Are your pantry shelves cluttered with miscellaneous bags of snacks and open cereal boxes? Do you find yourself throwing food away that’s gone stale because it wasn’t stored properly? How do you keep all of these boxes and bags organized on your pantry shelves? One option is to place snack bags and boxes of crackers inside small shelf baskets to keep them contained and prevent them from falling off the shelves. Better yet, consider transferring all of your snacks and cereals into attractive sealed canisters. It is one extra step when you open up the boxes, but it can soon become a habit that you will appreciate for years to come.

What Food Storage Canisters Should You Choose?:

I recommend that you choose clear containers, which enable you to quickly see the contents of each container. However, in order to find it even faster, label all containers with a labeler machine.

Dry Food Dispenser Canister

Food Storage Canister Tips for Dieters:

If you’re watching your weight, you’ll want to look at the dry food storage canisters that will dispense a certain amount of food at one time, allowing you to control your portions a lot easier. This can be especially helpful when snacking!

Dry Food Canister - Double

 How Dry Food Canisters Can Help with the Food Budget:

Watching the grocery budget? Dry food storage canisters will save you money because there will be less waste. You won’t be throwing away snacks and other dry foods that previously wasn’t stored properly. Also, because your food will be in clear labeled containers, you’ll be able to see everything you have, resulting in less trips to the grocery store buying food that you didn’t know you already had! Transferring all of your boxed cereals and snacks into dry food storage containers or canisters will help to keep your pantry shelves organized with very little effort.

Check out the pictured dry food storage containers at Home Storage Warehouse.

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer, speaker and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops and group presentations. Jacquie is also the author of Take Control of Your Clutter Before it Takes Control of You: 101 Tips to Success.  Visit CastAway the Clutter to get a free organizing goals worksheet when you sign up for her organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com

The typical bathroom cabinet is cluttered and disorganized due to the abundant amount of items typically used in the bathroom.  Toiletries, make-up, hair appliances, linens, medicine and other personal items are often used on a daily basis, yet the average bathroom has very little efficient storage options.  The average bathroom cabinet is deep and tall, but due to large protruding plumbing fixtures, there is usually no shelving installed inside to help maximize the available space.  

One way to solve this problem is to purchase organizers for use inside deep cabinets.  Stackable bins and containers are one option, or you can use a roll-out drawer. Roll-out drawers come in a variety of widths to fit most undersink cabinets and are available in either one or two levels.   The two tiered roll-out drawers can really maximize the space underneath the average bathroom cabinet and are also very easy to install.  Plus, roll-out drawers can also be used under kitchen sink cabinets to store cleaning supplies and in any other deep cabinet or shelf that may be difficult to access.

For the budget-conscious consumer, roll-out drawers can be an affordable alternative to custom built-in organizational installations. Home Storage Warehouse has a couple of options to choose from.  

Roll out 2 tier organizer

Roll out cabinet drawer

Roll out undersink drawer

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer, speaker and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007 and is presently the “Ask the Organizer” expert. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops and group presentations. Jacquie is also the author of Take Control of Your Clutter Before it Takes Control of You: 101 Tips to Success.  Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com

Typically, most holiday parties are done in buffet style due to the large quantity of guests being served.  Being able to bake, cook and display buffet style also gives the host more time to actually spend enjoying her party and guests, and less time in the kitchen. 

To maximize the space on the dining or buffet table and also provide visual interest, use servers or caddies that are stacked vertically.  By using the vertical space, you will use less horizontal space, allowing you to get more food on the table, while eliminating a cluttered or cramped look.  You can find caddy serveware that hold sauces or dips, and plate caddies that elegantly display guest plates using wrought iron or metal holders. 

Getting everything organized for a holiday party, including decluttering surfaces and spaces, tidying, cleaning and decorating, can be stressful enough without the worries of how you’re going to get everything on the table.   Elegant iron serveware can make the simplest food appear fancy!

Plate caddy server

3 tray iron caddy

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer, speaker and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007 and is presently the “Ask the Organizer” expert. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops and group presentations. Jacquie also writes a column at the Baltimore Examiner, called Organized Families.  Contact Jacquie by clicking here. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips and learn more about her presentations at www.castawaytheclutter.com

A long time ago, the baker’s rack was used in bakeries to cool batches of pies and other baked goods.  The baked goods were placed on metal shelving allowing them to cool.  

