Thursday, January 5, 2012

How to Organize (even when you’re sick!)

Sorry for not posting for a couple of days, but I’m fighting a nasty sinus infection and am just not feeling so hot!  I think it must be the weather here in KY….one day it’s almost 60 and the next day it’s 16….holy degree difference Batman! :0)

sick girl

Since I’ve been sick I’ve been watching TV at night because my head has been hurting too much to sleep.  I watched a mini marathon of Hoarders and I’ve decided that show disturbs me,  BUT it makes me want to clean house and organize…a lot!  (how do you not know there are dead cats in your house??  Oh my!)

hoarders

After watching several episodes I decided I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to start cleaning…sick or not!  I swear all I have to do is watch a couple of those shows and it kick starts my cleaning gene every. single. time. !  (that and I took a 12 hr Sudafed that made me hyper as can be! I’ll NEVER do that again!…well, at least until it’s time to organize again in the middle of the night! lol)

Since everyone sleeps upstairs I decided to start organizing my kitchen.  (I apologize in advance for no before pictures….remember it was in the middle of the night and I was in a crazed cleaning frenzy from watching that show!)  I started in my corner cabinet where all our coffee, tea and mugs are stored.  I have kind of developed a plan when I organize.

1.  I first remove everything from the area that I’m organizing
2.  then I throw away and condense as much as possible
3. then I put it all in like groups. 

For instance, I had multiple boxes of the same tea, so I condensed them into one big jar and threw away the bulky boxes. I also try to put things in areas that make the most sense.   The reason all our coffees and teas are in that cabinet, is that it’s closest to the tap water and the coffee maker, so I don’t have to run all over the kitchen to make a cup of tea or coffee, it’s all right there.  I also try to re-use things….see the three big glass jars? 

how to organize your cabinets

We buy cherries at Sam’s Club every year to make chocolate covered cherries  for Christmas, we save the jars and re-use them.  (and yes, those jars will eventually get little tags that say coffee, tea and creamers….cause I LOVE tags!) Oh, please ignore my scratched up cabinets…it’s time to paint them again after a couple of years of abuse….glad the scratches are only on the insides! :0)

I left specialty teas in their own boxes because there weren’t very many of them and they’ll be gone in no time flat! (did I mention I like hot tea?) :0)

how to organize your kitchen

I put our mugs on the 2nd shelf because it was so shallow and there was no wasted space.  The plates etc on the top shelf are just extra we use when we’re desperate cause I haven’t had time to run the dishwasher. (can you say, “not enough time in the day”?!)

organizing your home


The next cabinet I tackled was the dreaded baking supply cabinet!

organizational tips

I condensed as much as possible by putting like spices together…i.e., I had 4 bottles of cinnamon which I was able to condense down into 2. (don’t ask me why I had 4 bottles….who knows around here!)
I also put in a little hanging basket shelf…those things are wonderful! They make an extra “shelf” so you can use all the space in a cabinet or closet..I have them in several areas of our home.  I put all my sprinkles and baking spices in the little shelf area and stored my Wilton cake decorating books underneath. 
(Have I ever told you I used to do wedding cakes….lots of wedding cakes! Don’t really have time anymore, but it sure was fun when I was doing it!)  See the Tupperware container on the shelf?   I put all my MANY cupcake papers in there….it takes up much less space than all those little cupcake paper containers and it closes up and you can stack them..I love containers!

Next I did this….

kitchen appliances

Not much you can do with an appliance cabinet…I just wiped it out and rearranged.  I think I should purge some appliances, but I really do use them all.  Such dilemmas!

Under my sink (and hopefully everyone else’s) is always a mess.  To me, it’s the hardest place in the house to organize.  I have grand plans to build some kind of storage device down there, but for now it was purge, straighten and close the door. :0) So eventually this will be my before picture instead of my after!  (oh, and see the Finish dishwasher detergent box (the blue and red one)…that is the best dishwasher detergent I have ever used! Just sayin’)

under the kitchen sink

The next area I tackled was the cabinet beside my stove.  I keep all my pots and pans in that cabinet because…well, it’s beside the stove..duh.  :0)  I have my crockpot down there that I got as a result of a review because of my blog….I love blogging!

organizing your kitchen

Here’s the other side…more pots and pans and some Pampered Chef stoneware.  After looking at these photos, I’m thinking I need some new cookware…mine is looking a little shabby. :-/  I rearranged everything and made a little more space. I keep my cutting boards vertically down there for more storage space. (hey look, you can see my pink house shoes in the reflection! lol)

how to organize

The next cabinet is the one that we re-did when we did our cottage kitchen makeover….we put glass in the doors.  When you put glass in your kitchen cabinet doors, you really better be sure you’re gonna have pretty stuff to put in it, or at least make sure it’s super organized.  I chose to keep all our regular dishes white and glassware plain and clear..it makes for a much neater looking cabinet.

