How to Organize with Hooks & Clips

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Casey — No Comments ↓

Remember when I found out about UM! products and I started spitting out all of the ways you could use them to get organized??

how-to-get-organized, suction cup organizer, storage clips

I was really excited about UM! Brands because they can add storage without any major construction (peel & stick — super easy!) AND they don’t use adhesive. They actually stick to things using “nanosuction” — basically, a million itty bitty little suction cups (they’re so small that you can’t even see them!)

how-to-organize, wall storage. nano suction

I ended up getting in touch with the company, and they were nice enough to send me a few of their products to review for ya! Get ready for a rockin’ review (and a few confessions!)

Here are a few ways they’ve helped me organize things around the house:

how-to-organize, mail clip

Problem: I like clipping our outgoing mail to the front door because it makes it so much easier to remember when I’m heading out. Unfortunately, the magnetic clip I was using was constantly getting knocked down by my pups when they would jump up to ~~attack~~ excitedly greet any visitors.

Solution: Clip UM! Stationery Clip It hasn’t budged in over two weeks! (Bonus: if your door isn’t magnetic anyway, you now have the ability to clip mail to your door! Welcome to the club!)

storage-in-your-fridge, refrigerator organization

Problem: I keep a little baggie in the fridge with small bits of food that can be used to hide pills for my pups. It always ended up getting lost in my deli drawer under the bigger packages.

Solution: Now, I just use the Stationery Clip & stick it up on the inside wall of my refrigerator. It’s a visual reminder that’s easy to reach, and it makes use of previously untapped storage space in my fridge! It’s been working so well that I might be recruiting more of these little clips to hold other small fridge items (snack bags, etc.)!

Tap into unused storage space inside your fridge by clipping small items to the walls.
Use on the outside of your fridge to clip papers, etc. (a great solution if your refrigerator doesn’t work with magnets!)

how-to-get-organized, cleaning products

Problem: I love my little Swiffer vacuum for quick clean-ups, but I haven’t been able to find a good storage space for it where it’s out of the way, easily accessible, AND close to a power outlet so I can plug it in when it needs charging. (TIP: if you are building a house, make sure you ask them to put power outlets in your utility closet so that you can charge your dust buster, etc.! We will definitely try to do that if we ever build!!)

Solution: Now, I have it tucked away in the laundry room. It’s hidden behind my washing machine near a power outlet, and it’s easy to grab whenever I need it. The Clip UM! Industrial Clip sticks beautifully to the side of my washer!

Side Note: Remember how I store my delicates on the side of my washer, too? I may end replacing my current laundry clips with a few of the UM! hooks because they actually have a stronger hold than the magnets!

shower-storage

The Hook UM! Rocket Clip worked as a great addition to my shower storage. Now I can hang my loofah up on the far side of the shower so it can dry & stay out of the way! (FYI — my shower has fiberglass walls. The UM! FAQ page says that it will also work on glass or tile.)

bedroom-storage, organizing tips

Problem: We are currently doing some renovations in the bedroom, so I don’t have a side table right now. I was constantly losing my eye mask! (Side note: if you have trouble falling asleep, this sleep mask is awesome. It’s soft, really comfy, and it blocks out light like a champ!)

Solution: The Hook UM! Rocket Hook sticks right on my headboard, and when we add our side tables back, I can remove it without any issues. Problem. Solved.

What I Loved:

No installation, no residue. Peel and stick. Easy peazy!
Lots of colors and patterns, from mod and industrial to bright & cheery.
They add space to my house by creating new storage opportunities in areas that may not have supported other types of hooks or clips (i.e., the inside of my fridge!).
It’s really easy to give every item a convenient, accessible home. (Oh, you need to find a spot where you can store your sweeper vacuum near a power outlet, but out of sight? Boom. Now it’s clipped to the side of your washer!)
Great for adding organized storage in rental homes, college dorms, or places where you don’t want to drill or install permanent fixtures.
Sticks to most smooth, non-porous surfaces: painted, stained or varnished wood, glass, tile, painted cinder block, metal, and wallboard. (I also think they are stronger than magnets!)

