fbpx

Organize Your Pantry

by

An organized pantry means a happy, healthy family!

Cleaning is my favorite way to relax. I clear things out and get rid of the stuff I don’t need. When the food pantry and the refrigerator are organized, I feel less stressed. 

Jennifer Morrison

Take a look inside your pantry just for fun! Can you find what you want and put away the groceries? It seems the food just builds up and before you know it there are years worth of expired food, random stuff shoved onto shelves and no space for the new to come in. Let’s use See it. Map it. Do it. to transform your pantry. When it is organized:

  • You will spend less money
  • Eating healthy is easier
  • Cooking is more enjoyable

Get Your Kitchen Steps GUIDE 

SEE IT – Take a look at where you are now. Have each person answer the questions below. When you are done, take time to share with each other.

  • What’s working? You can be specific or general.
  • What do you love about the look, feel and function?
  • Are there things you know you want to change?
  • What isn’t working? What don’t you like?
  • Do you have easy access to everything? Are shelves labeled?
  • Are there things in your pantry that don’t belong there?
  • Are you storing items besides food, like servings dishes, and appliances?

MAP IT – Make a written plan for what you want. Go after what you really desire. The energy in your pantry contributes to how you eat and how you feel about yourself, your body and your health.

  • How do you want your pantry to look, feel and function?
  • Create an online board of images that inspire you.
  • Create a mind map showing all the elements you want.
  • Do you to store items such as serving dishes, and small appliances?
  • Do you have a system for rotating new food purchases and using the older items first, like FIFO (first in, first out)?

DO IT – Take the steps to make it happen. Look on your calendar and set up time for the transformation! You are going to love this.

  • Choose which area you want to start with. We suggest starting small and building up from there. For example, you could clear out expired food and then do different categories such as canned goods, snacks, etc.
  • Go through the S.T.A.C.K.S.© System for the area (Sort, Toss, Assign, Contain, Keep it up, Simplify). By following S.T.A.C.K.S.© the project will be easier and you will save money. Go to www.clearsimple.com/systems.
  • Shop for the shelving and containers you really want and need.

Once you complete each part of the project, take time to celebrate. We are certain you will feel empowered around food choices and enjoy cooking for yourself and loved ones.

Download the Kitchen Steps Guide

Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Organize Your Pantry
Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Organize Your Kitchen, Organize Your Pantry, Container Store, elfa

Your Guide, Marla Dee.

I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Organize Your Kitchen

by

An organized kitchen is a happy kitchen!

It’s in the kitchen where the warmth of shared memories, 

laughter and life create a recipe that spans generations.

 – Yuvraj Kakodiya

The kitchen is the gathering place for family and friends. It is the place we go to nurture our bodies and connections. Because so much lands and happens in the kitchen it can get chaotic quickly. How often have you cleared the kitchen counter only to have it be cluttered up the next day?

SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© is the 3-step organizing system that works for all the areas of your space and life. Let’s use it to transform your kitchen. Remember you can start small with one area and then move to others.

 

SEE IT – Take a look at where you are now. Have each person answer the questions below for the whole kitchen and then other areas such as the pantry. When you are done, take time to share with each other.

  • What’s working? You can be specific or general.
  • What do you love about the look, feel and function?
  • Are there things you know you want to change?
  • What isn’t working? What don’t you like?
  • Is there stuff that doesn’t belong here, like paper piles on the counter?
  • Are you doing things other than cooking and eating in your kitchen?

MAP IT – Make a written plan for what you want. Go after what you really desire. The kitchen is often a central gathering and connecting place.

  • How do you want your kitchen to look, feel and function?
  • Create an online board of images that inspire you.
  • Create a mind map showing all the elements you want.
  • Do you prefer completely clear countertops or to have some items out? 
  • What colors would make you happy? What kind of decor?
  • What do you want to add to your kitchen, like new dishes or containers?

DO IT – Take the steps to make it happen. Look on your calendar and set up time for the transformation!

