Five ways to organize your summer meals

Summer is a busy season for everyone – between summer camps, trips, and day-long activities, there is usually little time to prepare and cook a meal. However, with these tips, you can ensure that you will have a meal ready to eat without the stress or cost of ordering out:

Pre-purchase ready to eat protein options

When the weather is hot, the last thing people want to do is heat up their homes by turning on the oven. Instead, stock up on pre-cooked protein options, like rotisserie chicken or shredded pork from your local grocery store. Canned tuna and hard-boiled eggs can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for recipes like these. You could also pre-cook your meat early in the morning or at the beginning of the week, so you can avoid using the oven during the heat of the day.

Take advantage of the fresh vegetables

Summer is prime time for fresh vegetables, so why not take advantage of them? Stock up on your family’s favourites and incorporate them into easy meals, like stir-fry, salad and sandwiches. Vegetables can be washed and cut up at the beginning of the week or earlier in the day, so you don’t have to worry about doing all of your preparations right before the meal. To save time and avoid your oven, you can also use your vegetables raw instead of cooking them. Most vegetables taste even better when they are fresh during the summer, so incorporate them into your meals like this recipe for Shaved Squash Salad with Tomatoes and Ricotta.

Utilize your kitchen appliances

Instead of always using your oven, utilize your other kitchen appliances to plan your meals in advance, like a slow cooker. Your meat, vegetables and grains can all be prepared the night before and turned on in the morning so they are ready for you to eat in the evening. You can even use a rice cooker to cook up rice at the beginning of the week, so you have a side dish ready to go for multiple meals. Get creative and use your other kitchen appliances to put together stress-free and tasty meals like these over the summer.

Use your leftovers!

Don’t feel bad about having a “leftovers” meal night when you are out at the lake or park all day! Save any leftovers from your meals throughout the week, and plan on having one meal made up of all your leftovers. If you don’t quite have enough food, supplement your meal with a quick side salad or fresh fruit.

Stay simple

Most importantly, don’t feel the need to plan large, complicated meals. They take a lot of time, ingredients, and energy that could be better spent on outdoor activities or gatherings with friends and family. When the weather is hot, many people don’t feel like eating multiple courses or rich dishes, so it’s okay to stick to simple meals with simple ingredients. During the summer months, there are plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to purchase at the store or grow in your own garden that are full of flavour. It’s easy to organize meals for the week because they are so readily available and quick to prepare.

This summer, don’t stress about making meals when you’re busy soaking up the sun, or break the bank because you’re always ordering out. Cook simple meals with ingredients that are ready to go and don’t require using your oven, so you can avoid heating up your home. By following these tips to organize your meals, you can relax and enjoy your summer without the stress at mealtime!

Phase 2: The Unpacking Process

We’re continuing our journey through a client’s move to Calgary from a different city by exploring what comes after the actual move – unpacking.

Before our team at Calm Order even gets to the boxes, we also need to know what the new space is like. We were already able to get an idea of their current living situation and devise a plan. As soon as we have access to the home, we conducted a walk-through of the new property. In this walk-through we were able to see how their belongings would fit and function in the new space that suited their lifestyle (based on their preferences).

The unpacking process can be described as a “strategic transition” process, not a “shove and place wherever there is room” process. To start unpacking, our team follows some key steps:

Group items into categories

Sometimes, we open a moving box to find a mix of everything from clothes, to tools, kitchen gadgets, plants, garden supplies, and office supplies all in the same box. To make sure each item ends up in their proper new place, it is important to make sure they become grouped with similar items before they get put away. Sort before you organize.

Set up a sorting station

In order to organize the items, we set up a sorting station for all the miscellaneous items. Using bins, boxes or baskets for sorting and categorizing. We line them up in a row on a table or area to establish an efficient sorting work area.

Determine the major categories 

Next, we take a good look at what items were contained inside the boxes. While looking, we consider how we are going to group the items. For example, if it was immediately evident there were more of the garage tools than the other items, This would form our first category and all similar items were placed into their own separate bin. From here, we were able to continue sorting the rest of the items based on similarities until everything was sorted into a separate category.

Break down large categories into smaller ones

However, this categorization can go one step further. Within our newly sorted box of tools, we noticed a lot of screws and left over parts from the build. Instead of leaving them loose in the bin where they were likely to get lost or misplaced, we grabbed another container just for the miscellaneous screws and parts

As we continued, we broke down the categories and sorted each container whenever we noticed another large quantity of similar items. It is easier to sort piles now instead of having to re-sort a large and overwhelming pile that was just sorted. Whenever a new category trend is identified, it is helpful to start another bin sooner rather than later.

 The unpacking process takes time and patience – it is not conductive or efficient to just start opening boxes and place items in empty drawers and cupboards. Sorting is a key component, and one that our team at Calm Order takes seriously. Are you having trouble sorting through your items, or knowing how to properly categorize your items? In our next post, we’ll take a closer look at proper sorting techniques to help you with any organizing project you choose.

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.