After getting motivated, here is what I did:
Step one: PURGE
This is something that has always been so hard for me. I develop attachments for things. I have so many clothes that do not fit, or despite there cuteness - I do not wear. I literally got rid of about fifty items!
There is more in the garage! I put the clothes I did not want in three piles when cleaning out my closet/drawers; garbage, Goodwill, give away/resale. I have some clothing that is damaged or just plain worn out that I opted to re-home in the garbage - I wouldn't want to pass them on to ANYONE.
Step two: Organizational Items
My husband and I are on a budget since I will be spending the next six months Student Teaching and not getting paid (but I am still very excited for this new endeavor), and let's face it - a budget is always good regardless. My point is, I wanted to bargain shop for my storage items. I hit up Big Lots and Marshals (TJ Max/Home Goods). After getting ideas online, I had a pretty good list going of the items I would need. Both of these stores have the same types of storage containers you can find anywhere, but for half the price. Be careful buying storage items at the Dollar Tree, sometimes the lids do not actually snap on.
With these items, along with items we already had sitting around - I have everything I need to get started and make our house organized!
Step three: MY PANTRY
Here is my pantry before the makeover, and I will be honest...I recently cleaned and organized it (yikes)!
Some of you may think this is outrageous, but this is actually more organization than normal around here.
My beautiful pantry after I revamped it with my amazing organizational skills:
It is so much better, and I can actually find things. The item that created the greatest difference was my over the door shelving unit. I got it for under $20 and used it to house all my spices, pasta sauces, snacks and some of my breakfast foods (syrup, pancake mix, peanut butter, etc.). It really allowed me to utilize the shelves in my pantry a lot more efficiently.
The top shelf has cereal, chips, a bin with Sampson's treats (he has quite the assortment - growing boy and all...), and a tub for all of my cookie decorating supplies along with cookie cutters.
The bottom shelf contains our plastic wrap, tin foil, etc., along with a bin filled with easy to make breakfast foods (peaches, oatmeal, breakfast bars). Next to that is a tub filled with all our snack foods, this will make it easy to choose. I try to fill it with semi-healthy items like popcorn and nuts, although, right now ours is filled with Rice Crispy Treats from Costco (shhh, don't tell).
The floor is home to items that don't fit nicely somewhere else; Tupperware lids, salad spinner, crock pot, V8 Splash (our favorite, and somewhat of a delicacy in this house).
The other two shelves are designated for baking supplies and canned food/pasta. I put all of my baking items in containers, rather than bags, on a Lazy Susan so I have easy access to each item. Everything fits so nicely and I can quickly tell what I need from the store and what I have to work with when it is time to plan meals (which for me is quite an intense process that I will tell you about later).
Next up...Kitchen drawers/cupboards, fridge and the dreaded closet!
Anyone have any ideas to make organizing a little less daunting?
4 comments:
It looks great!! I reorganized our entire house because I realized when we moved I just kind of put things where they fit and moved on. I think baskets and tubs are definitely the way to go. One of my favorites was putting all my cleaning supplies in a cute wicker basket so they are organized more AND it makes cleaning easier. I will come help you in a month if you don't finish!!
I know, it was really rewarding to do it. I am excited to move on to other areas today.
The cleaning idea is such a good one. My aunt got me an awesome cleaning supply carrier filled with great (green) supplies for for shower gift and I love it. Do you keep all your supplies in there or are some of them in the areas where you typically use them? That is one thing I cannot decide on.
I saw your cleaning kit, it is so cute! Those products looked nice too. I keep all my downstairs supplies in the basket in my laundry room (which in itself was quite the organization project) and then I keep some upstairs in the guest bathroom so I can use those for the 2 bathrooms. Makes less trips up and down the stairs!
Yes, because who likes to walk up and down the stairs :) I wish I could keep one vacuum for downstairs and one for up. So many times, I get our bathroom all sparkly clean and the last steps are to vacuum and mop...well...sadly, the vacuum is just too far away so I don't end up completing the job. :)
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