If you have been reading this blog for awhile, you have probably figured out that I can be a little bit scatterbrained. I am what I like to call organized in a very chaotic way. I have a very deep desire to find my inner organized self. I know she’s in there… she used to be the only self I had but that was all pre-kids/pre-chaos. When it was just me and my little life, I could “to do” list and Franklin Planner with the best of them. Now, I have to create situations that make me feel like I am organized.
For example, the “to-do”list. I’ve mentioned once or twice here that I love lists. I am obsessed with lists. I love to read lists (you know when you get a new calendar or time management program and they have examples of how to use it? I scour those reading the lists that are on the example. Anyone else do that?? I am list obsessed.) Often times, I will create lists just so I can mark things off. I will often sit down at night and make my to-do list from the day I just finished and then mark it all off, just so I can have that sense of accomplishment. Yes, I know that truly organized people sit down and write out their to-do list for the next day. That is not the way the “organized in a very chaotic way” folks like to roll.
This past Sunday I did a little pantry organization project. Inspired by an episode of Real Simple Real Life, I decided to buy some nice clear plastic containers from The Container Store. I went to town using my handy dandy new Brother P-Touch label maker and started dumping things into containers and labeling my shelves and the containers. I realized things were getting a little out of control when I labeled a clear, mind you, container full of what was obviously pretzels, “pretzels”. As if you couldn’t tell by just looking at the container that it contained pretzels. Still, it got a label and I was a happy, chaotically organized camper.
During my pantry organization project I realized I had an insane amount of flout and raisins. It was with a thrilling glint in my eye that I decided to pull an issue of Simple & Delicious magazine off of my labeled Cookbook shelf, grab a clear container of raisins marked “raisins” and take my over abundance of flour and put it to good use. This Cinnamon Raisin Bread from the most recent issue of Simple & Delicious is really good and it makes two loaves. Guess what you can do with that second loaf? Stick the bread in a Ziploc bag, take your handy dandy label maker and create a name label of who you want to gift it to. You will feel like you are the most organized person on the planet!
I am giving you all the chance to be “organized in a very chaotic way” too. I have a new Brother PT-80 P-touch Electronic Labeling System to give away so you can be label obsessed just like me. Along with that, Kate from Kate in the Kitchen has two more cookbooks to include in this giveaway. The lucky winner will win the Labeling System, the 2003 Taste of Home Annual Cookbook and the 2005 Light and Tasty Annual Cookbook. Lots of great stuff to snag up here! Enter to win by leaving a comment on this post sharing with me one simple organizing tip. Steal it from FlyLady, borrow it from Real Simple… just share any tip you can think of that has to do with organization. All comments must be accompanied by a valid email address. Comments will be accepted up until midnight on Monday, December 15th. Good Luck
Oh – and before I share the recipe… did you know that my first guest blogging post is now up at the SC Johnson Right@Home website? Won’t you please go check it out?
Cinnamon Raisin Bread (2 Loaves) from Simple and Delicious Magazine
1¼ hours | 15 min prep
2 Loaves
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, soda and salt. I a mixing bowl, beat 1-1/2 cups sugar and oil. Beat in eggs and buttermilk until combined. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raisins. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; set aside.
- Spoon half of the better into two greased 8-in x 4-in x 2-in loaf pans. Sprinkle with half of the reserved cinnamon-sugar mixture; repeat layers. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
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I’m kinda ashamed of this… But I cannot be organized without google. It keeps my mail neat, my schedule on its calendar, my photos in nice albums, and of course, my to-read blogs all categorized in my google reader.
I’ve fallen hard for The Password Organizer as a way to keep track of the zillions of passwords for all our various accounts, including utilities, banks, email, etc. Very helpful to have all that in a print format in case of emergency.
Andreas last blog post..Kourambiedes, Greek Butter Cookies – 12 Days of Cookies
I’m going to second Google Calendar. Hubby and I created a calendar that is shared – so we can both see what it is coming up from work or home. And we’ve imported it to our phone calendars as well. It may seem weird, but we put things like “watch movie, 8 pm” and “sign christmas cards) on there so we don’t forget!
Michas last blog post..Apfelpfannkuchen
I try to make sure everything has a place and if it doesn’t it gets donated. I love baskets and containers to keep everything in and a label maker would be great to go along with that!
Yay, a bread recipe that doesn’t require yeast! Still haven’t made it to the market to buy some….Looks like a great recipe.
Julias last blog post..Garden Updates – First Snow
Okay I so need to win this LOL I would lvoe to have a label maker! I had one a few years ago and was on a pretty good organizing roll but I lost it when we moved last year
(I know OH NO!!) I also love to cook so the cook books would go to good use! Thanks for the chance!
