HOME/ Organizing/ Seasonal

5 Steps To A Clean Pantry + Keep A Clean Home Free Printable

According to my “Keeping A Clean Home” Printable, I am due for a good seasonal pantry cleaning. It is perfect timing as the holidays are coming, so I need to see what I have and make room for the holiday cooking and baking items I need.

I will have people all up in my kitchen, opening cupboards and helping me prepare—talk about motivating! I love having a full kitchen during the holidays, but I don’t want to cringe when someone opens my pantry or cabinets! I know you feel me.

It will also be very helpful to know exactly what I have in my pantry when I am holiday menu planning, and really just meal planning in general. I get so frustrated when I buy an item just to come home and discover I already have it. Wasted time, space and money!

Speaking of money, having an organized pantry really does help save money. Not only will you buy fewer duplicates, but if you make sure all foods are in containers or airtight, they will last longer and you will have less waste. We definitely are better at eating up the food we already have when we can clearly see what is there, which keeps us from grabbing food on the go or wanting to order food in. All big-time money savers.

Last summer I made and shared with you this super helpful “Keeping a Clean Home” printable checklist. It divides tasks into Every Day, Once a Week, Once a Month, Once a Season, and Once a Year. This checklist allows me to focus in, know exactly where I am at and what needs to be done.

The chart is keeping me on track and I’m slowly working through it. I’m pretty good at the Daily, Weekly, & Monthly lists. It’s the Seasonal and Yearly lists that I really need to zero in on, which I have actually been doing! The list is on my refrigerator and I have about half of those Seasonal and Yearly items crossed off.

Would you like to print one out for yourself too?

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE ‘KEEPING A CLEAN HOME’ PRINTABLE HERE

5 Steps To A Clean Pantry

1. Remove Everything From Your Pantry

This will allow you to see what you are working with, what needs to go and clear your pantry for a good clean wipe down. This step is always entertaining, as I find all kinds of items that I didn’t know I had! I get inspired and a bit giddy about all of the possibilities of fun food I can make with the treasures I find.

2. Sort and Toss

Go through the items, start putting ‘like’ items together, then toss, toss, toss! Say goodbye to old, expired items. Don’t be afraid to get rid of items you won’t use, even if they are not expired. Donate them if you don’t want to throw them out. Use a critical eye and don’t keep anything you won’t use.

This is a good time to get rid of spices that are older than a year and bulk items that you have no idea when they expire or when you purchased them.

3. Categorize

Think “like with like.” Use the way a grocery store organizes their food as a guide to organize yours. Decide if you want to create stations, like a baking station, breakfast station or snack station. I personally always have a nuts and seeds station and an ‘oatmeal toppings’ station, as these are foods I eat every day and it is convenient to have them all gathered together in a specific area.

4. Clean

Cleaning will be a breeze with all your items out of the way. I used my DIY All-Purpose Lemon cleaner and paper towels from Viva to unleash clean in my pantry. I like using Viva Vantage because it has a scrubby texture like a terry-cloth, that is great for cleaning anything that is stuck on shelves and cabinets. They are so strong and durable that you can actually wring them out and reuse them several times! I used Viva Vantage to wipe the bottoms of my food containers and jars before placing them back in the pantry.

As you can see in the picture below, Viva not only sells textured Viva Vantage towels, but also Viva towels which have a signature soft and smooth texture, almost like an undershirt material. They are amazingly absorbent and won’t leave any residue behind. I like to use these to dry my jars and dust the tops of cans. I also use these to dry my shelves completely before returning items.

DIY All-Purpose Lemon Cleaner

1/2 c white vinegar | juice of one lemon | 2 c water

Stir to combine. Put in spray bottle.

Use the dusting vacuum attachment to get all hard-to-reach crumbs from the corners and any that fell to the floor. Now is the time to be thorough, since this is a seasonal cleaning.

5. Return Items

This is the most fun and satisfying part. Put your organized, wiped and grouped items back. Keep beauty in mind as you are arranging them on the shelves. If you use storage containers, keep them similar in color. My favorite storage containers are mason jars. I love being able to see what is inside and they look so darn cute. I also have a few favorite containers to corral smaller items. Keep it simple, keep it beautiful, and label only if it is your ‘thing.’

Now your pantry is clean and ready for the holidays. Hopefully, you have created extra room to hold all of those holiday groceries and store holiday leftovers.

How often do you clean out your pantry?

