I’ll be setting up a new to me kitchen soon. It’s a chance to re-think, from the start, how to store and access things. To try and keep the “junk drawers” to a minimum!
Share your best kitchen organizing TIP or TOOL (an actual object).
I’ll share one. A clear lazy susan for the refrigerator. Game changer to have 1 or 2 of these to keep on the front of a shelf for some most used items. One of mine currently houses our jam, PB, minced garlic jar, most used hot sauce and most used pickled item (like pickles or olives). Easy access and also easy to wash. Purchased at TJMaxx/Home good for less than $10.
Three cup pyrex glass containers with plastic lid. Use them every day to store left overs to freeze. We don’t keep left overs in the refrigerator (have to use right away and gets old). It is H’s lunches.
I have a single cabinet dedicated to all things coffee and coffee adjacent, including ground coffee, tea, k-cups, instant - decaf. The cake knife gets thrown in there for impromptu birthday parties as well as paper plates and napkins, oh - and candles.
Went to a commercial kitchen supply store and bought 1 large package (about 100-200 count each) of thin, clear, polypropylene deli containers in different sizes -cup, pint, and quart. I use these instead of any kind of tupperware. They stack beautifully and all take the same lid, so no hunting around for matches. They are perfectly clear so you never have to guess at contents. You can freeze and microwave in them. People think of them as being disposable, but they are surprisingly resilient and do very well in the dishwasher. When they do actually wear out after years of use you can recycle them (if your municipality takes plastic recycling symbol 5.) You can take food to a potluck in them and your host doesn’t have to worry about getting your container back to you. Just everything about this system has made my life easier.
You can also buy thicker deli containers made of various plastics, but those are translucent rather than perfectly clear, and I didn’t want that. And despite being so thin, the ones I bought have held up so well!
@Eeyore123, the key is only getting what YOU need. An avocado slicer might be clutch for someone who makes guacamole or sandwiches daily!!
Seriously though, so much exists now than what is on the shelf at your Target store. Some may be overkill but we all have different needs. Especially in the ORGANIZING genre as I think I noted in my original post of this thread. Not cooking gadgets, ORGANIZING gadgets.
I have three clear bins in my refrigerator labeled sandwich, salad and eat now. That way you can pull out the whole bin without looking for individual items in the refrigerator to make that lunch or salad. Works really well. Bits and pieces of leftovers go in the eat now.
If anyone finds a link to the clear plastic containers for less than 500 ct. please post. I have tons of tupperware but would definitely consider ditching it.
I also use clear plastic bins in the fridge. My husband has a set and I have mine. We group like things together but it helps us not eat each other’s “special” stuff ; ). I got them at HomeGoods.
I use nesting glass containers with lids for food storage.
