Here you go:

Grip-It Storage Jars – these are small and pretty; perfect for sitting on your table, holding small food items like olives, pourable dips, salad dressing, and nuts. Then later pop the lid on and go.

Anchor Hocking Bake n’ Keep Glass Food Storage Containers – pretty clear glass containers that hold hot or cold foods. A classic look for your table, with lids for storage.

PYREX square glass storage products: I actually hate the lids that the Pyrex containers come with. While they’re super tight, and keep food fresh, they’re also REALLY hard to get on and off. However, what I do like a lot is that Pyrex glass containers can be baked in, go to your table, look nice (basic), and then go straight to the fridge. The best part is the sizes available. You can get large or small glass storage from Pyrex, and it’s so slender and stackable for a great price.

Stainless Steel Food Storage Container – these are a little more oval than square, but still stack-ready. I like how plain stainless steel looks on a table – very clean and basic.

Japanese Bento Box made of Cedar and Coated with Urushi – these are not microwave or dishwasher safe, however, they are perfectly safe for food and food storage. They’d look great on a holiday table and come in various sizes.

French Bull storage containers – which I just introduced in the post “Clever treat carriers for the holidays and beyond,” but I LOVE them, and they’d look great on your table. Just didn’t want you to forget them.

Post from: Blisstree

Storage container options that go from table to fridge

Since I’ve been sick, and somewhat stressed over it, I figured, why not start there.

Here are five ways to lower your stress levels over the holidays – why? A decluttered mind is more able to deal with all of life – we all know that.

Keep it simple: Decluttering your mind 101 – simple is best. Put up a smaller Christmas tree; or skip the tree and get a wreath. Buy just one gift for everyone on your list and ask them what they’d like vs. trying to guess. Buy pre-made cards in a box vs. trying to find a unique card for everyone; OR be green and skip the cards altogether. Send e-cards even.

Wrap it easy: Use last year’s leftover wrap; no one will remember you used it last year. Wrap in a plain paper bag with twine, which actually looks good, with minimal fuss. Skip the curling ribbon and just plop a bow on, if you feel you need one.

Ship right to family and friends: Buy online gifts, and ship them right out. No post office lines! No stress.

Give gift certificates: While gift certificates are commonly considered, impersonal, the truth is, everyone like them. It’s fun to get to choose your own gift, and this is the ultimate stress-free present for the gift giver.

Figure out annoying relative come backs:  Got a MIL or uncle who always has something rude to say about your house, weight, child raising skills, and more. My best advice is to not associate with annoying relatives, however, knowing that this is often impossible, here’s another solution. Say MIL says something annoying, like, “I can’t believe you let your son do (insert whatever); in my day we knew how to raise children.” Don’t scowl or argue, but instead say, “Could you please explain exactly what you mean?” MIL will look at you, puzzled, and then you say, “Well, I’m just not so sure I understand what you’re getting at?” Curiosity killed the cat – true. However, in the case of rude relatives, curiosity vs. anger makes them look bad. It takes the punch out of what they say, and forces them to explain more in-depth, which only makes them look lame for picking on petty stuff in the first place.

My second tacit would be to simply smile and nod – that bugs annoying people to no end. You don’t explode and thus you look like the calm, rational person, while they just look rude. You win. It’s hard, I know. I dealt with the absolute worst MIL from hell for years. At first I argued, but later learned that smiling, nodding, and ignoring worked way better, and lowered my stress level.

How do you keep the holidays stress-free (or less stressful)?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Stress Less Over the Holidays

1. First of all, you and the kids can get together and make some cool thanksgiving crafts – some that are pretty enough for a formal table:

• Recycled Thanksgiving Crafts
• Nature Crafts Pretty Enough for Thanksgiving Day

2. Decide if you’re going with a formal or casual table.

If you’re having a casual arrangement, you should do the following:

• Set up a kid table at least – kids walking around with food is a choking hazard.
• Set up a table with a nice tablecloth, some cool crafts or flowers, and then make sure all the food dishes you’re having will fit. If not, get a second table, or use counter space.
• If you’re going buffet style, set one area up with plates, silverware, glasses, and so on. Set another table up with the food. If you’re short on space, keep most of the food in the kitchen and put smaller bowls of actual food out.

