Getting organized isn’t easy. But staying organized can be even harder. A place for everything and everything in its place. That’s the mark of an organized home.
As a natural-born messie with a bent toward hoarding, I know the struggle. But I’ve learned the joy of decluttering and gaining control over my disorganized self—one drawer, cupboard, closet, room, vehicle at a time.
Today I want to update 26 of my best organizational helpers. I am certain they can help you organize your bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, handbag, and car, too. These organizers can quickly turn chaos to calm—precisely we need as we head into the New Year!
Makeup Organizer
This professional vanity makeup organizer is clear acrylic so you can see exactly what you have and exactly where everything is because it is large enough for everything to be assigned a space.
Holds makeup brushes, skin care products with lots of room for lipsticks, eyeliners, shadows, powders, and more. Large capacity. Includes 12 lipstick storage compartments, 4 open storage compartments and 6 drawers. The sections are interlocking so you can disassemble then make your own configuration as you want. Sleek, stylish, but also minimalistic in its design. Makes a beautiful addition to any vanity or counter. Easy to assemble, too.
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/71NgekuZVvL._AC_SL1500_-e1703775359699.jpg1105800Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2023-12-27 13:44:362024-01-05 08:27:3426 Quality Items to Organize and Simplify Your Life in 2024
I’m going to go on a limb and assume that you have a junk drawer. We all have one, and I don’t know about you, but I’m not about to get rid of mine. After all, where else would we put our … junk?
Recently, a reader wrote asking how to conquer his junk drawer. “I can’t find anything in there, so I keep re-buying all the stuff I bought already!”
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/junk-drawer.jpg8331310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2023-05-12 13:56:502023-11-13 15:11:56Update! Kitchen Junk Drawer from Chaos to Calm in 3 Easy Steps (It Works Every Time)
Would you be willing to accept a reduction in pay if you could work fewer hours to spend more time with your family? It is a lovely thought, but how realistic? Working less usually means earning less—hardly an option for most people. But that doesn’t mean you cannot take small steps to simplify your life. A little bit here and there, and before you know it, your efforts will add up to something significant.
Simplifying your life means keeping things simple. It means cutting out stuff you don’t really need so you’ve got more time to spend time doing what makes you happy. It’s about ditching the excess and keeping only what truly matters to you.
The late Anne Ortlund, in her book Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman, sums it up in two words: concentrate and eliminate. Identify what’s most important to you, and eliminate everything else. That’s the way to simplify your life.
1. Most important things
What’s important to you? What do you value most? Write down your top four or five. Memorize them so they become automatic filters that help you set priorities and make daily decisions.
2. Worry only as needed
If we’re not conscious of our thoughts, our worries can travel with us throughout the day.
There are tricks to tackle them head-on. For example, set aside a specific time just for worrying. When you give this a shot, you’ll see how much of your day is eaten up by those nagging worries and how often they’re just the same old tune playing on repeat.
Whether it’s a quick 5-minute session or a longer 15-minute one, dedicate that time to facing those worries head-on. And once the clock’s up, leave ’em behind and get on with your day.
Too much stuff leads to more stuff—and even more. All that stuff weighs us down, robbing our joy and precious time because everything becomes so complicated. Getting rid of clutter is a cheap, fast, and effective way to become physically and financially sound. It’s also the path to emotional and intellectual happiness. Dejunk your home one drawer, cupboard, closet, and room at a time. Expect to experience a new feeling of “lightness.”
We know the rule—everything has a place, everything in its place. Adhering to that ideal can be quite another matter.
But truth be told, once everything has a home, it’s easy to maintain a clean and functional space. Cleanup is quick and easy because it’s simple. Whatever it takes to reach the everything-has-a-place goal will be so worth the effort.
5. Track your money to simplify your life
Statistically, we know that money is leaking out of our lives at a rate of at least 10% if we are not keeping track of where it is going. One of the most helpful things you can do to simplify your money is to download a budget app.
Generally, a budget app allows you to aggregate your financial accounts so that you can easily see your financial situation. You can connect accounts, such as your mortgage, bank accounts, credit card accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts, and more. Plus, it is free.
Just because it happens to be a convenient time for someone to call you doesn’t mean it’s convenient for you to answer. Let your calls go to voice mail. Every instant message does not deserve an instant response. Telling your phone who’s in charge will greatly simplify your life.