Toni-Lynn
aka @Holly_GPB
I highly recommend Cozi. It is an online family calendar. It changed my girlfriend’s life……http://www.cozi.com. I haven’t signed up yet but I plan to do so after viewing her calendar and lists.
Their motto is Family Life. Simplified. and it is 100% accurate.
I LOVE Flylady! But the newest trick I’ve been implementing (and found helpful) is to work from left to right and place what you’re finished with to the right, so you will know where you left off if you get distracted-as is apt to happen when you’re 8 months pregnant and have a 2 year old!
Hilarys last blog post..A Fresh Start
Have all bags (baby, purse and backpacks) packed and by the door the night before.
Pick me! Pick me!
I have several shallow trays of various sizes that I use to hold projects I’m working on. Right now one hold a Christmas ornament that isn’t finished, another a blouse that needs a button sewn on, a tray with a few cards that need notes added, and so on. I put everything needed for the project into a tray and then can just pick it up when I have a few minutes. This really helps me get things done. And I usually can stack the trays so they don’t take much room.
Cathy at Wives with Knivess last blog post..Soft Peanut Brittle
My advice is to always put things away in there place right away. If they don’t have a place, make a place. To not allow yourself to do it later, that just makes clutter and clutter just invites more clutter. If you put things away as you get them it only takes a few minutes, wheras if you wait until you have a pile then it will take all afternoon! Same goes with cleaning…clean as you need to do not leave it all for one day!
katies last blog post..My Struggle with Bulimia- A New Beginning, but Definitely Not the End
Meal plans…thanks to this fabulous lady named Kristen. Then I can be sure I have everything I need from the store…it’s a no brainer…allowing me more time with my family!!:)
Jen Mullinaxs last blog post..Spreading Christmas Joy….
the best tip I ever got is to store your plastic shopping bags (because even if you take cloth bags to the store somehow I end up with plastic ones) in empty kleenex tissue boxes! they get SO compact and then if you donate them to the library or food co-op or whatever they aren’t flying everywhere. happy organizing… I could use a label maker for all my spinning fiber, yay
Emmy Lous last blog post..Angry Elephant
My organization tip? Scour the internet … Manda Juice’s budget tips … Simple Mom’s household organizer tips … Fly Lady’s suggestion to break up your house into zones … I could go on and on.
The internet is my tip
Great giveaway (and that bread looks divine!)
Naomis last blog post..Birds, birds, birds
I’m not so organized, the most I can do is send emails to myself to remind me to do stuff, bring stuff, buy stuff, etc.
Vickis last blog post..Non-Food Post – Gift
I love using letter holders to organize my bills. I can put them in order according to the due dates, and it’s just so convenient!
That label maker is just fantastic! I can use it for a lot of things.
I am so goign to try that recipe for the bread!! We just moved into a new house this summer and I was a little overwhelmed with all the space in my new kitchen. I had no clue how to organize in so much space. In the old kitchen everything was stacked and that’s the only way to do it. In our new kitchen I was having trouble keeping things like spices in envelopes and chocolate chips organized. I had a couple small plastic baskets that I had and put the encelope spices in the smalles one and put it in the [antry and then my baking goodies like nuts, chocolate chips, raisins went in a bigger basket in the pantry. I went and bought similar containers with lids for cookie cutters and another basket for all my cookie decorating goodies. My husband makes fun of all my plastic baskets, but when I aske him to grab me something he can find it right away.
Hilary
Hilarys last blog post..Cheese Ball
I leave handwritten post-its all over the place..mostly on my bedside table and the refrigerator. And I write calendars out one month at a time because I feel bad mucking up pretty day planners. It all sounds cuckoo but it works!
Baskets!! I love using plastic baskets to organize my pantry and linen closet for all the small things. It’s so much easier to pull a basket out to find what I need.
Oh, how I envy you getting plastic containers and organizing your kitchen!! Pure ectasy!
I think one of my favorite tips comes from Flylady. Take ALL of your christmas stuff that is in different places around the house (paper, bows, tape, cards, gift bags, etc) and put them in one big container. Have loved it ever since!!
Merry Christmas all!
I have containers for everything! I have to tape handwriiten or typed labels on since I don’t have a label maker. Hint, Hint
I do have a catch all basket near my kitchen counter. Otherwise, when anyone walks by the counter, they automatically start piling stuff on it. Keys, mail, etc.
Organized Chaos is a good word for me too–although you could throw the word “Panicked” in there right now as well.
