Tip for Kitchen

This is a small tip, but in my kitchen it has created a HUGE impact. I purchased these inexpensive containers at Wal-Mart; they came in a two-pack for about $2. Ridiculous. Since I'm a grain fanatic, putting my grains & other misc. items in organized, larger containers has made my shelves look orderly & systematized. TWELVE of these beauts fit like a glove in my two pull out shelves.

When my things are in order I can better manage my food inventory, spend less money on duplicate items, rotate them regularly & buy only the essentials I need for our weekly meal plans or our needed food storage.

You can go as far as labeling each bin according to its contents if you'd like, something I've meant to do, but realize it's not a necessity. {They're see-through for pity sake. We gotta stop somewhere fellow OCD crazies.}

Measure your shelves' dimensions before purchasing containers so you can maximize your space. In small spaces, every inch counts.

Good luck!

Organization 101

It has been established that I am a wee bit compulsive. Guilty. It's a fact--a reality. I've come to accept this characteristic in my DNA. I've tried to embrace it, letting it flourish. Squashing or smothering these tendencies could be disastrous, so why not indulge them in a healthy manner?

Hence... organization. (I'm salivating already.) I'm a homemaker {Is there a better, cooler, hipper word for our profession? Suggestions welcome.} & I would list my "organization skills" {slash, OCD tendencies} as a plus. Because let's be honest... a home alive with children is chaotic, as it should be, but can't we mitigate the chaos? ABSOLUTELY!

Introducing (dun-dun-dun-da!) Oraganization 101! I have a few tricks up my sleeve to help all you moms, dads, singles, dudes... out there who need help. I'm no expert & I'm certainly not certified, but I AM organized, so there you go. I'm bequeathing the liberty upon myself. You are welcome. Over the next few weeks I'll go through various rooms in my house--like in every house--that have a tendency to become unstable. Follow me friends to...

MY closet.

This is our alter universe in which we costume ourselves according to the occasion. I have things in my closet that could make me unrecognizable to most & I have other things that scream "HEATHER!" I don't know about you, but I don't have a "Classy Closet." I don't even have an appealing closet. But I make do & so can you.

ONE - I organize my closet by COLOR. Yep. Don't you think most days you feel like wearing a certain color? Sure do. So why not have them all in the same location? This also helps you determine what you need. Do it!

TWO - Clean out your closet REGULARLY. A good rule of thumb is to hang all of your hangers one direction & when you wear the item return it to your closet & change the hanger to face in the opposite direction. At the end of the year, all the unchanged hangers display those articles you haven't worn in a whole dang YEAR. Time to say goodbye. Sell it, donate it, or make a weird project with it. I don't care. Just get it outta there!

THREE - If you buy something, get rid of something. This will keep the pile-up to a minimum.

FOUR - GET RID of clothes... that don't fit you, those skinny clothes, those fat clothes, those clothes that will someday make a comeback. It's not gonna happen. {Peace out CK overalls from high school.} The hardest clothes to get rid of are the clothes that have sentimental value. Part with the cloth, keep the memory.

FIVE - Shoes. Bear with me girls. YOU DO NOT NEED 100 PAIRS OF SHOES. If you think you are in need of a shoe intervention.... please get help. GET CONTROL of YOUR LIFE!

Lastly... CAUTION on the trend of fad SPENDING. **In my opinion, fashion is becoming quite idolatrous.** I'm all for lookin' good, but please, take a moment & step away from the madness. Does it matter what the label on the inside of your shirt says? In the grand scheme of things, should it? (If you say an UNDENIABLE, hands down all of the time emphatic YES!... please stop reading my blog. Just kidding.) Should it be glorified when a celebrity wears something "to die for?" Why do some purses cost more than a down payment on a Ford Focus? Is this sounding like a soapbox? Whoopsies. Just be aware. Any thoughts?

So what have we learned? Organizing your closet can bring you peace. It can be liberating. Purge it clean & keep only those things you ADORE. Simplify. Now go clean those skeletons.

P.S. Next year I should have a purging closets party. We can all trade clothes & not buy anything. Whose in?

P.S.S. Join me next week for.... KITCHENS!