tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42384014845606145862024-03-17T20:03:13.444-07:00Jeri’s Organizing & Decluttering NewsA professional organizer points you to cool products, good books, interesting concepts and much more - tidbits to help you organize and declutter.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.comBlogger1672125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-2903986503004375272023-05-10T12:27:00.000-07:002023-05-10T12:27:15.556-07:00In Honor of My Mom: Organizing in Blue for 2023<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmI4OAa3lVZLCX7B8-_4wBqweFnFuIK300jRkOjWmsfKAF8vfvpRNNp3nUVzQtSDusq0ZWxtlguirrZ03wA0LTZeUWVykPETlFbXwVn8gn5W2Hr4DJr9bIyMWoJZG4WkukfLIcOQduvI2EI4xJK-nYobmtfCxnbBOdSpaGy2dpKI85rLKKMB6S6cQ/s1779/bird%20platter%20Blue%20Kite%20Press.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="birch platter with two chickadees" border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1779" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmI4OAa3lVZLCX7B8-_4wBqweFnFuIK300jRkOjWmsfKAF8vfvpRNNp3nUVzQtSDusq0ZWxtlguirrZ03wA0LTZeUWVykPETlFbXwVn8gn5W2Hr4DJr9bIyMWoJZG4WkukfLIcOQduvI2EI4xJK-nYobmtfCxnbBOdSpaGy2dpKI85rLKKMB6S6cQ/s400/bird%20platter%20Blue%20Kite%20Press.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
Sixteeen years ago today, <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2007/05/julia-good-1926-2007.html">my mom died of pancreatic cancer</a>. Her favorite color was blue, so this has become my annual tribute to her. Since I'm retired I've not been updating this blog, but I couldn't skip this annual tribute.
<p>
I'll begin with this charming <a href="https://bluekitepress.com/products/chickadee-birch-veneer-tray">birch veneer tray with its two chickadees</a>; it comes from Blue Kite Press oin Boston. </p><p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKkpspbkp8CG1dpJQO1vhr_urXNd6zf0IQCh0G1aqApQj6ZJZf51acDs9N75MzXV_4HseoHebvH5H5BiJr72E7j9G9ZAcVI4rBH4Nys-gOft4T0mko7Br3CPQVScB3ZUVWJWMwC4uEvW3Eq8V7BfFwaSyzrrMVyetZzRMQTGrVI6TtCs2n3bk-yhw/s1350/Sardines%20platter%20tray%20from%20We%20Are%20Portugal.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="colorful serving platter with two sardines" border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKkpspbkp8CG1dpJQO1vhr_urXNd6zf0IQCh0G1aqApQj6ZJZf51acDs9N75MzXV_4HseoHebvH5H5BiJr72E7j9G9ZAcVI4rBH4Nys-gOft4T0mko7Br3CPQVScB3ZUVWJWMwC4uEvW3Eq8V7BfFwaSyzrrMVyetZzRMQTGrVI6TtCs2n3bk-yhw/s400/Sardines%20platter%20tray%20from%20We%20Are%20Portugal.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
Moving from the sedate to the not-at-all-sedate, here's a <a href="https://weareportugal.com/collections/platters-trays/products/splash-sardines-portuguese-pottery-oval-ceramic-serving-platter">serving platter/tray from Portugal</a>, with two sardines rather than two birds. It comes in one other size, too.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWtNRwtbvkShTH8qZFqVyVZXFhjCkbYEzA1mxg6H9ELPn0JwNwoZWWz_omKYe_UtBTo43YtMzFehzqI5DIHU2iNiuKY2ZOlHS6VwzlnGrN3dk00IFQiDsiL45Krd_9OgvZZ2M4VntYgQkTvAGCi3SmVGyWo5gduROyJDRAcDsB4kvXd341iiPIQMp/s1975/fish%20magnets.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="set of six blue fish magnets" border="0" data-original-height="1975" data-original-width="1580" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWtNRwtbvkShTH8qZFqVyVZXFhjCkbYEzA1mxg6H9ELPn0JwNwoZWWz_omKYe_UtBTo43YtMzFehzqI5DIHU2iNiuKY2ZOlHS6VwzlnGrN3dk00IFQiDsiL45Krd_9OgvZZ2M4VntYgQkTvAGCi3SmVGyWo5gduROyJDRAcDsB4kvXd341iiPIQMp/s600/fish%20magnets.jpeg" /></a>
Staying on the fish theme, here are some very cool (and very expensive) <a href="https://www.horchow.com/p/mario-luca-giusti-matteo-fish-magnets-set-of-6-cprod166900079">fish magnets</a> from Italy.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3DjFuGX-xTDLbEp9qhZeHWqxuiI0FrvohqwLLJB7RUldgBF_xq6KFK9r0TrOa_B1be14jrjl6jser12ZSUNLWiFbWYv7mDMeegsjrGUSbKfl5h2gybKnsd3lHvjxcR9xqqk-k_qIYByOHjZzixJj0Nv_vHQvtVof71Xj2NqSWFDzeQx6YECwD5qwp/s2048/Canvas%20bucket%20from%20Yellow%20Petal%20Handmade.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="canvas bucket with floral design" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3DjFuGX-xTDLbEp9qhZeHWqxuiI0FrvohqwLLJB7RUldgBF_xq6KFK9r0TrOa_B1be14jrjl6jser12ZSUNLWiFbWYv7mDMeegsjrGUSbKfl5h2gybKnsd3lHvjxcR9xqqk-k_qIYByOHjZzixJj0Nv_vHQvtVof71Xj2NqSWFDzeQx6YECwD5qwp/s400/Canvas%20bucket%20from%20Yellow%20Petal%20Handmade.jpg" width="400" /></a>
This <a href="https://yellowpetalhandmade.ca/products/blue-rosa-canvas-bucket-bag-with-pockets">canvas bucket</a> comes from Yellow Petal Handmade, which provides "beautiful storage options for all of your knitting and crochet needs." It's made by <a href="https://riflepaperco.com/">Rifle Paper Co.</a>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKEQBZdF6jllvlQhydL_XUBY_HMsXfimPEvJv4BFlNYL22fnTUcBAoCFqPj5nkqFslsXT8cq__zeYUmIBrHYrzbUNPqwcY0owkJRjnGNjgWITmxmn8gCTRmZLX3sYrnB1ZOxkJxc8beXvg8gJYjK0ZFhrT4-_G_Ilc1MACoOmc12XUkyK5gqDbtq5/s2182/recipe%20tin%20Rifle%20Paper%20Co.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="recipe box in blue floral pattern" border="0" data-original-height="1878" data-original-width="2182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKEQBZdF6jllvlQhydL_XUBY_HMsXfimPEvJv4BFlNYL22fnTUcBAoCFqPj5nkqFslsXT8cq__zeYUmIBrHYrzbUNPqwcY0owkJRjnGNjgWITmxmn8gCTRmZLX3sYrnB1ZOxkJxc8beXvg8gJYjK0ZFhrT4-_G_Ilc1MACoOmc12XUkyK5gqDbtq5/s400/recipe%20tin%20Rifle%20Paper%20Co.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
And speaking of Rifle Paper Co, here's a <a href="https://riflepaperco.com/garden-party-blue-recipe-tin">recipe tin</a> in a similar pattern.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-9KNMC2X_fw3HZ4swh5fcRDM7vb4qq7a4M7ECAhcTyGZbgK6BO0_v_h2JvvObwV2dhrzu3vGgVhpGospVWfUIABmBy17rxp9jUr9tQYNMWsjPs-edk8MI44JfJ3od2TBgJPUJ_PfyoTzb48xm68GShtGbr1EqklQX2Gl8rU5-TEJ0KAgrmmRc-h7/s1318/sheep%20moneybox%20at%201st%20Dibs.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="sheep-shaped moneybox with all but the head and feet in a pastel blue" border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="1318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-9KNMC2X_fw3HZ4swh5fcRDM7vb4qq7a4M7ECAhcTyGZbgK6BO0_v_h2JvvObwV2dhrzu3vGgVhpGospVWfUIABmBy17rxp9jUr9tQYNMWsjPs-edk8MI44JfJ3od2TBgJPUJ_PfyoTzb48xm68GShtGbr1EqklQX2Gl8rU5-TEJ0KAgrmmRc-h7/s400/sheep%20moneybox%20at%201st%20Dibs.jpg" width="400" /></a>
And finally, here's an expensive but adorable <a href="https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/dining-entertaining/ceramics/sheep-moneybox-pop-art-pastel-blue-made-italy-2022-new-collection/id-f_27527992/">moneybox</a> from Italy. The head is on a cork and can be removed to get the money out.
</p>Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-11786270378724256542022-05-10T14:34:00.001-07:002023-05-10T00:09:08.548-07:00In Honor of My Mom: Organizing in Blue for 2022<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP32_xdjUFIjYhnEJ0HyTxSCBta0-3ZWOOdHJSoS83A3N-IvqcBx14afMl1BXJPKnMXDkojYkQENJr9NqtcPdmXsSWylH5e8-DigdNbxPALIREsQNE_1og1vHNiBmPHGEKyYO5tIBd0ntQAypds6jLYHTMKI2PCCHF02DL3ys34j1pou2dUHlraqoM/s523/GoldenPigs%20blue%20piggy%20bank.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="blue piggy bank" border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="504" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP32_xdjUFIjYhnEJ0HyTxSCBta0-3ZWOOdHJSoS83A3N-IvqcBx14afMl1BXJPKnMXDkojYkQENJr9NqtcPdmXsSWylH5e8-DigdNbxPALIREsQNE_1og1vHNiBmPHGEKyYO5tIBd0ntQAypds6jLYHTMKI2PCCHF02DL3ys34j1pou2dUHlraqoM/s400/GoldenPigs%20blue%20piggy%20bank.jpeg" /></a>
Fifteeen years ago today, <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2007/05/julia-good-1926-2007.html">my mom died of pancreatic cancer</a>. Her favorite color was blue, so this has become my annual tribute to her.
<p>
Let’s start with this <a href="https://goldenpigs.ro/products/chalk-collection-medium-blue-piggy-bank-for-kids-adults-handmade-clay">adorable ceramic piggy bank</a> from Golden Pigs — made in Europe, but the company ships worldwide. It’s got a blackboard body so you can write on it if you so choose, it comes in multiple sizes, and the cork snout makes it easy to remove money when you’re ready. In the meantime, a piggy bank is a great way to store all those spare coins that so many people accumulate.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtMPOMFz-b0EuAtJWJJaBuPHeuixGh68zQ5fr6F0hiaAp75FS94WjG2dxvf1OGxBcUEsnYswJ4CHHtik7LGvDN8mpbRrQjktG4gNwteMAHDKfI7L2p8oxD_MUVI6ooVoqNVHgpKgwY7fRdgFa2U6GSQFLvUa-B_4OwQV9Y9FF6Kmlpk2FRoKx3fzI/s1019/Alewine%20Pottery%20utensil%20holder%20-%20blueberry.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="utensil holder - white and blue with a maple leaf" border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="836" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtMPOMFz-b0EuAtJWJJaBuPHeuixGh68zQ5fr6F0hiaAp75FS94WjG2dxvf1OGxBcUEsnYswJ4CHHtik7LGvDN8mpbRrQjktG4gNwteMAHDKfI7L2p8oxD_MUVI6ooVoqNVHgpKgwY7fRdgFa2U6GSQFLvUa-B_4OwQV9Y9FF6Kmlpk2FRoKx3fzI/s400/Alewine%20Pottery%20utensil%20holder%20-%20blueberry.jpeg" /></a>
<a href="https://www.alewinepottery.net/">Alewine Pottery</a> has some lovely utenstil holders. The color on <a href="https://www.alewinepottery.net/collections/kitchen/products/utensil-jar-blueberry">this one</a> is called blueberry.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhen54llIicS8Aj5hug8sHad2RLpYMq4-bRTQzHeupnZlBLH1ystHlVjv7Ht50GdRU3xCXzZoX7NEthxLgdog-RLzi0LvdWjk4tWHQ2R5bsSez57LyrjCag8of7hy4DIGtmtAuksGbaY7m000TjiqpMNUI4i4Df8xXXK7hoQgoh-7L74kvfyRvU4_GN/s729/Alewine%20Pottery%20utensil%20holder%20-%20the%20blues.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="utensil holder in varous shades of blue" border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="709" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhen54llIicS8Aj5hug8sHad2RLpYMq4-bRTQzHeupnZlBLH1ystHlVjv7Ht50GdRU3xCXzZoX7NEthxLgdog-RLzi0LvdWjk4tWHQ2R5bsSez57LyrjCag8of7hy4DIGtmtAuksGbaY7m000TjiqpMNUI4i4Df8xXXK7hoQgoh-7L74kvfyRvU4_GN/s400/Alewine%20Pottery%20utensil%20holder%20-%20the%20blues.jpeg" /></a>
And <a href="https://www.alewinepottery.net/products/utensil-holder-the-blues">this one</a> is called The Blues.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlV-bdK1kB4g0HY1I2lsPOfToFSwIqH8okHWlZ_FRyD5krEA0hElB1UbaaEag_-I_lFfpjbHwWCGfziVK7iTPj4eR97MPJ9fPYL2heVE-E6BzJD3QVNfw0SxULPcnj_jbe4JJNeZqiHE20XtDyeeqpyb2mrfyQSsnC0k3nfgOYoUzFoAYwF_d4ZOoo/s720/Mia%20Melange%20handle%20baskets.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="a collection of baskets made of cotton rope and jute; off-white, brown, and blue on the bottom (including the interior)" border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlV-bdK1kB4g0HY1I2lsPOfToFSwIqH8okHWlZ_FRyD5krEA0hElB1UbaaEag_-I_lFfpjbHwWCGfziVK7iTPj4eR97MPJ9fPYL2heVE-E6BzJD3QVNfw0SxULPcnj_jbe4JJNeZqiHE20XtDyeeqpyb2mrfyQSsnC0k3nfgOYoUzFoAYwF_d4ZOoo/s400/Mia%20Melange%20handle%20baskets.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
The <a href="https://miamelange.com/products/handle-basket-jute-blue-grey?variant=32199879524454">baskets from Mia Mélange</a> look lovely, and baskets have a bunch of uses.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZLpI3NhgxscPbJfpBEF1onqJ6VeIxA0sZzSKCCirQhdgoFQlavP3cmyH1eeR4njQ-6zt5v3Xdc39BoJR-jZfGYTqC5DwaTcTAW6MLrtMj_dE5bW2cwQaiSC6t3SVJHzbkN5Xlm12ApibskCPTZsF2syvAQmHz97YF0r7eq_xOOvqtZJze16F_dVr/s1031/sara_fitz_blue_fish_tray.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="small tray with a picture of a fish, in blue" border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="1031" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZLpI3NhgxscPbJfpBEF1onqJ6VeIxA0sZzSKCCirQhdgoFQlavP3cmyH1eeR4njQ-6zt5v3Xdc39BoJR-jZfGYTqC5DwaTcTAW6MLrtMj_dE5bW2cwQaiSC6t3SVJHzbkN5Xlm12ApibskCPTZsF2syvAQmHz97YF0r7eq_xOOvqtZJze16F_dVr/s400/sara_fitz_blue_fish_tray.jpg" width="400" /></a>
This cool <a href="https://sarafitz.com/products/small-blue-fish-tray">fish tray from Sarah Fitz</a> is made from birch wood coated with melamine; it comes from Finland.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvU6LLGnbZMz3e46vV_mnEUz6d6wNtnljGXHOzQkR6w03poIYf-5KWVRDcihmM40kPthdxf6VvsnyKg81U3dZuFpm1cBK_8WP-dEn3A0Cu0Yrl7N96Ao-Yly5p1L8GOpARaCntk6s_VYzFf1mduFlK28zfAvBrNUPvvRIt--Kg8Exg28H81TpH-p6y/s800/Wonderwall-whale-magnetic-board.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="blue magnetic board shaped like a whale" border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvU6LLGnbZMz3e46vV_mnEUz6d6wNtnljGXHOzQkR6w03poIYf-5KWVRDcihmM40kPthdxf6VvsnyKg81U3dZuFpm1cBK_8WP-dEn3A0Cu0Yrl7N96Ao-Yly5p1L8GOpARaCntk6s_VYzFf1mduFlK28zfAvBrNUPvvRIt--Kg8Exg28H81TpH-p6y/s400/Wonderwall-whale-magnetic-board.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
Staying on the aquatic theme: Wonderwall has this <a href="https://www.wonderwall.be/en/whale-magnetic-board-xl.html">whale magnetic board</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aM6KLKtUahSxmgd_7ztbRGWnrs1Lt3iejHuJDgvm3k5vmQX1Sm4IL1L0fKhK3nsxOrWSPm5tTpp39cWk1n3NYFFbK35M8V6RzW0WqjAIGJGKkOvTexCdbMwrMuPNsRt63QgP4HNe4N3_YXpMYjspFesCvEkuIM6vKCH1SqY_x3enzzOVnQI0MVNj/s675/Brabantia-pedal-bin-dreamy-blue.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="small light blue pedal waste bin on the floor next to a desk" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="675" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aM6KLKtUahSxmgd_7ztbRGWnrs1Lt3iejHuJDgvm3k5vmQX1Sm4IL1L0fKhK3nsxOrWSPm5tTpp39cWk1n3NYFFbK35M8V6RzW0WqjAIGJGKkOvTexCdbMwrMuPNsRt63QgP4HNe4N3_YXpMYjspFesCvEkuIM6vKCH1SqY_x3enzzOVnQI0MVNj/s400/Brabantia-pedal-bin-dreamy-blue.jpg" width="400" /></a>
Brabantia has come out with new colors for their <a href="https://www.brabantia.com/int_en/collecting-waste/waste-bins-paper-bins/?master_colour%5B0%5D=Blue">waste bins</a>, which come in multiple sizes. The color on this one is called <a href="https://www.brabantia.com/int_en/newicon-pedal-bin-12-litre-soft-closing-plastic-inner-bucket-dreamy-blue/">Dreamy Blue</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYmqyuIY6QGcNtrs6bo_mG2HfhxeW-7V6T0aZsGK6D4GqAk-QhvTtM0AErw0KnJSzH4NOR4eYK4O5E1yUuK2aY72joUK9GNrP6xH9bvW186DHKDid1MFVfVWNbgTjFBazqYWVkhvjlUNh78i4CCSNnoRs-DSS5yjL8oDK_qCsXeK7GWSbRdT5OzMR/s1083/Brabantia-pedal-bin-mineral-powerful-blue.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="Royal blue pedal bin sitting in what is probably a bathroom; a towel hangs from a hook on the wall. The room is decoarted all in whites and off-whites so the bin really stands out." border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1083" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYmqyuIY6QGcNtrs6bo_mG2HfhxeW-7V6T0aZsGK6D4GqAk-QhvTtM0AErw0KnJSzH4NOR4eYK4O5E1yUuK2aY72joUK9GNrP6xH9bvW186DHKDid1MFVfVWNbgTjFBazqYWVkhvjlUNh78i4CCSNnoRs-DSS5yjL8oDK_qCsXeK7GWSbRdT5OzMR/s400/Brabantia-pedal-bin-mineral-powerful-blue.jpg" width="400" /></a>
And this one is <a href="https://www.brabantia.com/int_en/newicon-pedal-bin-12-litre-soft-closing-plastic-inner-bucket-mineral-powerful-blue/">Mineral Powerful Blue</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKDyjKR88-RV96SiVeGuoF_pI017WCAvSmxgmXclDcLvlKGZNIc9sSaH7a19NXFLVBUwxVGmdkxB9mlCQpNe24sGU9Ctk9sNUUzuu3RiGNrHOisF4xvKj_ym13WFSryJG06Bs-5zAt9Tnlr38icWm2ZZeS67EZWlTnMA8AmOBFTqQAKgoXJHs7FGh/s949/Nest%20Hangers%20from%20Northern%20at%20Nordic%20Nest.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="wall hooks on pink, blueand green — with a small bowl on the top of each hook" border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="949" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKDyjKR88-RV96SiVeGuoF_pI017WCAvSmxgmXclDcLvlKGZNIc9sSaH7a19NXFLVBUwxVGmdkxB9mlCQpNe24sGU9Ctk9sNUUzuu3RiGNrHOisF4xvKj_ym13WFSryJG06Bs-5zAt9Tnlr38icWm2ZZeS67EZWlTnMA8AmOBFTqQAKgoXJHs7FGh/s400/Nest%20Hangers%20from%20Northern%20at%20Nordic%20Nest.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
The clever Nest Hangers from <a href="https://northern.no/wr/product/nest/">Northern</a>, also sold by <a href="https://www.nordicnest.com/brands/northern-lighting/nest-kladhangare-19525c1d/?variantId=31200-02">Nordic Nest</a>, come in various colors — including blue.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqLqxngNXmhMBFXUzoCBiyJTvKF9LFCeGeM8MSiVh3WJFoZ3K0DWaWJxem5ndP5KtLByLh36nUm2aNd366n5RowfW73_9hdHuWDMf_hG8xJozdJGciop_qh-PgLeFUkv1pGzOl53YvLKw7jt_Zeq2elk-ddNxIjymdl_ObRrzYn8cXyS5KbwvAd6b/s800/Levenger-winter-garden-floral-file-folder.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="floral file folders with blue flowers on a white background; the interiors of the file filders are blue, too" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqLqxngNXmhMBFXUzoCBiyJTvKF9LFCeGeM8MSiVh3WJFoZ3K0DWaWJxem5ndP5KtLByLh36nUm2aNd366n5RowfW73_9hdHuWDMf_hG8xJozdJGciop_qh-PgLeFUkv1pGzOl53YvLKw7jt_Zeq2elk-ddNxIjymdl_ObRrzYn8cXyS5KbwvAd6b/s400/Levenger-winter-garden-floral-file-folder.jpg" width="400" /></a>
And finally: Levenger has some pretty <a href="https://www.levenger.com/winter-garden-floral-file-folder-18076.aspx">floral file folders</a>.
Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-60601777840101224102021-06-28T21:04:00.003-07:002021-06-29T14:32:49.132-07:00Decluttering: All the Usual Suspects<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbs6C-dYcQspVYpKTIplyHzZX6AusIXwo25Z2zb5wRHOly2u22tKMabxYi7WuHYdjP4bV6D-ASBCU_wwe5zQkdqveW_F-u1fBBX82gemaQczFLgydq9-gon3NWfMe_01AxofbGZDO71WA/s1468/cat-in-box-Flickr-user-George-Boyce.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="cat in a box from Amazon" border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbs6C-dYcQspVYpKTIplyHzZX6AusIXwo25Z2zb5wRHOly2u22tKMabxYi7WuHYdjP4bV6D-ASBCU_wwe5zQkdqveW_F-u1fBBX82gemaQczFLgydq9-gon3NWfMe_01AxofbGZDO71WA/s400/cat-in-box-Flickr-user-George-Boyce.jpg" width="400" /></a>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo entitled <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/geebee2007/17937137432/">Muffin 9 by Flickr user George Boyce</a>, licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">Creative Commons</a></span></i>
<p>After years of helping people with their decluttering, I’ve noticed certain categories of things show up time and again. So I grin when I see the same categories of stuff coming up in tweets, in a BuzzFeed article, and on other online sites.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<i>New Yorker</i> magazines
</h3>
<blockquote>
Friends, because of a twirling daughter/juice mishap, my pile of unread “New Yorker”s that I was totally going to read one of these days (nb I have not had a subscription for years) has had to be discarded.
Please respect my privacy in this difficult time. — <a href="https://twitter.com/WFKARS/status/1036413432399101953">Daniel Summers, MD</a>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
I wish the <i>New Yorker</i> offered “every other issue subscriptions”, because every issue is too many and I just end up throwing them out. — <a href="https://twitter.com/back40feet/status/1088257745348771841">Chuck B.</a>
</blockquote>
The <i>New Yorker</i> is filled with interesting articles — and as Chuck notes, it comes every darn week. If you’ve got a big pile of these (as so many people do) you may want to emulate Chuck in recognizing these just aren’t going to get read and putting them in the recycling bin.
<p>Also, if you’re OK with reading things online, consider shifting to a digital-only subscription (which is my personal solution).</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Boxes
</h3>
<blockquote>
Pretty sure I have every box of every Apple product my family has owned dating back at least a decade - even ones for devices I no longer own. Planning on starting a museum one day. — <a href="https://twitter.com/sethmnookin/status/1081322317723172864">Seth Mnookin</a>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Do You Or Somebody You Know Suffer From KYAPBFTL (Keeping Your Apple Product Boxes For Too Long?) — <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/samir/apple-box-keeping-disorder">Samir Mezrahi on BuzzFeed</a>
</blockquote>
Some Apple boxes are worth keeping, of course. Boxes for currently-owned iMacs and cinema displays are useful if you’re going to be moving or if you might need to take the product in for repair. But what purpose do the other boxes serve?
