of the oven, then cover it with a damp towel, tucking it around the sides, until the bread is cool. It will "steam" the crunchiness out of the crust. :)

Since I know you want to know (wink, wink): The story of how I got my Zojirushi bread machine - a brand that I highly recommend (do you know another bread machine that can handle whole wheat bread?) but it costs around $200 brand new. How did I get mine for FREE, you ask? Freecycle.org. The site ROCKS! I put a "WANTED: bread machine" ad on Freecycle in Seattle about four or five years ago. I had a gal email me and tell me she'd purchased a bread machine to use while her in-laws were visiting, used it once, and had stored it since (and had since divorced). She didn't use it, and didn't want it so I could have it. WOW! I only determined how much it was worth when I was web-surfing trying to find a users manual for it. It makes horizontal loaves and can handle whole wheat bread without batting an eyelash (if it had eyelashes, that is). The thing is AWESOME. I got super lucky that day. :)

In the spirit of preaching the virtue of my fabulous bread machine, I though it would be fitting to share my favorite bread machine recipe with you today:

Raisin Bread (Bread Machine)

Put the following ingredients in bread machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions and set for basic (or quick) bread setting:

1 ½ C. water

2 T. oil or butter

2 ¼ C. wheat flour

2 C. white flour

3 T. sugar

2 T. dry milk

1 ½ tsp. salt

3 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. active dry yeast

*(or 3-4 tsp. active dry yeast for quick setting)

When "Add" beep sounds (or about 3/4 of the way through the kneading cycle), add:

1 ½ C. raisins

Holey Jeans!

Anyone with kids (especially little boys) knows that holes in the knees of jeans comes with the territory. I've got a tip to make those jeans last a little bit longer!

Purchase iron-on patches and iron them on the INSIDE of the jeans at the knees. Have your child put them on, then slip a safety pin in the jeans just below where the knees hit - where they'll eventually get worn and make a hole. Then turn them inside out and use the pin as a guide to determine where to center the patch. Round the corners of the patch (which will make the patch last longer and keep the edges from wearing off). Take the pin out and iron the patch on. It will keep the knees of the pants from fraying into a hole without looking goofy because they have patches on them. They'll still wear in the knees, but not open up into a hole that gets bigger every time you have to wash them or every time your preschooler decides to crawl around on the floor. :)

Treadmill Desk

Did anyone else see the piece on Good Morning America about the Treadmill Desk? I was fascinated. One office replaced many of their traditional sit-down desks with desks attached to a treadmill. The worker would walk slowly (about 1 mph) on the treadmill while working. Everyone lost weight! Check out the Treadmill Desk Blog to learn more about making your own Treadmill Desk. And just so you know - I've burned 45 calories while spending 15 minutes surfing the net this morning (so far). I think I've decided on a new place to keep my laptop. No more munching while lounging on the couch with my lap top. No-siree!

Check out the Good Morning America video from YouTube:

How the Play-doh Crumbles

[Melody, I'm stealing this tip from you. :) Thanks for sharing it on your blog.]

Add a drop of vegetable oil to crumbly play-doh and it will be as good as new. Who knew?!

Accelerating to Freeway Speed

I read this somewhere recently, and if I could remember where I would certainly tell you... But alas, I can't recall, so I apologize for not sharing my source.

When merging onto the freeway, your car will accelerate faster and more fuel-efficiently if you switch off the AC for the 10-15 seconds it takes to accelerate to freeway speed. It also works well when merging into traffic while going up a hill (which I have to do all the time in my neighborhood). Try it and tell me if it worked for you!

50 Ways To Manage Your Time

I signed up for the email newsletter from the website ineedmoretime.com and received the following time-management tips:

