Kitchen designers and professional organizers play a crucial role in creating a functional and efficient space. They work together to simplify the amount of equipment owned, update tired finishes, and reimagine the entire look of a kitchen. Professional organizers help individuals and businesses take control of their surroundings, time, paper, and systems for life. They focus on making the space more functional and efficient, while interior designers are focused on creating something more.
When choosing a professional organizer, consider the project’s scope and start small by purging items you rarely or never use. Some favorite projects involve collaboration between The Organizing Professionals® and local interior designers. Professional organizers help individuals and businesses take control of their surroundings, time, paper, and systems for life. In essence, a professional organizer is focused on making your space more functional and efficient, while an interior designer is focused on transforming the space into something more.
In conclusion, professional organizers and interior designers serve distinct yet complementary roles in the world of home and space improvement. Interior designers and architects should work with professional organizers to complete a space and make it the most functional. They can determine organization solutions and make the space functional, while the decorator can transform the space into something more. To improve the organization of a kitchen, coordinate interior designers and closet and storage installers where necessary and research best-fit solutions for the space.
📹 TIPS for keeping your KITCHEN ORGANIZED and FUNCTIONAL
I get so many questions about the things in my apartment and what I like and wear so I’ve collected links for many of them below.
Do professional organizers also clean?
Professional organizers and productivity consultants provide a range of services to assist individuals, though they are not akin to maids, according to Ms. Pastore Monroy.
How much should a professional organizer charge?
The cost of hiring a professional organizer varies from $300 to $800, with most people spending around $450 for a consultation and 3 hours of organizational services. A simple consultation costs $50 for a small project with 1 hour of work, while a full home organization and decluttering project costs $2, 000 for 3 or more rooms and 15 hours of work. Professional organizers assist with general home and business decluttering, bills, financial organization, list-making, appointments, and helping develop ways to stay organized.
However, challenges like lack of time, uncertainty, and overwhelm can hinder success. They can also teach how to maintain organization. Individual organizers may offer a smaller menu of services or lower rates, while larger companies offer more availability and a wider range of organization solutions and specialty services.
What is the difference between a professional organizer and an interior designer?
Professional organizers and interior designers are two distinct professionals who work together to create a functional and efficient space. Professional organizers focus on maximizing efficiency and storage by organizing and decluttering items, while interior designers focus on creating an aesthetically appealing space. They work with clients to determine what items to keep, donate, or throw away, and how to arrange them to maximize efficiency and storage.
They also help create systems to keep the space organized and clutter-free. In essence, professional organizers and interior designers are two distinct professionals who work together to create a well-organized and functional space.
How do designers stay organized?
It is possible to create schedules using a variety of tools, including notebooks, paper planners, Excel sheets, Google Calendar, and Notion. These tools can be employed to organize tasks. Post-it notes may be a suitable option if the individual is at ease with them, but it is important to ensure that they are used for personal convenience and not as a substitute for more formal methods of organisation.
It is important to track completed tasks and identify subsequent steps in order to maintain focus on the essential tasks at hand. It is important to utilize methods that are perceived as beneficial and do not impose undue pressure on the process.
Why do interior designers need to be organized?
Interior designers should create a schedule to keep track of their tasks and meet client needs. This schedule should include time for meetings, consultations, and administrative tasks like recording purchase orders and responding to emails. It is essential to allocate specific parts of the day for these tasks to ensure the business runs smoothly. Establishing deadlines is also crucial for maintaining a clear visual of the future, as they help to make unexpected tasks less overwhelming and make them less surprising. Overall, creating a schedule and setting deadlines are essential for interior designers to effectively manage their work and clients.
What problems do professional organizers solve?
A professional organizer can help individuals regain control over their home by addressing clutter and finding better storage solutions. They do not provide domestic cleaning services, so regular housekeeping is still necessary. The process involves a room-by-room inventory of possessions, determining what to keep and what to let go. The organizer helps set up organizing systems that fit your space and daily routine. If clutter is a recurring issue, the organizer can help maintain the systems.
A strategic home organization process aims to create a harmonious union between aesthetics and function in every area of the home. The experts consider the flow of activity and streamline layout and storage to match. They listen to specific organizational challenges and develop realistic long-term solutions. For example, if a small kitchen is struggling, they can discuss vertical storage options, organize the pantry, and use drawers, containers, and shelves to their full advantage. They also work closely with business partners like The Container Store and California Closets to optimize and upgrade closets, pantries, laundry rooms, and more.
Are professional organizers in demand?
The professional organizer market is growing due to the growing recognition of its importance in improving efficiency and reducing stress. This has led to a surge in demand for services such as residential decluttering, corporate efficiency, and digital organization. The market is diverse and expanding, and a career as a professional organizer can be financially rewarding, with income varying based on location, expertise, and market demand. Diversifying services, such as cleaning, downsizing assistance, or specialized event organizing, can enhance earning potential.
What all does a professional organizer do?
A professional organizer is someone who assists in managing physical items, sorting and decluttering, developing organizational strategies, and implementing a plan to maintain a clean and organized space. They are not professional cleaners, housekeepers, personal organizers, or interior designers, but they can offer design assistance and make occasional purchases on your behalf.
