School is starting again…which means seas of pastel colored papers coming home in backpacks. Of course the problem is that we get a random assortment each day. Homework, reminders, permission slips…it’s tough to keep it all straight. Rather than let my counter clutter up, I created this inbox system in my kitchen cupboard to help me manage the clutter.

Since the kitchen is the hub of our home, most of my organization centers there. I devoted the lower shelf of one cupboard to keeping the family organized. On the right side are my many binders (mentioned in a previous post). On the left, are these inexpensive inboxes I purchased from WalMart for around $10.

I labeled one inbox for every member of the family. Essentially the inboxes are temporary storage. As the backpacks come off, the kids put any homework on the fridge. Everything else goes into their inbox. Sometimes I get a minute when the kids are in the tub, but generally I don’t get a chance to go through the boxes until the kids are in bed. By then I’ve usually got a little time to sign things, write checks, and add notes to my calendar. Then I return stuff back to their backpacks and look forward to a slightly less hectic morning.

I also use the inboxes to stash lots of things for myself and my husband. For example, If I’m going through a catalog and see an idea I like, I rip it out and stick it in my inbox. Later, when I have time, I add it to my Design Ideas Binder. They also come in handy when I find a pile of my husband’s random papers and post-its. Rather than try to figure out what they are, I toss them into his inbox and tell him to look there first.

It’s a simple system, but it works…and it’s well worth the cupboard space. Just thought I’d pass it on.

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I must admit, there are probably much prettier ways to control mail chaos. However, for me, my priority is simply to get it out of my way. I generally get the mail on the way in from running errands or picking kids up from school. Consequently, my hands are always full and I have little to no time to deal with the mess. I created this simple folder system to help me get the mail off my counter and out of the way… in less than a minute.

This file-folder holder, designed for offices, sits on my kitchen counter. I purchased both it and the folders inside for less than $10 at WalMart a few years ago. It’s divided into three sections each with two labeled file folders. The first section handles bills, both paid and current. The middle section handles coupons & receipts. The last section handles misc. mail and mailing supplies.

When I bring in the mail, I dump it on the counter in front of this sorter. Any junk mail gets dumped in the trash (it’s nearby). I open and throw out all envelopes. Any bills go into the ‘Current Bills’ folder. Coupons I think I might actually use I put into the ‘Coupons’ folder. The magazines that require reading I toss over to the basket near the couch. Catalogs that I want to flip through, but don’t have time for at the moment, are stashed behind the misc. folder. Whenever I’m stirring something or listening to messages, I grab one of these catalogs from the folder, flip through it, and then toss it.

On Sunday nights after the kids go to bed, I pay my bills. I grab the ‘Current Bills’ folder and pay all my bills online. Once I’ve paid the bill online, I write a slash across it, circle the amount (or write it in, if it’s different), and jot down the date. When I’ve paid all the bills in the pile, I add them to the ‘Paid Bills’ folder. Generally these hard copies stay in this folder for around 3 months and then get shredded.

The ‘Receipts’ folder holds any receipts I dig out of my purse that day. Every month or so, I go through the receipts and pitch those that don’t have any return potential. Those that have an item over $100 I add to the receipts binder (mentioned in a previous post) in the cupboard nearby.

The ‘Misc.’ folder holds any mail that doesn’t fit into the other categories but that I want to hang on to, like invitations, credit card offers, and addresses from envelopes I want to keep. I also have a blank folder in the back that holds mail supplies. In it I have a few blank thank you cards, various envelopes, and stamps.

Again, this isn’t the prettiest system, but it works. It keeps my counters clear while saving me time and late fees…in my book, that makes it worth it. Just thought I’d pass it on.

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At first glance, my pantry seems a little over the top. Most people see all the bins and the labels and assume I’m some sort of neat freak. Trust me, I’m not…you should see my bedroom right now :).  If fact if those same people would look closer, they’d realize that these bins aren’t designed to maintain perfection but rather used to help me save money, time, and endless “Mom, where’s the peanut butter?” type questions.