Does this count as an organization tip? I keep an MS Word template of my grocery list, with each section under a different heading that reads in order of the actual walk through the grocery store (“organic”, “produce”, “chocolate section (yes my store has one)”, “meat counter”, etc). Kinda crazy I know–but it really saves time when walking through the store. But just in case you mean more physical organization in the home, when we move into the new house, we are buying a whole bunch of short bottles and labeling the tops of them with each spice’s name, transferring our spices, and keeping them in a drawer where I can see what all of them are without having to move bottles. Hey maybe I need a label maker no matter what happens with your giveaway!
Lauras last blog post..Prozac For Dogs & Decorated Sugar Cookies For The Holidays
my best organizing tip came when I was looking for a use for a baby food jar spinning holder that I bought a while back. I found that I couldn’t actually use it to store baby food jars because each time i took one off, it threw the whole thing off balance and began to lean, etc. I somehow thought of the idea to use it to store my small containers of various spices and it has served me well ever since! I no longer have the dreaded jumbled up spice cupboard!
I love finding new uses for things!
candy tais last blog post..Hello December.
My, that bread looks good. And easy too, that’s a plus!
I am so not organized, it’s not even funny. But, I do try to keep up with the kids’ school and sports activities by keeping a calendar with dates and times taped to the inside of the pantry door. I can just open up, have a look and everything is there. I am loving everyone else’s ideas, by the way. This is a great post, Kristen! 
LyBs last blog post..TWD-Grandma’s All Occasion Sugar Cookies
I use an online program (free) called Cozi. It keeps me organized.
That bread looks SOOOO good! I got the cookbook a couple of days ago and the stuff in it looks great! Thanks so much. I like to organize my dishwasher…I know, weird. My roommate hasn’t quite gotten it yet, so I end up moving things around to where I like them. Just makes things easier to unload!
claires last blog post..Pizza by Philip!
I have just been thinking that during Christmas break I need to get my house in order. I love the label on the tubs in my pantry idea. I love clear bins. I have a huge one that holds 25 pounds of flours, one that holds 10 pounds of sugar.
)
I have clear shoe boxes for my kids for legos and small toys.
The one thing that helps me a lot is I have all my kids clothes laid out and ironed if needed, shoes and socks are all laid out. This way it saves me from going crazy in the morning. With six kids I had to go the everyone their own color towels and cups otherwise the dishes and laundry was crazy. Ok they still are but I know whos towel and cups was who’s so I did not have to hear, “it’s not mine.”
Can’t wait to hear all the great ideas.
I can only imagine your whole house with the wonderful fragrance of cinnamon and raisins.The best tip: EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE and A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING. For everything that you own, designate a place for it. You can even label some of those places, to make it easier to remember. Find something that doesn’t have a place? Designate a place for it. Then simply put things back where they belong when you’re done using them. It sounds simple, but it actually takes a lot of practice to get this habit down.
valleygurl43@hotmail.com
My organized self is gone too, maybe ours ran away togehter!
noble pigs last blog post..Recession Proof Holiday
I love cinnamon raisin bread, though I’ve never actually made my own. I’m going to have to get on that. I’m still learning how to organize myself and communicate that to my partner, nevermind organizing a family so I doubt I can be of much help. I definitely think making lists helps, especially because you do feel like you’ve accomplished something when you cross an item off. I’m also a big fan of google calendar, especially the fact that you can share your schedule with other people. This helps me a lot especially since my family and some close friends are in another time zone and it can be difficult to know when we can get in touch!
Hopies last blog post..Holiday Pecan Pie
Every month I go through another kids closet to wee what is to small and what stays
Jessica Cs last blog post..Living as Mom: $25 Gift Card giveaway!!
I’m organized chaos too! My tip is to put things where you will LOOK for them, instead of thinking “where should I PUT this?” Helps me find things easier than my organized husband
Wow great article at SC Johnson! Good for you! I am a miss messy I must confess but I know where everything is! One tip- clean as you go! Do I do it though?
Robin Sues last blog post..Creativity With Plastic Wrap: A Snowy Christmas Centerpiece
Staying on top of things on a daily basis is the best organizing tip. For example, dealing with mail daily is so much easier and efficient than letting it pile up for a week at a time. The stack will seem so overwhelming!
tabithas last blog post..Brown Food
First that recipe looks amazing, thanks so much for sharing it!
My organizing tip? Keep a large calendar on the fridge where everyone can see it. Mark all activities/appointments for each and every member of the family on it. I have the Mom’s Plan-it and it has kept us from overbooking weekends and everything else since we started using it last year.
I would LOVE to win that label maker… my husband is always complaining that he doesn’t know what’s in all of my plastic containers and how would I know either since there’s no label!
patsyks last blog post..Improving on a Classic Snickerdoodle
Love the looks of this bread!
I am organized as well. I make lists every day and keep the house nice and clean. I always put things in their place. I also organize by color!!
