Souper Idea

"I think I can . . ."

Our new kitchen is bigger than our old one,

but we have less cabinet space and our pantry is smaller.

Stuff It

So I read a hundred blogs, magazines and books on kitchen storage ideas

to prepare for the big put-away.

Indispensable IKEA Lazy Susans: $7.00

With lazy susans from IKEA, and spice stackers from Walmart, I hit the shelves about 11 p.m. the night after we moved in. The lazy susans were great, but I could only fit one on a shelf, and there was wasted space above the cans. I unloaded the pantry and started again from scratch at midnight.

The second round worked better using tiered stands on the shelves, but there was still stuff out that needed to be stuffed in. In my pile I found a hanging wire shelf that hooked onto the shelf above it, but I couldn't reach it unless I put it low, which would hinder access to the cans. If I didn't redo it now, I'd never do it, so I unloaded the pantry again and started over at 1:00 am.

An hour later I was sitting on a stool, staring at my cans. They still didn't look quite right. So I rearranged them by category (soup, fruit, veg) and then again by height. Dee wandered down about 2:30 to see what I was doing. By then my head was swimming with obsessive thoughts of canned goods. I invited him to view my efforts.

"Have you been Sleeping With the Enemy?" he asked, referring to Julia Robert's freaky soup-can controlling husband in the movie. "Can you remember him?" "I can," I mumbled and stumbled off to bed.

I must have been obsessing even in my sleep, worrying that my cans weren't as cute as they could be. I dreamed I sewed them all little clothes.

"That's weird."

Create White Space

You walk into a bookstore, looking for just the right read. A cover blurb here, a dust-jacket there, an inviting display table—they catch your attention, and you thumb through some pages. Best-selling hardcovers, a rack of new paperbacks, an author you like, your book-club selection. How do you choose? Do you read a random chapter? Start at the beginning? Check the number of pages?

I pick a book based on it's white space. I'm not enticed by pages jam-packed with unrelieved words. Long, mind-numbing paragraphs invite skimming, and tiny margins scream "boring." White space suggests dialogue, characters, time to breathe and enjoy the story, or helpful sub-chapters and room to examine the facts. I like a built-in place to take a cocoa break and turn a book upside down for the night.

Some wisdom I picked up from the Blogging Zen panel was that real life needs some white space, too. Marta said she's had to choose between being a good blog reader and a good blog writer. Destri said she limits her facebook time to once a week. Susan's business has taken off, and that's where she focuses her efforts. These productive women have learned to prioritize.

When I was a young mom, the modern motto was "I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan . . ." implying that a woman could have it all, be it all and do it all. There was a built-in shame factor to that thinking. I assumed there was something wrong with me because I couldn't handle it all; I was embarrassed by my deficiency. So I put a lot of energy into appearing to be as capable as I thought everyone else was. Eventually I was just skimming all those long, unfocused paragraphs, missing the meaning of my story. I needn't some white space.

Wise editing makes a book readable. If a writer stuffed the pages with every locale, adventure, romance, or thrill she thought up, it would be an overwhelming fantasy. Even the characters would be confused by the dialogue and the plot could unravel. Enlightened authors, of books or life stories, learn to create some white space.

Still in the Closet

I'm in the closet again today.
I have a few more secrets.

*At the beginning of a season, put all your clothes in the closet with the hangers backwards. When you wear something, replace it in the closet with the hanger going the normal way. At the end of the season you'll know which items you actually wear and which things just clutter up your closet. You can then decide whether you want to keep them, or give them away.

*Keep a large plastic garbage bag on the floor of your closet. Whenever you wear something that feels wrong or looks wrong, (that makes you regret wearing it,) put it in the plastic bag when you take it off. If you need that item another day, get it out and return it to your wardrobe. After a couple of months, take the bag to a local charity without going through it. It will keep your closet current with the clothes you like best, and help women who are in need.

*Edit your clothes. Get out all your black pants. Decide which ones you actually wear, and which ones you're just saving for some reason. Keep the ones you wear, and put the others in the give-away bag. Do this with your jeans, your khakis, your T-shirts . . . anything you have in multiples. There isn't going to be a black pant shortage any time soon, and if there is, it won't help to have several pair in the wrong size.


