Kitchens

Several weeks ago we started having major issues with our refrigerator — yeah, it’s old, but we’re hoping it will last until this summer when we are planning to do a big kitchen renovation!!

The first problem was that the contents of the produce drawer kept freezing… which meant lots of unintentionally frozen fruits and veggies… which meant I made lots of soup and pie

However, in a successful attempt to fix the fridge, we some how managed to “break” the freezer… so now the freezer does NOT freeze.

At the end of this whole process, we were basically left with one big refrigerator and no freezer — which is not the most ideal situation, but at least we have our deep freezer downstairs!

Anyway, as we were trying to “unfreeze” the refrigerator and “refreeze” the freezer, I put several thermometers inside to monitor the temperature. To my surprise, I noticed that the top shelf of our refrigerator was 10-12 degrees warmer than the bottom drawers — and the same was true for the freezer!

I know that “heat rises” but I figured the temperature inside our fridge would be almost the same since it’s regulated with a thermostat. However, after doing a bit of research, I read that this is quite normal {especially for side-by-side units}.

So I decided to reorganize our fridge… by temperature!  

Here’s what I did:

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TOP/MIDDLE SHELVES = left overs that will get eaten in a day or so, items I’m defrosting from the freezer, other packaged items that won’t “go bad” as quickly

MIDDLE/BOTTOM SHELVES = milk, juice, yogurt, eggs, lettuce and other dairy items that have a shorter shelf life and need to be kept colder

TOP DRAWER = fruits and veggies

BOTTOM DRAWER = meats and cheeses

Also, since the freezer side of our refrigerator doesn’t freeze, I’m using that for storing extra gallons of milk {I usually buy 2 or 3 at a time} extra dairy items, leftovers, and anything else that won’t fit in our fridge. The only thing I won’t put in the freezer side is produce because I think it’s a little too cold for that.

Even though it was a HUGE pain to deal with a dysfunctional fridge and freezer for a couple weeks, I’m so glad we now have more fridge space AND that our food seems to be lasting longer due to storing it at the proper temperatures. 

And I’m all for less wasted food!

We can live with our crazy fridge for a few more months… but this will make it all the more exciting to get a brand new one when our kitchen renovations start this summer. I have my eye on a counter-depth unit with French doors and a double pull-out freezer drawer

Oh, and in case you’re interested — here’s how I organized our refrigerator in our old house.

Have you ever checked the temperature in your fridge?

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If you’ve noticed that some of your food isn’t staying as fresh as you’d like, you may want to rearrange your fridge by temperature too!
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{don’t worry, we’re not getting rid of Nora!}

As you can probably imagine, January and February are busy months for anyone involved in the “organizing industry”. Just think about how many people made a New Year’s resolution or goal to “get more organized” this year!

And even though I’m normally quite organized, I find myself with an even stronger desire to declutter at the beginning of a new year. Maybe it’s because I like to declutter while I take down my holiday decorations, maybe it’s because I need to compensate for all the additional stuff we brought IN to our home at Christmas, or maybe it’s simply because I’m inside all the time during these cold winter months and can’t stand to live in clutter.

Whatever the case, I too have the urge to purge!

If you’ve had this same urge lately, I have a really SIMPLE tip that always seems to help me get rid of even more stuff in and around our house.

My tip = use a clothes basket.

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Lately, I’ve put a couple different clothes baskets in convenient places around our house and anytime I come across something we don’t need, use, want, or love, I simply toss it in the clothes basket. When the baskets get full, or when I know I’ll be near a donation center, I simply put the baskets in my car and drop off our unneeded items.

Why do I like using clothes baskets?

• They are really easy to carry
• They are super portable so I can move them to different rooms in our house — or right into the car
• They are sturdy enough to hold all kinds of things
• They are inexpensive
• They fill up quickly so I feel like I’m making lots of decluttering progress

And since I’m pretty sure almost every single person reading this has at least one clothes basket lying around… I would like to challenge you to spend 20 minutes walking from room to room and see how full you can get your basket!