There are various types of organizers, some more generalist in their approach and some with specific areas of expertise. For example, a digital organizer helps declutter your digital space and can teach you how to use technology to better suit your needs. An office organizer focuses on file structure and office setup to maximize productivity. They are not professional cleaners, housekeepers, personal organizers, or interior designers.
Are interior designers their own boss?
Freelance/self-employed interior designers offer various benefits, including freedom and flexibility, diverse projects, strong client relationships, income variability, and a structured environment. They can choose their projects, set their rates, and design their work schedule. They can work on residential and commercial projects, allowing them to explore different design niches and expand their portfolios.
Building strong relationships with clients is crucial for freelancers and self-employed designers, as they can work closely with them to understand their specific needs and deliver personalized design solutions. Income fluctuation is essential, so it’s essential to manage finances and plan for periods of lower income.
Employed interior designers can enjoy a stable monthly income, a structured environment, learning opportunities, and less administrative burden, as they don’t have to manage the administrative aspects of running a business, such as marketing, billing, or client acquisition.
Are professional organizers worth it?
Professional organizers provide invaluable assistance to individuals who feel overwhelmed by their physical environment, including spaces such as basements, daily-used bedrooms, and bathrooms. They address issues such as clutter and strive to maintain a clutter-free environment.
What do professional organizers charge per hour?
The hourly rate for professional organizers typically ranges from $30 to $80, with significant fluctuations depending on the organizer’s experience, expertise, and demand for their services. This underscores the necessity for meticulous evaluation when establishing hourly rates.
📹 Kitchen Organization Ideas (from a Professional Organizer)
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Well organized kitchen cupboards and drawers Benita! I liked the idea of a small container (bins) to hold the jars of herbs and spices as it keeps things clean yet easy to access and utilizes the space very well. I cook all the time but this might be a great space saver for me as I currently have a 3 tier shelf added on 2 shelves in cupboard to see the jars but all the space underneath is wasted. Love the hidden smaller drawers within a larger drawer – amazing! All great tips Benita thanks for sharing!
Very inspiring movie. I ❤ it. I realized I have many things double or triple due to living in many places during last 20 years, where many things were missing. Now having all the staff in my own apartament and also received as gift it is just two much for one person. I think I should remove those things in a ground storage and use them if the old ones are used/ destroyed.
Well, I guess you proved me wrong. I really liked your green kitchen cabinets because they were such a pretty color and different from the usual white. However, the white cabinets really brighten the room more than I ever thought possible. Great choice and thank you for teaching me so many great home ideas.
Always inspiring, thank you, Benita. I have such drawer envy! Mine are few, old and so hard to open I put things in them I rarely use. Such a waste of space but as a renter I make sacrifices. Also, I have a tip for people who want to display their storage containers and spice jars but may not want to see the labels: I label mine on the bottom and will often add the expiration date. This method keeps things looking clean visually but I still know what everything is and when it’s passed its prime. I have a label maker but I also keep a roll of masking tape and a Sharpie in my kitchen and will often handwrite my labels. Since they are on the bottom it doesn’t matter to me how neat they look. Happy organizing, everyone!
It’s absolutely brilliant. I kind of wish we could have started from scratch with one adaptable system…but it wasn’t possible. I did study photos and plan long before we moved in, placed everything in about two days, and haven’t had to change much in six months because I focused on function so much from the get-go. Enjoy!!
Everything looks calmly organized & well thought off. Only one comment, I think you said you keep medication near the exhaust. That can get hot & medications need a dark, dry, colder place, with more constant temperature in order to not affect the chemicals & packaging. if you can, keep most of them elsewhere, aside from easy to reach daily medication.
Dear Benita, I have always had some issues with organizing a kitchen with a lot of upper cabinets. I am only 5 ft tall, even now at 65 yrs old….I haven’t started the shrinking that little old ladies sometimes do. Until just the last few yrs I would just climb up onto the counters….literally….to reach the top cabinets. Now I’m more conscious of possibly falling and breaking a bone. I’ve started drastically reducing my possessions so I don’t have as much in my kitchen as I used to. I’m hoping to possibly one day have empty top shelves in my upper cabinets. 🤞🏼. I enjoy perusal you, I always come away with a new way to think about something. I hope springtime is lovely there in Stockholm and you are enjoying a little more sunlight now. ☀️. Hej da from Alabama,🇺🇸
Honestly Mrs. Larsson, I liked the kitchen in the previous house better, it was bigger, in this house, thanks to the fact that you are very tidy, but I think you lack a counter to prepare food and meals. Cabinets that high are fashionable but impractical, they will become a problem as we get older, we won’t have as much agility to go up regularly to get what we need. The two windows in the kitchen are truly wonderful, what I would give to have those windows in my kitchen.
I am only 5’ and in the past used some risers in my dish cupboard to fit more on the lower shelves. I had three shelves and could barely reach the middle one on my tip-toes and had to get out the step stool to reach the top one. After 20 years in this kitchen, it dawned on me that I could move my adjustable shelves down into the lower half of the cupboard. I can now reach all three shelves. Looks a little funny when open and the upper half is totally empty, but who cares? I love your kitchen and how you organize it so much, it is a thing of beauty!