12 Top Time Savers

1. Reserve an hour each day. Close your door, turn off the phone and concentrate on priorities. It's amazing what you can accomplish in one uninterrupted hour.
2. Write it down. Making a master list of everything you need to do will declutter your mind and reduce your stress level. Each day, move a few of these items to your daily to-do list.
3. Keep a running list of errands to do. Group them together by location and do everything at once. Learn more at www.ineedmoretime.com/affoffice.htm.
4. Delegate! Taking the time to teach someone else to complete a task for you will ultimately free up your time for more important things. For one week, analyze each thing you must do and ask yourself, "Am I the person who must do this or should I find someone else to do it?"
5. Develop forms. Is there a sales letter that you write every week? Make a master on the computer. Think about things you do daily and ask yourself if there is a way to standardize those tasks.
6. Make a list of things you can do in five minutes or less. (Examples: write a note to a friend, straighten a drawer, make a quick phone call). The next time you have a few minutes to spare, choose something from your list to do.
7. Prioritize, Prioritize! It is better to accomplish three very important projects in a day than it is to finish 20 low priority tasks. Think about this as you plan your days.
8. Stock up on supplies. Keep the basics such as stamps, envelopes, notepads and favorite pens in your desk and ready to go. Buy in bulk to save money and time.
9. Keep a reading file. Place letters, memos, reports, newspaper articles (cut out of the paper), magazines articles (removed from the magazines) in it. When you are stuck in traffic or sitting in a doctor's office, pull out your file and read something meaningful to pass the time.
10. Do like tasks together. Make all your phone calls together. Run all your errands during lunch hour one day per week. Write thank you cards to customers once a week. Have a daily, 15-minute meeting with your assistant.
11. Reduce interruptions. Have everyone in the company learn and use these time-saving tips. Some businesspeople put a flag on their door or their cubicle when they are not to be interrupted.
12. Get organized! You can save an hour per day by decluttering and organizing your desk, files and paperwork.

Organize Your Desk in 8 Steps

13. Start at the beginning. Remove everything from your desktop. Put back only the necessities and keep a large clean space for current projects. What are the necessities? Phone, notepad, calendar, step file organizer, current project. Keep cutesy items in sight but off your desk.
14. Place your phone. Put your phone on the left side of your desk if you're right handed and on the right side if you're left handed.
15. Keep a spiral notebook by the phone for messages. Start with the date each day. By doing this, you will have reference info when you need it.
16. Keep or delete? If you use something every day leave it in your desk; if you use something once a week, you should be able to reach it from your chair; if you use something once a month keep it in your office or work area. If you use something less than once a month, keep it elsewhere.
17. Look for ways to daily improve your life. Www.ineedmoretime.com offers various organizing services and products to help you have a better quality of life.
18. Keep your office supplies in one drawer. Keep only the supplies you use frequently in your desk. Do you really need 25 pens and 15 packages of salt?
19. Sort through your desk files. Keep only personal files and files that you refer to weekly in your desk drawers.
20. Look around. End each day (or at least each week) by tidying up your desk and returning everything to its place. (Yes, everything should have a place.)

Dealing with Paper Overload

21. Read with a highlighter in hand. Highlight any actions required (due dates, calls to make, appointments, etc.) or important information as you read your mail, reports and articles.
22. Keep a file of quick tasks -- catalogs to review, short articles to read, forms to sign--and take
care of them while you wait for something to print or for a meeting to begin.
23. Sort through large paper piles efficiently. Sort them: priority mail, junk mail, magazines, bills, etc., before acting on any of it.
24. Deal with paper as you receive it. On an everyday basis, go through your mail, in-box, e-mail, etc., and sort into the following files: trash/delete, to do, to file, to read and to delegate/refer.
25. Establish a place just for paperwork. Keep it accessible and free of clutter.
26. Make a holding file. Use it to store information when you are awaiting follow-up from someone. if you need to follow-up with someone, mark the folllow-up date and name in your calendar with an (H) after it.
27. Schedule a certain amount of time every day. To keep up with your ever-growing paper piles, set a time each day, without interruptions, to process.
28. Use a master list. Get rid of those small slips of paper and sticky notes that accumulate on your desk, in your car, on your computer, and add all information to your master list. Review it daily.
29. Think about it. As you go through your day, really think about the way you do things and ask yourself if there is a better way.
30. Utilize lists. Keep running lists in your planner or in a notebook of the following: gift ideas, i.d. numbers, books to read, clothing needs, Websites to review, general ideas.

Filing Pointers

31. Make a list of your current file headings. Can you delete or combine any? If a file is over 2" thick, break it down into sub-headings.
32. Start each file heading with a noun. For example, "insurance, house" instead of "house insurance."
33. Think about where you would look to find a certain piece of paper. That should be its file heading.
34. Keep an alphabetized list of all your file folders. Attach it to your filing cabinet for easy reference.
35. Buy a step file organizer for your desk top. In it, place files labeled "to do," "to file," "to read," etc. Other options include: "E-mail to send," "to enter" (computer), and reference files for associates, employees, spouse.
36. Keep any current project or work in progress in your standing vertical file. Out of sight many times means out of mind.
37. Treat your computer files (especially e-mails) like paper files. Delete if possible or separate into "folders."
38. Remember this rule: The important part is not how you file but being able to find what you want when you want it.