  • Choose an area to start with. We suggest starting small and building up from there. For example, you could start with the countertops and junk drawer, then go to other drawers, cupboards, refrigerator and end with the pantry.
  • Go through the S.T.A.C.K.S.© System for the area (Sort, Toss, Assign, Contain, Keep it up, Simplify). By following S.T.A.C.K.S.© the project will be easier and you will save money. Go to www.clearsimple.com/systems.
  • Enjoy shopping for the containers you want and need.
  • Once you complete each area, take time to celebrate. We know you will enjoy cooking and being in your kitchen. How fun would it be to schedule a family date night in your happy space?

 

Get the Kitchen Steps Guide

 

Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Organize Your Kitchen
Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Organize Your Kitchen

Your Guide, Marla Dee.

I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Clutter Clear Your Kitchen

by

Here are 3 simple ways that can be done in under an hour!

What is hiding inside your kitchen drawers?

Has your kitchen counter become a dumping ground?.

How many years of old, expired foods are hanging out in your pantry?

Marla Dee

The kitchen is the heart of the home. Yet, sadly it has become the dumping ground for paper piles and homeless stuff. And so often there isn’t room on the counter to cook or room on the table to eat. We want your kitchen to be a happy place for family and friends to gather daily. 

We will start the transformation with some clutter clearing. Here are three simple options that can be done in an hour or two. This will get you started and keep you from getting lost in the details. Keep in mind we will take you through SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© for the kitchen and pantry next. Choose one of the following ideas, schedule the time, turn on music and dive in. Have boxes and bags on hand for what is leaving.

DO THE DRAWERS

This can be fun! Open your drawers and pull out all the obvious clutter. You can start with the kitchen catch all junk drawer or the cooking utensils drawer. These tend to be the worse. Dump the contents out and enjoy getting rid of the stuff you know you don’t need or that doesn’t belong there. You might be surprised at how many items you never use. Then have fun putting the drawer back together and organized. Tip: You can go the extra mile by  getting the right containers in the drawers! Get the ones you need and deserve. 

CLEAR THE COUNTER 

It is amazing how much stuff lands on the kitchen counter that doesn’t belong there – papers, books, toys, tools and more. Take this time to move the stuff back to where it belongs. Now look at the things you are storing on the counter. Is there anything you don’t use very often that could be placed in a cupboard or drawer? When you are done, we suggest placing a plant, flowers or fresh fruit on the countertop to add the look and feel you desire. This will also help prevent the clutter from coming back. 

EXPUNGE THE EXPIRED 

This is another surprising area to clear. You can make it fun by involving your children. Set your timer and do one category of food at a time. For example, we like starting with the canned goods, or the cereal, or baking items. Pull everything from each category off the shelf, sort, check dates and toss the expired food. You get the idea. Then enjoy putting the good food back in place. This is another area where getting the right shelving and containers can make a difference.

When you are done, take some deep breaths and take in how different your kitchen feels. Celebrate what you have done. It can be fun to take pictures of all the stuff leaving. *Keep in mind that many food banks will take food up to a year past the expired date.

FIND MORE KITCHEN FUN HERE

Your Guide Marla Dee.

I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Simplify Home

by

A simpler life begins making your home a happy place. How would that feel?

 

A home is a kingdom of it’s own in the midst of the world,

a stronghold amid life’s storms and stresses,

a refuge, even a sanctuary.

 

 – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Get Your Simplify Home Guide

If you were standing at the front door of your home right now looking in, what would you see? What would you feel? The purpose of your home is to be a sanctuary from the rest of the world, a place you can go to relax and connect with loved ones.  Sadly, many homes today hold the clutter and stress from our overfull lives. There are now TV’s in every room which support checking out from our bodies and lives. We have lost our gathering places, like the kitchen table, where we could unload and share. A simpler life begins making your home a happy place. How would that feel? How could that support your health, your family and the giving of your gifts?

To make this transformation simpler, we want you to begin with one room and choose from the ideas below. We feel the bedroom is the most important room in the home since your body spends the most time there (even when you are sleeping the molecules of your body are needing to heal). Here are places to start:

HOUR OF POWER

Set your timer for one hour and journey through your bedroom gathering all the obvious stuff that doesn’t belong there, is no longer useful, or that you are ready to let go. Keep in mind that you are only going after the obvious and easy stuff. If you have to stop and think about it, then wait. You might be shocked what goes away.