7. Learn to say no
This is actually one of the key habits for those trying to simplify their lives. If you can’t say no, you will take on too much.
8. Run the dishwasher once a day
In most homes, the dishwasher tends to fill up quickly. Here’s a workable routine that if it fits into your lifestyle, can bring simplicity and calm to your home:
Every morning, after breakfast, run the dishwasher and then empty it right before lunch. Now, you can put the dirty dishes from lunch and dinner directly into the dishwasher and go to bed with nothing in the sink.
9. Record it
Write down what you need to remember and forget everything else. Don’t allow your mind to dwell on things over which you have no control. You will never regret making this a new habit.
Is your closet about to explode? Can’t even close those jam-packed drawers? Simplify things by ditching stuff you never wear. Opt for a minimalist wardrobe with basic styles and a handful of colors that all play nice together.
Part of the reason we have such a love affair with shopping and consumerism is that we think we need to personally own everything we use.
Before you agree to complicate your life further with yet another possession, consider the alternatives. Ask yourself: Do I really need it? Don’t I have something already that will do just as well? Where will I keep it?
12. Stop paying for cable
Due to hidden fees on top of basic service, the average household cable package is now $217.42 per month, which is more than the monthly average U.S. household pays for all major utilities combined ($205.50). Cutting the cable is a good step toward simplifying your life and, quite frankly, something you may never regret. With so many free or at least cheaper options, you might not even miss cable TV at all.
13. Take a break
You may not realize how screen time is affecting your purchasing and lifestyle choices. If you are addicted to Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, and television in general, taking a break will simplify your life.
If you’re not willing to go cold turkey, at least disable notifications. Then limit the number of times each day that you check your various feeds. FOMO (fear of missing out) is a real thing that has no merit—it is a fake fear.
14. Drive a simple car
High-end, luxury automobiles are nice to drive but can complicate one’s life. Typically, they are gas-guzzlers and expensive to insure, register, maintain, and repair. It’s a simple step that may take a while to achieve, but it’s totally doable.
Light-colored, plush carpeting is beautiful but can be life-altering. It shows every speck, spot, fleck, and crumb. If you want your carpets to look good without having to spend all your free time spotting, vacuuming, de-flecking, and un-crumbing, go with something speckled, patterned, or multicolored.
16. Get up earlier
The best hour of the day is the one right before you normally get up. It may take you a few weeks to truly enjoy that hour right before dawn, but when you create the habit, you will be amazed by the simplicity that 60 quiet, stress-free minutes will add to your day.
17. Cultivate contentment
Decide to be happy with what you have. The social imperative that we must consume to be happy breeds dissatisfaction and nonfulfillment. The constant ratcheting up of standards demands that we constantly upgrade in order to keep up. It takes a conscious effort to desire less.
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https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20240322-simplify-your-life-wood-credenza-books-bud-vase-white-wall.png8001200Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2023-04-17 07:15:472024-03-08 10:37:0017 Ways to Simplify Your Life: How to Desire Less
Want to make your life easier? Clean out, clean up, and organize your clothes closet. With an organized closet, you can see what you have, what fits, and the clothes you love to wear. Even better—everything is easier to find!
What’s behind your closet door? Orderly rows of shoes, stacks of folded t-shirts, and hanging clothes arranged by color and season? Or do you have a situation that could be declared a national disaster? If the latter, you might ask the President for federal disaster relief funds, or you could get organized.
Knowing you would feel guilty taking funds from disaster victims, here are simple steps to find calm in all that chaos. By the way, these same principles for organizing a clothes closet apply to linen closets, utility closets, and your food pantry.
Here’s the best part: You can do this without spending a dime—using items and tools you have already.
Tools You Need to Get Organized
Large bags, boxes, or bins
You’ll be sorting all your clothes—those that fit and you love, items to consign or sell, things for donation, and those for the trash.
Labels
If you have a label-maker, great. If not, don’t run out to spend money. You can easily make appropriate labels with plain paper, markers, and tape.
Full-length mirror
Yes. It’s time to decide which items to keep.
Trash can
You’ll find all sorts of little items for the trash, such as the contents of pockets, stray rubber bands, price tag bits and pieces, receipts, and so forth.
