Sunkissed Provencal Ratatouille

First ask yourself if it really needs to be done. Letting go of the “it’s supposed to be this way or that way” mentally is freeing in itself.  It only needs to be changed if it’s causing a problem for you or those around you.

Tip 2  – Why is it so hard to get started?

Sometimes we set our sights too high. Start small…like a kitchen drawer if you have 15 minutes, and work up from there. If you are intimidated by the amount of work in front of you, ask a friend, neighbor, relative or professional like The Organizing Girls for a couple hours to help get you started. You’ll be amazed how a couple of hours organizing will change how you feel.

Tip 3 – Now I’ve made the decision, what practical things can help?

Make yourself as comfortable and relaxed as possible, whether it’s sitting on a cushion on the floor or simply pouring yourself a glass of wine. Use colored labels to identify boxes or paperwork and set up “keep”, “recycle” & “donate” boxes in front of you.

Tip 4 – Why am I finding it so hard to let go of these things?

Emotional barriers can block your progress or even keep you from getting started. Intellectually, you know the value of getting organized. You’re sick of the clutter and the helpless feeling it can bring. You’re tired of life just being more difficult than it ought to be because you can’t find anything. There are many reasons we hold on to things so give yourself permission to throw things away:

“It was a gift” – Gifts are given to you through love. Those who love you would not want you to hang on to something that is emotionally weighing you down.

“I may need it in the future” – We need to trust ourselves to have the resources to acquire what we need in the future. Carrying things around “just in case” makes our load to heavy to bear.

“It has sentimental value” – Holding on to the item is not always the best way to preserve the memory. Many things don’t withstand the test of time. Photographing or keeping a sampling of a larger collection may be a better way to go. Allow yourself a “Memory Box” in which to place a few items.

Tip 5 – Where is the best place to donate?

The best charity for your donations is the one that makes it easy to donate. Once you’ve made the decision, the best thing you can do for yourself is to act on your decision to let something go and actually make the donation. Also, have faith that your donations are going to be received into the hands of the people that really need them. Companies like Ease Services can make sure of that!

Tip 6 – (from The Zen of Slow Cooking) I don’t want to live on take-out, what can I do?!

Keep your Slow Cooker or Crock Pot with you at all times. Once you’re organized, packed up and moved, you can fill it with some simple ingredients and turn it on to cook while you begin the next stage of the journey – unpacking all of your treasures.

Rachel’s parting message…

“I encourage you to sit down and think about exactly why you want to get organized. Visualize your life as an organized person. Feel the freedom and peace of mind an uncluttered home can bring you. And write all that stuff down.”

We harvested our Ratatouille Garden this week which we planted with Jeanne Nolan of The Organic Gardener back in May. This delicious French recipe will keep you going for a while when you’ve moved in.

Ingredients
4 cups / 1 large eggplant, 1 inch dice
1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups / 1 large onion, peeled & diced small
1 1/2 cups / 1 red bell pepper, 1 inch dice
1 1/2 cups / 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 inch dice
3 cups / 2 zucchini, 1 cm half moon slices
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tsp / 2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 bay leaves
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp basil

Put the chopped eggplant into a sieve and sprinkle with the salt. Leave for 20 minutes for the salt to bring the water to the surface. Absorb any excess water by patting the eggplant with a paper towel.

Put the eggplant, onion, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes & garlic into your slow cooker insert. Pour the olive oil over the top of the vegetables and mix with your hands to lightly coat.  Stir in the sugar, tomato puree, bay leaves, thyme and basil. Replace the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on LOW.

Serve as a side dish or over hot, toasted buttered muffins, topped with sour cream.

Join us tomorrow at Anthropologie in Highland Park for a Spotlight on Wellness event.

“1. Out of clut­ter find simplicity 2. From dis­cord find harmony 3. In the mid­dle of dif­fi­culty lies opportunity.”
– Albert Einstein’s “3 Rules of Work”