Sterilite Corporation's Blog

Bring in the Spring!

by Michelle Wood of Sterilite Corporation

Thank goodness for Easter! The holiday always helps me bring in the Spring. Whether Phil saw his shadow or not, we can always rely on that bunny to bring us some springtime goodies.  This year I didn’t opt for the traditional Easter basket, though Sterilite does make many nice baskets perfectly sized for Easter crafts and edibles. Instead, I choose a Sterilite pencil box to fill and present to my little chicks.  The pencil box fit my Easter treasures well and by simply tying a ribbon around it, made for a nice presentation too. It also doubles as a great springtime school item to wash away any of those residual winter blues and give the chicks that added push to make it through until summer.  If you use a Sterilite basket, a pencil box or some other great Sterilite storage container your recipient will not only love all its contents, but its case too!

Happy Spring and Easter from all of us at Sterilite!

Disposing of the Stink

by Jen Montbleau of Sterilite Corporation

Moving into a new residence can be an interesting experience. After you’ve settled in, the adventure begins as you start to learn things about your new place. My challenge began with the “pig,” more commonly known as my garbage disposal. Garbage disposals can make food cleanup in your kitchen much easier, and although they are self cleaning, occasionally bits of food can build up on the inside walls and grinders. When this happens – and you'll know because you'll notice a phantom odor – it's overdue for a good cleaning.

An easy way to clean your disposal is to fill the sink up with a few inches of warm water, a half-cup of baking soda and a quarter-cup of vinegar, then turn the disposal on and let the sink drain. This is better than simply running the water because the entire disposal will fill up with water. This should take care of the odor.

Now that your garbage disposal is clean, the next step is to maintain it. For this, garbage disposal ice cubes are an ideal solution. Besides a good ice cube tray, there are only two things you will need to make garbage disposal ice cubes: white vinegar and citrus fruit.

Making your disposal ice cubes is easy. Just follow these steps:
Step 1: Mix equal parts vinegar and water
Step 2:  Cut your fruit to fit into the cell of your ice cube tray
Step 3: Pour the liquid mixture over the fruit, making sure they are submerged, and freeze


As a preventative measure, I throw a hand full of kosher salt and a few of my homemade ice cubes down the disposal every week. The kosher salt and ice removes the build up of food while the vinegar clears away any bacteria and the odor it causes. The citrus helps deodorize your disposal leaving your sink smelling fresh. This seems to do the trick for my “pig” and I haven't noticed an odor since. Now I always have a supply of disposal ice cubes stored in my ice cube bin.


Because I selected Sterilite’s ice cube tray, it only made sense to use its companion ice cube bin. It’s handy for ensuring I never run out of disposal ice and its narrow shape saves space in my freezer. I leave the ice cube tray, empty or full, stacked on top of the bin. It’s the perfect “lid” to the bin, ensuring that these ice cubes only end up in the disposal and not in my drink.

October is a time to get creative!

Michelle Wood of Sterilite Corporation

October is a fantastic month – autumn is in full swing with perfect sweatshirt weather, colorful foliage and of course, the excitement of Halloween. Just as the month begins, I am prompted to unpack my favorite fall decorations, which I store in 18 Gallon Totes in my basement. They are easy to find in the stack of storage totes as they are appropriately colored for the season. However, trendy colored storage isn’t the only great fall product Sterilite has to offer – with the many fall activities to take part in and Halloween at the end of the month, it’s time to get creative!

It’s apple-picking season! Take advantage of the beautiful weather by packing up the family and heading to your local orchard for a day of fun. Don’t forget to bring along a sturdy 10 Quart Pail! Using a pail makes picking easier, especially for little hands. The pail handle is comfortable and keeps the apples level making them more likely to stay in the pail (verses falling out of those flimsy plastic bags that lose shape and structure). No one likes a bruised apple! Also, with a flat bottom, the pail is easy to set down while reaching those high top branches where the most perfect apples are often found.


You’re probably thinking, “What am I going to do with all these apples?” Bob for brains! Make a game of it for fun with the family, or add it into your Halloween party game list. I took my 24 Quart Latching Utility Can and gave it a ghoulish Frankenstein makeover with some cut construction paper and double stick tape. It’s the perfect height to set on the ground and let the kids try to sink their teeth into the smooth apple peel. If they succeed they are rewarded with a sweet and healthy snack, and you are rewarded by being able to use your utility can for future storage.


Need another great Halloween party game? Try “What Did the Ghost Gobble?”. By cutting and taping on black construction paper, I was able to transform these 3 Gallon Round Swing-Top Wastebaskets into a group of happily smiling ghosts. I filled one with cooked spaghetti, one with Jell-O chunks and the last with individually wrapped mini chocolate bars, but you can use anything creative you can think of that has a unique feel. This is a great game for younger kids as it encourages them to use the sense of touch. Have them reach into the can and try to figure out what is in the ghosts “tummy” that he is so happy about!


