Are those sippy cup parts and bottle accessories taking over your drawers? One way to manage all of these items is try to stick with one brand. The reasons is they would all have the same accessories. Some cups and bottles come with inserts that must be attached or they wont work properly and another brand may have another type. So if you can stick the the same brand it will cut down on your kitchen clutter and make your life a little bit easier.

Have you ever scrambled at the last minute preparing your home for a dinner party? Make sure your table is picture perfect with these simple tips for getting your table ready.
Set your table the night before from the napkins, silver ware, place cards, dishes to the serving pieces and utensils. Add a note to each serving piece with the food going into the dish. You will know exactly what pieces your will be using and gives any helpers easy direction.
If you have a small space, clear out and organize a kitchen cabinet for after dinner items like dessert dishes, serving utensils, coffee cups, tea and sugar. This will make your transition to dessert and coffee much easier. Everything is in one place and you can counter tops will stay clear.
Finally clean out and organize the refrigerator so that at least one shelf is designated for the party. Its easier to see and access everything and if guests brings something that needs to be chilled there is open space.

Still clipping and organizing those coupons but never use before they expire? Check out Cellfire.com where you can download coupons directly to your store savings card or to your mobile phone. Redeem coupons at the checkout with your card or show mobile coupons to the cashier. No more clipping coupons and keeping track of all those little pieces of paper!

Trying to save money by packing your lunch but end up making a mess of your kitchen in the process? Here's a quick tip on making the clean up a little easier by starting out with napkin or paper towel.
Place a napkin or paper towel on the counter where you prepare your sandwich. Lay out the bread on the napkin, add your toppings etc. and when your sandwich is done fold the napkin over the sandwich to pull it all together. This makes the transfer easier to the to the cling wrap, sandwich bag or plastic container and the toppings don't fall out. It cuts back on all the crumbs etc on your counter and you dont need additional dishes for the task. If you want to organize your lunches even more, pre wash and slice the cheeses, veggies and other toppings so they are ready when you need them.

Do you have questionable food, condiments and beverages taking up space in your kitchen? Not sure if its ok to eat or drink? Check out the site Stilltasty.com to find out its shelf life. You can also find out handy information like "how to safely defrost foods"and many other common questions. Click on the type of food and select opened or unopened and Stilltasty tells you how long it can stay in the refrigerator, freezer and includes other tips about storing.

Where was the last place you used your cleaning sponges? Was it the kitchen sink or the dishes? How about in the bathroom? Did you use the sponge in the shower or on the floor?
A good way to keep your sponges organized is my color. Choose a color for your counter tops and another for your floors. Or one color for your kitchen and another for the bathroom. Make a label and stick it on the cleaning caddy where you store your sponges. Designating a color for each sponge will help others you share a space with such as a roomate, family members or if you have household help.

Are the sippy cups, bottles and other parts taking over your kitchen cabinets and drawers? Here a a few tips on keeping them together.

1 - Match up all the cups and the additional parts. Get rid of anything that spills easy, hard to clean and your kids dont use.
2-Designate a shelf or drawer for each child or category and give it a label. Add drawer dividers or small containers to drawers to store smaller parts.
3-Before you buy more products in the future test them out. Its better to have one you like than 10 that will never get used. Save that space for items use use everyday.

Are your pantry items spilling out of your kitchen cabinets? The containers they are stored in can sometimes be the problem. Too many odd shaped containers, bags and canisters dont allow you to maximize the cabinet space. Round containers leave spaces on the sides and bags set on the shelf dont allow anything to be stacked on top. This is a big waste of space. When space is a premium every square inch needs to be utilized that is why I recommend using square, stackable containers that can fill in the corners.

These containers are great for baking and bulk items as well as smaller items such as seasoning packets, nutrition bars.

Do you shop at a warehouse club? Buy large supplies and get overwhelmed by the your lack of storage? It's really important to get organized before bulk shopping, especially if its at a warehouse club. Make sure you have the room to store toilet paper before you pickup a month supply. This is especially important if you are buying refrigerated or frozen foods.
Make a list of items you constantly buy and focus on those items first. Or you will get sidetracked by the giant boxes of muffin mix or tuna fish. These items are great if you are having a party but not the best for everyday. And finally make sure you can use everything before the expiration date.

Happy Shopping!

Are your Rubbermaids out of control in the kitchen? Heres a quick tip on keeping them organized. Keep all of the round storage containers together in one drawer,cabinet or shelf and the square containers together. Better yet only purchase one shape. Its much easier to stack containers of different size than different shapes. Its also easier to keep the lids together.

Good luck!