Step 1: Everything out
That’s right. Remove everything from the closet—every last hanger, belt, shoe—everything. This will let you see exactly the space you have to work with. Prepare to be shocked by the pile of stuff that comes out of that closet.
Step 2: Deep clean
Now that you can see the light of day, give that closet a good cleaning from top to bottom. If, after thorough cleaning, the space still looks a little grungy, follow with a fresh coat of white paint.
Step 3: Separate
Most people hate this step because it means getting rid of everything you do not use or wear. But what choice do you have now that you’ve hauled it out? There’s no way you could get all of this back into the closet, so buck up, and let’s get this job done.
Label five containers (see Tools, above) to separate everything you took out of the closet.
Box #1: Keep
Here comes the part of this process you’ve been dreading. Or longing for? Regardless, this is the most crucial step in this whole process. The goal is to keep only those items you truly love, fit well, and wear (or will wear now that you have found them!).
Keep anything you love and wear often. What’s the test? Try it on! Stand in front of the mirror. Does it fit well, giving you that “spark of joy?” Be honest with yourself. If it doesn’t make the mark, out it goes.
Put only items into this Keep Box you have worn or used at least twice in the past year. Be brutally harsh. If it doesn’t fit today, it’s not likely to fit any time soon. Get rid of it. If in doubt, do not put it into this bin.
Box #2: Maybe
This is one of the best ideas ever from one of your fellow readers. It’s not easy to say goodbye permanently. You will come across items that you’re just not sure about. Putting them into the Maybe Box is an easy way to transition. It’s not so much procrastination as empathy and kindness. Trust me; this works. The Maybe Box may be the one thing that keeps you motivated and in charge of this process.
I can tell you from personal experience that while the Maybe Box is very important in this process, it loses its importance as it finds its way to the garage or basement. Trust me on this: After six months, you will not remember what’s in that box. You have not mourned any of its contents; in fact, it might be a year or longer before you recall it even exists. But for now, it’s like a binky that brings a great deal of comfort. Let it do its job.
Box #3: Consign or Sell
Clothes and other items that are not right for you (as evidenced by the fact that you never wear them) but still have a valuable life for someone else should go into this box. These should be either new items with tags or pieces that have been worn seldom. Consignment shoppers are typically looking for name brands.
What you consider ugly may be perfect for someone else. What no longer fits you will fit someone else. Take those items to a consignment store or schedule a yard sale.
Box #4: Donate
Consider donating your good used items to the Salvation Army or another thrift store. You may get a tax break, but more than that, you will feel good. Put all of these items in the garage, the back of the car, or some other way to get them out of the house.
Your local animal shelters and veterinarian offices may be overjoyed to receive towels and sheets that are not suited for resale in thrift stores but have a useful life for animal care and comfort
Try to donate and consign as much as possible, while trash is only for items beyond repair or use.
Box #5: Throw away
Clothes and shoes worn out, hopelessly stained, broken, or in some other state of calamity go into this bin. Work quickly to ease the pain. Empty this bin often to keep the process moving.
Once you’ve divided everything you took from the closet, move Boxes 2, 3, 4, and 5 to the garage or somewhere else. Just get them out of your way for now.
Step 4: Divide, sort, group
Divide and sort the Keep Box’s contents by season, type, and use. If possible, store out-of-season items in another place in your home.
Next, separate your work or professional clothes from your casual attire. Now divide each pile into common wear and infrequent wear, arranging them so the items you wear most often are the handiest.
The goal here is to group like items—belts, sweaters, T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts; shorts, long pants, jeans, socks, and so forth. Search for easy hacks for folding and “filing” things like socks.
Step 5. Organization helpers
While not completely necessary, acquiring a few good organizational items will make this project turn out even better—things like a sturdy shoe rack, good hangers, and shelves in addition to your standard hanging rod.
Shoe rack
You have lots of choices, but it all depends on the space you have to store shoes. If your closet just can’t handle shoes and clothes, you might want to consider storing your shoes in another area. This shoe rack is really nice, affordable, and sturdy. But it’s just one idea.
I can tell you from experience that when you have matching hangers throughout your closet, you’ll be more likely to hang up your clothes and keep things organized. Again, you have lots of choices. I love these hangers; they’re in our closets because they save space and keep clothes from sliding off.