<p>And it’s not just Apple boxes. You may have a truly good purpose for saving certain boxes: for a move, for the cat, for planned mailings to friends and family, etc. But be sure you know why you’re saving those boxes! Also, make sure the ones you save are in good condition — and not so flimsy that they're useless.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Cables, Cords and Keys
</h3>
<blockquote>The contents of my house appear to be 95% cords to things I don’t have anymore. — <a href="https://twitter.com/susanorlean/status/1298337639813152768">Susan Orlean</a>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>Ben has his box of random cords to go through, I have my stash of random keys. So far I know what exactly 2 of these are for. — <a href="https://twitter.com/__ccaatt__/status/1408038695677145090">cat</a> </blockquote>
The boxes of unidentified, long-unused cables and cords and the collection of unidentified, long-unused keys are decluttering clichés. You'll also plenty of posts from folks saying they actually wound up using something from the cord box (or could have used something they tossed).
<p>But for many of us, those cords are never ever going to get used. The ones that say Samsung when you no longer own anything made by Samsung (feel free to replace Samsung with your brand name of choice) might be the easiest to part with.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Too Many of the Same Thing (and some much better than others)
</h3>
<blockquote>What mundane object have you weirdly acquired too many of, personally or as a household?
For me, it’s black cotton hoodies and for the household, nail clippers.— <a href="https://twitter.com/mulegirl/status/970132450985652224">Erika Hall</a> </blockquote>
<blockquote>“Where is the good knife?” If you’re looking for your good X, you have bad Xs. Throw those out. — from <a href="https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/7hFeMWC6Y5eaSixbD/100-tips-for-a-better-life">100 Tips For a Better Life, on LessWrong</a></blockquote>
If you store things (such as nail clippers) in multiple places, sometimes for good reason, it’s easy to lose track of how many you have. For example, I know someone who will never again need to buy Scotch Magic Tape.
<p>And it’s easy to fall into the habit of keeping the bad X just in case the good X breaks, gets lost, etc. In some cases that might be a reasonable choice, but in many cases it would serve us better to just get rid of the bad X (and perhaps buy a second good X if it’s an essential item and replacing it might be difficult or excessively time-consuming). One good X vs. bad X example in my own household was flashlights; the bad ones are gone now, so I have only good ones at hand every place I might need one.
</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">
Things We “Might Need Someday”</h3>
<blockquote>God I would love to throw away some of these decade-old t-shirts that are getting holes and don’t fit me anymore but what if I wind up having to paint for 80 straight days at some point — <a href="https://twitter.com/nomchompsky/status/1277382073066586112">Twitter user nomchompsky</a></blockquote>
<blockquote>I’ve been in the same house for 20 years and I’m doing a full clean out for reasons. It’s amazing how much useless shit you can accumulate simply by believing it might come in handy one day. — <a href="https://twitter.com/TimBurga/status/1406692835718483971">Tim Burga</a></blockquote>
<blockquote> People say not to throw things out because someday you might need them. I’m at the Someday age now and see I needed none of it. —<a href="https://twitter.com/RichardL_Kramer/status/927275051149230080">Richard Kramer</a></blockquote>
<p></p>
Here’s a personal example: My cat Moonshadow died in November of last year. He liked fish-flavored cat food; my other cat, Sunshine, does not like any kind of seafood flavors. I was keeping some of his fish-flavored food because “what if there's an earthquake” and “what if I get another cat?”
<p>Well, she won’t eat that food even if there's an earthquake, I have plenty of food she <i>will</i> eat, and by the time I get another cat (assuming I ever do) the cans I have will likely be past their best-by date. I just gave them away; they’ll be going to people who need them <i>now.</i> And I’ve cleared up some storage space for things it actually makes sense to keep.</p>Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-38483628074682990542021-06-28T11:38:00.000-07:002021-06-28T11:38:08.249-07:00Knife Storage, Revisited, Part 3: Four Solutions for the Space-Challenged<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWwWRj0s9rDx8OCLkncrG5DNR79zC8Z4uUgrFFSiQ08tMpDdb988UFMv_JGPL8LecKoI9qnlOPk7ilbNmyWLYZcMlWk4hu_O8HGByG9PY1SKan4ziOL2sbimEv-zSxVazWDNhZ237de4/s600/The-Drop-Block.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="knife storage that installs under a kitchen cabinet; magnets hold the knives in place" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWwWRj0s9rDx8OCLkncrG5DNR79zC8Z4uUgrFFSiQ08tMpDdb988UFMv_JGPL8LecKoI9qnlOPk7ilbNmyWLYZcMlWk4hu_O8HGByG9PY1SKan4ziOL2sbimEv-zSxVazWDNhZ237de4/s400/The-Drop-Block.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
I originally thought Part 3 of this series would cover drawer storage for knives; after all, that’s my personal choice. But I’m not seeing anything beyond the options you can readily find at places like <a href="https://www.containerstore.com/s?source=form&q=knife+drawer+storage">The Container Store</a>.
<p>So instead, let’s look at some knife storage solutions which go beyond the ones you usually see — and which might work well for the space-challenged. The photo above is <a href="https://thedropblock.com">The Drop Block</a>, for under-cabinet storage. It comes in six different colors and a few different sizes.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgFQ1kwG-QvYrfngHpX0afTd_Vdz62sHwl0gLIMHzajBE0e2Jw1aMr2_yomROu56o5WzIQJqJSGGNFaMr_yiFTKdvHMPleSIbX-KJMzDXfwrMSP4QZY36FafcWmFQvWKMqoL0oKb70bA/s757/JBWoodTurn-Etsy-magnetic-knife-block.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="wood knife rack attached to the side of a refrigerator" border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="757" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgFQ1kwG-QvYrfngHpX0afTd_Vdz62sHwl0gLIMHzajBE0e2Jw1aMr2_yomROu56o5WzIQJqJSGGNFaMr_yiFTKdvHMPleSIbX-KJMzDXfwrMSP4QZY36FafcWmFQvWKMqoL0oKb70bA/s400/JBWoodTurn-Etsy-magnetic-knife-block.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
At first glance, this item might look like <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2021/05/knife-storage-revisited-part-2-wall.html">a normal wall-mounted knife rack</a>. But no: It’s magnetized and intended for the side of refigerators (excluding those that don't work with magnets, of course). <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/JBWoodTurn">JB’s Wood Turning</a> has three different models. I was also delighted to learn that <a href="https://www.etsy.com/people/Vestedjoe">the creator, Joe, is a retired shop teacher</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9jUzZe0eL2r4Tj8LBcGCZtA1iQ3dX5-1BY84BMVZOsOBOis13eVGxKTxBVZPfUNiip379AeSlN5SQWK1Rvn-p7YGV_DACLmY8ZZGdinKnRiMMTfx2pOJ6yZ8tX5ee0mvqwvGZ48KXts/s675/Camco-knife-safe.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="white knife rack mounted on a cabinet" border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="544" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9jUzZe0eL2r4Tj8LBcGCZtA1iQ3dX5-1BY84BMVZOsOBOis13eVGxKTxBVZPfUNiip379AeSlN5SQWK1Rvn-p7YGV_DACLmY8ZZGdinKnRiMMTfx2pOJ6yZ8tX5ee0mvqwvGZ48KXts/s400/Camco-knife-safe.jpeg" /></a>
The <a href="https://www.camco.net/knife-safe-white-9-x-11-x-5-8-bilingual-43581">Camco Knife Safe</a> might also look like a normal not-so-beautiful wall-mounted knife rack. But Camco makes these for RVs, and they are intended for storage inside a cabinet. There’s also <a href="https://www.camco.net/knife-safe-for-larger-blades-white-e-f-43586">another model which holds two knives with larger blades</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdx9QADJgf9RpSHx1qMHpHb6LsIDLU4p3mv2EO8rzK_ebMvk_0EgbqG-uN6ezhRYxyWSBqCjcVPkXFM5EpyJiF4H4V9uBH5ewt-4mVBo1kWPLEdi-9rstr01TbNDxf0FZfbC3-IHm9W8/s983/nesmuk-knife-bag.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="black leather knife roll, unrolled" border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="983" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdx9QADJgf9RpSHx1qMHpHb6LsIDLU4p3mv2EO8rzK_ebMvk_0EgbqG-uN6ezhRYxyWSBqCjcVPkXFM5EpyJiF4H4V9uBH5ewt-4mVBo1kWPLEdi-9rstr01TbNDxf0FZfbC3-IHm9W8/s400/nesmuk-knife-bag.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
Knife bags and knife rolls are mostly intended for mobile storage, but they could be used as a space-saving storage mechanism, too. (They probably wouldn’t be my first choice, though, since it’s somewhat more cumbersome to get to your knives when you want them.)
<p>But look how gorgeous this <a href="https://www.nesmukknives.com/collections/nesmuk-storage-and-care/products/nesmuk-leather-knife-bag">knife bag from Nesmuk</a> is! (Somehow I always seem to find — and admire — the expensive stuff.) Unlike many knife rolls, the knives “lie on a magnetic knife rest that is cut-resistant and wrapped in a Kevlar fabric. This ensures that the blades remain permanently scratch-free.”</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNaj4KWW7HMtGxJOD10TLcabN7D5M7Kcunad_4220pJrsmlUzpr0gIsQYUnJtN-z47V63Rv1guMSHoESskrJfCOZu5mmicG7bQoWQqRdWrz9_fAJpVH2UK8svEknOiQU8RBmlRZoyW4c/s794/LeatherPage-knife-roll.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="blue leather knife roll, unrolled" border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNaj4KWW7HMtGxJOD10TLcabN7D5M7Kcunad_4220pJrsmlUzpr0gIsQYUnJtN-z47V63Rv1guMSHoESskrJfCOZu5mmicG7bQoWQqRdWrz9_fAJpVH2UK8svEknOiQU8RBmlRZoyW4c/s400/LeatherPage-knife-roll.jpg" width="400" /></a>
Of course, there are many less-expensive options. This lovely <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/772291966/leather-knife-roll-personalized-chefs">knife roll from LeatherPage</a> sells for about 1/10 the price of the Nesmuk knife bag.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-70609512738250641612021-06-13T17:53:00.001-07:002021-06-17T14:21:54.240-07:00Book: Steal Like an Artist<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoywlnK8xf3SDbn25IVIz3KZzd6fzZ8gpZdsLQiVsI_3BxUXQWKrDkqy_p7HGM0OO1I8C2Urc3Ae_Y5d8UmNxN3WEcSfUQHNsD6_yfZCR_GVoVFDdbbfpilRUG8FHiy3a9bv3AiKHh50/s500/Steal-Like-An-Artist.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="book cover: Steal Like an Artist" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoywlnK8xf3SDbn25IVIz3KZzd6fzZ8gpZdsLQiVsI_3BxUXQWKrDkqy_p7HGM0OO1I8C2Urc3Ae_Y5d8UmNxN3WEcSfUQHNsD6_yfZCR_GVoVFDdbbfpilRUG8FHiy3a9bv3AiKHh50/s400/Steal-Like-An-Artist.jpg" width="400" /></a>
During the past year, as I stayed home, I bought a number of books — many from authors who participated in the online <a href="https://www.quarantinebookclub.com">Quarantine Book Club</a>. I didn’t do such a great job of actually reading those books, though. Now that I finally <i>am</i> making my way through them, I thought I’d share any organizing-related gems I find.
<br />
<br />
<i><a href="https://austinkleon.com/steal/">Steal Like an Artist</a></i> is mostly directed at people such as musicians, illustrators and authors — and the message that all art builds on prior works is one I’ve heard before. But there’s a lot more than just that message, and this one point seemed especially relevant to almost everyone:
<blockquote>... you can pick your teachers and you can pick your friends and you can pick the music you listen to and you can pick the books you read and you can pick the movies you see.
<br />
<br />
You are, in fact, a mashup of what you choose to let into your life.</blockquote>Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-4047757709603017002021-05-31T20:24:00.003-07:002021-05-31T20:24:36.157-07:00Knife Storage, Revisited, Part 2: Wall-Mounted Knife Racks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOCZHEBRGxf5q3XvkFEj7nUcJfXydXmOhPFbASXjyc4gTb5GhQphSwzyNR1lLNBvZLgyjSx_Hiuqwcalv45UAp0A1d-Q736vosdJ2MIVt6OeEsmNOupqtFu5kkK6sBWuABC_ktOK1MRs/s878/NordenDesigns-Etsy-knife-rack.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; "><img alt="tiger maple wall-mounted knife rack with two knives hanging on it" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOCZHEBRGxf5q3XvkFEj7nUcJfXydXmOhPFbASXjyc4gTb5GhQphSwzyNR1lLNBvZLgyjSx_Hiuqwcalv45UAp0A1d-Q736vosdJ2MIVt6OeEsmNOupqtFu5kkK6sBWuABC_ktOK1MRs/s400/NordenDesigns-Etsy-knife-rack.jpg"/></a>
If you don’t have room on your countertop for a <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2021/05/knife-storage-revisited-part-1-knife.html">knife block</a>, a wall-mounted rack might be a good option. And there are so many cool ones to choose from! (Of course, there are purely utilitarian ones, too. You don’t need my help to find those.)
<p>This one comes from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/NordenDesigns?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=459636502&section_id=17817766">Norden Designs</a>, which makes knife racks in various lengths and various woods. Like most wall-mounted racks, it uses strong embedded magnets to hold the knives in place.</p>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bIZ_3_0pV3vxNmPUa3oTthLpGCj_2Wt_TdbwHZtGMntNZoZ7lj1mKUCVbG86NeU37o1yVf0ooZaeIXM1XidU-JN2v_WtCBwBszhcG6UmrEcLSqegLW9PoIcPNh1NfjR75uAnzT7Ra28/s1104/Arbol-Cuisine-wall-knife-block.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; "><img alt="Five wall-mounted knife racks, in different woods and size. The two longest ones each have a knife hanging on them." border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bIZ_3_0pV3vxNmPUa3oTthLpGCj_2Wt_TdbwHZtGMntNZoZ7lj1mKUCVbG86NeU37o1yVf0ooZaeIXM1XidU-JN2v_WtCBwBszhcG6UmrEcLSqegLW9PoIcPNh1NfjR75uAnzT7Ra28/s400/Arbol-Cuisine-wall-knife-block.jpeg"/></a>
Unsurprisingly, some of the companies that make nice knife blocks also make nice knife racks. These come from <a href="https://www.arbolcuisine.com/shop/bloc-couteaux-mural-9a2sk">Arbol Cuisine</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSv0JtV9ktq4aWaDZsXPG1gAY0mEfvvN-tcsGy_pMneFrdAyjw8xzyMx7NJxVYKwQJLHIMrYlRcvSiI-jjW6X7yI0Zp4tUgKNF2bRopjyAHu2DIJI7zfqClD7trW5DtTY3uajKWQBc5U/s1041/Make-Me-Something-Special-wall-knife-rack.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; "><img alt="large, tall walnut knife rack with seven knives hanging on it" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1041" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSv0JtV9ktq4aWaDZsXPG1gAY0mEfvvN-tcsGy_pMneFrdAyjw8xzyMx7NJxVYKwQJLHIMrYlRcvSiI-jjW6X7yI0Zp4tUgKNF2bRopjyAHu2DIJI7zfqClD7trW5DtTY3uajKWQBc5U/s400/Make-Me-Something-Special-wall-knife-rack.jpeg"/></a>
And this one comes from <a href="https://makemesomethingspecial.com/shop/magnetic-wooden-knife-rack/">Make Me Something Special</a>. At 10 inches tall, it’s substantially taller than most wall-mounted knife racks, thus keeping the entire knife blade on the rack.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOImv2klNq_WWdIhtVJfD4I5O1Br21ar_sNJ6BaRtY3v2BaVnZWVLBFqmQWOTFzwYECO_oZPTdDayiDsDXygMFbqpSnEAxxwNzddAocJex3EQwnvMh9sq1-t8dIKL61Yne5Z-yYonnJ7g/s1946/peg-and-awl-knife-grabber-at-Food52.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; "><img alt="Dark wood knife rack with two magnets in each knife postion. There are three knives, one pair of scissors, and one more item hanging on the rack; three positions are empty so you can see the magnets." border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1671" data-original-width="1946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOImv2klNq_WWdIhtVJfD4I5O1Br21ar_sNJ6BaRtY3v2BaVnZWVLBFqmQWOTFzwYECO_oZPTdDayiDsDXygMFbqpSnEAxxwNzddAocJex3EQwnvMh9sq1-t8dIKL61Yne5Z-yYonnJ7g/s400/peg-and-awl-knife-grabber-at-Food52.jpeg"/></a>
While most magnetic knife blocks hide the magnets, the knife grabbers from <a href="https://pegandawlbuilt.com">Peg and Awl</a>, sold by <a href="https://food52.com/shop/products/3948-shou-sugi-ban-knife-grabber">Food52</a>, make the magnets part of the design. The knife grabbers are all made from <a href="https://pegandawlbuilt.com/pages/process">reclaimed wood</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiae74-xQ29Wb5-1oFbgObKjrC7s2eqSBE0mWSHDdbDMti5u7wTyILFKdecBVkv4iscQxe7y7BQY0_0TQvoyjEPjtmqWkxsqmAEKr8y6oWnFJH98ladsZlFrnsDPx-5Kk4TLhL0WFkmK-0/s499/ZerninHandcrafted-magnetic-knife-holders.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; "><img alt="four wall-mounted magnetic wooden circles, each with a knfie hanging on it" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiae74-xQ29Wb5-1oFbgObKjrC7s2eqSBE0mWSHDdbDMti5u7wTyILFKdecBVkv4iscQxe7y7BQY0_0TQvoyjEPjtmqWkxsqmAEKr8y6oWnFJH98ladsZlFrnsDPx-5Kk4TLhL0WFkmK-0/s400/ZerninHandcrafted-magnetic-knife-holders.jpeg"/></a>
Yet another magnetic option is what <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/ZerninHandcrafted?section_id=18850243">Zernin Handcrafted</a> calls <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/266108458/knife-rack-magnetic-knife-rack-knife?ref=shop_home_active_3&crt=1">Magic Circles</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUbc_LTHjLA6Gsl0K0_V1c3GLLVkiBCzqvzlOowZgEspRSCNBWf2EF3kwYKwVbirNYeznjyG07-6lQUkcJrS0JRvleEwS8jtHUDhyphenhyphenOB-1igrwjH1WIcuEgxMn0DaKfHscbkbl1I-RXCc/s705/Eva-Solo-Magneto-knife-rack.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; "><img alt="stainless steel wall-mounted knife rack, holding four knives so the blades face the wall" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="705" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUbc_LTHjLA6Gsl0K0_V1c3GLLVkiBCzqvzlOowZgEspRSCNBWf2EF3kwYKwVbirNYeznjyG07-6lQUkcJrS0JRvleEwS8jtHUDhyphenhyphenOB-1igrwjH1WIcuEgxMn0DaKfHscbkbl1I-RXCc/s400/Eva-Solo-Magneto-knife-rack.jpg"/></a>
The stainless steel <a href="https://www.nordicnest.com/brands/eva-solo/magneto-knife-magnet/">Magneto knife rack from Eva Solo</a> isn’t new, but I haven’t yet written about here. It’s a very different design which keeps the knife blades pointed inward; that might be better from a safety perspective. It also fits more knives into a given amount of space. <a href="https://www.2modern.com/products/magneto-knife-magnet">2Modern</a> is a US-based source for this rack.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-yTl7xQL1YUszMWkgkDHFJNxMKoUBwIW-h6GsFqhwBwpJnrwwKLJQz74fihX6lHNrD9CtqWuHlvixomPt23vDT34JrE3UVI9SA2runbaP6j96wkzyGWLqbfz6WsF5awkZGITvznN2UQ/s794/CattailsWoodwork-Etsy-knife-rack.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; "><img alt="birdseye maple wall-mounted knife rack with four knives inserted into the slot along the top" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-yTl7xQL1YUszMWkgkDHFJNxMKoUBwIW-h6GsFqhwBwpJnrwwKLJQz74fihX6lHNrD9CtqWuHlvixomPt23vDT34JrE3UVI9SA2runbaP6j96wkzyGWLqbfz6WsF5awkZGITvznN2UQ/s400/CattailsWoodwork-Etsy-knife-rack.jpg"/></a>
Not all wall-mounted knife racks use magnets; <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/CattailsWoodwork?section_id=13245665">Cattails Woodwork</a> makes ones with a long slot for inserting the knives. These knife racks come in three different woods, and each wood is available in two lengths.
<p>Shop owner <a href="https://www.etsy.com/people/BrendaWattsWoodwork">Brenda Watts</a> writes about the woods she uses in her products: “Some pieces are crafted using fine cabinet woods such as black walnut, cherry and mahogany, from sustainable sources and managed plantations, many pieces are crafted from local woods that are from trees that may have fallen during storms or ones that have been cut for various reasons. I also love to recycle wood from old furniture, houses, old wooden barns.”</p>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9m0uI65A2gR0UeP5LvRjZNqfAAQD1SKROktl8xmVjRvkxvHZ-RtXtoYeiV8Gt5B6S5KazT982znNunElofFfG7cc6covmPlsq2lf2DZRsDmfwHw3OcK-ZvJZ6izEaZC3W4hL3YJYrAg/s778/StuermerStudios-knife-holder-blue-resin.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; "><img alt="wall-mounted translucent blue resin knife rack with four knives inserted into the slot along the top" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9m0uI65A2gR0UeP5LvRjZNqfAAQD1SKROktl8xmVjRvkxvHZ-RtXtoYeiV8Gt5B6S5KazT982znNunElofFfG7cc6covmPlsq2lf2DZRsDmfwHw3OcK-ZvJZ6izEaZC3W4hL3YJYrAg/s400/StuermerStudios-knife-holder-blue-resin.jpeg"/></a>
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/StuermerStudios?section_id=18499157">Stuermer Studios</a> uses the same slotted design but uses a “translucent FDA-food approved resin slab” rather than wood; it’s available in three colors. The company notes that these racks are intended for knives “that have a flat transition of the handle to the blade.”
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfgeauZdfhMImF2w7GV4QOrAbyNVrJJgrpxXxWQ2Q-HjU6LZ9QtLVfD_BMh-REHOrF34tTlIStr-qeC4QovnKHDyZIp95yc0bRoZJhjNh0PffiMbSgzV4-F65Vbx7TGYBxKQTXzOEG6Y/s887/DMSDesignTeam-Etsy-floating-knife-holder.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; "><img alt="wood knife rack mounted to the wall verticaly, holding six knives" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfgeauZdfhMImF2w7GV4QOrAbyNVrJJgrpxXxWQ2Q-HjU6LZ9QtLVfD_BMh-REHOrF34tTlIStr-qeC4QovnKHDyZIp95yc0bRoZJhjNh0PffiMbSgzV4-F65Vbx7TGYBxKQTXzOEG6Y/s400/DMSDesignTeam-Etsy-floating-knife-holder.jpeg"/></a>
Finally, this knife rack from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/DmsDesignTeam?section_id=14701910">DMS-Design</a>, which <i>does</i> use magnets, has individual slots and can be hung horizontally or vertically — so it can fit into spots too narrow for other knife racks.
Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-67510054460508199452021-05-25T17:15:00.000-07:002021-05-25T17:15:49.179-07:00Knife Storage, Revisited, Part 1: Knife Blocks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ7uVZW3x3FufBwJlcjf7XZEx65e6doY9_2d70vzkQy9GXcUgvR1N87Trxa4LwqPY3hG3szzT5SqncTdvwBnC3sDNS2tDowAFCU8cJhX5VwqQmEPWh2VOVyZT7RjvEzTS3pfq9TYKRtQ/s704/ArbolCuisineDesign-Etsy-knife-block-walnut.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="knife block in walnut, holding knives at a 45 degree angle" border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="704" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ7uVZW3x3FufBwJlcjf7XZEx65e6doY9_2d70vzkQy9GXcUgvR1N87Trxa4LwqPY3hG3szzT5SqncTdvwBnC3sDNS2tDowAFCU8cJhX5VwqQmEPWh2VOVyZT7RjvEzTS3pfq9TYKRtQ/s400/ArbolCuisineDesign-Etsy-knife-block-walnut.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
A friend was recently asking around for knife block recommendations, which made me realize I hadn’t written about knife storage since 2016. When I did some searching, I was delighted to find <i>many</i> products that are new to me — so many that they wouldn’t fit into a single post. So let’s start out with just the countertop knife blocks.<p>When you hear the words “knife block” you probably think of those <a href="https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/wusthof-17-slot-wood-knife-block/3244035?categoryId=12704">big chunky wood things</a> with a bunch of slots. And of course you can still find plenty of those — but you have many other options, too.</p>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1W_LOxxESWk8q67VUZ6ajVgH3Gk2_gi_Dv5xzmbEgtMyCQcK4NFUYrP12nlduX83lz5kCDVDBeJlFHjyUhWOYGqthN6chuUxxFVaDPzisBDF6cCvEgrGqQEqFvsh5MPw6WtvN8lZOaF0/s772/ArbolCuisineDesign-Etsy-knife-block-cherry.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="knife block in cherry, with knives in it, held at a 45 degree angle" border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="772" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1W_LOxxESWk8q67VUZ6ajVgH3Gk2_gi_Dv5xzmbEgtMyCQcK4NFUYrP12nlduX83lz5kCDVDBeJlFHjyUhWOYGqthN6chuUxxFVaDPzisBDF6cCvEgrGqQEqFvsh5MPw6WtvN8lZOaF0/s400/ArbolCuisineDesign-Etsy-knife-block-cherry.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
For example, look at these lovely knife blocks from <a href="https://www.arbolcuisine.com/en/home">Arbol Cuisine</a>, sold on the company website or via <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArbolCuisineDesign">Etsy</a>. They’re available in three different woods, and maker Stéphane Dumont says that “a small magnet inserted between each slot ensures that each knife stays in place.” He’s based in Quebec, and he uses woods which are indigenous to North America: maple, cherry and black walnut.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1KfH41ZHibshE_DBZ_YqgsoRfiOktIGDpYaxndgvkWTMIIFZnFRO8rI3cLDW-i-C1stDa4NA1fASEo7OfuCVdpmK3YOU4S8x9MiPisnWul5AFDEoie_1FbvEfIhAVRCUko6aphFB6Ds/s2000/arte-legno-knife-block.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="knife block with three magnetized wood slabs at a 45 degree angle" border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1KfH41ZHibshE_DBZ_YqgsoRfiOktIGDpYaxndgvkWTMIIFZnFRO8rI3cLDW-i-C1stDa4NA1fASEo7OfuCVdpmK3YOU4S8x9MiPisnWul5AFDEoie_1FbvEfIhAVRCUko6aphFB6Ds/s400/arte-legno-knife-block.jpg" width="400" /></a>
Magnets play a part in many modern knife blocks. This one from <a href="http://www.artelegnodesign.it/en/venezia-collection/07-magnetic-knife-block-5-elements-244">Arte Legno</a> doesn’t even have slots; the magnets keep the knives in place. I first found it at <a href="https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/arte-legno-medium-magnetic-knife-block-08">Milk Street</a>, although other sites sell it, too. And you can also get it in a <a href="https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/arte-legno-large-magnetic-knife-block-07">larger size</a>. Milk Street says that the magnets “firmly hold blades in place without making them difficult to remove” — and also says that Arte Legno uses sustainably sourced wood.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXX3zoEkp5gMZaLXrxph91XZEBIMwFD0u1x7csYmmkPzckbQkqRdQdJkCLTSz-yrQcrxHvasVyNislZKzcEyuXnrb73c6MfVAXp1AvBTat53cgB1UFHEFV2rRG7kEHu7v7Fl1Hh2svuA/s713/Make-Me-Something-Special-knife-block.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="one large pieces of magnetized walnut, upright at a slight angle, holdiing knives" border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="713" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXX3zoEkp5gMZaLXrxph91XZEBIMwFD0u1x7csYmmkPzckbQkqRdQdJkCLTSz-yrQcrxHvasVyNislZKzcEyuXnrb73c6MfVAXp1AvBTat53cgB1UFHEFV2rRG7kEHu7v7Fl1Hh2svuA/s400/Make-Me-Something-Special-knife-block.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
Here’s another magnetic style you’ll see quite frequently; I think this personalized oak one from <a href="https://makemesomethingspecial.com/shop/magnetic-knife-block/">Make Me Something Special</a> in the UK is one of the loveliest I’ve found. It’s available in three sizes.
<p>With an old-style knife block you might have had to remember which slot held which knife; with this type of product there’s no such issue. But if you have knives that you don’t think look nice on display, even though they work well, this would <i>not</i> be the product for you.</p>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Xn3BO-h5rNM029Ej6goz6X27KsozxkRtxA8PJYxy6FqcL73Qm5c1xcgPuM7eW9F15_ItVSS3cWZ_Zaafx6JJrkBAjcsdzYwdav15GAjw_-14WTIa8GxC-xnGSNuRg2eoRQHGS8fuGsw/s920/Schmidt-Brothers-Acacia-Downtown-knife-block.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="magnetized wood, upright, with an acrylic shield in front of the wood holding the knives" border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Xn3BO-h5rNM029Ej6goz6X27KsozxkRtxA8PJYxy6FqcL73Qm5c1xcgPuM7eW9F15_ItVSS3cWZ_Zaafx6JJrkBAjcsdzYwdav15GAjw_-14WTIa8GxC-xnGSNuRg2eoRQHGS8fuGsw/s400/Schmidt-Brothers-Acacia-Downtown-knife-block.jpg" width="400" /></a>
The <a href="https://schmidtbrothers.com/collections/magnetic-universal-knife-blocks">knife blocks from Schmidt Brothers</a>, with an acrylic safety cover, seem to be very popular at the moment; you can find them at <a href="https://www.surlatable.com/search?prefn1=productType&prefv1=HardGood&q=schmidt">Sur la Table</a>, <a href="https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/schmidt-brothers-acacia-midtown-knife-black/?pkey=cknives-blocks">Williams Sonoma</a>, and <a href="https://www.crateandbarrel.com/schmidt-brothers-acacia-downtown-knife-block/s257338">Crate and Barrel</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGmPO9Ou46WQTSN6XkWV8Slo4Lf3O6Gfi2M6X2RunZTBlRK3sHTKpSWcKviAREvKnL6dnQpSfaUhjEcdX05Rj8LHt2uSwy_bdkfx-zwpf1Jyoa9hC4HyRDVYU_ib23a-2ayr5zWpKSko/s640/360-knife-block-max.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="a six-sided piece of wood, magnetized on all sides to hold knives. It also has slots on the top for inserting some knives." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="417" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGmPO9Ou46WQTSN6XkWV8Slo4Lf3O6Gfi2M6X2RunZTBlRK3sHTKpSWcKviAREvKnL6dnQpSfaUhjEcdX05Rj8LHt2uSwy_bdkfx-zwpf1Jyoa9hC4HyRDVYU_ib23a-2ayr5zWpKSko/s400/360-knife-block-max.jpg" /></a>
And here's yet another magnetic design: The <a href="https://360knifeblock.com/">360 knife block and the 360 Max</a>, from <a href="https://www.designtrifecta.com/360-knife-block">Design Trifecta</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvF82OLoJU7u7i2z01ccMQ6cZWeovM0Fkh18-7mopCqoHwFBIgxmaHBGYcx3Dt8SoW36uZbuUx7vfRj73ciPglHLhLGagq72rn5qlnCLwY9Tg1lENyDKmMY1lZLrg_AgdreOfW7zw-x4/s1280/Kapoosh-Dice-knife-block.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="wooden knife block filled with black plastic rods" border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvF82OLoJU7u7i2z01ccMQ6cZWeovM0Fkh18-7mopCqoHwFBIgxmaHBGYcx3Dt8SoW36uZbuUx7vfRj73ciPglHLhLGagq72rn5qlnCLwY9Tg1lENyDKmMY1lZLrg_AgdreOfW7zw-x4/s400/Kapoosh-Dice-knife-block.jpg" width="400" /></a>
Not all univeral knife blacks — the ones without slots — are magnetic. I’ve written about the ones from <a href="https://www.kapoosh.com/the-dice-block-1/">Kapoosh</a> before, but they are worth a re-mention.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VfjyxmtfszK640iwE9qV1Ukjw5W6WLT85Qzpw7HcmDh6WCGwCrWBgMI54ozXAytTQbGe5sJyjgky2unO7-x8hq3dcL2iBAj7eURjMr2KsUC9qoXhkt1Yd2vESEWOqxrEezAm7yrgamA/s1166/Kapoosh-Dice-components.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="knife block and plastic-rod insert shown side by side" border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VfjyxmtfszK640iwE9qV1Ukjw5W6WLT85Qzpw7HcmDh6WCGwCrWBgMI54ozXAytTQbGe5sJyjgky2unO7-x8hq3dcL2iBAj7eURjMr2KsUC9qoXhkt1Yd2vESEWOqxrEezAm7yrgamA/s400/Kapoosh-Dice-components.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
At first glance, the Dice knife block from Kapoosh may look like an old-fashioned knife block. But it has no slots; instead, it’s filled with food-grade plastic “flex rods” which allow you to insert any knife anywhere. The rods can be removed and washed in a dishwasher’s top rack.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gApUt-Qy1P74DQyyqHdrdWcPK8pA2DTq5rH1-sxWuJVUjLhEQgTPZ8GFuQpMguMUXkWssd3BPAuwDMVmb2A3579GN7MmrbA8kTbBVMZdjaPjd71HGCYuyUozlwJW9EEI_SSEzyd9L_w/s710/Williams-Sonoma-copper-knife-holder-with-kapoosh-insert.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="710" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gApUt-Qy1P74DQyyqHdrdWcPK8pA2DTq5rH1-sxWuJVUjLhEQgTPZ8GFuQpMguMUXkWssd3BPAuwDMVmb2A3579GN7MmrbA8kTbBVMZdjaPjd71HGCYuyUozlwJW9EEI_SSEzyd9L_w/s400/Williams-Sonoma-copper-knife-holder-with-kapoosh-insert.jpg" width="400" /></a>
Like the idea of the Kapoosh, but not the look? Williams Sonoma has taken a Kapoosh insert and surrounded it with various holders. There’s <a href="https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/copper-knife-block-with-kapoosh-insert/">copper</a>, <a href="https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/walnut-knife-holder-with-kapoosh-insert/">walnut</a>, <a href="https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/marble-knife-block-with-kapoosh-insert/">marble</a> and more.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAT3S7ot_4BhfkIhjNT5ww_N6asSlHu6kaacLJyayiki1wylI7qNXIPwc_xbWgcNLd7OnmB2ZrzSytRqXKSMJoUOCCNBB2EHmw9DamSScUAMCM7lLyUvzYg_gjNtqtYyUSEy9NsM-KCs/s884/Lilio-knife-block.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="knife block made of a dark wood with lots of light-colored bamboo skewers inside" border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="746" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAT3S7ot_4BhfkIhjNT5ww_N6asSlHu6kaacLJyayiki1wylI7qNXIPwc_xbWgcNLd7OnmB2ZrzSytRqXKSMJoUOCCNBB2EHmw9DamSScUAMCM7lLyUvzYg_gjNtqtYyUSEy9NsM-KCs/s400/Lilio-knife-block.jpeg" /></a>
An alternative to using plastic rods is to use bamboo or other wood skewers; the <a href="http://www.martinrobitsch.com/portfolio/mikoto/">Mikoto knife block from Ekoba</a> (which is no longer available) used this approach. Now the only one I’m finding is this lovely <a href="https://www.liriodesignhouse.com/small-items/universal-knife-block-with-bamboo-sticks">knife block from Lirio</a>, made to order.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GBJuz-Sz_Ae4j7jbJewkNDlLIbY_CviENAgp55XIN19DdvxXdLDkXSoy_NJ69kcpmYQT9sZoADaTZYOsBpIRjvHtMh3kz-N7gbZqTuEwkIdH_uERT-ljvrLMYD9O0OADVSviFcHP-to/s1280/berghoff-leo-knife-block.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="oval knife block with an insert at the top to hold knives in place" border="0" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GBJuz-Sz_Ae4j7jbJewkNDlLIbY_CviENAgp55XIN19DdvxXdLDkXSoy_NJ69kcpmYQT9sZoADaTZYOsBpIRjvHtMh3kz-N7gbZqTuEwkIdH_uERT-ljvrLMYD9O0OADVSviFcHP-to/s400/berghoff-leo-knife-block.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdNRnB7FbtVIvaWx1Og3XAZKE7eakd4-b3CX7W4W9UPJacCGGcfrq3-QaxiszndbNorqH2Avvp9Q-ko8DVyKdX7D31c6L_QcsM7W4iCLp2G-211gtMRAfI__XE4TxtY4geEEgBECynCY/s782/Berghoff+Leo+insert.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="close-up of the insert used in the top of prior knife block" border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="782" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdNRnB7FbtVIvaWx1Og3XAZKE7eakd4-b3CX7W4W9UPJacCGGcfrq3-QaxiszndbNorqH2Avvp9Q-ko8DVyKdX7D31c6L_QcsM7W4iCLp2G-211gtMRAfI__XE4TxtY4geEEgBECynCY/s400/Berghoff+Leo+insert.png" width="400" /></a>
The <a href="https://chefscornerstore.com/berghoff-leo-universal-knife-block">Leo knife block</a> from <a href="https://www.shopberghoff.com/products/3950117">Berghoff</a> provides yet another universal approach, with a removable insert (gray on one side, pink of the other) which holds 6-8 knives. There’s no wood here; this is all polypropylene and rubber, so it’s less stunning but also less expensive. Berghoff says it has an anti-slip base.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QwuJzrKJaY9gXdgUvHteCckhyInh0rINnYciQCcQ3Yma2zJhHbXp-d-tvFiF7Nj4b1P1T1H8ZzuLkYSpOo20EUDp1wRA7D7GnN70gb2FPVFlpEThU-YtvHA0kdrcjfHPaq3BnyWTHHo/s1007/FineCraftsOfKentucky-Etsy-knife-block.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="short knife block that holds knives horizontally" border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1007" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QwuJzrKJaY9gXdgUvHteCckhyInh0rINnYciQCcQ3Yma2zJhHbXp-d-tvFiF7Nj4b1P1T1H8ZzuLkYSpOo20EUDp1wRA7D7GnN70gb2FPVFlpEThU-YtvHA0kdrcjfHPaq3BnyWTHHo/s400/FineCraftsOfKentucky-Etsy-knife-block.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
One final style I want to mention are those knife blocks that store the knives horizontally. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/FineCraftsofKentucky?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=234417937">Fine Crafts of Kentucky</a> makes these in three sizes, and it seems they would be great for those who want to put a knife rack under some low-hanging kitchen cabinets. I’m not sure I like the look of having the knife blades stick out the back, but the shop notes this lets them dry in the air and ensures you know which knife is in which slot.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAYYRlMTCkOmDQ9qBYYTzKxCoA4SJn5QNrXJNkIhri8RZlWMBVZBjokomMkNWVu0Iv720ZAd6dQZ4zWsuozuY-2_P4Nb4AwP2MQKTp7_jkjjXLC5HmY8AyE5qAEnqKRW3-xozKtPScKM/s1022/VivaTerra.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="tall knife blocks, two sizes, that hold knives horizontally" border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="1022" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAYYRlMTCkOmDQ9qBYYTzKxCoA4SJn5QNrXJNkIhri8RZlWMBVZBjokomMkNWVu0Iv720ZAd6dQZ4zWsuozuY-2_P4Nb4AwP2MQKTp7_jkjjXLC5HmY8AyE5qAEnqKRW3-xozKtPScKM/s400/VivaTerra.jpeg" width="400" /></a>And these blocks will be sold be <a href="https://www.vivaterra.com/en/collections/eligible-for-shipping-offers/acacia-wood-horizontal-knife-blocks/p/1668410">Viva Terra</a> starting in August, if all goes according to plan.
<p>In <a href="https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/easy-storage-solutions?slide=ac7ff639-0b2d-41d2-aa6e-d153f3866434#ac7ff639-0b2d-41d2-aa6e-d153f3866434">Real Simple</a>, Jeffrey Elliot (the executive chef for knife manufacturer Zwilling J. A. Henckel USA at the time the article was published) explains why he recommends this style of knife block over those with slots holding the knives vertically: “The slots should be horizontal so the knives slide in parallel to the counter rather than resting on the blade edges, which can dull over time.”
</p>Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-37309884489326092622021-05-10T10:02:00.000-07:002021-05-10T10:02:24.281-07:00In Honor of My Mom: Organizing in Blue for 2021<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVs3STFVdaqNkT3n7vKdZY_EPy5VZdJHXVot9uEGIylt6JHZjYnmRfJyldmf3_8d2xDWGilVLMajvkdEMY5uWX-aMK_vh9AB27CLt3W9_r7Vtg-8baz8C45Puw1pafd3bCJvAW96NXIf4/s512/Matt+Sewell+kingfisher+magnet+sold+by+Ashdown+Forest.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="magnet with a drawing of a kingfisher bird" border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="341" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVs3STFVdaqNkT3n7vKdZY_EPy5VZdJHXVot9uEGIylt6JHZjYnmRfJyldmf3_8d2xDWGilVLMajvkdEMY5uWX-aMK_vh9AB27CLt3W9_r7Vtg-8baz8C45Puw1pafd3bCJvAW96NXIf4/s400/Matt+Sewell+kingfisher+magnet+sold+by+Ashdown+Forest.jpg" /></a>
Fourteen years ago today, <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2007/05/julia-good-1926-2007.html">my mom died of pancreatic cancer</a>. Her favorite color was blue, so this has become my annual tribute to her.
<p>The <a href="https://www.ashdownforest.org/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=67&products_id=213">kingfisher refrigerator magnet</a> features the art of <a href="https://www.mattsewell.co.uk">Matt Sewell</a> and is sold to support Ashdown Forest in the UK; it’s printed on FSC wood. There are a number of other Sewell bird magnets which have some blue, but this is the one that really jumped out at me. Note: The image isn’t loading for me when I use Safari, but it’s fine in Firefox.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtF3QIsx3mJOyPDc4c5bi3YbCvICxHiZrJpDy5jtzdxmE4Io4TZkvDSMUgDxSddY7Uq8NTil4DtEV1WFq0bWiVCSBXTo2XfrcwNlV5_278fx7eMfpGO6ixXKHfBGrmFThHDC0u4GvoVcA/s904/MIFFY+and+giraffes+magnet.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="rectangular magnet, blue background, with bunny Miffy and two giraffes" border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="690" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtF3QIsx3mJOyPDc4c5bi3YbCvICxHiZrJpDy5jtzdxmE4Io4TZkvDSMUgDxSddY7Uq8NTil4DtEV1WFq0bWiVCSBXTo2XfrcwNlV5_278fx7eMfpGO6ixXKHfBGrmFThHDC0u4GvoVcA/s400/MIFFY+and+giraffes+magnet.jpeg" /></a>
And here’s another <a href="https://miffyshop.co.uk/collections/fridge-magnets/products/miffy-with-two-giraffes-magnet-miffy013">magnet featuring Miffy and two giraffes</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLucbGjWv81jBAiPXkYOWnz3kcyfXPnNjqq2z32Q1-7vZiPeYyarZ_GOngf2iVx_87U7ivNrnHOU0mCxnFFX4KzOm1bDBFTBU_d1IRgnU5BoQXjs6WONehyphenhyphen_Dr0VMPacJhUXBT89P2gts/s900/Hannah+Turner+owl++money+box.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="owl-shaped money box with bright blue eyes" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLucbGjWv81jBAiPXkYOWnz3kcyfXPnNjqq2z32Q1-7vZiPeYyarZ_GOngf2iVx_87U7ivNrnHOU0mCxnFFX4KzOm1bDBFTBU_d1IRgnU5BoQXjs6WONehyphenhyphen_Dr0VMPacJhUXBT89P2gts/s400/Hannah+Turner+owl++money+box.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
How could I resist the eyes on this <a href="https://www.hannahturner.co.uk/default/ceramics/owl-money-box.html">ceramic owl money box from Hannah Turner</a>?
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJ_4zi_Quiq_E0XRA3eR0zf8mcUTyKorLH6ng9jbNnBBSdRub-yL9iMXZAYM89W75V0_IOduGh1zCltvySU3mdZRYrNkwgOwB7xDM03nq7sDeXYC408si7lOnu8vc_kfbbDugambQUGU/s1023/Beyond-the-Fridge-notice-board-Not-On-the-High-Street.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="Birds ina Tree notice board, hanging above a desk; the background is blue" border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1023" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJ_4zi_Quiq_E0XRA3eR0zf8mcUTyKorLH6ng9jbNnBBSdRub-yL9iMXZAYM89W75V0_IOduGh1zCltvySU3mdZRYrNkwgOwB7xDM03nq7sDeXYC408si7lOnu8vc_kfbbDugambQUGU/s400/Beyond-the-Fridge-notice-board-Not-On-the-High-Street.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
This magnetic board from <a href="https://www.beyondthefridge.co.uk/">Beyond the Fridge</a>, sold by <a href="https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/beyondthefridge/product/_paper_boats_magnetic_notice_board">Not On the High Street</a>, has just enough blue to get included here.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOorQfqCn-hADqE2qPU7mjEKSpIg8ZkfOo7qO5vOaCUQwlx4d2JhYnwm_sq1CDmKKl1vH0_eWEtvRrN2PrdExiS0WbheIJ8nzpeHq2D5gag8VapSbRfKpPGRTjyG4KIIBOu6FxuoVYsQY/s590/Psalt-Myosotis-magnetic-notice-board.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="teal blue steel notice board" border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOorQfqCn-hADqE2qPU7mjEKSpIg8ZkfOo7qO5vOaCUQwlx4d2JhYnwm_sq1CDmKKl1vH0_eWEtvRrN2PrdExiS0WbheIJ8nzpeHq2D5gag8VapSbRfKpPGRTjyG4KIIBOu6FxuoVYsQY/s400/Psalt-Myosotis-magnetic-notice-board.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
For a heavier dose of blue, there's the <a href="https://www.psaltdesign.com/customer/shop/p/myosotis-notice-board">Myosotis magnetic notice board from Psalt</a>. It’s also available in larger sizes (<a href="https://www.psaltdesign.com/customer/shop/p/myosotis-grande-notice-board">Grande</a> and <a href="https://www.psaltdesign.com/customer/shop/p/myosotis-xl-notice-board">XL</a>) and in a <a href="https://www.psaltdesign.com/customer/shop/p/myosotis-portrait-notice-board">portrait orientation</a>. This smaller one is also available from <a href="https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/psaltdesign/product/myosotis-magnetic-notice-board">Not On the High Street</a>. It comes in other colors, too, not that Mom would have cared.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytg6u3ybMhD-P5nwMgWTqI26xEnRO2xD5kp0eV2tuNkMuNi9WpTnMrhwIHOG58Gwh9AzIWGSVYhqpsI_3Pt17oA8n585Rv91tepWURfbRG_NyRCvD1c1isgR6o_7XSA2GZn2EB8uzn1w/s576/Helen-Round-fabric-storage-pot-duck-egg-blue.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="fabric storage bin; duck egg blue with white flowers" border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytg6u3ybMhD-P5nwMgWTqI26xEnRO2xD5kp0eV2tuNkMuNi9WpTnMrhwIHOG58Gwh9AzIWGSVYhqpsI_3Pt17oA8n585Rv91tepWURfbRG_NyRCvD1c1isgR6o_7XSA2GZn2EB8uzn1w/s400/Helen-Round-fabric-storage-pot-duck-egg-blue.jpg" width="400" /></a>
<a href="https://www.helenround.com/collections/bathroom/products/fabric-storage-pot?variant=34462753849388">Helen Round</a> calls the color on this linen fabric storage container “duck egg blue.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNhJU-ul0WlMfKSLUNiRxgQu_svyTMaG7pqDfjNTMhjfYkf_n_KZY6WjX4HfobBh2VhsKGNIXqj5AfMOqvDF4l1VbmrmuVsO-gHN460qbz1F6COlintjW6-8tgex-3HYMykqacZmzx3I/s762/Hay-bead-basket.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="basket made from a lot of blue and white felt balls" border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNhJU-ul0WlMfKSLUNiRxgQu_svyTMaG7pqDfjNTMhjfYkf_n_KZY6WjX4HfobBh2VhsKGNIXqj5AfMOqvDF4l1VbmrmuVsO-gHN460qbz1F6COlintjW6-8tgex-3HYMykqacZmzx3I/s400/Hay-bead-basket.jpeg" /></a>
The <a href="https://us.hay.com/accessories/by-type/decor/bead-basket/2517778.html?lang=en_US">Bead Basket from Hay</a> is made from hundreds of felt balls. It’s available with or without handles, and there are other color options. (The red, white and blue one is nice, too.)
