Does this look organized to you? (you can click on the image to make it bigger.) For some, it looks like a jumbled mess and for others this looks quite neat. My vote? It is organized. Remember, organization is about finding what you need, when you need it, with little effort.
So, why do I say this cabinet works? I know because it is a picture taken of a cabinet in my kitchen! Our family enjoys a number of hot beverages. This cabinet is located by our microwave and the sink. The two items we use the most when preparing our coco, coffee, tea, etc. So, this cabinet is organized to house all of the items we will need to make those drinks. Keep reading to understand some of the odd looking things you see in the cabinet!
Boy, in looking at this picture, it looks kind of confusing why I might say this is organized. I see what looks to be muffin tins in the back, a flower pot, some fiber additive and a plastic container with trash??? Yup! You see all of those things, with the exception of the muffin tins!
- I found that our coffee filters were a pain to get out of the cardboard box, so we put them in a plastic container without a lid to make them easier to access.
- The flower pot? It is one that we were not using and it is my favorite color. (a color that makes me smile anyway) and it holds creamer containers. Since we are watching our weight, portion control is important. One way we monitor is by using pre-measured packets. That means, I go to the office supply store and buy the creamer containers that you see at restaurants. The flower pot holds them and allows me to use the vertical space in the cabinet w/o purchasing a new tool.
- The fiber? Yup. We put it in every drink we make, so we keep it with the drink making items. That way we don't have to walk somewhere else to go get it. The ultimate response? We actually use the stuff!
- The thing that looks like a plastic container of garbage? Well, that is exactly what it is! You see, I found that I was lazy when making coffee, tea, whatever. I would take the creamer and sweetener packets and leave them on my counter rather than walking them to the garbage. Sad, but true. I spent a few weeks trying to change a bad habit and then decided to "call a duck a duck." I was lazy! Now that I have admitted that about myself, how do I take a deficit and turn it into an asset? I put the garbage in the cabinet too! I realize that sounds odd, but here is how it works.... As I make my drinks, the small pieces of plastic and garbage get thrown into that plastic container (one I had never used in our food storage, so it was good to re-purpose.) Then, when the container gets pretty full, I walk it over dump it in the trash and start again. The end result? No more garbage laying on my counter!
Most people try to make organizing systems that match what they think they should be doing. That is where many people fail. The more steps it takes to do something, the less likely you are to do it. By putting everything together, we are practicing the eating habits we want and the items get put away when done!
The other lesson here is that I did not go to the store and buy new organizing tools to set this cabinet up. I took items I already own, but was not using, and applied them in a different way. Out of the box thinking!
What do you do to make sure your space stays in order? Let me know by commenting below!
