FRUGAL TIPS - Organization

I am a very organized person. One who believes "everything has it's place and everything should be in it's place". I find life so much easier that way and you save so much time not having to "find" or "hunt" for something.

When I buy multiple items on sale I put them in the bottom of the closet in our computer room. I keep just 3 or 4 cans of various vegetables in the kitchen cabinet and refill from the "stash" as needed. This helps rotate the items by first in, first out process.

I keep a shelf and a plastic basket full of spices, plus my new 20 spice rack. Some of the spices on my new rack were duplicates of what I already had. That is where the basket comes in. I have a list taped to the front of the basket. The additional different spices I keep in one of the kitchen shelves. When I need a particular spice...I first look at the list on my duplicate basket, if not there I look on the spice rack, the last place to look is the list, taped to the cupboard door of the cabinet shelf. I will eventually use up the duplicate spices in the basket and use the basket for another purpose.

When a bill comes in the mail I immediately write out the check to pay for it. I seal the envelope and put an address label in the left corner but I don't stamp it. I write the date for the bill to be mailed (not the due date but the mail date) where the stamp goes. I keep all these "pending" envelopes on the top of the desk in my computer room in date order; earliest on top. I check this stack and if the date comes up to mail an item I remove it from the stack, place the stamp on it and put it in the mail box. This way I never forget to pay a bill on time or mail in a payment but I have use of the money in my checking account for a longer amount of time and the amount is already removed and my balance shows it paid.

************

A frugal tip and recycled item:

I use baking soda as a primary cleaner around my house. It is amazing how many things you can clean with baking soda.

I store it in a empty Parmesan cheese bottle and have one it both the kitchen and bathroom.

One side opens to get a larger quantity out.

The other side can be used as a shaker for a lesser amount.

Please leave me a comment. I'd love to hear some of your organizational, frugal or recyclable tips. I have learned so much from this blogging community.