*Keep a file of your favorite outfits. Get a recipe box, tab-style index cards, and a package of 3X5 cards. On the tabbed cards write your clothing categories. I have "Spring Dressy," "Spring Casual," etc. for each season. When I put together an outfit I particularly like, or one that gets compliments, I come home and record it on an index card, and file it in the right category. For instance: "Tan linen pants, red and white polka dot tank, navy blazer. Silver jewelry, tan sandals, tan and red purse. Wore to dinner with Nelson's 6/6/09." When you're wondering what to wear, you have some successful combinations to choose from. I keep my file with a pen right inside, on a shelf in my closet.

*Put together an emergency repair kit. Mine is a small sewing box with needles already threaded with various colors, some tiny safety pins, double stick tape, a seam ripper and a small pair of scissors. I also have a cute little jar of common variety buttons, where I dump the buttons that come with new clothes. An extra pair of glasses is stashed inside my kit, as well. If I want to wear something and discover a loose thread, a tag that itches, or a missing button I can fix it quickly. If a strap shows or a top is too low, I use a strip of double stick tape to keep things in place. I periodically re-thread the needles while I watch TV.

*I have jeans and khakis, etc. that are comfortable if I'm tending grand kids, or sitting in the car, and I have some that are more suitable for going out to lunch or attending a meeting. I use pants hangers with several bars, to save space in my closet. On one of them I have tied a white ribbon at the top to designate my "Oma" wear. The others hold the dressier versions. I've done this on skirt hangers, too. This way I can find the clothes that I wear for the particular activity without pulling everything out of the closet.


*I lined the inside of a cupboard wall with nails where I hang necklaces. I have a vintage lace collar where I pin all my brooches (I love to collect accessories), and on the shelf of the cupboard I have a fishing tackle tray. I keep my earrings and rings in the little cubby holes. I wear them more often when I can see what I have. Nothing is tangled or lost.

*A hanging shoe rack inside the closet can keep lingerie organized and available. No more emptying the whole drawer searching for the long half-slip, or the black bra.

*When I had a larger, walk-in closet I bought a cheap bookcase to place at one end. I stacked my sweaters, shoes and purses on the shelves.

* I have an Inspiration Board inside my closet with pictures from magazines and catalogs to give me ideas. It helps me remember that getting dressed can be a creative expression of who I am.

*Place nice-smelling soaps or sheets of fabric softener in your drawers and on your closet shelves. Replace them occasionally.

I'm coming out of the closet now.
Do you have any wardrobe secrets to share?

Become a Fashionista

Hey! There's an idea!

At the beginning of each season I go on a free shopping spree. I shop my closet! Here are 12 tips for a new spring look:

1. Make 3 piles: Reject, Repair, Wear.
2. Try on anything you're not sure of. Reject the stuff that doesn't sing to you. Be heartless.
3. Play dress-up. See what works together. Create outfits for your fashion show.
4. Take pictures of outfits for various occasions. (Wedding, funeral, out-to-lunch, meeting.)
5. Notice the orphans. Figure out how to make them belong, or send them to a new home.
6. Chuck all the shoes that hurt. Stack keepers on the shelf, in a hanging shoe holder, or in boxes on the floor (write "black heels" or whatever on the box.)
   
7. Untangle your jewelry, look over your scarves, and start looking for new ways to accessorize. (I peruse fashion mags, check out the news anchors, and window shop.)
8. Pack the Rejects into a big garbage sack, put it in the front seat of your car, and drop it off at a charity the next time you go somewhere.
9. Put on a good movie while you iron and mend your Repair pile.
10. Tuck the out-of-season stuff out-of-sight.
    
11. Hang your perfect wardrobe in a way that will help you get dressed: whole outfits together, separated by color, or by item. I have sections for jackets, cardigans, skirts, pants, dresses, "stand alone" tops, and "wear under something" tops.
12. Give yourself a facial, a bubble bath and a manicure.

13. *Bonus for another day: Get a haircut, visit the makeup counter for an update. Now smile!

You look amazing!

It's not selfish to spend time on yourself. In fact, I think more about myself when I'm dressed inappropriately. When I've put some thought into how I look, I can relax and think about making others feel comfortable.

(Come back to my closet tomorrow for some extra tips!)

K.I.S.S.