Excellent 👌 tips. Something that someone mentioned to me is that, just because you put things away in a certain place doesn’t mean that there isn’t a better place for it. We get stuck in a rut and don’t always look at small changes that could improve the functionality of our kitchen. I also prefer drawers to doors, but unfortunately I couldn’t fit in as many as I would have liked to in my kitchen, I do use some of those shelf risers, they work well. I also have some white storage boxes that hold sauces and oils, so if there are any droplets from the bottles it’s contained and easy to clean 👍. I always love seeing you and Bonus 😍.
Congrats on the new kitchen, it looks great! I do like to cook and bake, so I have a lot of kitchen”stuff”, but my current (rental) kitchen is the smallest I have ever had (three lower cabinets, with 1,5 drawers (one drawer only opens a tiny bit because of pipes in front of it 🤦♀️), and two very low (55cm high) upper cabinets, that’s it), and it has been/is a real challenge! There are two large windows, which is great, but it is an extra challenge when trying to creating a little extra storage space😅 I have tried the food container and spices thing, several times but A. Without a dishwasher I found the extra dishes to be a pain (especially those small spice containers), and B. I never have the right size container! So not all of the pasta fits, and I have a little left, or I have a container that is too big (and takes up more space than I have in my cabinet). It’s probably because I shop at many different grocery stores so the sizes/packages are always different.. Also, do you not drink tea?? I know you have a moka pot for coffee, but I didn’t see a kettle or electric kettle anywhere (or tea). (Can you tell I like tea?!?! I even carry “emergency” teabags in my very small purse, in case I visit people who don’t have tea 🤣 😂) Thank you for sharing! It’s beautiful!
Your kitchen organization is such an inspiration. I love how everything is so easy to see, making everything so effortlessly accessible. Your kitchen organization is also very aesthetically pleasing. I am preparing to do a kitchen overhaul/remodel, and I will be using your tips and tricks for utilizing cabinet space efficiently. I especially love how you’ve utilized one of the deep drawers that you have for placing a cat food canister in, rather than having to pull out the petfood bag each time for feeding; what a convenient and fantastic idea! Thank you for sharing your well-organized kitchen, much needed and appreciated, I surely will be incorporating tons of your ideas into my new kitchen remodel!
Hello Benita ❤- I really love your white kitchen – adding more cupboards makes the kitchen look bigger – even though it isn’t! I wish I could organize my cupboards like that – so easy to find everything. I have been wanting to get a label maker – especially love how your spices look. I never thought about how many times I bend down to get my cat her food or treats – makes a lot of sense to have it at a higher lever. Thank you again for a lovely article – have a great week! Spring is finally here – I love to garden! 🌺🌼🌺
I envy you those two tier drawers. Where I’m living has fewer choices for cabinetry than you do. I had asked about several features I wanted in my kitchen and it seemed like it was goign to overwhelm the cabinet maker, so I backed off. I wish I had been able to have them though (the two tier drawers, drawers under the sink, built in under-cabinet lights and the draining cabinet over the sink.) I will buy some containers for decanting things though. It does make a huge difference.
Such a cool article. I always enjoy perusal how others organize and hope I will learn get some good ideas and inspiration. I do have one question: when you transfer your items such as oatmeal, flour, etc into those great see-through containers, where do you put the expiration dates? I bake cookies every now and then but sometimes the flour expires because I haven’t used it in a timely manner. I would like to get some of those containers but wonder where I would put the expiration date. Thanks Benita.
I was amazed to see your label maker… I got one many years ago and it’s one of the most useful tools! I discovered that labeling storage containers not only helps me to effortlessly find things, but serves as a reminder of where to put things back without a thought. Its incredibly quick to make a label, similar to the time it would take to make a post-it note, and so much neater. Also useful on file folders, and to put dates on the bindings of completed journals.
We are moving in two weeks and are going to try a new thing in the kitchen. We have a lot of pantry food and I’m short, so keeping it in a top cabinet makes less sense. One of our neighbors have the pantry items in drawers instead, and some less used appliances and other things in the top cabinets. So now we are trying that too!
Hi Benita, are the containers on the cupboard plastic or glass ones? They look like they’re plastic and in that case it’s actually better to switch to glass ones and throw them away, after a few years plastic is no longer usable as it starts releasing nanoparts which go into the food. You said you’ve had them for many years and it’s not really safe. If they’re glass ones ignore my comment 😂 Beautiful kitchen ❤
What are the drawer dividers at 8:06 called? All of our bottom shelves in our kitchen are those type, and it’s so hard to store anything in them. Do you have suggestions for how to maximize the space in those type. I feel like everything is gonna fall out the sides, but the bottom drawer is connected to the top, so I can’t put a box to use the full height or else I can’t get the items out of the bottom.
