The Monthly Organizer

August 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 Household Cleaning Product Recommendation - Clorox Wipes
New Ask The Expert Q&A - Paying Bills
New Ask The Expert Q&A - How to Keep a Military House Organized and Clean

Add your comment and tell us what you think.

Organization Tip

Last month I suggested that you get started organizing for back to school. I hope that you have all made progress. If you haven't finished, keep working toward that goal. There are only a few weeks of summer vacation left and you do not want to be one of the unlucky folks scrambling to grab the last notebook on the shelf or standing in a long line waiting to purchase school supplies during the long holiday weekend just before school starts.

Once your back to school organization is out of the way, it's time to start thinking about the holidays. Yes, I did say it's time to start thinking about the holidays. This time of year tends to fly by and getting a jump start on your planning and organizing helps tremendously to make the holidays enjoyable.

In the next few issues, I'll walk you through my holiday thought process and preparations. Here's the first step.

As soon as back to school is taken care of I shift my attention to Halloween. My son and I start thinking about what he would like his costume to be so that we can shop around (even looking online) for the best deals. I also start shopping for candy to pass out at home as well as any treats we may need for school parties. I like to have Halloween taken care of by the first week of October so we can focus on the fun parts of my favorite season like visiting apple orchards, pumpkin carving and pie baking.

Now is also the perfect time to get your copy of Tips to Organize Events. My perfect party planner will help you get through the holiday season with ease.

Money Saving Tip

I recently asked a friend what she thought her best money-saving tip would be. Her answer surprised me a bit. It is one of those things that makes a lot of sense, but I'm not sure I would have ever though of it. It just goes to show how enveloped in our own routines we can all become. Here is what she shared with me...

I save about $55 per month by cutting out cable TV service, but the great part is that I still get tons of TV and movies online for free. As long as you have broadband internet, there are a lot of sources for TV and movies online for free. Hulu.com., justin.tv, tvpc.com, and veetle.com for TV and movies. Plus all the major networks have their own websites where they replay episodes.

Recipe

If you are looking for a new way to use up those summer zucchini from your garden or local farmer's market, try this delicious recipe. This is my version of a recipe I was given that I thought had great ingredients and wonderful flavor, but needed just a little tweak to suit my family's style. I hope you enjoy this zucchini casserole as much as we did.

Ingredients:

1 cup orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked to desired crispness and chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups zucchini, chopped
6 fresh, Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

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

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet until it is just crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. If there is a lot of bacon drippings left in the pan, wipe some out with paper towels. If there are not very many drippings add some extra virgin olive oil. Add the onions and zucchini to the same skillet and cook until tender, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and bacon.

When the orzo is done, drain and add to the skillet. Add the cheese and stir to combine and allow the cheese to melt

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