Are you having holiday guests this year?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

HOME/ Homemaking/ Simplifying/ Sponsored

Kitchen Savings Tips

7 Kitchen Savings Tips

I love spending time in the kitchen, but if I’m not careful, it can go from a place where we eat to a place that eats up my time and money!

I’m all about simplicity, efficiency and saving money, and a kitchen is a place that offers many opportunities to practice all of these things! Below are 7 of my favorite tips saving in the kitchen.

Use Quality Trash Bags

Hefty Ultra Strong is the trash bag for me. I have ditched cheaply made bags and now use Hefty Ultra Strong trash bags because of their outstanding quality and their new, lower price. Their name says it all, they are ultra strong are tear and puncture resistant, which means no more ripped trash bag disasters!

This saves money in the long run, with no need to double up on bags. I love a strong trash bag, but my favorite thing about these trash bags is that they use Arm & Hammer odor neutralizers– they smell great! I love opening my trash cupboard and catching a whiff of an invigorating, clean scent.

My favorite scent is their Citrus Twist. For those of you who prefer unscented, Hefty Ultra Strong offers that option, too.

Want to try them out too? Here is a Swagbucks offer for you..purchase two or more Hefty trash bags at Walmart and earn a $10 Walmart gift card!

Freeze Lemon Slices For Instant Lemon Water & To Keep Them From Going Bad

I always buy organic lemons, as I don’t want pesticides swimming around in my water. I have noticed organic lemons do seem to go bad faster than non-organic.

My solution? Slice the lemons, stack them in a mason jar, and freeze them. It keeps them from going bad, it makes your lemon water nice and cold, and they can be used in teas & cocktails, too.

Prefer limes? I have found limes super refreshing in a glass of sparkling water with just a touch of real organic maple syrup. It is like making your own healthy lime soda, and limes can be sliced and frozen, too!

Tomato Paste Saver

Most recipes call for only a small portion of tomato paste, using just a tablespoon or two, and the rest often goes to waste.

To prevent this, open both ends of the tomato paste can. Remove ONE end, BUT LEAVE THE OTHER IN PLACE. Store in a mason jar in the freezer overnight.

The next day, use the metal end to push the paste out of the other end. Slice into one-ounce disks, place back into the mason jar and store in the freezer up to 3 months.

Use Mason Jars For Storage to Save Money on Plastic Bags or Containers

I have very little plastic in my kitchen, thanks to mason jars! I use them every day for food storage and boy, do they make me happy!

Food looks pretty in them, I don’t have to keep buying plastic that just gets thrown away, it is easy to see what is in them when they are in the refrigerator, & glass does not stain like plastic containers do!

I keep all lids and rims in one big bowl & the jars on a shelf in the cupboard.

Make Your Own Taco Seasoning

Never buy over-priced, way-too-much-salt, sometimes ‘msg added’ taco seasoning packets again! This taco seasoning mix is so easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought packets!

It gives a much richer, “homemade” flavor to every recipe I use it in. I have used it to season ground beef for tacos, nachos, and taco pizza. I have used it to season refried beans or lentils for vegetarian tacos. It is great to season shredded chicken, too!

Taco Seasoning Recipe

Taco Seasoning

Prep Time

5 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Save money by making your own taco seasoning. This tastes much better than any seasoning you will buy. It is worth making your own!

Recipe Type: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: taco seasoning

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Mix all together & store in an air-tight container. I use--yep, you guessed it--a small mason jar. Use 3 teaspoons (more if you want a stronger flavor) per pound of meat. Add 2/3 cup water and simmer down until water is absorbed.

Use Cloth Napkins

I have two dear friends who taught me to do this by doing it themselves. Whenever I would go to either of their homes, even just for coffee and snacks, they would set out their beautiful printed, cloth napkins.

I loved that they gave a bit of a fancy, special feel to our little get-together, & the prints that each of them chose showed off their individual personalities.

Cloth napkins are so pretty & one can save a bunch of money by not having to buy paper napkins over and over!

Simple Curtain Hack

I’ve featured this Simple Curtain Hack here at New Nostalgia before, but it is so good I gotta share it again! It is so inexpensive & easy.

All you need is a tension rod, two tea towels, and some drapery hooks. No sewing or tools required!

