How to Get Your Kitchen Clean and Organized

Is storage space at a premium in your kitchen?  Do you dread cleaning the kitchen?  Or, like I used to be – dread even cooking in your kitchen?  I will admit, I was all of these about 18 months ago.  We had a small galley kitchen in the condo so I had to try to use every nook and cranny for storage.  Sometimes I even forgot I had items because they were stored in the utility room on the lower floor.   Now, we are in our forever home, with a BIGGER kitchen, I have lots of cabinet space.  Does it mean, I am totally organized?  LOL!  Definitely not but I do have a cabinet or two that is empty.  I have lots more counter space and do love spending time cooking.

Here are some tips to help you get and stay organized in your kitchen – regardless of the size…

1. Use Magnets:  Are you using your cabinet doors as a clever way to give yourself additional storage? I honestly never remember this one.. I have LOTS of cabinets and even though there is lots of counter space, I would like to “hide” some of the kitchen utensils.  Cabinets are a great to store knives so you don’t have to use a knife block or take up counter space… just make sure you use a strong enough magnet to keep the knives in place.  I think this will be one of hubby’s next projects – to install some for me.

2. Labeling System:  Labels are a great way to help you organize your kitchen or for that matter any space in your home. It takes the guesswork out of where to put things when others want to help or are looking for something.  Labeled cubes have been the saving grace in our new house.  It allows hubby to look for things by me simply telling him which closet and which cube to look in.  Putting things away is easy for everyone when they can see where things are supposed to go. Your labeling system could be as simple as plastic storage containers with small a labels OR clear containers so people can see what is inside.  Maybe it is plastic crates with labels or even just a piece of tape to say what goes in it.

3. Add Storage By Hacking “Unopenable” Drawers:  We all have those “fronts” in our kitchen, right?  I had them in the condo and this would have been a great way to gain some counter space.  Unopenable drawers look like a drawer but don’t have a handle.  What if you could make use of those un-openable drawers beneath the sink or above a counter?  We have sink drawers in our new kitchen. I was surprised I actually use them and remember things are there.  LOL.  I keep the bottle brush and extra scrubbies.

  

 

 

4.  Use A Tension Rod To Hang Cleaning Products.  A tension rod can be a great way for storing and organizing spray bottles so you have additional space in an otherwise cramped under-sink cabinet.  I think I would put it a little further back in the closet so I had more space in the front.

5. Clean Your Blender Quickly.  Do you love smoothies but hate cleaning the blender?  Do you use your blender to chop up the garlic?  Here is a quick cleaning tip: pour warm water in it with a tiny bit of dish soap. Put the lid on the blender and turn it on. Now it’s all clean! Just be sure to give it a quick rinse after to get rid of the soap residue.

6. Clean Your Stainless Steel Appliances With Flour.  Tired of chemical in your cleaning products?  Here is a tip from Mother Nature Network. Just apply some dry flour onto a microfiber cloth and buff it into your stainless steel appliance, sink or counter. Then rinse it off and the surface should shine like new.  If you are looking to clean your stainless steel pans………try heating some water with vinegar in the pan.  Use a wood spoon or non-stick spatula to loosen the stuck on mess.  Let it cool and then wash as usual.  I hate to admit I use this trick more often than I want to.  LOL

What are some of YOUR best tips for keeping your kitchen clean and organized?  Share them with us.  Have an Epic day!

Product of the Week: Catch All Bin

The holidays are quickly approaching, okay so maybe not as fast as everyone wants you to believe BUT Christmas is only 9 weeks away.  You would think it was next week with all of the holiday decorations showing up in the stores, right?  It would be nice to get through at least Halloween before they started with the Christmas trees but since it isn’t going to happen, I figured I might as well join in the frenzy.

Every Monday for the next 8 weeks, I am going to do a “product of the week” with tips on how you can use this AWESOME product or who it would make a great gift for.

First up is the Catch-All Bin from Thirty One.  Why will you or someone you know love it?  One product with many different uses.  The Catch-All-Bin can be your answer to household clutter and disorganization. It has a large, open space and a convenient handle for easy transport, which makes it the perfect storage solution for toys, and those shoes in the entrance way.

It goes great in the guestroom to hold grooming supplies, toilet tissue, rolled up towels or throw blankets.  Why not put it in your bathroom or under the sink so everyone can stop yelling for mom when things run out?  The truth is, they will probably still call for you to help them but at least you can direct them to just one spot.Organize your kitchen pantry by using it to hold your spices and seasonings, canned goods, napkins,and even your KitchenAid.  Yes, it will hold up to 25 pounds!!!!  Know someone who just moved into a new home?  Fill the Catch All Bin with a bottle of wine or two, some glasses and snacks.  How about giving the baker some new recipes and the ingredients to make some yummy new treats?