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRP7WrFbv23q5MplZ6N-N1Xo4w08p3d6kdnnWZBv8FcjgG1uenBAbNVQNwn2JsrWCzwBKhLAZI210YoJhRgf_smHdbCn7FOxHZaHen40BUguWIv-bRZqZ2C7so08ILCj-ruZnthYKjmws/s1750/Serena-and-Lily-Granada-tray.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="blue tray with a leaf pattern in another shade of blue" border="0" data-original-height="1337" data-original-width="1750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRP7WrFbv23q5MplZ6N-N1Xo4w08p3d6kdnnWZBv8FcjgG1uenBAbNVQNwn2JsrWCzwBKhLAZI210YoJhRgf_smHdbCn7FOxHZaHen40BUguWIv-bRZqZ2C7so08ILCj-ruZnthYKjmws/s400/Serena-and-Lily-Granada-tray.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
I’ve included many lovely trays in these posts in prior years, so let’s end with another one this time. This is the <a href="https://www.serenaandlily.com/variationproduct?pid=m12540&dwvar_m12540_size=Medium">Granada tray from Serena & Lily</a>, made from laminated birch. It’s available in three sizes.
<p>Curious about my posts in prior years? Take a look at <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/search?q=%22in+honor+of+my+mom:+organizing+in+blue%22&max-results=20&by-date=true">all of them</a>.</p>
Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-8399656976490680932021-05-08T15:32:00.001-07:002021-05-08T15:32:53.483-07:00Children and Their Hair Clips, Bows, Headbands and Scrunchies — Revisited<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9JRfCOxKl9G8h4Fv6bQSXdUFKjr4C4I-PuiBzZJYZm9NYRG7Pi4u0XO3Cku96sSW2UgcXAuWJTx1W8urXJ8jC7DOlXForg1Z1y4wxnUCot4u_n3hDwzmFkCrdsYIfnPvzn8qmEvwN7M/s639/BenliBowtique+on+Etsy+bow+holder.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="bow and headband holder — ribbons on a flower-patterned fabric backing" border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="639" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9JRfCOxKl9G8h4Fv6bQSXdUFKjr4C4I-PuiBzZJYZm9NYRG7Pi4u0XO3Cku96sSW2UgcXAuWJTx1W8urXJ8jC7DOlXForg1Z1y4wxnUCot4u_n3hDwzmFkCrdsYIfnPvzn8qmEvwN7M/s400/BenliBowtique+on+Etsy+bow+holder.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
Last month a reader asked me about some of the products in <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2008/01/little-girls-and-their-scrunchies-hair.html">my 2008 post</a> about hair bow storage, and I had to inform them that the products are no longer available. (I also noticed that I assumed that only little girls would care about such adornments; yikes!)
<p>You certainly don’t <i>need</i> special products for these items; all sorts of random containers could work just fine. (I noted some ideas in the 2008 post.) But if you’d like something special, the good news is that I’m finding products I like better than those I listed last time.</p>
<p>You’ll notice that some of these bow and hair clip holders look like variations on <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2008/12/bulletin-board-alternative-french.html">French ribbon memo boards</a>. Many of them include a rod at the bottom for headbands.</p>
<p>The bow and headband holder at the top of this post comes from <a href="
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BenliBowtique?section_id=27415264">BenliBowtique</a>, which has holders in various patterns and sizes.</p>
<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9P2WpCyr-ng0YBL5HCfGx60aPGfhxnTjmVyR6x9gK26ymbxqRXMSXHxpgbrq92Pu7GhBMXY70OII3hQfGvND38UutXZqjagihHZcVHy9BDVdE-k4Y_nKipHgGe-ImIbhOGG-tU5rc55U/s735/EverlastingsBySue+on+Etsy+bow+holder.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="bow and hairband holder — ribbons on a lavender and white damask print fabric backing" border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="735" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9P2WpCyr-ng0YBL5HCfGx60aPGfhxnTjmVyR6x9gK26ymbxqRXMSXHxpgbrq92Pu7GhBMXY70OII3hQfGvND38UutXZqjagihHZcVHy9BDVdE-k4Y_nKipHgGe-ImIbhOGG-tU5rc55U/s400/EverlastingsBySue+on+Etsy+bow+holder.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
This bow holder and hairband organizer comes from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/EverlastingsBySue?section_id=27531264">EverlastingsBySue</a>, which also has many options to choose from.
<br>
<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4jIp-4l8b-NEIE06eySL_0_yAl_eqo3k6Y_miX1P_RoznGyB-oEqDWaviaepdKmTDdlpBew7gBc-ByezB6kJ33X1djZ9TyTInJSDEs-Q0BwMz8bknOjIgQSRG28Z9TTgHPw58qZDDe0/s794/XoXoAmour+on+Etsy+dinosaur+hair+clip+organizer.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="hair clip organizer — ribbons on a dinosaur print fabric backing" border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4jIp-4l8b-NEIE06eySL_0_yAl_eqo3k6Y_miX1P_RoznGyB-oEqDWaviaepdKmTDdlpBew7gBc-ByezB6kJ33X1djZ9TyTInJSDEs-Q0BwMz8bknOjIgQSRG28Z9TTgHPw58qZDDe0/s400/XoXoAmour+on+Etsy+dinosaur+hair+clip+organizer.jpg" width="400" /></a>
And here’s a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/730458730/dinosaur-hair-clip-organizer-hanging-bow">hair clip organizer</a> from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/XoXoAmour">XoXoAmour</a>, with the same type of design but a very different vibe.
<br>
<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCWKwEtd7lDQES0Db22vP2utalZ3lnHyggzloToCGB-DRgAFbADe9d2w5_-Dyhpa1XiQNP3PTJ8SsPyoSk4y_mml8M-B7LFndykKTtgiHl3ztu5f9xP1gg1v0Esyo2uN4n4xxcVFOIRU/s794/WoodDecorWithLove+on+Etsy+bow+organizer.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="bow organizer and headband holder — wood frame with ribbons" border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCWKwEtd7lDQES0Db22vP2utalZ3lnHyggzloToCGB-DRgAFbADe9d2w5_-Dyhpa1XiQNP3PTJ8SsPyoSk4y_mml8M-B7LFndykKTtgiHl3ztu5f9xP1gg1v0Esyo2uN4n4xxcVFOIRU/s400/WoodDecorWithLove+on+Etsy+bow+organizer.jpg" width="400" /></a>
This bow organizer and headband holder from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/WoodDecorwithLove?section_id=23399121">Wood Decor With Love</a> is a nice variation on the same general approach as the three prior products. You can get these in different sizes and colors.
<br>
<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6o0Ri1x4hTuYFwKDg9YZCuiOB3dgi3vlAlW-qaRPsZNysaNLkDXca74UEmPGg1YsLxWFMLIvwBbyoJMbp7FJaP41ubF-9jolIYBiOWmr7RikBMCFFVGYaeCg-HzddsVC0axj43CMvdE/s1210/FieldDayCo+Etsy+bow+holder.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="hanging bow holder - riboons hanging from dowels" border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="794" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6o0Ri1x4hTuYFwKDg9YZCuiOB3dgi3vlAlW-qaRPsZNysaNLkDXca74UEmPGg1YsLxWFMLIvwBbyoJMbp7FJaP41ubF-9jolIYBiOWmr7RikBMCFFVGYaeCg-HzddsVC0axj43CMvdE/s600/FieldDayCo+Etsy+bow+holder.jpg" /></a>
Nathan and Meg at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/FieldDayCo">Field Day Co</a> explain how they came to make their minimalast hanging bow holders: “We are ... parents that found ourselves with too many bows and too little organization. The containers and bags of bows were getting out of control and left us frustrated while doing our daughter’s hair in the morning. We searched online for a solution that met our needs and personal style. We could not find what we were looking for so we designed and created our own. We also realized that other parents might like these too.”
<br>
<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvlFdcurTdmAvMIvY0aN1RJEIB0nb3c5WiEJHXwRKSPFz8Kd0DFvZzqwYCFo96Vf0FV4iagwYJ0ZoqKwj5Dp3YNJmZzJOTY80vLo0h9ZmJ_G43otw3ogMeLVVw24tlOEpLk5xKIoZM0Y/s544/MyEllieBeans+Etsy+headband+and+bow+holder.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt=" headbands and bow organizer - two rods with clips to hold the headbands and bows" border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvlFdcurTdmAvMIvY0aN1RJEIB0nb3c5WiEJHXwRKSPFz8Kd0DFvZzqwYCFo96Vf0FV4iagwYJ0ZoqKwj5Dp3YNJmZzJOTY80vLo0h9ZmJ_G43otw3ogMeLVVw24tlOEpLk5xKIoZM0Y/s400/MyEllieBeans+Etsy+headband+and+bow+holder.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
This <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/962639655/headband-holder-bow-holder-personalized?variation0=1801384500">headband and bow holder</a> from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MyEllieBeans">MyEllieBeans</a>, with its individual clips, makes it easy to grab the one you want — no need to tip all the others off the rod first to get to one in the middle. You can order the holder with two, three or four rods — and of course the name is personalized. (You can also choose this saying: There are too many bows — said no one ever.)
<br>
<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HmIAYYaPlkbi9YKFjkvLO8Xq-Sxesn4qV-d7uys8OwEaSjxnvvmpmvbOkGREAAYQP8cGRDCkpXXWK8sTECqqehZZxTbS-QE2kzqmxycUzbSs5RIwwuM0JEQQP2Mx0LOdKHEoE_pVoA8/s794/EmmysDogBoutique+scrunchie+holder.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="stuffed daschund dog,purple fabric, with scrunchies along its body" border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HmIAYYaPlkbi9YKFjkvLO8Xq-Sxesn4qV-d7uys8OwEaSjxnvvmpmvbOkGREAAYQP8cGRDCkpXXWK8sTECqqehZZxTbS-QE2kzqmxycUzbSs5RIwwuM0JEQQP2Mx0LOdKHEoE_pVoA8/s400/EmmysDogBoutique+scrunchie+holder.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
Finally, I had to include this <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/789153911/purple-mandala-inspired-scrunchie-dog">scrunchie holder</a>, even though <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/EmmysDogBoutique">the store it comes from</a> is currently on a break. Here’s hoping they do indeed come back from that break, because this is adorable — and not just for children.
Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-5572832168282989192021-05-07T05:09:00.000-07:002021-05-07T05:09:17.005-07:00Dish Drying Racks, Revisited<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HUNKcauCl7F2CT7VnBmY4ElfDSR4XwY1sWpIe358XVwVwMnMFWMskhIuA5wHyinhzmuPma-ooYRQRFVjUXTHK4pwF0Xj76RMB9iPAh073PLOq0mu0WpQZIUu2cY1kYSnMYy3iKdjmWA/s1000/Yamazaki-tower-dish-drying-rack.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="two-tier dish rack sitting on a counter" border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HUNKcauCl7F2CT7VnBmY4ElfDSR4XwY1sWpIe358XVwVwMnMFWMskhIuA5wHyinhzmuPma-ooYRQRFVjUXTHK4pwF0Xj76RMB9iPAh073PLOq0mu0WpQZIUu2cY1kYSnMYy3iKdjmWA/s400/Yamazaki-tower-dish-drying-rack.jpg" width="400" /></a>
<p>My friend Angela recently wrote, “I just washed some dishes just for the excitement of using my beautiful new dish drying rack.” Of course, I had to find out which rack that was; it’s the <a href="https://theyamazakihome.com/collections/dish-drainers-sink/products/double-decker-dish-rack">Yamazaki Tower</a>, a two-tier customizable rack. That looks like a great drying rack: it’s attractive and it’s good for small spaces, like her Paris kitchen. The reviews are full of other extremely happy customers, too.</p>
<p>And that made me think: It’s been a <i>long</i> time since <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2010/03/reader-question-dish-racks.html">I last wrote about dish drying racks</a>. A lot changes in the product world in 11 years! I updated that old blog post to fix broken links and such, but I have more suggestions now for those who want dish racks that fit small spaces or that are attractive enough to leave sitting out — or both.</p>
<p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0z3DcpwUnINScfbICCXZmc7cXri31CHOTUxdIHTdV9YuQ0wFX57YBtv-01nURPcY377boQGQ8GYGBo_7Ok_1xMFvzxJyH0xDOdyTf8gEihJIy97qmab6aeNV-M9fyDnD9I4UxnomNk4/s710/brabantia-compact-dish-drying-rack.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="dish rack with slots for plates, with a place for glasses in front and silverware behind" border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="710" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0z3DcpwUnINScfbICCXZmc7cXri31CHOTUxdIHTdV9YuQ0wFX57YBtv-01nURPcY377boQGQ8GYGBo_7Ok_1xMFvzxJyH0xDOdyTf8gEihJIy97qmab6aeNV-M9fyDnD9I4UxnomNk4/s400/brabantia-compact-dish-drying-rack.jpg" width="400" /></a>
<p>If you’d like something small but don't need the space of a two-tier product — or if you want something you could tuck away in a cabinet when not in use — you might like the <a href="https://www.brabantia.com/int_en/compact-dish-drying-rack-light-grey/">compact dish drying rack from Brabantia,</a> available in dark or light gray. It’s currently available from <a href="https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/brabantia-compact-dish-drying-rack/">Williams-Sonoma</a>, <a href="https://www.crateandbarrel.com/brabantia-light-grey-compact-dish-drying-rack/s466900">Crate and Barrel</a> and <a href="https://www.potterybarn.com/products/brabantia-dish-drying-rack/">Pottery Barn</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZaxtY9HAU5fAbPpV3VXB1sdWzLVkMCnmATMTMLDyvd2Nl_GykkvTzVJY-CBdfgHNc4un1CJGHGBmQglOV493I13uJNsgAP89qCWrh7nPHFSLGayUiGUEAZN2_ds-9M8mrSKKdMdeAm4/s603/mDesign+compact+drying+rack.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="a dish rack sitting in a sink — has slots for plates an a silverware holder up front" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="603" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZaxtY9HAU5fAbPpV3VXB1sdWzLVkMCnmATMTMLDyvd2Nl_GykkvTzVJY-CBdfgHNc4un1CJGHGBmQglOV493I13uJNsgAP89qCWrh7nPHFSLGayUiGUEAZN2_ds-9M8mrSKKdMdeAm4/s400/mDesign+compact+drying+rack.jpg" width="400" /></a>
<p>Another compact option comes from <a href="https://mdesignhomedecor.com/compact-metal-kitchen-sink-dish-drying-rack/">mDesign</a>, which notes the rack can be used on a countertop or in the sink. Note that unlike the Brabantia rack, this one does not have a drip tray. So if you were planning to use it on a countertop you might want to get one of the company’s drying mats to put under it — or just use a towel. You could even place it on an attractive tray, as long as the tray was waterproof.</p>
<p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9P7mS8NLO3Ac0XGyXzSDNO_b8YVuY5P-7E7xPDRuJbMM3qQyKfR7fB2ehARUgv_KTsP4fNg9wmsQoapz3sPsgOUDNTA1HLDwyA3Gp-s3R64Tl_4GaMpLcmdSm4bWVFtey184xdT9oZQ/s863/Neat-O+over+sink+drying+rack.jpeg" style="display: inline; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="dish rack that rests over the sides of the sink, with the rack dipping down into the sink" border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="863" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9P7mS8NLO3Ac0XGyXzSDNO_b8YVuY5P-7E7xPDRuJbMM3qQyKfR7fB2ehARUgv_KTsP4fNg9wmsQoapz3sPsgOUDNTA1HLDwyA3Gp-s3R64Tl_4GaMpLcmdSm4bWVFtey184xdT9oZQ/s400/Neat-O+over+sink+drying+rack.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
<p>You can also save space by using an over-the-sink dish rack, like this one from <a href="http://neat-o-us.com/product/over-the-sink-kitchen-dish-drainer-rack-durable-chrome-plated-steel-black/">Neat-O</a>. It doesn’t have a silverware holder, though.</p>
<p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvc49xIHs9kLXBwargz6LAsNjpWuSUzPmy0-6zFTb49hOOhDE18QdcsxFVqA-J_EUrTqq29tI0tTYyxeEb8QL1MTA54qqUFjG9jYZ8P9_qJrE-LnRdtLtUubJ_p82fI8FBCmcNOVg1xxY/s1500/Peleg+Design+elephant+utensil+holder.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="untensil drainer shaped like an elephant" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvc49xIHs9kLXBwargz6LAsNjpWuSUzPmy0-6zFTb49hOOhDE18QdcsxFVqA-J_EUrTqq29tI0tTYyxeEb8QL1MTA54qqUFjG9jYZ8P9_qJrE-LnRdtLtUubJ_p82fI8FBCmcNOVg1xxY/s400/Peleg+Design+elephant+utensil+holder.jpg" width="400" /></a>
If you get a dish rack without a silverware compartment, you could always get a separate piece for this, if you feel you need one. The whimsical one from <a href="https://peleg-design.com/products/jumbo">Peleg Design</a> caught my eye.
<p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeztcayqGtZyyvsGvYte4sDH_b2yZhICxrZ7FKvVZlv5_6VwRzXAek8Aap5fWERARs6Du55Wb06UGBT1ljLTf1oQ3Hy7ukw8NZ99hF_o201jyH_i-MCLTFBj-k4-8dzSjm0HTcFt85Iws/s1000/Yamazaki+dish+rack+Tosca.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="dish rack that rests over the sides of the sink, with the rack rising up above the sink" border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeztcayqGtZyyvsGvYte4sDH_b2yZhICxrZ7FKvVZlv5_6VwRzXAek8Aap5fWERARs6Du55Wb06UGBT1ljLTf1oQ3Hy7ukw8NZ99hF_o201jyH_i-MCLTFBj-k4-8dzSjm0HTcFt85Iws/s400/Yamazaki+dish+rack+Tosca.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
<a href="https://theyamazakihome.com/collections/dish-drainers-sink/products/tosca-over-the-sink-dish-drainer-rack">Yamazaki</a> also has an over-the-sink dish rack; this one goes up from the sink rather than down into it.
<p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gVUwzKapU1pc3JWTKuvyyD4BCAIICKZC7W_nH3TqL_PUskMxtwK8qEb_HH7iquxhpb3qh1CDpiC9dwCUbZ28CibsN21jIP0qOn-0CVW7XI69qrDrLPdvX_pTMHJQgudvizlgWpCsfxk/s1000/madesmart+collapsible+dish+rack.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="a full dish rack sitting in the sink" border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gVUwzKapU1pc3JWTKuvyyD4BCAIICKZC7W_nH3TqL_PUskMxtwK8qEb_HH7iquxhpb3qh1CDpiC9dwCUbZ28CibsN21jIP0qOn-0CVW7XI69qrDrLPdvX_pTMHJQgudvizlgWpCsfxk/s400/madesmart+collapsible+dish+rack.jpg" width="400" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxW8txx5e5cCJbJqnSs4-pBSCz8iHlNyNrsBwRc2mGHed9m0N89vNV4C3PKzZM3e4QEeFLKPZBXe1xU6x72QdNNsFYAoPUU1NqVWv56THdPshqfu-bQCq6R7gOU7OBx_WUojiLVNZhLqw/s908/madesmart+collapsible+dish+rack+collapsed.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="dish rack, collpsed into a small rectangle" border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="908" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxW8txx5e5cCJbJqnSs4-pBSCz8iHlNyNrsBwRc2mGHed9m0N89vNV4C3PKzZM3e4QEeFLKPZBXe1xU6x72QdNNsFYAoPUU1NqVWv56THdPshqfu-bQCq6R7gOU7OBx_WUojiLVNZhLqw/s400/madesmart+collapsible+dish+rack+collapsed.jpg" width="400" /></a>
Another type of space-saver is the <a href="https://www.madesmart.com/product-page/collapsible-dish-rack">madesmart collapsible dish rack</a>. You could keep it, uncollapsed, in the sink — or stash it away somewhere else. It’s sold many places, including <a href="https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/sink-under-sink/madesmart-collapsible-dish-rack/12d?productId=11000906&theme=dish%20drying%20racks&pos=7">The Container Store</a>.
<p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBzLzK_W_cD4W6Z6zT6luowUtoFibWoeww43Vl-v8PCmvQP6DI0ill0asBRPH7qA5ADkL6d23Zxd-lrjK-9XjeE7TS37LH8kqTcK30HefA_gOguDVZtJiWJG0wKk5dktKetkq26k6qg4/s1500/Surpah%2527s+roll-up+dish+rack.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="a dish rack that's just a series of slats that rolls out over the sink" border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="1500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBzLzK_W_cD4W6Z6zT6luowUtoFibWoeww43Vl-v8PCmvQP6DI0ill0asBRPH7qA5ADkL6d23Zxd-lrjK-9XjeE7TS37LH8kqTcK30HefA_gOguDVZtJiWJG0wKk5dktKetkq26k6qg4/s400/Surpah%2527s+roll-up+dish+rack.jpg" width="400" /></a>
But <a href="https://www.surpahs.com/product/Surpahs-Over-the-Sink-Multipurpose-Roll-Up-Dish-Drying-Rack-Warm-Gray-Large-205-x-131-2-Pack-p-223.html">Surpahs roll-up over the sink dish drying rack</a> must be the rack which takes up the least storage space!
