It's funny that the same questions come in waves sometimes. I am still trying to figure out how that coincidence happens. But for whatever reason, IHeart answering! So thank you to all that asked, here is a super quickie post about the excitement that is, Storage Container Storage.
In all honesty, storage containers in the kitchen used to be a headache for us. We tried to stack the containers with the lids on, we tried to just shove them all in the kitchen cabinets and not care. I absolutely couldn't take the madness anymore. Every time it came to storing leftovers or heating up some frozen veggies, containers and lids were a challenge to find. May as well just sucker punch me. It's the same feeling I get when I can't find what I am looking for...
And they all lived in one little itty bitty kitchen cabinet.....
And they still do, but now we can find what we are looking for, when we are looking for it!
The solution for us was a simple one. I didn't color code or make things complicated. I added a bin for the lids.
Sometimes I take organizing and beautifying over the top. Sometimes. But not every time. In this case, I needed a quick and easy and painless solution. And by adding a bin that I already had laying around the house, into the cabinet to wrangle all of our lids, I am able to nicely stack our containers and keep the lids at bay!
The lids are always fairly easy and quick to find, since they are not floating all over the insides of the cabinet. And we are lucky to have a slide out shelf to really make it easy to grab and go!
The best part is it took less than 15 total minutes to get this cabinet under control, since I just took everything out, popped all the lids into a container {somewhat grouped by size}, and then put everything back in!
It's so simple to maintain, even our 10 year old helps with putting away dishes and preparing lunches and it still looks like it did last year when I made the quick change.
So there you have it! How we store our storage containers. Pretty exciting stuff right? And who loves that it's also a "Got 15?" type of quickie project? Those are my personal favs!
What other Storage Container Storage tips do you have for us? Any other creative space saving solutions?
lovely! and the glass is beautiful -- I <3 glass food storage containers, so clean and sparkly!
ReplyDeleteIt is my goal to get my kitchen a little more organized this week, thanks for the extra nudge! I will have to find a container for all my glass pyrex lids :)
After 15 years of marriage and a hodge podge of storage containers, I did something drastic a couple of years ago: I went out and bought a new set!! There were a couple of pieces I kept (divided lunch style piece for instance), but the rest of the pieces with lids were donated. For under $20, I got a complete set, designed to stack in itself with lids that 'click' together. It truly seems to be the 'just right' size set for us as a family of four.
ReplyDeleteDo you only use glass storage containers?
ReplyDeleteThis is how I store mine! =) Twins! <3 Though I need to invest in the pull out racks that they make for the lower cabinets... I've been extra clumsy lately and have lost a few pyrex goodies to the tile floor. RIP dishes!
ReplyDeleteI'll never stop using glass though =) so beautiful and GREEN! yay!
xoXOxo
Jenn @ Peas & Crayons
We do the same thing -- and I love it. It wrangles all the lids in one place and even looks organized even when the lids aren't all neatly arranged in the inside.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Just pinned it! Need to get up and do it instead of pinning it. lol :)
ReplyDeleteI wish our drawers puled out like that! I do pretty good at keeping the buggers organized but once every couple months I have to re-do everything because they have gotten out of control (mostly from some girl named Suzi aimlessly throwing containers in the cabinet now and again :S )
ReplyDeleteI employ a similar system in my kitchen, but my roommate constantly devises a new system that tries to throw off mine, mainly because her system doesn't have a coherent ordering system..it's just a put things away where they happen to fit..Drives me insane.
ReplyDeleteL
@Renee, we do only use glass storage containers... I switched them out about a year ago when I started becoming concerned with BPA. Especially when using the microwave. Plus, glass is green and will last much much longer than plastic and I love that I can always see the contents when I store food in the fridge! Win win win for us!! :)
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Jen
There are plenty of on the cabinet or over the cabinet door options for lids these days, not to mention all the stackable options.
ReplyDeleteA magazine holder might be a nice space saving solution to the lid problem too. I LOVE magazine holders!
I just keep all of my lids inside of our gallon pitcher. It's not frequently used, and then I don't lose the space to a bin for just lids.
ReplyDeleteI do this too! It works perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I didn't think of it though Jen, you must have posted something along these lines already. There's no chance I came up with something so quick, simple and effective without your help.
I love the glass containers. Much better to microwave in glass than plastic. Don't you keep plastic containers for sending food home with family and friends or to take to someone's house?