Your new kitchen looks beautiful. You’ve mentioned several times you’re not a fan of cooking, neither am I. I would love to know how you manage a balanced diet with minimal/no cooking. What do you eat? Is it mostly raw, salads and bought in meals? I like to eat and snack healthily, but sometimes struggle for ideas. Thanks x
I’m also a very organized person so I just loved your kitchen organization. Just one thing, maybe it doesn’t apply to you if you don’t cook much but medication should not be kept in the kitchen over the stove, because of the high temperatures and the humidity from the steam while cooking. I’m also reading a book about the ikigai, from another author, but I’ll be looking for the one you are reading as the authors are Spanish and I follow you from Barcelona, Spain! 😊
I just had my new kitchen installed and big drawers underneath are a game changer! You are so minimalist and everything so organized. I love to bake so have way too many items dedicated to that pass time. I am stealing your spice container idea. Right now my different bottles sit willy nilly in a small Amazon cardboard box inside a drawer between my cooktop and oven. It’s unsightly. 😂
Your kitchen is really nice and neatly organized. I am moving in August to another city in an appartment. The kitchen there has more storage space. I am so happy with that. I want to make my own bread and I want to preserve my food. Here is not enough space for that. May I ask you what you eat when you don’t cook yourself? Just curious. 😊 Irma from the Netherlands
A women that thinks like me😉I am 75 and have my kitchen orgenized nearly the way hou have. My meds I keep nearer to where I nead and can store all of them in a drawer in my side tabel.🤣alfabetically orgenized. Supplys in pantry couberd orgenized alfabeticly and no more than two reseve.🤣I never have to check expiery dates. I do love kooking so have a narrow drower in hight but 60 cm side for all of my spices alfabeticaly placed neer the stove where I nead them. Now one that comes in my kitchen has to ask where things are😉it is common sens. A lot of peoplecan learn frpm you. You have a great nack at explaining.
hello Benita how are you and how’s your health doing. love your articles. they’re very informative learn so much from them. love perusal minimalistic vlogs. its calming and helps with design my room when I move or organise my things too. I love Ikea to move my furniture is Ikea. because its affordable and easy from because do stuff on smaller scale. im short so I buy small size furniture.
Thank you very much for this article, Benita. Thanks for sharing these great ideas. I am glad to see that we agree on the way to order the glasses and cutlery. My space is not very big, for the same reason, it is important that everything has its own place. I like to decant dry goods, but I use the instant coffee jars that come out. They come in all sizes. I take advantage of the space and do not spend more. By the way, the kitchen looks beautiful!
Those double doors with the internal drauw. are geest I alzo have them. My draw deviders I orgenize in the way hou lat a table. From small to large. Fork knife spoon. I alzo place them this way in the dish washer. Just take the set and place them where it belongs. In Dutch you say. Iedereen kan de was doen. Antone van do the washing up. An orgenized dish washer also helps in emptying it.
All very charming, simple,sober, natural … after all, all that transpires from this article, and from your articles in general, is the simplicity with which you deal with situations and the organization of your spaces.. so I can say that simplicity really is the need to always distinguish, every day, the essential from the superfluous… greetings from Italy 🇮🇹🌺❣
I think your carbonator is beautiful and as long as you’re using it why not keep it out? Plenty of people only drink carbonated water and if it’s too difficult to use because you need to get it out 4 times a day, then there is little point in having it! I wish we could put away more of the things on our counters but I live with family so appliances get used multiple times a day by multiple people. It doesn’t make much sense to have to put the toaster away 6 times a day LOL Off topic, but how tall are you? You look very tall in your kitchen but I am on the shorter side. I wish I could so easily access the middle shelves!! Have you been walking daily now that the weather is better or have you switched the walking for exercise like you showed in the article? I know on IG you showed a walk at least once, but you had said in a article you were not doing it like you had been.
Oh my gosh! Thank you for Not cutting out the “angry pantry door” moment, lol. My favorite things about you are how real you are and how you organize for what works for each person. I am looking forward to your unpacking journey as I’ll be moving and unpacking in a year. Thank you for all your content!
LOVE your kitchen organization. I personally wouldn’t keep cleaning supplies next to the food, but you know if it makes the most sense for your home. About the water – get a consultation about drainage ASAP! We had French drains at our old house that would drain water out to the street during storms. Getting them installed was WAY cheaper than paying to repair flood damage (about $300 per drain in my area 10 years ago). Also, check the basement for signs of previous water damage, around the doors, the baseboards, etc. Also, buy some sandbags to line around where water might try to come in in the future. In the meantime, enjoy the lakefront views!
You always have such good ideas!! I’m going to implement some of those. I laughed to hard when you “got angry” and the shelf fell. I’m happy you share moments like that and I Love your “stay to the end” stories. Looking forward to perusal you make your house yours. Thanks for inviting us all to come along.
About the “lake” in your yard. You might have a high groundwater table which would result in even small amounts of precipitation causing the pool of water. Are your neighbors dealing with the same issue? Otherwise your yard might be the catchment area of the surface runoff if it is located in a valley. Very interested to hear updates about this.
After I finished laughing WITH you at being angry, I totally related to how you test things after hanging them. YOU are amazing and I so appreciate your sense of humor. Your home is gorgeous and I am so happy for you, except for your now lake-front property. When we move, our bedroom gets the bed and a light and nothing else first. Second is the kitchen. That was now wasted time so don’t berate yourself. xoxo
I swear I’m going to start taking notes of what you say!! There’s a gem on every podcast episode and in every article! Saying we deserve one space in our kitchen that is beautiful, literally is making me cry! And I love your space. Thank you for taking us on this journey with you. I don’t know what I would do without you.
