The Monthly Organizer

December 1, 2009

What's New at Tips to Organize Life?

• New Visitor Submission - Christmas organization using a Receipts Envelope.

• Ask The Expert Organizer Q&A...How to Start When Nothing is Organized.

• Ask The Expert Organizer Q&A...How to Control The Messiness When Life Get Busy

• Ask The Expert Organizer Q&A...How to Start a Daily Routine

Organization Tip

If you need a little help getting organized this holiday season, the Tips to Organize Life Christmas Guide is your answer. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or any other holiday at this time of the year, the tips provided in the Christmas Guide apply and will help you stay organized and be merry.

• Organize Your Christmas Shopping

• Organize Your Christmas Cards

• Organize Your Christmas Decorations

• Organize Your Christmas Supplies

• Organize Your Christmas Menu

• Organize Your Christmas Budget

• Organize Your Christmas Customs

Money Saving Tip

Since the kitchen is the heart of the home we all want our kitchens as organized as possible, but we might not all have the money we think is necessary for the job, especially considering the current economy.

The creator of Kitchen Design Angel was gracious enough to share with me some tips and tricks that we can all use to organize our kitchens with little or no money.

Organize a Small or Problem Kitchen For Less!

Store things in areas where you’ll use them.

Oh sure...it all sounds good, but what if you have a tiny kitchen? A bad layout? Not enough cabinets to house essential stuff...and not enough money to really change things?

Try these cost-effective storage ideas to help you get organized!

• If there’s dead space above your wall cabinets, move your cabinets up.

  Add a shelf underneath for canisters, spices, glassware and mugs, or hang under-cabinet stemware storage or wall utensil hanger bars.

• Replace short wall cabinets with taller ones – 36 or 42 inches high.

  Wall cabinets are cheaper than base cabinets. Matching cabinets is not required. Consider wall cabinets in a light wood with darker base cabinets, or painted uppers with wood lowers.

• Change out 12 inch deep over-the-fridge cabinets to 24 inch deep ones.

  Deeper cabinets hold more and give your fridge a built-in look

• Hang things inside cabinet doors like potholders, pot lids, spice shelves and favorite cooking utensils.

• Add open shelving – a nice, airy touch in any style kitchen where you can store everyday dinnerware, or glass jars with beans, rice, pasta and teabags.

• Pots and pans are always a storage challenge! Move the cleaning supplies to the bathroom or a closet and install roll-out pot and pan racks under your sink.

• Borrow storage from other rooms – for example, a dining room hutch can house dishtowels, gadgets and small appliances.

For more tips and ideas to improve your kitchen, visit Kitchen Design Angel.

Recipe

There are so many wonderful foods that have become tradition in my family. This month I would like to share some of those traditions with you. If you are looking for some inspiration for your Christmas menu, any of these recipes would be perfect!

For a light and tasty breakfast, these Ham and Cheese Muffins have been in a hit in my family for years.

My husband's family has been serving Savory Dunk as an appetizer longer than I have known them. I instantly fell in love and I know you will too.

For the perfect, slightly spicy, accompaniment to your holiday ham, try this Pineapple Salsa.

Ever since the first time I tried it a few years ago, I cannot make it through the holidays without this creamy, cheesy and comforting Spinach Gratin.

One year we decided to have an Italian-themed meal on Christmas Eve. I made dessert and my Tiramisu has been a tradition ever since.

If you are keeping it small and simple this year, you can still enjoy the flavors of traditional holiday fare. Try this recipe for Glazed Ham Steaks.