Get It Together

My filing cabinet: After years of paper piles, I finally took 15 minutes to set up folders. Then I set aside five minutes each day to file. I figured I can do even the most tedious job for five minutes. I didn’t sort the papers first. I just started at the top of the stack and filed each document in its proper folder, throwing out those I didn’t need. The job went so fast that, in no time, my paper clutter was gone.
Judy Dybell
Houston, Texas

My heavy-duty, three-hole punch sits next to me when I go through the mail. Financial and medical statements; newsletters I want to save; magazine pages with workout strategies, gift ideas, recipes — they all get punched. When I research info on the Net and print new trails to run or classes to take, or when I’m gathering vacation info, such as flight, hotel, and activity confirmations, that punch is always by my side. With a stapler and appropriately sized three-ring binders, I handle paper the minimum number of times, and I can locate almost anything in a matter of seconds.
Susan Love
Washington, D.C.

Baskets keep our life and home organized, and I have them in every room. I use baskets to carry my cleaning products, hold magazines, and serve as storage for blankets, seasonal items, and wrapping materials. In the kitchen, they hold napkins, keep my utensil drawers neat, and of course serve as the traditional bread basket. I could continue, but suffice it to say, baskets are the most utilitarian item in my house.
Valerie Anderson
Belmont, California

I rely on my kitchen wall calendar more than any other object. Through almost 31 years of marriage, these calendars have been used to track our lives through pregnancies, children’s events, appointments, birthdays, weddings — you get the idea. I look at my kitchen wall calendar several times a day. I always make sure it has two elements: boxes large enough for notes and a lovely picture for each month, because it is so prominent in my kitchen. I have saved almost all of them, and it always makes me smile to look back over them and see where our lives have been and where they are going.
Linda Mates
Brooklyn, New York

I keep a small clip mounted near the front door. When I need a reminder like “Bring movies back” or “Call the doctor,” I write a note on a piece of paper and secure it with the clip. It is right at eye level and can’t be missed when you leave the house. I also put notes and reminders there for my husband. We find it a great way to keep track of those don’t-forget items and things to do.
Lorrie Piper
Weare, New Hampshire

My Rolodex is not just for the office anymore. I use mine to list passwords for websites, birthdays, directions for driving, policy numbers, membership numbers, frequent-flier numbers, toll-free numbers, names of family members, e-mail addresses, cell-phone numbers, credit-card numbers, vehicle-identification numbers, and notes on allergies and medications. It’s my own personalized secretary. If my house were to catch on fire, the first thing I’d grab is my Rolodex.
Peg Levy
Urbandale, Iowa

On most weekends, my husband and I will pick a recipe or two from Joy of Cooking, by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker, and spend the day (or a part of it) cooking with our boys. It allows us time together: media-free, trying new dishes, and introducing our two children to the many joys of cooking.
Kerri Perry
Newbury, Massachusetts

Kitchen Helpers

My refrigerator, inside and out. Inside, of course, it houses all our cold-temperature food items that we must have. Outside are its best attributes. It supplies me with a place to put three calendars: our family’s calendar, my kids’ school calendar, and the school lunch-menu calendar. It also provides a place for fancy artwork and 100 A-pluses. It’s here that I put things I don’t want to forget, like that gift certificate for a facial that will expire next month. Best of all, it’s a reminder of many loved ones, with a special place for pictures right at the top.
Diane Milburn
Winchester, Virginia

The convenience of my Crock-Pot can’t be beat. It’s nice to come home from work to an already cooked meal and not have to fuss in the kitchen into the wee hours of the night cooking and cleaning up.
Karen Iwankowski
Harrison Township, Michigan

My teakettle provides me with my first cup of decaf tea to jump-start the day and brews up hot cereal to nourish my children. The kettle later gives me a cup of caffeinated tea for a midafternoon boost. Finally, it offers me a smooth mint brew to share with my husband after the kids are in bed, the dishes are done, and all is calm.
Sabrina Nero
Vienna, Virginia

This may sound odd, but I really rely on my favorite spatula. It was the first thing that came to mind. It’s made of thin, Teflon-coated metal, and I cannot bake or cook without it. While I am a full-time college student and a grandmother, you wouldn’t believe how my family and friends rely on my holiday cookies, and that means every holiday — Easter, Valentine’s Day, and, of course, Christmas. I absolutely need that spatula.
Debora Ward
Clifton Park, New York