The MOMENT you go to slam the closet door!!! My life in 5 seconds! LOL Thank you for leaving those little moments in. They really make my day. I would LOVE to see you work in person! I need to get this stuff done at my house. I moved into my new house 10 months ago and there are soooo many projects but hard to do working and handling two kids! You are a rockstar!
This house is gorgeous! What a long way you have come from the basement daycare Cas, but I loved the Maletose79 pre-Milo days when we were struggling right along with you!!! My husband and I are moving into our “death house” (cause he says he’ll die in this house cause he’s not moving again) in a couple of months and I know your current articles will be such a help. Thanks, Cas! And congratulations. P.S. You might want to get a landscaper to design a dry creek farther away from your house. They are very pretty, dry in dry weather, but run like a creek in wet weather. The point is it will redirect the water.
I completely agree that the kitchen is the first room that must be organized and good to go on Day 1! I lost my husband four years ago this month so I don’t laugh very often but you had me laughing so much and I thank you so much for that! I can’t wait to see & hear all your stories. Thank you for sharing your world with us. God bless all of you.
I remember when we moved from our starter house into our dream home. So exciting, big kitchen, all 3 girls went from sharing a bedroom to having their own. A room for the kids and all they’re movies and article games and a lovely backyard surrounded by forest. The 1st day the 6 of us went into the forest to check out the land, so much fun! We all got covered in poison ivy!! Lol.. your backyard sort of reminds me, but of course the thought of a flooded basement, yikes!! ✌♥️🕉
Your yard is amazing. You may want to consider a “dry creek bed” landscape for your back yard. The way I’ve seen it done is that you landscape your yard like the water is there all the time, except put nice looking rocks and gravel in to make it look like a dry creek bed when the water is not there. Add hearty plants like rushes and cattails, and not only does it look good when the water isn’t there, it saves on mowing and maintaining a yard full of grass, which IMHO is a waste of time and resources. I’m sure there are articles out there that explains this better than I am, but done well it really looks nice. Hope that helps!
Congratulations on your New Home and the fastest most efficient Kitchen organisation I have ever seen! 😃👏 Your home is beautiful, and either getting the soakaways/French drains cleared (or installed, which you could do yourselves) would definitely help your garden! If you still have water after that build a pond or natural swimming pool with a stream to divert the runoff away from your Gorgeous Home! And willows will dry out the water too but don’t plant too close to the house foundations! On a side note I have never seen ANY mean spirited comments before on this website, all this weird pettiness shows is jealousy because you have a lovely new Home (and very well deserved). Being jealous just pushes abundance away from you ladies, it’s the opposite of manifesting, something to consider. Especially as Cas said she had issues of feeling undeserving of her lovely new home in her last podcast. Let’s support her and give her encouragement so she knows her worth keeps wanting to make us all free articles! Well done Cas, and that was so interesting hearing your thought process as to why each thing goes where! 😃💖
In Florida here tomatoes have to go in the fridge so the roaches don’t take bites at night. 😁 Your pantry and your oils/spices look fabulous!!! I use a utensil crock on my counter so I don’t have to store as much in the drawers. But I did treat myself to bamboo drawer organizers finally about 3 years ago. I love it!!! Congrats on the new house, sorry about the lake, wow!
Cass, I’m so excited for you and your family!🎉 Your home is beautiful and I love how you organized your kitchen! The angry door slam was great!😂 Joe is definitely wrong about organizing the kitchen first. You did the right thing, otherwise, everyone will be yelling, “Mom, where are the cups, cutlery, plates, snacks etc.” We set up the kitchen and beds with bedding first and one bathroom. It worked out so much better! I love how you organized your kitchen and pantry! It’s beautiful! I’m excited to see how you organize the rest of your home! Its beautiful!
Girl u r a trip I love u to pieces … Loved the angry door slam that was beautiful I lmao out loud….ur so funny and real down to earth, ur my kinda gal. As for wasting time that was definitely not wasting time..u will be so happy just because ur kitchen is already done….ur the best thanks for being u.. Good luck with ur lake I hope it isn’t too bad.
When we moved a year ago, I used birthday money and treated myself to new silicone/wood kitchen tools and a beautiful ceramic container for my countertop. I LOVE IT! It’s decorative and so convenient when I need a spatula, I’m not digging for it (like I’ve done my entire life). I’m all about hiding clutter, but this was a major win for me!
Loveeee the kitchen organization! It makes me rethink how mine is, and I notice that some things aren’t as good as I’d like… To be continued… 😅 Also, for the backyard: have a seasoned landscaper (or other pro) come in and assess some things: water table depth, water runoff inlets/outlets, do you need/can you have drainage tiles instlled, etc… We have a super high water table (our subpump runs constantly). We have a hickenbottom and tile running through the backyard to the ditch to help. (We are farmers though, so do the work ourselves lol) good luck!!!