Nowadays the baker’s rack is a stylish piece of furniture used to store and organize all types of kitchen and dining items.  Some baker’s racks are also used in other rooms of the home for storage or display purposes and may showcase the homeowner’s decorative items and collectibles.  Either way, the baker’s rack can be used as an extension of your kitchen countertop, additional storage in your dining room, or storage in any room of the home.  Here are some ideas of how you can take advantage of the storage space in a baker’s rack:

Kitchen: microwave, small kitchen appliances, kitchen canisters, cookbooks and cookware.

Dining room: china, collectibles, table linens, servers, wine bottles (choose one with a built-in wine rack).

Living room: As an étagère to display collectibles.

Bathroom: towels, decorative items, toiletries (use baskets for smaller items), extra paper supplies.

Hall/Entry: As an entryway organizer for backpacks, bags, hats, gloves, scarves (use baskets), keys (some baker’s racks have built-in hooks).

Covered Patio or Outdoor Shed: As a potting station for small garden tools, gloves, apron, seeds, potting soil etc.

Baker's Rack with wine storage

Linen white baker's rack with wine storage

Baker's rack with drawers

Green baker's rack with wine storage

                   

There are many other “out of the box” organizing ideas that you can use Baker’s racks for.  Take advantage of the vertical space in your home and organize your stuff in style!  Click here to shop for these baker’s racks and other organization products!

 

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer, speaker and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007 and is presently the “Ask the Organizer” expert. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops and group presentations. Jacquie also writes a column at the Baltimore Examiner, called Organized Families.  Contact Jacquie by clicking here. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips and learn more about her presentations at www.castawaytheclutter.com

 

It’s no surprise to anyone that Americans are more overweight than any other industrialized nation.  According to a recent Gallup Poll, nearly 6 in 10 Americans (59%) would like to lose weight.  Americans live fast lifestyles, eat on the go, and many are no longer taking the time to eat proper meals.  Getting organized in the kitchen can make all the difference.  With some planning, preparation and the right equipment, it really doesn’t take that long to cook up a tasty and healthy meal.  Eating out at restaurants often take up more time than preparing a meal at home, and to make matters worse, we almost always eat more in a restaurant than we would if we ate the same meal at home.    

Take some time to find some easy, quick and healthy recipes and begin by preparing one or two meals per week.  Another way to really take control of your diet is to not only cook your meals at home, but to also weigh your food before serving.   Weighing your food will allow you to totally take control of your diet, instead of simply guessing your serving size.  For instance, the larger the dinner plate, the smaller the serving size appears, giving you the impression that you’re not eating enough.  So I recommend that you begin with using a smaller size dinner plate. 

Here are a few serving size recommendations:

 Meat, chicken, fish: 3oz

• Pasta, rice, oatmeal, potatoes, cooked vegetables: 4oz
• Bagel or muffin: 1oz
• Cheese: 1oz

Kitchen scales have become more popular in the U.S. and is the most accurate way to weigh your food.  It really isn’t that much trouble.  Keep your kitchen scale out on your countertop, ready to use at any time. There are many very attractive designs and some even measure calories.  Check out these and more at www.homestoragewarehouse.com.

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer, speaker and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops and group presentations. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips and learn more about her presentations at www.castawaytheclutter.com

Are your drawers a victim of your clutter?  If your drawers are crammed full, difficult to open, or you simply have no idea what’s stored inside, then it’s time to clean them out! Organizing a drawer is a relatively simple process and doesn’t take that much time. 

For drawers that have a specific purpose, e.g. socks, shirts, etc. the process of re-organizing is much simpler, since you need only remove the items that do not belong in the drawer, purge the items that are torn, stained or you are no longer wearing, and then return them to the drawer using an appropriate drawer organizer.  

For a typical junk drawer, purchase a junk drawer organizer and then begin the following process:   

1. Empty the drawer entirely.

2. Sort the items into categories, e.g. pens, paper, rubber bands, paper clips etc.

3. Discard items that are broken or dirty.

4. Donate or recycle items that you have an excessive amount of. You may find yourself with 47 pens. Even if you place a few pens in each room, you’ll still have too many!