I used to have a normal pantry, but it caused all kinds of problems. First off, I found myself buying extra stuff all the time because I could never remember what I had. Now I can do a quick scan of the bins and make my grocery list. I also hated that my family couldn’t seem to grasp my invisible system. Most items had a basic location in my mind (you know, bread here, cereal there, etc.) but no one else seemed to be able to keep it up.

Now, my 6-year old can unload all the groceries and put stuff in the right bins. Another annoyance with the old system was that I found myself making several trips to the pantry to get various ingredients for whatever I was making. Now if I’m making cookies, I grab the whole Baking Supplies bin and bring it to the counter. Before the bins, I used to find M&Ms and chocolate chips spilling all over the shelves. Now if something spills, it’s contained so it’s tons easier to clean. 

I started with just two bins, but found them so handy that I quickly filled up my shelves with a dozen or so. I’ll list them here:

Treats: Candy, popcorn, marshmallows, etc.

Beverages: Hot chocolate mix, Crystal Light, Kool-Aid etc.

Dessert Supplies (I have two of these): Chocolate chips, pudding mix, frosting, sprinkles, cupcake liners, nuts, birthday candles etc.

Baking Supplies: Baking soda, vanilla extract, baking powder, Crisco, cocoa, etc.

Pasta: Boxed pasta, soup noodles, etc.

Lunch Supplies: Mac & Cheese, Ramen noodles, peanut butter, etc.

Dinner Supplies: Rice, bread mixes, seasoning packets, bottled marinades, etc.

Canned Soups: Soups

Canned Produce: Canned fruits and veggies

Snacks: Chips, raisins, fruit snacks, sack lunch fillers

Baking Products: Bags of flour, sugar, salt, yeast etc. (whatever’s left in the bag after I fill the containers in the spice cupboard)

These cheap bins have lasted 6 years now. I change the labels every few years, but the bins have never needed replacing. I have a pretty large pantry now, but in our smaller apartments I used the lids and stacked the less used items under the more common ones to conserve space.

As an added bonus, they also made moving from one place to another a breeze. I just put the lids on, stacked them up and taped them all together with packing tape. Simple, cheap and easy to maintain! Just thought I’d pass it on.  You can find the free file download for the labels below.

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After my last post, I had a few questions about the other sheet protector-filled binders in my cupboard. Here are a few of my favorites:

· Family Info Binder: This one keeps track of all those papers sent home with my kids for their various activities. Anything from soccer schedules to Brownie Scout phone numbers to preschool weekly themes winds up here. In the binder, I’ve got 3 dividers for each of my kids (i.e. Jack’s calendars, Jack’s directories, Jack’s misc info). When papers come home, I stick them in here and then bring the binder with me whenever I update the family calendar.

· Receipts Binder: Most of my receipts end up in the trash once I know I won’t be returning anything. However, I like to hang on to big ticket receipts just in case I need it for warranty issues. Any single item that’s more than $100 goes into a sheet protector in this binder. I’ve got it divided by the common stores I shop, so I can find things quickly. There’s also a misc. divider for all those random purchases.

· Manuals Binder: This one’s pretty self-explanatory. I never knew what to do with those annoying instruction manuals that come with every appliance and electronic thing. Finally, I created this binder. Now when I need to remember how to work my phone, check on a warranty, or order extra parts for my vacuum I know just where to look.

· Directories Binder: This one holds all those phone numbers that I need often. Church directories, school directories, neighborhood directories, they all end up here.

· Decorating Ideas Binder: I can’t afford anything in the Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware catalogs, but I love to copy their ideas. Rather than hang on to the whole catalog I rip out the pages I like and stick them in this binder. It’s divided by room and has a little pack of post-its in the front so I can jot down what I liked about that particular picture. The same concept could work for recipes, family fun ideas, or anything else you tend to hang on to. I’ve got a few others binders stashed around the house, but these are the “have to keep it in the kitchen so I actually use it” binders. Just thought I’d pass it on.

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I’m not a fan of file cabinets. They’re bulky, expensive and inconvenient. I like everything within reach so I use three-ring binders filled with sheet protectors and keep them in my kitchen cupboard.

One of my favorites is my important documents binder. I’ve got dividers for Vital Records, Insurance, Mortgage, Cars, Credit Reports, etc. The sheet protectors keep all of these critical documents safe. Each member of the family has a sheet protector in the vital records area. I keep their birth certificates, passports, SS cards, and shot records in it.