Managing at Home

39. Make a phone binder at home. Include: phone numbers, emergency information, schedules and take-out menus. Keep it by the phone.
40. Take some time out on Sunday. Make sure everyone in the family has five clean, pressed outfits for the week ahead. This will save headaches during the week.
41. Make a menu once a week. Then make a grocery list and go through your coupons. Go to the grocery store at an off-peak hour. Learn more at www.ineedmoretime.com/ultimate_kitchen.htm.
42. Make each family member responsible. Have everyone put away their own clothes and belongings each night. Even a toddler can throw clothing in a hamper and help clean up toys.
43. Store items where they will be used. Keep one extra set of sheets in each bedroom. Buy a pair of scissors for each room. Learn more at www.ineedmoretime.com/affhome.htm.
44. Buy work clothing in 3 or 4 colors only. Almost everything will go together and you'll feel less stress when dressing. You can still be colorful on the weekends.
45. Make a gift wrap center. Buy a large, clean plastic container and fill it with wrapping paper, scissors, tape and ribbon. Keep it stocked.
46. Make a commitment. Take a walk for five minutes today and every day. You'll find that it is a great tension reliever and many times, you won't stop after five minutes.
47. Make a bill paying center. Buy a clean plastic shoe box and fill it with your checkbook, a pen, address stamper, envelopes and stamps. Throw in bills as they arrive.
48. Buy a small hook today. Screw it into the wall next to your door at home. Always place your keys on it when entering the house.
49. Don't be afraid to get rid of things. If you don't love it or it's not useful on a regular basis, why keep it?
50. Keep your clutter if you love it -- just find ways to work around it so you can still be organized, productive and efficient.

Copyright 2001-2007 Barbara Myers. All Rights Reserved.

About the author: Barbara Myers is a mom, professional organizer, author and speaker. Enjoy free tips and articles to help you take control of your time by organizing your life. Visit www.ineedmoretime.com.

Dollhouse Bookcase

I'm stealing this idea from my friend Secelie. She says she saw it in a magazine. The kids and I went over to her house today and her daughter had this in her room and I thought it was ADORABLE!!!

She took an inexpensive bookcase and painted the insides of the shelves, putting things on the "walls" to help delineate one room from the other (i.e., a mirror over where the sink is in the bathroom, pictures on the walls in the living room). She even cut pieces of felt into rugs by making tiny 1/4-inch cuts into each end of a rectangular piece of felt. She also hung a shower curtain with a piece of wire.

She purchased her dollhouse furniture from Ikea, and I'm not sure if they still have it or not - I couldn't find it on the Ikea website and I haven't been to Ikea in a while. But I did find it on ebay if you're interested... Anyway, more pictures are below. SO stinkin' cute!

p.s. Sorry about the picture quality - I took them w/my cell phone. :)

Tips for an Organized Home: General Household Storage

General Household Storage

• Clear plastic storage bins are the organizer’s best friend. Target carries clear bins with white, locking lids. They come in various sizes, and same-size bins stack beautifully. I use them for sorting toys in my kids’ rooms, and they’re great! Polly Pocket sets, doll clothes, matchbox cars, train sets, etc. – sort items by theme, and it will make it easier for kids to keep their rooms tidy.
• For larger items (Christmas decorations, extra bedding, out of season clothing, etc), larger storage bins that stack well are a must. Label each bin with exactly what is in it so that you can find something when you need it. Store bins with the labels facing out. Keep a catchall box in your storage area to collect items that need to be added to packed boxes, and put them where they belong the next time you pull out the boxes.
• Keep a basket or other container near the front door for things that need to go out: videos, mail, etc. Keep another basket at the foot of the stairs for items that need to go upstairs. The trick: make sure to empty them!
• Create a home for new acquisitions right away. Better yet, think about where you will put it before purchasing it. If you have nowhere to put it, don’t buy it. Make a decision to purchase items only to replace items that are worn-out.
• Jot all notes, reminders, and phone numbers in a small spiral notebook. It will eliminate all the little bits of paper that are apt to get lost.
• Open-top bins or baskets are great for storing items that you need easy access to: medications, cleaning supplies, sippy-cup lids, etc. Square or rectangular shaped storage containers fit neatly onto shelves without wasting space.
• Arrange the contents of cabinets and closets so that frequently used items are the most accessible. Store less frequently used items on very high or low shelves in a closet or at the back of a cabinet. Store items used most frequently at about waist height.
• Set up workstations for activities such as handling mail and bills, sewing, hobbies, etc. If necessary, make these workstations portable by storing them in bins that are clearly labeled. Organize your workstation with all the supplies you need.
• Look for ways to use doors, walls, and even ceilings as vertical storage space: back-of-door organizers, shelving, hooks, peg-boards, racks, and grid systems.
• Keep remote controls and small “cluttery” items in a decorative basket or tin on a shelf where you will see only the container.
• Label everything! Folders, home videos, boxes, bins, binders, shelves, etc.
• Collect all clothing with missing buttons, fallen hems, or rips and put it in a bag for mending or in a basket in your laundry room. Schedule mending time.
• Store out-of-season blankets, comforters, coats, sweaters, and other seasonal clothing in vacuum-compressed bags to save space.
• Use empty suitcases to store out-of-season clothing or bedding.
• Make a decision to postpone all impulse purchases by 24 hours. Most of the time, you’ll decide it’s not worth the effort to go back for it.
• Keep in your email in-box only those messages that you have yet to respond to. Delete or move other messages to subfolders within your in-box.
  

