I try really hard to be organized and have a few ideas to share that have helped me. Hopefully, they'll give you some ideas.
1. Make a catch all bowl cute!
I don't mind my husbands "junk" out on the kitchen counter provided it is in one place. I have a series of bowls (star, Christmas bucket, pumpkin) that are used as his catch all bowl. Provided everything is in a bowl, I think it looks organized and can be on the counter. Finding cute bowls make it look like part of your decor.
2. Pantry doors can be useful! These came with our house and I love them. They are from the Container Store and this door holds all of our spices and oils. The other door has canned goods, baggies, foils, etc. Can you imagine how much extra space your shelves would have if those items were removed?
3. When I make my grocery list, I simultaneously make my meal list. For example, if I decide we are having tacos, I write down what I need for tacos on the grocery list (sorted by department, of course!) and then write tacos on my tall skinny notepad. If a meal is in a cookbook, I write the meal's name and then the cookbook and page below. If it is an index card recipe, I pull that out. The meal list and the corresponding recipe cards hang on our refrigerator with a magnetic "chip clip". It is easy to know what we have available, helps me remember to pull out meat in the busy morning, or lets me know when we are out of groceries!
4. Be creative- think about uses for items beyond their original intended use. This shoe rack makes a great craft holder. My friend Alison taught me about this! It holds paint, brushes, fabric rolling cutter, tulles, ric rac and pom pom rolls, shipping tape, extra wood blocks and more!
The large scissor bucket is for plants and the small thumb tack holder is an ice cream dish. I love their colors, size and shape.
These small suitcases from Land of Nod hold rubber stamps and inks.
I also have hat boxes filled with ribbons, candy dishes holding small hair bows, old soda crates storing magazines, and Rubbermaid drawers filled with spice packets, drink mixes and sauce starters. Don't be afraid to roam outside the first department and see what you can find.
2. Pantry doors can be useful! These came with our house and I love them. They are from the Container Store and this door holds all of our spices and oils. The other door has canned goods, baggies, foils, etc. Can you imagine how much extra space your shelves would have if those items were removed?3. When I make my grocery list, I simultaneously make my meal list. For example, if I decide we are having tacos, I write down what I need for tacos on the grocery list (sorted by department, of course!) and then write tacos on my tall skinny notepad. If a meal is in a cookbook, I write the meal's name and then the cookbook and page below. If it is an index card recipe, I pull that out. The meal list and the corresponding recipe cards hang on our refrigerator with a magnetic "chip clip". It is easy to know what we have available, helps me remember to pull out meat in the busy morning, or lets me know when we are out of groceries!4. Be creative- think about uses for items beyond their original intended use. This shoe rack makes a great craft holder. My friend Alison taught me about this! It holds paint, brushes, fabric rolling cutter, tulles, ric rac and pom pom rolls, shipping tape, extra wood blocks and more!
The large scissor bucket is for plants and the small thumb tack holder is an ice cream dish. I love their colors, size and shape.
These small suitcases from Land of Nod hold rubber stamps and inks.
I also have hat boxes filled with ribbons, candy dishes holding small hair bows, old soda crates storing magazines, and Rubbermaid drawers filled with spice packets, drink mixes and sauce starters. Don't be afraid to roam outside the first department and see what you can find.I'll leave you with a funny quote from a Hallmark magnet-
Turns out their is no prize for alphabetizing your spices.
Oh so funny, but true!
