Easy Pantry Storage

Is your pantry too small?
Do you need more storage?

Purchase an over-the-door organizer and hang it on your pantry door for and inexpensive storage option.  The plastic pockets are great for storing snacks!

Everything has a place!

So people often ask me, "Are you constantly cleaning?" I guess it is because my house always appears guest ready.  Well the truth is that I don't really "clean" (bathroom's, floors, dusting) as often as I should.  My home only appears clean because everything has a place!  We put things away as we go so it never builds up to become a big, overwhelming task. 

Here are a few easy tips for keeping things in their place!

• MAIL - Instead of dropping mail off at the dining room table or kitchen counter, try going through the junk mail as your walking into the house.  Immediately discard junk mail and save only the important stuff.  Make sure you have a convenient spot (box, file drawer, desk) to drop off the relevant mail until you have time to go through it.
• DISHES - Don't let your dishes pile up in the sink!  Teach your kids (and husband) to immediately rinse off the dirty dishes and put them in the dishwasher.  I run the dishwasher every night before bed and then unload as I am getting my kids breakfast the next morning.  This way dirty dishes are never lying around the counters or sink.
• SHOES - Have a designated spot to put on, take off, and store your family's shoes everyday.  A box or basket that you don't care about works best.  On their way into the house, have the kids take off their shoes and immediately throw them in the basket.  Next time they look for a shoe it won't be as hard to find!

Remember...putting things in their place as you go is much easier than one letting them pile up for one big organization day!

Halloween decoration storage.

I love Halloween!  I love to decorate my home with scary skulls, fun ghosts, and batty bats this time of year.  I even decorate my kitchen! 

Make storing and finding those creepy Halloween decorations easy by placing them in an orange (or black) bin in your storage room.  They stack, will be easy to find every October, and the plastic will protect them from damage.  I actually have three orange bins for all my items.  Like I said...I love Halloween! 

This bin is $13.00 on Space Savers, but if you wait 3 more weeks, they will most likely be on sale at your local store.  Go out and buy one, or two, or three!

I also store my Easter decor in a purple bin and my Christmas decor in red bins.  Just in case you plan ahead!

http://www.spacesavers.com/Storage/Halloween-Storage-Totes/Sterilite-66-Quart-Orange-Black-Latch-Box-Great-for-Fall-Storage

Junk drawer organization!

So we all have them somewhere in our kitchen...those annoying junk drawers that are impossible to organize.  Not any more! 

Check out this great idea from Real Simple.  Use drawer dividers to separate your junk drawer "odds and ends" into categories.  You can purchase wood, plastic, or metal dividers and just fit them together like a puzzle depending on your drawer size.  If you don't want to spend the money, then use the top of shoe boxes. 

Genius!!

One thing at a time!

Are you looking at your kitchen and feeling overwhelmed?  Every drawer and cupboard needs to be cleaned out and you just don't have a week to set aside to complete it!  Are you thinking "How can I possible get all of this organized?"

Try taking one a thing at a time!  Organize just a single drawer or cupboard today.  It doesn't all have to be done at once.  Set smaller weekly goals that you can accomplish instead of your whole kitchen as one big project.  Then once you start to see a change you will get energized and want to keep going.

Dry erase TO DO list!

OK...so the kids are back in school and things are officially busy again!  Every week is filled with school, homework and activities and it can be difficult to get even the simplest projects completed.  So try making a dry erase TO DO list!

I have a TO DO list written on a magnetic dry erase board which is on my refrigerator where I see it at least 20 times every day.  I make it a general rule to never put long term task on this list because it will be impossible to get those finished, and if I can't wipe them off, I will get discouraged.  So be realistic and just write the things down that need to be finished that week.  You will start to see things get completed and you will feel better about getting them done.

This week on my list: 

Complete Photo Book for Deb
Write Grandma letter
Go to bank
Complete mending kids clothes
Order refrigerator filter

It feels good to write it down where I can be reminded to do it, but it feels even better when I get to wipe it off once it's completed!

Make the most of drawer space!

Do you have a lot of drawers in your kitchen or maybe odd sized drawers that your not sure how to use?  Use drawer dividers to make compartments for your kitchen gadgets.  Weather deep or shallow, skinny or wide...drawer organizers are an inexpensive way to keep cutlery, gadgets, and tools neatly separated, so you never have to rummage around for what you need.

The Cookbook Wall!

I love to collect cookbooks!  However I am running out of storage storage space in my kitchen cabinets for these beautiful hardcover books.  Why not display your colorful collections on a cookbook wall in your kitchen?  Just purchase some ledges, short or long, and hang them in your kitchen.  This is an easy way to store your cookbooks and to decorate a lonely wall at the same time. 