Keepin’ It Real:

They tell you not to use it on drywall. They’re right! I tried it a few times anyway because ~~I’m stubborn and~~ these are the types of sacrifices I’m willing to make for you guys. In one part of the house, it just wouldn’t stick to the wall. In another part of the house, it stuck so well that it peeled a little bit of paint off the wall when I moved it (whomp whomp!). Moral of the story: FOLLOW DIRECTIONS.
The front pieces on the Clip UM! clips are made of a delicate EVA foam material that remind me of craft foam. (If you’ve ever used those little foam scrapbook stickers, then you know what I’m talking about.) So far, they’re doing well, but I wouldn’t advise using them in any areas where they’ll receive a lot of abuse (i.e., within reach of energetic toddlers or pets). The Hook UM! hooks have thin plastic instead of the foam, so I think they’ll be fine in any situation!

Wanna give it a whirl? Shop online & you can get 15% off your purchase if you enter “simply-organized-rocks” at checkout! (Offer good through May 2014 — woohoo!!)

UM-Brands, suction cup storage products

What would YOU organize with these little guys??

Tagged with: creative ideas, open storage, organizing, products, reviews, small space solutions, space savers, storage, tips and tricks
Posted in Organizing

Office Organizing Tips

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Casey — 3 Comments ↓

Get ready for more geeky goodness today! If you haven’t entered our office supply giveaway from KiDECALS, there’s still time to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Confession: my office makeover is taking FOR. EVER. I think desk organization is definitely one of the toughest challenges for me. Here are a few of my most recent updates & some tips for helping a small desk pull double duty!

Desk-Organization

Decorating Tips for Open Storage: How to “Fake” a Clean Space

Okay, we’ve already talked about organizing & hiding all of those crazy power cords (and all of the awesomeness that is the Bluelounge CableBox!). Reducing visual clutter is KEY in making a space feel clean & open! Visual clutter is anything that distracts the eye from the overall style or flow in a space. Clashing colors, tangled wires — things that may not be out of their designated place, but can make a space look messier than it actually is.

Organize-Your-Desk

I use the Milo suction stand to keep my phone easily within reach. I always know where it is, and I can use it as a mini-monitor if I want to keep an extra screen open for my to-do list, etc.
My stapler, scissors, and pens stay in that little Poppin pen cup on my desk. Matching pens make me SO happy in the nerdiest way! They are a small little luxury, but things like matching desk accessories really make a difference in how pretty & organized a space can look.
TIP: Use color to reduce visual clutter, and your desk will look neater without even trying! (In my opinion, you can also get away with a little bit more mess if everything looks like it’s there on purpose!)

office-makeover

When I’m working at my computer, I keep all of my paperwork on a shallow shelf to the right of my desk. It helps keep the paper piles out of the way, but within easy reach.
My desk is in our main living area & I usually have a LOT of papers in that inbox, so it’s nice to keep it out of the direct line of sight!
I also keep my most-used binder on that shelf, because I am constantly grabbing it throughout the day and it’s just a little bit easier to keep it in its own space vs. filed away on a higher shelf.

When it’s time to pay the bills, I can just fold up my laptop on the Mika stand & it opens up space on my desk for my binder and inbox.

Open Storage Decorating Tips

Open storage is GREAT because it makes things very accessible. It’s TOUGH because it puts all of your work items on display.

Sticking with a consistent color palette reduces visual clutter.
It can help make the space look clean & organized without any extra effort!!
Think about it: if you have a whole jumble of mismatched colors and shapes on display, it will still look a little bit messy, even when it’s organized. On the other hand, when everything coordinates, you can get away with a little bit more of a mess because the overall look is still pulled together & on purpose!

How can you incorporate open storage into your office WITHOUT making it feel completely utilitarian?

Treat whatever is out on display like it’s a decoration in your home. You can easily update cheap binders, etc. by wrapping them in fabric or putting pretty paper in the cover pockets.
My go-to base color is white. It matches everything, looks clean and bright, and never seems to go out of style. (Bonus: white office accessories are usually a lot cheaper than buying fancier materials like metal or wood!)
If you can’t make something prettier, then tuck it away behind a door, inside a drawer, or store it in an attractive container.
If it’s something that needs to stay accessible but tends to get messy, keep it out of the direct line of sight.

