Living Simply

How to Organize Your Food Storage Containers

March 29, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

https://youtu.be/hJXKHseJzR8 Is this your current food storage strategy? It's ok, you're not alone and I can help. Whether you're using plastic containers, glass, Tupperware, or some combination thereof, the key to avoiding this disaster is simple. Boundaries Find one drawer or one shelf and label it 'Food Storage Containers.' Most homes own too many food storage containers and none of them have lids. Declutter First. Organize Second. Recycle stained or damaged containers Match all the containers and lids Keep one shape and one brand of plastic (i.e. Ziploc or Glad. Square or Round) Organize remaining containers and lids in nested piles Respect the boundary you chose and minimize accordingly Set aside extra containers to organize your pantry Recycle unmatched lids This drawer serves as the boundary for my containers and they stack easily. I usually avoid plastic, but it serves a purpose so we purchase sparingly and reuse it many …

How to Organize Family Board Games

January 21, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Board Games and Playing Cards We routinely hold a family game night. Our favorite board games come in the smallest boxes or no box at all. We travel with three decks of cards (Monopoly Deal, standard playing cards, and a Pinochle deck.) While the Fish Bowl Game requires only a pen and paper. And after many years, these games remain our favorites. To keep it organized, I designated a small cabinet for our collection. Games cycle in and out. The key to organizing board games is setting boundaries and being realistic about which games are played. How to Organize Board Games Collect all the games and cards Designate a cabinet or shelf to store them Check each box for missing pieces and instructions Fix or reinforce boxes with tape. Secure with rubber bands Donate games your family has outgrown Throw away damaged or incomplete games Confirm playing cards are complete decks Keep 1-2 high-quality decks of cards Limit your collection to what you use …

How to Make Homemade Hot Cocoa and Marshmallows

January 3, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Are you looking for a snow day activity? My dear friend Danielle shared this recipe with me years ago. And it's now part of our New Year's gifts. My husband and I create gift bags for the neighbors including hot cocoa, taco seasoning, homemade vanilla extract, brownie mix, and sugar bath scrub. But everyone notices if their hot cocoa does not include Homemade Marshmallows. Yes...you can make homemade marshmallows and it's kinda fun. I customize each gift bag to the recipient and don't always make everything. That defeats the purpose of a simple, homemade gift. Just think of the list as options to consider. You can google recipes for all of them. But first the cocoa, it's easy. Hot Cocoa Just 4 ingredients, mix in a bowl, done! 2 C Dry Milk 2/3 C Sugar 2/3 C Cocoa 2 tsp Cinnamon Fill any sized Mason Jar or container of your choice with cocoa. You can make as many or as few gifts as you’d like by portioning the mix. Print this cute tag and attach …

Why New Isn’t Always Better

December 14, 2021 by Amy Slenker-Smith 2 Comments

A few years ago, I was VERY frustrated. Putting away laundry and cleaning our bedroom should have been a simple task. After all, there's no extra clutter to clear because we maintain a peaceful place for rest. We understand how excess stuff disrupts our sleep. But what is usually a 30-minute job, was not! To make matters worse, the dark clouds and rain made it difficult to get motivated. The Problem Our beautiful new ceiling fan light would not turn on. Did I mention it was rainy and dark so I kinda need the light? I know....change the lightbulb. Good thought. That wasn't the problem. Instead, it required a specialized battery for the remote which controls the fan and light. Of course, I did not have one on hand. It would be difficult to find. And I would need to order it. I thought to myself, "here I struggle to do a basic household chore because of a battery." Without adequate light, the task takes longer. And yet, we have a new ceiling fan and …

How To Set Up Your Fall Capsule Wardrobe

October 11, 2021 by Amy Slenker-Smith 4 Comments

"In-between seasons" make it difficult to figure out what to wear. A capsule wardrobe can help. For many people, finding a suitable outfit involves searching two closets or digging through bins of off-season clothing. Feeling overwhelmed by clutter? Learn 5 Habits of Clutter-Free Families Perhaps you are experiencing this right now? I do not have this issue. My wardrobe lives in one closet. But that wasn't always the case. For most of my adult life, I spent two weekends a year swapping seasonal clothes into my main closet. As a part of my minimalist journey, I eliminated the swap and reclaimed precious time and space. Now, all my clothing lives in just one closet. Yes, even coats. Experiment with Less Along the way, I experimented with less clothing. I challenged myself to wear just 7 pieces of clothing for an entire week; (inspired by Jen Hatmaker’s book 7) I still left the house for work, church, and social engagements and was always in clean clothes. …

3 Important Spaces Where Margin Can Make You More Organized

July 26, 2021 by Amy Slenker-Smith 7 Comments

Guess what? Being organized isn’t about the stuff. It’s about the empty spaces between the stuff which I call margin. Others refer to it as white space, breathing room, buffer or empty space. Regardless of the name, margin allows items to move in and out of spaces freely and stay organized. I strive to create margin every time I declutter a space. When I create organize in a closet or cabinet, I spend a lot of time planning how the items will live and be stored in the space.I consider what items are used most often and create easy access to those. No matter what space I'm working on, the key is to declutter first and organize second. When you reduce the volume, spaces have a way of organizing themselves. Because it’s the margin in these spaces that’s the real game-changer, especially when it comes to staying organized. Margin not only allows spaces to function better but also makes them more attractive. Did you know that the margin on a piece of written work is 37%? …

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