- Part 7

About

Find more about me on:

Google Plus

Here are my most recent posts

Reassess Your Resolutions

February 28, 2012 By Claire Leave a Comment

It’s the end of February! Time to reassess your New Year’s resolutions.

We ran a feature in our most recent newsletter about planning your goals for 2012. We wanted to help you plan in a way that will set you up for success over the course of the year. The end of February is the perfect time to evaluate what is and isn’t working and make positive adjustments to our goals! These adjustments can help get you back on track to achieving your organizational goals without abandoning them altogether.

I recommend taking just 30 minutes of quiet time during a weekend when you’re more likely to feel calm, rather than during the week when you may already be anxious due to work and home duties. In that half hour, pick out the resolutions that are completely off track. Are they relevant to where you are in your life anymore? If not, it’s okay to remove them from the list completely. Let them go. If the goal is still one you’d like to achieve, leave it on the list.

Remember to be realistic in how much time it will take to reach this goal and give yourself a little more time beyond that to get there. Reset your deadline and remember to work backward in setting your milestones. Check that newsletter for a crash course in doing this.

What else? Check back in with your buddy! Let her know that you’ve reassessed your resolutions and the goals you’d like to achieve have changed a bit, but you’ll still need her support in getting there. Set weekly check-ins with each other.

This is your year to reach your goals with diligence. At the same time, be gentle on yourself by performing a resolution reassessment every so often. Readjusting your 2012 to-do list will set you up for continued success over the rest of the year. Priorities change, and so should your goals!

Here’s to 2012, again!

-TWOW

Organizing for Tax Season

February 24, 2012 By Claire Leave a Comment

Tax season can be daunting. While the Well-Organized Woman can’t make your filings any less complicated or get you more money back, we can bring some organization to the process. Follow our tips and this year’s tax season will be a breeze.

Record Keeping & Organization:

The best thing you can do to prepare for tax season is to keep organized throughout the year. There are two methods of document storage, low-tech and high-tech. For the low-tech person, who likes to keep physical copies of all records, there are many storage options. Typical hanging files, document storage boxes, and accordion folders work great. Those who are comfortable with technology or are limited in storage space may prefer to utilize a document scanner and digital storage system to store their files. No matter the method, the key to organization is to ensure that all tax-related documents are stored in categorized files. This will help you or your tax preparation professional easily fill out the forms and identify all possible deductions. Check out some of our favorite storage options below.

Low Tech Storage Options:

Plastic Document Storage Boxes

Locking Steel Security File Box

Expanding Accordion File Folder

High Tech Storage Options:

Neat Digital Filing System & Scanner

SentrySafe Fire-safe, Waterproof Data Storage Chest

Necessary Tax Documents:
This list contains categories of typical documents necessary for filing taxes. These categories can also serve as excellent file labels for document storage.

Income: W-2, K-1, 1099-SSA, Retirement distributions (1099-R), trust fund documents, inheritance documents
Self Employment: Records of income (1099-MISC) and expenses (vehicle, supplies, home office, utilities, technology, tools, etc.)
Investments: 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, and 1099-B forms
Healthcare: Medical, dental, and alternative treatment cost receipts, prescription drug costs, healthcare supplies cost receipts, etc.
Personal & Family: Alimony forms, proof of jury duty pay, childcare receipts, etc.
Education: Student loan interest forms (1098-E), undergraduate textbook receipts, tuition costs (1098-T), etc.
Charitable Deductions: Receipts obtained from 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charities
Business: Union dues, travel expenses, moving expenses, entertainment, uniform costs, etc.
Vehicle: Registration fee receipts, business-related car expenses including gas, insurance, and maintenance, etc.
Real Estate: Rental property income, home repair costs, mortgage interest forms (1098)
Gambling, Lottery, & Miscellaneous Earnings Documents
Casualty, Disaster, and Theft Loss Documents

As always, The Well-Organized Woman team is available to assist in getting you organized for 2011 taxes or to set up a system for managing this year’s documents.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: accordion file folder, atlanta organizer, atlanta personal assistance, atlanta personal assistant, atlanta professional organizer, being organized, follow the well-organized woman, getting organized, how to organize taxes, how to organize your taxes, Locking Steel Security File box, Neat Digital Filing System, Neat scanner, organization, organize, organize tax information, organized, organizing tax documents, organizing tax records, Plastic Document Storage Boxes, preparing for taxes, professional organizer, SentrySafe, Tax organization, tax season, The Well-Organized Woman, virtual assistant

On the Go: Our Favorite Organizational Apps

January 20, 2012 By Claire Leave a Comment

In keeping with our recent theme of organizational resolutions for the New Year, let’s spend a little time going mobile! That’s right, your mobile devices and computers are great resources for helping you achieve your goals in the time management, organizational and financial arenas – on the go. Here are the best WOW-approved apps for keeping your life organized, no matter where you are in your day!

