by Peter Walsh
Scrapbooking and Crafting
Scrapbooking has become incredibly popular in the last few years. It’s estimated that some twenty-three million people now do scrapbooking in the United States. That’s almost one in every four households! The number of people who engage in some kind of hobby or craft is similar. Most of my clients have had crafting clutter; many have had more scrapbooking materials than I want to think about. Remember that owning the crafting supplies or the scrapbooking materials doesn’t automatically make you a crafter or a scrapbooker. What are the end results of owning these materials? What are you making? Is it a source of pleasure and relaxation or one more stressful thing in your home that you just don’t seem to get to?
DEAR PETER:
I happen to be a fabricaholic and have over twenty banker boxes of various fabrics. This past weekend I promised myself I’d pare it down by 50 percent and actually ended up with only seven boxes to keep. The rest I arranged to give to a gal at work who is a single mom, loves to sew, and has small children. She’s thrilled and I’m much better off.
If you choose a craft or hobby, then make sure it’s something you really enjoy. Do it because you want to, not because others expect it of you or because it’s something you once liked or because you don’t want those materials you bought to go to waste. Just as you should choose the life you want, it’s also your choice how you spend your free time.
Have limits
About a year ago I worked with Jan and Thomas, a couple who described themselves as “avid hobbyists” and who wanted some help in organizing their crafting and hobby supplies. Their home was overflowing with every imaginable item that could be needed for the many crafts they said they loved. Hers: knitting, decoupage, quilting, doll painting, pottery, jewelry making, and watercolor painting. His: model airplane building, remote control car construction and racing, black-and-white photography, woodworking, and metal sculpting. When we started going through the hobby materials, one thing became obvious quickly. Each of them had at least fifteen “projects” going at that time, some of which dated back nearly ten years! Jan and Thomas would have been better off owning a hobby and craft store—they had enough stock.
Clutter is one of the biggest blocks to creativity there is. You cannot think creatively when you are overwhelmed with the tools or materials of your craft—it just doesn’t work that way. Jan and Thomas agreed to cut their hobbies back to three each and to have no more than three projects going at any one time. Before starting a new project, they had to finish or discard an old one. By maintaining these limits, they opened up their physical space and experienced a huge surge in their creative energy and enthusiasm for their crafts.
Remember the zones
If you enjoy a craft or love scrapbooking, you need an area dedicated to your hobby where you can maintain all of the items you need to complete the project you are working on. Once you have established your creative zone, designate areas for all of the supplies, materials, and equipment you may need. Keep this area clean and organized so that you can easily return to a project, even if you only have a short period of time to devote to it. Most important, make sure you put away anything you’ve used and clean up after yourself. This makes the area an attractive place to return to and establishes a routine that will boost your creativity.
Live your life
Leanne had one room in her home that she called “scrapbooking central.” It was here that she hoped to assemble detailed memory albums for her three young children. The problem was that Leanne had purchased so many supplies, and had so little time, that every time she went near “scrapbooking central” she felt overwhelmed by the clutter and guilty that she had barely started albums for her two younger children. Leanne had completely unrealistic expectations for how much scrapbooking she could handle.
You have to live your life. Scrapbooking can be a wonderful way to preserve memories, but without a sense of balance, preserving the memories can get in the way of creating them. You cannot preserve every single memory. Take only the best, the most exciting, and the most memorable moments as your starting point. If you have time to create scrapbooks for these moments, then consider broadening your goals. Only keep the supplies you need for the project you are working on and be sure that scrapbooking or any other hobby does not become an end in itself.
Wrapping Paper
Finally, I should admit upfront that I am not a big fan of wrapping paper—well, at least not what most people think of when they use the term. I am at a loss to understand when wrapping paper became such a national obsession. In some homes I have encountered more than a hundred rolls of different types of wrapping paper—paper for Christmas or Hanukkah, for babies or brides, for weddings and anniversaries, for children and older persons, and even for dogs or cats. Personalizing gifts by using distinctive wrapping paper isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if your home is overrun with wrapping paper, then it may well be time to do something about it.
There is a simple and elegant way to manage the wrapping of gifts. Remember this principle: More is not necessarily better! Purchase a roll of good quality brown paper and high quality ribbons of three colors—black, red, and white. Wrap all your gifts in this simple brown paper and decorate with any selection of the ribbons. Brown paper too dull for you? Use the same approach selecting your “signature” color. This minimal approach will mean that your gifts will always stand out and that you will not have to spend a fortune on wrapping paper. Best of all, these supplies take up negligible room. Elegance in simplicity—it really does work!
Room 5
Kitchen
THE KITCHEN IS THE NERVE CENTER of any home. It is usually the first port of call when anyone comes into a home and often the place where most of the action takes place—chatting, cooking, eating, maybe doing homework, or even paying the bills. When you add all that activity to the inevitable mess of preparing, serving, and eating meals, the kitchen can be a tough place to keep organized and clean. Try looking at your kitchen in a new way. Stop and think about how much energy you waste in looking for things. Consider how you move in that space and what you need to get the job done. With that in mind, let’s tackle one of the most challenging spaces in your home.