FOCUS ON THE FLOOR

Start at the door into your bedroom and work your way around the whole area staying focused on the floor. Pick up and bag all the stuff that you know needs to leave. Don’t worry about the other stuff, it comes later. Then grab the broom or vacuum and relish in cleaning away the old dust and grime. Return to the door, look around and take in the difference.

HIDING UNDERNEATH

You can start the clutter clearing by pulling out all the stuff under the bed (or other furniture). You want to avoid using this as a storage area if at all possible. If you must store something, choose items like extra blankets or clothing. Remember, your body is feeling everything under there while you are sleeping. Once you clear the space, take a the time to clean it also. You will love how it feels.

ADD BEAUTY

Take a look at the top of your nightstand, dresser and other surfaces. Since you have cleared the clutter, can you add beauty like a candle, a plant, or a framed picture?

Enjoy this guest blog – 10 Organizing Tips to Live by for a Tidy Home

For more help on your bedroom clearsimple.com/organizebedroom

 

Clear & Simple, Simplify Your Life, Simplify Home, Marla Dee, Kate Fehr
Clear & Simple, Simplify Your Life, Simplify Home, Marla Dee, Kate Fehr

Your Guides to a Simpler Life, Marla Dee & Kate Fehr

We love teaching the Clear & Simple Way© to transform your life.

Simplify Office

by

What if you could walk into your office tomorrow excited and energized?!

Regardless of the size of your business, it is essential to have a personalized and organized workspace.

It helps refresh your mind, improves your productivity and deepens the joy in your work.

 – Marla Dee

If you were standing at the doorway of your office with the person you admire most, would you be excited or ashamed? We certainly understand if your work space has become cluttered, disorganized and draining. This is what happens when your work expects more than you can give. You might be spending more time in your work space than at relaxing home. You might even be working from home! We wish more companies would give their employees, and more entrepreneurs would give themselves, at least one day each year just for clutter clearing and organizing.

If you are ready for an office that supports you rather than stressing you, we are here to help. You can start with just your desktop, your supply area, your technology, your paper or your productivity. Here are some great ideas to get you going. Give yourself permission and remember it can be powerful to pick just one!

What every office needs and wants:

  • A really nice, big enough desk that you love working at.
  • An uncluttered desktop area for work and creativity.
  • A very comfortable, supportive chair and a carpet protector to go underneath.
  • Two desk drawers for daily supplies, along with an area for other supplies.
  • Two drawer file cabinet within arm’s reach of your chair to hold active projects.
  • Window and/or dimmer lighting for your preference and needs.
  • Computer equipment that is fast, accessible and ergonomically correct.
  • A shredder and recycle container close by so you can clear the junk quickly.
  • Inspirational object, plant or framed picture of someone you love.
  • Bulletin board or other area for visual reminders.
  • Incoming container for the paper and information coming at you.
  • A vertical and visual action container for the papers that need your attention.
  • A project action center or location such as a different file drawer.
  • To read container and location to keep your reading papers separated.
  • Music you love or quiet depending on personality.
  • An office with a door so you can have privacy when you need it.
  • A great chair to welcome collaborators or visitors (like your spouse).
  • The entire iRAFT System to handle all your papers. Get details at clearsimple.com/iRAFT
  • Checkout the Ultimate Filing System for homes or small businesses – FreedomFiler.

What if you could walk into your office tomorrow, look around and feel yourself get excited and energized?!

Your Guides to a Simpler Life, Marla Dee & Kate Fehr

We love teaching the Clear & Simple Way© to transform your life.

Simplify Your Life Homepage
Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Simplify Your Life

Deepen the transformation with our Simplify Your Life eBook.

The Simple Life… ha! We get the absurdity of even uttering those words. With all of the roles, responsibilities, relationships, children, 4-legged children, tasks, events, emails, papers, belongings, needs, wants, and more, life is anything but simple. It is complex, multi-faceted, and ever-changing. So, is a simpler life even possible? Is there really hope? Yes, you can craft a different kind of life. Enjoy reading about simplifying change, choices, play, sharing, growth, and more.

By simplifying, you will be more present and available for what life puts in front of you. You will enjoy the small things. And you will live with grace and gratitude.

