photo blogheader_zpstbffqjqe.jpg  photo about_zpsgiujxeiv.png  photo home_zpspagqab70.png  photo recipes_zpsdzbe1vbc.png  photo diy_zpsp4upu5gu.png

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

simplify your kitchen - kitchen cabinet re-org! ... part one ♥






i have a little secret to tell you ...
i'm a piler
yes ... a piler
as in i make piles
...
but i don't like piles
i loathe them actually
 and i don't want any more piles
like ever





i've deduced (is this a word?) from my own psychological analysis
that pilers are also people who are indecisive
right?
cause the reason the pile gets made is because
a. there's no place to put said item
b. there is a place to put said item, 
but the piler is not sure which of the many options should become the home of the said item
(ie: do receipts go in the receipt file or with the owner's manual?)
(do flashlights go with the candles in case of a power outage, 
or with electronics? ... cause they're electronic)
(right? ... are they? i mean if they run on batteries, they're electronic right?)
(if the hubs is reading this post he's rolling his eyes)
(well he doesn't like eye rolling, so he's probably doing some other gesture of embarrassment)

see... my brain hurts now


back to the piles
for those of you just gettin' here :)
i decided at the beginning of the year to really go through the house and purge
just get back to basics
you can read more about that here, here and here 


and for you gals who have been following right along ...
i haven't jumped the "simplify your kitchen" bandwagon
i just left the kitchen for a while ...
to face the basement 
now that that's done ... i'm back on track
(no, there's no fancy organizing pics of the dungeon ... 
what happens in basement ... stays in the basement)
(it's not pretty down there folks)






let's get goin'!
we have a very spacious kitchen ... with lots of cabinet space
and lots of fun areas to organize
off of the kitchen is a little built-in office area 
home to our computer, printer and basically where all family household duties are managed
(finances, schedules, blogging, etc...)
come to think of it, this little area wears many hats
making it more of a challenge to keep clutter-free and organized

here is a short list:

- first aid supplies 
- houses miscellaneous household items 
- where i blog & manage my etsy shop
- shipping area for my etsy shop
- bill pay
- meal planning & couponing
- household binder & files

my challenge:
to get this area out of the pile zone!
and into a functioning command center for our family


in comes my girlie girl 
every month she throws out a challenge to organize a different area in your home
and i just love how she thinks everything through for you, making it that much easier to tackle your problem areas! 

i copied her project list (from this post)
to my clipboard to keep me motivated ... turned on some music
and was off to a running start :)


since there's so much to cover in this little area of mine, i'm gonna break it down into a few posts 
starting with the upper half of the cabinets next to the computer area





so the before really isn't too bad ... 
i went through this cabinet last year and got things together
but after some time i realized the set-up would need some re-thinking
just a few things here that weren't working right for us:

1. the baskets were much smaller than the space they were in
if you've got the space for storage ... don't waste it!

2. the baskets were pretty full 
so the overflow was well ... overflowing ... everywhere else :)

3. we had to move or take some of the baskets out when we needed something in the baskets that were more towards the middle of the cabinet 

4. the amount of candy canes that were in this cabinet was ridiculous

5. and yes those mini chalkboard apothecary jars are so stinkin' cute, but they are for another project and don't belong in there ... so this cabinet started to become a catch-all!





to get this re-org in motion
i headed to my two favorite places and scoped out storage bins
(measure, measure, measure! before you go)

the wrapping paper & floral crates were from Target
(those crates are for the next post when i tackle the bottom portion of these cabinets)
and at Joanns i found the teal bins with the stripe and the mini chalkboards 
(my favorite go-to label item)

aaaaaand the cute phone case is from here
(very random and not needed ... just wanted to tell you where to get a cute phone case)






since these bins would be holding heavier items 
i cut cardboard to fit into the bottom, to make it heavy duty 

then wrapped them in the paper for a little bit of cute factor :)







they fit nicely inside and i knew they would hold up better in the long run







i dumped all the first aid supplies & medicines (and gum?) on the counter 
and got rid of anything old or expired






for all of what was left i separated into two parts
first aid items: band-aids, cremes, medical tape, gauze
and cough drops






i corralled the smaller items into mason jars with white plastic lids 
then added some labels i made on the computer
(the white lids are sold right with the canning supplies)

















the other bin holds the rest of the medicines: pills, cold & cough etc...





let's take a peek inside the other two! :)

thank you cards & envelopes are always great to have on hand 
(i need to be better about this!)
any extra grocery or notepads were put in here as well






the last bin holds water bottles and drink packets











the smaller baskets on top were from the dollar store ... they hold all the miscellaneous things: 
party candles, toothpicks, plastic containers, etc... 







chalk markers work great on these minis
the clothespins were from the $1 bins at Target 
... easy way to label and then change things up when needed






so that's it! phew ...  a lot of function for one cupboard!
let's do a before & after :)









next up! the lower half!




is your office area in your kitchen?
any organizing secrets to share?
let's do some more ... come back soon!