EverNote: Let’s face it, it’s tough keeping track of everything you need to do and remember in your life. That’s why I LOVE Evernote.com and its mobile app. The majority of my day is spent out of the house and at appointments. Working is therapeutic for me – I often do a lot of my best thinking during this time – which means I’m always coming up with ideas and to-dos for my own life. It can be tough to organize these goals, but with the Evernote app, I can easily whip out my phone and record such things as the books I’d like to read, movies I’d like to watch, articles I’d like to write, recipes I’d like to cook, webpages I’d like to revisit and new organizational tools I’d like to try. But what if I can’t remember the note once I need it? Well, there’s a tool for that, of course! Evernote has a search function that allows me to use keywords to reference the note or list I’d created for myself earlier that day or even two weeks ago. It syncs with my other devices, and I can even share notes with friends and employees. This app is my organizational lifesaver, and I recommend it to most of my clients.

Mint: Ever feel like you have so many accounts in so many places and no way to organize them? Fear not! Mint.com does it for you in a safe, secure and mobile environment. Your Mint app connects and tracks information from each of your checking accounts, savings accounts, credit cards, loans and retirement funds. At any point in time, I can pull up my mint.com profile and see how much money is in each my financial accounts, all in one place. But what I love most about this app is the goal-setting function. You can set goals for paying off credit card and loan balances or saving for big purchases, on a self-determined timeline. The app shows you how much you need to pay or save each month to reach your goal. We all need a little help to reach our financial goals, and mint.com provides the encouragement and accountability you need to achieve an organized financial year.

PageOnce: Pageonce.com is a wonderful app that helps you organize your finances AND pay your bills online, from one place. Like mint.com, you can view each and every account in your financial life, safely and securely, and you can pay your bills on time from your smartphone with the touch of a button. Pageonce.com will also send you alerts and reminders when you have a bill due, which helps avoid late fees. You can even choose which account you’d like to use to pay that bill. I appreciate this function, as I can’t always remember every single log-in and password when I’m on the move and in between appointments. As a bonus feature, Pageonce will also import updates from other online accounts, such as travel, shopping, social networks, event management sites, and email. If you’re a busy woman, the Pageonce app keeps your online life organized and respects your time management goals – WOW!

Dinner Spinner: Whenever I decide to cook a meal that is unfamiliar to me and my kitchen, I head straight to allrecipes.com for ideas that are quick and easy. I love to cook, but I’m also very busy, and so are my clients. Not only do I find what I’m looking for, but allrecipes.com also points me to variations on the theme in the event that the first recipe I find isn’t the right one for me and my family. Dinner Spinner is the mobile app for allrecipes.com, and it is compatible with both the iPhone and Android platforms. With this app, I can browse recipes, bookmark my favorites, share recipes with friends and create a shopping list. Cooking dinner at home helps me save money, a goal I set for my family every year. Being able to organize my meals on the go is just the icing on the cake!

Grocery Gadgets: Another app that saves me money and time on my way to the grocery store is Grocery Gadgets. It allows me to organize my grocery lists, recipes and coupons for free, on my phone. The app even syncs with every device in my household, which keeps my kitchen life managed, no matter where I am. With Grocery Gadgets, I can create my list, see the prices and search for offers online – talk about organized! The part I love the most about this app is that I can check the items off when I’ve bought them – putting the check in check-list is most gratifying for a Well-organized Woman!

If you are a mobile woman who is on the go all of the time, give any of these apps a try. You’ll be an organized, domestic and financial goddess in no time! Enjoy!