What do all those kitchen gagets do? My husband and I took a cooking class that provided us with many brands of kitchen gadgets plus instructions. We got to chop, slice, dice, Julian you name it!
Sometimes you just dont know what you need in the kitchen. I think its better to start out with the basics. Make sure you have at least one stock pot, one frying pan, one pairing knife and one chef knife. Pass on the purchase of the the 10 piece pot and pan set when you only need the one pot. And instead of running out and buying a butcher block full of knives purchase one good knife.
Its much easier to keep your kitchen organized when you know what you have and you use it often.

Could you function without your favorite....(insert favorite item here)?
I have two favorite cups that I use everyday. I use a cup at night and another cup in the morning. Everyday its the same 2 cups. The cup I use at night is a tacky souvenir cup. Its so ugly! But it has a giant handle making it easy to handle in the middle of the night, its the right size holding 4 cups of water and is very lightweight. Its just enough water to get me through the night and I don't have to refill.
My morning cup holds hot tea. Its bigger than most coffee cups and holds the exact amount of tea that I want to drink in the morning. It to is the perfect size, weight, has a nice design and keeps my tea hot.
Since I use these 2 cups I don't need to use so many other glasses, cups or mugs. I have a preference. Knowing what you really like helps you make decisions about what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of when organizing. Remind yourself about your favorite things when you are being enticed by shopping for the latest and greatest.

Kitchen appliances and equipment can take over your kitchen! It is a challenge to keep it all organized. Some items you use everyday, once a week, once a month or even once a year. They can be big and bulky or small with a million parts and pieces.
We purchase items sometimes thinking we are going make fresh pasta everyday, dried fruit, soy milk or even yogurt. If you do this everyday...great! You are getting your moneys worth, and making these items work for you in your space. But if you don't use these items its better to store them elsewhere.
Store these items in lower cabinets, or on shelves away from your immediate cooking area. Some kitchens have a few oddly huge lower corner cabinets that are a little harder to get to. These spaces are great for storing the "not so often" used items.
Appliances, entertaining pieces, and specialty cooking items fall into this category.
It is important to keep your services clear so you can prepare a meal and clean up easily.

Who loves a good barbecue? How about one with easy clean up? Grilling is lot of fun but it can get a little messy. An easy organizing trick for prepping and transporting your food to the grill is using Ziploc Gallon sized storage bags. We marinate chicken and veggies all in separate bags then put on the grill and toss the bags. Easy cleanup and no extra dishes to wash!

I just heard of the best recycling program ever! Its called Recycle Bank. Its a program that combines recycling with reward points that can be used at major stores like Target, CVS and Bed Bath and Beyond. The way it works is you recycle items by placing them in your household bin that gets picked up curbside. The bins are weighed, tracked and then converted into reward points. I don't think it could be an easier!
Not only do you get points to use, it can actually help you get organized. Items that you use every day like cereal or other foods that come in a card board box can immediately go into a re sealable container and the cardboard gets recycled.

If you were lucky enough to receive fresh flowers for a special occasion and they came from a florist, most likely they came in a vase. Another special occasion would have brought you even more beautiful flowers...and another vase. Eventually you have a cabinet or two packed with vases which can be challenge to keep organized.
If you are unsure of what to do with all of these vases pull them all together and take stock of what you have. If you only put fresh flowers out on occasion keep one vase in each size or shape and donate the rest. Better yet take to a local florist so they can be reused.

When organizing your china cabinet, its common to have several different patterns of china, odd number of stemware or even a few broken figurines. The problem with all of these extra pieces is you cant have a dinner party for 8 if you only have 7 plates. One way to work with the odd number of dishes is to add another pattern that will compliment your current set. Or go to Replacements,Ltd a China, Crystal, Silver and Collectibles supplier to replace those hard to find patterns! If you are ready to let go of your current set of dishes to make room for a new set you can even sell your pieces to Replacement, Ltd!

Here's a quick way to get rid of items you no longer need. Organize a themed swap party where everyone brings items they no longer need. It could be kitchen items, home accessories or even clothes. Its a great way to get rid of items and give them a new home. If you pick a theme its easier to look at one category at a time and makes the task of organizing a little easier. If the theme is kitchen cooking equipment all you have to do is go through your pots and pans and weed out a few that are not getting any use. This also is a good time to toss out those scratched, burnt and broken pieces too and reorganize your cabinets!

Want a quick way to get rid of leftovers and keep your fridge organized? Make a list of all leftovers and keep on your fridge door so you know what is available.
Make a section in the fridge only for leftovers that is visible and easy to reach. If you like to take leftovers to work, store in ziplock bags or disposable containers so you don't have to transfer to another container when you are rushed for time.