An over-the-door shoe rack can turn your door into the perfect place to store shoes or accessories.
Shelves
A good shelving system that optimizes the space in your closet will make all the difference when it comes to keeping your closet organized. Depending on the size and configuration of your space, there are many options.
This all-in-one organizer kit by ClosetMaid, which includes a small shoe rack, is just one way to use shelves to turn an inefficient nightmare of a closet into a well-organized dream come true.
Truth be told, these steps are not as easy for me as I might have led you to believe in the title of this post. But I have done them, so I know just how cleansing the results can be and the sense of peace that comes with a well-organized space. And it’s a routine I must repeat at least twice a year to keep it that way.
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https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/20240405-organized-closet.jpeg8531280Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2023-01-04 00:45:312024-03-23 08:46:09How to Organize a Closet in 5 Simple Steps
When I tell you that I am a born-messy, for whom the years have magnified that trait, it is not with joy. Embarrassment would be more like it. Join me as I step into the confessional.
Faithful readers of this blog know that I often write about the power of organization to defeat clutter, a subject that has been proven to be a source of both physical and mental chaos.
First confession
I write about that subject primarily to lecture myself. Writing about it keeps the problem clear, ever present in my mind. Messies like myself can easily slip into denial. We see the problem, but we can quickly move it out of mental view. That makes procrastination part of the equation. Writing makes me think, and that keeps the problem front and center.
The master bedroom in our home includes a spacious walk-in closet with a door. I tell you this so you will understand how easy it is for me to close the door to make my problems disappear. Can’t see it, for now it doesn’t exist. That lets me slip into denial. I’ll do it later. Next weekend when I have time to go through things.
Next confession
In this closet, we have a chair where my husband used to sit to put on his socks. Over the years, my problem has escalated to the point the chair and all of the space surrounding it has become covered, as in “buried” in piles—piles the height of which could be measured in feet, not inches. Clothes. Junk. Horrible. Worse than that. From time to time, I would dig it out, reorganize, and promise to do better. But then I’d backslide into my horrible, old patterns and habits.
Finally, I could not take it any longer. I cleaned the closet. Purged. Did all the things I encourage you to do. But more than that, I gave myself a little talking-to.
My spoiled, bratty child self agreed with my more wise and mature adult self that I would never again drape, lay, hang, or pile anything on that chair. Nothing. Not even for a moment. We did a pinkie promise, a heartfelt, I-can’t-take-it-any-longer kind of commitment. Beyond that, she and I agreed that I would repeat this mantra to myself whenever tempted: Do the right thing, do it now.
As I write, it has been 16 months—24/7 485 days. And I have repeated the mantra 365,876 times. At least. From that day to now, that chair has had nothing on it, around it, or hanging from it. More than that, there has been nothing on the floor. Not even my shoes, not for a moment.
The mantra has been upgraded a bit. It’s more like, [sweetly spoken] Do the right thing … [then as a drill sergeant] DO IT NOOOOOW!!!!
Yes, I am ecstatic. The change has been epic. The closet—all of it, not only the chair—has remained as organized as it was on that day I completed the makeover and determined that I’d had enough and would change my ways.
You should expect a follow-up post some time in the future, the title of which shall be: The Kitchen.
Lately, have you cleaned out your fridge? Once the expired condiments and forgotten take-out containers hit the trash, and the shelves and walls get scrubbed clean, you might as well go ahead and organize the refrigerator. The way you do that matters.
How to Organize a Refrigerator
Here is a general strategy followed in professional kitchens based on the temperature the foods need to be for food safety:
Upper shelves
Leftovers, drinks, and ready-to-eat items like yogurt, cottage cheese, and so forth. This area of the refrigerator is slightly warmer than the lower areas, so keep that in mind as you decide what should go here.
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/organized-refrigerator-v1.jpg13371310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2022-10-23 00:31:322023-11-21 15:41:53How to Organize a Refrigerator
Could you use an extra $1,600? You might want to take a look in your garbage. According to the nonprofit organization Feeding America, the average American family of four throws out $1,600 a year by tossing out produce that’s become more suitable for a biology project than human consumption!