Marias last blog post..Oven Berry Pancakes
Put me in the iGoogle camp… The calendar works for the whole family – and the listy widget works great for me. I have separate pages for work and home to keep everything running smoothly. I have also taught my husband how to add to the grocery list
… I even have a menu tab that he can look at and figure out what’s for supper.
I have finally found list-making peace with google…
I can’t believe I’m actually going to say this as I hated it every time my mother said it to me, but “put it away before you walk away” really works. Whether it’s your dirty clothes, or dishes, or hairbrush, or whatever, if you put it away as soon as your done with it you have to do less clean up and organization later.
Dianas last blog post..Last day to vote!
That bread looks yummy! And oooh, I have some holiday time off coming up that’s screaming to be filled with a pantry re-organization just like yours! And who doesn’t love the Container Store?? Anyway, I must admit I often AM one of those people who writes a to-do list for the next day the night before — I work from home for my regular proposal-writing job, and my to-do lists range from ‘get costs for project’ to ‘run dishwasher’. If I didn’t make myself a to-do list every day I wouldn’t get nearly as much done.
Other organizational tips? You already know about my christmas spreadsheet! Makes planning and budgeting much, much easier! I also try to plan out meals at least four days or so at a time, and have a white board attached to my freezer door where I write them down so people know what we’re having. The grocery list goes there, too, so that it can be added to as soon as we run out of something — or before!
jamailas last blog post..a belated anecdote
I also love making lists. It is the only way to make me feel like I have some control over my life!
I wanted to let you know, though, that you were completely correct to label the clear containers. You have to do that so that when whatever was in it runs out, you know what to fill it up with again!!
-Dana
Danas last blog post..Brazilian Coffee Cookies
I organize my grocery coupons according to sections of the store in envelopes marked “Produce,” “Dairy,” “Meat/Poultry,” etc.
My first rule of organization is to get rid of everything you do not need.
Life is so much simpler then.
I’m a list reader too. I read the back of hair products for the list of benefits of using that particular product, that sort of thing.
I really don’t have any great organizational skills or tips or anything! I could really use that labeler, to keep all my clear plastic containers neatly labeled.
I also have lots of boxes, with kids’ clothes and stuff, that could definitely use a good label or two!
Stephanies last blog post..Eggnog Truffle Cups
Kristen, Kristen, Kristen. Stop beating up on yourself! That label on the clear container that so plainly shows “pretzels” are inside is there to deter you from buying another canister when you’re out of pretzels. See, you run out… see the empty canister and then you go grab your notepad that you keep one of your lists on and immediately write down “Pretzels.” You’ve saved yourself from finding where to store them when you buy them next time. *wink* I can rationalize any OCD thing. Try me.
Organization tip? Hmm… I move a lot so I don’t hold on to things very often. I find a central location for things: like Christmas goodie boxes, gift bags, tissue paper, wrapping extras… and I know that if I need one of those things, I can go right to that shelf in the man-room closet and viola… there it is! I just try to keep like items together.
Cats last blog post..Stand Up for what you Believe
Oh! I forgot to tell you… those nifty little organizing containers you bought? SOOOO the best thing ever to keep on organized. If you have a place to put something,you’re more likely to actually put it away.
Cats last blog post..Stand Up for what you Believe
I stay organized and orientated by keeping a big calendar on the refrigerator. Each person has their own color pen for putting in their activities. Makes it easy to glance at it and know who I have to pick up etc. Not an original idea but never the less a good one!
I’m not very organized( at least not as much as I want to be),but I make shopping lists, and I write all appointments and activities on a large calender where all can see it.
Your bread looks wonderful; I’m always looking for new quick bread recipes to try! This will be my next.
Lyndas last blog post..Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
This bread sounds perfect to have on hand for drop in visitors anytime, but during the holidays especially. I am making this today!
I occasionally find it necessary to reorganize the way some recipes are written. I like to have as many ingredients combined ahead as possible so that assembly is simplified. This may require reordering the ingredients and the assembly instructions. Many do this in their head..I do too in a hurry, but the editing allows me to give a requested recipe to anyone of any experience level without worrying if they will be successful making it.
I live in “organized chaos”, too. I try to be very organized and plan ahead for almost everything…sometimes it’s a good thing and sometimes not so much. I, too, need to have a place for everything and put things back when I’m done using them…this is something I’ve been trying to teach my husband for 13 years but apparently, he prefers to look/rummage for things for an hour whenever he needs them!
The bread looks amazing!
I love your blog. I constantly find myself identifying with your experiences from the list making (my Franklin is sitting next to me…along with an Excel spreadsheet I made with my more extensive list) to your mom getting a Bosch mixer!
My advice…The less stuff you have, the more organized you look (even if it’s not really true).
Jimis last blog post..Mexican Chicken Soup