ReplyDeleteI love that I do the same thing! Makes me think I may not be as far behind as I think I am. I am lucky to have a double cupboard. So I keep the square/rectangle containers on the left. The round containers are on the right. Each side has it's own decorative basket with the rectangle or round lids. I can easily pull out the basket when I need a lid (since I don't have pullout shelves) and I haven't toppled over the stack of containers to find one lid.
ReplyDeleteI have a system that I bought that is a carousel and all the containers (3 sizes) and lids fit on the carousel, and it spins! It only takes up 1 square foot of space in one of our cabinets! I LOVE IT and bought one for both of my kids. Thanks for showing your solution too. I may decide to go to all glass now that I see yours!!!! XO, Pinky
ReplyDeleteHi Jen! I absoulutely love your blog. Found it thru Our Humble A{Bowe}d a few months back. I have a fun, organized tupperware drawer you can see on my blog post today.
ReplyDeletehttp://makingittooperfect.blogspot.com/2011/08/kitchen-post-1-cabinet-organization.html
Thanks for all the fun, colorful organizational inspiration! You are good...
I'm a newlywed, and new cook. What glass containers do you use? I would love to get some new glass leftover storage containers! Thanks So Much!!!
ReplyDeleteThe slide out tray/drawer is great for organizing. Mine are stored the exact same way!
ReplyDeleteI thought I was going to store my storage containers in a cabinet like that in my new kitchen. I ended up putting them in deep drawers in one cabinet I have that is right by the kitchen. So easy when putting the food away.
ReplyDeleteJust like the old wire hangers, plastic lids seem to multiply here. I am going to give it another try and put way my favorites first. Once I run out of space the others will have to find a new home.
ReplyDeleteWe do the same thing, minus the pull out shelf! JEALOUS!
ReplyDeleteHow much storage is enough storage? That is what I struggle with... I feel like my storage is way overboard.. and I don't even use half of it.. but what is a good rule.. and where did you get your glass storage.??
ReplyDeleteI have a big drawer in my kitchen and TRY to organize it just like you do: Lids in a bin and containers by size..
ReplyDeleteI love glass, for lots of reasons but mostly since they are green, bpa free and I love clear storage in the fridge. I use both pyrex and anchor food storage which I have found at Target and Walmart.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Jen
I do the exact same thing and it works like a charm!
ReplyDeleteWe've always kept the container lids in a bin. It makes things so much easier!
ReplyDeleteHow do you get your husband to follow the organizing rules ??? :P
ReplyDelete@Julie - That's not always easy! Sometimes if I get a system just right, it's simple for him to maintain it with me, a lot of times though, it comes down to each individuals own discipline and the ability to put things back where they go, my hubs has his good and bad days, as we all do! :) xoxo!
ReplyDeleteWhat brand of containers are those? I see a lid that says pampered chef?
ReplyDeleteI have pyrex glass containers, and they don't stack well unless you are nesting them inside larger containers. And I can see now that the square and rectangle containers waste less space than round ones.
@anonymous - My collection is a mixed bunch from over the years. I have pampered chef prep bowls, anchor glass storage and a square martha stewart glass set as well. The anchor doesn't stack all that great either, but we make it work.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Jen
So sweet of you to get back to me on a comment from such an old post. Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteI love your containers! I use Pyrex and anchor as well.:)
ReplyDeleteI love your containers, but do you send glass to school with your kids? Or disposable packaging? Looking for a solution that works for lunches, too. THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteHere is a post all about our lunch packing: http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2011/08/back-to-school-organizing-packing.html
Deletexoxo!
Jen
Re glass containers, I too use them instead of plastic! LOVE them! I did happy jumpy claps when I found some great small ones with glass lids at Crate and Barrel outlets. I have about 10 of them.
ReplyDeleteLook for 'refrigerator glass' at the thrift shops and ebay, so great!!
I also transfer as much out of plastic bags as I can. I try to but a lot in bulk. I have several of these, found them at target,
ReplyDeletehttp://www.target.com/p/Anchor-Heritage-Glass-Jar-1-gal/-/A-13795176
I have very little plastic in my kitchen, yay!
I've been checking out your blog for a bit & love it! The best part is the kitchen cupboard and cabinet organization since we have exactly the same cabinets, which makes it even easier to see what I need to do!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
LOVE your blog. Thanks so much for these awesome ideas. I'm trying to help my aging parents organize their house before I move out and this seems like an easy weekend project!
ReplyDeletewhat exactly is tupperware? are ur glass storage tupperware? I want to change all my plastic storage container's into glass. Unfortunately, Ikea has great deals on plastic ones!
ReplyDelete