how to organize cabinets with glass doors

tips for organzing open shelves

I know this post is going on and on, but I was up all night organizing, so somebody needs to appreciate all my work, so stick with me! lol

I did our cutlery drawer next.  I have found that stacking our forks, spoons etc, makes it much easier when unloading the dishwasher…..not to mention it just looks nicer.  I did a little purging in the drawer areas of our kitchen and just straightened them all up a bit…..

organizing your utensil drawer

Can you see my affinity for pink even creeps into my utensil drawers! I would LOVE to have all the Kitchenaid utensils in pink, but I just can’t afford them, but hey I got two!

how to organize

Cookbooks and baking pans oh my! To say I have a lot of cookbooks would be an understatement, but I have managed to get them all in one cabinet on one shelf.  Here’s half of them….

organizing cookbooks

and here’s the other half…… :0)  Again, all my pans to bake with are in the cabinet on the other side of my stove for easy accessibility.

how to organize your home

The last place I organized was the bottom of my hoosier cabinet.  This is where I keep things I don’t use very often, or items that I keep extras of like pasta’s, cake mixes and sugars.

how to organize

I put labels on the front edge, inside the cabinet, to show where everything goes……. (looks like I need to add some shelving paper too. Nothing like pictures to make you see your stuff in a “real light”)

how to organize your kitchen

Oh…I did want to show you that my pantry that I re-did at the beginning of last year, is still nice and neat.  That was one MAJOR re-organization and prettification project, but I still LOVE the outcome! You can see that project HERE.

pantry organization ideashow to organize your pantry
Well, that’s it.  That’s what happens when you take too much Sudafed and watch too many episodes of Hoarders when you have a sinus infection.  Most people sleep….I organize.  Pretty much sums me up in a nutshell! (I’m a nut) :0)

Hugs to you all!
Missy :0)

24 comments:

Jen said...

Your have been busy! I am motivated to clean and simplify too. Maybe I can keep motivated throughout the year :) watching hoarders makes me uncomfortable lol! But it will make you start cleaning and finding a box of trash bags ha!

Rasonda @ East Conolly Cottage said...

Every time I need motivation... I turn on Hoarders. I swear to you nothing can get me in the mood for cleaning faster. I have been sick too and turned on Hoarders and it did the opposite.... annnd lets just say I had to turn it. It made me VERY uncomfortable- HAHA!!! Get some rest now!

Anonymous said...

I can honestly say I have never lost an animal or a child in my clutter. I agree that Hoarders is a great motivational tool, but I have to say I prefer to watch the more "fun" hoarder shows like Enough Already or Clean House reruns. I am also sick but had to run out to library. I have read all Peter Walsh's books but grabbed a abbreviated version they did for younger people. Thinking that will be a quick review as I recuperate.
Your are amazing and impressive.
How could one get all that done overnight even with a team to help! Have to get me some of those drugs.

A Southern Rose said...

Wow! This makes me wanna clean out my pantry and cabinets. I did actually clean out my utensil drawer yesterday. One drawer....and I thought I was doing good.:)
Hope you get feeling better soon.

Hugs,
Lee Laurie

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

LOL! Sudafed and Hoarders might do it for me, huh? Really, your kitchen looks great! I have a goal of doing an area at a time this year!

Aledia said...

Hello!
Sorry I havn't been by your blog in awhile. We made our move to Louisville and are settled into a cozy little apt while waiting for our house to sell.

I'm sorry you have been sick, I agree with the KY weather!
I watch the hoarders show as well and feel the same way....I love to clean and oraganize.

Your kitchen looks amazing though and I hope you feel better soon!
Take Care...
Aledia~

gail@My Repurposed Life said...

you're so funny! Great bloggers take before pictures even if it IS in the middle of the night! hahaha
I sure hope you're feeling better now, and if you're not at least you have nice cupboards!
great job missy!
feel BETTER!
gail

Leave It To Davis said...

Hilarious! I have watched Hoaders in complete disgust and awe that someone can let their need to possess things take control of their life like that. Then I turn off the computer (yes, you can watch it ANYTIME instantly on Netflix....we're so lucky) and go clean, too....but not to the extent you did. Don't get me wrong. I definitely NEED to. This past year, I have done some purging because that was my New Years resolutions last year. I had a mountain of old papers....dating back to 1973....and we shredded and shredded and shredded for months on end. We have finally rid ourselves of all that trash with all the personal info on them. YIPPEE!
Good for you that you turned a sad situation into something so productive for yourself and your family!!! I hope your sinuses clear soon. I go to Sam's pharmacy and get Loratadine D and it clears it up quick.

Victoria said...