Oh, and here’s another really good use for clothes baskets…

How many clothes baskets could you fill over the next year?

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Not everyone has their dream kitchen…I certianly don’t! But no matter if you love, like, or even hate your kitchen, I guarantee you’ll enjoy it more if it’s organized.

I originally wrote this blog post back in March, but I’ve recently been weeding through my kitchen — purging, organizing, cleaning, etc. and was thinking about how awesome it will be once we do finally renovate our kitchen and dinning room area {which probably won’t be for a few years}.

Then I reminded myself that even though we don’t have our dream kitchen yet; our current kitchen is still clean, organized, and functional, which makes it an enjoyable space for me to spend time in… and I do spend a lot of time in there. We have a place for everything and everyone in our house knows where everything goes. So even though I don’t love my kitchen design {see photo below}, I do love how organized it is.

And just in case you’re searching for a few more reasons to organize your kitchen {besides the obvious fact that it looks so much nicer}, I’ll give you FIVE really good ones — plus a chance to drool over some of the gorgeous kitchen designs from my Ideas Book!

1. Save Time:

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An organized kitchen means less searching to find what you need.

dream kitchen from House Beautiful

2. Save Money:

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An organized kitchen means you know what you have and are less likely to buy duplicates or waste food.

dream kitchen from Joyful Mom of Many

3. Save Stress:

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An organized kitchen means order and a sense of calm in the heart of your home.

dream kitchen from Better Homes & Garden

4. Save Sanity:

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Like I said before, an organized kitchen will help you to enjoy your kitchen — even if you don’t like the style, the appliances, the light fixtures, the floor, etc.

dream kitchen from IkeaFans.com

5.  Save Space:

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An organized kitchen will give you more counter space, more cabinet space, more floor space, more table space, and even more space in the refrigerator…and who can’t use a little more space in the kitchen?

Is that enough to motivate you?

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Organizing your kitchen does NOT have to be a huge project. Start with a few minutes today — focus on one drawer, one shelf, one area of the fridge. Then tomorrow, tackle another drawer.

You can even read about how I organizing our…

food storage containers

freezer

recipe box

spices

cabinets

refrigerator

pantry

Now set your timer for 15 minutes — then come back and let me know how much you accomplished!

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The following post is written by Elvie Look of Elvie’s Essentials:

Whether you work in the corporate world, as an entrepreneur, raising a family, or going to school full-time; you are likely very busy and wonder how you will keep up.

Being organized is the answer!

And you don’t need to wait until “life settles down” to get organized, you can do it right now by following 2 simple rules:

1.  Do One Thing At A Time

Break your project down into small, do-able pieces. If you have a huge stack of ironing, break it down, either by 15 minutes a day, or only iron the short sleeved shirts one day, the long sleeved the next, etc.

2. Build Good Habits

Your dentist has most likely told you to floss and brush in order to keep cavities away. That is a habit you had to build, and now you do it without even thinking. Same thing with organizing. There are habits that will keep clutter and disorganization at bay, and you will soon be doing them without thinking.

These are some of MY habits that help me stay on top of my game.

1. Keep A Running To Do List

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My memory once great is now …hmmm, what was I going to say? Oh yes, writing it down is key to not forgetting. Keep a list and write things that you need to do, buy, call, clean, whatever. Write it down.

2. Never Walk By A Mess

If you see some dirty dishes or garbage, pick it up as you go by. Never walk by it empty handed. This is huge, because you are training your eyes to watch for it. Never allow yourself to get used to the mess and step over it. Pick it up and clean it up.

3. Keep Paper Towels Handy

I can’t live without paper towels, such as in the bathroom. Every morning after washing up, take a  paper towel and wipe down the mirror, sink and set out a fresh hand towel. Now take that damp paper towel and swipe the floor. You will be amazed at the hair and towel lint you pick up every single day. It’s likely that you don’t vacuum daily, and with this habit, you won’t need to.

