28 Days to Love Your Home – Day 9

Organizing Tips to Love Your Home

Photo From Martha Stewart

Day 9

Oh, I know I keep talking about the drawers.  Having organized kitchen drawers is so helpful in keeping the heart of the home running efficiently.  I think kitchen drawers are one of the easiest things to organize.  Really they are.  Like the Junk Drawer, containers are vital in keeping things organized.

I love organizing kitchen drawers for clients.  It gets instant results and takes no time to finish.  Here are some things to think about when clearing the clutter from your drawers:

• Empty the drawers and wipe them out. You all are rolling your eyes at me for the cleaning step again, but it is vital in doing the project right!
• If you have not lined your drawers or notice the lining is so dated you think you had the same kind when you were in elementary school, it may be time to do the dreaded task of lining your drawers.  I know this can be a pain, but it is worth it in the end.   I like liners that are easy to install.  Paying a little extra can make the difference in doing the job with ease!  When measuring, use a tape measurer like the ones used in sewing.  The flexibility will allow you to get a more accurate read in those small spaces.  Remember the carpenters rule – measure twice and cut once!   Use a T-Square or Yard Stick to cut the drawer liner in a straight line!  Check out this liner from The Container Store:
• Think about what you actually use and need.  I think a drawer for flatware, one for cooking utensils, one for food storage (Ziplock bags, wax paper, tin foil), one for towels, and one for measuring cups/spoons/baking utensils.  If you have more cabinet space than drawer space, some of these items may wind up in the cupboards, but if you have more drawer space than cabinet space, you may have more drawers dedicated to other kitchen needs.  The point is to separate and assign.  Give your drawer a purpose, and remember  ”General” is not a purpose.
• Use drawer organizers and dividers.  These are so worth the small investment!  Even with a drawer liner, things tend to get shifted around in the drawer.  You wind up spending additional time looking for things and separating them!  Here are a few of my favorites:
• Clear out all the stuff you really don’t use.  Do you really need 5 spatulas?  Do you need 5 mismatched sets of measuring cups?  When was the last time you really used a rolling pin?  Are there coupons spilling out of drawers?  Get down to what you actually use.  To love our homes we need to live for today!

As I have been saying in the other posts about loving your home, think before you put back.  Don’t just shove them back in because you are tired and want to be done.  Finish the job right!  Think about where you use things and where is the best place to put things back.  Utensils near the stove top, silverware easily accessible, coupons in an organizer in the car (you can’t use a coupon if it is not with you!).  Do you use your measuring cups daily?  Then they need to hold prime real estate!  Do you use Ziplock bags more frequently than measuring spoons? Take items used less frequently and move away to the bottom drawers or drawers that are not as convenient.

Divide and conquer those drawers and assign homes to all you need.  You will save so much time by not digging for things you need amongst things you never use!

For more tips and solutions to drawer organizing, see Day 6 of the 28 Days to Love Your Home (GIVE AWAY still valid!) and Dream Drawers.

Time yourself and see if you can get your drawers cleared out in an afternoon.  This one should be one of the easiest days!  If not, let me know what is holding you back and we will try and solve the problem together!