Hello Missy and Happy New Year! I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling well and hope you get better soon. I got hit with mine about 2 days before Christmas...not fun! But like you, it didn't stop me from having a massive clean after I took the decorations down:) Your organizing looks great!!!!

I can't watch Hoarders anymore, I get too irritated with those people painstakingly picking thru mounds of trash then deciding they really do need to keep 18 used fast food cartons...sheesh, just throw it all away!!! And the ones who lose their kids because of their filth? Sorry, I just don't get that at all!

Get better soon and take it easy!

Marilyn said...

After all that, I hope you have gotten rid of the most awful thing--that sinus infection! They do hurt! Living next to a hay field in an old little house I know for a fact that one tiny dead mouse stinks, but a cat??!! EWWW! I am not a hoarder, but teachers sometimes (most always) have GREAT collections!♥♫

Abi's Blog said...

All I've got to say is I need some of that Sudafed! :) Oh, well - it would probably just put me to sleep. :) I just can't watch that show hoarders. :(
Blessings,
Ava

Cindy said...

THAT was AWESOME! And you made me laugh out loud... you Sudafed crazed woman! Don't take that stuff! But, it did give you a massive PMS/Sudafed cleaning buzz, and look at all you got done! So funny... AND, i got some good ideas from looking at it all... why haven't i stacked my flat baking pans sideways?? duh! Now i want to go clean up my cabinets, but i'm still in recovery from the upstairs closet!

Cindy

Carrie K said...

Wow! Next time you take some Sudafed, you can come to my kitchen!! I have a bunch of those cheery jars from Sam's too. I love them. In fact, I have tons of jars. I save almost every glass jar we use. Then when I get too many, I throw them in the recycling and start over!! LOL

Made In The South said...

First let me say, I hope you are feeling better soon. Our weather is so crazy too! Heater on one night and AC on the next.
My tree is down and today is clean the house day. LOL Everything needs wiping down. My flocked tree left me with a fine white dust on everything in the downstairs.
I had to laugh, because I have so many jars of spices too. I think it is when I am at the store, I am unsure what I have left so I just pick up another one. HAHA.
Hope you have a fabulous weekend and feel much better, Melissa

Karena said...

Missy do you need my address!? Bravo, great job! Every cabinet is a super accomplishment in my world anyway!

Feel better soon...Wishing You and Yours all the Best in 2012!

I hope you will enter my Giveaway from Serena & Lily.

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

❁Velma ~Down Our Country Road❁ said...

First of all, I'm sorry to hear that you are battling a sinus infection. I used to get them quite often but not any more. Don't know why but I'm sure glad!
Second...mercy! You were hyped up weren't you?? Nyquil makes me hyper. I have never ever cleaned at night when I can't sleep. Usually, I read a book or get on the computer.
Your cleaning efforts paid off..everything looks great!

Made In The South said...

Thanks for the comment and the much needed laugh! Too funny.
I am glad you understand, I did recieve some grief from a few family members that I should
'suck it up' and go to the parties. But, I had to do what was best for me, and I have no plans on going next year either. LOL

Annie K. said...

Wow, I think if I was sick and couldn't sleep I would be much more wimpy than you--way to be productive! I am really grateful for the pictures of your pots and pans...mine had been driving me crazy, though I thought I had organized them. I was using a rack for lids and just stacked the pans inside each other...so the lids never got put back in the rack because it was difficult to reach, and I always had to search for the correct lid for the pot...and the pots were not put back in size order so would fall all over the place. I saw your picture and couldn't believe how simple an idea it was to stack the lids WITH the pots! I was able to get rid of the rack altogether and now, for the same footprint as only the pots before, I now have the pots AND lids taken care of and the cabinet looks amazing! Even my husband was impressed! Thanks again!

My Cottage Charm said...

You're welcome Annie....I'm glad it helped you out! :-)

Unknown said...

Hi Missy,
The next time you can't sleep I hope you'll stop by at my house...my kitchen could use reorganizing after the holidays too. What a huge job you did! I saw that episode of Hoarders too and thought as you did..."How could she not know she had dead cats under all those diaper?" ICK! Seeing that made my house look pretty good!
Happy organizing,
Cheryl

pantry cabinet said...

your kitchen looks great! I have a goal of doing an area at a time this year!

Amy Chalmers said...

Coming over from Fractured Fairy Tale~I feel the same way when I watch hoarders...It makes me want to throw everything I own away!!! Nice to meet you, and you have a lovely blog!!

Anonymous said...

I'm sitting on my bed as sick as a dog looking around knowing that I HAVE to clean my room(!) motivation?

Anonymous said...

You are awesome! I love the show hoarders too. It is exciting to see people who are minimalists like me!! I'm twenty, but when I have my own house, it will be sooo organized. Again, way to go!!!!

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