After all those activities you might be thinking about what is in your own tummy! Sterilite has many great kitchen products to make your fall baking and party planning easier and more fun. Consider adding Halloween gummies to Sterilite Ice Cube Trays to give your family and guests a spooky surprise when they take a sip of that ghoulish green punch.

Have you used a Sterilite product in a fun and creative way for autumn? We would love to hear about it!

Labor Day Barbecue!

By Heather Kilduff of Sterilite Corporation

Sadly, the end of the summer is fast approaching when Labor Day is in sight. Every year I have a Labor Day barbecue to wrap up the end to a wonderful summer. Hosting a barbecue can be simple and fun if you have all the right tools.

THE PREP
The hassle of prepping for any cookout can be simplified with the use of properly sized food storage containers. I like to use Sterilite’s Ultra•Seal™ line because I feel that the variety of shapes and sizes allow me to prep, store and serve all of my favorite side dishes easily.


THE MEAL
Mealtime is a cinch when you already have your side dishes in the refrigerator stored in a food storage container. When the guests arrive, I grab them from the fridge, pop off the lids and they are ready to serve. No dishes, no mess, no problem.


THE CLEANUP
The last thing I want to do after eating a grillious meal with my family and friends is to spend an hour cleaning it up. Those food storage containers save me again – I just pop the lids on and put them back into the refrigerator – or better yet, send them home with a guest!


Now I am ready to enjoy the rest of my Labor Day barbecue! Be safe this Labor Day weekend and feel free to try out my simple steps for a successful barbecue.

Chaos in the basement? Whip it into shape!

This week's post is written by Professional Organizer Monica Friel, president of Chaos to Order based in Chicago and Atlanta. They have been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Hoarding: Buried Alive, as well as in Better Homes and Gardens, just to name a few. You can find them on the web at www.chaostoorder.com


When it's very hot outside, the best place to organize is the basement!  Do you cringe at the sight of miscellaneous stuff cluttered around your basement. 

Now's the time to do something about it. Grab some 56 Quart Storage boxes and get bu
sy. This size container is great for sorting. Don't just use them to store items in when you're finished, use them as your organizing to put like items together. Remove the lids, set several containers in a row and label them with the categories you need. For example: "Keepsakes," "Sports Equipment," "Yard Sale Items" (remember to price them as you go), "Donation," "Bring Upstairs".

These are all common categories we see when organizing basements. You can also use a container to toss trash into, the big size makes it easy to use for trash rather than opening a bag each time you have something to toss.

So grab some containers, beat the heat and head down to the basement to get organized today!

Order in the Dorm

This week's post is written by Professional Organizer Monica Friel, president of Chaos to Order based in Chicago and Atlanta. They have been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Hoarding: Buried Alive, as well as in Better Homes and Gardens, just to name a few. You can find them on the web at www.chaostoorder.com
 
If you are sending kids off to college, or a coed heading there yourself, planning efficient dorm room space requires a good sense of order and some clever containers to get the job done right. The Sterilite Stacking Bins are a great choice to make the most out of every inch of that tiny space. These stacking, topless containers are perfect because you can just grab and go. No need to pull off a top, the flip out ledges allow the containers to stack up perfectly. In a dorm, you must make wise choices about every item you bring, here are tips for heading off to college.

Remember, there's no need for longer term storage, you should only keep what you're currently using, you shouldn't need to "store" it away, thus removing the need for tightly closing lids. When using any containers, first measure the area they will be in and make sure you purchase the right sizes, then determine what is going to be stored in them so that everything will fit properly. Improper use of containers can actually lessen the available storage space you have, so measure and plan ahead.

The Stacking Bins are great for storing school supplies, food items, bags and totes, miscellaneous clothing, etc. … they also have a nice design, so they look cool and the fact that they stack so nicely while providing great storage is an added bonus.

Check out the Stacking Bins from Sterilite to bring order to the dorm.

Give the Gift of Housewares

By Michelle Wood of Sterilite Corporation

Every weekend this summer, there seems to be a party. Whether it’s a bridal or baby shower, birthday, housewarming, anniversary, baptism – you name it, I’ve gone to it! And in typical fashion, I never show up empty handed.

Most recently I’ve noticed a trend with some of these gatherings, especially with expectant mothers, and brides-to-be. They are throwing “green” (as in - environmentally green) parties and specifically asking guests to resist the urge to wrap up presents with beautiful, yet wasteful, gift wrap and gift bags. I get it, and I even like and endorse the green statement, but the crafty perfectionist in me who loves to make beautiful things just has a hard time putting a heap of stuff or a plain old box on the gift table.