I have a spice drawer!!!! Did it 2 weeks ago! First time decanting things. I didnt really have a plan for using the same funnel for everything since if i didn’t clean it the spices would cross over, but if i did, then it wouldn’t be properly dried for the next one and it could clump up! So i opted to just free pour and hope for the best
As an Aussie, when I heard the hot cocoa station was for milo I nodded along, and was so glad that you guys have proper milo in the US too! 🎉 Then I realised it was your sons name 😂 For context “milo” is our favourite chocolate drink that we make as hot chocolate in winter and with cold milk in summer 😅
I do love the kitchen. My favorite spot to complete is the master bedroom. I was a military wife. We moved every 1-2 years. I found that we ate out the first 1-2 days. The bedroom was my sanctuary at the end of the day. A shower and sleep on clean sheets restored me. The kids always bunked in the living room and “camped”. The next day I would unpack the kitchen and bath. The third day was the kids’ rooms, and then the rest of the house. I must say I do not miss moving! Lol
If your backyard is a perpetual pond, you could look into some swamp loving/water hungry plants. To help with some stream bank erosion/flooding issues, my friends put in a bunch of willows like 10 years ago and it’s helped so much! Definitely reach out to a local garden center though, they are a wealth of information about this sort of thing
Between the “Organizationnnnn!”, the slammed door, the pink screwdriver that HAS to do the job, and the new lake, I had a ball 😂. Congrats again on the new house!! And this exercise was not a waste of time at all. I thought it was genius that you set up the food and the cleaning stations before the big moving day. All you have to do now is have the heavy lifters bring the big stuff in and not have to worry about setting the kitchen up at the same time. Great work!
I just helped my sister move, and I got the kitchen ready for her first and foremost! She was so relieved! She told me she was holding off because she was so overwhelmed. But after that, everything was smooth for her. I tried my best to organize everything and told her move what works and doesn’t work, but at least it’s ready to use and clean! I cleaned everything 😮
Decanting spices was actually game changing for me. I never wanted to spend the money, but they got so affordable that I couldn’t resist. I have mine alphabetized and they actually fit well which leads me to put them back where they go. Thus miracle of miracle I can find them when I need them. It also makes it where I can easily tell what I need to repurchase.
Your back yard and house are beautiful. Can’t wait to see how you bring it all together. The back yard may just be a flood plain and to eliminate the issue you might consider having dirt brought in to build it up so it is not a water bowl for rain or enough to make more of a slope away from the house.
Congratulations on having a new home! I refuse to use kcups. I need to move my teas over to my coffee area. We put our coffee above our coffee maker. Other organizers agree with you on keeping like with like. It really does make a difference. My spices are in a rolling spice rack. I love your measuring cup and spoon idea.Thank you for the inspiration.
I have no idea why I never thought of using the inside of the cabinet for measuring spoons and cups! I’ve been rolling these things around in my stuffed utensil drawer! By the way, am slowly weeding out that crowded utensil drawer! Not so easy for moi! Thanks for your cheery helpful articles!! 90k views in a day!!! Yay you Cass!! You’re my most relatable organizer with the adhd!! THANK YOU!!
First, this is absolutely fantastic! I’m so happy for you!!! Now, about this decanting. Ugh. I’m not a decanter because it’s insanely inefficient and frustrating. You decanted your olive oil and STILL have the bottle of olive oil. That goes in an alternate location, causing olive oil to take up more space than it has a right to. PLUS, you have to remember to refill the fancy bottle and be sure to rotate new stock coming in (which, admittedly, is easier for oil than for some other things) and my brain just can’t keep all that straight. Know what I mean? Too much attention to my household inventory 😅
My husband was active duty for 23 years, so we did our fair share of moving over the years. The kitchen was ALWAYS the first room I tackled! Our last move was quite interesting: I was leaving on a three week business trip two days after our household goods were delivered. I got the kitchen unpacked and organized, packed my suitcase, and headed to the airport. When I finally made it back home, I had no idea where anything was except for my kitchen stuff 😂
Great article as always! My entire kitchen is about as large as your pantry but hey – I still found your article inspiring. As for the garden/yard, well, looks like you have a ready made lake every now and again! Penny loves it! Seriously, have you asked the previous owners what they thought/did with the basement on rainy days? Maybe in time you could look to having it drained and maybe plant even more trees that will soak up the water. A swimming pool? A water reservoir for possible droughts? Canadian beavers? No, they would dam the whole thing and make it worse! I don’t know!
I was so totally involved in your many storage ideas and items that when, at the end of the article, you had your little “incident” with the elfa unit, I jumped up, let out a bit of a scream, scared the puppy who came flying out of the window seat to see if I was ok, and sat here laughing. Cas, you are so good for my organizational life, but more so for emotional health! I”m looking forward to seeing you work on this house. BTW, Joe, this stuff is important!!
OMG! The “angry” pantry door moment made me laugh out loud. 😆 Thanks for not cutting it out. I love how you celebrate small victories and laugh at your own mistakes because I can relate 100%. Why invest in installing a pool when you can have a pond? You may not like it, but you dog seems very happy.
The white walls look great in your new kitchen! It’s clean, looks fresh, and is so much prettier than the green that was there previously. What a phenomenal kitchen, Cas – the custom cabinetry with the lazy Susan & the pull-out drawers in lieu of shelves is fantastic. I’m so happy for you and your family. I just keep thinking how deserving you are to have all these upgrades that allow for such dreamy organization. ❤
Hi Cas! Im SO EXCITED for you!I love your new kitchen and your pretty bamboo things! You will NOT be sad your kitchen is already set up! Also set up beds first thing so you can get a good night’s sleep and pack an overnight bag for everyone including fur babies, for a few days, including essential toiletries. Happy Moving! ❤
Congratulations on your new home! So fun and lovely! You’ll need to regrade and raise the backyard. My hubby did that at our home as the creek behind us would turn our yard into a lake just as yours! He raised the backyard 3 feet! It took many dump trucks of fill (which you can find online or at nearby construction projects for free!) and then he hired a bobcat and driver who spread it all! Or find an irrigation specialist to redirect the water further out your property. Good luck!