If you’re going with a formal arrangement, here’s how to set your table…

• Use a tablecloth – or very nice place mats.
• Flowers go in the middle, or you can place a few smaller arrangements in a crafty formation; for example, place floating single roses in a nice teacup close to each place setting.
• Place dinner plates down first. Salad plates go on top of the dinner plates. If you’re having a small special in between course treat like sherbet, place that bowl on top of the salad plate.
• Place dinner forks to the left of your plates, and the salad fork to the left of the dinner fork.
• Butter or other knives go to the right of your plate, and officially, the blades should face the plate.
• If you’re using individual butter dishes, these go above the dinner plate to the left.
• Dessert spoons and forks go above the dinner plate – spoons point to the left, while forks should point to the right.
• All glasses go to the right of the dinner plates – near the top of the plate. If you have water and wine glasses, the wine glasses go slightly off to the right, and a little higher than the water glass.
• Cloth napkins go either on top of your dinner plates or to the left of the forks.
• Place cards go above the dinner plate and dessert utensils, or slightly off to the side, depending on your flower arrangement plans.

I wouldn’t freak about formal rules though. The best tables, to me, are a little unique. Be creative. If you’ve got a fussy aunt, and you have to do a totally formal setting for her sake, here’s a link with some traditional formal setting visuals. There’s also a walk through at curbly, although they’ve got the napkin under the forks, which is actually not properly American formal. Still, good visuals.

Post from: Blisstree

How To Set Your Formal (or not) Thanksgving Table

The best tip is to go to someone else’s house for Thanksgiving; possibly a house where you’re only required to brink the whipping cream. Since we all don’t get easy invites like this, here are some tips that can help you to shave time off your Thanksgiving day events:

Make more sides and ditch the super-sized turkey: The bigger the bird, the longer the cooking time. Also factor in thawing time. You could opt for a smaller turkey this year and have more, or bigger sides. Nothing you make will take longer than the turkey anyhow.

Use less homemade food: Personally, I like that jelly cranberry sauce, so I won’t complain if you open a can. Still for the die-hards only real cranberries will do. There are some items you can get away with faking though like rolls and pies from a nice bakery, pre-cut veggies, and bottled salad dressing. You don’t have to make everything yourself.

Hold a potluck: Potlucks don’t have to be tacky. Seriously, when everyone brings food, it makes it easier for you – what’s tacky about that? Read the ultimate list of tips for organizing summer picnics & potlucks for ideas. I know it says “summer” but that’s not all you’ll find here.

Settle: When I say settle, I mean don’t be miss (or mr.) bossy in the kitchen. Your aunt Sally might add cream and garlic to the mashed potatoes, while you think only milk and pepper is needed. Settle down. At least Aunt Sally is in the kitchen helping. If you’re too bossy and set in your recipe ways, everyone will avoid the kitchen, and thus avoid helping you.

Get ready now: Nothing is worse than trying to hunt for that “Perfect stuffing recipe” you saw online the night before Thanksgiving. Right now, if you see a recipe you’d like to try this year, save it in a folder. Mark your cookbooks about a week before. Then when it’s Thanksgiving eve, you won’t have to worry.

What time-saving tips do you have for Thanksgiving? 

Post from: Blisstree

Five Thanksgiving Shortcuts

Of course here at Declutter It we looked at five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking

Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe

Rice Krispie Treats at Keeping the Castle

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes

Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood

Pasta Salad at Thrifty Mommy

Baking Delights is bringing enough chocolate for everyone to catch a chocobuzz with her favorite brownies

Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito? Kettle and Cup has the answer.

Blogfabulous is serving up a super easy, keep your butt out of the hot kitchen solution to Hors’ devours.

Weary Parent is serving Chocolate Puppy Chow, a snack that’s bound to be popular with the kids

Offbeat Homes is sharing details on how to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic. Simply Thrifty shares tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck

10 Summer party ideas and themes for your next backyard barbecue, or potluck.

Add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups. Life Stories – a fun way to find out more about your spouse, friends and extended family.

Cyndi won’t go anyplace to picnic unless she can grill, but she doesn’t want to spend all day doing it. Try her tips for Grilling Chicken Fast, and get a jumpstart on your next picnic!