<p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwCdG5VkS5WhAzyuSZuX9A32i7752uaZEEysGnmy57vkZsVnK3Wdq0iEkpSYc72EHu7S8bJxXpphXAg5CCQcEE-QKBZU3vWUKNYuvmgbqICqijwhZa7vbeOpVMfMZnVfjqOWPBlRyVjY/s1258/Chef%2527n+DishGarden.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="a round dish rack" border="0" data-original-height="1095" data-original-width="1258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwCdG5VkS5WhAzyuSZuX9A32i7752uaZEEysGnmy57vkZsVnK3Wdq0iEkpSYc72EHu7S8bJxXpphXAg5CCQcEE-QKBZU3vWUKNYuvmgbqICqijwhZa7vbeOpVMfMZnVfjqOWPBlRyVjY/s400/Chef%2527n+DishGarden.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Dish racks are usually rectangular, but they certainly don’t need to be. The <a href="https://www.chefn.com/products/dishgarden-dish-rack">Chef'n Dishgarden</a> is another compact dish rack that can fit in the sink, if you wish. The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-dish-rack/">Wirecutter review</a> says, “Though its circular shape might seem like a waste of countertop space, this rack actually holds more than other compact racks of a similar size because of the cup holders around its circumference.”<p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJxCA_7DhAhavTV0RhnFnsTOqYX5wfrWa8UHKPqJniqaxrfaOnlJDZrzJIuA9NmbDGYNfLwvU88qo80wabW4on17w1tFyeSclb0ENfXtVtLXDvGy8u3-sXrS_XilEqYVtn13peZH9OK8/s1000/Alessi+A+Tempo+dish+rack.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="a round asymetrical dish rack" border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJxCA_7DhAhavTV0RhnFnsTOqYX5wfrWa8UHKPqJniqaxrfaOnlJDZrzJIuA9NmbDGYNfLwvU88qo80wabW4on17w1tFyeSclb0ENfXtVtLXDvGy8u3-sXrS_XilEqYVtn13peZH9OK8/s400/Alessi+A+Tempo+dish+rack.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
A final option is to have a dish rack that you’re happy to have sitting out — and people who’ve bought <a href="https://eu.alessi.com/products/a-tempo-dish-drainer">Alessi’s (very expensive) A Tempo dish rack</a> seem to be in that camp. It’s sold out many places, but for now it seems you can buy it at a few places, including <a href="https://royaldesign.com/us/a-tempo-dish-drainer">RoyalDesign.com</a>, <a href="https://www.didriks.com/Alessi-A-Tempo-Dish-Drainer">Didriks</a> and <a href="https://hivemodern.com/pages/product11156/a-tempo-dish-drainer-tray-pauline-deltour-alessi">Hive</a> — for widely varying prices.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-21946370792052771502020-06-17T17:05:00.000-07:002020-06-17T17:05:34.889-07:00Black Lives Matter: Organizing Products from Black-Owned Businesses<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BqgHz5vxQo6ImmaUXV66U8NkDVir-yR96VEZsru5rarLAY1JpHHG-1IK5JwFnTfgqOUz-SS36wHqV4iPxHnkEkhz-LiTrf2y4OxVzfArBNCXPNdHTztIMgYS1LDRbOb9MOEBXk5kKVI/s1600/Goodee-Baba-Tree-Basket.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="colorful lidded basket" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BqgHz5vxQo6ImmaUXV66U8NkDVir-yR96VEZsru5rarLAY1JpHHG-1IK5JwFnTfgqOUz-SS36wHqV4iPxHnkEkhz-LiTrf2y4OxVzfArBNCXPNdHTztIMgYS1LDRbOb9MOEBXk5kKVI/s400/Goodee-Baba-Tree-Basket.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
I’ve been pondering what I could do, as an organizer, to support Black Lives Matter. And then I read calls to support Black-owned businesses, and I found my answer.<br />
<br />
So here are some products to consider, if you’re so inclined!<br />
<br />
I’m thankful for the <a href="https://www.veranda.com/home-decorators/g32732517/black-owned-home-brands-to-support/?slide=4">Veranda article about Black-owned home brands</a> which led me to <a href="https://www.goodeeworld.com/pages/about-us">Goodee</a>, a “curated marketplace” which carefully vets the companies whose products are included, so that all products are “ethically made and transparently sourced.”<br />
<br />
And there are some cool organizing products! The item at the top of this post is one of the baskets from <a href="https://www.goodeeworld.com/collections/baba-tree">Baba Tree</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlf1_s5p3qGXWBg-GIUyMToGRgPQPtgeM20WO6rrRbI6_KKwYyFo25ar44YMv4SpjbXG6lsVHSyy1KkG-qtL6mluzzmPyiysN8F4_kdJuNgICYM9w0dZVIPEBTiBVPOfmxW4T2aWg_1E/s1600/Goodee-Makaua-Hamper.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="hampers, in three coors" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlf1_s5p3qGXWBg-GIUyMToGRgPQPtgeM20WO6rrRbI6_KKwYyFo25ar44YMv4SpjbXG6lsVHSyy1KkG-qtL6mluzzmPyiysN8F4_kdJuNgICYM9w0dZVIPEBTiBVPOfmxW4T2aWg_1E/s400/Goodee-Makaua-Hamper.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
There are also some nice baskets, in various sizes, from <a href="https://www.goodeeworld.com/collections/makaua">Makaua</a> — a totally different style than those from Baba Tree. Makaua is “a family-owned and women-led company that produces woven products for the home.” The products are “handmade by a community of 50 families in a low-income region of Mexico.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOTgqSlHss2dti83VHB09ys4znH7K-2jUmh5o2lE9u6SSmdjFjm747OWyfwJp2epY8Pt9arL1XDitEkY860XCYeXMo_YDU7rFIzB1pyPXiTyl1ZhWmvhqMcrXUtfKaerMT5-0CRrs8Sg/s1600/Goodee-EcoBirdy-Container.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="turquoise kiwi bird, with removable head (making it a storage container)" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOTgqSlHss2dti83VHB09ys4znH7K-2jUmh5o2lE9u6SSmdjFjm747OWyfwJp2epY8Pt9arL1XDitEkY860XCYeXMo_YDU7rFIzB1pyPXiTyl1ZhWmvhqMcrXUtfKaerMT5-0CRrs8Sg/s400/Goodee-EcoBirdy-Container.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
And then there’s this <a href="https://www.goodeeworld.com/collections/ecobirdy/products/container-kiwi-paua">kiwi bird storage container</a> from <a href="https://www.goodeeworld.com/collections/ecobirdy">ecoBirdy</a> — expensive, but cool.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWkcVoGbz1psHXUtE8QvU7z5jhnRPIzuI2nahNZVJ2XJOpCums1Pc-gaD2EcaUiIkk_gTVH4A7mRIcNl4l547kUWo1y6WgfcBKBQciesNz9i77vn-wjlGyr5cWUO3lDbI8SkfYuc8mB4/s1600/Jungalow-lidded-basket.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="lidded basket with blocks of colors: red, pink, etc." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWkcVoGbz1psHXUtE8QvU7z5jhnRPIzuI2nahNZVJ2XJOpCums1Pc-gaD2EcaUiIkk_gTVH4A7mRIcNl4l547kUWo1y6WgfcBKBQciesNz9i77vn-wjlGyr5cWUO3lDbI8SkfYuc8mB4/s400/Jungalow-lidded-basket.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
The same Veranda article also led me to <a href="https://www.jungalow.com/pages/about-us">Jungalow</a> and its <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4238401484560614586#editor/target=post;postID=2194637079205277150">organizing products</a>, including this basket from Uganda.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ61fszg02W1HZ8yjo6_Y29fFQSHaCTqHBPeCvYJVJqnb06cIM7cMVpwwrjSN7_HNggqvQ85gw_htAMH_17VxTT-XbCK49ya3HltT6d_4blkqhMNbBulpzsmIsLTG0wNpCIyg-uomQW5o/s1600/Expedition-Subsahara-basket.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="colorful lidded basket" border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="727" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ61fszg02W1HZ8yjo6_Y29fFQSHaCTqHBPeCvYJVJqnb06cIM7cMVpwwrjSN7_HNggqvQ85gw_htAMH_17VxTT-XbCK49ya3HltT6d_4blkqhMNbBulpzsmIsLTG0wNpCIyg-uomQW5o/s400/Expedition-Subsahara-basket.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Yet another great source for <a href="https://expeditionsubsahara.com/collections/all-baskets">baskets</a> is <a href="https://expeditionsubsahara.com/pages/about-us">Expedition Subsahara</a>, which has this mission: “To build and maintain a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) school for young girls in Senegal.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbR0bQxF0o2DzTN06Uf7g3psyc76fRCk4zGEfAP0Frj23ICD90PykeKNka0r6bgCBfYBMpaxfQvNCXxL9gWN9vXblipacrlCU2KrBo0JRleK4Un17sFsxAPubero8Dr0RWyQe6yyv3GA8/s1600/tackussanu-senegal-basket.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="lidded basket" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="642" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbR0bQxF0o2DzTN06Uf7g3psyc76fRCk4zGEfAP0Frj23ICD90PykeKNka0r6bgCBfYBMpaxfQvNCXxL9gWN9vXblipacrlCU2KrBo0JRleK4Un17sFsxAPubero8Dr0RWyQe6yyv3GA8/s400/tackussanu-senegal-basket.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
And there’s also <a href="https://tackussanusenegal.com/collections/all">Tackussanu Senegal</a>, with yet more terrific baskets; thanks to <a href="https://www.bhg.com/decorating/home-accessories/tips/black-owned-home-brands/">Better Homes & Gardens </a>for pointing me to this one.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlSETVrd4c4BY7AZ95J_ZbhI5rSYjbg-nnZG_ym5Zm-KdHTKW-t7duE5tmo3EU3F3DRPvetty6JPEubH9qWSzMm9iFvD-x7sCOKxbUDBdq9DpidjUjQM_DamF_DWKD5Rj2zZfYf1tLho/s1600/peace-and-riot-protect-ikea-funiture-coasters.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="coasters that say, "For the love of God protect the Ikea furniture"" border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="750" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlSETVrd4c4BY7AZ95J_ZbhI5rSYjbg-nnZG_ym5Zm-KdHTKW-t7duE5tmo3EU3F3DRPvetty6JPEubH9qWSzMm9iFvD-x7sCOKxbUDBdq9DpidjUjQM_DamF_DWKD5Rj2zZfYf1tLho/s400/peace-and-riot-protect-ikea-funiture-coasters.png" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Finally, <a href="https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/g32743982/black-owned-home-decor-brands-we-should-all-be-supporting/">Elle Decor</a> sent me to Peace & Riot, which has a nice <a href="http://www.peaceandriot.com/shop/khaki-cotton-canvas-apron-with-pockets-amp-leather-ties">apron with multiple pockets</a>. And while they’re not organizing products, these <a href="http://www.peaceandriot.com/shop/protect-the-ikea-furniture-coasters">coasters</a> gave me a good laugh and I wanted to share them. (Lots of people have organizing products from Ikea, such as the <a href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/billy-series-28102/">Billy bookcase</a>, so there’s a tenuous connection to organizing.)<br />
<br />
Since this list is basket-heavy, I’m going to keep looking for more Black-owned businesses selling organizing-related products beyond baskets. Hopefully, I’ll have another group of products to share.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-25021713579841936952020-05-10T11:34:00.000-07:002020-05-10T11:43:40.919-07:00In Honor of My Mom: Organizing in Blue for 2020<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8vKhnCu6aoU27MxK91YZcysQRdKZSaLlcZRf23WG1c66WiclaJEPkbT7-YIY-p6Cn06_DfSjH9uIIem2JcMaC5Dc1HfNjmGslfzf5-8D60nn8sJCwv4OuZSWrHYsHkgOiqXIyq8BUn8/s1600/Jamida-Emma-Shipley-tray-frontier.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="rectangular tray with complex design featuring a lot of owls" border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="599" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8vKhnCu6aoU27MxK91YZcysQRdKZSaLlcZRf23WG1c66WiclaJEPkbT7-YIY-p6Cn06_DfSjH9uIIem2JcMaC5Dc1HfNjmGslfzf5-8D60nn8sJCwv4OuZSWrHYsHkgOiqXIyq8BUn8/s400/Jamida-Emma-Shipley-tray-frontier.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Thirteen years ago today, <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2007/05/julia-good-1926-2007.html">my mom died of pancreatic cancer</a>. (Yes, it’s ironic that this anniversary happens to fall on Mother’s Day this year.) Her favorite color was blue, so this has become my annual tribute to her.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2018/05/in-honor-of-my-mom-organizing-in-blue.html">Two years ago</a> I led off with a tray from Jamida, with art by Emma J. Shipley, and this year I’m doing the same — with a <a href="https://www.jamidaofsweden.com/en/designers/emma-j-shipley/frontier-new/">new tray</a> that’s as amazing as the prior one. It comes in two different sizes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtc6Th-96EF0UrYBs_FhyphenhyphenHIjtlQBWp9JbS9ICpRT0-ZN82eNfF-Ew_3MDu481e6DDxArFrN9RjjvUk_ikW8uxUy13tfZ_n1PWD7R-AcOHCY7RxKkcm_0CV5pByyHrOKER9Zd5oZJV79U/s1600/bloom-in-blue-tray-at-sweetgum-artist-Sandra-venus.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="rectangular tray with flowers, in various shades of blue" border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtc6Th-96EF0UrYBs_FhyphenhyphenHIjtlQBWp9JbS9ICpRT0-ZN82eNfF-Ew_3MDu481e6DDxArFrN9RjjvUk_ikW8uxUy13tfZ_n1PWD7R-AcOHCY7RxKkcm_0CV5pByyHrOKER9Zd5oZJV79U/s400/bloom-in-blue-tray-at-sweetgum-artist-Sandra-venus.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
But that’s not the only tray I have to show you. Here’s <a href="https://sweetgumhome.com/products/bloom-in-blue-tray-wood-and-melamine-17-x-13-sweetgum">a very blue tray from Sweetgum Home</a>, designed by Sandra Venus.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsp6OygG5p89Ns7RsdjTeCE8q5w7ndLZc9YS20jnEI9cEDJScQRmk4E6hAZfokYLswC5aCguDfs3FW7pFlcz-NmFfEs9EtuTyhRU_ypzyHxtIgJqjqTQsb96ReB9IiZmb7bJ4KafSy3I/s1600/Liberty-London-Ianthe-tray.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="rectangular tray with an Art Nouveau design" border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="600" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsp6OygG5p89Ns7RsdjTeCE8q5w7ndLZc9YS20jnEI9cEDJScQRmk4E6hAZfokYLswC5aCguDfs3FW7pFlcz-NmFfEs9EtuTyhRU_ypzyHxtIgJqjqTQsb96ReB9IiZmb7bJ4KafSy3I/s400/Liberty-London-Ianthe-tray.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
And here’s the <a href="https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/ianthe-large-tray-R309941006.html?dwvar_000639971_color=36-TEAL&listsrc=Kitchen%20Accessories#start=1">Ianthe tray from Liberty of London</a>, with its Art Nouveau design. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtjQT_OyOdxeAtar5Df0XRxIjJnsqSm6RqZIAFXRC8DcPvS98d461Xd7v6TjiL4fg8jYJ00lc_-Y0qI1yTzmzbV8-X942EjfkbSXqKl71PPNU8HGa1z0d9nb9AaPbjiBvnkqSFGR0yqs/s1600/Lemnos-farbe-alarm-clock-blue.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="square blue alarm clock, round white dial, yellow second hand, red alarm indicator" border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="517" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtjQT_OyOdxeAtar5Df0XRxIjJnsqSm6RqZIAFXRC8DcPvS98d461Xd7v6TjiL4fg8jYJ00lc_-Y0qI1yTzmzbV8-X942EjfkbSXqKl71PPNU8HGa1z0d9nb9AaPbjiBvnkqSFGR0yqs/s400/Lemnos-farbe-alarm-clock-blue.jpeg" title="" width="395" /></a><br />
<br />
Moving on from trays: The Farbe alarm clock from <a href="https://www.lemnos.jp/en/archives/3152">Lemnos</a> is nice and simple, and it’s easy to read. <a href="https://www.valleyvariety.com/product/farbe-alarm-clock/">It runs on one AA battery</a>, and it does make a light tick sound as the second hand moves around, so it wouldn’t work for someone sensitive to such sounds.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjXPBh7-u7VnSEuedurO_Hy3-uAm27pnHOLZC82dDB9mzf4PYEKLcTrxmgs-v7AKwAsm9a7aGGgS1LPsA9wmYXjcUobB5YCvxgu5tiagjSP5wrftQ7b2uPfgCBtGWmVFca5M6K4N-40s/s1600/Forest-Hill-Creations-basket-on-Etsy.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Blue bowl made from fabric-wrapped rope, on a table, filled with fruit" border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="794" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjXPBh7-u7VnSEuedurO_Hy3-uAm27pnHOLZC82dDB9mzf4PYEKLcTrxmgs-v7AKwAsm9a7aGGgS1LPsA9wmYXjcUobB5YCvxgu5tiagjSP5wrftQ7b2uPfgCBtGWmVFca5M6K4N-40s/s400/Forest-Hill-Creations-basket-on-Etsy.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
This <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/658872190/coiled-fabric-wrapped-rope-basketblue?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_a-home_and_living-home_decor-baskets_and_bowls&utm_custom1=f98edee8-1b4e-40ab-9f40-9c1a0b9ae9e5&utm_content=go_2063077667_76452869215_367965824541_pla-302796601382_c__658872190&utm_custom2=2063077667&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1e_dit2o6QIVFRLnCh0apgfHEAQYCCABEgKTKfD_BwE">wrapped-rope basket</a> from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/ForestHillCreations">Forest Hill Creations</a> could be used to hold any number of things. Their <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/658863708/coiled-fabric-wrapped-rope-basket?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1">turquoise bowl</a> looks lovely, too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBSabrBUJXQSgb_4RgTSPNoKnscCA1PuL6NSUo09HYv06A93ZxsZAKs8_4c75q6Hzqasxdwj9G3KAqBBqpUMqnCP7d6C733xuBE0eObApJisfGokSwRm76SzFxr_oN2d6QOLi27XLe5A/s1600/Chatham-Pottery-Utensil-Holder-Sea-Foam-Blue.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="blue wide-mouth utensil holder" border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="483" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBSabrBUJXQSgb_4RgTSPNoKnscCA1PuL6NSUo09HYv06A93ZxsZAKs8_4c75q6Hzqasxdwj9G3KAqBBqpUMqnCP7d6C733xuBE0eObApJisfGokSwRm76SzFxr_oN2d6QOLi27XLe5A/s400/Chatham-Pottery-Utensil-Holder-Sea-Foam-Blue.jpeg" title="" width="399" /></a><br />
<br />
Chatham Pottery has a lovely <a href="https://www.chathampottery.com/products/utensil-holder-sea-foam-blue">blue utensil holder</a>. The <a href="https://www.chathampottery.com/collections/utensil-holders/products/utensil-holder-hand-painted-fish">utensil holder with the hand-painted fish</a> is also nice!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamZC-WjqmTiXV86Wg3Lbo1LT5FObu3zIWqxK4bf46ECvBKyHoRIiElKeS9JqLQLbC0Mfv4umF5Re0zUt6NzpQbKS2zUgO4hLyQwCeQ2uzsAQmt6faQ2RydW69vlrqjCvPeiLpx4gBXeE/s1600/Dumbo-bookends.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="blue bookend holding up some books" border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="472" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamZC-WjqmTiXV86Wg3Lbo1LT5FObu3zIWqxK4bf46ECvBKyHoRIiElKeS9JqLQLbC0Mfv4umF5Re0zUt6NzpQbKS2zUgO4hLyQwCeQ2uzsAQmt6faQ2RydW69vlrqjCvPeiLpx4gBXeE/s400/Dumbo-bookends.jpeg" title="" width="340" /></a><br />
<br />
These <a href="https://store.moma.org/office/office-supplies/dumbo-bookend/8459.html?dwvar_8459_color=Blue#start=16">Dumbo bookends</a>, manufactured by <a href="https://tortugaliving.com/collections/ciszak-dalmas-design-collaboration">Tortuga Studios</a>, are made from powder-coated steel, so they should do a good job of holding books upright. The blue color isn’t offered on Tortuga’s website; I found it at the MoMA Design Store. You can find Tortuga’s <a href="https://shop.sightunseen.com/products/dumbo-bookends">navy and teal bookends at Sight Unseen</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTWDvkwIJd7mejeT8m1lX_y_UAcFiLpRXDzuyZCqSMVN0JwNgand6uRjIcK482L2HyBQTehSeR68vF2RS4ZQsFFXO0r5jx4Tu8Er3cuQCXR3zzbnR_Io4-gMZBmfZX3E0EqLvngI5Quw/s1600/Cherith-Harrison-kingfisher-fabric-notice-board.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="ribbon board: white fabric with blue kingfishers; orange ribbon" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1008" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTWDvkwIJd7mejeT8m1lX_y_UAcFiLpRXDzuyZCqSMVN0JwNgand6uRjIcK482L2HyBQTehSeR68vF2RS4ZQsFFXO0r5jx4Tu8Er3cuQCXR3zzbnR_Io4-gMZBmfZX3E0EqLvngI5Quw/s400/Cherith-Harrison-kingfisher-fabric-notice-board.jpg" title="" width="394" /></a><br />
<br />
And finally, here’s a lovely <a href="https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/cherithharrison/product/kingfisher-fabric-notice-board?referredBy=plp">notice board from artist Cherith Harrison</a>.<br />
<br />
Curious about my posts in prior years? Take a look at <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/search?q=%22in+honor+of+my+mom:+organizing+in+blue%22&max-results=20&by-date=true">all of them</a>.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-42465723163972891342020-04-16T17:37:00.000-07:002020-04-16T17:44:50.851-07:00Meal Planning While Sheltering at Home: Cooking and Baking — Or Not<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69R3Dig-Cz-7yNDMyFsCIWA1U3jYYfpc69r9iFGdgvSf8vTwh-VWkIx4BE0ZNwLkMboCGAj8zkPLo-2vDcRYTur1r4F3VdQnqDKE1kWG1Sn_G4bpO3FUlgKpOVnDJE4zAjQNhyflKuV0/s1600/my-pantry.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Packages of Tasty Bite Jodphur Lentils, Seeds of Change Seven Whole Grains, and Tasty Bite Ancient Grains" border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69R3Dig-Cz-7yNDMyFsCIWA1U3jYYfpc69r9iFGdgvSf8vTwh-VWkIx4BE0ZNwLkMboCGAj8zkPLo-2vDcRYTur1r4F3VdQnqDKE1kWG1Sn_G4bpO3FUlgKpOVnDJE4zAjQNhyflKuV0/s400/my-pantry.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
As so many of us shelter at home, I see a lot of folks getting into cooking and/or baking, and that’s great. Their food looks terrific.<br />
<br />
But the photo at the top of this post is part of my pantry. It also has things like veggie packets from Tasty Bite, energy bars, pasta, pasta sauces and wonderful canned sardines. Most of these items (excluding the pasta and pasta sauce) are also good earthquake supplies.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKcZJ-UY_PfwfNgk-MoOatMU_ip5R-zo8aXYPihL7dOfe9oUDzdxhbXthQRSbebxTwwkTTmP4TVuYE55gfo-OiAs2lRigh3DQuXZ0L7bxXkizieKXARgElozGpWFKw-yoLDORvO3TEzY/s1600/my-refrigerator.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Prepared meals: chicken coconut curry" border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKcZJ-UY_PfwfNgk-MoOatMU_ip5R-zo8aXYPihL7dOfe9oUDzdxhbXthQRSbebxTwwkTTmP4TVuYE55gfo-OiAs2lRigh3DQuXZ0L7bxXkizieKXARgElozGpWFKw-yoLDORvO3TEzY/s400/my-refrigerator.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
And here’s part of my refrigerator. It also has peanut butter, <a href="https://www.spreadthelovejelly.com/online-store/Tayberry-Jelly-p72808505">tayberry jelly,</a> fruit juice and cheese. It sometimes has the leftovers from meals delivered by <a href="http://www.monsoonhimalayancuisine.com/">my local Himalayan restaurant</a>. The freezer has veggies and bread — and as of tomorrow it will have <a href="http://gulinogelato.com/">locally made gelato</a>.<br />
<br />
For me, meal planning means making sure I’ve ordered enough food delivery that I can have tasty and healthy food to pop in the microwave, bread to pop in the toaster, etc. — along with some treats. I’ve developed a nice list of places that will ship or deliver things I enjoy, mostly at reasonable prices. (OK, the gelato is a splurge.)<br />
<br />
I don’t feel inspired to cook right now, and I’m fortunate enough to be able to get good food in other ways. If you’re similarly inclined, this is just a reminder that there’s nothing wrong with that.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-58892471766201131502020-04-11T15:55:00.001-07:002020-04-13T15:11:07.447-07:00Decluttering While Sheltering at Home<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Va_n2YsvA-_uNx6OGZFOo5fT1anvH-UYc0VGU2K0jYKUaHV1v9Ct8k5Ls3lPNVsKANVtPriiSEh5Erjh_9VWVnvPrqGCsSWyNQO64EQfw5NoPN0eJRiL5aaFBnVqeGRGZr4dwfFyUBA/s1600/Stay-home-club+tote.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Va_n2YsvA-_uNx6OGZFOo5fT1anvH-UYc0VGU2K0jYKUaHV1v9Ct8k5Ls3lPNVsKANVtPriiSEh5Erjh_9VWVnvPrqGCsSWyNQO64EQfw5NoPN0eJRiL5aaFBnVqeGRGZr4dwfFyUBA/s400/Stay-home-club+tote.jpg" width="267" /></a><br />
<i><a href="https://www.stayhomeclub.com/collections/cat-stuff/products/shc-logo-xl-tote-natural">The Stay Home Club XL tote</a>, available for purchase</i><br />
<br />
I’m in the San Francisco Bay Area, which has pretty strict shelter-at-home rules — and I’m over 65, which increases my COVID-19 risk. So I’m only leaving home for short walks in my residential neighborhood and for essential vet visits (where the vet has protocols to ensure things are done very safely).<br />
<br />
Most places that would normally take donations are closed — and even if they weren’t, dropping off donations and electronics for recycling aren’t “essential activities” in most cases, with some moves being the exception. I own a freecycle group, and I’ve told members to hold off on offering items unless they are the things we’re allowed to go shopping for: groceries, pet food, medical items (non-prescription on freecycle), etc. <br />
<br />
So what do you do if you happen to be inspired to declutter? Here are some ideas:<br />
<br />
1. Focus on papers. These will either be filed, shredded or recycled — all of which can be done without leaving home if you have a shredder and curbside recycling. Many people think paperwork is the most annoying thing to handle, so it can pile up. You don’t have to do it all at once; doing just a tiny bit at a time will still help.<br />
<br />
2. Focus on computer files. I’ve found myself deleting old files, emails and browser bookmarks — as well as cleaning up my contacts.<br />
<br />
3. Put physical items in clearly identified boxes, bags or bins for donation or recycling at a future time. It’s not ideal, but that’s what I'm doing. I have one box for books, one tote bag for electronics recycling, and a big bin for other items to be donated or freecycled.<br />