For more ideas, see the websites below:
www.organizedhome.com
www.unclutter.com
www.ineedmoretime.com
www.onlineorganizing.com
www.loveathome.com/organize.htm

This ends my "Tips for an Organized Home" series. Hope I shared something useful with you! And again, I'm VERY interested in YOUR ideas too, so email me your organization tips! :)

Tips for an Organized Home: Bedrooms / Closets

Bedrooms / Closets

• Hang like items together in your closet. Sort clothing in categories such as pants, skirts, and long- and short-sleeved shirts. Hang items all facing the same way. Things will be much easier to find.
• Put a pretty dish on dresser tops and nightstands to collect jewelry, loose change, and pocket paraphernalia.
• Keep in your everyday closet and drawers only those clothes that fit you. Remove anything you don’t wear because it doesn’t look or feel good on you. Every six months, go through your closet and take out anything you haven't worn in the last six months. Donate or give away those items you aren't using. (Help make room for new purchases! Yay!)
• Use drawer organizers that divide your drawers into smaller sections to hold socks, underwear, etc. The organizers will keep things tidy.
• Toss a basket or bin in the foot of your closet for shoes. Better yet, purchase inexpensive shelves designed for shoes.
• Store out-of-season clothing in suitcases under your bed. Easy to get to, and not completely out of reach if you need a sweater for a cool summer evening.
  
• For kids' closets, purchase a hanging fabric sweater holder (fabric set of "shelves" that hangs from your closet rod) and put a full day's outfit in each shelf. The child can decide which outfit they want to wear each day -or- you can label each shelf with a day of the week. Either way, it allows your elementary-age child more independence in the morning.

Tomorrow: Household / Family Organization

Tips for an Organized Home: Time Management

Time Organization

• Limit the number of daily decisions you have to make. For example, plan weekly meals in advance and post the plan on the refrigerator.
• Establish routines to help you get things done in a timely manner. For example: back up your computer every Friday, change bed-sheets on Saturday, do the grocery shopping on Wednesday, etc.
• Consolidate efforts to save time and energy: shop for groceries once a week; double a dinner recipe and freeze half for another night.
• Schedule a family meeting once a week to review upcoming agendas. Keep the family calendar in a central location so every family member can enter appointments and events.
• Divide house cleaning chores into separate days. For example, clean the kitchen on Mondays, the bathrooms on Tuesdays, Vacuum on Wednesdays, etc. Divide chores into things that take less than 30 minutes, and (if you stick to your schedule) you'll clean the entire house each week without having to carve out an entire morning to do it. You can also work laundry into the schedule too. My schedule is as follows: Mondays - grocery shopping, general tidying; Tuesdays - boys' laundry, clean bathroom; Wednesdays - dusting, vacuuming, general tidying; Thursdays - Mom/Dad's laundry, clean kitchen; Fridays: girl's laundry, pay bills.