Mind-boggling, right? Here’s a fun crash course on how to store fruits and vegetables so you can retrieve all that cash from the trash.
Start following these insanely simple tips, and you’ll be amazed to see far fewer of your food dollars (hopefully, none) in the garbage in the form of stinky, rotten produce.
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/Fresh-produce-counter.jpg8331310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2022-09-27 00:01:382020-04-08 20:06:32How to Store Fruits and Vegetables at Home to Remain Fresh Longer
If you think organizing your home or getting your personal affairs in order requires a lot of time, you might be right. However, if you feel that you just don’t have enough time to spend on these tasks, then you’re probably wrong. The solution is to recognize little chunks of free time throughout the day.
Best Idea Ever
OK, perhaps that’s extreme. But as I contemplate, that idea—a simple tip shared by one of my EC readers—has profoundly affected my life; I cannot help but define it as Best Ever. I’ve taken her simple —Figure out all the things you can get done in the time it takes to brew your morning coffee—and developed it into ways of organization that have genuinely changed my life.
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/10-minutes-to-declutter.jpg8331310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2022-09-13 10:56:482024-02-29 05:55:3010 Minutes to Painlessly Declutter and Organize Your Home
A tension rod is one of the world’s most underrated tools. Used well, they can perform a variety of functions to corral clutter keeping one’s household spaces beautifully organized. Typically used to hang curtains, there are so many clever ways to put tension rods to good use. They’re easy to install and won’t leave marks on walls or in drawers, cupboards, and closets. And best of all? They’re surprisingly inexpensive—cheap!
What is a tension rod?
Typically used to hang a shower curtain, a tension rod is a metal or plastic rod that uses a spring mechanism to hold itself in place, as long as it’s positioned between two smooth, level surfaces. This type of rod does not require any hardware to install or specific know-how. It’s easy for almost anyone to install and use.
Tension rods work best on narrow windows and spaces, typically up to 48-inches. In wider spaces, a rod with a smaller diameter tends to sag in the center. Using a rod with a larger diameter (think, shower curtain rod), can help you span wider areas without sagging.
What size tension rod do I need?
You should use a rod that’s longer than what you need when fully expanded. For example, if you need to fill a 24-inch space, get a rod that can expand up to say 28-inches. Tension rods always indicate on the label or package the minimum and maximum length. Make sure you measure the space you’re planning to install the tension rod before you head for the store or website. Don’t guess.
Installing simple tension rods inside a drawer can keep things like spices or other food storage containers, clothes items, or desk supplies in place within a drawer.
Once you set tension rods in place, you can change your mind no problem. They are easily rearranged until you get it just right.
Make a Shelf
Image: Joe Lingman
By adding a tension rod inside a cupboard you can make good use of its vertical space.
To instantly double your spice cupboard’s capacity, all you have to do is put a tension rod at the back above the very back top row of spices. That makes the perfect space for your smaller spice jars, and you’ll be able to see your entire collection at once. Worried about balancing? Install two or more tension rods close together to make that back top row more stable. So easy!
Organize Accessories
Image: Pinterest
Install a tension rod in any nook or cranny where you have two secure parallel solid surfaces. Make sure the tension rod is secure.
Next, add simple S-hooks and let the organization begin!
You can hang all kinds of accessories such as purses, jewelry, scarves, belts, bags, hats, and more!
Double Undersink Space
Image: Pinterest
Is that mess under the sink driving you nuts? It’s so hard to see what’s in there, right? Here’s a very easy way to fix that. Get a sturdy tension rod.
Position the rod high enough so that when you hang spray bottles by their sprayer arms, they don’t interfere with other supplies and equipment you place on the floor of the cabinet. Now, organize everything to see how that works. If the rod is too low or perhaps too high to make this work well, adjust its location until it is perfect.
Make a Paper Towel Holder
Image: Pinterest
Can’t find a decent paper towel holder that’s the perfect size, will tuck away out of sight but not fall off every time you dare to use it? Here’s your solution.
Install a tension rod in the cabinet, vanity, or other location of choice where you have those sturdy side walls. Now slip on the paper towel roll as you change the toilet paper in the bathroom. So easy.
To change the roll, loosen the rod tension, slip off the old roll, and replace it with a new roll. Reinstall the rod and you’re good to go.