-TWOW

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: being organized, Claire Kurtz, financial apps, follow the well-organized woman, get organized, get out of the house faster, getting organized, grocery list apps, how to save money, lists, mobile organization, New Year\'s Resolutions, organization, organizational apps, planning, recipe apps, The Well-Organized Woman, to-do list apps, working moms, WOW

10 Tools to Keep Your New Year Organized

January 13, 2012 By Claire 1 Comment

Happy New Year! I hope that your holidays were relaxing and organized. So many of my clients have such tremendous energy towards getting organized in the new year, and the momentum is truly inspiring! As the month of January gets underway, though, it is time for all of us to face the music in getting to our goals. I thought I’d take a moment to share 10 tools that can help you fulfill your resolutions in 2012 and beyond. I use each of them in my own day-to-day life, and I often encourage my clients to use those that are right for their organizational styles, as well. Read on to set yourself up for success!

1. Slow Cooker: Cooking at home is a great way to save a significant amount of money, as well as to eat healthier meals – two goals that are on most resolution lists every year. But often we find ourselves just too exhausted when we get home to prepare a full dinner, especially in the cold winter months when it gets dark earlier in the evening. A slow cooker is an age-old solution to this problem and requires a small amount of prep time. You can even prepare the contents of the next day’s meal the night before while you’re watching TV, rather than the moment you get home. In fact, I love to marinate my meats and veggies in the pot overnight (in the fridge) and simply pop it in the heating unit before I leave for the day’s activities. I like this model by Hamilton Beach because it has a timer option that switches to “Warm” mode when it’s completed its cooking cycle. Nothing feels and smells better than coming home to an already home-cooked, warm and hearty meal after a long day working!

2. Grid Organizer: The GRID-IT Cocoon Organizer is one of my favorite portable and storable organizational products. I recommend it to my clients and often give it as a gift at the holidays. Not only is it perfect for travelling in your carry-on or your purse, it’s also perfect for organizing small things around the house like earphones, cell phones, etc.

3. Purse Perfector: Chances are you’ve heard me go on and on about the wonders of the Purse Perfector, and there’s a reason! As we mentioned in our past post, Power to the Purse: How to Keep Your Handbag Organized, the Purse Perfector is a removable pouch with several pockets to hold all of your handbag must-haves. Not only will you know where things are in your purse when you need them, but you’ll be able to change handbags easily by simply moving the Purse Perfector over to tomorrow’s bag. A clean and de-cluttered handbag brings you one step closer to an organized New Year.

4. Closet Shelf Unit: Recently, I re-organized my own closet at home, and I put in this shelving unit from ClosetMaid Cubeicals to hold non-hangables. I recommend this 9-cube organizer to almost every client to organize any room in the house – from playrooms to home offices – but I have been particularly happy with it as a closet unit. City living can mean limited space for storing items like socks, under garments, t-shirts and exercise clothes. You can find it at target.com, and it is usually on sale about once a month. Give this unit a try to keep your closet and your clothing looking their best!

5. Cable Cord Holder: Sometimes it’s the little things, like hundreds of electronics cables tangled under your desk or plugged into your wall, that can make your home seem completely messy and cluttered. I stumbled upon Blue Lounge’s CableBox and CableBox Mini last year and have since used them in my own home. What a difference! The bright colors add a little pop to my home office, and all cords are nicely streamlined and hidden.

6. Winter Sales: New Years resolutions aren’t just about the beginning of the year. I also like to think ahead to the last half of the year and what I’d like to accomplish. Winter sales are a great way to stock up on gifts, wrapping paper, holiday cards and decorations at extremely discounted prices. Try target.com or momastore.org. Come next holiday season, you’ll already have new materials to work with and you won’t have to spend a small fortune to prepare!

7. Labeler: My go-to organizational accessory is the Dymo LetraTag labeler. I use it every single day with all clients and in my own home. Labeling drawers and compartments, folders and office supplies, boxes and storage bins, etc. is a key to successfully organizing and staying that way. The label serves as a reminder of what goes where, and you’ll be less likely to let things sit out or go in the wrong spot when you see them.

8. Mail Processing System: Mail has a tendency to pile up in many of my clients’ homes. Not only does this look messy but it can also lead to missed bill payments. To solve this problem, I encourage people to keep a table top file in an obvious place to sort your mail. Keep one similar to the picture below on your front table or the surface where you always drop your bag and keys when you walk in the door. The sorter is the first thing you’ll see, so it encourages you to open your mail right away and sort it according to the actions you need to take with each.