Check out Leif’s organized office for even more tips & tricks!

Tagged with: creative ideas, decorating, office, open storage, organizing, products, small space solutions, technology, tips and tricks
Posted in Organizing

Mother’s Day Printable & Giveaway

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Casey — 13 Comments ↓

Hey guys!! I have been working with one of our newest sponsors, KiDECALS, & we have an awesome giveaway for you AND a free printable card just in time for Mother’s Day!

KiDECALS makes all sorts of awesome waterproof labels. Today’s giveaway is for a set of Keycals. Keycals are adorable little stickers that spruce up your keyboard, and they use a removeable, repositionable adhesive backing that won’t leave any residue behind.

Here’s my keyboard before:

cubicle-makeover

Aaaaand after!

cute-office-supplies

Tada!! I really love that they are an easy way to add personality & a punch of color to your office WITHOUT adding clutter! This robin’s egg blue color is gorgeous, and it matches my Martha Stewart binders perfectly! (They have tons of other Keycal colors, too!)

Interested in your own set of Keycals? We’ve got a whole slew of ways you can enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pretty Organized Giveaway Rules

I think they’d make a great little gift idea for Mother’s Day, so I also designed a free printable Mother’s Day card for you to go along with the office/tech theme:

Here’s the link to download your free printable Mothers Day Card (the printable version is foldable & the Pretty Organized logo is on the back, not the front!).

I’ll have more office organizing tips to share next week, but for now, here’s a little peek. I love how it works with my aqua and white office!

Organize-Your-Desk

I shared this giveaway here: Sweepstakes, Minnesota Mom, Enter Online Sweeps, IHeartNaptime, Sunny Simple Life, The Happy Teacher, Tatertots & Jello, The 36th Avenue, The Girl Creative, Reasons to Skip the Housework, Padded Tush Stats, My Fab Fit Forties, Blog Giveaway Directory, Sweepstakes Mania, Blog Guidebook, The Review Wire, Linky Here, LiveLaughRowe, Bacon Time with The Hungry Hypo, House of Hepworths, The Shabby Creek Cottage, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, House of Rose, Simple is Pretty, Not Just a Housewife, Thirty Handmade Days, Made in a Day, Seven Alive

Tagged with: creative ideas, giveaway, holiday, office, printables, products, small space solutions, technology
Posted in Organizing

Organize Your Cabinets

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Casey — 4 Comments ↓

I have more kitchen-tastic organizing updates for you today! Before we dig in, let me give you some background on my spice cabinet. Not to get all dramatic on you, but this cabinet has been the bane of my existence. I have probably re-organized it 4 or 5 times by now. I’ve tried everything from lazy susans to adhesive spice racks to stacking baskets & even using tension rods as shallow shelves — NOTHING was working for me. Luckily, I learned from each experiment about what I did & didn’t want. I also learned that it’s really important to label things when you reorganize regularly because apparently, other people in the house would like to know where things are, too (whoops!).

kitchen-organization, cabinet storage, organizing tips

Cabinet Storage 101:

I am NOT a stacking basket person. If something is in the bottom basket & I have to take the other baskets out to access it, then I end up just leaving all of the baskets on the counter. (In case you haven’t noticed, when it comes to cleaning, I tend to put the “eff-it” in effort, haha!)
Cabinet shelves are MUCH easier for me to maintain. They’re still utilizing vertical space, but unlike stacked baskets, I can access each item without disturbing the other containers.
Uniform containers are really helpful. They decrease visual clutter & help items fit together more easily within the space.
Life is WAY easier when we store the most frequently used items in the most accessible cabinets. Since we’re short on easy-to-reach space, we use smaller containers to make room for as many items as possible & then refill them from bulk containers.
I use harder-to-reach areas & other parts of the house to store the bulk containers & rarely used items. (We don’t have a huge food pantry or a garage, so we store bulk dry goods in a little cabinet in our spare bedroom!)