Resources
Tension rods are available in many places, such as dollar stores, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowes. They come in many sizes from as small as 12-inches up to 12 feet! As you shop, make sure you are matching quality with need.
Here are just a couple of the many online options:
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https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/tensionrod3.jpg8331310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2022-06-17 09:13:352024-02-29 07:02:46Clever Ways to Use Inexpensive Tension Rods to Organize Small Spaces
“Sorry, my place is such a mess!” If you have to pull out that one every time you welcome friends or family into your house, it might be time to get organized. Marla Cilley, known as The Flylady, calls that C.H.A.O.S. … Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome!
Organization is an important aspect of any home. And we’re quite familiar with the rule: A place for everything and everything in its place. Right? The challenge is finding that place and then actually following through by making sure that place is regularly occupied!
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I love to cook. And I enjoy inviting guests for dinner parties or more casual meals. What I hate is the big ugly mess that happens in the kitchen as I’m cooking and concentrating on getting everything on the table. My kitchen is right out there in the open for all to see, which is why I’ve come up with strategies to cook and keep the kitchen clean at the same time.
Begin with the end in mind
It’s a concept I learned from reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. The first habit: begin with the end in mind. This has helped me so much, especially when setting out to cook and keep my kitchen clean at the same time.
I envision the meal all prepared, on the table with me enjoying it along with my guests. I see the kitchen clean, the sink empty, the stovetop splatter-free and shiny clean. Coffee and dessert are all sitting out, ready to be served at the appropriate time. Right there, a certain sense of calm and peace comes over me because I know where I’m going with all of this! I have a plan and a purpose.
Start clean
This means an empty dishwasher, empty, clean, and shiny sink, and cleared-off clean counters. Starting out with these three areas neat and tidy makes it doable to keep the kitchen clean through the entire process. You won’t believe the difference this makes!
Prep sink
This is an old restaurant trick and it is brilliant. Fill a sink or large bowl with hot water and a couple of squirts of dishwashing liquid. This is where you will be depositing cooking utensils as you are done with them—whisks, spatulas, spoons, tongs. Just drop them in the prep sink to soak. If you need it again, simply lift it out and give it a quick rinse and you’re good to go.
As you have downtime, for example when onions are sauteing or you’re waiting for water to boil, give all of the soaking utensils a quick scrub and rinse and put them back into the drawer ready to be used again. Empty and refill the prep sink as needed.
Caution: Anything that touches raw meat should not be dumped into the prep sink but rather cleaned and handled separately. Also, avoid putting knives into the prep sink for safety reasons. This is not the time you need to deal with cutting your hand on a sharp blade.
Garbage bowl
My garbage bowl is big and bright orange. That is by design because I want to see it and know exactly where it is at all times while I’m prepping and cooking.
My garbage bowl has a single purpose in my kitchen—to collect everything headed for the trash and recycle bin. I don’t want to be running back and forth to the kitchen trash area as I’m chopping, prepping, opening.
I keep my garbage bowl within arm’s reach no matter where I am in the kitchen. It goes with me as I’m cooking.
Everything to be disposed of goes into the garbage bowl—cans, shells, lids, cuttings, bones, fat, peelings, and so forth. If it’s not part of the meal and will be discarded, it lands in the garbage bowl to be separated later.
A garbage bowl saves me time, steps, and movement. It keeps me on task because it is not unusual for me to think of a dozen other things as I dash to the kitchen trash area with an empty can or onions skins. Big Orange keeps me focused and on task.
Also known as “prepping,” this means getting ingredients all chopped, cut, peeled, sliced, measured, and otherwise prepared first. Before the actual cooking begins. This is not easy for me because my nature is to jump in, get things done, and clean up later. But I have learned to befriend the process because the results are spectacular.
If you chop, measure, and portion out what you need ahead of time, you’ll reduce the mess created from a frantic scramble to measure and prep. Set out plates or small bowls (easy to wash up in the prep sink) that will contain all your ingredients as you go.
Pre-treat
Pre-treating is an amazing concept that makes it easy to semi-clean as you cook. It makes the final cleaning up—while the roast is roasting, the bread is baking, the salad is chilling—a breeze! My pretreatment is a wine bottle that sits at my sink at all times that is about 95% water and 5% Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid. It’s pretty because it has no labels.
