January focus area - the Kitchen

The kitchen is where I spend the majority of my waking hours at home. There is breakfast to prepare (usually microwaved oatmeal), dinner to cook and of course, dishes to wash. I am not a gourmet cook or really enjoy cooking, but it is important to me that my family have healthy meals, so I try to make dinner with fresh vegetables part of my routine.

I have chosen to focus on three areas in the kitchen that are currently pet peeves of mine.
1. The Fridge
2. Under the sink
3. The counters

The other cabinets and drawers have some room for 5S and de-cluttering, but these areas are my top 3 pain points, mainly because of the frequency of use and visibility.

As I delve into the 5S process for each area, I will share ideas that I have picked up from different sources. The process is about simplifying and reducing waste in a sustainable way. It is up to you to define what is most sustainable for you and your family.

One of the keys of 5S is to have the right tools at the right location. Because the kitchen is so functional, it is an ideal place to setup zones for different functions. I have seen several ideas of using caddies or baskets for certain specific functions.
Examples:
- Near the stove should be your "cooking station" with the oils, spices and implements you use daily.
- Create caddy for cookie baking. It would include cookie cutters, sheets, recipes, etc.
- Tea and/or coffee station/caddy (depending how often you used them).

5s all year long

My goal for 2013?
To develop an Annual 5s/Lean plan for my household.

Action plan
- identify monthly focus areas (each month will cover different area of the house)
- 5S each area
- Sort - eliminate clutter and un-needed items
- Scrub - deep clean and identify regular cleaning schedule
- Set - investigate storage solutions for difficult areas
- Standardize - label zones and min/max so entire family involved
- Sustain - develop cleaning checklists and revisit quarterly for effectiveness
- identify time savers and opportunities for family time (in the focus area)
- identify Green alternatives, re-use opportunities and sustainable waste reduction in the focus area

There are already a lot of organizing resources out there. I recently found an app by Real Simple magazine that has checklists for cleaning and organizing, which I plan to reference. I also just discovered Pinterest, which is rocking my world.
I am not the most anal or aesthetic person, so my attempts will not be as visually pleasing. I am an engineer, so functional and effective are my priorities. I am also a full-time working mom, so I do not have a lot of time to label everything.
But I do have a methodical and systematic approach to problems.
What I will try to present is a process for organization (5S) that can be repeated in any area of the house.


So stay tuned to see how a real mom is able to keep up with Creating and Sustaining a lean home.

Clean, inspect, replace

One of the tools of Sustainment of a lean/5s environment is a Clean and Inspect schedule. It lists activities to be done daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually, to keep an area organized.
It can be made into a checklist and posted in the room. Family members that are assigned tasks can sign off on items that they complete. Daily lists can be put on a whiteboard or laminated, to be updated daily.

Example:
Kitchen

Daily
Cook
Clean dishes
Clear counters
Wipe counters
Set table
Clear table

Weekly
Inspect fridge (throw out old items and add needed items to list)
Inspect pantry (add needed items to shopping list)
Scrub countertops
Sweep floor
Wash high chair
Make shopping list
Plan meals
Grocery shopping
Refresh table (table cloth, new flowers)
Clean stove top
Wash hand towels
Wash sink
Take out garbage
Take out recycling

Monthly
Clean microwave
Mop floors
wash/replace table cloth
Check expiration dates
Wash windows

Quarterly
Inspect pantry for non used items (donate or plan meal to use).
Inspect/clean stove
Clean fridge

Annual
5s -this can be staggered for different cupboards and locations throughout the year
Clear cupboards
Evaluate unused pots/appliances/utensils
Clean cupboards
Replace items in locations of easy access

I will be evaluating styles of checklists as I organize my own house.

5). Sustain

Sustain is one of the most difficult of the 5 S's because it requires more than a one time event. It requires commitment. It requires getting serious about the process.

In a plant, Sustainment requires visuals and scheduled revisits.
In a home, it is the same. As you complete 5S activities in different areas, you should develop a plan for when the are will be revisited (weekly-touch ups, monthly-cleaning/evaluation, annual- deep cleans). This could be in the form of checklists (weekly, monthly, etc) or a cleaning schedule/calendar.

The visual part is making sure everything has a place. During sustainment, if you find that some items are not staying where you planned, think about if there is a better place to put it. If you have a family, the organization needs to make sense to everyone, otherwise it will not be consistent. Sounds like a good topic for a family meeting.

When it comes down to it, it depends on what works for you.  Do you need a schedule posted?  Do you need to mark it on your calendar?  Do you need a To Do list that you rotate through on a regular basis?
Choose what works for you and if something is not working, revisit it and try something else.

4). Standardize

For me, the key to Standardizing is visuals. You want to make it clear and consistent where things are and where they should return. This is especially critical when an area has multiple users (hopefully someone else in your house uses your kitchen too).