Ready for the photos?? Here ya go! It’s been a few weeks now, so I think I’ll be switching from our temporary post-it labels to more permanent labels VERY soon!

Small Space Cabinet Organization: Coffee & Spices

My coffee station is up top, and spices, supplements, and baking supplies in the bottom.
I used my favorite Ikea baskets because they were the best fit for my cabinet measurements and they’re oh-so-pretty. (They sell them in a bunch of colors now — yay!!)
I also ended up adding a cabinet shelf in there because we are SO over the whole stacking basket thing (and these baskets don’t really stack, anyway).

You may have seen this image on IHeartOrganizing’s contributor post the other day. Here are the rest of the details!

I separated the baskets using a cabinet shelf so that everything is really accessible. Since it’s the most accessible space when I’m cooking and it only has so much room, this cabinet only holds the spices that I use on a regular basis.

Top Shelf: Coffee Station

Cabinet Door: Sauces that we cook with regularly

Bottom Shelf:

Top Basket: Everyday Spices
Bottom Left Basket: Supplements/Medicine
Bottom Right Basket: Baking Supplies

Side Note: Our little dust buster fits perfectly in the wall space between the microwave & cabinets — pretty sweet!

Mmmmm…saucy! P.S., if you haven’t tried Liquid Aminos, it’s supposed to be a super healthy version of soy sauce. I think it tastes exactly the same as regular soy sauce — yumm-o!

Small Cabinet Storage: Snacks & Cereal

Here’s a peek into the cabinet over our stove. Again, I created extra space using baskets & a cabinet shelf:

Left Cabinet:

Top Baskets: Surplus Spices & Specialty Spices — they are pretty high up & not the easiest to reach, so I made sure to only store things that I wouldn’t need to access very often.

Bottom Basket: Single-serving snacks

Right Cabinet:

All that & some bags of chips — what whaaaaat! (Oh snap!)

Cereal stored in these containers from Ikea. Uniform storage containers can really save cabinet space, especially if they’re tall and thin! (If I could choose again, I might have picked something that didn’t narrow toward the bottom, because these do tip sometimes.)

That’s all for today! Next time we discuss kitchen storage, I’ll share some space-saving dish organization & a simple solution for shorties (you guys know I get excited when I can reach stuff!!).

What’s the messiest space in YOUR home? Vote for the spaces where you need the most help!

surveys & polls

I’m sharing this post at House of Rose & Thirty Handmade Days!

Tagged with: creative ideas, kitchen, organizing, small space solutions, space savers, storage
Posted in Organizing

Reader Appreciation Poll: What’s the Messiest Place in Your Home?

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Casey — No Comments ↓

Well hello there, everybody! Today is Reader Appreciation Day here at Pretty Organized, because seriously, you guys are the best! Consider yourself APPRECIATED!!

via

What are YOUR biggest problem areas? Where do YOU need more organizing inspo?

Click on as many options as you want. If there are certain areas that you’d really like to see more often, I will totally work on incorporating them for ya!

surveys & polls

Here’s the Scoop:

As a way to give back to you for your undeniable awesomeness, I have a few goodies & giveaways in the works! One of our newest sponsors, KiDECALS, is collaborating with me on some pretty awesome stuff, and I will have those details to you verrrrry soon! I’m also working with the always-fabulous Bluelounge on a few fantastic projects for this summer, so stay tuned!

One More Thing:

You guys have great ideas, and you deserve some attention! If you have a project or tip you’d like to see featured here, please check out the new “Get Featured!” reader submissions page or message me on Facebook or Twitter!

If your company is interested in sponsoring Pretty Organized, please check out our “Advertise” page for rates, availability, and press features!

Tagged with: reader submissions
Posted in Organizing

All Decked Out: A Porch-tastic DIY Makeover! (Part One)

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Casey — 2 Comments ↓

Weekend warriors of the world, unite!! I have been wanting to make over our front porch since, oh, I don’t know, the DAY we moved in three years ago! No matter how much I worked in our garden, that ol’ porch was just murdering our curb appeal. If I had a nickel for every time someone was surprised by how cute our house looked on the inside compared to the appearance of our porch, well, I probably would have had a free home makeover by now!