It's that time again to start thinking about your News Years resolution. Getting organized always makes the Top ten list. So if losing weight is in your top ten list follow these organizing tips for greater results. Organize the pantry and the frig.

a. If you're thinking that saving all those fatty, sugary leftovers are saving money – think again. You can't put a price on a good health. Clean out that refrigerator right after the holidays and don't feel a smidge of guilt. Throw out the leftovers to make room for fruits and vegetables and healthy snacks.

b. Put cut up fruits and veggie in plastic bins in the front of the refrigerator where they're easy to find.

c. Put away (or donate) the deep fryer and bread maker to make room for the salad spinner and wok.

Remember, when changing habits, take small steps. Start small when organizing the kitchen cabinets or just the refrigerator. Your more likely to finish and feel a sense of accomplishment.

My sister is a wonderful baker. She makes the most amazing cookies. So I was amazed when she finally gave in to my requests for her blue ribbon chocolate chip cookie recipe. They are the most amazing cookies I've ever tasted! I was so excited to see it would make 10 dozen cookies! I was all ready to organize and freeze the cookie dough into dozen batches. I had my my ziploc bags and parchment paper all ready to go. As I mixed this giant batch of cookie dough the batter kept getting harder and harder and I could not figure out what I did wrong! As an organizer I love doing things with precision. So baking is perfect for me. You have to be extremely accurate or does not work. This day I realized these cookies were a total disaster so when I called my sister about the recipe and asked her about the ingredients, measurements etc. and depending on weather you use butter or margarine the measurements are different. I did not know this when I started this journey but I had to laugh when I asked my sister which one she uses and she replied "whatever is on sale".

As you decorate your home and prepare for holiday entertaining - do a little organizing while your at it. Start is your kitchen pantry. Take note of unused items you find in your pantry. If you do not plan on using for the month or ever decide right now if it can go.
If the items are not expired and not past the best if used by date they can be donated to a locale food drive. To find a food drive and donate to families that could really use it now go to Second Harvest inquire at your local grocery store or church.

Heres a quick tip on getting organized for the holidays. Its a good idea to have your kitchen organized especially if you are entertaining. This is a great time to clean out that Tupperware and food storage cabinet or drawer. Set aside all of the plastic containers that you do not use or are missing lids. Also pull all of those cool whip or butter tubs you have been saving. Now that you have all the containers you dont want out of your immidate storage, repurpose these containers as take home containers for leftovers for your guests. You dont want your best plastic containers leaving for good and there is no need to purchase more for the holidays. So get organized and save money this year.

Before you make out another grocery list organize your pantry. By organizing your pantry you can categorize your canned goods, boxes of rice, pasta and snacks and get rid of stale open packages and expired food. Remember some of those items have "best if used by" dates so don't waste them, eat them! A really great way use up this food is to find a recipe for each product on the products website. For instance if you have a can of beans from Bush or box of barilla pasta find a specific recipe for that product and be sure to purchase additional ingredients on your next grocery shopping trip.

Groceries are getting pretty pricey these days so save a little money by eating what is in season. For a list of fruits and veggies check out the Food Networks guide to seasonal fruits and veggies
Before you head to the grocery store, get organized in your kitchen by making a list of everything in your pantry so you know what staples you have on hand and what needs to be replaced. This can be a big money and time saver.
With your list of seasonal fruits and veggies along with your staples on hand check out the food network, allrecipes or epicurious websites for recipes.

Did you host a holiday party this year? Then you already know the getting your home ready for guests, preparing food and trying to time it all just right so you can enjoy the evening with your guests can be hard work. This year we hosted dinner for eight and my goal was to have everything ready before my guests arrived. Everything went well except for a few things I would have had done differently. I’m making my list for next years party.
Here are a few tips:

1. Keep your shopping receipts from the grocery store and indicate which items you purchased for the dinner or party.
2. Make notes on quantities used in recipes, appetizer treys etc. My shopping receipt shows the size so it’s easy for me to note “used 4 oz” from the 16oz package of mushrooms. Now I have the notes for next year and I will buy a smaller amount. I hate wasting food and with leftovers and during the holidays your refrigerator gets packed.
3. Make notes if you didn’t purchase enough of one item so you don’t have to run out to the store in the middle of your food preparations.
4. Indicate items that were a big hit so you are sure to purchase again next year.
5. Indicate items that nobody ate, drank or you overbought. This year I bought egg nog and forgot to put out so it sat in the fridge. One guest likes a particular cola so I made sure I had this on hand. This year he chose a different drink so I had an extra 2 liter. Next year I will buy 1 can of cola. We had too many crackers and they didn’t fit on the cheese trey. They were never opened so they too will not make the list next year.
6. I store my lists, and receipts in an envelope and pack with my holiday decorations. If you have the time scan and copy to your computer.



I hope these tips help you in your next holiday party.

