HOME MANAGEMENT..
6 Quick Kitchen Organizing Tips
There are lots of places in your kitchen that could stand a little kitchen organization. The number one goal for any organizing solution should be accessibility.
When you’re working in your kitchen, you need easy access to the things you use regularly. Easy access depends entirely on knowing where your items are, without having to stop and think about where they might be.
When you’re putting away groceries, you want to be able to put items in their place quickly and without having to think about it too much, but just as importantly, you want items to be easy to find later.
If putting groceries away isn’t quick and easy, disorganization will creep back in and overwhelm you just when you most need to find something.
Kitchen organizing doesn’t have to take long at all. If you do it over a period of a week or two, you’ll be amazed at how organized things will get after just 15 minutes here and there.
Doing It The Simple Way: Organizing As You Go
1. The next time you put away groceries, put canned foods on one shelf—or use two if absolutely necessary—and slide your vegetables to the left and your fruit to the right. Put boxed goods in a central location.
Group items together that you use together, such as baking goods. I also put my themed foods together, such as tex-mex, spaghetti & sauce, boxed side dishes (scalloped potatoes, instant potatoes, quick rice dishes, etc.). It makes everything easy to find and easy to put away.
As you take items out of your pantry and use them, you can take a few minutes here and there to put items into their new locations. With almost no extra effort, you’ve begun to organize your pantry space.
2. Don’t scatter your kitchen gadgets around your kitchen. Locate them in a centralized location, even if it’s a little out of your workflow.
If you spend thirty seconds walking across the kitchen to get your super-duper-potato-slicer or your handy-cheese-grater, that’s okay. At least you know where it’s at and you won’t spend 2 to 4 minutes looking for it or trying to remember where you put it last.
Next time you take your gadget out of the dishwasher, put it with the majority of your other gadgets. Soon, you’ll have them all in one location.
3. Hide everything that you can. Not only will you have clearer counters, you’ll have cleaner utensils, cookbooks, and gadgets. As long as you know where you put things and put them there every time, accessibility isn’t hindered. In fact, you could be helping yourself out if you have a habit of stacking things on your small appliances.
Anything stored near the stove requires extra wash time because of oil and grease deposits. Have you saved yourself any effort by keeping your toaster on your counter? Sure, you save about 1 minute getting it out and putting it away, but you’ll spend countless minutes over the course of a month cleaning it—same for your cookbooks.
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Even if you use your cookbooks extensively, don’t keep your cookbooks in an open shelf in your kitchen. Grease and other deposits will stick to the books and you’ll end up cleaning them often, or wishing you had the time to do so! Keep them as far away from the cooking areas as you can. I keep mine on a dedicated shelf in my pantry.The next time you wipe down your counters, grab up your small appliances and gadgets and tuck them away (a clutter free house looks cleaner). If you don’t have space to tuck them away, consider moving anything you use less than 4 times a year to a longer term storage area.
4. So you would love to do steps 1 through 3, but you don’t have any space? Next time you put away your dishes, clear out any older, unused dishware from your cabinets first. Donate to Goodwill, or give to a relative or friend who might want them.
I started out as a young married woman with many hand-me-downs, and I was always excited to have something “new.”
You can clear out plenty of old dishware in less than 5 minutes, if you grab a box and start packing.
5. Throw out old food and make room for what you really use.
The next time you go to put something into the freezer, grab at least two items that have been in there too long and then throw them out.
You cannot leave food in a freezer indefinitely and expect it to taste good later, or even be safe for eating. By throwing out older items (or just things you know you’ll never get around to preparing or reheating), you’ll create extra space for what you will use. It takes just seconds to pick up something and throw it into the trash.
Within a few weeks, you’ll have an up-to-date selection of frozen items and you won’t even notice the time you spent organizing it!
6. Get rid of duplicates.
I’ve already written an entire article about this topic, but it’s so powerful, I want to mention it again.
The next time you put away a gadget, utensil, or pot or pan, notice if you have more than one of the item. Really think for a second about whether or not you make use of the second item on a semi-regular basis.
If not, consider what your life might be like without the item. Will you suffer because you don’t have one of them? Will someone else appreciate having your extra?
In just a few minutes, you can clear out additional space for other items without sacrificing anything of note.
As I’ve said before, organizing is really about having the space to keep things in a particular spot so you know where you can find them, without having to think about it.
Practice a few of these tips each day and before you know it, you’ll have a more organized kitchen in almost no time at all!