My pretreatment bottle has become part of my kitchen decor. And I use it with abandon, refilling as needed. It could just as easily be contained in a spray bottle and kept under the sink.
I use this to pretreat just about anything as soon as it’s cool enough to do so. If a dish or pan cools off too much, things can start to cake on and become really tough to clean. And ugly! So I give these items a generous splash with this solution and let them soak until I have a few moments to get them into the dishwasher or I finish by handwashing. The goal is to get things cleaned and back into their storage spot.
Clean spills on the spot
Mostly I’m talking about the cooktop. Spills and splatters can quickly derail an otherwise clean kitchen. A fresh spill is a thousand times easier to clean than one that has become cooked- or baked-on. If you spill it, clean it up right away. This includes the on the floor, counter, and backsplash, too. A good splatter screen will help immensely with keeping the cooktop clean.
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/clean-kitchen-1.jpg8731310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2022-02-17 00:55:172023-12-13 13:29:38How to Cook and Keep the Kitchen Clean at the Same Time
Over the past few months, I’ve noticed a growing trend in my mailbox—readers in search of financial planners or advisors. Or assistants. When taken in the message’s context it’s pretty clear that not everyone means the same thing when they refer to a financial planneradvisorcoachassistanthelper!
One reader wanted to know where to find a financial planner who would just take her paycheck, pay all of her bills, invest for her retirement, give her an allowance, balance her checkbook, and not charge her very much. (We’d all like one of those, right?)
As you know—and only because I write about it so much—I may as well be president of the Artisan-In-Five fan club for how the book and method of making homemade bread have rocked my world.
Back when I was first learning to make homemade artisan bread (it is so easy), I decided I needed bread bags not only to store partial loaves, but also for presentation. Let’s just say that when you bake bread, you have a lot of friends.
Turns out bread bags are quite inexpensive, purchased in bulk. And when I say bulk, I mean a case of 1,000 bread bags. I did. I bought a case of 15-inch, gusseted bread bags.
As I look back, I’m not sure what I was thinking. Apparently, the idea of 1,000 loaves of bread ever coming out of my kitchen was overshadowed by a (then) bargain-basement price of large bread and bakery poly bags when purchased in bulk. These slightly smaller bags are equally useful, for about half the price.
While I continue to bake bread as needed by my household of two people, I use one, maybe two, bread bags a week for bread. But for dozens of other uses around the house? These bags are the best thing since, well, sliced bread! Read more
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/120215image.jpg416555Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2021-12-21 03:26:102020-08-27 10:41:4019 Clever Ways to Use Bread Bags that Have Nothing To Do with Bread
I have a theory that most of us would be more than willing to let go of the stuff that’s cluttering our homes if we knew these things would serve a worthwhile cause or help someone else—the good things, kitchen things, the highly useful possessions that we just don’t use. Check out these worthwhile solutions for most households’ seven biggest clutter problems.
Common Clutter
1. Vases, baskets, containers
And anything else that held flowers and gifts you have received. If they’re cracked or broken, no one wants them. Toss them.
For the rest, take those which are in “like-new” condition to the closest flower shop to be recycled. You’ll be gratefully received.
Keep this in mind: As you have possession of these things, they may appear to be more valuable and desirable than they really are. Once out of sight, they will become quickly out of mind. Within hours you’ll completely forget what it was you threw out.
2. Excess mugs, dishes, bakeware
No matter how pretty or potentially useful, if you do not use those items at least once each year, sell them to an antique dealer. Or give them to a local thrift shop or the church’s annual rummage sale.
If you’re fairly certain your items are generally desirable by your neighbors and local community, offer them on your community’s Freecycle.org site.
Knowing someone else will love and use these things should ease the pain of separation.
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/drawer-of-coffee-mugs.jpg8331310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2021-10-05 04:58:322024-02-02 18:36:107 Common Clutter Problems and How to Solve Them
If the paper monster has you buried under an avalanche of receipts, bank statements, ATM slips, investment records, paycheck stubs, and bills—the good news is you can probably throw most of it away without worry when you have a simple record keeping routine.
But before you fire up the shredder, you need to know what to keep and for how long.