Who says picnics have to be complicated affairs? Keep it simple with cheeses, meats and homemade bread. Brewha-ha.com has a few suggestions – including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread

Whether you’re having a picnic, a barbecue or just looking for a fun activity to do with your kids outside, Susan at PlayLibrary offers a list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper not only shares her favourite winter or summer recipe but also shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

And while you’re out having all the fun and good food you can handle, don’t forget your pets – they enjoy special summer treats too!

At Quilting and Patchwork enjoy an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen while your are picnicking…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly ANYTHING!

Eliza at Babylune provides a checklist of tips to consider when taking baby picnicking.

Finally, when it’s all said and done – perhaps you can kick back with a nice frozen beverage. MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Ultimate list of tips for organizing summer picnics & potlucks

Now, I don’t BBQ, or even own a grill, mainly because I don’t eat meat. That said, I’m a fan of grilled veggies, and also have known my fair share of grillers. However, if I say something crazy, now you know why.

Quick clean up: Place a tub of soapy water next to the BBQ. As you need to, toss used spatulas, plates, and so fourth into the water. MAKE SURE you use a container with a lid if small children will be at the BBQ; open water and kids, well, they don’t mix. Also make sure you don’t stick your hand into the soapy water and stab yourself with a skewer; which frankly sounds like something I might do.

Get your spice on: Yeah, I never spice up meat, but even I think this spice stick is ultra cute and handy. Fill it with BBQ spices and hang it on the grill – too easy.

Get the kids to do almost everything: They’re young and healthy, they can take it. Let them shuck corn, snap beans, set the table, make lemonade, peel fruits, and clean up at the end. One it’ll keep them busy. Two, it frees you up time to spend on cooking and relaxing. Three, it builds character.

Got grill trouble?: Icky grills with rusty parts can be quickly fixed up with one good old can of coke. Scrub it on and see results. I’ve never actually coked up a grill. However, on one of my road trips my car broke down somewhere near Moab. The AAA car guy just poured coke on my rusty, gross battery, and my car was as good as new. Yay coke. Just don’t drink it. Now that you know it dissolves rust; do you really want to drink it?

Turn your hosted BBQ into a potluck: This obviously cuts down on any organizing and planning you need to do. Ask for food and you shall get it.

What other ideas do you have for getting your summer grill events organized?

Post from: Blisstree

Five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ

Before guests arrive:  

Attempt first to at least remove visible clutter: i.e hide that junk. Grab a box and do a quick sweep of your house. Also, make tidy piles of clutter. Tidy pies look much better than messy piles.

Light some candles: much more effective if you have nighttime visitors. You can turn the lights lower (which hides some of the mess) and the candles create a soothing feeling.

Scent that house: Burn some incense, spray some non-toxic air freshener, or boil a pot of cinnamon sticks and whole cloves on the stove. When your house smells nice, it takes away from the clutter.

Work the view: If you have a great view out your window, open those shades wide. Not such a pleasant view? Make sure you have some basic, relaxing, shades or curtains up.

Use greens: Placing a beautiful flower arrangement out or some nice plants here and there can really minimize the impact of extra clutter. People are drawn to pretty; more so than clutter.

Post from: Blisstree

Aesthetics for Emergency Decluttering

Do you love to throw a good party? How about last minute parties? We used to have people over all the time before we had kids. We invited people over to the house for dinner, invited lots of people to the house to just hang out and also constantly had people just dropping in unexpectedly.

I really want to get back in the groove of having people over more and also letting our house be the “you know you can drop by anytime” house. It’s pretty much already the place where all the neighborhood kids congregate, but they like to play outside and jump on our trampoline. Adults are harder to please. If you show up and it’s not a good time, I’ll just tell you, but on most occassions I want to have everything at hand to entertain people on a whim. I don’t want to have to search high and low in my kitchen for all the necessary party needs.

That’s why I am going to create a “party station”. This way I can find anything and everything I need.

So, what would a party station include? Here are a few ideas:

• wineglasses
• vases
• trays
• decorative napkins
• napkin rings
• fun plates
• straws
• table cloths
• place mats

Where could you create your party station? Maybe a hutch or some extra cabinet space would work. My plan is to save up for a hutch to put in my kitchen and store everything party related in there, including wrapping paper, bows, gift bags, etc. But for now, I’ll have to make some room in the cabinets.

Alright….it’s party time!

Picture Source: Corelle Hearthstone Stoneware Square 16-Piece Set, Service for 4

Post from: Blisstree

It’s Friday – Let’s Throw a Party!