Clutter-free living. Monthly Tips.

February 2012
Kitchen Organizing

By bringing in a Home Organizer, you'll have company to do the necessary task of cleaning out your kitchen cupboards. It makes it more fun, and the Home Organizer comes with objectivity and a fresh eye about the layout of your kitchen items and what should be replaced or tossed.

Leftover Storage:
First step is to get rid of plastic storage tubs without matching lids. You might want to consider using glass for food storage—especially if you microwave a lot. They can safely go into the freezer, oven and dishwasher.

Glass keeps food safe as it's proven that toxins do migrate from plastic to food during microwave heating. Glass' non-porous surface doesn't absorb food and germs and it can be safely washed at high temperatures in your dishwasher. Food flavor is enhanced. Glass' safe, glossy surface repels food odors and residual flavors.

Be realistic about how many containers you really need (suggestion of 12-20.)

Buy a few sets of inexpensive storage containers to send guests home with leftovers.

If you stick with plastic, then find a set that is designed to stack. Consider using a Dollar Store shoe bag on the back of a pantry door to store the lids. (This is in my home kitchen and takes the stress out of finding and storing lids!)

Dry Goods Storage:
Pick up just a few good containers for cooking and baking staples, snacks that can go stale quickly, and potentially messy products.

Your Home Organizer will guide you through the process of taking everything out of the kitchen cupboards; wiping down the shelves; and reviewing what you may have forgotten about; what has expired; what you should put in more prominent places to use up; creating a list of spices you either should remember to use or need to be replaced.

Some items might be better in a container. Your flour and sugar might have broken open and left a mess so glass or clear plastic containers will help you see what you're storing and keep them fresh.

Supplies you buy in bulk might be more easily labeled and seen in containers than in their original plastic bags. Square containers which can be stacked will take up less room.

Always label so others can find the items—even if you think it's obvious—it's a time saver in the long run.

You'll feel great about having cleaned out and organized kitchen cupboards working with your Home Organizer. It's the start of a good year of staying organized!