Post-Pesach: How can I be more organized for next year?

Justlookup

Sat, Apr 14 2012, 11:07 pm

I'd like to put down on paper (on a file on the computer, that is!), how things went this Pesach. I unfortionately didnt note exactly how much I bought of what, but I'd like to mark down what went well, what didnt...
I started with my Seder menu and what worked/what flopped, but I'm having a hard time thinking of other things I want to note...if you do this, can you help me with what else I want to mark down?
I remember seeing something in an article - maybe it was the mishpacha? - with a similar idea.
Any help would be appreciated!

3Qts

Sat, Apr 14 2012, 11:45 pm

I just wrote down a whole bunch of points. What food the family enjoyed. Which recipe flopped, Basic stuff like Matzah, Grape Juice, Eggs how much I used. How much cake went etc..

Sudy

Sat, Apr 14 2012, 11:53 pm

I keep my grocery receipts from year to year and write everything down. How many dozens of eggs, amount of meat and chicken bought, grape juice and wine quantities.

All papergoods that are extra, I pack away and write it down on my list.
New recipes that worked especially well, notes on what not to make.

I also keep any new reading material bought for Pesach, and put them away for the next year.

ra_mom

Sat, Apr 14 2012, 11:55 pm

Write down how many weeks before Pesach would be good for you to start with Pesach cleaning, how you'd like to break down the rooms and tasks, etc.

How much time is needed for cooking and baking before Pesach so you're not stressed out, when to Kasher...

Write down the things you felt were missing, and what you'd like to buy for next year.

How many recipes of chicken soup, compote, cakes, etc. you need, so that you can do them all at once before YT, instead of having to remake those things on Chol Hamoed.

Mimisinger

Sat, Apr 14 2012, 11:55 pm

Do you have a google email? I have a document in my gmail that I update every year after cleaning up regarding EVERYTHING!

Before pesach, I print up the entire document and go from there.

#1 - The entire list, divided by types of food - meat, fruits and veggies, grocery, etc. Everything down to 8 eggplants, 3lbs - yellow zucchini, etc.

#2 - Menu - Exactly - Erev Pesach lunch, Seder #1 - Lunch #1, Seder #2 , lunch #2 - Chol hamoed, etc.

#3 - Guests -

#4 - Some recipes (most are elsewhere)

#5 - Reminders for next year - ex. I broke my measuring cup this year and need a new one next year.

Good luck!

de_goldy

Sun, Apr 15 2012, 12:06 am

We do this every year. We write down exactly what we put away for next year (eg. 7 cans unopened potato starch, 3 boxes unopened cocoa, 4 boxes unopened ground nuts), how many rolls of tape. We note any changes - eg if we needed more plastic for covering than the year before for whatever reason. Also anything new we figured out (eg. exactly how much lettuce we need to wash and dry for the sedarim). Then we also write down entertaining things, or questions.

elaela

Sun, Apr 15 2012, 6:34 am

this was our firts pessach (with seudos , sederim etc) at home, (first year we spent in a differenct country, second year we were invited for all sederim/seudos, so we only ate snacks at home).
we wrote a list last year, and this year too. I remember what I wrote onn last years list (which ist good, cos we lost the note Smile

), this years list will be stuck to the inside of the pessach drawer. so that we wont lose it.
last years list helped us, eventhough it was not comlete- so I definitely recommend to write one.
we just finished ours (it is 2 pages long and is devided into sections: pessachcleaning (when to start, advice etc), shoping (where, what, how much, prices), cooking (when , rexipes, how much), other (eruw tavshilin, shtiks etc.), dos and donts (which recipe was amazing, which brand pickles was yummy etc), what to buy for next year (measuring cup, a better set of knives etc), guests, seudos, vertls etc.), what to do on chol hamoed with friends/kids/family, ideas for pessachgifts

mydear

Sun, Apr 15 2012, 7:03 am

Being a pretty disorganized person and always having some pre-Pesach happening (ex. this year I had mono) I highly recommend the lists. We started last year writing how much we used, what we put away and what kitchen things were missing or broken. We also included things like 1 bag nuts in shells = 3 cups ground. We pasted it on the inside door of the Pesach cabinet and fro the first time we didn't buy extra of things we put away and we bought the right amount of food products. Even though we did our shopping the day of bedikatz chometz we had what we needed plus a bit extra for a few very last minute guests for the second days.
The list made a huge difference this year in our lives.

PinkFridge

Sun, Apr 15 2012, 1:24 pm

So far here's what I've done:
- the brain dump - menus, what new recipes I tried, how much we went through of some staples, what we need to buy (out of this spice, new spatulas, etc.)
- packing and putting things away. When we put the stuff away, I make sure that the food processor, roaster (which is packed with spices and the fl. knives) and pareve box with all the baking stuff are the most accessible boxes. Then I can start cooking right away.

chocolate moose

Sun, Apr 15 2012, 2:44 pm

Receipts don't last for years and years; write down how much you spent or how much it weighted, that's good to go by.

