Cyber Monday Deals

Tomorrow isn’t just any old Monday, it’s Cyber Monday and we’re full of surprises at Organize.com! So rev up your shopping engines and get ready to shop all the steals and deals we have in store for you.

Enjoy FREE two-day shipping all day long while you shop for everyone on your holiday list. Your wishes and their dreams will come true.

You can also save $5, $10, $25 or $50 off your Organize.com orders all day tomorrow!

If that isn’t enough to get you excited, maybe free-shipping on our stocking stuffers will, unless of course, you LOVE Blomus as much as we do. You can save 20% on Blomus your favorite products right now!

Oh and there’s also 20% off ALL of our China Storage, so now’s the time to stock up, save and store all that new holiday dinnerware.

Looking for a Gift with Purchase? With any Bodum purchase of $49 or more, you will receive a FREE Make Taste Not Waste Travel Coffee Press ($17.95 value). It will make a great holiday gift for any coffee lover on your list and is exclusive at Organize.com.

It’s not over yet! We are also giving away an Apple iPad to one very lucky winner, so be sure to enter for a chance to win.

Stay tuned and be sure to check the Organize.com Facebook page tomorrow. You never know what we’ll come up with next.

Happy Shopping!
Mrs. O

No Comments November 29, 2010 on 12:51 am | In All, Cyber Monday

Happy Thanksgiving

My most favorite holiday of the year has arrived and I look forward to celebrating, sharing it and giving thanks with our friends and family around the Thanksgiving table this year. We are excited to be in the San Francisco Bay area and to be included around the table of our dear friends, The Friedman’s and The Peterson’s. I almost forgot just how much fun the Thanksgiving Table could be with two and five-year olds!

To all of our family and friends – I wish you a day filled with the traditions that make this day so special and from our house to yours…we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Deborah, Terry and all of us at Organize.com

No Comments November 27, 2010 on 11:32 pm | In All

Tips for the week of Thanksgiving

The secret to a really happy Thanksgiving Dinner is serving the classics that your family loves and looks forward to. It also has a lot to do with how organized and stress-free you are. Keep in mind that as a mom or hostess you set the tone of the day. It sounds like a lot of pressure, but with your menu planned and lists prepared, you should be organized and on your way to entertaining your guests.

Two days before:

- Defrost your turkey and get all the fresh and perishable ingredients you need at your local market. If you are organized, this should be your last trip to the store
- Prepare a cooking and baking chart of what needs to go in the oven and at what time. This really keeps me stress-free on Thanksgiving Day
- Organize all your cooking materials; including roasting pans, twine, gravy separator, baster, turkey lifters and thermometers

If you are having out of town guests, be sure the guest room and bathroom are in order. I include a luggage rack, extra hangers, a blow dryer, iron and ironing board and for a final touch, I always place a bottled water on the nightstands

One Day Before:

-Bake pies and desserts
-Peel potatoes
-Clean Turkey- prepare to roast and refrigerate
-Prepare stuffing, vegetables, casserole dishes and cranberry sauce
-Set your table, arrange your flowers, arrange place cards, put candles in holders and also place them around the house or in bathrooms. Don’t forget the guest towels!
-Prepare hors d’oeuvres and cold appetizer platters
-Make salad dressing, wash lettuce and store
-Organize your serving bowls & platters, forks, spoons, gravy boat and any other ‘special’ items you use for the holidays. I mark my serving pieces with post-it notes with what I am serving on each dish

This is also a good time to set out butter, salt and pepper and the water pitcher. Be sure that champagne, white wine, bottled water and soda are in the refrigerator or on ice.

The Morning of Thanksgiving:

-If you are serving breakfast, make it an easy one in preparation and cleaning
-Stuff the turkey and put in the oven while you prepare any last minute recipes
-Have all your cooking utensils in order and in reach of the stove and oven
-Keep your list posted to the oven or near the stove top and refer to it often
-Delegate tasks or ask your family to pitch in! Everyone should be able to get their own rooms in order and beds made for your final ‘walk-through’
-Set out cocktail napkins, appetizer forks, spreaders, small plates, cocktail, champagne & wine glasses and any fruits or mixers you might need. The ice bucket should be filled about 15 minutes before your guests arrive
-Forty-five minutes prior to your guests arriving is a good time to set out cold or room temperature hors d’oeuvres
-Twenty to thirty minutes prior put appetizers and hot hors d’oeuvres in the oven. Have serving plates, spreaders and garnishes ready

The Final Touches:

-Turn on the music
-Light the candles
-Take a few minutes for yourself and family to relax
-Greet your guests, serve dinner and give thanks!