The thing I love about this system is its convenience. Whenever I have to make a trip to the DMV, register the kids for school, visit a new doctor, whatever…I just grab the binder. Whatever paperwork they need, I always know I’ll have it handy.

It’s also great for emergencies. If there was a fire or any other type of crisis, I know that all our critical info is within reach. It’s been a great system for me. Just thought I’d pass it on.

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Okay, I’ll admit it, I’m not much of a canner. In fact, I only do freezer jam because I can’t bear to eat the store stuff. You die-hard canners probably knew about this product years ago, but I just discovered it last summer and will never go back to those bulky glass jars again. This handy alternative is made by Ball Canning Co. and sells at WalMart during the summer months. I’ve been using them for a year now and think they’re perfect for my needs.

I had many issues with the traditional glass jars. First off, they are fragile. I usually send my kids down to the basement freezer to retrieve jam for me and when I used the heavy glass version I was always a little nervous about the results. I also hated storing the empty glass jars in my cupboards. They’re bulky and take up way too much of my limited cupboard space. Additionally, the rings usually wandered off with my kids over time so that by the time I was ready to can again I had no tops to work with.

These lightweight, dishwasher-friendly, plastic jars solved all those problems. They can be dropped over and over again and the tops won’t pop open (the lids are the twist-on type). They empty ones stack neatly in the back of my cupboard and double as cups when I’ve avoided the dishes for too long. The lids have a little well that allows for easy stacking when full. I can usually stack them 4 high in my freezer which saves me a lot of much needed shelf space.

The only drawback I’ve found is that they only come in this smaller size. I wrote to Ball to request a larger version and they said they were working on it. Regardless, I think the small version is a great solution for now. Just thought I’d pass it on.

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During the morning rush to get the kids off to school, I found myself checking multiple papers to find out what was happening that day. Did we need to pack library books or p.e. shoes? Is it a hot lunch day or do I need to pack a lunch? Does she need to bring her girl scout vest or ballet shoes? Some things were on the calendar and some were tacked up on the fridge. I felt like I was wasting time that I couldn’t spare, so I created this weekly planner to help my first grader manage her own schedule.

It’s a very simple velcro system. On it I list the days of the week Monday through Saturday. I created icons in MS Word for each of my daughter’s usual activities and color coded the titles for easy sorting. Under each day, I’ve added a strip of velcro that can hold three icons. The first icon shows what’s happening at school that day (art, library, pe, music, computer). The second icon shows what type of lunch she’s having (cold or hot). The third icon shows reminders and afterschool activities (test, homework, afterschool activity, etc.). I added a few extra dots of velcro down the right side to store the unused icons.

Usually, on Sunday night at family council we’ll gather all the various calendars and reminders and my daughter will arrange the icons on her chart. As a side note, she’ll also use this chart to help her know what clothes to put in her clothes organizer that I posted last week. For example, on p.e. days she knows she can’t pick a skirt and on brownie scout days she’ll add her vest to the outfit for that day.

We post this “planner” on the fridge so she can see it each morning when she’s getting dressed and packing her backpack. It has made a huge difference in our morning routine. I’ll also use it throughout the week when her teacher sends home reminders and other info. I think this one will stick with us for several years. Just thought I’d pass it on.  You can find the free file downloads below.

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I’m too cheap to buy one of those fancy tiered spice shelves and too busy to take the time to alphabatize. However, I hate digging through the cupboard to find the spice I need. I created these little bins to shorten my search time.

First off, I used a magic marker to write the first letter of the spice on it’s lid. Then, I divided the spices into 2 groups (A-K and L-Z). I bought these cheap containers at Wal-Mart and labeled them with a magic marker.

Now, when I need a spice I just pull the whole bin onto the counter and find the first letter. Usually I can find any given spice within a few seconds. It’s not perfection, but it’s tons easier than maintaining a full alphabetical system and takes much less room in my cupboard. Plus, when I’m done, I just toss the spice back into the bin and put it back in the cupboard. Anything that allows for a quicker clean-up is a keeper on my list.   Just thought I’d pass it on.

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