The Monthly Organizer

July 8, 2010

What's New at Tips to Organize Life?

Fresh new tips! Check out all of the new information that has been newly added to Tips to Organize Life...

* * * SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT * * *

If you haven't noticed yet, the Tips to Organize Life Forums have officially been launched! Come join us in THE place to help and be helped as we all work together to achieve our goals of a more organized life. I'm looking forward to chatting with and getting to know each and every one of you. Get started here!

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New Information - Party planning made easy with Birthday in a Box.
New Ask The Expert Q&A - What is the Best Menu Planning Software?
New Ask The Expert Q&A - How do I stay organized after I have gotten myself organized?

Add your comment and tell us what you think.

Organization Tip

It's hard to believe, but the back to school sales have already started in most stores near where I live. You may not be quite ready to start buying those back to school supplies and new clothes, but you sure can do yourself a favor by getting organized to do so.

Now is the perfect time to start planning for what you will need for the fall. Take stock of your kids' closets. Remove worn out and outgrown items and make a list of what they will need to get them started for the new school year.

Find out if your school provides a recommended supplies list. Usually you can find this online. Take stock of the supplies that were used last year. Is the backpack still usable or will it need to be replaced? Does your child already have a stock of unused pencils or do you need more? Compare what you have against the recommended supplies list and make a list of what you will need to purchase.

Do these things this month so that next month you can focus on shopping and looking around for the best deals. Spend your Labor Day weekend relaxing and enjoying the last few days of vacation with your kids....not standing in line at the store trying to buy the last 2 notebooks they had on the shelf.

Money Saving Tip

Don't be a Name-Brand Snob! It happens to all of us. We buy what we are used to sometimes without even thinking about it. We buy products that our parents used because they are familiar. We buy products that we see advertised on television and in magazines because the marketing experts have convinced us that they are ones that work best.

Once we find a product that we like, we pick it up every week at the grocery store without bothering to compare prices, look for sales or even think about trying a different brand.

I used to be that way, but things have changed and I have saved a lot of money in the process. I remember one day, many years ago, during a conversation about laundry with a good friend. I mentioned that I only bought Tide detergent because it was what my husband preferred. My friend asked me if I had any idea how much more expensive Tide was than most other detergents on the shelf. No. I didn't. Honestly, I had never looked. I picked up my Tide without giving it a second thought.

During my next trip to the store I stood in the laundry aisle, absolutely amazed at how much more I was paying. That is when I started experimenting with different brands, and not just on laundry soap, on everything I was buying at the grocery store.

I will admit that there are certain store-brand or generic products that I do not care for and that's okay. There are a lot more store-brand, generic and less-expensive products that have saved me a ton of money of the years. Not committing yourself to a particular brand is a great way to get what you need for much less money.

Recipe

This simple and delicious Caprese Pasta Salad is perfect for summer. Bring it to a barbecue, have it as a side dish or even a light main meal. It's versatile, inexpensive and easy to put together. I promise you will love it!

Ingredients:

1 lb. mini bowtie pasta (or any small pasta shape that you prefer)
32 oz. fresh mozarella cheese, cut into half-inch cubes
8 large, fresh Roma tomatoes, cut into half-inch cubes
2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous handful of salt to the boiling water. Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, chop the cheese, tomatoes and basil and place in a large mixing bowl.

When the pasta is done, drain it well, but do not rinse. Let the pasta cool before adding it to the bowl so you do not melt cheese. when the pasta is cool toss it together with the tomatoes, cheese and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste and just enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the pasta.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for later. This dish is also easily packed in a cooler as long as it is stored in an airtight container.

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