Kitchen Organizing to Get You Cooking

The kitchen is the heart and soul of your home. It is where we have family time, discussions around meals and we entertain or grab snacks to go. In many homes it is where our children do their homework, we charge our phones & tablets and pay our bills. In other words, it is the control center of our lives. Therefore, kitchens these days need to be well laid out, keeping the flow of the house moving yet at the same time well organized, peaceful and serene. 

Seems like a daunting task, but take it from professional organizers it can be done! 

At H2H, one of our specialties is kitchen organizing. It is the room stocked with small gadgets, large appliances, entertaining items, dishes for adults, dishes for kids, cleaning supplies and food storage containers just to name a few items. Organizing done properly is like a puzzle, it has to be put together with often used basics in mind, while keeping the family needs and uses as a priority. 

For example, a coffee or tea drinking family will need a coffee station where the mugs, coffee, sweeteners and filters are all easily accessible. A non- coffee drinking household would not want to take up the space and may need the area for something they find more of a priority.

The point is that no two kitchen are alike. Some are new and high-tech, some are older and cozy. It doesn’t matter, every kitchen should be organized around the family’s uses and needs keeping in mind the flow of cook(s) in the kitchen and the flow of the house.

Here our are top suggestions when organizing your kitchen:

What are your priorities?  

What appliances you use consistently? What cooking utensils do you need easy access to?  Do you need a coffee or tea station? A wine/beer station?  Do you want your children to have access to their snacks, plates, cups? Are you a baker? A cook? Both? By knowing what you use frequently, we can start to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

The kitchen should flow smoothly

Everything you use frequently should be in easy reach. You should not have to run across your kitchen to find a chopping board or a knife when it is time to chop an onion. Where do you prep your food? You will need an area near the sink and garbage where you store cutting boards, knives and bowls. 

Near the stove and oven should be your spices, oils, vinegars, pots/pans and oven mitts.  A drawer or shelf space should be set aside for foil, plastic wrap, and food bags. Dishes and glass wear can be stored near the dishwasher for easy unloading, or in some homes near the table to make setting the table easier. There is no right or wrong, as we said earlier, every family is different and organizing is about doing what is best for your kitchen and your family. 

Clearing clutter

This is a very important step and can be time consuming.

Do you use 3 sets of measuring cups or spoons?  Do you still have peelers from college? Do you use all 5 wine openers? 7 flashlights? Do all the pots and pans have the correct lids?  Are all the spices current or have some expired? Do you have a fondue pot or ice cream maker you no longer use but received as a wedding gift? Do you use all 15 wooden spoons? You get the picture. It is difficult to part with things and very time consuming to review your items. Sometimes hiring a professional to help make decisions and take the donates for you can be helpful.

Now that you have established where the basic priority items will live and you have cleared duplicates and clutter,  you can then find homes for your remaining items.  

• You may need a utility drawer for items such as batteries, keys, pens, flashlights and other household items which you use on occasion. This drawer does not need to be close to the cooking area. 

• Large appliances such as a crockpot or wok which may not be used daily can live in a more remote shelf.

• Seasonal items such as holiday baking and summer entertaining may be able to live in another area of the house such as the basement or garage so as to free up space in your kitchen.

• Pet supplies, things such as pet supplies can sometimes be relocated to another area of the house such as the mudroom, laundry room or pantry if applicable. If not, they certainly can stay in the kitchen. Once again, not necessarily near the cooking area. 

• Clear surfaces, try to keep your surfaces as clear as possible. Clear areas help you feel calm and stress free. You will feel more in control. When you have a clear area in the kitchen it invites you to cook something delicious for your family!

We can’t stress enough that no two kitchens are alike and there is no right or wrong. Piecing the kitchen puzzle pieces together to create your most organized kitchen takes time but when done correctly it will make the world of difference to you and your family. You will be able to be more efficient as a cook having the items you use frequently close to where you need them. Your family will be able to find what they need without stress, thereby creating that peaceful and serene home.

Guest Post - Everything You Need to Know About Packaging Materials

We partnered with a packing supply company. for this post. The opinions in the post are honest. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal views. We are excited because we know you will love it.