In a manufacturing plant, this means "discipline squares." Areas specifically marked and labeled for specific items. There is no question what belongs in that square and when it is missing, it is obvious.
So how do we reapply to a household? There are actually a lot of organizational tools on the market that serve this purpose. Think of labeled spice racks, labeled potato and onion sacks, etc. I believe in using the right tool for the job, but I also support making use of what you have. I certainly believe that you should make sure the organization tool you plan to use will work consistently for you before you go out and buy new stuff.
As I work through my examples, I will consider some DIY techniques.

Another tool of Standardizing is Min/max. This is useful for items you stock up on, like toilet paper, paper towels, tomato sauce, canned goods. If you shop at Costco or club stores, you are bound to have staple items like this. The idea of Min/Max is that you decide what is the Minimum and Maximum quantity you want on hand at any one time. When your stock goes below the Minimum, that should trigger a signal to buy more. Ideally, you would buy just enough to get to the maximum. With this system, you should not run out of the item, but you also keep from overstocking it.
The first step is identifying what your triggers will be.
 For toilet paper, my min is 2 rolls in every bathroom. My max is that plus a bag from Costco.
 For pasta sauce, my min is one bottle and my max is 4.

The next step is making it visual, so that other members of the family recognize when they are going below the min. One idea is marking the 3rd to last roll in the bathroom with a "time to replenish tp" sign.

1). Sort

Are you ready for some "spring cleaning?"

Sort is the initial phase of 5s. It is when you clear out the clutter and unnecessary items from your work area. There are plenty of books and suggestions for paring down your belongings, so let me touch on a few key considerations.
Have you used it in the last year?
If not, why do you have it?
If it is an emotional connection, consider taking a picture or using it as a decoration.

Make a pile of Keepers, Donations and Trash. Deal with the Trash and Donations quickly so they are not sitting around for too long.



While you are sorting, continue to segregate items by frequency of use. This will impact how you designate where items will go (Sort).
1) do you touch it daily? Keep it within arm's reach of the work area.
2). Do you use it weekly/monthly? Keep it in the area, but in a special drawer.
3). Do you use it once a year? Consider a storage box (well labeled of course) for those special occasions.

Household Activity Board

This will not be a new idea for those with kids. Chores lists are fairly common when children need to be reminded and rewarded for their responsibilities.

The idea of an activity board is another visual to share results and progress. It can be used to remind everyone about the goals and how the household is doing against them.
When my toddler gets a little older, we can start using it to give him star stickers when he completes helpful tasks like picking up toys, brushing his teeth and hopefully using the potty.

I have also heard this area called a "command center." It is a place that the family communication is posted (meal plans, schedules, etc), mail is sorted and chores are assigned.

Things to put on an activity board:
- mission/vision/goals
- cleaning schedule (5S sustainment)
- daily tasks checklist
- focus areas/goals/action plans
- improvements you are tracking (lower utility bills, grocery bills, etc)
- daily/weekly dinner plan (I try to plan on Sunday to build my shopping list)
- family schedules (events, activities, etc)

Smart goals

When putting together an action plan, you want to use goals that use the Smart criteria:
Specific
Measurable
Actionable
Realistic
Time based

One of my Priorities is Health. What are my goals?

1. Eat healthy meals that include whole grains and vegetables.
A. Plan weekly dinner menu (at least 5 meals at home) that plans for leftovers (lunches);
B. shop at Farmers market on Sundays for Organic produce.
C. Use Cooking Light, Pinterest and cookbooks to try out seasonal healthy recipes.

2. Schedule physical activity several times a week.
A. Plan weekend activities that include hiking or walking.
B. train for half marathon
C. Bring tennis shoes to work to walk before work or during lunch.
D. Investigate Zumba class after work (once a week).
E. invest in a bike carriage to take the baby on bike rides.


How did I do with smart criteria?

Mission, Vision and priorities

Most organizations have a Mission, Vision and Goals that help them stay focused and working on the same set of objectives.
Having a Mission and Vision for your life also helps you keep focused on priorities.

Wikipedia definition:

• Vision: outlines what the organization wants to be, or how it wants the world in which it operates to be (an "idealised" view of the world). It is a long-term view and concentrates on the future. It can be emotive and is a source of inspiration. For example, a charity working with the poor might have a vision statement which reads "A World without Poverty."

• Mission: Defines the fundamental purpose of an organization or an enterprise, succinctly describing why it exists and what it does to achieve its vision. For example, the charity above might have a mission statement as "providing jobs for the homeless and unemployed".

Examples for me:
Mission- to make positive change in the world.

Vision-  Happy, Healthy and Secure family.

Priorities
A read a blog once that recommended having Top 5 Priorites in your life that all your weekly and daily goals would support. The author suggested reviewing these annually as well as taking time weekly to review weekly/daily goals.

My Top 5 for this year are as follows:
1. My son (raise a well balanced young man)
2. My husband (continuous improvement on our relationship)
3. Support/social network (create a strong social and support network in our new location)
4. Health (build total body health, strength and wellness)
5. Financial (financial stability and independence)

To make these even more effective, I can break each of them into an Action plan, with specific Goals and Measures for the year/next couple years.