Defining Time & Space News

Many people think about expiration dates on food in the refrigerator but less think about their pantry.  Did you know that spices have an expiration date?  Look in your pantry and see if you have McCormick spices that are in rectangular tins.  If so they are at least 15 years old with the exception of black pepper.  If you see Baltimore, MD on the label of a McCormick bottle, the spice is at least 15 years old.

 

The recommended shelf life for spices is

 

2 – 3 years for ground spices

3 – 4 years for who spices

1 – 2 years for seasoning blends

1 – 3 years for herbs

4 years for extracts, except pure vanilla which lasts indefinitely

 

It is recommended to check the color of herbs and spices for vibrant color.  If the color is faded, then chances are so has the flavor.

 

Canned goods and other “non-perishables” also expire; check containers for date codes.  Remember when you add new items to the pantry, put the newest dates in the back or bottom so that you can use the oldest items first and before they expire.

 

After you finish in the pantry you might want to next take a look at the medicine cabinet.  We often keep adding without regard to when medications expire.  Don’t wait until you have a medical need for a pain reliever or other medicine to find out they are years old!

 

Rosanne

770.995.8556

www.dtsorganizing.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: Home by organizing atlanta
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Food and gas prices have never made us more eager to find ways to make our dollars stretch further.  Coupons are one method we can use to help with this challenge.  The only problem is we can only be successful if we have a system in place to make it happen.  Like most other organizing challenges, it is important to first know what we have and second to know where to find it.  Coupons are no different.  If we have them and do not know where they are they are of no value.

 

Some tips to increase our success rate with coupons are:

 

1. Have a place to keep coupons that is portable.  This system should be easy and allow us to add coupons so we can easily find them.  A product that I can recommend for those without a successful method is the iParenting Media award winning system called The Couponizer.  It is a complete system in one package.  Check it out at www.thecouponizer.com.
2. The system should include a method to purge coupons as well; if we do not have any other process, we should choose a day each month to go through and toss those that are expired or that we have determined we will no longer use. 
3. Have coupons and applicable advertisements available when we sit down to make a list before we go shopping.  Make this part of your weekly goal/task planning exercise.  Planning ahead for a shopping trip is crucial to minimizing the time and money we will spend. Another great resource in this area is a book I read earlier this year called “Greatest Secrets of the Coupon Mom” by Stephanie Nelson.  It has great ideas, processes and tools to become a strategic shopper without spending a lot of time.   $$ Savings Tip:  While supplies last, this book is free with a purchase of The Couponizer.
4. We should not limit ourselves to the coupons in the newspaper.  We can find valuable coupons in our local stores, magazines, mailers, and on-line.  The trick is to identify what we will use and add them to our system.   It is also important that we know when they expire and make key purchases in the right timeframe.  

 

Rosanne

770.995.8556

www.dtsorganizing.com

Tags: Home, Saving $$ by organizing atlanta
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If you find that you are among the group that is often late to events but would actually like to be on time, here are some ideas that might help make a change. 

 

The first battle is to decide it is important for us to get to our destination on time.  Often there is a difference of opinion among members of a group or family as to the importance of arriving on time or we ourselves have not decided it is important enough.   

 

Second, we need to think about what we need to take with us before we are ready to leave.  Often the last minute scrambling for things when we try to walk out the door causes a good attempt of leaving in time to go wrong.  Identify what is needed ahead of time and gather these items.  

 

Third, we need to be realistic about how long it will take to get ready to go.  If we need an hour, we need to start more than an hour prior to leaving.  We also need to be sure to plan ahead for what we are going to wear if it at all requires more than taking something we know is hanging in our closet or laying in our dresser drawer.

 

Finally, we need to know where we are going and how long it takes to get there.  This sounds simple but it is not often followed.  This includes having the address, telephone number and directions of where we are going.  We need to factor traffic if we are in an area where traffic is often a challenge and of course weather.  We are setting ourselves up for failure if we really need to be somewhere on time and leave with only the exact minutes necessary to get there and under perfect conditions.  Always allow for a few extra minutes and take that time if you arrive early to take a few deep breaths and relax a minute.

 

Rosanne

770.995.8556

www.dtsorganizing.com

 

 

Tags: Time management by organizing atlanta
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Many of us end our days, just feeling like we didn’t accomplish what we wanted. Why is this?  Why do we always think that there will be more time tomorrow?  It is no surprise to any of us that tomorrow will have the same number of hours as today.  Albert Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”  What can you do to make tomorrow different?  Here are some tips that can get you started.

 

 1.  Determine what your true values really are: (spouse, family, health, faith, education, career, etc.)

 2.  Determine, of these, which are not getting adequate focus.

 3.  Set goals to meet them.

 4.  Create a detailed plan with schedule to achieve those goals.

 5.  Set aside time once a week to review your plans and schedule your activities       for the week.

 6.  Review your planner each day and adjust as necessary.

 7.  Make sure you are using a planner right for you.  There are many types available.  What is important is that “you use it”.  Check out some of them at www.franklincovey.com

 8.  Break large tasks down into smaller actions

 9.  Schedule harder tasks when you are at your peak performance

10.  Prioritize your tasks so that you are always focusing on the most important.

 

I believe that new year’s resolutions are made because we have not made time in our schedule for what is really important to us.  There is no reason to wait until January to make time for what is truly important!

 

Rosanne

770.995.8556

www.dtsorganizing.com