The pillars were pitted & in need of sanding, the railing looked like an afterthought, the cement was cracked and stained, and we were in desperate need of some decor inspo! (P.S., this is how my dogs react when I try to get them to move: “If I can’t see you, then you can’t see me!”)

At first, we debated between painting the cement or patching & resurfacing it to look new. Resurfacing looked expensive, and we were nervous about the potential peeling issues related to painting it. In the end, we found a few tutorials on attaching wood to concrete & it actually looked do-able! We consulted a local expert (a.k.a. Leif’s uncle, a brilliant contractor & handyman extraordinaire), and he had a few ideas that really helped us save time & get rolling!

TIME SAVER: Instead of just using tons & tons of concrete screws, use a combination of concrete screws & nails to attach the supports.

This nail gun saved us a TON of time installing our supports!

Here’s a photo of our progress:

I love how we brought the bottom stair out around the railing post & actually created a hand rail on top (Leif’s idea). It looks SO much nicer than just letting that pole stick out of the ground! (Bonus points if you noticed Chase photo-bombing in the window!)

What we accomplished:

Deck boards, trim, railing, and stairs installed
Pillar trim cut & partially installed
Pillars & railing prepped for paint

We’re hoping to finish the rest of it pretty soon, especially since we borrowed most of the tools for this project & will need to be returning them to their rightful, ever-so-generous owners sometime this century!

Part Two Porch Plans:

Finish attaching the trim
Paint the trim, railing, & columns
Attach some lattice to cover the cement blocks below the deck (we found some really pretty white vinyl lattice at Lowe’s!)
Finish landscaping & mulching the front beds
Decorate!!

Side note: Yes, I actually helped with the build! I shot a nail gun, sanded the pillars, screwed the deck boards down, helped cut the trim, ordered pizza, and exclaimed “This looks AWESOME!” every thirty seconds (for morale).

Looking for more outdoor inspo? Check out Kelly’s amazing patio-turned-deck over at View Along the Way! Super fabulous!

P.S. I’m sharing this post at Savvy Southern Style!

Tagged with: before and after, diy, makeover, outdoors, porch, tips and tricks, tools, weekend warrior
Posted in Organizing

Easy Organizing Space-Savers

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Casey — 6 Comments ↓

I am absolutely GIDDY today! Have you ever wished that something existed, and then one day you stumble across it & it’s even better than you imagined? That just happened to me right now. I was looking through an email from Zulily & saw some organizing products on sale, so I did a little ~~window shopping~~ research. Let’s just say that my heart is SINGING! Have any of you heard of UM! brands?

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I hadn’t heard of them before today, so I figured I’d share just in case they’re new to you, too. They make little organizing tools that stick to your walls, but they use nano suction instead of adhesive!

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No tools, no damage to your walls, and super cute styles! It’s kinda like a vertical version of the micro suction desk organizers from Bluelounge! Some of the UM! products can hold up to ten pounds. SO. COOL. I’ve been looking for a way to keep my sunglasses/cell phone from rolling around on the dash of my car, and I think the Stick UM! mat could work well.

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I’ll probably use some of their Hook UM! hooks around the house, too. They make all kinds of hooks and storage clips with the nano suction backing. This could be a great solution for college students or renters who want to organize and improve their space but can’t make any permanent changes. (Or anyone who wants the freedom to experiment with a storage idea without turning it into a huge DIY project!)

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I’m currently using a magnetic clip on our door to hold outgoing mail, but our dogs always knock it down. I may have to give the Clip UM! stationery clip a whirl!

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The Industrial Clip UM! would be great for holding my swiffer vacuum in place!

I am SO excited about all of the possibilities, from office to kitchen to bathroom storage solutions. They have serious style, especially compared to a lot of the other temporary storage options I’ve seen. If you’re not into bright colors, they also have a silver/gray color, wood grain, and carbon fiber options for a lot of their products. I am definitely ordering a few of these to test out for you, and I’ll let you know how they hold up! (I love using the blog as an excuse to shop, haha!) What a brilliant product line!