Toss all you can
Monthly
Once you have recorded the amounts and reconciled your bank and credit card statements, you can shred ATM receipts, bank deposit slips, credit card receipts, and sales receipts at the end of each month.
Exception: Keep receipts for purchases that may be tax-deductible, those that involve a warranty, and any item whose replacement cost exceeds the deductible on your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance.
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/papers-tax-records-1.jpg8331310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2021-08-16 00:04:332021-05-12 12:55:06How to Store Important Documents and How Long To Keep Them
Whether your goal is to purge your home of stuff you no longer need or you want to raise some cash—or both—you have options.
You can sell your items on an auction website like eBay.com, list them in classifieds in a local newspaper, on craigslist.org, or give the stuff away. Or, you can create a killer garage sale that turns your cast-offs into cold, hard cash.
Plan ahead
Give yourself more than a few weeks to get ready. Make sure the date you select is not conflicting with a holiday or community event. Check local laws regarding signage, restrictions, and a requirement, if any, to get a permit.
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/garage-sale-1.jpg8331310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2021-08-06 00:56:572021-05-12 12:58:049 Secrets of a Successful Garage Sale
If you’ve outgrown your refrigerator, you may assume it’s time to start thinking about replacing it with a larger model. Before you do that, take inventory to see just how much stuff you have in there that really does not need to be refrigerated. You just might discover that your current fridge is a lot roomier!
While some items always need refrigeration, others should firmly stay outside the fridge or else risk being ruined and inedible. Then there are items that will do just fine in either place Do you know which items that really should not be in the refrigerator?
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/PicMonkey-Image-12-1.jpg10001000Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2021-07-11 08:05:462020-06-21 18:18:5327 Things Never to Put in the Refrigerator
I don’t know why some of us have a strong propensity to accumulate, collect, and otherwise hold onto stuff beyond a reasonable limit. Maybe we’re born that way. Or, more likely, we’ve picked up an understandable yet unfounded fear of not having enough of what we might need someday.
Whatever the reason, it starts with clutter that can quickly lead to hoarding—something that is expensive in terms of time, money, relationships, health, and peace of mind.
It didn’t happen overnight, but one step at a time, by applying these seven simple tips, I can say with confidence that my inner hoarder has been put in permanent time-out.
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/hoarding-junk-clutter-ocd.jpg8331310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2021-06-19 00:30:222023-02-04 21:37:097 Tips to Keep Your Inner Hoarder in Time-Out
Many outdoor cleaning and storage solutions can be rather expensive, especially when compared to do-it-yourself or homemade alternatives. Here some of my favorite cleaning tips and storage solutions for the garage and patio that will give you the results you need without the costs you don’t.
Chalky Plastic White Chairs
If your white plastic lawn furniture has taken on that “chalky” dull, ugly finish, it’s disheartening when you’re not in a position to buy new ones. Good news! You may not have to. It’s going to take some arm muscle and a bit of time, but you can get rid of that chalky finish, which is evidence that the plastic has begun to degrade to get at least another season or two out of that furniture.
Caution: Do not go for steel wool or scouring powder if you don’t want to scratch up your chairs for good.
Instead, get out the baking soda and that can of car wax. First, wet down the chair with a soft wet sponge. Next, Liberally sprinkle baking soda all over it and rub the wet baking soda/water mix to cover the entire chair.
You may find it easiest to sprinkle baking soda on the wet sponge before rubbing down the chair. Either way, the baking soda paste will work some magic on the chalky finish. A good water rinse job, towel dry, and then a dab of car wax rubbed in with a soft cloth, then once dry, buffed to a shiny finish will seal the plastic again.
You’ll be amazed at how you’ve prolonged the life of your furniture!
Charcoal Starter
After the food has been cooked on the barbecue, don’t leave coals to burn out. With a shovel, scoop them up into an empty can and smother them by placing a non-flammable lid over the can. They can be used again.
https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/white-plastic-patio-chairs.jpg8331310Mary Hunthttps://www.everydaycheapskate.com/wp-content/uploads/EC-Logo-by-Mary-Hunt-Tagline-Trimmed.pngMary Hunt2021-05-29 08:50:582023-08-30 12:55:31Quick and Easy Outdoor Cleaning and Storage Tips You Can Use
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My garbage bowl is 