Dear Old Santa

It all started when I decided to simplify Christmas. I even bought a book about it. After it sat on my desk for a few days, unread, I put it on the soon to be read shelf, but I was afraid I'd forget about it. So I decided to consolidate all the unread organization/simplification books into one section. That involved rearranging the bookshelf.

The organization process.

Noticing what a fabulous selection of unread books I had, I decided to read one. It was full of suggestions about organizing files for everything you want to do. "Wow!" I thought. "Wouldn't Christmas be simplified if I pre-wrote a blog for every day before Christmas?" The book inspired me . . . I just needed some files.

My new file shelf.

The files looked cool and organized, but they were empty. If I just reorganized my old file cabinet Christmas Drawer, I'd have great material to put in my new files.

The simplification process.

One part of the file cabinet held I bunch of stuff I decided I wanted to scan. Wouldn't it be great if all the pre-written Christmas blogs had pre-scanned images? I just needed somewhere to collect my new collection.

Hmmm...This might not be so simple.

So now, I've simplified and organized myself into complicated chaos. And of course I've had to put off writing all those poetic Christmas blogs. I've got a room to reassemble.

Digging through some stacks today, I found my December To Do list, printed on cute Christmas paper. Suddenly I remembered how I had planned my Christmas celebrating so systematically back in October, with a few chores scattered among days filled with music and tranquility. It was all going to be so simple.

Stand on Your Own Two Feet

Cesky Krumlov, 2008

"In order to be happy, we must learn to think for ourselves
as well as to stand on our own two feet."
—Alexandra Stoddard

I love authentic people: the ones who dress like they want to, because it expresses them. The folks who say what they believe without being embarrassed or ashamed and without waiting to see what the general consensus is. It takes confidence to express who you are deep down. And it takes self-awareness. How can you stand for something, if you don't know where you stand?

Remember all the Seventeen quizzes to find out if you're a romantic, a trendsetter, a classic, or a diva? Remember taking the Color Code test? Have you got a fiery, bossy red personality, a sunny, cooperative yellow disposition, or a combination laid-back blue/natural green temperament? It's fun to discover ourselves.


Becoming authentic is one of my goals. Most of us arrive in adulthood with a desire to find out more about our true selves. Dig deep down and ask yourself:

1. What attracts me? What am I drawn to?
2. What excites me? What do I think about all day long?
3. Do I feel passionate about a hobby, cause, goal, belief, subject? Why?

Now take your new understanding of yourself and create a mission statement. It's not going to be written in blood, or published in the newspaper, so you have time to work on it, and make changes as you go along. Give yourself a few days to let it fall into place.

Outline yourself to yourself. Discover what means a lot to you, order your priorities, and how you'll include them in your realities.

I organize every project using this same idea.
In fact, I did it yesterday with some writing goals.

When my priorities are safely written down somewhere,
I don't waste brain space trying to remember everything.

I never beat myself up over my results. Each day will present decisions, and I'll have to compromise. But I remind myself that I thought this up, so I can make changes. What helps me most is having an actual plan to remember what my priorities are. Knowing who I am gives me balance, which helps when I stand on my own two feet.

Time Management

I am an organized procrastinator. My Book is where I stash everything I need/ want to keep track of: travel plans, holiday menus, family birthdays, housecleaning chores, church assignments, as well as writing projects. I'm free of sticky notes tucked in my purse, or picky details tumbling around in my head. It's all kept in the Book.

I select an empty-looking day on the calendar and jot down a task, blocking out enough time to accomplish it. When I know it's on the schedule, I don't think about it again until it pops up on my "to do" list. I can put it off and still know it will get done.

Here are some entries on my summer pages for an upcoming Oma story.

Ghostbusters

1. Set up folder, determine objective, prepare outline.
2. Write 1st draft of story.
3. Find fun ghostly words; rewrite with better vocab.
4. Search for font, decide size.
   
5. Divide story into short sections for pages using correct font size.
   
6. Decide and list what images would best illustrate each page.
7. Photo shoot/ find images.
8. Layout book with images.
   
9. Create cover and extra pages.
   
10. Edit/Proofread. Make changes. Burn Disk.
11. Take disk to printers.
12. Send books.
    

This list looks overwhelming to me. But when I turn to Wednesday morning and see that I've already blocked out 2 hours to "search for a font," I look forward to it. Eventually I finish whatever I've started without a lot of stress.