I love baking cookies during the holidays. But all the prep and clean up can be a litttle discouraging. This year make it easy on yourself by pre measuring each of the ingredients before you start mixing, baking and eating.

Here are my tips for easy baking


1 - Set out all of your mixing bowls, measuring cups, spoons and ingredients.
2 –Separate each recipe card by about a 12”. You will need plenty of room on your baking surface for the bowls of ingredients you are about to measure.
3- Measure dry ingredients such as flour, salt and baking soda for each recipe into a small bowl. As you measure each ingredient cross it off your recipe card. Use another small bowl for the sugars, a large bowl for the butter and a smaller bowl for the eggs and vanilla. Keep the recipe and bowls together so they do not get mixed up with the other recipes
4-Put away all your supplies like bags of flour sugars and boxes of baking soda, salt and toss those eggs shells. Now your space is clear of extra ingredients and now you can get ready for the mixing!
5 -Work on one recipe at a time, bake a few test cookies then conitinue baking the rest of the batch.

We made 3 different types of cookies but did not want to have cookie baking overload. So we rolled up the rest of the cookie dough, separated into batches of 8 and put in the freezer. So the next time my sister has a holiday get together she can have a few different varieties of freshly baked holiday cookies.






Happy Baking!

I have been looking forward to Thanksgiving for the past few months. It's one of my favorite meals and it's once a year. I especially enjoy Thanksgiving because I don’t have to do anything in the kitchen. This is pretty amazing! I do bring a few of my double layer pumpkin pies that I have been making for 15 years, so I do a little work. Once you make something that everyone likes you are sort of required to make it forever. I usually get that nervous look when I walk in the door to see if I’m carrying something and then I’m asked “Did you bring the Karli pumkin”? Oh yes and I usually bring extras. Last year I made one pie for dinner and then made miniature pies for take homes gifts. The pie I make has a graham cracker crust that I buy premade and they also sell the same crust in miniatures. The miniatures pie crusts come in a tin with a little plastic insert the can be flipped over and used as a lid. Great for travel - Genius! This way I have individual pies for guests to take home. I like this better then trying to divide up a pie that can turn to mush after coming to room temperature. Plus after everyone is already stuffed, nobody wants to imagine they would eat again…ever. So many times the pies have gotten thrown out and it never fail I get a call the next day “Loved the pumpkin pie, I wish I would have taken some home…bummer! So make sure your guests go home with all the leftovers this year. If you know ahead of time that you will be giving guests bags of turkey day leftovers (YUM!) think ahead and pack up some stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and whatever else you’ve made t 10 times to much of. Store in the fridge until everyone is ready to go. Then you can just make up the bags as everyone is leaving. This gets you out of the kitchen and your guest will enjoy their best leftovers ever!

Are you going away for the Thanksgiving holiday? Do some home organizing before you head out of town and don’t buy anymore food that will rot in your fridge while you are away.
Finish eating the food you already purchased. Go through your cabinets and see what ingredients you have on hand to whip up a simple pasta, rice or bean dish. Add fresh tomatoes or veggies that are just hanging around in the fridge. If you have extra food that you know will not get eaten take to the local food pantry or give to a neighbor who is hosting the feast. Everybody wins here!

When was the last time you went through your kitchen cabinets where you store food? How long has some of that food been in there? Are some of those boxes open? You may have reminders of party you had last year or maybe you still have a couple cans of pumpkin leftover from last years turkey day? Take a look-see in the open and unopened boxes to see if its still good. Check the dates if it is past its prime get rid of it.
The seasons are changing so it’s a good time to clear out and restock for the winter.
If you don’t plan on cooking with any of this food and it is still edible clear out those cabinets and give your food to a food depository.
If you think you might want to use this food, you did pay for it! Then go online to one of the cooking websites to find a recipe using ingredients from your own kitchen.

I just had to share this recipe with you because it is so easy to prepare especially when you are starving! It's rosemary chicken with white beans and stewed tomatoes. It takes 15 minutes and requires opening 2 cans, shaking some salt,pepper, rosemary and oh, my gosh turning on the stove! If you can handle that…follow these directions and let me know if your friends and family think you are a world class chef. By the way, it smells amazing.
2 chicken breasts – cut in half (now you have 4 small pieces) sprinkle salt, pepper and rosemary on one side and add to a pan with a little olive oil. Brown on one side for about 5 minutes on med – high heat flip over. Add 1 can of white beans (rinsed and drained) and 1 can of stewed tomatoes. Throw a lid on, reduce the heat to medium for about 10 minutes. DONE!

One of the last places to get organized in the kitchen is the refrigerator. It gets a lot of use and deserves so much attention. Check out this article on 3aday about organizing your refrigerator and get some great tips!