Think It Through
The principle notion behind kitchen cleanup is that there’s no such thing as saving for later. Food goes bad. Dishes get used. Everything else goes. Now, of course I understand that there are special food occasions. As we clean out the kitchen, I need you to be realistic about these special food occasions, making sure they aren’t special food occasion fantasies. The kitchen is all about form and function. You know what you use all the time; keep those things close at hand and everything else out of the way. You need counter space more than you need that fondue pot, so make sure you treat “room to work” like an appliance that deserves plenty of counter space. And if those special occasions truly exist, the materials you need for them should be less accessible and properly labeled.
Set It Up
Refer to your Room Function Chart and have everyone sign on.
Establish zones for the different activities that take place in the kitchen.
Remove what doesn’t belong in the room.
Make It Happen
Keep flat surfaces clear
Keeping flat surfaces clear is perhaps the single most important thing to keep in mind for your kitchen—as it is for any room in the house. A clear countertop makes any kitchen look more organized. Once the flat surfaces start to disappear under clutter, you lose your motivation to keep the area organized and you open the area to attracting more dust and dirt, further compounding the clutter problem. Consider flat surfaces your preparation area—not your storage area!
Work around the “magic triangle”
Think of the area formed by your sink, refrigerator, and oven or stovetop as the “magic triangle” of your kitchen. This triangle is sacred ground—the focus of food preparation, cleanup, and serving. Anything that is central to your dai
ly food preparation (pots, wooden spoons, food storage bags, everyday dishes, etc.) should be located in or on the sides of this triangle. Nothing else should be in that area. One step out of the triangle is stuff you use regularly, but infrequently: food processor, mixer, specialty pots. One step farther is stuff you seldom use: bread maker, turkey pan, Christmas cookie cutters. By organizing your kitchen in this way, you will find yourself moving efficiently in the space with minimum movement for maximum return. By having important and frequently used items close, you will save an enormous amount of time and energy in your kitchen.
Think of your kitchen in terms of zones
The “magic triangle” concept is strongly supported by the idea of establishing specific zones in your kitchen. Create four main zones or areas in your kitchen: the preparation area, the cooking center, the eating area, and the cleanup area. The preparation area is near the sink and needs plenty of free counter space and easy access to knives and cutting boards. The cooking center is near the oven or stovetop and needs easy access to pots, pans, cooking utensils, and spices. The eating area needs clear space and easy access to eating utensils, napkins, salt and pepper, and other condiments. And finally, the cleanup area needs room to wash and dry dishes that don’t go in the dishwasher. Organize items according to these work zones and it will immediately make your kitchen more efficient.
All roads lead to the kitchen
In many households, the kitchen is the central place where family members tend to leave anything and everything. Coats, school bags, mail, toys, homework, notices—you name it. Space permitting, install sturdy hooks into the wall where bags and backpacks can be hung. Label them clearly for each member of the household. You might also attach a small bag or place a labeled bin on the floor under each hook—toys, mail, or other items can be placed here for each person. This is also a great area to hang car keys and purses so that they can easily be grabbed as you leave the house.
Only keep what you need and use
THE ONE-MONTH CARDBOARD BOX TEST
Not sure what you use and what you don’t? Here is a tried and true way to find out. Empty the contents of your kitchen utensil drawers into a cardboard box. For one month, only put a utensil back into the drawer if you take it out of the box to use it. At the end of the month seriously consider discarding everything that’s still in the cardboard box. Face it: If it’s still in the box after four weeks, you don’t need it!
Kitchens attract a ton of useless but seemingly “must-have” gadgets and gizmos. Tune into late-night infomercials if you don’t believe me! The first step to getting organized is to seriously pare down the amount of food, dishes, and appliances in your kitchen. Discard those items that have outlived their usefulness. Do you really need to keep that slow cooker just because it was a Christmas present? It’s taking up valuable counter space. And those specialty pots and pans, egg slicers, apple corers, melon ballers, and who knows what—do you really need and use them? One other thing—like it or not, that fondue pot needs to go!
LEAST-USED KITCHEN ITEMS
BIG:
Fondue pot
Bread-making machine
Crepe maker
Ice cream machine
Vegetable juicer
Crock-Pot
Waffle iron
Propane torch
Cookie press
Banana-ripening rack
Pizza stone SMALL:
Egg slicer
Apple corer
Pizza cutter
Grapefruit spoons
Anything costing $19.99 on late-night television.
Keep like items together
Whether it’s plates, pots and pans, or food items, be sure to keep similar items in the same place. Following this rule will also save time and money as you can quickly and easily see what items you already have in stock and avoid overpurchasing.
