Days 3 - 5 of the 91 Day De-Clutter Challenge Week #1: Kitchen & Pantry

Pantry, Cabinets, Drawers

I have already worked over my pantry, cabinets, and drawers not too long ago. You can see these posts here:

• The Pantry (post 1)
• The Pantry (post 2)
• The Spice Cupboard
• The Storage Cupboard
• The Gadget Drawer

Now, I am not quite finished with all the cupboards, nor all the drawers, however I had a bit more work this week than I originally expected and was unable to get to all the things I had planned in the kitchen. Mind you, I still have a couple of days to go.

In order so you have something to look at, here is a video of our bird, Taz, rearranging my gadget drawer:


Taz is a Senegal parrot. She is 18 years-old in this video. She has been living with us for approximately 6 months now. She is a plucker but we are trying to gently break her of that habit. Her feathers are growing back, but some will never grow back. Taz is a good girl and a very happy and healthy bird.

My husband came into the kitchen with Taz and she decided to help me with my gadget drawer.  She was being totally adorable and active. She slowed down when she saw I was filming and picked up again when I put my iPhone down. (All those measuring spoons went through the dishwasher after she was through with them.)

I need to re-arrange my kitchen to add a computer desk and work station in it. I will take the rest of this week to do that and will post about as soon as I can.

Day 2 of the 91 Day De-Clutter Challenge Week #1: Kitchen & Pantry

Refrigerator and Freezer

My two week menu list
puttied to a cupboard door.

As I mentioned in my last post, I had just finished my grocery shopping and am totally stocked up for two weeks worth of menus. The refrigerator is overflowing. At the end of the two weeks it is practically empty and you would think we are starving, but we are not. I work my menu plan to use up all the food purchased, with minimal waste, and use the most perishables first with the canned and frozen last. It still surprises my husband (after 26+ years) that I can put a healthy, nutritious, delicious, and filling meal on the table when we have "nothing left to eat" at the end of the two weeks. But, I digress.

I did forget to take a before photo of my freezer.  I do not have a separate chest freezer, only the tiny one on our refrigerator. At the end of the two weeks this too is nearly empty. However, here it is stuffed as full as I can get it.

The freezer - After

This is as tidy as i could make it and still stuff everything that I needed in it back in. I do wish I had a larger freezer or a chest freezer. It would allow me to purchase more bulk items and have them longer.

Refrigerator Door - After 

I forgot to take a before photo of the refrigerator door. I know this after photo (above) could easily be a before shot for many people, but trust me, it was much worse before I started. I did get rid of all expired items, wiped down the shelves, and restocked the door. My husband keeps some of his meds in the door, as well, so I had to make sure I had room for those. Some of the items in the door are nearly empty and by the end of the two weeks the door, too, will be more roomy and tidy looking.

Finally, I remembered that I was to take some before shots. Here is the before of the refrigerator, proper.

Refrigerator BEFORE

Things are just shoved, willy-nilly, everywhere and anywhere in the fridge. I also need to wipe up the many spills on the fridge floor. I took everything out of the refrigerator and wiped down all the shelves and floor. Then I put everything back in.

Refrigerator AFTER

As you can see, it is still pretty full looking, but it is better organized with the things that need to be consumed first easier to access first. It is on the smaller size scale of regular sized refrigerators so I have to really make sure I know what is in it at all times to ensure nothing spoils or gets forgotten.

Scary Doors

I still need to tackle the fridge/freezer doors. It has been on my To-Do list for months. I ran out of energy but will try to get to it shortly. 

91 Day De-Clutter Challenge Week #1: Kitchen & Pantry

http://maryorganizes.com/

Mary from Mary Organizes Blog has set up a 91 day challenge to help people declutter their homes. I've decided to join along and try to declutter with her. I don't have some of the rooms she has on her list so I will do other rooms/areas during those weeks.

Schedule

I thought I would start with the before photos. I should come clean (pun intended) and give you full disclosure.  I did let the kitchen go for a couple days in anticipation of this challenge. I wanted to make the after photos more dramatic. These photos were taken after supper and before doing the dishes (and the after supper cleaning). I also had gone shopping earlier in the day and had not put away the non-perishables. Now I am thinking I should have taken the photos after the dishes were done and the rest of the groceries put away.

Kitchen Before View (before dishes are done, too)

The rest of the before photos of kitchen.
This is the side that really needs declutteing.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Storage Container Cupboard
Before | After

I got a head start on the challenge with the cupboard that I store my storage containers. It had become quite chaotic and needed a thorough going through. Any container missing lids and any lids missing containers were disposed of. 

Potatoes and onions are kept here because it is cool and dry. 

There are a few microwave pots and Tupperware, neatly stacked, as well as a rarely used food processor and slow cooker. You will notice that most of the lids are stored vertically with a plate rack. It makes it easier go find when needed. The rack was purchased inexpensively at Dollarama.

On the upper shelf (left side) cutting boards are also kept vertically. As I need a cutting board, I take the one on the right (by the lids) and replace them on the left (by the wall). This allows the cutting boards to be rotated often and used evenly for wear and tear. They are discarded when they are well used and falling apart.

Now I am ready to start the challenge.