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{For Your Pinning Pleasure}

So there you have it, my 7 top Kitchen Savings tips. Do you think you will use any of them? Do you prefer scented or unscented trash bags? Which Kitchen Savings tip is your favorite?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing/ Simplifying

Hot Spots In My Kitchen

{see the hotspot peaking out? Little do you know it is growing into a raging fire!}

Hot Spots

This past Saturday, I spent a couple of hours putting out ‘hot spots’ in my house. For this post, I will focus on the hot spots that were put out in my kitchen. Are you wondering what a hot spot is? I learned this term from Flylady, a home management site that I have been famiar with for years and whose language has become my own. The Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays we have here every Tuesday at New Nostalgia? Well, the anti-procrastination word is another word I learned from Flylady. I have been quite influenced by her and her wonderful site.

What is a Hot Spot?

A hot spot is an area of clutter that if left alone to simmer will turn into a huge pile of raging clutter & overtake the area. I call them my junk piles. Not that they are always made of junk, but the items turn into junk and become almost unusable as the are buried while the hot spot grows.

The main hot spot in my kitchen is on this fun little window seat. There is a corner that cannot be seen from the main door of the kitchen, so I stash stuff there, thinking I will put it away later. Well, “later” rarely comes. We all know clutter attracts clutter, so this pile grows and becomes a hot spot.

{ahhh..the ‘after’ is so much better!}

The process of putting out the hotspot always ends up much easier than I think it will be, and these areas usually only take about 5 minutes, but I procrastinate because I think they are going to take longer. When I finally do get to it, I like to set my timer and try to beat the clock.

The silver chargers you see sitting out were used as part of a centerpiece I created for a conference I decorated for recently. They just needed put away, and their home is right under the bench. You can see the knob to open the bench for storing. This is not hard my friends! Why don’t I just put them away right away instead of laying them on the bench? Aye.

The grocery sacks were taken to the garage for recycling, the salad spinner was put away in a cupboard (which I did have to organize a bit to fit it in), the potatoes were taken from their bag & put into a basket, and the crockpot is stored on a shelf in our home office as my kitchen has limited storage. Done!

The next hot spot is my counter. I am trying to get into the habit of drying and putting the dishes away right away. These are dishes that don’t fit into the dishwasher and that I wash by hand. I love using this dish wand with dish soap in it…it makes washing the extra dishes a breeze! I also love the ease of using a drying mat. It is the only thing I store on top of my refrigerator to dry in between uses. I bought mine from Target. If you are an Amazon shopper, here is their best seller in Microfiber Dish Drying Mats on and if you buy it using this affiliate link you will be supporting New Nostalgia with no extra cost to you!

{ahhh…feeling so much better getting rid of those hot spots!}

On to another hotspot right off my kitchen. This doorway is right across my kitchen sink and leads to the garage and the basement. Did you notice the grocery sacks took a break here on the way to the garage? All because of a hotspot that was in the way of the garage doorway, so I could not even open it to take them to the recycle bin. This is how hotspots work. They start small and you think it’s no big deal, but then they grow and create all kinds of inconvieince…like blocking doors!

The rest of that pile goes to the basement. Boxes, baskets and decor that I used for the conference that I mentioned before. It only took a few more steps to get them to the basement where they belong, so I need to get out of the habit of making this area a dropping place for items that go to the basement or garage and just take them there! Do. It. Now. That needs to be my new mantra when it comes to putting things away in areas that are prone to hotspots!

Our kitchen utensil drawer was a hotspot that needed a solution. I found that solution in a new organization system for our utensils , and it has been over a month and is still super organized. I love it when systems work effortlessly and this one has for our family. Yay!

{see this post for details on this Kitchen Drawer Organization}

The below image is looking in from our living room, through our dining room into our kitchen. I love that it captured my Colsie and her Dad in the kitchen. It also captured another hot spot brewing in our living room…can you spot it? I wrote about it here: Hot Spots In Our Living Room.

So what about you? Are hot spots a problem? Where are your main hot spots located?

Featured/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing/ Simplifying

Best Kitchen Drawer Organization

Kitchen drawer organization has been on my to-do list for quite a while now. This past summer, we had a full kitchen update (posts coming soon!) and I have been so very happy with it! Everything works so much better now, but one area that quickly became a problem was my kitchen utensil drawer.

We only have 2 drawers in our kitchen, but thanks to the update they are now nice & wide drawers that give us lots of drawer space. I keep utensils in one and kitchen towels and knives in the other.

The drawer with the utensils is the one I will focus on today.

As you can see, we were just throwing all utensils in there and it became almost impossible to close the drawer. Even the rubber mat that was supposed to be under all of those utensils was all bunched up. It was driving me nuts!