Tomorrow: Bedrooms / Closets

Tips for an Organized Home: Kitchen Organization

Kitchen Organization

• Store kitchen items where you use them: pots and pans near the stove, food-storage wraps and containers near the refrigerator, plates & cups within arms length of the dishwasher, spices near the stove, etc.
• In the kitchen pantry, organize shelves and areas by type of food such as pastas, cereals, and soups. Categorizing makes it quicker and easier to find a particular item. Labeling shelves enables anyone to help put away groceries. I just LOVE my pantry since labeling the shelves. It stays tidier and I can ALWAYS find what I need.
• Designate certain shelves or areas of your refrigerator for storing leftovers. It will increase the likelihood that the leftovers won’t be forgotten. Label and date all leftover containers. (See post "Eating Leftovers - Really!" for more info on leftovers.) Keep labels and markers handy somewhere near the fridge.
• Organize recipes in a three-ring binder. (See post "Consolidating Cookbooks" - I've already shared this idea!) Use tabbed index sheets to create sections (Appetizers, Desserts, etc.). Sort recipes by category. Then insert same-category recipes back-to-back in top-loading clear plastic sheet protectors (affixing odd-size clippings, notes, or recipes to a sheet of 8.5x11 inch paper first). Instead of saving entire cookbooks for a few of your favorite recipes, photocopy the recipes and put them in your recipe notebook.
• Before heading out to the grocery store, clean out your fridge - including the "staples" in the door (like salad dressings, jam, etc). Throw out uneaten leftovers past their "good by" date, and check staple items like salad dressings for expiration dates as well. Doing this before heading to the store will help make sure you don't forget anything. It will also keep your fridge from getting stuffed full of out-of-date (and potentially dangerous) food.
• Use your computer to print out a weekly meal plan blank chart. Print it and laminate it, then use it to write out your meal plan each week. I have a fairly generic form I can email anyone who is interested... (see email address in the right-hand column to request one)
• Store spices in a drawer, laying on their sides. You can even go the extra mile and alphabetize them so they're easier to find - but that's only if you're as OCD as I am. In a drawer, you can see all that you have and find what you need without pushing anything out of the way.

Tomorrow: "Time Organization"

Tips for an Organized Home: Spring Cleaning / De-Cluttering

When I was working as a Community Assistant in Family Housing at the University of Washington (kind of like an RA in the dorms), I was asked to give a presentation on organization for my fellow residents. I've always been a neat-freak (I gratefully credit my parents for that one) but I did a bunch of research, bought a great book, and prepared a fabulous handout - which included many more ideas than I'd actually ever used - but they were great ideas nonetheless and have since found their way into my routine. The handout has six sections to it:

• Spring Cleaning / De-Cluttering
• Kitchen Organization
• Time Organization
• Bedrooms / Closets
• Household / Family Organization
• General Household Storage

The book I bought is The One Minute Organizer: Plain and Simple by Donna Smallin (Storey Publishing, 2004). Donna Smallin is my hero. :) It is an incredible book, and I find myself leafing through it every few months for new ideas.

Anyway... I thought you would be an appropriate audience to share this list of ideas with... So here they come! This will be a six-part series over the next few days. Here we go!!!

Spring Cleaning/De-cluttering:

• When you go through your belongings, sort things into five piles: throw away, put away, give away, sell, and keep.
• Keep or toss? Ask yourself these five questions:
  - Have I used this item in the past year?
  - Will I need it on a definite date in the future?
  - Do I need to keep it for legal or tax purposes?
  - Could I get another one pretty easily and inexpensively if I needed it someday?
  Still undecided? Ask yourself: What’s the worst thing that could possibly happen if I decided to let this go? If you can live with the consequences, you can live without the thing.
• Try to make decisions quickly. If it takes you longer than 60 seconds to decide whether to keep an item, you probably don’t really need it.
• To maintain, do a clean sweep every evening before going to bed. Take a basket (I use a laundry basket) and go through each room, gathering things that belong elsewhere, and put them away.
• When tackling a bigger mess, take things one small space at a time – get one counter in the kitchen all the way clean before moving on. Big messes are easier to handle in small doses.
• Just before Christmas or birthdays, ask your kids for donations of toys, books, and clothes they no longer use or want. Donate them to charity.
• If you’re having a yard sale, plan to drop off whatever is left at a local charity, or schedule a pickup in advance.
• Pack up toys your children have outgrown. Write today’s date on the box. If they haven’t missed anything in that box in six months, donate the items.
• Check out http://www.craigslist.com/ – a free online classified ads listing service. Save yourself the hassle and expense of a yard sale if you only have a few items.

More ideas from Clever Homemaking readers:

• Gosh .. well, so here's my correlated secret: Do the laundry basket trip during the commercial breaks. Actually, do everything during commercial breaks. You can unload a dishwasher in a commercial break. And load it in another. All the fun, in small doses. [Thanks, Lilac! Great idea!]

Tomorrow: "Kitchen Organization"