Top 100 Household Tips
Top 100 Tips
IN THE LIVING ROOM
2. Ditch the polish and just use a damp cloth for the furniture. A damp cloth also holds the dust rather than just spreading it around.3. Remove marks from wooden furniture by cutting a walnut in two and rubbing its raw edge along the grain of the wood.
4. Use a banana skin to dust plants - the dust clings to the skin and the juice nourishes the leaves.
5. Clean the inside of a dirty vase by filling it with vinegar and a handful of dry rice and give it a good swirl around.
6. Place a decorative basket on the coffee table to keep remote controls in.
7. Do you lose your coffee table under piles of mail, newspapers and magazines? If so, place a magazine rack next to your favourite sofa or chair.
8. Save heat and money by putting aluminium foil behind radiators.
9. Stop static electricity on your TV by wiping with a tumble dryer sheet.
10. Make your wood shine by polishing it with a solution of two parts olive oil to one part lemon juice.
11. Freshen up a room by putting a cinnamon stick in your vacuum bag.
IN THE KITCHEN
12. Get rid of fingerprints on stainless steel by wiping them with baby oil on a clean cloth.
13. Keep your cling film in the fridge. It is so much easier to use when cold.
14. For a cleaner kitchen floor, use two buckets when mopping - one with clean water, one to drain.
16.Clean underneath large appliances by stretching a sock over a stick, then running it under the stove or fridge.
17.To keep a cake from drying out and going stale, place half an apple inside the cake tin with it. A lemon works just as well. (No chance of any cake drying out in my house though as it gets eaten too quickly!)
18.Put a few grains of rice in salt shaker to stop it lumping. The rice will absorb moisture more quickly than the salt and keep it running smoothly.
19.Before washing fine china, crystal, or anything fragile, place a towel on the bottom of the sink to act as a cushion.
20. Remove burnt-on food from a saucepan by boiling a cup of cola for a minute or two.
21. Clean the microwave by bring a cup of water to boil in it. The steam will help loosen dried on food which can then be easily wiped away. Pop a slice of lemon into the water when boiling to help it smell nice.
22. Remove coffee or tea stains from the bottom of a mug by swishing white vinegar around it.
23. Clean baked on grime on your hob by sprinkling biological washing powder on it and then wiping off with a damp cloth.
24. Keep rooms free of flies by putting a vase of lavender by any open windows - they hate it!
25. Freshen up your bin by placing a tumble dryer sheet at the bottom before putting in a bin bag.
26. Clean fridge seals by using a toothbrush and toothpaste or bicarbonate of soda.
27. Stop fridge odours by lining the vegetable drawer with a sheet of newspaper.
28. Get rid of a lingering smell in the kitchen by baking orange peel in the oven.
29. Regularly coat your chopping board with vegetable oil to make it last longer.
30. Prevent the inside of a flask from smelling stale by adding a teaspoon of sugar before storing.
31. To make oven cleaning easier, first heat a bowl of water on high for 20 minutes - the steam loosens dirt).
32. Place a button at the end of a sticky tape roll so the end will be easy to find.
33. Put half a lemon in your dishwasher to add sparkle and a lovely smell to your dishes.
34. Group your foods together in the pantry for easy access and to help you identify when inventory is getting low. For example, group together your canned goods, cereals, pasta, etc.
35. Purchase a spice rack that works best for your cabinet. Alphabetize your spices and place frequently used spices on the front of the rack and all others towards the back of the rack.
36. Decide the night before what is on the menu for breakfast the next morning. If the family is to have cereal, set out the cereal boxes, bowls, and spoons.
37. For all of those plastic containers and Tupperware items, dedicate one cabinet or drawer for those items and try to purchase stackable containers to maximize your space.
38. Save your countertop space for items you use daily. Only display cookbooks that you really use and if possible store your canister set in your pantry instead of on the counter.
39. Try putting all of your cooking utensils in a pot next to the stove. No more hunting around in a drawer to find that spatula you are looking for. Everything is visible and within easy reach when you are cooking.
40. If you have a collection of clipped recipes that are filling drawers and countertop space, purchase a three-ring binder in a color that matches your decor, a box of plastic sheet protectors (to protect your recipes), paper, and a set of dividers with tabs. Glue each recipe onto a piece of paper (use front and back of each piece of paper) and then place into a sheet protector. Categorize recipes (breakfast, desert, etc.), label the tabs, and place recipes in binder. Additional tip, if you purchase a binder that has pockets, store clipped recipes that you want to try in the pockets before adding them to your collection.