September 30th I'll read, "Find Halloween costumes in box under bed, Dee's side. Decide on having a party." On Thanksgiving I'll see a note I made last January that says, "Get Christmas decor: 4 boxes, 3 plastic bags in storage garage." This week I was reminded to plan for Father's Day, and next Thursday I've got an entry that says, "Oma tent activities in file under reunion." When I finish with the file and put it away, I'll quickly write on next year's calendar where to find it.

A kitchen timer helps me break up tasks and get them done. I used this little trick when I was first married. Pretending my mom had called saying she was coming to visit unexpectedly at 9:30 am, I charged through my housecleaning and had everything pristine early in the morning. I'm much more efficient when I set a deadline. These days I use the timer to motivate or terminate projects; when it dings, I give myself two minutes to wrap things up.

Now, I'll confess something: I started this post on April 10, 2008, but I never finished it. I found it last night lost in my drafts. I set my timer for 30 minutes at 11:15 pm, and it's now the next day at 2:40 am. The timer has gone off numerous annoying times, and I finally shut if off. And to top it off, I'm not sure I even like what I've written. But it's past my bedtime. Somehow time always manages to run away with me!

Postcard: How to Pack

We're off on an adventure this week.

Need help traveling light on your next trip?
Here's my blog on Packing.

See you soon!

I'm Better Online

The Best Laid Plans
2008

I'm not such a great grandma. . . I'm a great planner. (The blog Oma is better than the live one.) I am the first to admit that sitting alone with an idea book is easier than picking up 500 wooden beads after a toddler drops the baggie. Some of my weekend reality checks:

1. One sick little girl just missed her mom. She wasn't the least bit interested in my button collection or anything else in my overflowing bag of tricks.
   
2. I was enthusiastically reciting my well-practiced "Once upon a time, in a nursery rhyme..." chant when three bottles of root beer spilled all over the couch. "Cha-Cha..."
   
3. After I spent two tedious, useless hours over a minuscule boondoggle instruction book, my son came and showed me how to do it in ten minutes.
4. The cookie cutters and sprinkles were silently tucked away, and I opened a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints.
5. My grandkids will remember take-out pizza instead of home-canned peaches.

I'm a wannabe.

In his office, Dee has a picture called The Salon Tiroler, by Franz von DeFregger. (He's a genre painter in the style of Norman Rockwell.) The guy in the bright green jacket is all decked out like a genuine mountain climber, in his brand-new, spotless duds, regaling the real Tyrolers with his well-researched tales. They're in worn-out leather pants, sporting feathers from pheasants they shot themselves, smoking the pipes they carved. He talks the talk, but they walk the walk.

You, my bloggie buddies, get my Norman Rockwell version of myself, while my grandkids get a stick figure drawing. I'm better in my imagination. While I totally enjoy making all my plans, the actual activity has an added measure of chaos. In other words:

I'd be a great Oma if it weren't for all these kids!

How do your well-laid plans turn out?

The Next Move

"Hundreds of books,thousands of books,

millions and billions and trillions of books."

Well, at least enough for a dozen trolley loads. Today Dee moved into a new office down the hall. I discovered that the best time to count your blessings is when you're picking them up and carrying them. It seemed like we had way too many. We had a few frustrations, too.

The air-conditioning guy who stood in the new doorway, on a ladder, with his head in the ceiling (all day yesterday and most of today) made maneuvering bookcases and furniture a little awkward. And, until he left, there was no air-conditioning! I wore my traditional sweatband bandanna while we transferred decor from one wall to another.

Plus, it's hard to work with an old person. Just ask Dee! Neither of us could see the numbers on the measuring tape, we couldn't find the nails we kept dropping on the floor, and we couldn't remember where we'd set the hammer. Standing on a chair with both hands above my head made me dizzy. Kneeling on the floor stacking books made Dee's knees crack.

I bumped into a woman while hauling a giant fake tree. Dee was almost blown away when the wind caught a big bulletin board he was carrying. When we finally sat down to rest we found we couldn't get back up.