<br />
4. Mail things off to friends or relatives if you have things you are <i>sure</i> they want. In the U.S., you can <a href="https://tools.usps.com/schedule-pickup-steps.htm">schedule a pickup with the postal service</a>. There are some weight limitations and you have to attach proper postage, as explained in <a href="https://usps.force.com/faq/s/article/What-is-Package-Pickup">the FAQs</a>.<br />
<br />
5. Using the same USPS pick-up service, you could ship clothing and household goods off to charities using the <a href="http://givebackbox.com/works">Give Back Box</a> service and its prepaid shipping labels. (As of 18 days ago, organizer <a href="https://www.letmeorganizeit.com/about-us">Lauren Mang</a> confirmed that Give Back Box was still up and running.) If you feel OK leaving the house and your locale permits it, you could also use a UPS drop box; <a href="https://www.ups.com/dropoff/">UPS has a location finder</a>. Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-74053615792095904272020-04-01T17:50:00.003-07:002020-04-01T19:31:11.971-07:00Computer Backups: An organizing project you can do while sheltering at home<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDoO1eJ1T32GDD5_7eUpc5PAqMr1UQAnLxJoaUfGQCvKRvj1YyMcN8jzAywds_CQ4kfUFgcmKSdd9hzfjjZDfbqIX-oxJLRVGc3nN_EyR7ZVlTNBQovnsnj98DPv9ptDLoPJ5bktVDiM/s1600/world+backup+day.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="box that says World Backup Day" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDoO1eJ1T32GDD5_7eUpc5PAqMr1UQAnLxJoaUfGQCvKRvj1YyMcN8jzAywds_CQ4kfUFgcmKSdd9hzfjjZDfbqIX-oxJLRVGc3nN_EyR7ZVlTNBQovnsnj98DPv9ptDLoPJ5bktVDiM/s400/world+backup+day.png" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
This post is a day late; <i>yesterday</i> was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WorldBackupDay/">World Backup Day</a>. But I’m being gentle with myself during this time, and not fretting about that. And anyway, you want to be doing backups <i>every</i> day, not just on World Backup Day.<br />
<br />
And I guess I had this subject on my mind, because I had an odd dream last night. I was working in some nondescript corporate office, had my computer stolen, and immediately thought about when I did my last full backup!<br />
<br />
I’m not going to suggest specific backup products; you can find a lot of advice about that from others who have more expertise than I do. But I will emphasize that you want at least one of your backups to be offsite (in case of fire, theft, etc.) and you want at least one of them to be automatic, because otherwise you’re tempting the fates. And yes, multiple backups are a good idea. I use a cloud backup program (offsite backup, automated) and a program that backs up to an external hard drive (much faster recovery time). But if you have no backups now and get one backup process running, you’ve already made a huge improvement!<br />
<br />
And remember you want to back up any critical files on your cell phone, too.<br />
<br />
So if you don’t already have backups running, consider taking some time to remedy that. You don’t want to be like <a href="https://twitter.com/mizzousundevil/status/943970416535760896">Matt Dempsey, who tweeted back in 2017:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Having my work hard drive/computer die yesterday has forced me to look at the bad backup decisions I’ve made. Damn</blockquote>
And if you’re already running backups, are you also <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2012/05/computer-backups-critical-step-you-may.html">testing those backups</a>? If not, that’s a step you might want to take.<br />
<br />
You might also think about any non-digital documents that you’d be distressed about losing, and consider getting them in digital form to then be included in those backups you’re running. This warning comes from a <a href="https://twitter.com/susanorlean/status/876840212697038848">tweet by author Susan Orlean:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Had a small flood in my office. Some handwritten notes are now abstract watercolors. Fortunately I’d typed them up, but yikes.</blockquote>
Finally, I’d like to mention a different kind of back-up. If you’ve ever published things to a website that just might disappear, make sure you’ve backed up those documents or images, too, if they are still important to you. I know one magazine writer who didn’t do this, and she lost her work when the magazine folded and didn’t keep its website around.<br />
<br />
<br />Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-85081870685475365812020-03-16T11:03:00.001-07:002020-03-16T11:03:20.271-07:00Productivity in the Time of Coronavirus<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFw_FDOtCgCOiYsvndkdsSPydn0bjEwqA_BCq8vsq127y2Q5ZzKP5MBIT48l6yHoiJVQKk2Xvx7uhox39bYBOs46c1JwUfI2SEceN3UFJt16FU5dX_-51Cwk1H_I_A1dLywmsaA658glM/s1600/coronavirus.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="electron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19" border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="800" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFw_FDOtCgCOiYsvndkdsSPydn0bjEwqA_BCq8vsq127y2Q5ZzKP5MBIT48l6yHoiJVQKk2Xvx7uhox39bYBOs46c1JwUfI2SEceN3UFJt16FU5dX_-51Cwk1H_I_A1dLywmsaA658glM/s400/coronavirus.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Image from NIAID-RML, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/niaid/49534865371/">found on Flickr</a>, licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">Creative Commons</a></i></span><br />
<br />
Not everyone has the luxury of worrying about productivity; here’s a thank-you to all the doctors, nurses, delivery people and such who are out there taking care of us. If you hire housecleaners, it would be a kindness to tell them to stay home while you still pay them.<br />
<br />
But for those trying to work at home (or in an office, hopefully with plenty of social distance — or those just trying to get personal projects done — I wanted to share some words of sympathy and advice I’m seeing on Twitter.<br />
<br />
A “you're not alone” thought <a href="https://twitter.com/CarolineMoss/status/1238608737868251136">from Caroline Moss</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
Is anyone else’s brain so broken that you’re beating yourself up for not being productive enough about work during an unprecedented global pandemic</blockquote>
Advice <a href="https://twitter.com/griner/status/1238527837528875008">from David Griner</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
Real talk: If you’re not feeling productive, it’s not because you’re working from home or poorly managing your time.<br />
<br />
It’s because life right now is just a horrible grinding background noise that never leaves your brain. Be kind to yourself. Let things go.</blockquote>
And sympathy plus advice <a href="https://twitter.com/Wordridden/status/1239480342458904576">from Jessica</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
I’ve worked from home for 20(!) years, I love it, I’m made for it, I can’t imagine not doing it—and I’ve gotten absolutely *nothing* done for the past week.<br />
<br />
Newly WFH folks, the situation now is totally unconducive to concentration and productivity. Be gentle with yourselves.</blockquote>
Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-37509261365078740742020-02-14T14:17:00.001-08:002020-02-14T14:17:38.005-08:00Time Management: Balancing parenting and work<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhCgqcUczLu6YAjPK83fzx8EbAhgdPva1qF622JKTZMKJp7e63yF_9DWLLIdeTzIjQ81tz6C6UyKuO7muIe5a_X3Ff6Lk86HP8Yputr09x8bq8Aa8SsBs9yO4g5U5pEiYMursgaXH_f8/s1600/Business+Dad.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhCgqcUczLu6YAjPK83fzx8EbAhgdPva1qF622JKTZMKJp7e63yF_9DWLLIdeTzIjQ81tz6C6UyKuO7muIe5a_X3Ff6Lk86HP8Yputr09x8bq8Aa8SsBs9yO4g5U5pEiYMursgaXH_f8/s1600/Business+Dad.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
I’ve been listening to a new podcast called <a href="https://businessdad.initialized.com/">Business Dad</a>, which got me hooked with <a href="https://businessdad.initialized.com/about">this description</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
How do you balance it all?<br />
<br />
Working moms are asked this question incessantly, but it’s rarely asked of working dads. After Alexis Ohanian’s daughter Olympia was born, it took months before he was asked about work-life balance and the inevitable trade-offs of being a working parent.<br />
<br />
In a new podcast from Initialized Capital, Alexis Ohanian ... opens this question up to some of the most successful men across business, sports, entertainment, and more, for candid conversations about what it means to be a father in today’s world and how they balance their careers and family.</blockquote>
Comedian <a href="http://hasanminhaj.com/">Hasan Minhaj</a> is the guest on the first episode; his daughter is 20 months old. He said that it wasn't until a few months in that he “really realized the relentless nature of parenting; it doesn’t stop.”<br />
<br />
He also noted that he has dedicated time with his daughter every day:<br />
<blockquote>
My wife forced my hand ... Beena is the one who told me, “You have to set time with her, every day, to: </blockquote>
<blockquote>
A — develop that bond and <br />
B — if you don't you're going to regret it.”<br />
<br />
So from 6:30 to 8:30 every day it's our time, before I come to the office.<br />
<br />
I remember having that initial pushback like “Come on, are you serious, every day?” And now it’s one of the best things that ever happened to me.</blockquote>
The editor in chief of <i>Wired</i>, <a href="https://www.nickthompson.com/">Nicholas Thompson,</a> is the guest on the second episode, which I enjoyed even more than the first one. Nick has three sons, ages 5, 9 and 11. Given his children’s ages, his interactions with his sons are quite different than those that Alexis and Hasan have with their young daughters. But he also has dedicated time with them:<br />
<blockquote>
I try to keep a very structured schedule where I take them to school, I go to work, then I leave work almost every day at 6 to go home, and put them to bed, and tell them stories, and play with them, and work with them on their things and then they go to sleep and I got back to work ... I go back to my computer.</blockquote>
He goes on to talk about the trade-offs — the things you don’t have time for when you’re spending time on work and family. I also loved his stories about engaging his boys in his work; for example, they helped craft his first interview question to Secretary of State John Kerry. And when Nick was choosing between two job offers, his top decision-making question was this: Which job will make you a better dad for your children?<br />
<br />
Tired of only women being asked how they balance work and family? If so, you might enjoy this podcast, too.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-34832975625795704402019-12-05T03:02:00.000-08:002019-12-05T12:35:03.267-08:00Non-Clutter Gifts: Art Supplies for Kids<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3yyZ0DURUtnX41w1hf1Xgy5RLWgxQ9VvAqniEXh9BLDvFsbe61uU5LdQvn-LpCtNQYAv9awMV6zy55n0adDxr8Y3p8_mbftR6EyFtlq0JSd5nqW7ELzECt9h17ktr0RXELl5jS1xeU4/s1600/crayola-crayons-120.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Crayola crayons - box of 120 colors" border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="980" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3yyZ0DURUtnX41w1hf1Xgy5RLWgxQ9VvAqniEXh9BLDvFsbe61uU5LdQvn-LpCtNQYAv9awMV6zy55n0adDxr8Y3p8_mbftR6EyFtlq0JSd5nqW7ELzECt9h17ktr0RXELl5jS1xeU4/s400/crayola-crayons-120.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
I’ve always liked the idea of giving art supplies as gifts. They’re consumables, so they don’t tend to become clutter (unless a parent believes they must keep everything their child creates) and they encourage the creativity of children who have an artistic inclination.<br />
<br />
But there’s one aspect of art supply gifts I never thought too much about until I read this on Twitter:<br />
<blockquote>
PSA: If you’re doing shopping for artsy kids this holiday season, avoid these art sets. Every artist I know got these as a kid and LOATHED them, because the quality sucks. Instead, find out what medium the kid likes and get nice versions of that specific thing. —<a href="https://twitter.com/moby_dickhead/status/1200887070761398273">Adam Ellis</a> </blockquote>
When Adam says “these art sets” he’s referring to the all-in-one kits, selling for around $25, that come with crayons, colored pencils, a pencil sharpener, scissors, watercolor cakes, oil pastels, markers, etc. He went on to suggest better gifts, and a lot of people joined the conversation. Some points made:<br />
<ul>
<li>The gift-giver’s budget obviously needs to be taken into consideration. But to meet budget constraints, you can consider getting a smaller quantity of higher-quality stuff. </li>
<li>The age, interest level, and skill level of the child matter; not all kids will appreciate the higher-quality items. The boxed sets can be fine for a kid who would just like to try different mediums: watercolors, colored pencils, markers, etc. But kids in their teens might really appreciate some better supplies. </li>
<li>Even Crayola crayons are a step up in quality from many of the kits. (Lots of people mentioned <a href="https://www.crayola.com/">Crayola</a> products as a good alternative!) You can get better quality than the kits without going to top of the line. (Dried markers were a top complaint about the kits.)</li>
</ul>
<br />
But if you have a child on your gift list who is really into art, some suggested gifts from Adam and others were:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs93FvPtBAnQT2dM6tuRYzlV61znllfm5ecHkfJ5NQct-mWxMv3s531IdUxeYMoaBJKztpJlXWDFsiIFKUVhMRAdHz9yS8UqLLIAX_BuX2n8VfL5L_hyphenhyphentkhqra_Tyo0ZzAgtuzN5BWfRA/s1600/Prismacolor-pencils.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="boxes of Prismacolor colored pencils" border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="498" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs93FvPtBAnQT2dM6tuRYzlV61znllfm5ecHkfJ5NQct-mWxMv3s531IdUxeYMoaBJKztpJlXWDFsiIFKUVhMRAdHz9yS8UqLLIAX_BuX2n8VfL5L_hyphenhyphentkhqra_Tyo0ZzAgtuzN5BWfRA/s400/Prismacolor-pencils.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<h3>
Colored pencils</h3>
<br />
Favorites included <a href="https://www.prismacolor.com/">Prismacolor</a>, <a href="https://www.carandache.com/us/en/">Caran d'Arche</a> and <a href="https://www.fabercastell.com/">Faber Castell</a>. Over on <a href="https://www.dickblick.com/">Dick Blick</a> I saw a tin of 12 Prismacolors for $7.10 (well below list price) — and I also saw a set of 160 Caran d'Ache pencils in a wood box for $463.99. Obviously there are plenty of choices between these two price points.<br />
<br />
Author <a href="https://twitter.com/ann_leckie/status/1201168030325231618">Ann Leckie made a great case for good colored pencils</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
I’ve been looking for the tweet I saw where someone said basically that low quality art supplies can make you feel like you can’t do the thing, because this is very true. Particularly colored pencils, which, by and large the cheap ones are just disappointing and frustrating. ... Speaking as someone who has recently been taking art classes—the difference between cheap colored pencils and good ones is AMAZING.</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAeYFqmX7HSZLK4oRTeJxxBG3Xe9rpyiPynLUZcr_WJ9OjmC7jUNrpHM_TjidYMPPwK01AukJMmbrY90RUPtE7AhnKqJcnEpK2SQucg-Rh1lU64NZ7f9aR73fPiiXWgoig1aDcQjfEaqE/s1600/Van-Gogh-watercolors-10-tubes.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="box of 10 tubes of Van Gogh brand watercolors" border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="500" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAeYFqmX7HSZLK4oRTeJxxBG3Xe9rpyiPynLUZcr_WJ9OjmC7jUNrpHM_TjidYMPPwK01AukJMmbrY90RUPtE7AhnKqJcnEpK2SQucg-Rh1lU64NZ7f9aR73fPiiXWgoig1aDcQjfEaqE/s400/Van-Gogh-watercolors-10-tubes.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<h3>
Watercolors</h3>
<br />
Adam mentioned <a href="http://www.winsornewton.com/na/">Winsor & Newton</a> watercolors but noted they are expensive — and that there are cheaper options that are perfectly fine. Other folks mentioned <a href="http://danielsmith.com/watercolor/">Daniel Smith</a> and <a href="https://www.royaltalens.com/brands/van-gogh/artists%E2%80%99-colours/water-colours/">Van Gogh</a>. The picture above is the <a href="https://www.dickblick.com/items/00327-0109/">10-tube Van Gogh set</a>.<br />
<br />
And here’s someone <a href="https://twitter.com/ImagineChicken/status/1200954555019583488">making the case for good watercolors</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
Decent watercolors were a game changer for me. I hated those little pan sets that they gave us in school. They made me furious at their badness. Turns out I love painting. I hate bad paint. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
I am so on team Give Kids Good Art Supplies.</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_SjO20eVRW2RlGXpF4HYqc_dEHmI8K39TSyHOEE-OwN1BmJ0pT3ArHR3XrI4YtvHbcUzWGq3SUPh5VNxtEJ7KKq2-BJ1gwjBZ8ii51O1hq1n4cLjM1CEISo5F2jGFMCLQ7AwDMJqK0M/s1600/Micron-pens.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="six Micron pens in various sizes" border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="500" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_SjO20eVRW2RlGXpF4HYqc_dEHmI8K39TSyHOEE-OwN1BmJ0pT3ArHR3XrI4YtvHbcUzWGq3SUPh5VNxtEJ7KKq2-BJ1gwjBZ8ii51O1hq1n4cLjM1CEISo5F2jGFMCLQ7AwDMJqK0M/s400/Micron-pens.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<h3>
Pens for Ink Drawings</h3>
<br />
Adam mentioned <a href="https://www.pigmamicron.com/">Microns</a> (and <a href="https://copic.jp/en/product/multi/">Copic Multiliners</a> as a huge upgrade). Someone else prefers the <a href="https://artlineworld.com/products/artline/drawing/index.html">Artline Drawing System</a>. This <a href="https://www.dickblick.com/items/20702-2069/">set of six Microns</a> lists for $17.99 and can be found for much<i> </i>less.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/sl_huang/status/1201018420814319616">SL Huang makes the case for good supplies, including these pens</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
Since art supplies ARE so expensive, if you *can* get the Very Artsy kid in your life something specific & high-quality they’d prob be over the moon. I know I lusted after SO MANY art supplies I couldn’t afford as a kid & was always thrilllllled when ppl gifted them to me<br />
<br />
Also, many times, a truly arty kid would be much more excited with 5 microns for the same price as this big crappy set.</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLHftJ6jpoOCX0OuuDjdvwrp45SE2SssRjByINgVOGfsLbgyNsAjHM3bTVVBb030YkjBjnulpdxd_PrRQN1zh9tQGxa50qJsptayJilR-z4JGY0-JYbD8lWYbI_h5ZertWCp_mayNnQw/s1600/flax-gift-card.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Flax Art & Deisgn gift card" border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="975" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLHftJ6jpoOCX0OuuDjdvwrp45SE2SssRjByINgVOGfsLbgyNsAjHM3bTVVBb030YkjBjnulpdxd_PrRQN1zh9tQGxa50qJsptayJilR-z4JGY0-JYbD8lWYbI_h5ZertWCp_mayNnQw/s400/flax-gift-card.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<h3>
Gift Cards</h3>
<br />
If there's a good art supply store close to where the child lives, a gift card could be a great option, too. (<a href="https://flaxart.com/store-gift-card/">Flax</a> is a store in San Francisco that I’ve enjoyed for gift-buying.)<br />
<br />Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-57844318070756215872019-12-01T23:26:00.001-08:002020-02-10T22:09:48.069-08:008 Charging Stations for Your Phones, Tablets and More<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_p7LlALjaAxROOQI8SU77x9YWjXh7PfUkI-6tAnq7JoaGswwV3tvc8iytF2CVZGWsRb5YMJXZ4rKKTzfq4UsiJG7elrhcmNYnPCDVhql-8vzsBDSV6WXWcClpKBxLOBG7vodVe2S56Zs/s1600/Konstantin-Slawinski-Charge-Box.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="wall-mounted charging station, looks like a box with charging items laying on the top" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_p7LlALjaAxROOQI8SU77x9YWjXh7PfUkI-6tAnq7JoaGswwV3tvc8iytF2CVZGWsRb5YMJXZ4rKKTzfq4UsiJG7elrhcmNYnPCDVhql-8vzsBDSV6WXWcClpKBxLOBG7vodVe2S56Zs/s400/Konstantin-Slawinski-Charge-Box.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<i>Everything in my life needs charging. —<a href="https://twitter.com/hardaway/status/428672220538208256">Francine Hardaway</a></i><br />
<br />
If you’re like Francine, I’ve got some interesting products for you! (Note: For this post, I’m excluding wireless charging products.)<br />
<br />
The item above is the <a href="https://www.konstantinslawinski.com/en/CHARGE-BOX">Charge-Box from Konstantin Slawinski</a>, which comes in a variety of colors. It can be wall-mounted, as shown, or it can sit on a flat surface such as a countertop or desktop. You can also find it at <a href="https://www.connox.com/categories/electronics/cable-management/charge-box.html">Connox</a> (with fewer color choices), but if you’re in the U.S. the shipping charges are going to be quite high from either site.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUffG6Br6uHXIT9cLMpJTdgR2FRm1uW2r2kAyWUaCMGyNhpRsHl3N7y7Quw25qOOWCgQrKcWSWn5Yr49DbIg6aYh5V5Wns_Y12TgmvmjjqEooxK9Xc5nA08Dos54hwKfCRLNSXz8HaScM/s1600/Spell+Stage+shelf.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="wood shelf with slot in the rear, where a tablet is resting" border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="752" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUffG6Br6uHXIT9cLMpJTdgR2FRm1uW2r2kAyWUaCMGyNhpRsHl3N7y7Quw25qOOWCgQrKcWSWn5Yr49DbIg6aYh5V5Wns_Y12TgmvmjjqEooxK9Xc5nA08Dos54hwKfCRLNSXz8HaScM/s400/Spell+Stage+shelf.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.spell-online.com/products/stage-interaction-shelf">Stage shelf from Spell</a> lets you charge up to five items and keep the cords hidden. There are four options: walnut, oak, white, and black. It’s lovely, but expensive.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEQDiYbgVFyujIBMss4o1Y81La1m7s4K8ul6c_oZaLzdY9d_FDNvhy1AI3nF3wsZtfjV0zUzbzRcXkrBLHjGG9KiyHO93C1lnBGV2JkciMB_zlWEenfXQrdmiEAtN7yAYP6B3jc1XO4s/s1600/Spell+Stage+shelf+open.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="wood shelf pulled out from the wall showing the interior with two products charging inside" border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="443" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEQDiYbgVFyujIBMss4o1Y81La1m7s4K8ul6c_oZaLzdY9d_FDNvhy1AI3nF3wsZtfjV0zUzbzRcXkrBLHjGG9KiyHO93C1lnBGV2JkciMB_zlWEenfXQrdmiEAtN7yAYP6B3jc1XO4s/s400/Spell+Stage+shelf+open.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
The items being charged could be kept inside or out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOiTz6qITmCXKeVg4VlyyHaR6cWMDd56Q4o2RXv2XpMZsrs6DE34Z9TxlykJ8MEhMivMFaLFlQs4e7AeS4-D0No_w_JlMYLfbI223aYJsqAyB6ghZKFZuyOLFdxJeQ_J9lHJ9jd8PEV4/s1600/Satechi-7-port-usb-charging-station.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="charging station that has slots for the seven items being charged" border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOiTz6qITmCXKeVg4VlyyHaR6cWMDd56Q4o2RXv2XpMZsrs6DE34Z9TxlykJ8MEhMivMFaLFlQs4e7AeS4-D0No_w_JlMYLfbI223aYJsqAyB6ghZKFZuyOLFdxJeQ_J9lHJ9jd8PEV4/s400/Satechi-7-port-usb-charging-station.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
When it comes to charging stations that <i>aren</i>’<i>t</i> wall-mounted, there are a few basic designs. This 7-slot one from <a href="https://satechi.net/products/satechi-7-port-usb-charging-station-dock">Satechi</a> was recommended by <a href="https://www.imore.com/best-charging-stations">iMore</a>, which notes that “each slot is large enough to accommodate even the largest of smartphones and any cases that you may have installed.” It’s also available in white.<br />
<br />
Note that the <a href="https://satechi.net/collections/power-charging">charging cables</a> do not come with it, though, so it won’t look as cool as it does in this photo unless you buy the cables, too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSU1c70Up_yU5BsJ1aKFXq8L_lm6_ArQZVC_-mosIjuXjEkjQnU437vqquTlPCahbWM9ILdmOzd7XCeCrEgwziTmsHrOYNs2-sH6pHnU5eiv1NctFtTiFVf8WmJYx8d3DfYq1mcLOH9U/s1600/charging-mushroom.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="charging station with slots for products; the charging cables attach to the side of a mushroom-shaped outlet" border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="540" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSU1c70Up_yU5BsJ1aKFXq8L_lm6_ArQZVC_-mosIjuXjEkjQnU437vqquTlPCahbWM9ILdmOzd7XCeCrEgwziTmsHrOYNs2-sH6pHnU5eiv1NctFtTiFVf8WmJYx8d3DfYq1mcLOH9U/s400/charging-mushroom.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