much gladness in my ♥
sweet parties! ♥




22 comments:

  1. Just thought I'd share something for 'indecisive' people...it's much easier to sort stuff into a category if you realise you can change your mind at a later date. If you find a better fit later it can be altered. Some decisions are final...organising stuff is not, so make a choice, go with it...lose the pile and make a change if you need to, no loss. I hope this helps.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love it and your mini chalkboards are such a great idea!! Thanks for sharing!! Have a lovely and crafty week! xo Heather

    ReplyDelete
  3. really great ideas :) I love it!! my favorites are the chalkboards,
    Manu

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm a piler, too, and am constantly reorganizing my studio space. Nothing I like better than finding a great organizing system....not that it always STAYS that way. Thanks for the great post!--Lisa, apieceoflisajane.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I LOVE THIS POST! I will be back admiring it many times, I'm sure while I make some changes in our home.
    I'm a piler, also. Not all over the house, just in our charging station area. I think because it is small but has a big job to do.

    I love your pretty baskets. I might need to make a trip to Target!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for posting this! I've been in need of some motivation and inspiration--this was perfect. I am also an indecisive piler (you should see the state of my dining room table at the moment...I even piled papers into bags after I got married in May. I'm a mess). I love the blue color as well!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Looks so good!! I see batteries for next time. Oh the batteries in our home...I loathe batteries : /

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Jaime I heart(love n adore)this post!! I go through these stages myself too!! LOL Right now it's my studio/craft/office/computer room! And it is coming along!! If I only had alot more time!! LOL Your shelves look so groovey with the bins all done!! You know it probably took you a long time but really you just simplifid it. Cuteness and those chalkboards rocked it out. The clothespins are pretty groovey too. I heart(love n adore)Target! I have a gift card I have been whittling down just buying cute and clearance stuff!! It's almost done(sad face). Have a groovey day Jaime!! XOXO Luv fran.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love it!! What an inspiring post to go clean and organize!! Thanks for sharing! And love those cute chalkboards!! :) Happy Tuesday! xo Holly

    ReplyDelete
  10. It looks great! I love when something can come together so nicely. I am completely OCD but a piler as well! I think it is my perfectionism getting in the way. (As if I don't put it in the "right" spot the whole world will end! :) Trying to get over it and remind myself that getting it done is better than not doing it at all because I am waiting for the perfect bin, solution, etc.!

    ReplyDelete
  11. i'm a piler too.i spend half my life looking for things. i've starting organizing too - one cabinet at a time - one project at a time. but i keep putting off the paper piles because those are sooo many!!! ugh!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm a piler too and it has to stop!!!! I need to make time to do this like right now right now. Happy day friend!

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a delightful post. Such a lovely transformation...and everything looks so neat and tidy. How I love the cheerful colors you have used to create order.
    Thank you for the inspiration as Spring cleaning is right around the corner.
    Blessings to you,
    Carolynn

    ReplyDelete
  14. Looks great! Funny--we are pilers, too, and I never made the connection with the indecision! (because that's true of us, too! We put off decisions until absolutely necessary or it becomes too late to make the decision, ha!)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Piler, piler, piler!! Oh you weren't talking about me!! maybe I can conquer the piles!! And the indecisiveness?? Are you my twin separated at birth!! On a serious note, loved your post and all the cute ideas!! Ypu rock Jaime!

    xoxo
    Cristiana

    ReplyDelete
  16. You know your readers so well! The first thing I thought when I saw the cute phone was, "I wonder where she got that?" Oh, and for me? Total piler, all the way. Drives my husband nuts. I'm working on it.

    ReplyDelete
  17. How awesome are you!!! WAAAAAAY AWESOME!!!!! Oh I so wish you were next door...there might be hope for me then...someone that posses not only organizational skills...but skills with STYLE!!!! Your rock my friend! : ) by the way...I would challenge ANYONE...yes...ANYONE in a piling contest...or as my family calls me the strategic stacker!!!! hugs...

    ReplyDelete
  18. So glad to have stumbled upon your site. You fit my style. I, too, am a piler. I confess. I have no excuses but that I am lazy. But seeing your beautiful cabinets, I am inspired to organize! Thank you! I think I'll even put my pride aside and post the transformation on my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sooooo awesome!! We are planning a major kitchen overhaul soon and once that's done, I play to keep things pretty & organized. You have insipired me :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Looks beautiful Jamie! You are on a roll with your organizing. Jealous!

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a beautiful post. I love the color of the baskets - you are welcome to come organize my cupboards anytime!

    Pinning this now :)
    Jody

    ReplyDelete
  22. Welcome to my world! Like you, I'm a piler too, not a filer..I think it has to do with ADD.. Your website is very inspiring. I couldn't get the grocery list to print off and tried many times and many ways..Would you be willing to send it as an attachment to me via email?

    ReplyDelete

comments ♥ i just love them and read them all (sometimes twice) (heehee) ...

Blogging tips