Less Mess, More Yes

Keep your children's memories safe!

By Sarah Mills of Sterilite Corporation

Do you ever find yourself struggling to keep the kids entertained on a rainy summer day? Get them involved with your household organization by creating their own memory box!

On the last day of school, everyone throws their backpacks to the side and doesn’t give them another thought until the first day of school in the fall. However, getting an early start can definitely make the end of the summer more enjoyable and less of a hassle.

No matter what age or grade your child is currently in, he or she will bring home an immense amount of papers and memories throughout the school year. Here are some ideas of things to keep in your child’s memory box for safe-keeping and future use:

• Artwork
• Certificates and Awards
• Report Cards
• Copies of school and class pictures
• Photos from field trips, plays, sporting events or school events
• Class journals
• Book Reports
• Projects

Choosing the right storage container for your memory box is the biggest battle. The Sterilite 32 Qt. Gasket Box is the ultimate choice. It provides a gasketed seal to safeguard your items from air and moisture. The see-through design allows contents to be easily identified without constantly opening the box and the tight fitting latches keep the lid securely in place. If you need to create more than one memory box, the 32 Qt. Gasket Box stacks very easily to take up minimal storage space. Some other materials you may need include, file folders, scissors and any craft materials your child may want to use for decorating.


While you let your child decorate the front of the gasket box, you can prepare the file folders. One folder for each grade is usually best, but you could also organize by age. If you like the look of the file folder tabs below, download the template HERE to print your own.


Using foam sheets is a great idea for decorating. Most have an adhesive back and will stick to plastic very well. Your child can easily trace and cut any shape they want. Foam letters are available in most craft stores, and are a great option for labeling the gasket box with your child’s name.


After decorating, have your child choose the items they want to keep and organize them in your new memory box. If some school projects are too large to fit into the memory box, take a picture of the project and record the name of the project and the date on the back of the photo.


Throughout the school year, projects and photos can be easily added to the memory box. The 32 Qt. Gasket Box can be stored anywhere, and it’s easy enough for your child to carry and move, whenever they want to take a look back.

Top Scoops for National Ice Cream Month!

By Jen Montbleau of Sterilite Corporation

"I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" Shout this mantra loudly because it’s National Ice Cream Month!

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued Proclamation 5219, which designated July as National Ice Cream Month. He also declared that the third Sunday in July would be National Ice Cream Day. Yup, that is this coming Sunday! We’re definitely thankful, because ice cream is a summertime favorite for people of all ages. With hundreds of flavors and toppings to choose from, you can't go wrong with ice cream!

Whether you get it in a cup or in a cone, atop a waffle or in a banana split, make sure to visit your local ice cream shop today and get some cold, delicious ice cream. Or, if you want to be daring, you could try to make your own ice cream! Check out this great post for a how to: Holding on to the Harvest.

I love ice cream so much that I wanted to celebrate National Ice Cream Month with my co-workers. If you have a long distance to travel, try packing like I did – it will be less of a hassle and will save you time before you head out.

The night before, chop all of your dry toppings and fill your divided snack server (sold exclusively at Walmart). It will save you a ton of stress when you’re packing all your sundae essentials before you go.

Next, you’ll need a medium- to large-sized tote to put everything in along with some ice packs. It’s like an instant cooler!

It may seem like a lot of stuff to bring along, but these storage tips should make sharing your love of ice cream simple. And remember its ice cream, so not much is coming back home with you!

If you have some nontraditional ways to use our products we would love to hear about it!

Hydrate for Health Two Hours at a Time

By Adam Saball of Sterilite Corporation

Water is essential to a healthy lifestyle, yet busy work days too often keep many people from consuming recommended amounts. Studies show nearly two thirds of Americans are not drinking enough water to meet the average daily needs their bodies require. According to the Mayo Clinic and the Institute of Medicine, an adequate intake of water is 3 liters a day for men and 2.2 liters a day for women. Drinking healthy amounts of water should be a goal everybody strives for. Whether it’s a busy work schedule, forgetting altogether or the difficulty of drinking recommended amounts that keeps us from having enough, we all have a reason.  However, drinking recommended amounts of water throughout the day can be easily accomplished when broken into small goals. Simply labeling a pitcher may be all the solution you need.

1. Using a permanent marker, label your pitcher with times throughout your workday.
2. Before the beginning of each workday, fill your pitcher to your top line.
3. As each time arrives, be sure to drink enough water to match the line. Meeting these small goals throughout the day will keep you healthy and hydrated.

With a Sterilite 1 Gallon Pitcher in hand, use a permanent marker to label your daily goal of 3 liters for men or 2.2 liters for women. We will call this your 9:00a.m. line. Below this mark, draw evenly spaced lines for every two hours you will work. When all the lines are drawn, your highest will be labeled 9:00a.m., marking a full pitcher of water and the beginning of your workday. Below, lines will be made for 11:00a.m., 1:00p.m., 3:00p.m. and finally 5:00p.m at the bottom when the water should be finished. At the beginning of each work day fill your pitcher with ice and water up to the 9:00a.m line. Keep your marked pitcher at your desk beside you and challenge yourself to drink the water down to the next line before that time arrives. As you get down to each line you will have accomplished a small goal and taken strides toward drinking your recommended amounts of water. By the end of the work day you will be left with an empty pitcher and the satisfaction of knowing you drank enough to keep your body healthy and hydrated this summer.

Spending the 4th on the Lake

By Kellie Fournier of Sterilite Corporation

After a long, cold and rainy spring, I’m so glad the warm weather is here! My family is very fortunate to own property on a lake in Massachusetts and every weekend from Memorial Day till after Labor Day, we are there. My mother comes from family of nine – yes NINE – so our family gatherings are huge no matter what!


The 4th of July was one of my grandmother’s favorite holidays. If the lake was not decorated and if you were not wearing red, white or blue, you were on her list … and not the good list. She passed away three years ago but her memory and love for the 4th still lives on within her kids, grandkids and great grandkids.


Did you know that 153 million people will enjoy an Independence Day cookout spending an estimated 68 dollars per household on food items, according to a recent survey? My family is no exception and this year, like every year prior, we have a party planned for the 4th. There is no house on the property, so when we go to the lake we have to be prepared and organized. With the help of Sterilite storage containers, my family and I can get everything we need to the lake with no worries! For this party, each family brings whatever meat they want to grill and a community side dish and appetizer for everyone to share.


When preparing chicken or steak, my go to container for marinating is the Ultra+Latch™ 5.3 Cup Food Storage Container. It fits perfectly in my cooler and I don’t have to worry about anything leaking. Sterilite’s Ultra•Seal™ Bowls are perfect for storing your potato, macaroni, and garden or fruit salads and even your dessert from your home to your destination. Making cupcakes? No, problem the Ultra•Seal™ 16 Cup rectangle will hold a dozen cupcakes! You could even use this container for storing corn on the cob.


By using Sterilite food storage containers, your July 4th preparations will be a bit easier and your party will surely be a success!

What is your tradition? We want to hear!

Don’t forget to honor those who have served our country, past, present and future. Happy 4th of July!