If you are choosing to be part of our decluttering your homes series—when less is more to develop habits one step at a time, than awesome!!!  I encourage you to keep at it. I pray you worked hard last week and went through ALL of your kitchen cupboards to declutter and weed them out.   Take some time this week and devote it to your next step—-the kitchen drawers.

IF and only IF ALL of your kitchen cupboards have been weeded through, then I would say move onto the next phase. BUT if you forgot a cupboard here or decided NOT to tackle another one because it was so full…….go back and FINISH the job and THEN move onto this weeks section.

This week will probably be a little easier.  For most of us, we don’t have many kitchen drawers so it should go quicker.  But the good thing is, last week was probably a HUGE time consumer, this week’s will go by quickly.

If you enjoyed the video last week, I have another one this week, if not scroll down to view pictures and text.

In my home, I have 4 drawers.  That is it.  In most homes, those drawers can get overwhelmingly full.  Ever try and open a drawer that has one of those spoons that gets stuck on the inside, making it impossible to open??  Yah, try and eliminate that problem today.

I use separate containers for my silverware, that way if someone accidentally leaves open the drawer and then drops something into the drawer like strawberry jam—sigh—had that happen recently—close the drawer!!!—ok anyways if something happens to spill into the drawer usually it will collect in one of these containers instead of having to take out a huge drawer organizer and rewashing all of your things.

I got these at the dollar store and they fit nicely in the drawers.  We used to have a container to hold pacifiers and toddler forks and spoons, but we are almost not in need of that anymore.  I am down to 3 pieces for my toddler.  Eventually that will free up that space.

We have one that holds all of our cutting tools—knives and scissors.  I got rid of most all of my knives, we only butter bread and have no need for steak knives—because we don’t serve that in our home.  One person can only butter his/her bread at a time anyways.  Pitch the extras.

I do keep extra scissors, because in our home, these get lost quickly. I don’t know how or who is taking them, but if I don’t keep a few pairs they seem to disappear when I most need them.

I keep 2 small paring vegetable knives that work nicely.  I don’t have need to keep tons of knives around because they wouldn’t get used.  I use these 2 all of the time.

I keep thermometers, a brush for wiping on butter or sauce, and a can opener.  I have a love/hate relationship with can openers.  We have gone through so many can openers in our marriage.  I have bought the most expensive ones you can find at the store all the way to the cheapest.  I have used electric and manual.  After some time they just stop working.  How frustrating it can be when you need to open a can and your opener fails—–aghhhh!  Well this year I found one that was “made in the USA”  I thought I would try it and so far it has lasted us for well over a year.  Which is something that does not happen.

My next drawer holds a large container of foil that I bought at Sams Club—it should last for all of eternity.  I still have a small amount from the smaller box left and will use that up first.  I am trying to get away from using plastic bags so much.  I like to freeze things and usually they fit nicely into baggies.  I have been investing in large plastic containers when I find them to store my freezer foods into.  I hope to eliminate the need for bags–such a waste.  Plus, if I wash them and reuse them they can become a cluttered mess.  Right now I fold them and put them back in the drawers.  I do have sandwich baggies for my husband and son for work lunches.

This is our battery drawer—not JUNK drawer.  I don’t own one of those!!  You shouldn’t either.  In our home we use AA batteries up all of the time.  So I need a constant supply.  We use rechargeable batteries that we buy at Harbor Freight for cheap and they work well.  My recharger is in here and when someone brings me back dead AA, they put them on the counter NOT back in the drawer.  This way, I know that they need to be recharged.  I usually wait until I get 4 dead ones to pull out the charger to charge them.  Usually two times per week.

I also keep a small bag full of our electronic chargers.  We got them when we drove down here in the van so that we could have different devices going for the drive and I didn’t want to get rid of them because we will use them eventually as they do break.

I have another bag of regular batteries.  My husband and boys use these for their remote control helicopters, I keep them separate so that batteries don’t get mixed up.

Our garage is not conveniently located in our current home.  My husband asked me to keep a hammer and couple of screwdrivers up here so that he wouldn’t have to walk outside down to the garage to get them.

I have an extra vacuum belt and some tape—another request by my husband.

On the bottom we have our washcloth/towel drawer. I bought microfiber dish cloths in the same color–to prevent mix up of the cleaning rags–and keep those in here. I keep a few kitchen towels as well. I bought an XL microfiber dish drying mat at Walmart that I love!! I had bought one before we moved that came in a set for like $10 that does not work.  I found this in a separate isle and it costs about $6.  It absorbs so much water.  I can use it ALL day long and there is STILL no water puddles on my counter top.  A HUGE saver from using kitchen towels all day long.  I no longer need a big bulky dish rack—this does the trick.  You can see it on the video.

Keep working at it. We develop habits by doing them consistently over and over again.  Work hard to complete ALL of your kitchen cabinents and then drawers and that is a HUGE part of your home.  You can look back and be so proud of all you have done.  Up next part 3.

 

Having a messy home can be overwhelming. The habits required not only to get it cleaned but keep it cleaned seem hard to tackle.  Sometimes having our homes be in such disarray can make us feel crazy.  It doesn’t have to be this way.

Most women I have talked with are tired of the clutter.  They are tired of feeling overwhelmed and their homes being chaotic.  They want to make time for things in their life but they feel like they need to get their homes in order before they begin.  Unfortunately their homes are a much bigger mess and those new projects just get pushed aside as there is no room for them.

The problem is that we have bad habits.  Bad habits of just dropping things as we walk in the door.  Bad habits of just throwing our laundry in the corner of the room.  Bad habits of letting the dishes sit until you really need them.  Bad habits need to be broken.

As with everything in life, it is best to start in small steps to getting a habit imbedded in our lives.  Try some of these habits by implementing them for a week  or two at a time before starting on the next one.

• Keep ALL flat surfaces clear of clutter (tables, desk, counter tops etc.)
• Keep the kitchen sink empty.  Wash dishes as soon as you are finished with meals.
• When you walk in the house, put ALL of your items away where they belong.
• Have a place for everything and everything in it’s place.
• Clean your shower and sink after you use it.  It takes a few minutes to wipe down your tub and sink everyday instead of scrubbing it once per week.
• Put all your paperwork in one place and put it away at the end of the day. Don’t leave paperwork to pile up.  As soon as mail comes in, go through it and throw out any junk mail.
• Hang your clothing up or put it in the laundry hamper right away.
• Pick up before you go to bed each night—- a freeing feeling in the morning.
• Empty the trash each day.
• Work on 20 minutes each day of decluttering your home.
• Make your bed every morning–even if you are going to sleep in it that night–make it!!

This may seem like a big list to tackle–it isn’t meant to do it ALL overnight.  Take ONE task and implement it into your daily habits.  After a week or two add another one.  In a few month’s time your home will be in a much cleaner state then when you began.