Dresser Drawer Decluttering

Dresser Drawer Decluttering Panties

8 Dresser Drawer Decluttering Tips

Mornings can be stressful at times, even more so, if you have to rummage through your dressers to find the right combination of clothes. These dresser drawer decluttering tips will maximize space in your drawers and get you dressed faster and more efficiently in the mornings, leaving time for some leisurely waking-up activities, such as Facebook and a cuppa.

  1. Sort through your drawers for things you haven’t worn in a year or more, and seriously consider letting things go. Donate, toss, and give unused items to friends or relatives. It’s liberating and will make more space.
  2. Don’t be a panty hoarder! You’ll never wear all those panties – especially if you can’t find them in your overstuffed drawer. 100 pairs of panties, and 70 pairs of socks are too many to manage. You feel the Zen urge to simplify, so trust your higher self, take a deep breath and just do it. Limit your sock herd to say 10-15 pairs and your undies to 20, and make yourself a promise to throw out your garments as soon as they show signs of wear.
  3. Ensure your socks’ coupled status by investing in sock clips for washing. You won’t regret it and you can throw out that bag of lost socks once and for all. And you know what they say, when you release something, it makes room for new things, or, in this instance, just space in your sock drawers. It can be sad to let go, for sure, but you can do it and will be glad you did.
  4. Invest in some adjustable dresser drawer dividers to further organize your drawers. This is especially useful for sock and lingerie drawers. Honeycomb organizers have individual storage cells to hold underwear or pairs of socks, making them easy to find.
  5. Set an organizing methodology and obey your own rules. Examples: drawer A is for pants, drawer B for sweaters, and so forth. A consistent method for either folding or rolling your lingerie and socks keeps things uniform and maximizes drawer space.
  6. Organize by garment type or even by color for instant visual identification, which makes getting dressed easier.
  7. When you do laundry, immediately fold and put away clothes so they don’t get scattered around the house. And, again, obey your own dresser rules.
  8. Rotate your clothes for seasonal storage by storing out-of-season items in under-bed storage boxes or hanging garment bags, which you can hang in the basement or a vacant space in a closet. This way, you’ll always have the clothes you wear at your disposal. Remember that keeping drawers organized means keeping them spacious.
  9. Follow these tips and you’ll be a dresser drawer decluttering expert in no time, while reducing your morning stress to start off each day on a happier note.

    Also check out our blog post on folding shirts and read this efficient jean storage piece on Clutter Control Freak Blog.

Tiny Kitchen Storage Ideas

over-door organizer

Tiny Kitchen Storage Solutions to Maximize Your Small Workspace

A cook needs to cook like a painter needs to paint. Cooking is an artistic urge that needs expression. When a creative cook inherits a tiny kitchen, this can seem like the end of the world. Small counters, lack of cabinet and storage space, and combined kitchen-dining areas can be soul crushing to the creative chef, for whom cooking is a passion – not just a means for sustenance.

Even for the average person, a tiny kitchen can be a serious hindrance to preparing meals. If you are among the disadvantaged, please don’t despair, as we’ve got some great storage ideas to maximize your kitchen space and transform your small kitchen into the workroom of your dreams.

Collapsible Kitchen Accessories and Containers

Collapsible kitchen accessories and containers, usually made of silicone or other rubbers, fold flat for easy storage and expand into full-sized, utility items when you need to use them. Collapsible strainers are fantastic kitchen additions, as colanders are known space hogs in your cupboard. This one has slide-out handles for easy handling.

Oval Food Canisters

Oval food canisters take up less lateral space on your counter or in your cupboard, maximizing storage space while keeping dried goods fresh. They have removable silicone gaskets and latched lids for airtight storage. Clear glass makes it easy to view your contents, plus these make colorful counter displays if you lack cupboard space. Add labels for flours and dried goods that you’re likely to confuse (like all those green powdered smoothie additives).

Kitchen Carts

butcher block table catskillKitchen carts add extra working space to a small kitchen, while providing additional storage space for utensils, pots and pans. The right butcher block table can eliminate the need for other cutting boards as well. This Catskill butcher block has a backsplash to contain food, a fold-down extension, and durable wheels for mobility. As a bonus, it’s made in the USA.

Over-Door Storage Bins

Over-door storage bins make great use of unused space behind cabinet doors. Simple, lightweight wire and heavier steel ones are available for storing a range of products. This tall over-door organizer fits on standard cabinet doors and accommodates tall items such as plastic wrap.