But the hardest part is done. Now it's time for the finishing touches, and that's our forte. With a deadline, and our "oxen in the mire," we'll be skipping church to tote a few more boxes and hang a little art. Hopefully I'll post photos tomorrow night with evidence of our efforts!

Pack It In

Viennese women are chic.
I wanted to be chic, too,
but I needed to pack it all in one carry-on suitcase.

Packing List
Three pair pants (two of them black)
-or two pants, one skirt-
Four silky T-shirts (black, red, white, green.)
Two slinky-type tank tops (black, white)
Lightweight black Cardigan
Appropriate weight coat or jacket
Denim jacket
Silver jewelry
Long (fake) pearl necklace and earrings
Cream colored long silk opera scarf
Three scarves for jacket (black, green, red)
Two pairs black shoes
PJ's
Four sets underwear

This is all I ever take, even on three-week trips,
and what I wear on the plane comes from this list.

Everything except the jackets can be hand-washed.
I take lightweight fabrics that will dry overnight.

In hot weather I take a gauzy black skirt and blouse, wear sandals,
and leave one pair of shoes and a jacket home.

I pack kits so I can unpack and pack quickly.
Nightstand kit: little flashlight, tissues, lotion, chapstick...
Secretary kit: Check register, calculator, pen, envelope for receipts...
Recharge kit: camera and phone chargers, extra batteries, memory card...
Toiletries, Make-up, the usual...

I use a cool packing cube for my clothes.
It has hard plastic pieces for the top and bottom to keep things neat.
I take a fabric laundry sack, and an extra Le Sac bag that folds into it's own pouch.
If I need to, I can stuff the Le Sac with my laundry bag, check it for the flight home,
and have room for souvenirs.

It never looks like it will all fit.

I like two jackets because I'm always wearing one, and I get less bored with my photos.

I stuff in two different umbrellas to vary my look.
One of them is usually clipped onto my purse, so I think of them as
colorful accessories, even when it isn't raining.

Push it all down, and voila!

Viennese Chic!

P.S. We make a stop at the post office before we leave a city, and mail any purchases home, so we don't get overloaded. (They have boxes and tape there.)

Bon Voyage!

Inside the Closet

Labor Day has always been about clothes for me. It was the day before the 1st day of school, and I had to plan my outfit! I remember the night before I started 4th grade, laying my new red plaid dress with the black velvet ribbon trim, my white socks, and black maryjanes on my striped bedroom carpet. As you can see, I've always been stylish.

By 7th grade I was making lists of what I'd wear every day of the first week. In high school I had index cards that I dated so I wouldn't inadvertently wear the same thing too soon. I wasn't the fashion queen or anything. I just loved mixing, matching and organizing. I can still remember events by the clothes I wore. (Day after braces came off: navy skirt, navy and white striped ruffled blouse, white fishnets, red sling back flats. Day Kennedy was shot: red and gray plaid pleated skirt, white poorboy sweater, black "suzy-long-legs," black T-strap shoes.)

September brings out the dress-up in me. I sometimes even start early, it's so fun. Although it's hotter than blazes, I can't wait to rearrange my closet and get out the sweaters and turtlenecks.

This is what I've been doing this week:

Reading through all my fashion books, learning to dress the body I have, rather than pining for the body I want.

Hanging all my skirts and pants and trying different combinations of tops and jackets, then listing them on index cards, which I file under Daytime, Dressy, Out to Lunch, etc.
(I'm sure some of you are thinking I'm definitely out to lunch!)

I have a bulletin board in my closet where I post suggestions to myself, laundering tips that came with clothing items, and sometimes magazine pictures to inspire me.

I went through all my necklaces and edited them. I also added and subtracted links to make them the right length. I hang them inside what I call my jewelry cupboard.

I use little divided craft box inserts to separate my earrings, and other stuff. My pin collection is hanging on the wall, so I won't forget what I have.

So, I have all my clothes hung by category and color, all my shoes shined and waterproofed, my scarves organized by length and my lists indexed and filed. My shelves are dusted and the hooks are hung. I can finally come out of the closet. Now I just need somewhere to go!

Life Can Be Easier

Searching for the remote always made me mad. I had a perfect spot to keep it right on top of the TV, but it was never there. No matter how often I reminded my household to return it to it's proper home, I usually found it between the cushions of the couch. One day it dawned on me: maybe it should live there! As soon as I changed my mind, and accepted things as they always had been, the remote was always where it should be! One less reason to be mad.