4. Empty Garbages

Every morning after leaving the washroom, grab the garbages from the bathroom and bedrooms and empty into your main garbage. This habit packs a punch with making your rooms look cleaner.

5. Never Leave The Vehicle Empty Handed

Get into the habit of taking in any trash when you leave and take it with you into the house. Your vehicle will never get out of control with this habit.

6. Hang Clothes Right Out Of The Dryer

I love ironing, but maybe because it rarely gets out of control. Most people hate ironing, and it might be because the wrinkles are permanently set. If you simply hang your clothes immediately after they come out of the dryer, they will be a breeze to touch up with the iron if needed.

7. Fold Towels Attractively

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Your cupboards always look neat if you fold your towels the same and have the rolled edge visible in the linen closet – NOT the hem. Also arrange your towels by size and color.

8. Make Dead Time Productive

Always have something in your bag you can do or read for those times you are waiting in the car for the kids or at the doctor’s office. Even when watching TV, you can do little projects like folding laundry, clipping coupons, or sewing on buttons.

9. Be Last To Bed

Have your nightly ritual to get things ready for the next day, like setting the coffee pot, starting the dishwasher, taking out the meat for supper the next day, check over your To Do list and calendar for upcoming appointments to refresh your memory, set out your clothes for the next day. Taking 15 minutes each night makes for a better sleep and easier mornings.

10. Close All Doors & Drawers

Closing all cupboards and drawers not only makes your place look neater, but it is safer too.

11. Keep A Notepad By The Bed

If something comes to mind after the lights have gone out, you may not remember it by morning. By keeping a notepad and pen by your bed, you can write it down, even in the dark. Learning to read your chicken scratch may be a challenge in the morning, but it won’t take long and you’ll learn this new font!

12. Clean As You Work

When preparing supper, put some hot soapy water in the sink and clean up as you go.

13. Detail Your Kitchen

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After the supper dishes are done, make it a habit to rinse out the sink to leave it shining, put out a new dish cloth and hand towel.

14. Always Sweep

My mother taught us 7 kids to always sweep the kitchen floor after doing the supper dishes. It went with doing the dishes, and the job was not done until we swept the floor. It’s a great habit. Leaving the kitchen clean makes the whole house feel better, and makes your mornings go smoother.

15. Wipe One Thing

Before I drain the dishwater, I often will wipe a dusty picture frame, window sill, shelf. One thing. This daily habit helps keep the house looking like you just cleaned it.

There are so many more habits to help keep you from becoming overwhelmed — and you will find many of them in my free eBook 5 Quick and Easy Steps to Organize Your Kitchen.

Photo credits:  Elvie’s Essentials

Elvie Look is a Professional Organizing Coach who is helping people get organized with her easy tips and suggestions. These systems help the busy mom, businessman or woman, entrepreneur or student learn the keys to organizing in simple, actionable and manageable steps. She teaches how to get organized and maintain your organized space while carrying on your normal busy life. She is the author of “21 Steps From Chaos To Calm.”

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source: alexkerhead

I hate wasting time!

So I’m always on the lookout for quick organizing projects to tackle when I have a few extra minutes here and there. I’ve even started timing some of my daily tasks, and found that I could accomplish many of them in 10 minutes or less!

After thinking about these 10-minute tasks, I realized that by completing one every day for a year, I would tally up over 60 hours of organizing — pretty impressive!

So what can YOU accomplish in just 10 minutes a day?

Lots of stuff!

Head on over to the AboutOne Blog to read 22 simple ways you can get more organized in 10 minutes or less!

And I know you have at least 10 minutes!

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I’ve wanted to write a post about getting rid of old, nasty, food storage containers for several weeks now — but I figured that I should probably “practice what I preach” before I preach it!!

And since my food storage containers were getting  a little bit out of control, I decided to quickly tackle that project this weekend — and honestly, it only took me about 30 minutes from start to finish {including the time I spent taking pictures!} So you can totally do this!!!!

If your food storage containers are anything like mine, then they magically multiply without your knowledge. I think they breed with each other when the doors are closed… and then when I open the doors, I see a scary mess of storage containers and lids.

