Less Mess, More Yes

Are Your Cabinets Overrun With Clutter?

By Kellie Fournier of Sterilite Corporation

Until recently, I would cringe each time I opened my pantry cabinet. With my two-year-old thinking it’s a hiding spot and both my four-year-old and my husband looking for a snack, the cabinet was a disaster! So I decided it was time to reorganize, and believe me, it was not pretty! I put on a movie for my boys and got it done. This shouldn’t have taken more than an hour and half to complete, but with my distractions it took me nearly three hours.



Clean your space
I grabbed myself a stool to sit on so I could easily grab the canned goods, snacks, condiments, and bread. There are three deep shelves in my lower cabinet so I started with the top shelf and worked my way down. I took everything out and placed it on the floor. I grabbed my Clorox wipes and wiped down the shelves creating a clean space with which to work.

Purge and group
I started by checking the use-by date on all my canned goods and condiments and tossed anything that exceeded the use-by date. (Here’s a tip: If you are getting rid of any canned vegetables or fruit and you don’t want to waste anything, put the cans’ contents and some water in a blender and use as a fertilizer for your garden or house plants.) Next, I started grouping the remaining items – soups, condiments, breads, bottles of juice, and snacks. This allowed me to see what I was working with and determine where I wanted everything to go.

Reorganize
Now the fun part – ok, so maybe not fun for everyone, but it was for me! I have found that baskets and dry food storage containers are the most helpful when it comes to keeping cabinets neatly organized, so I picked up four Large Ultra™ Baskets and a dry food storage container.

I used one of the baskets to store our bread (hamburger buns, hot dog buns, sandwich bread, etc.), and the others for condiments, soups and salsa. To make it easy for my husband to find things, I labeled each basket with its contents.


I used the dry food storage container for the boys’ fruit snacks. Because the container is clear, it’s easy to see when it’s time to restock. I’m still on the hunt for a narrow shelf to place into the cabinet to gain more vertical storage, but it still looks better than it did!

So, there you have it, my simple solution to my pantry cabinet disaster. I’m very pleased with the end result and now, both boys can hide in this cabinet at the same time!

Battle of the Backpack – Contain the Chaos

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

School's out and summer is in full swing. Desks and lockers were emptied on the last day of class and chances are they were emptied into an overflowing backpack that's waiting at home to be cleaned out. Sorting through backpacks exploding with papers, clothing and school supplies can be an overwhelming job for anyone, especially the kids. Here are some tips to get the backpacks emptied and find an organized place for what remains.

First, get a large flat surface like a desk or table and empty out all of the contents. Grab a trash can and a recycle bin and toss what you can – everything else gets grouped. Divide what remains into categories, here are some of the basics (don't forget to let your kids help):

• Special papers to save in a keepsake folder for the school year
• School supplies for next year
• Supplies to replenish desk drawers at home (pens, pencils, crayons, markers, etc.)
• Clothing (gym uniforms, extra sweatshirts, etc.)
• Books (library books to return, text books to swap with someone for next year)
• Food (not the moldy stuff, but some candy and snacks that might be salvageable)

Now it doesn’t look so overwhelming anymore! These plastic clip boxes from Sterilite are the perfect size to contain school supplies such as pencils, crayons, markers, scissors, etc. Store them in an out-of-the-way place for next year or bring them to where your kids will be working on arts and crafts while they're home for the summer. With containers like these, it's easy to know how to put things back into their proper place, and they look great sitting out on the shelf.

Don’t Forget the Card!

By Heather Kilduff of Sterilite Corporation

This is your official reminder: Father’s Day is this weekend!

I gave up years ago on trying to keep an eye on my calendar of holidays and birthdays, setting a reminder to grab a card, then failing to do so in time. After a few solid years of missing these occasions, I gave the greeting card organizer a shot.


I chose one of these ShowOffs™ Storage Containers to keep my cards organized by occasion. I created my own file tab sorting system by simply trimming a standard size file folder to fit the storage box. This makes it so easy to find the card I need when the time comes!


The container latches securely and comes complete with a handle, which makes it easy to bring to work or the post office making it easier to send cards on time.


With everything organized, I’m a new woman, and now when it comes to sending greeting cards, I’m organized, I’m punctual and I am able to choose from a wide assortment of cards I purchased ahead of time.

