Is there hope for my tupperware cabinet?

Tupperware.  A household name. A name that stands for plasticware or "to go" containers.  We all have them.  We all love them.  We all need them.  Especially when we need something quick to put in for left overs or for sending food to someone. We all need them.  We all love them.  But what happens whens the "Tupperware" gets costly and we thrive on the generic containers that our lunch meat comes in. We wash it up and keep it, right?  Well maybe not for you but for the rest of us we have to do this because we are busy and don't have the time (or sometimes the money) to just go out and buy a sophisticated set of "to go" containers of all sizes for multipurposes with a turn table and matching lids, not to mention having the room for all of it. However; I'm not really here to talk about the cost of this stuff.  I am here to talk about the storage of these said items. 

Here is my "plasticware" cabinet.

 

 

I have organized it and organized it and it always ends up looking like this. I am finding out that a lot of people are experiencing this problem.  Yes we laugh about it.  But really, it's a headache.  Especially since we have those moments where we are fixing our kids lunches in the mornings and we can't find that one container that actually fits inside their lunch box.  Or those embarrassing moments where there is company over and you hope that they are not paying attention to you while you reach in this cabinet and then once you open the door you are really hoping everying doesn't fall out!  Yes. These things have actually happened to me.  The lids that don't match up to the containers and vice versa.  Or you find the perfect container for the lunch box and then wonder "where did the lid go??"  Well, I am here to tell you there is hope!  Hope for your plasticware cabinet! Hope for you to find peace with it. No more surprises when you open the cabinet doors and they don't come jumping out at you like they are happy to see you and want to give you a hug.  No more of getting it organizing and then a month later it all ends up the same way.  NO. MORE.  I am going to show you how to organize this type of cabinet.  This will be especially helpful to those with smaller spaces/smaller cabinets.  So stayed tuned! 

 

Here is all of the stuff out of the cabinet. What a mess! What am I going to do with all of this stuff???

 

 

 

Oh yeah, and since it doubles as a coffee mug cabinet (again, small spaces - not a lot of storage here) what am I going to do with all of this?

 

 

This is an Expandable Pantry Shelf from Clever Container. I have had it for awhile and it's main purpose is for your dish cupboard. However, my cupboards are fairly small and it never worked before with putting dishes underneath while storing dishes on the rack.  There was never enough space.  I have tried this shelf everywhere in my home. I tried to use it for my kitchen table for various things, the living room to add height to decor and these ideas didn't seem to work for me. So, I thought I would try it in the plastic/coffee mug cupboard. 

 

 

The great thing about this stand is that it is adjustable.  You can use just part of the stand or add the second half and make it as big as you need it to be.  See the picture below that shows how to adjust.

 

 

Also, here it is in my cupboard...

 

 

...and here is how you extend it.  You just lift up on the second part of the stand like so...

 

 

...and here it is extended inside the cabinet!  Let's see if this is going to work for me...

 

 

As I went through all the stuff I started to see that there were a lot more lids than there were containers so I started a collection of stuff that I either never used and probably never will, containers that didn't even belong to me (oops) and lids and containers that did not match each other.  Here is my collection:

 

 

Oh, and the collection of tea bags...they are going somewhere else in the kitchen...I will show you that in a minute.

 

 

Voila!!  This little thingamajig is also from Clever Container.  I have used this for a plethora (I love that word) of things and now it is holding my tea bags and some other packets I never know where to put in my cupboard.  This is called the Bin Sweetner. 

 

 

 

Are you ready to see the finished product?!  Drum roll please..........TA-DA!!

 

 

It looks amazing, right??!! Why thank you!  What was my secret you ask?  Well let me tell you!  Instead of doing what I always did, which was stack the containers together and stack the lids together, I put the lids on the containers and stacked them that way as you can see in the picture.  Also, by getting rid of stuff I never use (if you haven't used it in 6 months, let's face it...you're probably never going to use it...this is true with most things) and also getting rid of all the "extra's" that were in there (i.e. the lids with no homes...containers without lids, etc) this made it possible to have plenty of space for all of the items worthy of making the "cut". So what do you think?  I think the expandable pantry shelf is really working in there for this little project, don't you?  I was able to stack thinner containers on top so that it looks a lot neater.  Oh, and the reason the mugs are in there is because this really is the best place for them in the kitchen since there isn't any room in any other cupboard and plus the coffee pot and tea kettle are right below the cupboard. 

 

I know sometimes organizing is not fun. Especially if you have tried it over and over again and it ends up in a mess.  Try these tips: 

1. Throw out what you know you deep down within your soul you will never use.

2. If you know it doesn't belong to anything (i.e. lids that don't have a container and vice versa) don't save it "just in case"...you know this usually never happens.

3. Try the Expandable Panty Shelf from Clever Container.  It will help with seperating your items in a neat and orderly fashion.

4. Don't stack lids with lids and containers with containers.  They mate for life so keep them together.

 

For other ideas on help with kitchen cabinet organization visit my website at clevercontainer.com/racheldarnell and look through the catalog.  You never know...organizing just might turn into...FUN!!