Have any of you guys tried these? How do you use hooks and clips around your house? Here are a few posts about how I use hooks & clips to air dry my laundry, my favorite towel hooks & how I store my oven mitts in the kitchen.

Just FYI: All of the opinions expressed on my blog are my own, and I wasn’t paid or perked for writing this post. I just thought this looked really cool & wanted to share!

Tagged with: creative ideas, office, organizing, products, small space solutions, space savers, storage
Posted in Organizing

Room Ideas: How To Be A Super Hero

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Casey — 2 Comments ↓

Wanna learn how to be a super hero?? We’re teaming up with the fabulous Lynsey of Lars Love to share a new “Reader Feature” project today! Buckle up — this was originally going to be two separate posts, but I was just WAY too excited & had to share our progress.

The Lars clan is expecting a baby boy, and we have been working together to convert her gorgeous craft room into an amazing nursery! Her hubby, Dan, is a huge fan of old-school comics, and the inspiration for G’s room came from a Superman poster she bought Dan for their wedding:

They also wanted to use a few other super hero items from Dan’s collection. Check out this sweet lunch box:

Here are a few “before” photos of their space:

The neon decor worked beautifully in her girly craft/guest room, but they wanted to choose more soothing colors for baby Gus.

We were sad to say goodbye to such a pretty, functional spot, but we have had SO much fun brainstorming decor ideas for Lynsey’s vintage super hero theme! We decided to go with soft neutrals to keep G’s room relaxing and masculine, adding a few pops of deep, muted primary colors for a classic Marvel Comics color palette.

We separated the room into 3 main areas: changing, nursing, and sleeping. The changing table, book shelf, lamp, & crib came from Wal-Mart. Lynsey found the “Rockason” Papason chair on clearance at Pier 1 — perfect for snuggling with the baby, and plenty of room for her two year old to join in, too!

We originally considered purchasing a wall decal for the skyscrapers, but Lynsey found some leftover gray paint & decided to give it a whirl. She used painter’s tape to draw straight lines, and I love the mod, clean design!

She also found matching bins and picture frames at Target (seriously, they are the exact same shade as the chair!) & gave the floor lamp a fun update with yellow spray paint & mod podged comic book characters on the shade.

Lynsey’s “Marvel”-ous Budget Decorating Tips:

If you choose a trendy shade that is going out of season, you can get great prices & really mix & match between brands. Just add some neutrals and accent colors to keep it looking fresh.
I love using color to add style on the cheap. A beautiful room doesn’t have to have a ton of expensive accessories — paint & fabric can go a long way!
If you have a small project, you can usually paint it for free using a free paint sample.
Instead of springing for a bunch of super hero decor, I used the items Dan already had in his collection.

Ladies & gentlemen, I am proud to present you with what some might consider to be the most epic maternity photos of all time:

via

So. much. awesome. Welcome to the world, Super G!! (I know what you’re thinking, Incredibles fans: NO CAPES!)

Tune in next time to find out:

What else will we end up painting?
How will we manage to decorate the windows?
Will Lynsey find a changing pad & bedding in time?
How will we display that awesome Superman poster??
What kind of super powers will Baby G exhibit?

If you could be an organizing hero, what would be your super power & name? MagNEATo? Launder Woman? Ironed Man? Leave it in the comments or post it on our Facebook page! Best answer gets a surprise

P.S. If you want to see another cool kids’ room, check out this DIY nautical boat bedroom with hidden storage! And if you want some silly printable cards that work for any time of year, grab a free copy of these Subtly Sarcastic Sayings from Lars Love!

I’m sharing this post at Savvy Southern Style, Ginger Snap Crafts, Someday Crafts, House of Hepworths, The Shabby Creek Cottage, & SNAP! Creativity!

Tagged with: bedroom, creative ideas, diy, kids, organizing
Posted in Organizing

Cooking Tips: An Easy Kitchen Time-Saver!

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Casey — 6 Comments ↓

Here’s one of my favorite cooking tips summed up in three words: Slow. Cooker. Liners.