So why not get organized? And be sure to remember your father this weekend with a greeting card!

Planning a Bridal Shower This Summer? Here’s How To Be a Step Ahead Of It All!

By Heather Kilduff of Sterilite Corporation

June is here and with wedding season upon us, bridal showers start to fill up the calendar.  I tend to plan a lot of showers, be they bridal or baby. I enjoy being a part of the planning and preparation. Invitations, games, prizes, favors – you name it, I’ve got it covered. Here are some of my secrets to staying organized so the chaos doesn’t spoil the fun!

Invitations
I prefer to prepare well ahead when it comes to invitations. Once the design has been selected, plan on ordering at least 15 extras (including envelopes) just in case a guest or two was forgotten on the original list. To keep the invitations looking their best, I keep them in a FlipTop storage container. I keep postage, mailing labels and the list all in one box. This way I know where to find everything I need for those last minute additions to the party.


Table centerpieces
Adding that special touch to each table is a must. Flowers or candles are nice – whatever your choice, it will need to be transported to the venue the day of the shower. I like to use the bottom of a storage box. The size depends on how many you have and how tall they are. Transporting your centerpieces in a storage box will save you hassle the day of the shower. (Tip: try stuffing newspaper in between each centerpiece to protect them against breaking or spilling.)


Games
Oh the games we all know and love! I usually prepare these a few weeks in advance too. I like to keep game cards, pens, tape, and any other necessities in one box. I prefer to use a Clip Box to keep everything neatly organized. The latches keep it securely closed and it’s easy for me to pack up and carry around.


So there you have it – my bridal shower organization tools! Go ahead and give them a try, because you can never be too organized!

The Key to Weight Loss is … Organization?

By Adam Saball of Sterilite Corporation

With summer just around the corner, many of us are aiming to lose a few of the pounds brought on by winter’s over indulging. The problem is most of us live fast-paced lifestyles that often lead to poor dietary choices making it harder to lose the weight. Overcoming this obstacle doesn’t have to be difficult. By organizing your meals for the week ahead of time, you can eliminate the poor lunch-hour decisions and get started on the body you want for the summer.

Did you know in order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 more calories than you consume? This means to lose one pound a week, you need to consume 500 less calories than you burn per day. The average take-out meal exceeds 1,000 calories alone. By replacing one meal with a pre-made home cooked meal, you can eliminate 500 calories with minimal effort. Planning meals is much easier than you may think. Allow me to use myself as an example.

Sunday is my day of preparation. I plan what I will have for breakfast and lunch during my work-week, leaving dinner as my wildcard (if dinner is the meal you struggle with nutritionally, by all means plan it out too).  For breakfast, I make a smoothie using these ingredients:

•    A glass of Simply Orange Mango juice
•    2 bananas
•    ½ cup mixed berries
•    1 scoop of vanilla whey protein
•    1 cup of Quaker Oats oatmeal

After my trip to the grocery store on Sunday afternoon, I put all my berries in one Ultra•Seal™ food storage container, and put them in the freezer. I keep my protein powder and oatmeal in two separate Ultra•Seal™ Dry Food Storage containers on top of the refrigerator. Each morning, I put everything into the blender and after a few seconds, breakfast is served and ready for my drive to work. Taking into consideration the time spent in line, the smoothie is much quicker than grabbing a bagel on the go (not to mention healthier!).

For lunch, I typically eat an Italian seasoned chicken breast with avocado and mixed vegetables. Each Sunday, I take a few minutes and grill the chicken, usually five breasts at a time. When they are finished, I let them cool and store them in another Ultra•Seal™ food storage container. It’s quick for me to take one from the refrigerator each morning while gathering my lunch. If chicken is not your favorite meat, try another. If meat in general is not your thing, make whichever foods you enjoy. When organizing your meals ahead of time, it’s important to eat the healthy foods you like.

By spending a half hour each week organizing your meals, you can cut out a large number of calories you would normally consume. The result will be those slimming changes we strive for.  Ultimately, we all have the power to make the small changes in our diets, so what do you have to lose? Give it a shot! Personally, I’m always looking for new recipes to keep my breakfasts and lunches exciting. If you have a particular meal you enjoy, please share!