So how do I grant the hostess’s wishes and satiate the craftista in me? I give the gift of housewares! I assure you, if you do this, your gift recipient will greatly appreciate the entirety of your present including its “wrapping!”
 
Last weekend’s event was a baby shower at a posh Boston venue. I purchased several bedtime and bath-time related baby items and one of my favorite Sterilite laundry baskets and loaded it up. I grabbed two ¼” wooden dowels, drilled a small hole at the top and ran a piece of fabric ribbon between the ends. Then I fastened them through the laundry basket handles via some more fabric ribbon. Voila – a laundry line of cute onesies suspended over a laundry basket of goodies. It was much better than an unwieldy present lump, and my gift received plenty of (gratifying) ooohs and aaahhhs.

I’ve given the gift of housewares half a dozen times this summer. My niece went to camp with a caddy full of her favorite sparkly lotions, body wash and hair accessories. My nephew will be heading into second grade with a spiffy pencil box full of the coolest new classroom necessities. For my parents’ anniversary, I compiled some old photos and other memorabilia into an airtight gasket box for safe keeping. Four stacking/nesting baskets full of home cleaning essentials was a big hit for my friends who just became new home owners. When attending parties, I usually bring (and leave behind)  food storage containers full of cookies or cupcakes or a homemade cake in a cake server. It amazes me how many times I’ve heard friends exclaim “Oh I needed one of these!” To me, there is nothing better than giving a gift that is wanted and useful.

Whether the hostess made a request or not, in the future, consider being green and giving the gift of housewares. All of the plastic used in Sterilite products are 100% recyclable and all made in the good ol’ USA. So that should make you and your gift recipients feel pretty good too.
Have you given the gift of housewares? If so, tell us about it!

Society of Clutter

By Adam Saball of Sterilite Corporation

On July 1, UCLA released findings from a four-year study revealing that the contemporary suburban American family possesses more material objects than any other society throughout history. At some  level this seems obvious to me. Still, reading it had me thinking, why do we have so much clutter? What sets us apart in 2012 from our grandparents a few generations back?  My conclusion points to technology as the culprit.


Advances in modern technologies allow us to live faster than prior generations. We are exposed to so much information that trends seem to emerge and disappear faster than ever before. Yet, we still buy clothes for the job, for working around the house, for exercising or for a night on the town.  Those of you with children know this first hand. No sooner does a child get new clothes, a new toy or video games, do they all have to be replaced by the next current “thing.”

Technology enables us to work faster, and as a result, more work is expected of us. With many families having two working parents away from the house, everyday chores are often pushed to the side. When the parents arrive home from work, they are focused on the family’s different schedules and cooking dinner. The impact of technology in our everyday lives has led to us having more stuff, and less time to deal with it. So how does one address this issue? Simple, by being and staying organized.


Amidst the chaos of everyday life, being organized is if nothing else, the one aspect of our life that can grant us some peace of mind. The hard part for a lot of us is getting organized and staying that way. It doesn’t need to be hard though. By keeping a few steps in mind, you can stay organized and start taking back some of that piece of mind.

Organize your space
Everything you own should have a home. From your laptop to the extra paper towels, there should be one place in the house where everything belongs. Assign those places and use them.


Group the small stuff inside your drawers
Always keep like items together. Be it utensils, notebooks or colored pencils, separate and group the similar items. Keep them together using small baskets or an appropriate cutlery tray. I use the Sterilite Storage Trays in my drawers at home and keep my small items neatly together without mixing in with one another.


Donate and throw away
If you haven’t worn it in over a year, you probably won’t wear it again. Donate the clothes that no longer fit or have become artifacts in your closet.  Throw away or shred old documents you haven’t looked at in some time. Personally, if I find bills or receipts from anything older than a year ago, I will get rid of it. The exception to my rule is tax and retirement related documents. Those I hesitate to ever get rid of.  I like the Portable File Box for my paperwork. When it’s full, I know I have too much and should shred or throw some of it away.

When you use something, put it back
This goes without saying... if you don’t put back what you use, the clutter will quickly sneak back up on you. When you use something, be sure to put it back in its home. I have two stacking bins for magazines at home. I keep my men’s magazines in one, while my girlfriend keeps her women magazines in the other.  If we take one out to read, it must go back when were done, otherwise it will end up an afterthought on the coffee table and begin the snowball effect.


By being aware of the stuff you own and staying on top of where it’s kept, organization can be an easy way to control your clutter, even when our fast paced lifestyles offer little time to address it. Now it’s your turn. I ask you, the readers; is UCLA correct in their findings? Is your stuff closing in on you? How have you successfully addressed this issue in your homes? I look forward to reading your responses!

Oodles of Noodles

By Jesse Welch of Sterilite Corporation

There once was a person who decided to purchase a home with his wife. After nearly a year of searching, they decided on one with many quaint selling points. One of them was a pool, though the sellers admitted it was not functional at that time.