Welcome to Simplify Your Life. This eBook will set you at ease, inspire you to play, awaken your senses and open you to new ways of being. No matter how big, complicated or busy your life is, it can be simpler. Are you ready to love the life you already have?

Buy Now

Simplify Yourself

by

Get realistic and honest about how you wholeheartedly desire to live your life.


“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost,

to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

Despite our modern world belief systems, we simply do not have enough time and energy to do all the things. Simplifying yourself and your life opens up space so you can a deep look at yourself and what you most want to do with your precious life. A great place to start is looking at your fantasy selves. A popular phrase coined by minimalist, author, and blogger Francine Jay, fantasy selves represent all the versions of ourselves that we think we want to to be. For most of my life and into my mid-thirties I thought I wanted to do it all, and I kept convincing myself I could do it all. I could work full time; be a mama, partner, friend, sister, daughter, student of life; organize myself, my son, my life, and my home; travel; spend time with loved ones; practice self-care; practice yoga; camp; hike; bike; read; take workshops; learn to cook; do laundry and clean my home, just to name a few.

Sometime in 2017-ish, while reading Francine’s post, Declutter Your Fantasy Self, I felt immediate resonance and relief. Oh, hell’s bells… I thought. Of course! How incredible would it feel to let go of all those fantasy versions of myself?! {deep breath} As I wrote a list of my unrealized selves, and all the clutter in tow, I was able to feel how much of my life force had been blocked by things that did not provide value or meaning in my life. I became willing to release them and make room for what was really true for me. As I said goodbye to these fantasy selves and the clutter connected to them, I opened up to a new way of living and being.

All too often, we hold on to stuff because it represents who we think we should be, rather than who we are. Sometimes our fantasy selves are meant to impress others; sometimes they’re relics of our past; sometimes they’re fantasies about our future. Whatever the case, it’s important to remember: acquiring stuff for your fantasy self doesn’t make it a reality. Most of the time, it only leads to a lot of nice clutter you never actually use. – Francine Jay

What fantasy selves are you holding onto that don’t match your current life? What material stuff is crowding your space, external and internal? I invite you to write a list of your own fantasy selves and all of the stuff connected to them.

Examples of fantasy selves and their potential clutter…

  • Outdoors fanatic – bicycling, hiking, camping, and ski gear; beach gear and toys, yard toys, and hammocks.
  • Crafty Betty – sewing machine, notions, lots of material; paper, paints, scissors; knitting needles and yarn.
  • Book Worm – a library full of books you have read, books you hope to read, and books from schooling.
  • Music Lover – shelves of CD’s or records, technology old and new, and instruments you might play someday.
  • Photographer – cameras, tripods, cords of every shape and size, boxes of photos, and digital photos galore.
  • World Traveler – Suitcases and travel accessories in all different types and sizes, maps, and books on travel.
  • Chef extraordinaire – pots, pans, mixing bowls, cooking utensils, and ingredients a plenty.
  •  

Wouldn’t it feel great to get clarity about how you most desire to live your life, to make conscious choices about how you spend your days, and cultivate a life that brings you joy and deep satisfaction?!

Your Guide to a Simpler Life, Kate Fehr

A passionate teacher of The Clear & Simple Way© to transform your life.

Simplify Your Life Homepage
Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Simplify Your Life

Deepen the transformation with our Simplify Your Life eBook.

The Simple Life… ha! We get the absurdity of even uttering those words. With all of the roles, responsibilities, relationships, children, 4-legged children, tasks, events, emails, papers, belongings, needs, wants, and more, life is anything but simple. It is complex, multi-faceted, and ever-changing. So, is a simpler life even possible? Is there really hope? Yes, you can craft a different kind of life. Enjoy reading about simplifying change, choices, play, sharing, growth, and more.

By simplifying, you will be more present and available for what life puts in front of you. You will enjoy the small things. And you will live with grace and gratitude.

Welcome to Simplify Your Life. This eBook will set you at ease, inspire you to play, awaken your senses and open you to new ways of being. No matter how big, complicated or busy your life is, it can be simpler. Are you ready to love the life you already have?

Buy Now