More containers for the pantry

Yesterday during my Home Goods run I also wandered into Target and picked up four cheap containers to help reorganize our pantry.

The thought occurred to me a couple months ago when I used an old plastic shoe box to corral all the small cleaning items thrown around under our kitchen sink.

See, I was getting annoyed with the way all the staples on the top shelf of our pantry were looking.

So I took stock of our current pantry and realized that our top shelf items could be mostly categorized into four groups: oils, vinegars and sauces; breads and spreads; Asian; Italian. Four bins it is! I had to find bins in two different sizes so they would: 1) fit in the space and 2) have various widths to accommodate the different sized objects.

One of the bins had a particularly difficult sticker to remove. Thank goodness for Goo Gone!

Somehow each bin managed to miraculously hold all the items I intended for it (though there were still a few items I couldn't quite categorize that are still hanging out solo in the pantry).

And, I'm happy to report that I finally had an excuse to whip out the labelmaker -- that had up until today only been used in my classroom -- for home use!

 

Because the top shelf of the pantry was by far the most disorganized I didn't really need to touch the rest of the pantry to make a serious impact on its overall look. (Our middle shelf carries mostly snack foods, and our bottom shelf carries bulk products: dog food, extra flour and sugar bags, bulk olive oil and canola oil jugs, a giant box of granola bars and cereal.)

Approximately 45 minutes and $13 later, I am quite pleased with the results. Even though our pantry is relatively modest in size and I can't fit everything together in one neat row, the reason I prefer this new system is I can now move an entire container out onto the counter when I'm trying to reach something in the back instead of having to move several individual items. Check out this easy-to-achieve after shot compared to the before.

In addition to this pantry space and our fabulous new fridge, I should also note that we have another cabinet space with a spice rack where we also store other pantry items, which mostly includes all our baking goods, but that space is already reasonably well organized.

What are your solutions for keeping your pantry organized?

Moment of irony: Baby on Board sign

You know that I love useful signs and labels, but I loathe the Baby on Board sign. It might as well read, "I've been fortunate enough to procreate (even though the jury's out on whether that was a good idea); therefore, you need to be extra cautious when driving around me." As if I should try harder not to hit you. In other words, I kind of want to punch these people in the face.

Today, after a quick jaunt to the mall to pick up some necessities (read: nothing glamorous here) I got cut off while entering the Beltway by -- you guessed it! -- some jerk sporting a Baby on Board sign.

I'll keep this in mind for next September when I introduce a new crop of freshmen to the concept of irony.

Label me satisfied

A month and a half have passed, and it's true what they say: once you buy a label maker, your life is never the same. What did I ever do before this little bundle of joy brightened my world?

Even though I knew that no matter what type of label maker I bought I would probably be satisfied, I have to say that my label maker (Dymo Personal Label Marker LT-100T) is truly gifted and talented and exceeds my expectations in so many categories (and it's smarter than your honor roll student, wah wah). Here's what makes my label maker truly special:

1) The labels come out clear and easy to read.

2) The labels can print in five sizes, with the option of printing two lines on one label.

3) There are six writing styles: normal, shadow, outline, italic, bold and vertical (an especially nice option).

4) The labels adhere easily to most surfaces (except wicker baskets, but I guess there isn't much that adheres temporarily to wicker).

5) The labels do not easily fade.

6) The QWERTY keyboard is a better option for me than the ABC keyboard of some of Dymo's smaller, skinnier models.

7) Although I haven't used many of them, the label maker comes loaded with lots of symbols, some useful, some simply fun.

I also appreciate that the refill cartridges are easy to find -- I got a packet of two white paper refills for a little over $6.50 at Target (though, somewhat surprisingly, a single clear refill cartridge costs almost the same as two white paper refill cartridges, so I'll be steering clear of those unless I need them for some really specific project).

I have two small complaints (everyone can stand a little constructive criticism, right? I still love you, Label Maker!):

1) There's a button on the left-hand side of the label maker that allows you to cut your label once it has been printed. For some reason, this was difficult to do with the first label cartridge, and all the labels came out with little nicks where I had to yank out the stubborn label. With my current cartridge, though, this doesn't seem to be a problem.

2) There is a number lock button you must press whenever you want to include a number on your label. I always remember to turn the number lock on, but I usually forget to turn it off, and then I get confused why the label maker is only typing numbers. This is, of course, human error, but perhaps it's not the best design either.