5. Clean out the drawer, and if desired, insert a drawer liner.

6. Insert the drawer organizer into the drawer and begin organizing your items. If the organizer is packed full, then you need to purge some more.

Using drawer organizers might possibly convince you that you can be organized, and if you are good about putting the items back in their right compartment, the drawer will stay organized!

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops.  Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com and register for one of her current organizing workshops.

Now that Thanksgiving is over and you’ve recovered from the overcrowded Black Friday sales, it’s time to get ready for the party you’ve been planning to have this holiday season. Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your menu and decorate your home for the holidays. However, before you decorate, you may need to declutter! Now is the perfect time to take a good look at your home and decide on how you would like things arranged and organized on the big day. Unless you’re fortunate to have abundant space, you may need to move some things around and even remove some items to accommodate all of your guests. Here are a few tips to get organized as you approach the day of your holiday party:

1.       Mail your invitations 2-4 weeks before the party

2.       Plan your menu at least 2 weeks before the party

3.       Begin decluttering your entertaining areas, one space at a time

4.       Make sure you have enough serving platters and an area to serve beverages

5.       If families are invited, clear an area for children, so that they feel comfortable

6.       Decide on furniture arrangement before the day of the party

7.       Decorate your home for the holidays for a festive touch

8.       Follow-up with guests who have not responded at least 4 days before the party

9.      Begin preparing menu items that can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator or freezer.    You’ll be so glad you did!

On the day of the party, if you were able to get most of these tasks done, you’ll feel far more organized and ready for your guests.  Click here to see some kitchen and bar organizers for entertaining.

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she teaches homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers Time Management workshops to businesses to maximize productivity.  Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com.

If you entertain regularly and use special china for your guests, you may have a few pieces on display with the remainder put away, due to limited space.  It’s important that you store your china with care, especially if you have heirloom pieces or the china is expensive to replace.  This is particularly important if you have inquisitive children who may decide to play pretend with your fine china! 

Stacking the china in a location that may get bumped or moved around is risky.  China Storage Boxes are the answer to this problem, since they are especially made for fine china and will protect it from bumps, resulting in unsightly chips or scratches. 

China Storage Boxes come in all sizes, for dinner plates, salad plates, saucers and more, and can be stashed away quickly and easily until you need them for your next occasion.    

For more information on these China Storage Boxes, click here.

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, she teaches homeowners and businesses how to reclaim their time and space. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com.

While entertaining are you embarrassed to open your kitchen cabinet doors for fear your guests will see how cluttered they are? 

Even though the holidays are coming up, it’s still not too late to have organized kitchen cabinets.  If you have deep or tall cabinets with very little shelves, or limited space, you can purchase practical and attractive sliding cabinet drawers, which you can install yourself, without the need of a handyman.  Store your dish washing supplies, cleaning products, pots and pans and more.   

Sliding cabinet drawers can also be used in deep pantries to store non-perishable food items.  There are several sizes and designs available at various price points, so measure your cabinets and pick the ones that work for you.

Also, don’t forget your drawers.  If you have  some chaotic junk drawers, spend an  hour or so cleaning them out and purge and  reorganize your supplies using a drawer  organizer. 

Get Organized today and shop for these and more kitchen organizers at HomeStorageWarehouse.com. 

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, she teaches homeowners and businesses how to reclaim their time and space. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com.

If you regularly serve wine to your guests, it’s nice to have an organized system in place that you can enjoy time and time again.

If you’re short on counter space, set up a specific area for serving. There’s no need to run out and hire someone to build a custom bar, a simple baker’s rack will do just as well.  Many racks even come equipped with storage for several wine bottles. Plus there is usually at least one shelf that you can use for serving.

A baker’s rack is also ideal for storing any additional bar tools that you like to have handy while entertaining. A baker’s rack can be located in the kitchen, living room or dining room.

If you don’t have the space for a baker’s rack, a wine cart is a perfect addition to any home and works well in small spaces.  Each wine cart holds wine bottles, several wine glasses and can be moved from room to room as needed.  Wine carts are also perfect for outdoor rooms, patios and recreation rooms.

Have some fun with your wine related storage.  Getting organized doesn’t have to be boring.  Here are a few fun and unique items to consider before the rush of holiday entertaining.

Click here to see these and other wine storage racks.

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, she teaches homeowners and businesses how to reclaim their time and space. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com.