Do you know packaging reflects your brand personality? It is a medium of attraction and can be very helpful in branding for customers. Attractive packaging designs can motivate people to choose you over others and also make a powerful impact. Packaging of products plays a significant role in how customers are responding to it. 

Packaging material is of different types these can fulfill your entire requirement no matter what type of state of product you want to pack. Choosing the right kind of material is the key to keep your product safe and appealing. There are many budget-friendly options available for packaging such as cardboard packaging boxes which are biodegradable too.  

There are many other packaging materials available having different utility while packing products such as plastic bags for liquid stuff or mailing bags for thin papers. Apart from this, we have postal tubes, bubble wraps, and loose fills these materials are also important to keep the product safe and intact.

Steel strapping kits are another great packaging material. This is optimal for packaging industrial equipment, heavy construction materials, and shipping steel coils.

Globe packaging is an online packaging material distributor in the UK. They offer a diverse range of packaging materials of great quality with exceptional customer service. 

In the Infographic below you will explore in-depth details about different types of packaging material available for different purposes.

Guest Post - 7 Efficient Ways to Organize and Declutter Your Home

A home is supposed to be a place that gives you a sense of security and calms your feelings down. Picture this, after a long day spent at work, or school or elsewhere, surely all you wanted to do is find some comfort in your home. But say, you forgot to make your bed this morning before you step out, so you lounge on the sofa. Unfortunately, you got poked with your kids' Duplo Lego. Therefore, instead of relaxing, you get up and start to clear things up first, which is not ideal again after having a long day at work. 

With parents working full-time and kids get much more involved with life after school, time moves pretty fast indeed. And that is when a family finds keeping a clutter-free home quite a challenge. 

So even before things get out of hand, here are seven ways we've rounded up for you on how to efficiently keep your home organized and clutter-free.

Set Goals

Set a definite goal before your operation "clutter-free house" kicks off. You have to make sure that you won't end up creating more mess before you even started. Begin with simple goals and make sure to commit to each one of them. If this calls for a family emergency, then meet everyone up and get each one's commitment too. Especially the kids. 

First, survey the whole house. Sometimes, juggling with a lot of things day in day out, you often get unfamiliar with your own home too. And that's perfectly normal, so don't feel bad. Maybe spend half of the day to acquaint yourself with the whole place, so that you have an overview of what needs to be done. Decide which room or area needs to be cleared first, and then tackle one place at a time. Once you've entirely organized one room, make sure to commit that you as a family should keep that room as neat as it is moving forward. 

Give each member a responsibility too. It makes the cleaning up much more comfortable and more meaningful too. 

Create a Sorting System

If organizing a particular area overwhelms you, the best way to overcome it is to create a sorting space. As you clear the things out of your closet, for example, separate the clothes you usually use, the ones which do not fit anymore, and those that you've not seen for the past six months. Those that do not fit can be put on a garage sale, while those you've not seen may be donated. 

Do the same technique in your kitchen and your bathroom too. Check the expiration dates and discard those that no longer serve its purpose. 

Use the 80/20 rule

The Pareto principle or the 80/20 rule means achieving more by doing less. 

If you are to use the same principle in having a more organized home, then the idea is to get rid of the 80% worth of clutter and make use of the remaining 20% to its maximum. It can be a little bit too good to be true when you first hear it. But ultimately, you will learn the fact that most of the time, you only get to use 20% of the stuff you own. Surprisingly, this rule applies to everything; your clothes, and even in your pantry.

Get Over Sunk Costs

Sunk costs are charges you've already incurred and can no longer be recovered. For example, you bought a brand new dining set two years ago. They're sturdy, and the design is very classy, which is why you paid for quite a generous amount then. However, for some reason, this dining set doesn't suit your taste anymore. Nor, you're unable to utilize it as much as before because of the newly built kitchen counter. You're adamant about throwing it away, and so you decided that it stays there - in your kitchen area, unused and gets filled with unopened mails.

Clutter then gets piled up.

You have to get over that sunk cost fallacy quick! It is human nature to irrationally keep things even if they no longer meet your requirements. People are sentimental and, again, cannot get over sunk costs most of the time. Hence the reason why living a minimalist and clutter-free life is a challenge. But remember that the sooner you escape that fallacy, the sooner you get closer to your goal.