41. Make a master grocery list on your computer from a spreadsheet or Word document. Categorize the groceries into sections such as frozen, dairy, and so on. In each category, list the most frequent items that you buy. Organize the grocery list according to the way your favourite grocery store's isles are set up. Print copies and keep one copy handy for the current week. When you see you are low on a product or you're preparing your grocery list for the week, simply highlight whatever items you need. Keep the document current by adding new items and/or deleting items you no longer buy. Also, create a space on the document for Misc. items where your family members can write down what they need that is not on your list.
42. Create a family message center on the refrigerator or other prominent place and use it for shopping lists, reminders, calendars, and phone messages.
43. Do you have mounds of plastic bags from the grocery store? Place about 10 bags inside of 1 bag and throw the rest away. You can always get more the next time you go to the grocery store.
44. Place a basket near the door into your kitchen, or mount an organizer on the wall to hold the daily mail. A toast rack can also make an unusual letter holder.
45. Get in a habit of cleaning out your refrigerator every time you bring home groceries. Dispose of any food that is no longer edible or your family is not going to eat.
IN THE BATHROOM
46.Place an opened box of bicarbonate of soda behind the toilet to absorb nasty odours.
47. Save old toothbrushes for cleaning grout.
48. To organize clutter in the bathroom, purchase an attractive storage container with a handle on top. Place all of your accessories such as hair spray and lotion, in the container and place under the sink. Take the container out when you are ready to use it and then put it back under the sink when you are finished with it.
49. Unblock a sink by putting a handful of bicarbonate of soda down the drain followed by a cup of vinegar, wait a few hours then pour in a kettle full of boiling water.
50. If your shower doors are looking a bit dull, use a fabric softener sheet to get them gleaming again. The sheets contain ingredients that soften up water deposit build ups allowing you to wipe them off easily. Wipe down your shower doors a good wipe down with a few sheets and it will leave them looking terrific (and smelling lovely).
51. Freshen sinks by popping two fizzy indigestion tablets and 250ml of vinegar down the plug hole.
52. After a shower, quickly give the doors and tiles a quick rinse off. This will help prevent the build up of soap scum.
53. To keep shower tiles cleaner for longer wax them with car polish after giving them a good clean. This will help stop the grime from sticking to them.
54. Shine up your bathroom taps with a dab of white toothpaste. Rub with a cloth and then rinse off.
55. Use flat cola to clean your toilet. Yes, really. Pour a can of flat cola into the toilet pan and leave for half an hour. When you then flush the lime-scale will have dissolved and your toilet will come up lovely and shiny. (Makes me rather concerned about what cola does to our insides when we drink it!!)
56. When cleaning, little and often is so much less stressful than having to spend a whole day at the weekend going through the house. Clean the bathroom after your shower in the morning. A quick spray around with some cleaner whilst everything is coated in hot steam helps the cleaning and it only takes a few minutes. The bathroom is then always bright and shiny and clean
57. For a clean, fresh smell in your bathroom, place a dryer/fabric softener sheet in your bathroom's bin.
CLOTHING, SHOES & LAUNDRY
58. Shine black shoes by rubbing them with a banana skin
59. Shine brown shoes by rubbing them with the pithy side of a lemon
60. Keep necklaces and bracelets from tangling by hanging off a mug tree or putting hooks inside your wardrobe.
61. Put conkers in with your clothes to keep moths at bay.
62. To get rid of an ink stain on clothes, spray with a strong hairspray, then wash as normal.
63.Dry wet shoes more quickly by putting crumpled balls of newspaper inside them.
64. To remove chewing gum from clothing, upholstery or carpets, heat some white vinegar in a pan and apply it to the gum.
65. To make ironing easier place a sheet of kitchen foil on the board under the cover, which helps reflect the heat.
66. When you are doing your laundry put any underwear inside a pillowcase. It will keep all those items together and make it easier for sorting everything once it comes out the wash. You can buy mesh bags designed especially for this.
67. To stop coloured cottons from fading and the colours bleeding, soak in strong salt water overnight.
68. To revive greying white cotton bedding, let the frost get to them on the clothes line.
69. Remove rust stains on white cotton by rubbing with lemon juice and salt before washing.
70. To remove candle wax from fabrics use a knife to scrape off as much wax as possible. Place fabric between 2 pieces of parchment paper or waxed paper and press with a warm iron. Wash with detergent in the hottest water safe for the fabric.
71. Tumble dry pillows in a hot tumble dryer once a week for 15 minutes to freshen them and get rid of dust mites.
72. Separate your clothes by season. If you have a wardrobe with a shelf over the rails, place current seasons clothes on the rails and move out of season clothes on to the shelf.
73. Categorize your clothes by purpose, such as work, casual, and formal.
74.If you have deodorant stains on your clothes, gently sponge the area with white vinegar. Leave for a few minutes and then wash in hot water.