MrsDuby

Sun, Apr 15 2012, 3:36 pm

I think the first pesach is the hardest - getting all the files typed up and organized. Once you have it done on the computer , you never need to do it again! And I find that each pesach just runs like clockwork.

If you like, I can email you the few files I have ....

Just to reiterate other posters:

- Menus
since you like typing things on the computer, you have your menus that you can refer to year to year.
It also helps to have a list of "food ideas" this way when you make your menu, you can reference it for ideas.

- Shopping list
a) this is your GRAND shopping list that doesnt need to be changed. I have 3 collumns. The item, how much was bought and how much is needed for hte following year. In other words, was it too much or too little? You bought 30 dozen eggs - too much too little?
b) on top of my shopping list I note the year, and the amount of guests. For my in laws - their house is bustling with people so its a general idea that youre always cooking for a huge amount. For my personal house, we're a smaller family so each guest makes a huge difference.
c) this shopping list ALSO includes household items / paper goods - so when youre ready to start planning for pesach the following year, you just need to open the file (or binder) and go shopping! Smile

- Countdown to Pesach
I made this chart this year for my mother in law and still working on perfecting it. There are so many errands to run and rooms to clean, I like the idea of a countdown. here are some examples of things that can overhwlem us if crowding our brains:
a) when to change over hte kitchen -
b) dropping off / picking up cleaners
c) clothes shopping
d) haircuts
e) sheitels etc....

- Cleaning Charts
this you can do as early as you want.... list all the rooms / areas in your house. I like the idea of grouping rooms into stages / phases. Obviously the kitchen / dining room is last, but the master bedroom can be done early.
also, on your cleaning chart, you can include reminders for purses, coats etc.
ALSO - if you have kids, I would put a column for who's in charge of that area and a date when it will be finished by.

- Reminders for Next Year:
I dont have a fancy way of doing this, just a paper thats in my Pesach binder right in the front pocket. Its weird reminders that are just for that year. For example "buy a kvort" or "need milichig silverware" (we made ours chomatz Smile

So things that would just be for that one time - I write it down "For Pesach 2013" you MUST do this as soon as Pesach as over when its still fresh in your mind.

- Pesach Fun Notes !
this is a fun thing that I learned from my freinds family, and I continue it in my family --- during motzei pesach clean up we all collaborate on "remember whens" - funny things that happened during the holiday... fun trips, cute memories.... or jokes... we also have a list of "predictions" ... who will get married? Will our sisters baby be a girl or a boy? I plan to lose 30 pounds this year! (you might not like this - thats ok - just an idea Smile

We pack these notes away with the pesach stuff and when we open the Pesach stuff NEXT year, we have a wonderful time reading last years memories. so fun !!! it also makes clean up more exciting with everyone chatting in the kitchen ....

- Keeping Organized
I love the idea of keeping all lists on teh computer because you can just copy and paste into a new document year to year. However, I also have a small Pesach binder with a notebook . I keep my printed out menus, shopping lists, and handwritten reminders. I like having it in one place and with me if I need (also helps on Yom Tov if I need to reference something)

well, I hope I didnt bore you too much.

Good luck !!!!!!!
if you want my shopping list - feel free to email me: MrsDuby@gmail.com I am MORE than happy to share!!!!

Shaz

Sun, Apr 15 2012, 3:39 pm

I have a master list like Mimisinger that I update every year. I also write down what I made for all meals, the whole week, how many guests we had for meals, etc.
I also have a list of what I own for meat, dairy, parev and miscl. and another column for my wish list for the next year.
I noted what I spent at each store, and extras like kid's games, haircuts, pre-pesach camp, etc so that next year I'll have a good idea of how much we need to budget.
I made lists of what needed to be cleaned and by whom, what day I was doing each thing, etc.
I felt that by the time the week before Pesach arrived, all I had to do was follow my own instructions and I would be fine Smile

Hope that was helpful, Shavua Tov!

OOTBubby

Sun, Apr 15 2012, 5:33 pm

I keep 3 master Pesach folders on my computer:
Scheduling
Shopping
Recipes

Scheduling contains a master checklist (I actually use one on my phone) of everything that needs to be cleaned or done in preparation for yom tov; in what order and I check off items as they're finished. It also has lists of the extra hours of cleaning help I had before and during Pesach.

Shopping contains a master list of everything we use, with records of what quantities of each were used for the past 5 years and how much of the item (if any) I have put away for next year. Every item is also coded for where it is usually purchased. It also contains a "year information" file of how many people were were served at each meal and how many people were here over chol hamoed. I also keep a "usage" list as I go along of a spreadsheet listing every item where I list how much of each thing we started with (adding if we buy more) and how much was used. It also contains separate lists (generated from the master shopping list) for certain stores where people other than I usually do the purchasing.

Recipes contains of course Pesach recipes, but also menu plans for the last many (over 10) years of what was served and to how many people.

anonymom

Sun, Apr 15 2012, 9:26 pm

I'm tired of lists. I've been doing this for many years. This year as a challenge I avoided lists as much as possibel, did not write down my menus, but did cave and write a few shopping lists.