"Hahaa!" he proclaimed, "I can fix this thing." So began a story spanning three summers. A story of toiling in the sun, replacing all manner of pool parts, from liner to plumbing to filter, paying one massive water bill, staring at test strips, analyzing the results, talking to oneself, realizing there is nobody there, and self-consciously looking around to see if anyone saw the crazy guy.


I am that guy, and it is my pool – a pool that has become a spot for enjoyable weekends with friends and family, frequent barbecues, and as of last summer, our annual luau party (no, you can't come, I don't know you).

At the inaugural luau party, my wife and I realized the plethora of challenges that a pool party presents. Admittedly, I'm new to pool ownership, so some of these issues have been smoothed out as I gain experience with it. And seriously, I'm very relieved. At one point I considered just filling the thing with dirt and calling it a day.

At that first party we realized – of the many things needed for pool party success – floats, noodles and pool toys were an essential and obligatory party supply.

Noodles, as most people know, are foam, and can provide plenty of ammunition for pool hijinks. Spraying water at people by blowing into one end, submerging and then letting go to watch the glory of a noodle in flight, and just straight up smacking someone with it. They're fun. You may be wondering how many you need? You need a bunch. They wear out. Stand on them bouncing on the floor of the pool and they flatten. Leave them in the sun too long and they fade to an unappealing that-thing-must-be-really-old color.

Last year, we only had five of them, and you should have seen the look on the kids’ faces when they realized big bro was going to go noodle samurai on them and they didn't have one to defend themselves with. It's enough to make you cry, but no worries, you're in a pool, your face looks wet anyway.

So this year, we decided to get a total of fifteen. While I am confident no child will be left without proper defense for the near-guaranteed sibling assault, owning this many noodles posed a new problem. How do we store these things?

My first thought involved building a contraption from wood and attaching it to the wall, but it seemed like overkill. In the end, I found the perfect solution. I purchased a round laundry hamper and drilled a couple holes in the bottom for water to drain out, and voila! Noodle storage. After any party, or gathering, I just collect the noodles and toss into the laundry hamper. With the holes on the bottom, they get a chance to drain out before I stick them in the garage for long-term storage.



Owning a pool adds a lot of potential fun to your life, but what you inevitably get with that is a tremendous amount of effort, patience and an endless stream of things to spend money on. Using the hamper as my pool noodle storage has helped tame a potential headache before it could rear its noodle covered head, and I couldn't be happier.

Organized adoption space!

By Heather Kilduff of Sterilite Corporation

Approximately 5 – 7 million pets enter animal shelters nationwide every year. As a volunteer at a local shelter, Ahisma Haven Animal Rescue, I witness firsthand the need for such animal rescue groups. Many of these organizations are nonprofits and survive on donations and volunteerism alone.

To help keep costs a minimum at Ahisma Haven Animal Rescue, proper storage and organization help play a role in keeping supplies fresh, waste minimal and items like toys, brushes and other daily-use items from being lost or misplaced.

FOOD
Keeping pet food in this Ultra•Seal™ Dry Food Container ensures that it stays fresh and doesn’t go to waste. It’s important to the animals’ health and nutrition that the food be kept fresh. Plus, when most of the food is generously donated or sponsored, it’s even more important to prevent waste.


WATER
Keeping the animals hydrated is just as important as keeping them well fed. This 1 Gallon Pitcher makes filling all the water dishes simple and splash free. The secure lid and pop-top help to keep the water free from particles and debris.


LITTER
Storing fresh cat litter is a cinch with one of these Latching Utility Cans. Cat litter is known to release a dusty debris but the lid and latches help keep the area tidy and dust-free without risk of spillage.


LAUNDRY
Towels, blankets and pet beds are a few items that must be washed every few days to prevent odors and to keep the pets cozy and comfortable. A Wheeled Laundry Hamper is an effective way to keep the laundry concealed, contained and out of the way until laundry day. When the time does come to launder the linens, this hamper simply wheels to the laundry facities making the chore effortless.



LINEN STORAGE
Once the linens have been washed and folded, storing them in a blanket box will keep them fresh until they are in use again. I find that storing items like towels and blankets properly can extend the life of the linens, ultimately avoiding added cost to the shelter.

ODDS & END STORAGE
While items like brushes, collars, leashes and cat toys are small, they certainly can create disorganization. I find it best to store these odd and ends in baskets on available shelving, creating an organized storage system where items can be easily located.


In their effort to stay organized and to find good homes for abused and unwanted domestic animals, Ahisma Haven is certainly on the right track. If you’re looking for a pet, have a pet you can no longer keep, have questions about low cost spay/neuter, need help with stray or feral cats please email them at info@AhimsaHaven.org