For a very different take on the same basic design, there’s the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MQT7YPD/">charging mushroom</a>. The mushroom also serves as a night light!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwr_HNcR89LJwQEKMoHgNNhpfgdpOeoxHdR74E42QB9vqWPy9kFJnAZCOBE4P-vIxzTxQ1LjWmuewdSjfDhWEY2d4Fh4Aqi6rhrBqCeBEnprQxUqfv9aEBFDQVvUcLUYusGAQ_xnCqdpg/s1600/Bluelounge-sanctuary4-charging-station.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="charging station, box-like, where cords are kept inside and products rest on top or stand up against a rail" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwr_HNcR89LJwQEKMoHgNNhpfgdpOeoxHdR74E42QB9vqWPy9kFJnAZCOBE4P-vIxzTxQ1LjWmuewdSjfDhWEY2d4Fh4Aqi6rhrBqCeBEnprQxUqfv9aEBFDQVvUcLUYusGAQ_xnCqdpg/s400/Bluelounge-sanctuary4-charging-station.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Other products, like the <a href="https://bluelounge.com/products/sanctuary4/">Sanctuary4</a> from Bluelounge, are designed to hide all the cords. As you might guess from the name, it has four USB ports. You can get the Sanctuary4 in either black or white.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiq9HxZLjPwd5gnj456K0ejj92YODgUu-O3oSyJOG3lFexdExDjvXV_IYwzawoHWP7LpWDd9CLeS-clJIH3UA60rln23EvN537PbRTzCburKRtAnOPG4W7GICrabVzsvHHlz7yJMP5_k/s1600/Alldock-charging-station.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="charging station that's like a box with slats on top; three products (phones and tablets) are standing in the slats" border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="480" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiq9HxZLjPwd5gnj456K0ejj92YODgUu-O3oSyJOG3lFexdExDjvXV_IYwzawoHWP7LpWDd9CLeS-clJIH3UA60rln23EvN537PbRTzCburKRtAnOPG4W7GICrabVzsvHHlz7yJMP5_k/s400/Alldock-charging-station.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://alldock.com/">Alldock</a> provides another take on the hidden-cord charging station. It comes in two sizes: the medium which charges four items and the large which charges six. Products are available in black, white, bamboo, and walnut.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkA9YTePE1uH3QnDNENDv6x-mr2gcQlBQD-fn_1LODNNkHq1Uulfl69eYascvCs_RGil_33ClLi0pDcFAq4mm2DWb37N6f9f421zyQsLUFjdKy1Q6Otnaso5jL2VVfKuzr9LIGreCCwjs/s1600/Alldock-airpod-mount.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="same box-like charging station as above with an attachment that holds an AirPod case" border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="479" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkA9YTePE1uH3QnDNENDv6x-mr2gcQlBQD-fn_1LODNNkHq1Uulfl69eYascvCs_RGil_33ClLi0pDcFAq4mm2DWb37N6f9f421zyQsLUFjdKy1Q6Otnaso5jL2VVfKuzr9LIGreCCwjs/s400/Alldock-airpod-mount.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
There are optional Apple Watch, AirPod, and FitBit mounts, too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrZxMT83imSZnx0zFLPIG94yBOd0FwjflQK-VFGqWIr7SoNiP2eIU1BGA-2qf7Rau_VWknU97l5wBJBFz4YtHZa6Kn2hWEzIosOl-J9tXW3DFWCcoin0r_v3X9ZEzQRjAASZzwtnZyos/s1600/NytLite-DskStnd-CINQ.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="charging station with places for MacBook, iPad, iPhone, AirPod case, Apple Watch, Apple Pencil, and Apple TV remote" border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="794" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrZxMT83imSZnx0zFLPIG94yBOd0FwjflQK-VFGqWIr7SoNiP2eIU1BGA-2qf7Rau_VWknU97l5wBJBFz4YtHZa6Kn2hWEzIosOl-J9tXW3DFWCcoin0r_v3X9ZEzQRjAASZzwtnZyos/s400/NytLite-DskStnd-CINQ.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
And here’s yet another design. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/NytLite">NytLite</a> makes cool charging stations designed specifically for all Apple products. The one I’m showing is <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/738311495/dskstnd-cinq-white-minimalist-desktop">the one that accommodates the most products</a>, including the Apple TV remote (or a second iPhone).<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgGlq5Xq1Fe_6_h1TVh1zFQEAKx4i3I8_XXzkBPqOVZ8ho6spHWutbOnCCIu3oGXygo1T6xGDepFxrP3IlhfD8Io_IS8G0nIqSaaKhCuCtQlptKJ8hzwU4ahHtpoRxmesF2niW_vN4YE/s1600/Z-charge.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="woman sitting on a bed that has a bedside pocket that holds products being charged" border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="1206" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgGlq5Xq1Fe_6_h1TVh1zFQEAKx4i3I8_XXzkBPqOVZ8ho6spHWutbOnCCIu3oGXygo1T6xGDepFxrP3IlhfD8Io_IS8G0nIqSaaKhCuCtQlptKJ8hzwU4ahHtpoRxmesF2niW_vN4YE/s400/Z-charge.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
You can also get a product designed for bedside charging. <a href="http://myvolts.com/page.php?xPage=Z-Charge">Z-charge</a> provides three pockets on each side of the bed. There’s a larger pocket in the back, kept in place by that Velcro latch in the upper corner. Z-charge currently comes in four colors: white, black, chocolate brown and dove gray.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-76795319237639775162019-11-22T20:21:00.000-08:002019-11-22T20:21:16.873-08:002020 Wall Calendars for Good Causes, Part 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3BJE99h79JM7R2heUQW-9jecePUOy3j0UcDNL4mlJTxwtQcRfnOEb7qhmDm5l8vwmqYfKXgJjTjXy7JTc1KA5CtfGU1KP2v3nV_-EUyq09-Q9054F6C5MywWg64V724rmVtf7Di4WU0E/s1600/Sheldrick-Wildlife-Trust-2020-calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Sheldrick Wildlife Trust calendar for 2020, with a photo of elephants" border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="1297" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3BJE99h79JM7R2heUQW-9jecePUOy3j0UcDNL4mlJTxwtQcRfnOEb7qhmDm5l8vwmqYfKXgJjTjXy7JTc1KA5CtfGU1KP2v3nV_-EUyq09-Q9054F6C5MywWg64V724rmVtf7Di4WU0E/s400/Sheldrick-Wildlife-Trust-2020-calendar.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
As I mentioned in <a href="https://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2019/08/2020-calendars-for-good-causes.html">my prior calendar post</a>, lots of folks still use paper calendars to keep track of their time. So I always enjoy sharing some that help support good work around the world.<br />
<br />
The <a href="https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/">Sheldrick Wildlife Trust</a> rescues orphaned baby elephants in Kenya. I first heard about the trust on Twitter from <a href="https://twitter.com/yashar">Yashar Ali</a>; he’s a huge fan. And I just discovered that SWT has a <a href="https://shopusa.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/collection/swt-2020-calendar">2020 calendar</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaumVidnt895dD3qW74DwHX4haA8obHTxtyP-7n-Xqg5lkbJ_ECvPJYLQ2p2m2HwA2fFAodlXsdq1_7lvJp6OujUXDdwEN24QSAhAOCuKR5WNsGZr7YBJUeygeUthDRazK1NGitjulIk/s1600/IAR-orangutan-calendar-2020.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="International Animal Rescue calendar for 2020, with a photo of orangutans" border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="480" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaumVidnt895dD3qW74DwHX4haA8obHTxtyP-7n-Xqg5lkbJ_ECvPJYLQ2p2m2HwA2fFAodlXsdq1_7lvJp6OujUXDdwEN24QSAhAOCuKR5WNsGZr7YBJUeygeUthDRazK1NGitjulIk/s400/IAR-orangutan-calendar-2020.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
International Animal Rescue has an Orangutan Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Borneo, Indonesia — and IAR has a <a href="https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/orangutan-calendar-2020?currency=USD">2020 orangutan calendar</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ozy14BiINT4M-Lmo7dakofLwuVrIVvgt2r6xm-aJjJTcBywW2r9uxdrvi6IoSivwPElJUtcqs4Mm7p9APdYtM2aL27bGfwUJnQmdradSNdxfh4Mh8wBaP2cEvuqe6X7MmolM2l3v_xo/s1600/Safe-Harbor-Lab-Rescue-2020-Calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Safe Harbor Lab Rescue calendar, with a photo of a lab on a big expanse of grass" border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="720" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ozy14BiINT4M-Lmo7dakofLwuVrIVvgt2r6xm-aJjJTcBywW2r9uxdrvi6IoSivwPElJUtcqs4Mm7p9APdYtM2aL27bGfwUJnQmdradSNdxfh4Mh8wBaP2cEvuqe6X7MmolM2l3v_xo/s400/Safe-Harbor-Lab-Rescue-2020-Calendar.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Many rescue and shelter organizations focused on dogs and cats (and other domestic animals) have calendars, too. Many of those rescue organizations work with a particular breed, such as <a href="https://www.safeharborlabrescue.org/events/shlr-calendar-winners-order-form/">Safe Harbor Lab Rescue</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFgNEzI4lHSRX9vtIGR3NEh4qV87odBbbquIYAzrF1t1reSsRzvxO3F-np3sy_NNkC2Pzw6QavyP31qtZspIqGVdIxjlPaf2O5mYIVC2v0Zlt38feX8_VDNoieQRSRRuPlvYUTEGQ9u4/s1600/Manchester-2020-calendar-small.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="2020 First Responders & Rescue Animals calendar, with a photo of fire truck and firemen in full gear holding various small animals" border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="500" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFgNEzI4lHSRX9vtIGR3NEh4qV87odBbbquIYAzrF1t1reSsRzvxO3F-np3sy_NNkC2Pzw6QavyP31qtZspIqGVdIxjlPaf2O5mYIVC2v0Zlt38feX8_VDNoieQRSRRuPlvYUTEGQ9u4/s400/Manchester-2020-calendar-small.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
I’m also seeing some cool pairings of people and animals. “First responders from all over the State of New Hampshire volunteered to pose for photos” with adoptable animals (as well as some which had already been adopted) from the Manchester Animal Shelter to create this <a href="https://www.manchesteranimalshelter.org/2020-rescue-calendar/">2020 calendar</a>. Proceeds go to the shelter and to charities chosen by the first responders.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCgWRENS6I70T-m7bjKkOOyiRnmwUd03DMDgySVnHsROVjL2G-k_sVg4gy6dK2vbiJkUoFdMEWD8jZP0hn1ahQfNp0LxGYRRl58Tutrcs9eeVCoI_e6lhYLcO6JDE19HqlSRw6jGvGsU/s1600/Minnesota-Wild-2020-Canine-Calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Minnesota Wild 2020 Canine Calendar, with a photo of player holding a dog" border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="478" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCgWRENS6I70T-m7bjKkOOyiRnmwUd03DMDgySVnHsROVjL2G-k_sVg4gy6dK2vbiJkUoFdMEWD8jZP0hn1ahQfNp0LxGYRRl58Tutrcs9eeVCoI_e6lhYLcO6JDE19HqlSRw6jGvGsU/s400/Minnesota-Wild-2020-Canine-Calendar.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Members of the Minnesota Wild ice hockey team teamed up with Coco’s Heart Dog Rescue to create this <a href="https://hockeylodge.com/minnesota-wild-2020-canine-calendar">2020 calendar</a>. “All net proceeds benefit the Minnesota Wild Foundation, Coco's Heart Dog Rescue, and Soldier’s 6 - a local non-profit that provides honorably discharged veterans and first responders who may suffer from PTSD with service animals.”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9-MyN7l9d8NAFwYnvl68mXoJ5k7zv75QQJ4UhyphenhyphenoCnNIre8D1OuH_vfBoptkvlSIXnROxDmz5VHm4WxUVhgcsipej9HwIM5VfVO9UtUiHdrzHLCNIevVcDIh7H3StjfqOTVN0A9xeV84/s1600/Seva-2020-Calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Seva 2020 calendar which says "see the change" and identifies Jon Kaplan as the photographer; photo is of a little girl" border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="864" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9-MyN7l9d8NAFwYnvl68mXoJ5k7zv75QQJ4UhyphenhyphenoCnNIre8D1OuH_vfBoptkvlSIXnROxDmz5VHm4WxUVhgcsipej9HwIM5VfVO9UtUiHdrzHLCNIevVcDIh7H3StjfqOTVN0A9xeV84/s400/Seva-2020-Calendar.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
Not all charitable fundraising calendars are animal-focused, of course. Seva puts out a lovely calendar every year. (Seva “works with local communities around the world to develop self-sustaining programs that preserve and restore sight.”) You can get the 2020 calendar at the site <a href="https://www.seva.org/site/Ecommerce?VIEW_PRODUCT=true&product_id=5562&store_id=2701">for buyers in the USA</a> or the one <a href="https://www.seva.ca/shop/2020-seva-calendar">for buyers in Canada</a>; the USA site has a number to call if you live elsewhere.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-29990013855244641432019-11-22T03:14:00.001-08:002019-11-22T10:01:22.516-08:00Kitchen Organizing: 11 Impressive Bread Boxes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAggw6cWRIzyw4gkGQtuYeHzg4YPw331sQ8QiKGvP3zsCZIdTKaxJvp_xpvgBkq6iQ-h7TTiPLsPEjhpDpdyg68HkSXFzvQ1zdyDrMqyqD7fRPnbZqLRrLvbCIFu7YC0_QQJKvYEeotFA/s1600/wesco-super-ball-at-red-candy.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Red bread box, made of steel, shaped like a ball" border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAggw6cWRIzyw4gkGQtuYeHzg4YPw331sQ8QiKGvP3zsCZIdTKaxJvp_xpvgBkq6iQ-h7TTiPLsPEjhpDpdyg68HkSXFzvQ1zdyDrMqyqD7fRPnbZqLRrLvbCIFu7YC0_QQJKvYEeotFA/s400/wesco-super-ball-at-red-candy.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<i>The best way to store your bread is on your counter or in a bread box at room temperature. Take care to keep your bread away from sunlight, heat, and high moisture levels, they can cause the bread to mold early. Yuck! — </i><a href="http://www.daveskillerbread.com/faq" style="font-style: italic;">Dave’</a><i><a href="http://www.daveskillerbread.com/faq">s Killer Bread</a></i><br />
<br />
If you want to follow Dave’s advice, I’ve got some interesting bread boxes for you to consider. The one above is the <a href="https://www.wesco-shop.co.uk/kitchen-accessories/superball.html">Wesco Super Ball</a>, made of powder-coated steel. It has air vents to help prevent moisture build-up, as many high-quality bread boxes do.<br />
<br />
I first found it on <a href="https://www.redcandy.co.uk/wesco-superball-bread-bin">Red Candy</a>, but you can find it many other places, too. This won’t work for everyone — it will depend on the type of bread you buy (or bake), among other things — but it sure is eye-catching. It comes in eight colors; you don’t have to get it in red.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHncOHe9Rx6cAbW9WWkA1jQFwzpjmgficiCIZJTl1dEVg-DHes5-kMjUrdPbc9uzxBqlRMZ7nxZw7RDeHYEbsKnCSLip4B0l6xeK4vVkeb45hv-duTdRPfE7SsKreJL_fxjv-7OPUHEQ/s1600/Emile-Henry-bread-box.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="ceramic bread bin with lid sitting next to it, showing the grooved cutting board side of the lid" border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="664" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHncOHe9Rx6cAbW9WWkA1jQFwzpjmgficiCIZJTl1dEVg-DHes5-kMjUrdPbc9uzxBqlRMZ7nxZw7RDeHYEbsKnCSLip4B0l6xeK4vVkeb45hv-duTdRPfE7SsKreJL_fxjv-7OPUHEQ/s400/Emile-Henry-bread-box.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
I found this ceramic <a href="https://www.emilehenryusa.com/products/bread-box-1">Emile Henry bread box</a> on the <a href="https://food52.com/shop/products/6742-emile-henry-ceramic-bread-box">Food52 website</a>. As Emile Henry explains, “The unglazed interior helps absorb moisture. The wooden lid, smooth on the top, is grooved on the cutting side for collecting crumbs when slicing bread.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJuluelhWRuhGQ2oWurW7S_gqisXqOxyTbAdnC_VhU7xEWPk5ELJRzvmwPvWJQ2Wqzno_m0hn7OmVNWGFYyq4AgWkR92pCS13MPKwK0P_ExLBytHxp81u0nsUn5VftxVQJBtwdYhR9l4/s1600/legnoart-bread-box.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="bread bin with lid sitting next to it, showing the cutting board interior surface" border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="709" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJuluelhWRuhGQ2oWurW7S_gqisXqOxyTbAdnC_VhU7xEWPk5ELJRzvmwPvWJQ2Wqzno_m0hn7OmVNWGFYyq4AgWkR92pCS13MPKwK0P_ExLBytHxp81u0nsUn5VftxVQJBtwdYhR9l4/s400/legnoart-bread-box.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
The Wesco Super Ball is made in Germany; the Emile Henry box is made in France. Now let’s move on to Italy; that’s where this <a href="https://www.legnoart.com/product/bread-bin-wood/">bread bin from Legnoart</a> originates. It’s made from wood fiber with an ash cutting board for the lid. (That’s the interior side of the lid in the photo.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIVOvkA7fZVYFn4vylRclW-bcuRrcAW91xtruk1s8MdQmEMW5eS8W_-aRStIJK2p8sh-5-AxJCbbe8-Axj_DU1EVoDtQjvv2I4mngdfsXaDT3alWWRFLHqO9xj27f0XhlZCTGY5es4DI/s1600/Brabantia-bread-bin-Patrice.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="bread bin - orange with a row of brightly colored flowers, looking like something from the 1960s" border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="730" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIVOvkA7fZVYFn4vylRclW-bcuRrcAW91xtruk1s8MdQmEMW5eS8W_-aRStIJK2p8sh-5-AxJCbbe8-Axj_DU1EVoDtQjvv2I4mngdfsXaDT3alWWRFLHqO9xj27f0XhlZCTGY5es4DI/s400/Brabantia-bread-bin-Patrice.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
OK, back to some color. This is a special edition of <a href="https://www.brabantia.com/int_en/roll-top-bread-bin-patrice/">Brabantia’s roll-top bread bin</a>; if you aren’t into this look, there are 10 much more standard options. It has ventilation in the base, and a flat top to something can be stored on that top. (via the <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/house-garden/kitchen-accessories/best-bread-bin-fresh-food-uk-container-wooden-vacuum-a9100531.html">Independent</a>)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswRzRV4sKBEGAo4SMXNGl0pMcoN5MY_EbSQ1vqupee9vD_jPf1U6CxQxVDf4zcWqJr8SixORXra7FUjBfka7N7YXYNMYnvdEeMt9IsoJY9b-J14ystwFoNFPnieoFejMJr3HbQmEJzs4/s1600/Alessi-Gnam-bread-bin.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="white bread bin, oval shaped, sort of a futuristic look" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="866" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswRzRV4sKBEGAo4SMXNGl0pMcoN5MY_EbSQ1vqupee9vD_jPf1U6CxQxVDf4zcWqJr8SixORXra7FUjBfka7N7YXYNMYnvdEeMt9IsoJY9b-J14ystwFoNFPnieoFejMJr3HbQmEJzs4/s400/Alessi-Gnam-bread-bin.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
The <a href="https://www.alessi.com/us_en/bread-bin-gnam-asg22-w.html">Gnam bread bin from Alessi</a> is made from thermoplastic resin and comes in black, white and orange. (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FVAJBY">Amazon.com</a> doesn’t have the orange version.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKRLSJ9cyrL_q2JIj4qTmBMUItisXP6umS6P2zBVQ4fCYNUcRjT0ohthEp8UCovDEd3mC2_bYByHJOfSu7DM5gCCbgBkkvCOQl0HI5vsb2mJ10nHpaI5j99NwHAi-jKawBC0khCHLUlk/s1600/scion-mr-fox-bread-bin.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="blue bread bin covered with orange foxes" border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="589" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKRLSJ9cyrL_q2JIj4qTmBMUItisXP6umS6P2zBVQ4fCYNUcRjT0ohthEp8UCovDEd3mC2_bYByHJOfSu7DM5gCCbgBkkvCOQl0HI5vsb2mJ10nHpaI5j99NwHAi-jKawBC0khCHLUlk/s400/scion-mr-fox-bread-bin.jpg" title="" width="399" /></a><br />
<br />
Because I’m always attracted to cute, you get to see the Mr Fox bread bin from Scion. It’s made from powder-coated steel with a bamboo lid. Warning: This photo is from <a href="https://www.johnlewis.com/scion-mr-fox-bamboo-lid-bread-bin-blue-multi/p4103672">John Lewis</a>; other sites show it with a darker blue.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv62BgCPlmnh4QuAwF_poKnIuta4UuV32HsCwNXWeKdOrRa-qUjlie2vmaZUjLk8kI_rqsdbbRxQ7CjzSskW2TUACF06WAPbiB2FmChZn7q9QFXb3esIQlEF64kGupz8NZSX0fv2WUeFQ/s1600/Henry-Watson-bread-crock.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="terra cotta bread pot, vertical orientation rather than horizontal. Original Suffolk Crock per wording on the crock itself." border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="393" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv62BgCPlmnh4QuAwF_poKnIuta4UuV32HsCwNXWeKdOrRa-qUjlie2vmaZUjLk8kI_rqsdbbRxQ7CjzSskW2TUACF06WAPbiB2FmChZn7q9QFXb3esIQlEF64kGupz8NZSX0fv2WUeFQ/s400/Henry-Watson-bread-crock.jpg" title="" width="281" /></a><br />
<br />
Another very different option is the <a href="https://www.henrywatson.com/product/167-bread-crock-in-terracotta.html">terracotta Henry Watson bread crock</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnuMoc4KiFed9Fs3mt_MQPcpLkllCzXkTRLPW_ihzuws4Ixba_sR5bMhf14NxljKIMhFGGzm3fFRA7RL1rlGYb8mDgUgvoQ0IS0JOwpdgE6nsQKVlqB2_mi8Vwid8kwnvcgaH6f4qZV8/s1600/Davis-and-Waddell-bread-bin.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="white bread bin with pattern of leaves" border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="593" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnuMoc4KiFed9Fs3mt_MQPcpLkllCzXkTRLPW_ihzuws4Ixba_sR5bMhf14NxljKIMhFGGzm3fFRA7RL1rlGYb8mDgUgvoQ0IS0JOwpdgE6nsQKVlqB2_mi8Vwid8kwnvcgaH6f4qZV8/s400/Davis-and-Waddell-bread-bin.png" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
This <a href="https://www.kitchenware.nz/davis-waddell-greenhouse-bamboo-bread-bin-34-5cm.html">bread bin from Davis & Waddell</a> is made of bamboo.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOs6munQ1g7UrS_HYgoOhmnpkB_2Q8KdR69qn2BWHC9AMMtK0Q4vHeUufrSYd8VpGQbgOwSxnVEV0iRIbXBuI_GCiLHajgdmqvDP55mfwm1QAkVKgTJLPqxgva-FPYIpIKmFEg9J4uG8k/s1600/ellas-kitchen-bread-bin.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="bread bin with space underneath for a bread board (shown with bread on it)" border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="485" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOs6munQ1g7UrS_HYgoOhmnpkB_2Q8KdR69qn2BWHC9AMMtK0Q4vHeUufrSYd8VpGQbgOwSxnVEV0iRIbXBuI_GCiLHajgdmqvDP55mfwm1QAkVKgTJLPqxgva-FPYIpIKmFEg9J4uG8k/s400/ellas-kitchen-bread-bin.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
While some bread boxes have cutting boards incorporated into their lids, <a href="https://www.ellaskitchencompany.com/storage-boxes-and-breadbins/bread-boxes/breadbin-with-board-breadbin-with-matching-breadboard.html">Ella’s Kitchen</a> provides a bread board that slides under the bread bin. You’ll note that this bread bin, like the Brabantia one, has a flat lid to allow items to be stored on top. It’s available in six colors — and for an extra charge you can get it in any color you specify.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AFbzdYa5CPB9jTdcFg_Y6icytg5mt-Sptf2MdmfqoRZyvkAQQXqHRkKqdJELJwnpI458JE6-9CwYkAuwdyqSeQBLsy7DyRvqe6edN7a8g35CZA1CsGgtjOPiwqAhgElqwmaIxnUyXik/s1600/Manufactum-bread-bin.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="walnut bread bin, open" border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="717" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AFbzdYa5CPB9jTdcFg_Y6icytg5mt-Sptf2MdmfqoRZyvkAQQXqHRkKqdJELJwnpI458JE6-9CwYkAuwdyqSeQBLsy7DyRvqe6edN7a8g35CZA1CsGgtjOPiwqAhgElqwmaIxnUyXik/s400/Manufactum-bread-bin.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsTtM-3LhkBDOhdNh0JHdEI1avR1MpjJgckQt-NBgFhvJg2i6PT6oxjeZIfUoWSaItgshJ94XS2FiOfA7eEIMV9pTOdGOv8nxwQQ-TsMbG5ZpZIbp6XsC7dWcQcgeNFpdcqMoy-AuPz4/s1600/manufactum-bread-bin-closed.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="walnut bread bin, closed" border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="724" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsTtM-3LhkBDOhdNh0JHdEI1avR1MpjJgckQt-NBgFhvJg2i6PT6oxjeZIfUoWSaItgshJ94XS2FiOfA7eEIMV9pTOdGOv8nxwQQ-TsMbG5ZpZIbp6XsC7dWcQcgeNFpdcqMoy-AuPz4/s400/manufactum-bread-bin-closed.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
This stunning <a href="https://www.manufactum.com/bread-bin-made-walnut-wood-a70426/">walnut bread bin from Manufactum</a> was actually the one that inspired this post; <a href="https://twitter.com/ClaraJeffery/status/1197668531757649920">Clara Jeffery pointed me</a> to the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2019-pursuits-holiday-gift-guide/?utm_source=twitter&utm_content=businessweek&utm_medium=social&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-businessweek&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic#section-kitchen">gift guide</a> that included it. The fold-down front lid, which can be easily removed, has a cutting board on the interior side.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfs_XTz9jgbYzws0RmYbNxns3tWenAqFpL0rVXUXA69fSxt1inF_KgMmTlfHZKPEp1vX_gF_wQVQQzdViAi2V328VZRmduycC5REKJSU50UNIsgyGHz0nen4zoOGDi3CbujmLk3T40Eg/s1600/Tempteva-bread-box.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="red bread bin with hinged lid open" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfs_XTz9jgbYzws0RmYbNxns3tWenAqFpL0rVXUXA69fSxt1inF_KgMmTlfHZKPEp1vX_gF_wQVQQzdViAi2V328VZRmduycC5REKJSU50UNIsgyGHz0nen4zoOGDi3CbujmLk3T40Eg/s400/Tempteva-bread-box.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