Claim vertical space in your kitchen
Make use of the space you have. Expand the available space in your cupboards by using a lazy Susan, ministep shelves, racks, and even “back-of-door” shelving systems to hold extra items. These are easy and inexpensive solutions that will help you avoid losing items in the back of deep cupboards. Try creative ways to use the wall space—hang a notice board to control paper clutter and ensure everyone has a place to post important notes and notices.
Regularly check food cupboards
Schedule time every six months to check the contents of cupboards and every three months to discard old food or perishables. Place all of your cooking and baking ingredients onto the kitchen countertop so that you can get an idea of how much and what you have. Put like ingredients next to each other. This regular review will mean that the kitchen clutter will not get on top of you again! When you buy new canned and boxed items, place them behind the ones that are already in the cupboard. This will guarantee that your food is rotated and you will avoid having anything past its use-by date.
If you’re wondering how long those foods in your pantry will last, an excellent site to check out the shelf life of pretty much any foodstuff is http://www.msnbc.com/OnAir/nbc/Dateline/Food/shelf.asp.
The need to regularly check items is also true for food in your refrigerator and freezer. Check regularly to ensure that you are not keeping food beyond its use-by date. Frozen foods do not keep forever, so sort through those frozen blocks at the bottom of your freezer. Any time you put something into your freezer, label it clearly with the contents and the date of freezing. If you can’t remember what an item is, chances are that it’s time for it to go! The Department of Agriculture has a great site with tips for freezing and keeping food items at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Freezing/index.asp.
Consider a clear solution
Think about investing in clear plastic containers or a glass-shelved refrigerator that will help you find what you are looking for and see when it’s time to stock up again. Clear containers also let you keep like things together.
FYI—SHELF LIFE
Keep track of the expiration dates on bottled and canned goods. Generally, these items can be safely kept, unopened, for about a year. Refrigerate after opening, being sure to transfer unused canned goods to an airtight container. Dried goods such as rice and pasta are best used within a year of purchase and should be stored in an airtight container once opened. Most spices should be discarded after twelve months as they tend to lose their flavor after that time. Store baking supplies in airtight containers in a cool, dark cupboard for up to one year.
Clean as you go
More so than in any other room in the house, it’s important to get into the habit in your kitchen of fully completing a task. If you are stirring a pot and splash food on the counter, wipe it up. If you are clearing the table, put the dishes in the dishwasher immediately. At the end of the meal, wash the pots and pans and rinse out the sink. This simple routine of cleaning as you go and completing a task fully will help to maintain order and cleanliness in your kitchen.
Drawer by Drawer
Pots and pans
Storing pots and pans is awkward and space-consuming. That’s why they sell those ceiling racks that allow you to hang pots attractively above your head. Another handy solution is a corner cupboard with a rotating tray that allows you to spin the contents until you find the cookware you need. But if neither of these solutions works for you, your pots can be a storage nightmare. Go through them occasionally. See what has migrated to the back of the cupboard. Just because it’s a perfectly good stockpot, if you never use it, you don’t have to keep it. And remember: If you have large cookware that you only use for occasional entertaining, store it high up and out of the busiest areas of your kitchen.
Utensils
Regular forks, knives, and spoons don’t cause much trouble, but most households have at least one drawer devoted to cooking utensils—everything from wooden spoons and spatulas to garlic presses and meat thermometers. If you can, designate a drawer near the stove for utensils you use exclusively fo
r cooking. Keep knives near your prep area. Generally, you need no more than five high-quality sharp knives for food preparation. If your drawers are loaded with more than this, pare them down (pun intended). Install a magnetic strip on the wall of your kitchen next to the food preparation area and you’ll always have quick and easy access to your knives.
Food storage containers
Those plastic food storage containers seem so practical. You can never have too many, right? Wrong. Use a couple of small pieces of masking tape to seal all your containers. As you use them, you’ll break the seal. After six months (preferably encompassing Thanksgiving), get rid of the containers that still have unbroken masking tape seals.
Cookbooks
Find an inexpensive scrapbook or file to hold all of those fantastic recipes you find in magazines or are given by friends. Keep the scrapbook with other cookbooks in a central place in your kitchen. Go through your cookbooks and discard any you haven’t opened in a year. If, by chance, you do one day need a recipe for Bavarian apple strudel custard cake, there is always the Internet.
Christine’s kitchen was overflowing with specialty cookware and gourmet cookbooks, few of which she used and none of which she could bring herself to let go of. She loved cooking shows and watched them all the time, jotting down recipes and making plans for elaborate family feasts. When we worked to declutter and organize her kitchen, Christine admitted that success in the kitchen represented excellence in homemaking for her. To let go of any part of her kitchen was scary because it meant risking failure. She dealt with this fear by first writing down her family’s favorite meals, then identifying the utensils and items she needed to prepare them. This way, it was easier for her to let go of most of the specialty items and cookbooks that she never used.