Slow cookers are like tiny butlers who cook dinner for you, and the liners are like having a maid who cleans up afterward! They are one of my FAVORITE kitchen time-savers, and if you haven’t tried them, then you are seriously missing out!! I’m not sure if there are other brands, but the ones I use are from Reynolds.

Image Source

I flippin’ LOVE them!!! If you’ve ever had to scrub the cooked-on crud from the bottom of a crock-pot, I’m sure you understand. LIFE-CHANGING. I also really like that they’re BPA free, so my healthy slow cooked dinners can actually stay healthy(ish).

If you read my post about organizing under the kitchen sink, then you may have noticed that I store them right inside my slow cooker:

I seriously can’t think of an easier way to prepare a meal: set it and forget it in the crock-pot with zero clean-up afterwards. Let’s all sing this together as we happily skip the 20-minute sink session after dinner: Nooo, I don’t want no scrub!

I even found a printable coupon for ya! Now go on and “spatially expand your horizons.” (Yes, I’m still quoting TLC. Don’t judge!)

What are your favorite time-saving products or cooking tips? Any good crock-pot recipes you’re willing to share? I have a ton on my Pinterest board that I’m planning to try! (Disclaimer: I am still working on de-cluttering & organizing my boards!)

Tagged with: kitchen, meal planning, products, simple solutions, time savers, tips and tricks
Posted in Organizing

What I Learned About Kitchen Organization from a Pro Chef

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Casey — 2 Comments ↓

Reader Feature: Silvestro’s Organized, Eclectic Kitchen

Hey guys! I am really excited to share this reader submission with you today, hailing all the way from The Awaiting Table cooking school & wine program in Lecce, Italy! When Silvestro messaged me to share his amazing kitchen transformation, I jumped at the chance. Kitchen organization tips from a professional chef? Sign me up!!

It’s actually a really cool story. It started when Silvestro had a dream one night:

My free hand spun towards a knife and it was right where it should have been. I grabbed down a saute pan, right from the hook. I rested a colander in the stone sink. Edith Piaf drifted through the air. As did the smell of onions sauteing in good green olive oil. A massive herb garden called to me from just outside the kitchen door. It was such a vivid dream that I couldn’t shake it for the rest of the next day. Each night that winter while drifting off, I encouraged my mind to recall the room again, the feeling of being in such a place. Each night I added little touches. A ready crock of wooden spoons always within reach. A handy place to keep cooking wine, good enough to drink. Pretty enamel pots, groaning to be used.

Here’s a “before” photo of the space that inspired his dream:

The property agent showed me the place with a flash light in late afternoon in the middle of winter. It stank. Things scurried in dark corners. Never a good sign- with no running water- parts of the floor were still flooded. Not only was there no electricity but most rooms weren’t even wired. Never had been. Not only were there no utilities, even the faucets and knobs had been removed.

He had his work cut out for him, but he knew that he wanted the kitchen to be warm, inviting, and efficient.

One of the ways I did this was by putting everything out in the open, both as a way to make everything instantly accessible, but too, to convey a certain spirit, of openness, conviviality and that sort of country simplicity, where decorating is not something you put around your things, but your things themselves.

Can you believe this is the same kitchen??

All of his cooking tools are organized by category & within easy reach of his cooking range.
His grandmother’s colander collection is multipurpose, showcasing meaningful decor while offering accessible, functional storage that takes advantage of vertical space.

Cutting boards are displayed like art canvases, once again pulling double duty as decor and storage on an open wall.

Dried herbs double as fragrant decor and convenient storage as they hang from a clothesline overhead.
Everything is labeled in Italian, allowing new students to practice the language while keeping everything beautifully organized.

For more photos and info about his amazing kitchen transformation, check out his blog post, “La Mia Cucina.” Silvestro, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful space! Best wishes on your upcoming adventures as you begin your annual bike tour through Southern Italian Wine Country!!

What have you done in your kitchen to make the workflow easier or less time-consuming?

Tagged with: creative ideas, diy, kitchen, open storage, organizing, reader submissions, small space solutions, space savers
Posted in Organizing