Raleigh Eco-Organizing

Sip to Organization

Julie Seibert — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:04:38 +0000

Watch this quick vlog; This one tip will have a huge impact on your wallet as well as the earth!

http://youtu.be/-i77ejWO9IE

Stretching Space in the Kitchen

Julie Seibert — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:43:02 +0000

Here are a few tips to help you get started if you don’t have a lot of kitchen space

Chef’s pot rack can hold pots and pans
Racks, hooks and shelves inside of cupboard doors or back of kitchen door
Shelves on the walls
Adjust shelving to eliminate wasted air space
Move holiday, china, seldom used cooking gadgets (bread machine, etc.) to garage/basement

Losing Weight & Organization

Julie Seibert — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:19:59 +0000

1 in 10 U.S. workers report increased snacking during the day because of concerns over the current economic situation. 43% say they have gained weight in their current job.

If your kitchen doesn’t support a healthy lifestyle (no room to cook meals so frozen food or takeout are the best options, etc.) you might be sabotaging yourself. A disorganized environment could be making you console yourself with food; most often sugar, fat, chemical and processed foods.

So, if losing weight and better health is a priority, getting organized is a step in the right direction!

Organizing Your Cookbooks

Julie Seibert — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:12:40 +0000

I am someone who enjoys cooking and reading cookbooks. If you have room, create an area where you can read. Perhaps a chair near the cabinet if you don’t have a nook? Add a pretty shelf to utilize wall space–don’t forget bookends! Trust me on that one. Place away from stove/refrigerator so they don’t get harmed.

Organize books by YOUR logic. Author? Theme? Geography? Whatever works for you.

Do you use only a handful of recipes? Scan favorites and file electronically or copy and file.Consider keeping recipes and donating books. Give books to a friend or donate to a thrift shop or library.Make an online cookbook. Use the Internet to find & store recipes. You can search recipes by ingredient, course, or occasion. Consider recipe-keeping software that offers additional features.

GO GREEN:

•Buy printed on recycled paper

•Use a recipe electronic gadget

Organize your Kitchen for Easy Meal Planning – Food Storage Edition

Julie Seibert — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:41:47 +0000

This is a guest post from fellow organizer, friend and West Virginian, Jill Hively of Order Up Organizing

Does this sound familiar? You decide you’re going to make spaghetti for dinner, so you head to the store to pick up spaghetti sauce. When you go to the pantry for the pasta, you find an unopened jar of the same sauce hidden behind a box of cereal. Turns out you could have saved a trip to the grocery store after all.

Duplicate purchases, forgotten-turned-rotten foods and unnecessary shopping trips can be avoided by simply creating an efficient storage system within your fridge, freezer and pantry. Consider these tips for making the most of your food storage spaces:

Make the shelves easily scannable: Utilize tools like shelf extenders to avoid food being lost behind others. You want the inventory step to be a quick one in your meal planning system.
Store like with like: When you organize your pantry, fridge and freezer in zones, you can focus on just the sections that affect your weekly meal plan. Not baking this week? No need to scan the baking zone.
Label and date any repackaged foods: Whether it’s your leftover casserole from last night or the bulk cereal in a plastic container, take out the guesswork. When the containers are labeled, there are fewer surprises.

Are your food storage spaces set up for easy scanning? Do you know what’s lurking in the back corners?

To find out more about Jill, please visit her website: http://orderuporganizing.com/

Repurposing: Get Organized

Julie Seibert — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:20:29 +0000

Here is a short vlog to encourage you to look around the house to repurpose everyday items you have to get organized!

http://youtu.be/XunZ0afULD0

Cow Patty Tea

Julie Seibert — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:19:51 +0000

In honor of one of my favorite people in the whole world, Sybil Rhodes of Natchitoches, LA shares the secret of creating an amazing garden. Being green at its best!

http://youtu.be/9LNt7S_e2Ek

Stylish, Green & Organized!

Julie Seibert — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:04:03 +0000

Check out this short vlog of one of my favorite eco-friendly organizing products!

http://youtu.be/o2LPZshEuJk

Eco-Organizing: Another Excuse to Hold onto Trash?

Julie Seibert — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:10:28 +0000

Someone asked me if being green in organizing was simply another excuse to hold onto trash and keep clutter. ABSOLUTELY NOT!

There was an article in the N & O last year on an artist who makes art from stuff people want to throw away. Some people might see it as junk, but this man has chosen to make something artistic out of it. I am not a big fan of modern art, so I can see how people wouldn’t appreciate what he has created. Alas, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

So many times when I see organizing or cleaning shows on TV I see all of this good stuff just being chucked into a container to be dumped at a landfill later. Eco-organizing is about recycling what you can according to your local laws; reusing items that are in good condition; donating items, such as clothes, that can be used by someone else. There are many alternatives out there (freecyle/Craigs List, etc.) for you to give to someone else instead of simply pitching. I prefer to think of it as organizing and letting go of clutter responsibly.

It is not healthy for anyone to hold onto too much stuff, even if they want to be green; I help clients find alternatives to letting go of items so they can feel good about letting go. To learn more about my eco-organizing code of ethics go here:

http://www.healingorganization.com/eco-organizing/

Super Easy EcoOrganization Tip

Julie Seibert — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:25:33 +0000

Check out the short vlog:

http://youtu.be/NCpnstrr8cE