The springy drawer dividers started to destroy my drawers from the pressure pushing the back of the drawer away from the sides when I used them in a dresser, so I won’t EVER use them after that experience. You can make your own custom dividers with balsa wood or core board and hot glue that won’t create that problem.
Congratulations on the new house Cas!! I love it!! So happy for you and your family!! Penny seems to be enjoying it just fine!😅 I hope y’all can find a solution to the lake though. Love all the kitchen organization! But dont get angry when you close that door!!😮 I literally laughed so hard!!🤣🤣🤣 Love your articles!! You are amazing!!❤❤❤
Your kitchen is so beautiful! So excited for all the new house organizing articles!!! Be careful putting your mixer in a drawer. I did that at my last apartment and over time, the slider bent and stopped working. It was bad, and the drawer kept falling down. Not a fun time! I love drawers in cabinets, but if they hold heavy items, over time they break down.
The spices will be infinitely more useful if: you take those same uniformly shaped, clear decanted jars, put labels on the lids, or on the bottoms, whichever is facing out, and lay them on their side in a little wood shelving rack. They slide easily in and out, everything is single-stacked, so you can see what you have and they don’t block other jars. Also, place the olive oil, salt and pepper grinders on the counter, so that they can be used for cooking daily.
14:52….belongs in a movie. That was awesome, LMBO!! I can tell I’m going to smile like Clark Griswold through all of the new home articles–so happy for you!! Aaaand, uh..living vicariously 😁NGL my jaw dropped on the “end” bonus, thought you were joking about the lakefront property 😮OH my gosh!! I’m sorry about that part, but I know you’ll figure it out. Beautiful kitchen!! 🥰🥰
I am SO excited for you & the fam! I also dislike looking at the toaster, but I use it fairly often. I put it inside a (cheap), shallow storage bin. SO much easier to grab & put away behind the closed cabinet door AND the pesky toaster droppings aka crumbs don’t go all over the place during “transport”. 😀
I just love your new home it’s amazing the only thing that concerns me is your lake in back I would contact an attorney the previous owner had to know the problem and they must disclose that in the sale agreement. My grandson has been going through a similar situation about the septic system and he purchased the property a year and a half ago and it still hasn’t been settled. Best of luck 🤞 with whatever you decide.
Wow! So pretty and organized!! I honestly don’t ever see myself having such organization, but I love it and how it looks! I’m a work in progress right now. I was happy that I finally found spice shelves to fit my 9″ wide cupboard by my stove! They make it so I can see them and easily get one out😁 Suggestion for backyard water issue. Maybe could dig a pond on back of property or somewhere away from house and create a drainage system with piping to drain water off land to there. If you direct water where you want it to go instead of it flooding so near the house. No expert, just an idea.
When we bought our current home I made sure to try and have kitchen essential and bathroom essentials at the ready! Everybody is going to get hungry, and everyone will have to “go” eventually, smart move to have the kitchen ready, and it looks amazing! Couldn’t have planned that test with the door any better! LOL!! All of our drawers and doors are now soft close, makes me mad sometimes I can’t slam a door or drawer anymore! LOL! OMG, I can’t get over the water, that’s crazy, and scary with the basement and how close it’s getting. I’m amazed nothing has to be disclosed or anything like that. You’re taking it in such good stride, I’d be a total basket case! Makes me wonder if that’s why the last family moved?! Can’t wait to watch all the updates!! The home is so gorgeous!!
Great article, the kitchen is so beautiful! I love how you organized it! For spices, I was excited about our new kitchen 4 years ago, we have a small cubboard that is 3 shelves and I put in small lazy susans for my spices that fit perfectly! It does make you feel great, I love the look of your spices as well. Best of luck to you on the water situation! Praying it all works out for you!
Yes. We too. Are a foot to three feet deep in water 1 acre. . The secondary waterline has been drained. So I pray for the water to drain to water levels to keep grounds too dry, and plants n us watered as needed. I*. It works for me.* have a blessed day. Congratulations on your new home. And thank you all for teaching me. Ps. Growing up we had a nice home : 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom, kitchen w/ dining room ; living room. . Family traditions. Family time, meals together ; home cooked dinner, breakfast, pnut butter n jam sandwich’s for lunch. Routines. No extra ; we had clothes for play, for ch urch, shoes for school, play, & church. No extras just simple. Living.
I agree the kitchen is the easiest place to start when unpacking, simply because the kitchen space is pretty predetermined by the cabinets, large appliances, etc. It’s easier to decide where things should go. The bathroom is next. Same reason. Layout is predetermined. The other rooms are where my adhd and ocd like it duke it out over who’s going to cause me the most difficulties and drive me the craziest 🤪 while I’m trying to find homes for everything. Also, things look better decanted, but I hate when my pretty container isn’t big enough for all the product, and I end up with 2 spaces being taken up by the 1 product.