Have some crafters on your list or maybe a seamstress or two?  Not only will the Catch All Bin hold a sewing machine but think of all of the fun notions you could fill it with for the hobby person on your holiday list.Tired of the “gift bags”?  Hate to wrap presents?  Why not use the Catch All Bin as your wrapping?One product with a multitude of uses.  What are the key reasons YOU will love Thirty One’s Catch All Bin?

• Structured shape stands on its own
• Collapses for easy storage
• Single handle for easy transport
• Large, open space
• Monogramming and personalization options available
• Approx. 13.5”H x 17.75”L x 8.5”D

Who on your shopping list would LOVE one of these?  Need help with personalization?  Let me be your personal shopper.

There is still time to take advantage of my layaway plan too.  Fill out the form below and let me know.

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Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

15 Minute Organizing Projects

WOOHOO!  Who is ready for the weekend?  I will be showing off my Angel collection this weekend at a local event so I am excited…..

I love to help people get organized – sort of the practice what I say, not what I do sometimes.  🙂  Most think organizing takes a long time and who has time for it, right?  The truth is you can tackle some things in under 15 minutes.  I know, crazy, right?

These tips are courtesy of I heart Planners:

#1 – Reorganize your junk drawer. 

We all have them even if we don’t admit to them.  I have two drawers in my kitchen which are far from organized.  I usually clean them out about once a month and before I know it, they are a total disaster again! One drawer is where hubby tosses things he wants to hold on to – just in case.  The other is full of kitchen gadgets.  There are some gadgets I use all of the time, then there are some which are only used once in a while.  Why do they always ALL end up in the same drawer?

I try to determine about how often I use each item. Is it a daily item – then it stays in the drawer.  Not used very often, items are moved to the drawers in the pantry.  Close but not cluttering up the drawer.

It was super depressing because it’s a drawer we use all the time, and I see the mess regularly. I finally get fed up,and it takes less than 15 minutes! So, why didn’t I do it sooner? 

If you have enough counter space (we don’t), Thirty One’s Your Way bin is a great way to put all of those cooking gadgets within easy reach AND keep the drawer clutter free.

#2 Tidy up your desk area.

I don’t know about you but I have a hard time concentrating when my desk is a mess.  Having a neat and tidy desk inspires and motivates me to work.

The Double Duty Caddy from Thirty One can sit on your desk OR you can tuck it away on a shelf until you need it with everything close by.  The side pockets are great for small items.

The fold and file is great to keep files organized, Keep it in your desk then pull it out when you need to do some work.  

My computer screen is one of my messiest spots in my office. When I see a graphic I like, I save it to my desktop screen until I want to use it.  Yes, it can get to be a HOT MESS.  Did you know you can organize your computer desktop screen in just a few minutes?  Check out this article to learn how.

#3 – Organize your email inbox.

Are you one of those who has 100’s of emails in your inbox OR do you focus on cleaning it out every day?  I know deleting emails we don’t want to read once we check the subject is easy.  My goal every day is to clear my email inbox so I have less than 10 emails waiting for a response or need action. It isn’t always easy.  The truth is, it doesn’t take long to set up gmail filters to keep your email inbox organized. Here is a great article on how to get your email inbox to zero.

#4 – Pick 5 items to donate or throw away.

This does not require a major project.  We all have things we come across we don’t anymore. Things you “meant to donate”.  Why wait, pick up those 5 things (more or less is good too) and put them in a bag or box.  Then – this is the important step – put it in your car right away.  Don’t leave the box sitting by the door or tucked in a closet.  If it is in your car, you will remember to drop it off the next time you are running errands.

What are some of your best tips for getting organized in 15 minutes or less?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Organize and DeClutter

  Over the weekend, I had a chance to participate in a “WOMEN ROCK” event sponsored by our local hospital system.  I was asked to focus on “Organize & Declutter Your Life”.  Okay, I was a little unsure at first but I found the discussion on simple solutions for your life a topic which interested a lot of women.

There were many conversations about Pinterest and magazines with the perfect organizational system.  Once the products are purchased and you actually take the time to set the system up, you find out it doesn’t work.  The visual in our head seldom matches what the project turns out to be when it is done.  Organizing systems need to fit your style or they won’t work.  We need to follow through with the system for more than a few days to see if it will work.  Have you ever heard the old saying “it takes 21 days to change a habit”?   The same holds true for organizing systems.

Here are a few of the tips I shared with some of the women who said their house was a “hot mess”.

#1 Start a New System—and Test-Drive It

Tackle one spot, let’s say the linen closet.  Rearrange the shelves to how you THINK you want them, then mark them with sticky notes. Live with the system for a week and make adjustments as needed. When you’re happy with the system, replace the notes with labels or boxes or totes, which will motivate you to maintain it.

