Help me organize my kitchen please!!!

Subject: Help me organize my kitchen please!!! Tue 04 Sep 2007, 6:33 pm

We are getting final plans on the remodeling for the kitchen/dining room and living room,,gonna be one large open type room.I have some plans such as I want drawers instead of cabinet doors,,for items,,this way you can pull the drawer out and can see whats all the way in the back..also have seen drawers for dishes too..I like this,,they are deep and can hold the weight of a dish set.
But one of my dilemas is my plastic ware...my husband says I have a addiction to them,,,lol.How do you keep your tupperware and rubbermaid..plastic containers,,organized.
I just cleaned out the cabinet where all the plastic is kept.They're always seems to end up with containers such as butter dishes without lids or lids without bowls,,lol.
Its clean and organized now,,but my the end of the week,,Im sure things will get lost in the shuffle.What tips do you have for kitchen organization,,not just for plastic ware but for any and all would be helpful too.Thanks!!

Subject: Re: Help me organize my kitchen please!!! Tue 04 Sep 2007, 8:32 pm

I keep my plastic storage containers in white dish pans that I can pull out of the cuboard. They are really sturdy, but I got them at a discount store for a good price. It is so much easier to keep the containers neatly stacked and organized! I know what is in each one for example, plastic pitchers, tupperware, microwave, etc. The lids belonging to those containers go in that bin. I only allow myself to keep a certain amount of butter containers. They seem to multiply into very large amounts if I don't watch out and with just the two of us, not many are needed!
_________________
MARY

Subject: Re: Help me organize my kitchen please!!! Tue 04 Sep 2007, 10:23 pm

Very exciting to be getting a new kitchen Donna!
Those deep drawers are supposed to be great for storing pots/pans/dishes etc...I know many kitchen reno stories I've read, people have the deep drawers beneath their cooktop to store all their pans in.
I suppose how you organize your kitchen will depend entirely on the layout and it's always best to keep convenience in mind.

Here, I keep all my crockery/glassware in my wall cupboards with least used items on top shelf, glassware on 2nd shelf and cups, plates & bowls on bottom shelf. They're close to the cooker for serving dinner. There's a double-door corner cupboard below these wall cupboards, just to one side of my cooker and I keep all my pots and pans in here on the top shelf and electrical items (like blender, deep-fat fryer etc) on bottom shelf as these don't get used much and I don't like much sitting around on my worktops...that's just more to clean and looks cluttered. I have a small cupboard right beside the cooker where I keep scales, collander, chopping boards etc.
AND EVERYTHING HAS TO GO BACK IN IT'S HOME AFTER USE!!! Twisted Evil

I am a little obsessive compulsive ... I know Rolling Eyes

Beneath my microwave (which is wall mounted) is a double-door base cupboard where I store ALL my plastic food containers. I did have several plastic drink bottles which fell over a lot until I put them all into a large empty ice-cream container, works well!!! I sorted all my food containers and matched them with their lids. I stack similar sizes & shapes on top of each other with their lids on, that way I'm never looking for lids, I threw everything with missing lids out. I decided on a limit for plastic containers, there's a tendency to have too many I reckon! I still have quite a lot in various sizes for lunches, dinners, snacks...etc....all with lids!!! Razz

I'm lucky to have a whole cupboard just for plastic containers but because they're stacked (with lids) and organized by shape/size I can always find what I'm looking for quickly, my microwave containers are also in here and the entire lot fits on one shelf, larger items at back, smaller in front. On the bottom I keep trays, lunchbags, placemats etc...

All my food is kept in a double door pantry and the fridge/freezer which sits right beside it. It took me a little while and some reorganizing initially to find what worked best for me, I like convenience Smile

A lot also depends on what storage space you have, some people have lots of storage while others don't and have to get very creative!
Wow, that ended up being a bit more drawn out than I intended laugh

_________________
~ By sowing frugality we reap liberty, a golden harvest. --Agesilaus ~

Subject: Re: Help me organize my kitchen please!!! Tue 04 Sep 2007, 10:35 pm

I too use a dish pan to keep my plastic.. I dont do butter containers I used to and they almost took over the kitchen , or jar my DH claims I moved jars from Texas .. well may one or two but that was 30+ years ago...
_________________
Gayla

"They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little."

---Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Subject: Re: Help me organize my kitchen please!!! Wed 05 Sep 2007, 5:57 am

I have a shelf in my cabinet that is designated home for my tupperware bowls. I keep mine stacked neatly inside one another with a separate container that holds all the lids. I never have a problem with an overload because I use them for DH's lunch and well he is so lazy about bringing them back home that 9 out 10 ends up getting thrown away because he will forget about them that they mildew so bad I can't/won't clean them. We don't go thru enough other containers for them to pile up.
_________________
Vicki

[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wH4660m/]

[/url]

Moderator Age : 27 Joined : 12 Oct 2006 Posts : 1976

I am the same as Vicki,,,,I have mine all stacked neatly..I bought a nice set of them that stack and have the lids in a seperate tote...I have 2 plates with lids DH takes to work...then that's it Smile

Subject: Re: Help me organize my kitchen please!!! Wed 05 Sep 2007, 5:48 pm

I won't be any help at all. I carefully put the top on each bottom and then whip them into a cabinet and close the door quickly so everything doesn't fall out on me. Then when I need to store something I get my DH to get the plastic ware. It's a bit evil but... I have to have fun somehow.

Subject: Re: Help me organize my kitchen please!!! Wed 05 Sep 2007, 7:53 pm

LOL DF..I like your style!!

Subject: Re: Help me organize my kitchen please!!! Wed 05 Sep 2007, 10:43 pm

DF I use your method for the storage closet in the hall I always ask my DH to get something out of there.....
_________________
Gayla

"They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little."

---Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Subject: Re: Help me organize my kitchen please!!! Thu 06 Sep 2007, 8:57 pm

I have very little cabinet space, so my husband found a set of storage containers online that has a tray that holds the containers stacked and slots that hold the lids vertically....they are very easy to use and takes up limited space, such a relief after years of margarine containers going everywhere and taking over my precious cupboard space Rolling Eyes

_________________
Love is a fruit, in season at all times and within the reach of every hand. Anyone may gather it and no limit is set. ~ Mother Teresa

Subject: Re: Help me organize my kitchen please!!! Sun 09 Sep 2007, 4:59 am

Dancing Feather - that is hilarious. I do that with many things, including the tupperware cabinet! :-)

Spirit - I requested that from my grandma for my birthday - I got it, but it is still in the box (8 months later). I'll have to find it and use it in the new house. :-) I've seen them at WalMart for less than $15. My grandma keeps hers in a top cabinet, so she wont loes any of them, or feel the need to "chuck 'em."

~M
_________________
"It is not how much money you make - it is how you spend it."