Here are a few other tidbits of organization I've incorporated along the way, that might seem obvious, but escaped my logic for many years. I became a happier person when I accepted the natural flow of the household.

1. The Dining Room table was lovely, and I liked to keep it ready at all times for the china, sterling and turkey that graced it once a year. In reality it was covered with scrapbook projects, homework assignments, books and backpacks. It was a constant irritation, and therefore a source of constant conversation about when all this stuff would be moved. When I started thinking of it as the Library, instead of the dining room, it didn't bother me as much. I just changed the name and use of the room in my mind, and my mood changed. Plus we added a very functional room, without any work!
2. There was always a stack of catalogs sitting on the ottoman in the family room. That's where I left them after perusing them, while I was contemplating making purchases. It made things look out of place and messy. I found a basket in another room, stocked it with reading glasses, a red pen and some colorful post-its. I put in a cute file folder for the keepers and a handy-dandy plastic garbage bag stashed for the garbage. Hobby available+ cleanup handy=Perfect Match. When a catalog arrives, it's dropped in the basket by the ottoman. It's there for multi-tasking, and it looks like it belongs there.
3. I was always mad at my boys for not putting their dirty clothes in the hamper, in their bathroom. The socks and underwear, plus pants, and T-shirts were continually dropped on the floor at the bottom of their beds. Always quick, I finally figured out that they'd chosen the spot for the hamper and I had misplaced it. When they could lay in their beds and make points by tossing their socks into the basket, things got put away. We were all winners.
   
4. I bought a very cute Vera Bradley eye glass case for the end table where I watch TV. But, I don't keep my glasses there. It holds fingernail clippers, a nail file, a chap stick, and a tiny pad and pen. My essential TV paraphernalia is right at hand in a charming little container.
5. I keep clocks in the bathrooms. It eliminates all that yelling about how little time we've got to do a full make-over before the big event.
   
6. I buy multiples of scissors, tape, markers, etc. and place them in a cup in every room I use them. They'll never be lost. No more yelling, "Where's my scissors?"
7. The obvious: I keep the stuff I never use in the inconvenient spots, and the stuff I always use in the handy spots.
   
8. I keep approved kids snacks on the lower shelves, so they don't have to scale the pantry walls.
9. Have a basket at the bottom of the stairs and one at the top, so you can put the stuff you need to take up or down in the basket.
10. Rotate toys periodically and they will feel new.
11. Rehang your pictures in different rooms. They'll seem new.
12. If you always do the kids hair in the kitchen, keep the stuff in there.
13. Anywhere there is always a stack of stuff is where that stuff should be kept. The kids coats on the floor of the family room? Get a coat rack and keep it there.
14. If you want something to be used, make it handy, for instance: a dictionary? keep it where homework is done; soap? by every sink; message pad? keep it next to the phone.
    
15. Keep bill paying stuff wherever you actually pay your bills. Have a basket with stamps, return address stamps, checkbook, pen, calculator and bills, etc., on the top of the fridge if you pay them at the kitchen table, or in your nightstand it you pay them in bed.
16. Keep a cute covered basket of diaper essentials,( including non-toxic room spray, wipes, and zip-lock bags) in the kitchen, family room, bathroom, so they are available wherever you and your stinky baby might be. Take care of these things quickly!
17. Keep a basket filled with TP rolls on the back of the toilet so it's always available. It's embarrassing to call out, "Can you spare a square?" from that most vulnerable of positions.
18. When little ones are noticed hiding behind the door, or under the table during adult conversations, pretend not to see them. The stuff they're learning is the stuff of life. You can't teach it in all it's variables in any university class, but it's vital for a general education.
19. Let the kids figure out the tip. It teaches them manners and generosity.
20. Instead of keeping shoes upstairs in bedroom closets, keep them by the back door. Insist they come off immediately when everyone comes in the door. They're easily found again, and muddy shoes are kicked off by habit. This makes the daily search for the shoe game shorter, and happier because mom usually wins.

Most of these ideas are just common sense, but since common sense isn't very common, I'm suggesting them to make everyone's life a little easier. Do you have some to add?

Illustration by my favorite contemporary artist: Mary Engelbreit.