#2 Clean Out Your Kitchen Tool Drawer

Let’s be honest, many of our kitchen drawers could also be called  junk drawers, right? Don’t leave me hanging like I am the only one.  First, we have lots of duplicate tools, do you really need 3 partial sets of measuring cups?  Whatever the kitchen tool, if you have duplicates – keep the one which works best, then donate or toss the rest. I have lots of rarely used pieces like a turkey baster or melon baller.  I can’t remember the last time I used them.  So, I have moved them to a bin on a high shelf out of the way.  Now I might actually find some things in the drawer.

#3 Pare Down Your Purse

Despite being a “bag lady”, my purse tends to collect stuff – old receipts, papers, to do lists and a mass of other things as the week goes on.  How many times have you been waiting in a doctor’s office, stuck on a long phone with a chunk of idle time?  Stick a clean, empty plastic sandwich bag into your handbag. When you find yourself with time, fill it up with non-essentials to trash or relocate later.

#4 Sort Batteries the Way the Store Does

Imagine having to dig through a box at the store to find the right size batteries to buy. Is this your setup at home, I know it is ours.  If we had some extra wall space, I would love to wall-mount and organizer inside the utility closet to keep AAA’s, C’s, and D’s separate and visible.

#5 “File” Cookware (or lids)

Do you have cabinet chaos?  Are your pans stacked nicely but the lids are all over? Why not get a stand at the dollar store that holds files and “file” them in a file like organizer.  It can also keep sheet pans and cutting boards in check.

#6 Give Your Desk an In-Box

Okay, I can see the eyes rolling already.  Maybe you have one and it is overflowing. I used to use a basket but things got buried and I seemed to spend more time sorting then I did actually taking care of things.  I use a Fold N File which has hanging files with tabs like bills, to read, donations, receipts, etc.  Then when I get ready to pay bills, they are all in one spot.  Seems basic, but the best way to rescue a buried desk is to funnel papers into a manageable system you can deal with on a regular basis. You can also use a file box but I find the most success with something on my desk and I can see when I pick up a piece of paper.  My theory is to touch it once – saves time and energy.

#7 Where is the manual (or the takeout menu)?

My hubby is forever asking me for the instruction manual for something.  So we now have them in one binder in the pantry closet. When we replace an appliance, the new manual goes in and the old one gets tossed.  Does your family do a lot of take out?  Why not do the same thing with the take out menus?  Don’t have that many?  How about putting them in a Ziploc bag and stash ’em – where else? – on the fridge or cupboard.

Let’s be honest, despite our best efforts, you can’t have everything in its place every moment of the day. But you can cut down on wayward stuff by giving it a defined space. What are your best tips?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

2 Minute Rule

TGIF!  I am enjoying the mountains of North Carolina spending time with family.  Tomorrow is football at Western Carolina and tailgating with the Stray Cats.  It has been a long time since I unplugged and I desperately needed it.

Today’s blog is a great tip from Barbara of Simplify Days.  This is a tip you can use in your business or in your personal life.  This is a tip that is easy to teach your kids so they can learn time management early.

I don’t know about you but my week is usually full of trying to pull off the most simple tasks in a short amount of time. From changing a light bulb to responding to an email to sorting mail, a load of laundry or loading the dishwasher.   Some tasks just seem to sit and sit.  My one touch system for paper didn’t seem to work as well for projects…….

So, why not try the 2-minute rule?

The 2-minute rule comes from the widely recognized leading expert on personal and organizational productivity, David Allen. David is the author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity.

The 2-minute rule is simple to follow and can make a huge difference in day-to-day life.

Here’s the rule: if a task will take 2-minutes or less DO IT RIGHT NOW. I am a list person and tries to make a plan.  The problem is that I spend way too much time in the planning mode.  The 2-minute rule kicks me into gear and helps me knock out those simple tasks. Instead of writing things down to complete later, the 2-minute rule helps me actually get things done instead of just written down.

No, I have to admit, I do push it to a 5-minute rule…. WHY?  Because even the simplest emails take a few minutes to write.  I know I can’t change a light-bulb in 2-minutes. I work really hard to complete right then if it will only take just a few short minutes !

I started doing this before we left on vacation and I was amazed at how much I got done.  Instead of making a list and then crossing things off…I had a completed list which made me feel AWESOME!

I challenge you this week-end to try out the 2 (sometimes 5) – minute rule and see how it works for you. If a task will take less than 5 minutes DO IT.   If you are planning out your week and remember a task that will take less than 5 minutes DO IT.  An email comes through, you can quickly respond to, DO IT RIGHT THEN.

I have to be honest, I was skeptical.  You will be surprised at how much you’ll able to get done and how often the simple act of getting started with a short task will keep you moving through a productive day.

I can’t wait to hear what you think….

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!