To remove blood stains, soak the item in cold water for at least 30 minutes. If the stain remains, soak again in lukewarm water with added ammonia. Use 3 tbs ammonia per gallon of water. Rinse well. If the stain is really stubborn and still remains, work in a laundry detergent, and wash, using colour safe bleach.
75.To remove a fresh coffee stain, sponge or soak with cold water as soon as possible. Wash, using detergent and color safe bleach. For a set in stain beat an egg yolk and then with a terry cloth, apply it to the stain. You'll need to work the yolk into the stain for a minute or so. Now rinse it thoroughly with water. The stain will disappear.
76. To remove mouldy smells from towels, wash with a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. The smell will disappear they will be lovely and fresh again.
77. Plant some lavender under your washing line, or if it on a patio or other hard standing, put some pots of lavender underneath. As sheets swing around on the line they brush against the lavender and pick up a subtle scent.
Household management
78.Make a list of everything you do daily and weekly. Then organize them on a calendar (Google Calendar is great) so you can assign a time for each one as a "goal". If you set a reminder for specific tasks at certain times or on certain days it's much easier to keep on track, especially since most chores don't take more than about 15 minutes when you break them up.
79.To make mornings calmer and more in control is to lay out your clothes for the next day the night before when you are relaxed. This solves the problem of rushing to find what to wear in the morning when you are tired and time bound. Put out the jewellery, shoes and handbag with purse, keys and make up all inside.
80.Encourage every member of the house to clean as they go. Make them realize that hiring a cleaner is expensive. Set an hourly rate and pay yourself for the cleaning you do and save this money towards a new appliance or family holiday. Get all the family in the habit of 'little and often' cleaning and tidying. It promotes quality time with your family and obtains a fresh living space for everyone.
81. Make sure everything in your house has a home. Teach all family members to mind their own messes. For example, if you take it out, put it back; if you open it, close it; if you throw it down, pick it up; if you make a mess, clean it up; and so on.
82. Each night before bedtime, have all family members pick up clutter for 15 minutes. Make a game out of it and see who can pick up the most things in the shortest amount of time.
83.Buy a lovely storage box and fill it with a selection of cards for every occasion. Also put in it a selection of different coloured wrapping paper (the folded packs you can get) and a book of stamps. You will then have your own compact gift wrapping station and no excuse for not sending a birthday or other occasion card out at any time.
84. The simplest thing that you can do to keep yourself organised is to keep a constant to-do list. Keep a notepad with you at all times. Whenever a new task comes up, add it to your list. As you complete tasks, cross them off your list.
OUTDOORS
85. Unclog a drain by pouring in a cup of baking soda followed slowly by a cup of white vinegar - cover and let it sit for five minutes then pour down four litres of boiling water.
86. When potting plants, place a coffee filter in the bottom of the pot over the drainage holes to prevent the soil draining out.
87. If you keep your freezer in the shed or garage, polish the outside with wax to stop damp, rust and mould.
88. Make stripping wallpaper easier by adding a tablespoon of baking soda to each bucketful of water.
89. Clean oil spots on the path or driveway by sprinkling bicarbonate of soda and scrubbing with a wet brush.
90. Kill weeds between cracks in patios by spraying them with white vinegar.
91. For kids' outdoor toys, purchase a weatherproof, bench-style storage box and store toys inside. Also, gather all outdoor balls and place into a large, mesh drawstring bag and store in garage.
MISCELLANEOUS
92.When painting a room put a freshly cut onion in there to get rid of the smell.
93.Place a few briquettes of charcoal under the seat of your car to absorb odors and keep it smelling fresh. Make sure to use the type without the starting fluid on them or your car will smell of fuel.94. Fill the petrol tank the day before so you won't have to worry about getting gas if you are running late the next morning.
95.To make cut flowers last longer, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar to the water. Remember to change the water every couple of days. I have also heard that popping an aspirin in the water works also.
96.If you have thin surface scratches on glass, rub a little toothpaste over the surface. Finishing by polishing off with a soft cloth.
97.Clean windows and mirrors with scrunched-up newspaper, dampened with 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts water.
98.We all know about using vinegar to clean windows and mirrors but have you tried adding some dishwasher rinse aid to the water? It leaves glass streak free and with a sparkly finish - and it smells better than vinegar.
99. Clean copper and brass with salt and lemon juice (three parts salt to one juice).
100. Open your window blinds every morning and let the sun shine in! Sunshine will make your nice, clean room feel warm and cozy. You will grow to love that feeling and you will be more likely to keep your room clean.
