Phase 2.5: Sorting Items

Sorting items can be more complex than one might think – it is more than just sorting similar items. For example, people often think they should sort all their cables together, but the often serve different purposes and so they should be stored differently.

When you’re sorting items, look at how they are used instead of just what “kind” of item they are. Continuing with the example of sorting cables, there are generally three different types of cables: electrical, electronic, and personal technology cables.

Electrical cables include everything from extension cords, add-ons, extenders, and timers. These cables all plug into the wall or an outlet, or they are used to add extra cords to extend the length or number of wall outlets.

Electronic cables are mainly used for audio and visual equipment, like HDMI cables, computer cables, TV cables, and stereo systems. These cables are used for specific set-ups and are usually not plugged and unplugged regularly.

Finally, personal technology cables are more everyday use cables, like phone chargers, iPod chargers, tablet chargers, and other USB chargers. These cables are usually in constant use and are often moving between rooms and people around a home.

Cables can be then sorted into how they are used, not just based on the fact that they are cables.  All electrical cables should be stored together but separate from electronic cables and personal technology cables. In this way, the cables will be easier to find and use when they are needed. Instead of sorting through a large bin to find an iPhone charger, people can easily look in a smaller storage container that contains only their personal technology chargers, which they will need to access more often than their extension cords.

When it comes to sorting, try thinking more about how items are used instead of focusing on just what they are. This way, organization will last because the items will be stored in a way that works with people’s lifestyles and routines.

Make-Ahead Barbecue Ideas

Save yourself the time of doing all the cooking and preparation work for your barbecue on the day-of. Instead, get everything you need prepared ahead of time so you can relax and enjoy the barbecue with your household!

Drinks

There is plenty you can do ahead of time to make sure everyone stays refreshed and hydrated. Bar tools can be brought out from storage and given a quick rinse, and any outdoor cups and pitchers can also be given a quick wash and organized in a bar area or on a counter until they are needed outside. Make sure to put cans and bottles into the fridge to chill in advance and bring out any coolers that may be needed. Don’t forget to make sure you have plenty of ice as well! 

While some garnishes are best prepared closer to the actual barbecue to prevent them from wilting, others can also be cut up and placed in containers until everyone in your household is ready for dinner.

Thrillist has a list of cocktails that can be made ahead of time. While they had the beach in mind for these drinks, the recipes can also work great to cut down on preparations even if you’re just at home and relaxing with your household in the backyard.

Otherwise, you can start planning what ingredients and tools you might need to make these classic cocktail recipes that are perfect for any size of household, like these Peach Bellini and Sangria recipes or this unique Apposta Cocktail recipe, all from Better Homes and Gardens.

Food

The food is obviously the main event of any barbecue, and many classic barbecue dishes can easily be prepared in advance so all you need to do once supper time comes is heat the grill and cook!

These two foil pack recipes from Delish conveniently include all you need for a barbecue meal in one individualized pouch. Even better, you can easily put these together ahead of time by prepping the vegetables, preparing the foil pouches, marinating the meat, and assembling everything together ahead of time to store in the fridge. Check out this recipe for Chicken, Tomatoes and Corn or this one for Sausage and Peppers.

Burgers are a popular meal to serve at a barbecue, and this “Full Works” burger from Olive has it all! While it looks like a lot, the sauce and other garnishes are best made a few hours or even a day before, leaving you with less preparation right before the meal.

Barbecue ribs, like this recipe from Food Network Magazine, are always a great choice to cook on the grill, especially if you have a larger household to feed. To get the most flavour out of these ribs, they are best if the spice mixture is prepared and rubbed onto the ribs the night before the barbecue – leaving only the cooking to be done in the oven a couple of hours before they are finished off on the barbecue.  

Every barbecue star dish is not complete without a side dish (or more!), and there are plenty of recipes and ideas that are easy to prepare the day before or morning of. For example, this unique take on a tomato salad from Taste of Home features a lot of different vegetables that can easily be prepared a day or two before so it only needs to be assembled right before eating.

 An even simpler dish like grilled vegetables requires even less effort – simply wash and cut your favourite vegetables, give them a light seasoning, and place them on the grill! This grilled rapini recipe from AllRecipes shows just how easy and delicious grilled vegetables can be! A lighter salad or dessert option perfect for an outdoor barbecue is a fruit salad, which is also good to prepare in advance and leave in your fridge. You can simply put together a salad from what fresh fruit you have on hand or try something new like this watermelon and basil salad from AllRecipes.

Email Organization: Declutter Your Inbox!

It’s not just a person’s physical spaces that can accumulate clutter.

For many people, the email inbox is almost always flagged with unread messages. With multiple emails coming in daily, it’s no wonder they can begin to pile up to the point that there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Just when it looks like everything has been dealt with, there always seems to be more waiting at the top of the list.

Whether it is a personal inbox or work inbox, it can be extremely helpful to take the time to get the main inbox organized and establish a process for all incoming messages to prevent any more major pile ups. This way, people can stay on top of any incoming mail, increase their productivity, and find old messages or information need easily.

The first step to tackling the huge inbox of messages is to create a new folder labelled as the Storage Inbox. Transfer all the messages that are currently in the inbox into this folder. This helps start the inbox off fresh and clean so it will be easier to handle anything that comes in the meantime.

However, all those messages in the Storage Inbox can’t just be ignored. Think through what common themes there are amongst all the messages. For example, are there a lot of flyers and newsletters? Emails about a child’s school or sports team? Taxes? Whatever the categories are, use these to create new subfolders in the inbox. Start going through the messages in the Storage Inbox and begin to transfer them into the appropriate folder, creating any additional folders as needed. Utilize the tools and resources in the email platform to search for related messages, senders, and subjects to make this process easier and faster.

While this will help solve the problem of messages that are currently in the inbox, this problem will only continue if a solution is implemented for all new messages. Setting up smart inboxes or creating rules in the email account is a great way to ensure all incoming messages end up where they need to go. For example, all subscription emails can be set up to go to a specific folder (or even the junk folder if there are too many!) so they don’t just sit in the inbox and can easily be found if needed. These can even be organized by person if working on a project that needs to be managed from a specific person. For people renovating their home, consider adding the contractor, builder, or any other trades/professionals to a smart inbox so all the emails are always kept in one place.

The process may  be a bit time consuming at the start, but once the inbox is completely set-up, it will save a lot of time and effort in the future. An organized inbox can have a significant effect on organization in other areas of life – so why wait any longer?

Learn more about setting up an inbox the right way here (for Apple mail) and here (for Outlook mail).