9. Night and Morning Routine: One tool you can’t buy is time. But I can at least give you a few tips for how to get more of it on your side! I have found over time that a morning wake-up routine and an evening wind-down routine keep my mind calm, organized and ready for a productive day or a restful night. At night, I like to prepare myself for the day ahead, followed by a little me-time-down-time. I’ll look at my agenda and set out my clothing and make-up for the next day. I’ll then take a little time to read before heading to bed. Then in the morning, I can easily get ready and spend time with my coffee with a clear head and organized intentions.

10. Lug Bag: I’ve had a Lug tote for a few years now, and I simply love it as a carryall for carrying my clothing and shoes to the gym. This durable bag has a compartment for your shoes in the bottom of the tote that keeps them away from your clothes and has a breathable mesh cover. The main compartment has enough space to hold your clothing and iPod, and side pockets hold your water bottle and a snack! If one of your resolutions is to spend more time being active, this tote helps you do so with style and ease.

10 new tools is a lot to add to your daily life but integrating two or three into the mix at a slow but sure pace can really improve your chances for lasting organizational success this year. I go into greater detail on a few of these items on my latest TV segment with Shaunya Chavis and Kimberly Kennedy of The Chat Room… Good luck and happy organizing!

-TWOW

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: being organized, get organized, Get rid of clutter, Happy New Year, holiday, holidays, keeping resolutions, New Year\'s Resolutions, organization, organize, planning, The Well-Organized Woman

Meet the WOW Team!

December 19, 2011 By Claire Leave a Comment

WOW is growing by leaps and bounds, and I couldn’t be happier about that! With each new person that has joined our team, we’ve added additional capabilities to our WOW list of services, and I’d like to introduce you to our group.

Mandi Armond- The newest member of the WOW team, Mandi brings experience in executive communications and writing, calendaring, travel coordination, lifestyle organization and household management. Her professional past includes positions assisting C-level executives, families, and individuals in a variety of settings and with a number of professional and personal tasks. She will be instrumental to the growth of our organization, as she also brings experience and awareness in the areas of marketing, social media and public relations, website development, and events planning. A resident of Midtown Atlanta, Mandi holds a B.A. in Political Science from California Lutheran University and an M.A. in Psychology from University of San Francisco. The Well-Organized Woman is thrilled to have Mandi by her side!

Lisa Herhuth – Lisa serves as a Professional Organizer and Personal Assistant for WOW, working directly with clients, as well as behind the scenes to maintain the high level of service our clients deserve and expect. She has worked with a diverse range of clientele, including prominent television personalities and business owners and has an extensive background in all facets of personal and administrative assistance. Lisa’s areas of expertise include planning events and travel arrangements, in-home and office organization, and staging and accessorizing spaces. She has been with WOW for over a year and has played a significant role in strengthening our core capabilities. She and her husband Ron live in the Roswell area.

Elise Giannasi – Elise recently joined The Well-Organized Woman as our Social Media Director, working to integrate all WOW-related content across our various web platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, the WOW website and more! She is based in New York City where she began her career in management consulting and now holds a post at an advertising agency in Manhattan. She is also a hairstylist in her spare time and you’ll also see her as a contributing style and beauty editor to our blog!

Allison Workman – We’ve expanded our reach, bringing the gifts of organization and personal assistance to the Athens area with Allison Workman at the helm of our new branch. She has spent over 20 years helping people help themselves in a number of settings, so we are thrilled to have her leading the charge in our new geography. Allison is a firm believer in making your time, space and possessions work for you, not against you. In fact, she is living proof that an organized and simplified life allows the experiences you love to enter your day — in addition to being a founding member of Canopy Studio’s Repertory Company, Allison teaches adult trapeze classes in the evenings and is the mother of a 5-year old son. Welcome Allison and Athens!

Debbie Strasser – Debbie joins the Well-Organized Woman team as a Master Organizer with six years of entrepreneurial experience in the field. Her past positions in the restaurant, retail management and recruitment fields created the foundation for her foray into organizing. And of course, being the mother of four active boys under age 13 has also refined Debbie’s expertise in organization and time management. Debbie’s areas of specialization include personal, small business, and family organization with emphasis on creating systems that are easily mastered and enable clients to manage their daily life. Space planning and design solutions are also important facets of Debbie’s well-rounded skill set, and we are thrilled to have her here to bolster the offerings of WOW! She and her family reside in Acworth.