Perhaps even more shocking than the fact that 29 years of my life passed sans label maker is the fact that I have not labeled a single item in my home. Right now everything has its place and our house is pretty clutter-free, so labels seem redundant. I have, though, gone label-maker-happy in my classroom, as my journalism students can attest (hey, guys!). Specifically, I have labeled all their camera, tripod and microphone equipment; their press pass hangers; their computer monitors (we assign desktop stations to different editors); various bins in my classroom for all kinds of items: writing folders, newspapers, graded work, special pens for drawing cartoons, batteries, my lost and found...if I don't stop myself, every day I could find something else to label. Because one of my main goals as a journalism teacher is to encourage my students to become independent and self sufficient, labeling the supplies my students use limits the number of times I hear my name called across the room as another student searches for something right in front of her.

I am sure there are bigger, better, more expensive label makers on the market, but if you're looking for a moderately priced label maker, this Dymo Personal Label Marker LT-100T, my friend, is for you.

Tip 65: Naming electronic files

OMG people. I am loving my label maker. I went a little label-maker happy yesterday in my classroom, but it was much needed. I will explain more soon. In the meantime, speaking of labeling....If you have trouble naming your electronic files, you might consider this...

Tip 65: If you have files that you need to keep arranged methodically, name your files so they begin with a number (for example, 1--English syllabus, 2--First assignment).

Below you can see what part of my Beginning of the Year English folder looks like from my computer.

As a teacher, this system works great for me because I am constantly updating my files every year, making little changes, but often not reinventing the wheel. So, as I start off this school year, I can see the order in which I handed out materials last year. While the materials themselves might change over time, the skills I am building do not change, so I cannot, for example, teach my students how to read a passage closely before I teach them some basic literally devices. My literary devices file might be number 10 and my close reading instructions number 11.

Of course, you have to make computer file folders your friend. So, I have a folder on my computer for every unit I teach, and within that unit I number my files so I can keep track of what I should be teaching when.

And, like all my tips, this one can definitely be modified for the world outside teaching. Teaching just especially lends itself to this sort of organizational practice because we start fresh every September and need to look back on the previous year's work.

How do you organize your computer files?

Air filters and label makers

So, three months goes by pretty quickly, and if you're taking me up on my every-three-month reminders, that means it's time to change your air filter! Haven't changed yours in forever and want to start now? Great! I'll remind you December 1.

And, on a totally unrelated note, today I made a big organizational purchase.

I know, you're thinking, "How has this girl gotten through 29 years of existence without a label maker?" I know, for someone who claims to be super organized, it is kind of funny that up until today I missed out on this product that is designed for me. Or, as my high school buddies would say, it's shocking that I don't already have five of these.

I went with this Dymo Personal Label Marker LT-100T. I picked it up in the Target office supply section for $24.99. I chose it over its slightly smaller (and slightly cheaper) brother because I preferred the QWERTY keyboard over the ABC keyboard.

So far I would say it's easy to hold this label maker and type like you would when texting.

So far I have labeled one thing in my home: my husband.

Tomorrow I'll get some mega use out of this when I take it to school to label like nobody's business. My returning journalism students will no doubt be further shocked by the enhanced organization (seeing as I plan to label lots of their newspaper equipment). Once I get some more use out of this I'll give you an update and let you know if I'd recommend this product.

Now, off to label the dogs.

Tip 7: Organizing your recipes

Maybe you're one of those people who can whip up a recipe out of thin air. A little of this, a little of that, presto! I, on the other hand, cannot, and I have found this effective means of organizing my recipes...

Tip 7: Make your own recipe notebook.

Here's what you need:

• a three-ring notebook, at least 1.5 inches thick
• a box of plastic sheet protectors (I got this box of 200 sheets at Office Depot)
  
• tabs or notebook dividers for dividing into sections (I am partial to these Post-It Durable tabs. You can also get a free sample in the mail and a dollar off coupon here. I found mine at Office Depot for $3.50)

Next, you need an organizational system that makes sense for you. My notebook sections are:

• Drinks
• Appetizers
• Soup and salad
• Sauces and dressings
• Side dishes
• Main dishes
• Pasta
• Desserts
• Breakfast
• Cooking class (for recipes collected at cooking classes...I've taken them at Sur la Table and L'Academie de Cuisine and 2941)
• Take-out menus

To maximize space and minimize cost, don't forget to put at least two recipes in each sheet protector.

Finally, you have to stay on top of your recipes. Anytime I see anything I like in a magazine or online, or I get a recipe from a friend, I file it away in a little plastic sheet inside my binder. This organizational system works well also when you're trying to plan a weekly dinner menu or you're bringing food to a potluck. Need a dessert? No problem, check the Dessert section!

Next up....food magazine recommendations.