And finally, let’s end (as we began) with a red one. The <a href="https://tempteva.com/products">Tempteva bread box</a> is made of steel and has ventilation holes. It has non-slip feet and a lid that stays open when lifted.<br />
<br />
<i>And a word of caution:</i> Bread boxes can take up a <i>lot</i> of counter space. Be sure to measure carefully before deciding on one! And if the bread box is going under some cabinets, make sure you’ve got enough clearance for the lid if you’re getting a lidded box.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-14341365115504055112019-10-26T01:34:00.001-07:002019-10-26T01:34:25.980-07:00Power Outages and Being Organized for Emergencies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAg7fv0BuaLFVq1ZmNn95lQUZCsQ-8E5gCu8itCrcY8MdF93eid2xerZ41bVXefaPjhBSxaH6ZMdWahIHJDOoXzvL-bj05tfEryxsA2miQJUmv7SufWfB9HVvHd2gmfzbRUFFqsMBFsTo/s1600/outage+timing.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="map showing when various counties in California are expected to lose power" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="680" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAg7fv0BuaLFVq1ZmNn95lQUZCsQ-8E5gCu8itCrcY8MdF93eid2xerZ41bVXefaPjhBSxaH6ZMdWahIHJDOoXzvL-bj05tfEryxsA2miQJUmv7SufWfB9HVvHd2gmfzbRUFFqsMBFsTo/s400/outage+timing.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
There’s nothing quite like a <a href="https://twitter.com/PGE4Me/status/1187934553282879490">power outage</a> — fortunately, with some warning — to test a portion of your emergency preparedness.<br />
<br />
Earlier this month my part of the San Francisco Bay Area lost power for about 17 hours; power was cut to avoid fires caused by electric lines during dangerous weather conditions, including high winds. And now we’re scheduled to lose power again on Saturday evening, for what might be a longer time.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFsTIg94BW74H4-aq0Q3T_dFoXmbrHnsHl9-cg3ANNv6yc4sjKjzCl8ZiSSzEnJ3akyw6eWXzoBQQmqjjjP5wb_hn0uVHkBx7QGoSDhs2ZZTEgAFtgfAdouOT0qW7wgR_CKaYq9cms7g/s1600/LED-lamp.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="708" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFsTIg94BW74H4-aq0Q3T_dFoXmbrHnsHl9-cg3ANNv6yc4sjKjzCl8ZiSSzEnJ3akyw6eWXzoBQQmqjjjP5wb_hn0uVHkBx7QGoSDhs2ZZTEgAFtgfAdouOT0qW7wgR_CKaYq9cms7g/s400/LED-lamp.jpg" width="280" /></a><br />
<br />
Most of my preparations for the last power outage were already in place, and I was pleased with how things worked. I had plenty of non-cook shelf-stable food. I put an <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049RJE3Y">LED battery-powered lamp</a> in each of the rooms I would be using, and turned the lamps on and off as needed. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhts2xu1B85Uj3o4qFA3WNulqgmMl_JHYBkyz58sdytxc2HMsAmpQl2vAneHb3q1hLYOXP6TU_NEaqpvx_73je0SPw7G4q3u1aroLH-9bsEalG7XGP5-a1WpMFLYQBOl5x3BbjxAJ5py38/s1600/Big-Larry-work-light.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="five flashlights - all the same except for different colors" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="272" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhts2xu1B85Uj3o4qFA3WNulqgmMl_JHYBkyz58sdytxc2HMsAmpQl2vAneHb3q1hLYOXP6TU_NEaqpvx_73je0SPw7G4q3u1aroLH-9bsEalG7XGP5-a1WpMFLYQBOl5x3BbjxAJ5py38/s400/Big-Larry-work-light.jpeg" title="tabletop LED battery-powered lamp" width="205" /></a><br />
<br />
I also had a really good flashlight — the <a href="https://www.nebotools.com/p/BIG-Larry/363">Big Larry work light</a> — that served me well. (I didn’t want to use the flashlight on my cell phone, since I was trying to conserve power.)<br />
<br />
Both the lamp and the flashlight run on AA batteries, as does my <a href="https://midlandusa.com/product/wr-120-weather-radio/">NOAA weather alert radio;</a> I’ve made sure that all my battery-powered items take the same battery, so I just have to stock up on one type. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAugzhoMsESevgirPirMchzkxcdfIY1fUa5aB_b4AtO3K1frfXdJeB5QSS0gkPCHV8Lq8wJagqsutI1E5aBpuZFHgYPoge96-8u-ChuiSaNKwsZMW5wnEsEhChChVR_lp2K1aposoH3Q/s1600/Moonshadow-on-quilt-on-sofa.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="large black cat on a quilt on a couch" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAugzhoMsESevgirPirMchzkxcdfIY1fUa5aB_b4AtO3K1frfXdJeB5QSS0gkPCHV8Lq8wJagqsutI1E5aBpuZFHgYPoge96-8u-ChuiSaNKwsZMW5wnEsEhChChVR_lp2K1aposoH3Q/s400/Moonshadow-on-quilt-on-sofa.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
The one thing I didn’t anticipate had to do with cat food. I have plenty of extra food on hand, but I was assuming my Moonshadow cat, who is on prescription food, would eat the kibble version rather than the canned food I usually give him. Wrong. He turned up his nose at the kibble he’s eaten before, so I wound up giving him the canned food. But those cans usually serve as four meals, and without refrigeration I had to throw them away after just one.<br />
<br />
So I’ve now found out there’s a variation on the same canned food which comes in smaller cans — and he likes it. So now I have those smaller cans in stock, too, which will cause less waste.<br />
<br />
I may find more things to tweak after this second round of power outages, but at least I feel fairly confident that nothing major is likely to go wrong.<br />
<br />
<br />Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-56151727391653562812019-08-31T23:41:00.001-07:002019-08-31T23:41:16.459-07:002020 Calendars for Good Causes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGUjgg1devhPqfbvqkkttbGxR2B22T-VIs3MHlHqLtLBcUWVJh7LokkN-JmbqFyevrt2d0h4OwB0LZo4YT6kUCMJ6xRhb2Kxo-ffHCZQDachS2KmHUPHDl2FYbofHKcspSJyvrkqeXDU/s1600/RPCV+2020+International+Calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="2020 International Calendar, with a cover photo from Madagascar showing children being ferried to school" border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="900" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGUjgg1devhPqfbvqkkttbGxR2B22T-VIs3MHlHqLtLBcUWVJh7LokkN-JmbqFyevrt2d0h4OwB0LZo4YT6kUCMJ6xRhb2Kxo-ffHCZQDachS2KmHUPHDl2FYbofHKcspSJyvrkqeXDU/s400/RPCV+2020+International+Calendar.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Plenty of people still like paper calendars, so I thought I’d share some I’ve seen that benefit good causes. (Note: I haven’t vented these organizations, but on the surface they seem to be doing good work.)<br />
<br />
This first one comes from <a href="http://www.rpcvcalendar.org/calendar-2020/">Returned Peace Corps Volunteers</a>. You can read on the RPCV site about the good works that this calendar helps to fund.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYA7OltiLcKuLim1M4eCRTSUG849vtCjRSptiS3AzcA8mGItAMuXW06GuzgZmOoaK6et9KYFuO66AOoDGhogTonJs0ginPHPhbYvHsMPDx0MX460uchJFNjqluJCydw-rMY36l1ecruA/s1600/2020-GRRR-Calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="cover of Bolded Retrieve Rescue of the Rockies 2020 calendar, showing a golden retriever with its head out of the car" border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1408" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYA7OltiLcKuLim1M4eCRTSUG849vtCjRSptiS3AzcA8mGItAMuXW06GuzgZmOoaK6et9KYFuO66AOoDGhogTonJs0ginPHPhbYvHsMPDx0MX460uchJFNjqluJCydw-rMY36l1ecruA/s400/2020-GRRR-Calendar.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
But now, it’s on to animals. This one comes from <a href="https://www.goldenrescue.com/grrr-calendar/">Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies</a>. The monthly interior photos all look adorable.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZJkb3Nii0l1omUk-Wo6eOv5c_k_MHvTbiK_EQCzjNMEP-s9VyXlGHbwXOlB8W17I7x2wpattdv-lYqwtIprRBGQZLYuvdxQmJZ5-l340Kk-IxUamOiDb7pqU7Wq3ir4MEFEcVBrWdTY/s1600/Celebrating+Greyhounds+calendar+2020.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Celebrating Greyhounds 2020 calendar, with a photo of greyhound outdoors" border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="887" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZJkb3Nii0l1omUk-Wo6eOv5c_k_MHvTbiK_EQCzjNMEP-s9VyXlGHbwXOlB8W17I7x2wpattdv-lYqwtIprRBGQZLYuvdxQmJZ5-l340Kk-IxUamOiDb7pqU7Wq3ir4MEFEcVBrWdTY/s400/Celebrating+Greyhounds+calendar+2020.png" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
And here’s a different breed, from <a href="https://www.greyhoundfriends.com/shop/product/cg-wall-calendar/">Greyhound Friends of North Carolina</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrgrNqZ7xmCKEdwGBVLKyHwoROvn-MJOgOIjtBt6k9rO2Y23FPu9_hMrqFP06rdngogSqDezFn3YRP7Z7KyDUdXv9wYapm5dyQW9VxROhbRJgADcxrCoqt852oI1i_HuwfUw8pRxD3V4/s1600/2020+Birds+of+SF+Bay+Calendar+-+Golden+Gate+Audubon.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Bords of the San Francisco Bay Area 2020 Calendar - cover showing a shorebird" border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="452" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrgrNqZ7xmCKEdwGBVLKyHwoROvn-MJOgOIjtBt6k9rO2Y23FPu9_hMrqFP06rdngogSqDezFn3YRP7Z7KyDUdXv9wYapm5dyQW9VxROhbRJgADcxrCoqt852oI1i_HuwfUw8pRxD3V4/s400/2020+Birds+of+SF+Bay+Calendar+-+Golden+Gate+Audubon.png" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
But it’s not all dogs! This calendar comes from the <a href="https://goldengateaudubon.z2systems.com/np/clients/goldengateaudubon/product.jsp;jsessionid=10752CE897805B2D801F17ECD6219DCA-n1?product=29&">Golden Gate Audubon Society</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1Hw6OHY00Uov4BBypV1JeAa2KVUy-m7u6jlagUG56x9b-kecPP5FvaXLyuCUCap1vFOgV7VlB3H8Xcd-QZdef6btre2CtJlSKC694s38eD4_qh8yJmKaNPNvg9YaIQNfvuFQVfAhtGM/s1600/Save+the+Manatee+Club+2020+calendar.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Cover of the 2020 Save the Manatees caledar, with a photo of two manatees" border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="570" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1Hw6OHY00Uov4BBypV1JeAa2KVUy-m7u6jlagUG56x9b-kecPP5FvaXLyuCUCap1vFOgV7VlB3H8Xcd-QZdef6btre2CtJlSKC694s38eD4_qh8yJmKaNPNvg9YaIQNfvuFQVfAhtGM/s400/Save+the+Manatee+Club+2020+calendar.png" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
And here’s one from the <a href="https://www.shopsavethemanatee.org/calendar-product-page/2020-save-the-manatee-club-calendar/">Save the Manatee Club</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDpNQODg-0eH4ucLMVmpKTYdr2uuPZuLkVcX1nu4neQGRcWiup1Nix7cFcHyFF7cuOk78gw1QA08SA-cLNLp44f3DqmXLTy_NEFveIGWswyjXguqAinO-qBUeTnrpTXnICsbu8u_9OzA/s1600/WIRES+2020+Wildlife+Calendar.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Cover of the 2020 Wildlife Calendar with a photo of an echidna " border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="395" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDpNQODg-0eH4ucLMVmpKTYdr2uuPZuLkVcX1nu4neQGRcWiup1Nix7cFcHyFF7cuOk78gw1QA08SA-cLNLp44f3DqmXLTy_NEFveIGWswyjXguqAinO-qBUeTnrpTXnICsbu8u_9OzA/s400/WIRES+2020+Wildlife+Calendar.png" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Moving on to organizations outside the U.S., here’s a calendar from <a href="https://www.wires.org.au/wildlife-info/calendar">WIRES — NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service</a> in Australia.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_70yH_WntNIMmBm0F4OjUagBNPyksSoUpvmzerDmS8yMgeW04HagkHTaQqOJEkuI27msJzWfQ5ViBRilL0IGHIi4tBTBthsA5aDuz9u1gIuN1OHXZCisvoJNDSoeKpD3iC4aerayDQU/s1600/2020-Rocklily-wombats-Calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="cover of the Rocklily Wombars 2020 calendar, with a photo of two wombats" border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="640" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_70yH_WntNIMmBm0F4OjUagBNPyksSoUpvmzerDmS8yMgeW04HagkHTaQqOJEkuI27msJzWfQ5ViBRilL0IGHIi4tBTBthsA5aDuz9u1gIuN1OHXZCisvoJNDSoeKpD3iC4aerayDQU/s400/2020-Rocklily-wombats-Calendar.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Another Australian calendar comes from <a href="https://rocklilywombats.com/collections/wombat-calendar-and-just-wombat-gifts/products/2020-rocklilywombats-wombat-calendar-due-1st-week-september">Rocklily Wombats</a>, which rescues and rehabilitates these animals.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcpupcrEo3kR3j340JeJUb2t9g2Wt2CXq8P1hvz5mRKmkjdxFCF3TxH4YuaOyEopAQ7DU7rDYG3OLhfbFD1Oxay8w7xUt_mx1j8dhcEtESZjfLCqF__1Sre1WJhGhnhXV9HqVLf_yOBg/s1600/Lothian+Cat+Rescue+2020+calendar.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="cover of the Lothian Cat Rescue 2020 calendar, with a photo of a black and white cat" border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="1004" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcpupcrEo3kR3j340JeJUb2t9g2Wt2CXq8P1hvz5mRKmkjdxFCF3TxH4YuaOyEopAQ7DU7rDYG3OLhfbFD1Oxay8w7xUt_mx1j8dhcEtESZjfLCqF__1Sre1WJhGhnhXV9HqVLf_yOBg/s400/Lothian+Cat+Rescue+2020+calendar.png" title="" width="282" /></a><br />
<br />
And moving over to the U.K., we have this calendar coming soon from <a href="https://lothiancatrescue.org/2019_calendar/">Lothian Cat Rescue</a>.<br />
<br />
A lot of organizations don’t have their calendars available yet, so I may show you some more later in the year.Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-73378970485841902662019-08-30T20:54:00.002-07:002019-08-30T20:54:11.608-07:00Recycling in Today's World<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03fEubdHmZYPtIZvZ9wjhSDu3GIgx2iTPuB8s_oASxbLvkA04mE2-g8oTwErD-yh6iY-pMLkNn5ZXhLPwYKSSHf3OHVOKomW-QidGp69gafR_-6PfSqO4iPcU_XuZ6MD0FFuxhI9xl3I/s1600/Recology-blue-bins.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="blue recycling bin full of stuff, with pictures next to it of acceptable items: glass bottles, plastic bottles, etc." border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="538" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03fEubdHmZYPtIZvZ9wjhSDu3GIgx2iTPuB8s_oASxbLvkA04mE2-g8oTwErD-yh6iY-pMLkNn5ZXhLPwYKSSHf3OHVOKomW-QidGp69gafR_-6PfSqO4iPcU_XuZ6MD0FFuxhI9xl3I/s400/Recology-blue-bins.png" title="" width="400" /></a><br />
<i><br />
</i> <br />
My clients are trying to be environmentally conscious citizens, keeping things out of landfill when possible. So they do a lot of recycling — which is easy where we live, with curbside pickups every week or two, depending on the city.<br />
<br />
But now, as you have likely read, there’s less of a market for many recyclables since <a href="https://money.cnn.com/2017/09/11/news/china-scrap-ban-us-recycling/index.html">China stopped accepting many kinds of recyclable waste back in 2017</a>. This is affecting local recycling companies as they need to find other buyers for their recyclables, although the reports as to how drastic the impact has been vary quite a bit.<br />
<br />
Given this situation, what can an environmentally conscious person do?<br />
<br />
<b>1. Know and follow your local recycling rules.</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/03/china-has-stopped-accepting-our-trash/584131/">In <i>The Atlantic,</i> Alana Semuels</a> does a nice job of capturing common attitudes to recycling:<br />
<blockquote>
About 25 percent of what ends up in the blue bins is contaminated, according to the National Waste & Recycling Association. For decades, we’ve been throwing just about whatever we wanted — wire hangers and pizza boxes and ketchup bottles and yogurt containers — into the bin and sending it to China, where low-paid workers sorted through it and cleaned it up. That’s no longer an option. ...<br />
<br />
Americans tend to be “aspirational” about their recycling. ... Even in San Francisco, Reed kept pointing out items that aren’t easily recyclable but that keep showing up at the Recology plant: soy-sauce packets and pizza boxes, candy-bar wrappers and dry-cleaner bags, the lids of to-go coffee cups and plastic take-out containers. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>Note: Reed is Robert Reed of the recycling company <a href="https://www.recology.com/">Recology</a>.</i></blockquote>
<a href="https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-skelton-recycling-problems-california-20180709-story.html">George Skelton captured the same problem</a> in an article in the <i>Los Angeles Times:</i><br />
<blockquote>
“People are engaged in wish recycling,” says Mark Oldfield, public affairs director at CalRecycle, which runs the state’s recycling program. “They think: ‘This should be recycled. I’m going to put it in the bin.’”<br />
<br />
“It’s amazing what people put in recycling bins,” Oldfield continues. “Dirty diapers. Broken crockery. Old garden hoses.” </blockquote>
<br />
The recycling rules in my city are different from those of another city just three miles away, so be sure you know the rules where <i>you</i> live. Ignoring the rules can cause two problems:<br />
<br />
1. Bales being bundled for resale can become contaminated, so items sell for less or not at all. That’s the reason some recycling facilities tell you to clean your food bottles; they don’t want any bits of food to get onto the paper that’s in the same recycling bin.<br />
<br />
2. Items such as plastic bags and clothes hangers can gum up the machinery used in the recycling facility.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>2. Replace hard (or impossible) to recycle items with ones that can easily be recycled.</b><br />
<br />
Here's an example from the hotel world. If you collect those little bottles of shampoo and such from hotels (and then perhaps have them sit around your house, unused, for years), you will soon be out of luck at many hotels. <a href="https://www.pressdemocrat.com/business/9971202-181/marriott-eliminating-little-shampoo-bottles">As Dee-Ann Durbin reported for Associated Press</a> just this week:<br />
<blockquote>
Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain, said Wednesday it will eliminate small plastic bottles of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel from its hotel rooms worldwide by December 2020. They'll be replaced with larger bottles or wall-mounted dispensers, depending on the hotel.<br />
<br />
The move follows a similar announcement last month by IHG, which owns Holiday Inn, Kimpton and other brands. ...<br />
<br />
Marriott has wanted to get rid of small bottles for years, President and CEO Arne Sorenson said. There are just too many of them, he said, and they're difficult to recycle because of the time it takes to clean them out. But it took a lot of work to design tamper-resistant large bottles and get suppliers on board. <br />
<br />
The larger bottles will still be plastic, and Marriott still plans to replace them — not just refill them — when they run low. But Naguib said the larger bottles are easier to recycle than smaller ones.</blockquote>
<br />
<b>3. Focus on the “reduce” and “reuse” parts of that “reduce, reuse, recycle” refrain.</b><br />
<br />
Here are a couple examples:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.recology.com/faq/">Recology was asked</a> how you recycle wire hangers, and its reply was: “You don’t. You take them back next time you go to the dry cleaners. That’s reuse which is even better than recycling.”<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>When feasible, choose items with minimal packaging rather than the over-packaged things we often see. </li>
</ul>
That “reduce” focus is also getting some support from government and business, as the following stories illustrate:<br />
<br />
I’ve been carrying my own water bottle around rather than buying bottled water for quite a while. The one exception I sometimes made was buying bottled water at the airport the few times a year that I fly. But now <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/SFO-plastic-bottle-ban-14276953.php">San Francisco airport has banned the sale of plastic water bottles</a>, so it seems I’ll be carrying a bottle onto the plane, too. (Fortunately, the airport has plentiful <a href="https://www.flysfo.com/orphan/hydration_stations/index.html">“hydration stations” </a>for refilling those water bottles.) So good for them for making me do the right thing.<br />
<br />
Similarly, <a href="https://cr.hilton.com/environment/">Hilton</a> is removing plastic water bottles from meetings and event spaces in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. (Why not the U.S.? I don’t know!)<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://41k4p01v6nzq13r4y42jb9xv-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Montara_2019_Calendar-HR.pdf">Photo credit: Recology brochure</a></span></i>Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4238401484560614586.post-14088521022712270572019-06-14T11:47:00.001-07:002019-06-14T11:47:55.356-07:00Reading Time is Limited. It's Fine to Give Up on a Book.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQk9cC7DaTq3h1la1qAY3KQJzQZuwJSog_KblTOpVy5UP9tV_s151jubL_Bi2zt5vSZTAbxJTabm7X8Nz0PjKI1GDFYAqMZ1ORVQ1LgeUF08ok8NO4-06o3AH2MsNIOp2BO-F_VsdPmjY/s1600/Petras-Gagilas-Flickr-girl-with-book.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQk9cC7DaTq3h1la1qAY3KQJzQZuwJSog_KblTOpVy5UP9tV_s151jubL_Bi2zt5vSZTAbxJTabm7X8Nz0PjKI1GDFYAqMZ1ORVQ1LgeUF08ok8NO4-06o3AH2MsNIOp2BO-F_VsdPmjY/s400/Petras-Gagilas-Flickr-girl-with-book.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/gagilas/8242263709/">Photo by Petras Gagilas</a>, found on Flickr, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">licensed under Creative Commons</a></span></i><br />
<br />
I’ve been in my current book club for years now, and I appreciate how it’s gotten me to read some wonderful books I would never have found on my own. But there have also been books that just don’t appeal to me. Some I know about right away. For example, I don’t like magical realism so I’m not even going to try to read <i>One Hundred Years of Solitude,</i> no matter how well-respected it is. <br />
<br />
But others I begin and then give up on. In one case, the book centered around two people, the author and her best friend, and I didn’t like either of them. In another case I intensely disliked the author’s writing style. (As I wrote to a friend, “He seems to be a fan of very long sentences.”) While everyone else in the book club keeps going, even when they aren’t enjoying the book, I have no hesitation in just setting the book aside.<br />
<br />
Reporter <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeIsaac">Mike Isaac</a> captured (in a now-deleted tweet) the reason most people give up on books:<br />
<blockquote>
i also used to do this thing where id power through books that i wasnt enjoying because i felt bad quitting </blockquote>
<blockquote>
then in my twenties someone said to me “life is too short to spend your time reading shitty books” and i feel guilt-free ditching stuff i dont enjoy</blockquote>
Want more encouragement? I recently read a piece where <a href="https://believermag.com/stuff-ive-been-reading-june-july-2019/">author Nick Hornby goes over what he’s been reading lately</a>, and the list starts like this:<br />
<blockquote>
BOOKS READ:<br />
✭ [Unnameable Novel 1] (abandoned)<br />
✭ [Unnameable Novel 2] (abandoned)<br />
✭ <i>Little</i>—Edward Carey</blockquote>
Hornby goes on to explain those first two entries, making an argument I haven’t seen before:<br />
<blockquote>
Why give books up? Why not plough on until the bitter end? Because, young friends, we want to do everything we can to break the link between literature and grim duty. You wouldn’t stick with a long Spotify playlist consisting of music that displeases you; you wouldn’t wade through a Netflix series you were hating. Do reading a favor and treat it as if it were just like everything else you enjoy. You’re doing it in your leisure time. You don’t have enough of that.</blockquote>
So feel free to join Mike, Nick and me in abandoning books that you aren’t enjoying!<br />
<br />
Related Posts:<br />
<a href="http://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2007/06/book-lovers-stop-reading-books-you-dont.html">Book Lovers: Stop Reading Books You Don't Like</a><br />
<a href="http://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2011/10/its-ok-to-give-up-on-book.html">It's OK to Give Up on a Book</a><br />
<a href="http://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2012/07/not-every-book-is-worth-finishing.html">Not Every Book is Worth Finishing</a><br />
<a href="http://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/2013/01/dont-spend-time-on-books-you-dont-enjoy.html">Don't Spend Time on Books You Don't Enjoy</a>Jeri Danskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01647833266269245240noreply@blogger.com6