We are so grateful for such a well-rounded team and look forward to growing WOW even more in the coming year, so stay tuned!
-TWOW

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Claire Kurtz, The Well-Organized Woman, WOW, WOW team

GUEST POST: Organizing Your Child’s Library

December 9, 2011 By Claire 1 Comment

“So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall.”
— Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

If your child has enough books to operate her own children’s library, is it possible that she has too much of a good thing?

First of all, is storage space or clutter the primary concern? Have you weeded the toy population yet? (In my humble opinion, books trump toys!) If so, by all means limit the number of books to fit comfortably in the child’s room. Work with your child to set aside stacks of his favorite books and those that don’t appeal to him. Don’t state that any books will be discarded at first, as this may result in a number of unlikely additions to the favorites pile. Some “special” books may include favorite bedtime stories, gifts from family members, or the first book that your child read on her own.

If your little one is too young to help with this task, spend a week or two paying close attention to his current likes and dislikes. As you know best, some items are grabbed and handled more than others!

Once the selection is complete, set aside any discarded books that once had special meaning for you and your child. If space permits, he may value having these as an adult. You may also wish to store seasonal favorites or any books that you suspect your child has discarded because they are too advanced for her present reading level. These may also be stored and introduced at an appropriate time (more on that later!).

Whether your home can hold the entire Library of Congress collection or only a single shelf’s worth of books, now is a great time to consider the role that the books in your child’s room play in her literacy development. It’s amazing how significantly home-based reading habits and choices can affect your child’s reading confidence and proficiency!

Remain in active dialogue with your child’s teacher and other caregivers about her reading habits and development at school or daycare. We teachers are always happy to support at-home learning! Whether you hear that your child could use some support to reach grade level proficiency, is right on target, or is several steps ahead of his peers, you’ll be able to reinforce and challenge his learning at home.

Maintaining book balance:

Even timid readers typically feel very proud of their reading accomplishments. Be sure to keep a few books that your child has mastered recently and allow her the opportunity to “show off” her skills by reading aloud to you or a sibling. Likewise, particularly if your child is an emerging reader, keep those alphabet and phonics-based books handy. She may benefit from looking back at these for some time.

Every child requires a bit of challenge for reading advancement. Your child’s book collection should include several books that are challenging for him to read alone, but that, with your help and practice, he will be able to master with effort. Parents can be particularly helpful during a child’s transition from picture to chapter books. It’s a good idea to have a few of these on hand and read them with your child in small doses, even if he resists reading them alone or isn’t yet able to do so.

Whether or not you have the space for serious stacks or a single shelf, remember that reducing the number of things your child owns is a great opportunity to teach lasting positive behaviors. Consider helping your child decide to donate some favorite but outgrown books to charity. Exchanging books at a used bookstore is a great way to teach the concept of “reusing” resources.

Finally, don’t forget your neighborhood library! You’ll be happy with the saved space and money. Your child will find an abundance of books free for the reading and will gain a sense of responsibility when she learns how to check out a book, enjoy it at home, and return it on time so others may enjoy it.

Back to the original question for a second, though—the teacher in me says there can never be “too many” books in a child’s life—it’s really just a matter of managing their presence appropriately.

–Erin L. Kelly, M.A., C.A.S., M.Ed.
Art Conservator / Educator / Outreach

Erin is an independent educator, art conservator, and visual artist who enjoys writing and promoting creative projects in her spare time and is happy to call Atlanta home. She enjoys teaching students of all ages and has worked in traditional classrooms, universities, museums, and remotely, as a distance learning coach. Along with visual art and art-integrated science, English, and math instruction, Erin offers curriculum design, content, and consulting services.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: being organized, books, children, children's library, Claire Kurtz, get organized, Get rid of clutter, organization, organize, organizing your children

Holiday Gifts – Plan Ahead for a Stress-Free Season

December 1, 2011 By Claire 1 Comment

It is officially December, which means the gift-giving season has begun. For some, holiday gifting can be stressful due to the money and time required to purchase, wrap and ship out your gifts to all of your loved ones. Don’t fret! The Well-Organized Woman is here to help you plan for a stress-free holiday season with these organizational gift-giving tips!