Omg, that water is way more than a French drain can handle. I suggested that last week. Take pictures, from every angle and when busy season is here you need a whole landscaping project but you need to show pictures to the professionals. That is big time trenching with excavator Sump pump, maybe not only one, so many sump pump for sure. And the basement, nothing on the floor. No boxes, no cables, everything lifted, only big furniture. Dream space for a roomba. Love the kitchen
Cas, perusal you seriously lowers my depression. You cheer me up for some reason. And I have used TONS of your tips and am a much more organized person than I was a few years ago. I think the reason we all love you is you are constantly telling us that you were/are a bit lazy and used to be totally disorganized years ago. But you give us hope because YOU are the improved person WE can see ourselves to be. We see it is possible. (And I love your end stories. Please don’t ever quit doing those). Best wishes to you and your family in your new home! ❤❤
Cass, you really need to bring in a professional landscaper, to make recommendations for the yard. It will probably cost a bit, but not as much as it will cost to clean the water out of your basement, if you get more water. My other question would be, while it’s a beautiful home, was the realtor and seller up front about the water issue? If not, you might be due some compensation 🙂Can’t wait to see your decorating articles.
Great source of inspiration. Amazing storage. I’m having a tough time at present, Hubby and my Mum both passed away, but I did have to laugh when everything fell off the door, made my morning. Thank you for not editing that out. Gives me hope that at some point I will have my home organised and functional. Slowly getting there one space at a time. I know you are busy, but hopefully I could share some of my spaces at sometime. Best wishes from England. Xxx
I love the kitchen it looks great! I too had the drawer struggle. I love my apartment but we literally have two drawers total. I have silverware in one and dish towels in the other. My spatulas had to get a container by the stove. It does have the rotating lazy Susan cabinet that I keep like my crock pot, toaster, etc. Luckily I’m visual but I’m working on less cluttered counters.
Great article and I always love how real you are! Totally LOL when you slammed the pantry door!! I’ll hopefully be moving back into my house in a few months after a burst fire sprinkler pipe flood (last December 🤦🏼♀️) and there are some great ideas for re-organizing my kitchen when we move back in! Best of luck with figuring out the water issue… yikes!
We had one of those racks fall on our heads as well. Had to secure it better. As far as your backyard, you may want to have a drywell put in. Our yard was muddy and soggy, not as bad as yours and that’s what the town engineer told us to do. You should have had a disclosure from the seller…check with your realtor. Maybe things are different in Canada but that is a serious omission.
I’ve watched your article four times now. I am that inspired. The last time, I got my hubby to watch with me and told him I was going to reorganize the kitchen to give him a lunch making drawer. He sounded doubtful that I could do it, but I will be decluttering at the same time and I have a plan in mind! Love it Cas! Congrats and also, don’t wait to do something about ensuring that your home doesn’t flood before it’s too late. If that was a little rain, I can’t imagine what a lot will look like. See if there is an area you could dig out a pond maybe and then use the soil to creat a berm close to the house, then plant TONS of trees down there closer to the river. Water loving ones. They will help hold the soil in place and suck up the water when you get lots of rain.
When it comes to storing measuring cups and spoons, I’ve long admired the way you hang them inside a cabinet door. I loved your tip about hanging the largest measuring cup so that its edge touches the top of the lower part of the inside “frame” of the cabinet door. However, instead of eyeballing it with all the other measuring cups and spoons as you did, I would use that same (largest) measuring cup to hang from all the adhesive hooks as I pressed the adhesive hooks to adhere them to the cabinet door, then I would fill the hooks with the proper measuring cups and spoons. That way, the line of hooks would be more exact (since whenever I tried to eyeball it when hanging things the measurement was off). I think that would work as long as the length of the largest measuring cup is the same as or larger than the length of the measuring spoons.
I have had that black metal 3 basket system in my Amazon cart forever! And I just have never purchased it. Once I measured it precisely, I realized that the speyside picked out for it was not going to work. I have a good size kitchen but wall space is at a real premium. And I’m a very short person so I can’t access the wall space at the back of the counters, stove, Etc. I actually bought a container store Elfa system! Haven’t gotten it out of the box at because the room it’s going in needs its carpet shampooed wants the desk and Hutch are out of there. I was just perusal Hack my House on Netflix before I watched your article. I saw them putting the shelving system up and I thought to myself ” That’s The Container Store Elfa system.” Right before she said this is a container store Elfa system. 😂😂
We have very similar brains! I’m not Adhd, but I am OCD. I use the high side lazy Susan’s for spices in my corner lazy Susan cabinet..it works Amazing & stuff doesn’t fly everywhere when the cabinet opens & closes. I use the spice risers for my baking spices above my stove along with baking ingredients..vanilla, extracts, baking powder & soda (which, I decant). I like the lazy Susan idea for the Yeti tumblers, but, my cabint shelves are from the 70s & don’t move🙄
Congrats on your new home! Penny is in heaven with her new swimming hole. Since I do not have kids, I always move into a house with consideration for my dogs ( presently 4). The deep breath ” Ahhhhh” exhale feeling that you expressed is EXACTLY how I want EVERY room of my next home, especially the entrance to feel. Spa- like. I will be moving in 2024. Just me and my woofs, so I can do whatever I want. I choose an Oasis feel.