Over-Door Trash Bins

Over-door trash bins keep trash out of view and yet, accessible when you’re performing kitchen tasks. The over-cabinet door grocery bag holder re-uses ordinary plastic grocery bags for convenient trash disposal – a great way to recycle. Maximizing all the space behind cupboard doors gives you TONS of space you didn’t know you had.

Blendtec and All-In-One Blenders

Using a single appliance for all of your food processing chores can eliminate the need for owning a bunch of different kitchen electrics. The Blendtec can process soups, blend smoothies, puree baby food, whip up ice cream, mix batter and perform a lot of the tasks of many other kitchen appliances. Reducing the number of gadgets you require for food prep will make your small kitchen seem instantly bigger. And, if you have counter space, the Blendtec can sit in the open where you can use it frequently – plus it looks cool in your kitchen.

Ceiling and Wall-Mounted Pot Racks

wall mounted bookshelf pot rack Stove drawers are never large enough to store all the pans and lids required for the average household cooking needs. And if you’re pressed for cupboard space, pot racks can be a lifesaver. This wall-mounted pot rack has a built-in bookshelf for keeping your cookbooks accessible and includes hooks for pots, pans and even utensils. The ceiling-mounted varieties are the antidote to kitchens with no available wall space.

There are lots of other ways to make your small kitchen more efficient, which we’ll explore in future blog posts. These ideas and products should get you started transforming your space into an organized space you’ll love, however. Of course, you’ll enjoy browsing our Kitchen category for every kind of kitchen organizer, gadget and accessory you need to make your tiny kitchen into the food prep space of your dreams.

Also check out our Cleaning Tips for Single People blog post.
And here’s another small kitchen post with lots of great ideas.

by Laurie H.

Ergonomic Workstations for a Healthy Back

Man Healthy Back

Ergonomic Workstations Provide Comfort While Promoting Back Health

Taking care of your body is essential for health and wellness, and when you feel good, you’re always going to be more productive. While labor jobs can be hard on your spine and body, sitting all day is really a stress to your lower back and neck. Chiropractors attribute a lot of back dysfunction to prolonged sitting, poor posture, and poorly-equipped workstations. Sore necks, headaches and backaches are just a few of the symptoms that may present when confined to a desk day after day. Posture, exercise and ergonomic workstations and equipment are essential components to back health.

While periodic massages are great therapy and help de-stress you after a week’s work, there are lots of things you can do for yourself to help keep your back in shape and your body feeling good. Of course, if you have chronic problems, you’ll want to consult a professional, but exercising every day, even if only walking 20 minutes helps decompress your spine, as well as providing cardiovascular benefits.

Taking short breaks and moving around during your work day is ideal. Periodic stretching and brief walks get your blood flowing and are good for circulation and your muscles, joints and mental well being. Of course, if you can schedule longer walks into your work day, that’s a good way to break up the day and potentially boost your metabolism.

Monitor StandMaking ergonomic changes to your workstation, whether you commute or work out of a home office, can greatly benefit your posture. Ergonomic workstations require optimal computer height, desk height, chair height and keyboard heights – all tailored to fit your body. The top of your computer screen should be about 2-3 inches below eye level for optimal viewing. If it’s too low, the neck and shoulders tend to automatically bend forward to adjust your viewing height. Setting a monitor directly on a desk is probably the most common mistake in computer station setup. A desk monitor stand helps boost the height of your monitor. This inexpensive Monitor Stand adds 4 inches in height to your monitor, accommodates monitors up to 24-inches and, combined with an adjustable-height chair, forms a fairly ergonomic workstation.

desk chairThe Mid-back Task Chair has a gas lift for easy lever operation and a generous travel range from 17.5 to 23 inches, which accommodates most desk heights. Comfortable arm rests and a sleek contemporary design make this a handsome and functional choice for a home or work office. The chair has superior lumbar support, a comfortable, faux-suede upholstery and comes in a variety of colors from neutral gray to festive Wasabi green for the more adventurous types.

An Adjustable Standup Desk gives you maximum control over your work height and enables working while standing up, which many find preferable to sitting. A front hand crank makes it a breeze to adjust and the smooth glass top is easy to keep clean. The keyboard tray slides out for convenient access and pushes in when you don’t need it. A similar model with a composite top is also available.

Many people have headaches or feel nagging pain and discomfort without really questioning the source. While lots of factors can contribute to head and back pain, if you pay close attention to your surroundings and assess the ergonomics of your workstation and make appropriate adjustments, you may feel some immediate benefits.

by Laurie Halbritter