Timeline - Identify which gifts are ‘due’ when so you can work backward from those deadlines to build your oganized gift schedule.

For those gifts that need to be mailed to the recipient, allow 1 week for mailing and 2 days for wrapping. In other words, if your gifts need to arrive by the 23rd, begin wrapping them on the 14th and mail them out on the 16th.
For those gifts that you’ll be ordering online and sending directly to the recipient, make sure to order at least one week before you’d like them to arrive. If they are coming to you first before you mail them out, make sure to order them with ample time for them to come to you, get wrapped and then be mailed out. In fact, you may want to get started on ordering those gifts this week!
And finally, for those gifts you’ll be presenting in person, I’d recommend having them wrapped up two days before giving – simply for peace of mind so you aren’t rushing to complete your wrapping.

Budget- Set a budget and stick to it. You can do this one of two ways:

Set a mini budget for each person on your list – start with the amount you have to spend overall and then designate an amount or a percentage of that to your giftees. You’ll be surprised how creative you can get when you have parameters around how much you can spend.
Set an overall budget for the whole group of recipients. This can be tricky, though, as it’s easier to go over or lose track of your expenses in the moment. I recommend budgeting by person within your overall budget.
Allow yourself just a touch of leeway for each person. $5 of ‘invisible’ budget built in for each person can save you from going way over.
Don’t forget to budget in the supplies you’ll need, including wrapping paper, scotch tape, scissors, to/from labels, postage, stickers, ribbon, boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape, etc. These things can get pricey!

Shopping List – To the extent that you can, make a shopping list for the gifts you’ll be buying. Like an ambiguous budget, an ambiguous list can lead you to either buy more than you need or buy something that just isn’t right. If I’m just not sure what to get for someone, I’ll ‘window shop’ online first to get a sense of what I might want and then head to the stores to see what I can find.

Shop- Online or In-Store? Well, that’s up to you and your preferred shopping style! Over the years, shopping online has become a convenient way to take care of all of your holiday gift needs. You can avoid the crowds and often get great deals through a company’s internet store. However, a good old-fashioned shopping trip can also get you in the spirit and save on shipping costs, which can add up quickly. I like to mix it up and do a little of both. For those friends/family who I won’t be seeing before the holiday, I’ll buy their gifts online, select the store-wrapping option and send them directly to the recipient. For those I’ll be seeing face-to-face, I’ll often buy their gifts from stores – it helps to see and hold the gift while visualizing them opening it up.

Wrap – Now for the fun part! I love wrapping gifts and have such a blast picking out the papers I’ll use each year. Wrapping paper can be pricey, though, so I always go to my stash from last year to see what is left. I use that paper to wrap gifts for people who are new to my list because they haven’t seen that particular wrapping before. I love the Container Store for gift wrap, and Target also has great choices. If wrapping doesn’t come naturally for you, the Container Store offers in-store demonstrations and has great instructional tips on their website. Click here for ideas and for your nearest store!

Ship – As I mentioned above, allow at least one week for your gifts to ship based on the date you choose for their arrival. Also, buying your own packing supplies can save you a lot, as many shipping centers charge quite a bit to use their supplies on the spot. As for which shipping service to use, that is certainly up to you. Personally, I have had great luck with FedEx Ground shipping and do recommend the service.
For additional advice on gift giving for all of the people in your life – even your hairstylist and your mailman – check out The Well-Organized Woman’s TV clip from CBS Atlanta!

Best of luck in your gift-giving endeavors!

Cheers,
-TWOW

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: being organized, CBS Atlanta, Gift giving, holiday, holidays, lists, organization, planning, The Well-Organized Woman, WOW

From the WOW Kitchen – Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

November 23, 2011 By Claire Leave a Comment

Given that Thanksgiving is just a day away, I thought I’d take a moment to share a few of my favorite recipes I’ve used over the years at this holiday, just in case you’re in need of some last-minute menu organization. My recipes are all quite simple and are often borrowed from other sources, including the back of the bag the main ingredient is in! Enjoy!

Fig & Pine Nut Stuffing - from RealSimple.com, this recipe has the hearty flavors of fall, and the figs add just a pinch of sweetness. I recommend making this recipe the night before or the morning of Thanksgiving before you start on the turkey. You can always warm it up just before everything goes out on the table!