 

 



The Belt Hanger...or should I say the "CLEVER hanger"

Ok, so a lot of these Clever items I have I am a pioneer at myself.  I have held Clever Container parties and gained some different ways to use Clever Container's items however, some of these things I am not sure what to do with for my home.   However, I must share that in using the Belt Hanger I "accidentally" came up with some more ideas on what to use it for!  We are not big belt wearing people and to me it seems silly to have a hanger for everyone's belts put together in one location.  So, here are a few ideas for the belt hanger.  I must add that these ideas are quite clever! 

The first idea (picture #1) is using it for gift bags.  We all know nowadays when you go out and buy someone a present (for example) for $20.00 it ends up being $30.00 - $40.00 once you buy a gift bag, tissue paper and card.  That is why you save the gift bag when the gift is given to you (and tissue if it still looks good and presentable for the next gift)!  You are thinking:  "This will save me some money the next time I go out and buy a gift!"  However, where do you store the bags?  If you have a home like mine, where there is not much storage space and the closets are small, you know that storing these cute bags can get a bit damaged just sitting in a drawer or maybe you end up getting rid of them all together because there just simply isn't any room for them.  It's so easy to just hang them up! No carting out the tub or squeezing them into the drawer!  Hang them on the hanger and on the closet rack!  You can use the "gift bag tub" or "gift bag drawer" for something else. 

Second idea (picture #2) is using the hanger for your gentle items after they have been washed.  Who really likes to wash clothing by hand?  Not me; but sometimes it has to be done.  Or you figure; "I can just wash it on gentle cycle and hang it up and it should be okay?" That is me, alright.  I have learned this can work on some clothing items.  Now, these hooks aren't big enough for all of the gentle items, obviously, but I found them to be good for tights or maybe even undergarments that you don't want twisting away in the dryer.  This special hanger can hang right there in your laundry room and as soon as you pull out your gentles from the wash, you can hang them up to dry! 

Third idea (picture #3) is using the hanger for purses/recyclable grocery bags.  Don't get me wrong, just because I am advertising Clever Container and offering organizing advice does not mean I am perfectly organized at home.  I feel that I have better ideas and merchandise to help me because of Clever Container but I am still learning the tricks of the trade.  Before Clever Container, my purses were just in a pile in my closet or more recently - stored in a suitcase; which is not a bad idea but the suitcase was located in the attic and was not easily accessible.  This might be better for "seasonal purses".  As you can see there are multiple hooks for multible bags!  Just hang it in your closet and voila!  You have just saved some space! 

Fourth idea (picture #4 & #5) is using the belt hanger for hats.  You can't fit a lot of caps on here but if you need to keep a few in the coat closet for the following scenarios it may come in handy:

- Those times when you don't have time to fix the hair or
- It's early in the morning and you're going for coffee or a quick run or
- It's late at night and you just don't care since your are only going out to pick something up at the store (like ice cream)

It's these kind of moments where you may want to keep a hat close by, like in the coat closet; grab your jacket and hat and go.  As far as how it works to place the hat on the hook, you can just set the hat right on the hook or if you prefer more security, review picture #5.  This shows up close that you can undo the hat's straps and link it through the hook on the hanger. 

I LOVE this item! Such a great tool for so many uses!!

Rolling Clothes?

One interesting tip I have learned through Clever Container is something you can do right in your home and does not cost a dime.  When you go on vacation, do you roll your clothes to make room in your suitcase?  Most people do.  However, do you roll your clothes at home to make room in your drawer?  Aha!  Most people do not.  In fact nobody really thinks about doing that.  They did this at a Clever Container workshop so I had to give in a try.  They rolled T-shirts in a way that the logo on the shirt was showing on the outside.  I thought it was very clever so I decided to go home and try this myself.  See the before and after pics above.  Now, the last pic, the t-shirt drawer, I didn't think to do a before pic until after I was done.  You should have seen it!  Boys and their clothes! LOL  Anyways, I thought it was a nice clean look.   

Taming The Toys

Ok, so I know the pictures are sideways and I am not really sure why that is because they are correct on my computer.  Anyways, the bottom picture shows toys in a pile in a bin that is clearly too small for the amount of toys my daughter has.  There are all of those smaller toys that end up at the bottom that usually get dumped out and then they are everywhere.  The bigger toys tend to overflow because there is not enough room for them.  The above picture is to demonstrate Clever Pockets.  The pattern Pink Dot is shown here.  This is where I seperated all of the smaller toys from the larger ones and put them in their own little place.  The Clever Pockets are easy to hang up and fit on most doors.  Now, my daughter just points to the toy she wants and I pull it out of the little pocket and when she is done with it we put it back and maybe get a new one out at that time.  This makes it so much easier when keeping the room clean and organized.  You can use the Clever Pockets for so many more things.  Scrapbooking items, jewelry, baby supplies, odds and ends when you don't know what to do with them, make up, nail polish, sewing and so much more! 

Introducing Clever Container Products!

It may be hard to see everything but this are just some of what Clever Container has to offer!  Also, some of these products have been discontinued but have been replaced with either a different colors (i.e. the pink and red tubs in the front on the floor) or some products have just been switched out with a new and improved model but has the same purpose!  Let me know if you have any questions about any of the products you see here!