Goodbye winter, hello spring!

We can still expect snow in Calgary for the next couple of months, but there is no denying the higher temperatures and the fast approaching spring season. However, the change of a season means re-organizing your wardrobe and swapping out heavier coats and shoes for lighter items.

In Calgary, it’s difficult to determine what pieces to put into storage and what items to bring out, especially because our spring weather is always changing. Many of us have clothing that we can wear year-round, so Calm Order suggests that a good remedy for this situation is to pair-down our clothing and consider looking at capsule wardrobes.

For anyone not familiar with it, a capsule wardrobe is made up of basic pieces of clothing that are easy to mix and match. This means you can make many different outfits of fewer pieces of clothing, which makes transitioning from season to season easier, so you don’t need to worry about having specific clothes for specific seasons.

According to the Vivienne Files, a capsule wardrobe is typically comprised of a black turtleneck, a t-shirt (in gray, white, or black), a button down shirt (white or blue), a black cardigan, a denim shirt, a long-sleeved black shirt, khakis, jeans, and black pants. 

These items sound very neutral and plain, but to add your own creative style or make them more seasonal, they can be accented with colourful accessories that can be tailored for each season, like shoes, scarves, jewelry, and bags.

A capsule wardrobe is not only easier to manage and organize, it also takes up less space in your closet, and is very economical. For people living in Calgary, having a year-round wardrobe that can be mixed and matched for whatever weather we may be facing is the perfect solution. To learn more about capsule wardrobes, go here.

Unpack to organize: The kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most popular rooms to organize, and for good reason: we all spend most of our time there cooking and eating, why wouldn’t we want to be able to find and use the room as easily and efficiently as possible?

To get your kitchen unpacked and organized, Calm Order likes to use the analogy of placing down a border first, then the rocks, and then the pebbles. The border or main items in your kitchen, like every-day used appliances, dishes, glasses, cutlery, pots, and pans, that are used daily should be placed first in locations that are easier to access, in drawers or cupboards that are within easy reaching distance.

After these items come the other items that are used often, but not quite every day, like baking supplies, specialty kitchen tools, and serving dishes. These items can be placed in higher cupboard shelves or lower drawers. Even though these items aren’t used daily, they should still be easy to access and easy to remember where they are located. It’s a good idea to store like items with like. Consider designating one drawer or cupboard shelf for baking supplies, for example, or keep all dishes and serving items together.

The pebbles are the non-essential decorative items like placemats, napkin rings, and other items that don’t need to be kept in a specific place, items that can essentially fit anywhere you have room. However, you want to place these items with some logic so you know where to find them when you need them. For example, measuring cups can be stored in the same drawer as other baking materials like mixing bowls.

When you’re unpacking your kitchen, it’s also important to make sure that your items are placed in a way that makes sense for your lifestyle, and the layout of your kitchen. For example, some people bake more than others, so baking supplies may be given higher priority, or depending on the layout of your kitchen, you may have to move items around depending on the space you have available.

Unpacking and organizing a kitchen sounds like a daunting task, but sorting out items into borders, rocks, and pebbles breaks down the process into manageable steps that everyone can use to set up their kitchen.

Resolutions 2017 – How to eat healthier

Living healthier involves incorporating healthier foods into your diet, which can be difficult for people who may live busy lives or may not have the experience of cooking with fresh produce. To achieve this resolution, planning is key, and the most effective way to do this is by making healthy eating a seamless part of your everyday life.

Start your planning each week or whenever you go grocery shopping, and determine what you’re going to eat for that period. Make a list of what fresh produce and other items you’ll need by looking up recipes and creating a week-long meal plan. Purchase the ingredients that you need, and prep them for meals beforehand. Wash and chop up vegetables and store them in containers where they are ready to go. Make soup and freeze it in individual containers. If you have leftovers, freeze them in freezer-safe containers, or save them in your refrigerator for lunch or a leftover dinner night.

Eating healthy can become difficult when you’re eating out, whether it’s at a restaurant or a friend/relative’s home. When you’re eating out, avoid fast food restaurants, and consider healthier on the go alternatives, like a pre-made salad. At restaurants, look for healthier meat options or even salads, and instead of dessert, get a tea or fruit option instead and limit the amount of alcohol you drink. It can be hard to stay motivated when you are eating out, so try looking up the menu online ahead of time and picking a restaurant that has healthy food options you would want to eat.

This resolution also involves the cooperation of your friends and family, especially the people who you may be living with. It will be easier for you to stay on task if you notify them of your goal, to avoid them from potentially compromising your healthy diet plans.

Eating a healthier diet involves a lot of planning and preparation to make incorporating these foods into your diet easy and achievable. Consider taking a cooking class with friends to learn how to make different dishes, or search through websites online to find meal options that are appealing to you and easy to manage. Freezing homemade meals or saving leftovers is also a great alternative for ordering out or eating take-out food. With luck, this year-long resolution to eat healthier may be something you continue to do long after.