Sound familiar?

The picture above is after I pulled everything out of my cabinet and paired similar containers together. Then I purged anything that didn’t meet my criteria below…

A Few Reasons To Purge Your Food Storage Containers:

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1. They don’t have a lid — or the lid doesn’t fit tightly

2. They are chipped, broken, melted, stained, or damaged in some way

3. They are actually disposable containers you’ve been using for 4 years

4. They are old Cool Whip, sour cream, butter, or cottage cheese containers

5. They don’t stack or “nest” nicely inside  each other

6. They are too big or small and never seem to get used

While I can honestly say that I did not have any storage containers that fell under #1, #3, or #4, I definitely had a few containers to get rid of.

Below are the only containers I kept — aren’t you proud of me!

Tips for Organizing Your Food Storage Containers:

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1. Keep ONLY what you need and use. Period!

2. Store larger, seasonal containers in the basement or on a top shelf.

3. Remember that squares and rectangles take up less space than circles

4. Group smaller containers inside of shoe boxes or other larger storage containers {see picture above}

5. Keep all the lids in a separate container — this will make them easier to find and keep organized.

6. Store smaller containers towards the front and larger containers towards the back

My Before and After Transformation:

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After about 30 minutes of sorting, sifting, and purging — this is what I accomplished.

I know it’s not a HUGE transformation {and the lighting was horrible for taking pictures} but it has seriously made such a difference when we’re searching for food storage containers. Plus, it’s nice not to have anything fall out when I open the doors!

So, if you’re looking for a quick, simple project to tackle this week, maybe you should take a look at your food storage containers.

What are your best tips for containing your container clutter?

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Welcome to my Huge Birthday Giveaway Celebration!!

Instead of receiving gifts this year, I’ve decided to give YOU an opportunity to win a bunch of awesome products I currently use and love.  I’ve partnered with 26 amazing companies to offer 26 different giveaways for my 26th birthday. There will be multiple giveaways every day from June 13-18 — so make sure you come back!

You will be able to find all 26 Birthday Week Giveaways here — just keep scrolling down to view them all.

Giveaway #3: Aladdin Food Storage 6-Piece Set

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Remember the other day when I mentioned how much I LOVE organizing and storage containers? Well, my love for FOOD storage containers reaches a whole new level!

If you’ve never heard of the Aladdin brand before, you seriously, need to check out their amazing food storage products. Aladdin has actually been around for over 100 years, but I first heard about them earlier this year…and now I’m hooked. They are my all-time favorite brand for any type of food storage. Period.

And thanks to their generosity, you have a chance to win the gorgeous 6-piece set pictured above. The set includes:

1. 24-oz. One-Hand Watter Bottle {I’m drinking from mine right now and LOVE it!}

2. 16-oz. Travel Mug {Dave has officially stolen this from me}

3. 32-oz. Collapsible Steamer Set

4. 4-oz. Collapsible Bowl {Purple}

5. 16-oz. Collapsible Bowl {Green}

6. 32-oz Collapsible Bowl {Red}

Obviously, I love the gorgeous bright colors of all the Aladdin products. But I also love that they are ALL microwave and dishwasher safe, spill-proof, and SO space-saving!

Enter to Win!

Simply answer the question below by leaving a comment on this post. You can even gain bonus entries for doing each additional item listed below (just make sure that you leave a comment for each one).

REQUIRED ENTRY:

• Check out all of Aladdin’s products and let me know — What are your favorite products?

BONUS ENTRIES:

• Subscribe to Simple Organized Living via email or RSS

• Follow Simple Organized Living on Facebook or Twitter

• Follow Aladdin on Facebook

Just a reminder that any comments left on Facebook or Twitter will not count for my birthday giveaways, and you must provide a valid email address to be considered. All giveaways during my birthday giveaway week will close on Monday, June 20, 2011 at 10:00 EST. The winners will be selected at random and announced via a full blog post on Tuesday, June 21. I will also notify all winners via email.

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