Use Self-Storage

Sometimes, no matter how much stuff you have thrown away already, the built-in storage in your home is not just enough. And this is when renting a garage or a self-storage or renting perhaps could help. This type of service satisfies your urge to keep a piece of bulky furniture without sacrificing the space of your own home.

Luckily, there are a lot of options for storage units in Auckland to choose from. Make sure to keep a list of the items for your reference, and do not forget to keep up with your rent. 

Keep Like Things Together

One way of keeping things organized is by keeping similar items together. Simply because it takes lesser time to find them. Keep your child's toys in one corner and school supplies in another.

Use Storage Bins for Things Used Infrequently

Give yourself a retail therapy by going into your local furniture shop. Get some storage bins in different sizes and designs. So, even if you place them in the middle of your living area, it doesn't cause any distraction. Storage bins are more practical after all, rather than getting a carpenter to make a brand new drawer, right?

In Conclusion

Keeping things in order can be quite a challenge. At least at first. But as soon as you learn the ropes and keep your commitment to your goal, things will become easier as days go by. 

So the key is to start now and drop all those procrastinating hormones!

Author Bio: Andrew is an NY-based writer who covers DIY home projects, cleaning, and organization. When not writing, he spends his time with his two rescue dogs, Jet and Rocket.

The Plural of Lego is Lego

We have been digging Lego Masters recently and that got us thinking about something we almost always find when organizing playrooms. You guess it, that classic building toy, Lego. When it comes to sheer volume, few toys can fill up your house like Lego. However, from an organizing stand point Lego often presents a few challenges. In the past, most children would play with Lego over and over again letting their imagination run wild. These days Lego sets usually get built once and then sit on a shelf displayed only as a model instead of getting used. This habit can create space issues. Of course another issue can be Lego blocks strewn all over your house. It is no secret that scientists feel the most painful thing on Earth is stepping on a Lego in your bare-feet. Ben’s wife feels there should be an 800-number you can call after stepping on a block for the sole purpose of screaming into the phone. If your space is over run with Lego we are pleased to offer some suggestions.

Quantity

You may find that your little ones don’t actually play Lego if hundreds of blocks fill multiple bins. It can be overwhelming to see a sea of bricks with no clear sense of where to begin. Builders may also need a clear surface or table to play with Lego as carpeting can quickly become the enemy of small blocks. Before you pick the best storage solution for your blocks take the time to review all the Lego. You know your kids best and know how they play. Is having tons of Lego actually stressing them out? Perhaps they have outgrown certain sets. Are sets missing pieces? Lego can be donated to preschools and kindergarten classes (don’t worry if you can’t find all the correct pieces). Now that you have a handle on the Lego quantity you are keeping you can accurately select the best place for them to live.

Storage

We aren’t keeping these building blocks just to keep them, we want them to be used and enjoyed. Your 40lb six year-old can’t lift heavy stacked bins so they simply won’t bother. We want things to go in easily but also come out easily. Drawers work great for storing toys and simple clear versions can make for maximum space savings. So often we are rushed and clean up quickly and shove everything away. However, these days Lego sets aren’t only expensive they are also complicated with some sets containing over 700 pieces. Drawers allow for sets to stay together avoiding not only frustration but neglect.

Sterilite 20518006 6 Quart/5.7 Liter Stacking Drawer, White Frame with Clear Drawer, 6-Pack Buy on Amazon

If your kids are younger and keeping the sets together isn’t as important then keeping them in one place for quick use you may want to try something like a Swoop Bag. If your child is using Duplo or not making a specific set these bags work well. Storage solutions like this allow for quick clean up.

If you have time on your hands and lean slightly toward the OCD camp there is no end to how refined you can sort Lego. Just remember, the more subcategories the more plastic drawers or containers you will have taking up space in your home. Before you go down this path. focus on your goals. Unless you plan on spending a lot of time or have begun training to be a Lego Master it probably isn’t worth the trouble to turn things into a Lego workshop.

In order to reclaim your space from an army of mini-figs start with treating them like other toys with the understanding that toys exist to be played with. Hiding Lego in giant bins may make your feet feel good in the short term but organizing isn’t just about finding what you are looking for it is also about being more productive. And when it comes to Lego that means building awesome creations.