Learn to Cook for the Week Ahead and Save Both Time and Money

Okay, so you’ve worked hard to get your home organized and you’ve developed some strong skills to use at the office as well.  You might be thinking you have it all covered at home since your pantry is organized immaculately and everything in your kitchen has its place.  It doesn’t change the fact that you’re still busy working all day and driving kids to practice, running errands or taking care of your household in the evenings.  Another thing you can learn to do to simplify your life is to plan your meals and cook in advance.

Meal planning and bulk cooking are both wonderful techniques you can utilize and modify to fit your families needs. The idea behind this is simple. The principle is that you cook and or prepare your meals ahead of time and then preserve them by either freezing refrigerating them. It can also help stretch your food budget dollar further, since you can cook one large meal and get two or three other meals from it with the proper planning.

Start by writing down a list of your favorite meals and plan on preparing a grocery list that will coincide with your menu. Since you’re learning to cook in bulk, your shopping list will have to change accordingly so you’re sure to have enough ingredients on hand when the time comes to do the cooking.

The most important tool in meal planning and bulk cooking is your freezer. Freezer bags are a great space saver if you have a small freezer.  You can fit many in the same space of a few storage containers.  Be sure to incorporate lots of quick and easy meals that your family can warm up and serve themselves in the event you’re not able to be at home for dinner or you just need to grab something that’s quick.

You’ll also learn to love your slow cooker.  Experiment with different recipes and variations on your favorites.  They also make easy work of cooking whole chickens or roasts which can be frozen or refrigerated for later use very easily.

You’re only limited by your own imagination when cooking in bulk for the week ahead.  Factor in the time you save by not having to do a lot of after dinner cleanup or dishes, and you’ll be glad you took the time to master this important organizational skill.

Quick Tips for Organizing Your Home office

Even with limited workspace with a little creativity and the right equipment, it is possible to have an efficient home office.  Decide what you absolutely must have, based on the needs of your business. Remember, needs not wants.  Beyond basic office supplies such as paper and pens, most people only need a computer, printer and a filing system but his of course is dependent on your type of business.

Paper clutter can be a major problem.  Get rid of it and get organized.  Throw junk mail away immediately.  Don’t even take it to your office or desk.  Keep a trash can or a recycling box, near the door, especially for junk mail.  Don’t let paper clutter your desk.  If you don’t have room on the floor for a filing cabinet purchase a hanging file system.  These types of filing systems are designed to hang from a hook on the back of a door.  It can easily be hidden in a closet this way.  Labeling each pocket based on your needs, such as bills to pay, copies of receipts, and tax deductions (even if you aren’t sure something is deductible, save the receipt and check later) will keep your desk clutter free and keep you better organized for tax time.

Scan and save documents you don’t need on a daily basis but still want to keep for reference.  Whether you saved them to your hard drive or on discs, they can be easily printed should you need a hard copy.

Keeping office supplies organized and clutter free can be a bit of a challenge but a few simple storage containers can keep the clutter to a minimum.  Purchase a drawer divider that has compartments for different sized items.  If you need something you can carry supplies in when away from your office consider a child’s school box or art supply box.  It’s a nice inexpensive option. Keep your pens from taking over your desk by frequently checking your pens and throwing out any that are dried out.
Lack of space for an office can be an issue but one that can be overcome.  Some people have successfully converted a large closet into an office area.  You may not have a window view, but with a light installed, and a couple of filing cabinets and some counter top scrap in the closet, you’ll have a nice work area.  Once you are done working for the day simply close the doors.

If desk space happens to be a major issue, opt for a laptop rather than a desktop computer.  It will allow you more desk space and a little flexibility should you need to take your information with you.  Fortunately these days printer are becoming more compact and are often combined with a scanner, copier and/or fax systems all in one.  With some price comparison a good deal can be found.