HOME/ Organizing/ Simplifying

Organizing A Small Pantry

I have a very small kitchen with very little cupboards. I am thankful that I have a pantry, even though it too, is very small.

I’ve learned some tricks over the years to keep it organized and functional. I find organization in the kitchen is key to keeping me motivated in the kitchen, cooking for my family and feeding them healthy food.

Here are a few tips for keeping a small pantry organized:

1. Only buy what you need for the week — I don’t have the storage space for buying weeks at a time, and honestly I think it keeps life much more simple to buy what we need for the week and start fresh the next week. Obviously some food items last much longer than a week (like baking powder and cocoa) but there are other items that I just don’t need 10 bags or boxes at a time (pasta, cereal, etc.)

2. Keep like with like–always store like items with like items. I keep all my nuts together in a brown wooden box. We have a bin for pasta/rice/grains and a bin for snacks. I have a basket for all my tea items. Keeping tea in a cute basket motivates me to drink it more often. Cereal and oatmeal stay together, as they are both breakfast items.

3. Use functional storage helpers–I love kitchen carousels and mason jars. I like to be efficient in the kitchen, and jars quickly show me what is inside, and a carousels display their items with a quick spin.

4. Create extra shelving with wire organizers — because I lack drawer space, I keep my foil & plastic bags on a wire organizer. The space organizer gives is just the right height for these items, and allows me to store things underneath them.

5. Use hooks– I use hooks for my duster, broom, mop, a holder for my plastic bags, & my girls 3 lunch bags. Hooks are a GREAT way to stay organized and keep things off the floor and shelves.

6. Buy an over-the-door organizer — this is one of the best purchases I have made. It has a tea shelf, a shelf for most used baking items (baking powder, baking soda, cocoa & salt) that I can just quick grab when baking. I have a vitamin/supplement shelf. I keep my straws next to those. The very last shelf is a deep one and holds my dish cloths, again, saving a drawer.

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I hope this inspires you to embrace organization even if you have a small space. Small spaces are a great motivator for staying organized, as one really doesn’t have much choice but to get creative!

What are ways you organize your kitchen space?

HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing

A Revolutionary Dish Rack

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Rubbermaid, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #RMDishRack http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV“

I’ve never wanted a dish rack sitting out on my counter top, which is why I would call the Rubbermaid dish rack ‘revolutionary’ because my mind is now changed. I know, it sounds dramatic, but seriously, this rack is pretty & looks great in my kitchen. No more nasty stained, flimsy plastic dish racks that are not even close to sturdy enough for expensive cookware, flatware and pots that need hand washed. No more eyesores sitting out on the counter top, and no more risking your most loved dishes being ruined by piling them in the sink or sticking them in the dishwasher.

This rack is sleek and made with much thought. There are no sides on the rack so it can hold large platters and cookie sheets. It is perfect for bar ware and good enough to be a holding spot for your precious china as it air dries or as you hand dry each piece yourself. The silverware container is removable, so if not needed, removing it provides even more space for plates, pan & platters. It also makes it very easy to clean. I especially love the wide rows, they are all the perfectly spaced with the back two rows giving even more room for pans. It resists mold and mildew with Microban, which is an antimicrobial protection product.

The Rubbermaid Dish Rack was so pretty that while I was at Target I had to buy 2 of them. I was able to get one for 15% because I am a Target Cartwheel card holder & they were having a special offer. Are you familiar with Cartwheel? I simply downloaded the app to my phone and whip it out during check out for them to scan. I’ve been amazed by the savings through Cartwheel.

So what did I do with my second Rubbermaid Dish Rack?

I used it to organize my daughters art supplies! The minute I saw that it did not have sides, I knew it would be the perfect thing to organize supplies & hold canvases, frames, mats and finished projects. The removable plastic container for utensils is perfect for her paintbrushes, pencils and markers. She loved it and it is modern & cool enough for my 13-year-old to be ok with having it in her room.

One more idea I had for the Rubbermaid Dish Rack was to use it when we eat buffet style. It would look great sitting on a buffet table holding plates in between the rows, and flatware in the utensil section. The little foot up front is a perfect place to lay a pile of napkins. I would even take it outside to set up for a buffet style picnic!

As for storing the rack when not in use, I plan on adding a hook in my pantry to hang it. Again, it is pretty enough that I don’t mind looking at it and don’t feel like I need to hide it away. I want it out in the open, easy to grab.

So how would you use the rack? Has poorly made dish racks kept you from using one? What do you think of this Rubbermaid dish rack?