I hope these tips help make your Thanksgiving Day everything you desire it to be.

Happy Organizing!

- Mrs. O

Photos from MarthaStewart.com

No Comments November 26, 2010 on 12:43 pm | In All, Thanksgiving

Get Organized For Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is getting closer and so is the list of things you’ll need to accomplish to make it everything you want it to be. From your guest list and shopping lists to any additional items you might need for those extra guests, here’s our list to keep you organized and on track for the two week countdown for the our celebrated American holiday of the year.

Two Weeks Before:

• Confirm your guest list.
• Order your turkey if it will be fresh or purchase a frozen turkey at your local market.
• Complete your plans for appetizers, side dishes and desserts on your menu.
• Prepare your final shopping list.
• Take inventory of the dinner table and other supplies that you might need to take out of the storage area and clean, borrow or rent. These include: tables, chairs, dinnerware, glassware, flatware and linens. If you will rent tablecloths and napkins, be sure to place your order this week.
• Decide on flowers, placecards, candles and other items that will make your table festive.
• Be sure that your kitchen is complete with “Thanksgiving Cook’s Tools and Must-Have’s.” Think about any items that were missed or that need to be replaced from last year.
• Make sure you see my “Recipe for the Perfect Thanksgiving” located on the top right hand corner of my blog page. This “recipe” includes all the Cooking, Baking, and Tabletop Ingredients you’ll need for a successful day!

• What’s for dessert? If you are planning something other than pumpkin or apple pie (2 of my favorites!), do you have the right serving pieces ready?

• When you entertain for a large number of guests, think about a garment rack for coats and a boot tray to keep those wet shoes and boots where they belong. You’ll also need extra guest towels in the restrooms. I like to add fresh flowers and candles, too.

One Week Before:

• Wash and iron or dry clean linens (make sure to give yourself time to pick up from the cleaners).
• Polish the silver.
• Shop for anything non-perishable (a good time to shop for Costco items).
• Schedule a day for cleaning.
• If you are having out of town guests, get the guest room ready and don’t forget luggage racks, bathroom accessories and extra hangers.
• Prepare bathrooms with hand towels and fresh flowers.

We’d love for you to post a comment with some of your Thanksgiving tips and ideas. Let’s hear it!

Happy Organizing!

- Mrs. O

No Comments November 26, 2010 on 12:32 pm | In All, Thanksgiving

Plan The Perfect Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the most celebrated American holiday of the year and absolutely my favorite. It brings our families together to share a fall harvest filled with tradition and recipes that we all look forward to. This year, keep in mind that traditions, giving thanks and family and friends around the table are what will make for a Thanksgiving to remember. We also save some special thoughts and thanks for our soldiers who are away from their families to protect us.

As with any entertaining or party planning, the preparation time should be organized and done in advance in order to enjoy the event itself. With the right plan and checklists, you will be able to enjoy your guests and join in the holiday celebration and have fun.

It’s important to go back to basics this year and keep it simple. Delegate or graciously accept offers for guests to bring their favorite or specialty recipe. Whatever you decide your menu to be, the warmth of your home, good food, wine and conversation will give everyone something to be thankful for.

Sharing memories of past Thanksgiving dinners, remembering precious stories about the children while they were growing up, funny stories about a “famous” relative, or finding out just how much everyone knows (or doesn’t know!) about the story of Thanksgiving can be great fun around the table and during dessert.

Being organized will help you to prepare and plan for a stress free holiday. To get you started, we’ve put together some of my tips to keep you on track along the way. Also check out this wonderful recipe from Martha Stewart for a Perfect Roasted Turkey with a chestnut stuffing. This year, we will be at friends and ready to experience Sasha’s Famous Stuffing.

3 Weeks Before
Confirm your guest list and choose the recipes you want to make. Keep in mind the space you have in your refrigerator and oven when planning your menu. Once you have prepared your menu, you can decide what can be made ahead of time. Start a list of what you need to accomplish on each of the days leading up to Thanksgiving and be sure that you have all the right cook’s tools. We’ve put together a list that’s got you covered!

Happy Organizing!

Mrs. O

No Comments November 26, 2010 on 12:19 pm | In All, Thanksgiving