Oh...and don't forget to display The Stocked Kitchen cookbook!

Small kitchen? Try hanging your pots!

If you have a small kitchen, the good news is their are great products out on the market now that can help you to organize in style.  One of my favorites is a Hanging Pot Rack.  They come in all shapes and sizes and not only can they open up more cupboard space, but they look great too.  Warming up and accessorizing a potentially dull space.

Organize under the sink!

The space under your kitchen sink can be a great place for storing your kitchen cleaning supplies, dish soaps, trash cans, and other items you use to keep your kitchen running.  All too often this area becomes cluttered with things that don't need to be there.  So let's clean it out!

Start by relocating any items that are not used EVERYDAY in the kitchen.  Large, bulk, or overflow soaps and supplies should be stored elsewhere in the house, basement, or garage.  Then use plastic baskets or install a slide out shelf to hold the remaining kitchen cleaning supplies and dish soaps.  A bucket with a handle or a plastic caddy with separate compartments might be your thing as it is a quick grab and go.  Which ever you choose, make sure they are water and rust proof bins!

Fun and decorative way to store Dry Goods!

If your low on cupboard space try storing your dry goods in either Mason Jars or decorative jars on your counter top.  Not only is it functional, but it looks great too.  This also allows you to see in an instant what you have and what you need. 

Pantry Organization Tips!

Need to get your pantry organized?  Here are a few tips to help you make a plan and get started.

1.  Utilize door and floor space when possible.  The inside of your pantry door and under your bottom shelf both are great extra storage.  Over the door hangers and plastic bins make easy additional storage.

2.  Store like things together.  Try to categorize your items and then store them together.  Then when your looking for something you will always know where to look for it.

3.  Check expiration dates!  If the item has expired, then get rid of it.  Storage space in your pantry is limited and you don't want to clutter it with items your not going to use.

The hardest part is getting started, so roll up those sleeves and jump right in.  You will feel great when it's completed.  Good luck!

Too many kitchen gadgets?

So we all at one point have been invited to a home shopping party or browsed a kitchen shop where we purchased a kitchen item, tool, or gadget that we absolutely MUST HAVE for our kitchen.  You know what I'm talking about...the crinkle cutter to make your veggies look pretty or the magic egg slicer so you will make that egg salad for lunch instead of eating out.

These items seem like a great purchase at the time, but are you really using them or are they just taking up your very limited kitchen storage space?  The real trick to keeping your kitchen organized and making sure you have enough space is to ONLY buy those kitchen items that you really need an love.  As far as the ones you already have...if you have haven't used it a while than maybe you should think twice about keeping them.

So if it's very important for your veggies to be cut "pretty"  then go ahead and make that purchase...otherwise...just say no!

Best place to store plastic wrap!

Store plastic bags, aluminum foil, and plastic wrapping together in a drawer near the refrigerator to make quick work of putting those delicious "Stock" leftovers away!

Kitchen knife storage!

I bet you have quite a few prep knives in your kitchen. Ever wonder why they get blunt quite quickly? Because you’re storing them loose in a drawer.

To get the longest life out of your knives and to keep them organized try a magnetic knife rack. Mount it in a convenient location in your food preparation area to free up countertop or drawer space. Make sure it is out of reach of children and store knives with their blades pointing down. Magnetic racks will also hold your kitchen scissors.

This 20″ stainless steel holder by MIU is the perfect example and costs under $30.

Odd cupboard space?

So what do you do with those odd cupboards that may be too large or really deep? Try to use racks or plastic bins to make it feel smaller.

In this tall and deep space I use a rack to double stack my drink glasses that I only use on occasion. This also makes space on lower shelves for my higher use items!

Loose plastic ware a problem?

If your like me than you never really use up all those plastic forks and spoons but you don't want to throw them out because their great for lunches on the go.  Try using old plastic containers that you lost the lid too for easy storage.  It creates an easy "grab and go" spot for both you and your kids.  And don't forget to put it near the lunch bags where the kids can reach them!

Store your dishes by use!

Arrange your dishware and kitchenware according to how much you use it.  Put your everyday dishes on an easy to reach lower shelf and put your special occasion and less used items up high.  Also remember that if you never use it, you probably don't need it!  Donate it to make more space for those items you really do use.

Vinegar's and Oil's...easy storage!

An easy way to store your Vinegar's and Oil's is in a cupboard near your cooking prep area on a "Lazy Susan". Works great for cooking sprays and other tall items too, making great use of an odd space.
Just access them with a quick spin!

Easy storage for plastic container covers!

Here is an easy and space saving way to store your plastic container covers...

Use an old basket or shoe box and store your covers upright in the basket/box next to your containers.  Then it's a quick grab and go when you are looking for a cover.