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish and foil
1 large loaf Italian bread (about 1 pound), cut into 3⁄4-inch pieces (about 16 cups)
2 medium onions, chopped
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup dried mission figs, chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

Heat oven to 375° F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Divide the bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets and bake until dry and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
Add the bread, broth, eggs, figs, pine nuts, thyme, and ½ teaspoon salt to the vegetables and toss to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until browned, 20 to 30 minutes more.

Sweet Potato Casserole – Who doesn’t love sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving?! This recipe, from the southern food section of about.com, adds a lovely sweetness to your plate, and it makes the house smell amazing while it’s baking!

Ingredients:

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Combine first 6 ingredients. Pour into a buttered 1 1/2 to 2-quart casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients together and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, until hot and browned. Serves 6 to 8.

Green Bean Casserole – This recipe is from allrecipes.com. It’s a lovely variation on the traditional Campbell’s soup recipe. In fact, I like it better! I still use the fried onions because I love their flavor and texture. Simply substitute ~1 cup in place of the crackers below.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup sour cream
3 (14.5 ounce) cans French style green beans, drained
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled buttery round crackers
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for one minute. Stir in the salt, sugar, onion, and sour cream. Add green beans, and stir to coat.
Transfer the mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss together cracker crumbs and remaining butter, and sprinkle over the cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Cranberry Sauce - Though it’s right off the bag of the Ocean Spray cranberries, this recipe is one of my favorites and has always been a welcome addition to my plate – especially on a piece of turkey! I like to make two batches the night before Turkey Day and save one to go with all of our leftovers!

Ingredients:

1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 12 oz. bag Ocean Spray Cranberries

Directions:

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 2 1/4 cups.

Pecan Pie – This is my favorite pecan pie recipe from my favorite restaurant in Athens, GA, The Grit! My family loves it so much, I even made extras last year and sent them as gifts! Buy the cookbook here!

Ingredients:

1 Basic Pie Crust
⅓ c. melted butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon brandy
1-1/2 c. pecan halves or pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a deep-dish pie pan with Basic Pie Crust. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Beat in eggs and stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pie crust. Place pie on large cookie sheet. Bake 50 to 55 minutes until crust is lightly browned, filling is dark brown and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving. Yields 8 to 10 servings.

Other easy favorites include green peas and mushrooms (to add a little color to your plate), Pilsbury crescent rolls (so warm and buttery) and, in a pinch, Costco pumpkin pie (it’s enormous and really tasty)! Best of luck with your holiday meals. I am thankful for each of my clients and all of my readers!

-TWOW

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: being organized, Claire Kurtz, get organized, holiday, holidays, planning, recipes, seasonal, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving recipes, The Well-Organized Woman, WOW

Purse Perfector Giveaway!

November 2, 2011 By Claire 9 Comments

Purse Perfector

We’re giving away one of our favorite organizing tools to one lucky winner — a Purse Perfector! This durable pouch can be inserted and transferred into any handbag and has loads of pockets for all of your daily necessities. Keeping your purse organized is a breeze! This medium Purse Perfector sells for $54, and can be yours free!

You can qualify in one of three ways:

(1) RT the post about this contest on Twitter. IMPORTANT – To be eligible for the giveaway, you must copy the tweet and add RT @thewow at the beginning. If you just hit the retweet button on Twitter, we won’t be able to track your entry. Also, you must follow @thewow to be eligible.

(2) “Like” the post about this contest on our Facebook page and leave a comment about why you want win the prize pack. Also, you must be a fan of our page to be eligible to win.

(3) Leave a comment here on the site.

Good luck! We’ll draw one winner at random on Wednesday, November 9th.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Laura Scott, who posted on our facebook page, and wins a Purse Perfector! Thanks for all the entries, and stay tuned – we’ll be giving away more fun prizes soon!

Filed Under: Blog

Organizing your Jewelry is a Cinch!

October 31, 2011 By Claire 2 Comments

My lovely and creative client, Brawner Raymond, recently shared her brilliant idea for organizing and displaying her jewelry at home. I loved what she did so much, I wanted to show it to all of you! These pictures below show her genius use of cork boards and pins to hang her baubles. How creative! -TWOW

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: being organized, creative organization ideas, do it yourself, get organized, Get rid of clutter, getting organized, jewelry, jewelry organization, organization