Organize Your Kitchen #13 Plastic Ware Reusables

by Tina on February 5, 2011

We’re on a Freedom Journey (Plastic Ware Reusables) that will declutter and organize your kitchen in 21 days, using about 10 minutes per day. Three weeks will come and go. If you are able to join us on this Freedom Journey, after 21 days, you will be celebrating in your newly organized kitchen. You can do this.

(If this is your Day #13 with us, you’ll notice a pattern. 🙂 )

Remember, first we declutter. Then we organize.

Declutter

  1. Gather all the plastic ware reusables in your kitchen.
  2. Sort “like items with like items” – make little piles on the countertop or table – lids, bottoms, squares, rounds, rectangles, etc.
  3. Purge through your piles. Designate new areas on the countertop or table as Donate, Sell, Trash, and Recycle piles. You can mark the designated areas with post-it notes or a slip of paper with each title on it. Scan the “like with like” piles. I encourage you to Recycle any container orphans (containers without lids; lids without containers). Remove anything else you think is unusable, and place it in either the Trash or Recycle piles. Recycled items should have the little triangle with an appropriate number inside. “Appropriate” = your community recycling program accepts those numbers. Remove any items you no longer use, love or want, and place them in either the Donate or Sell piles. (When you decide whether to Donate or Sell an item, keep in mind the time, effort, and energy it will take to sell it (auction, garage sale, one-on-one, etc.). Make sure your return on investment is worth it. Consider unchaining yourself from that item by putting it straight into the Donate pile. Someone else really needs it.)
  4. Make a Purge Storage Area. This could be individual paper bags, plastic bags (different than your regular trash bags), boxes, containers, or a section in your laundry room or garage. Label your containers to avoid confusion. Place your Donate, Sell, Trash, or Recycle piles into the appropriate container. Place that container in its designated space until you get ready to dispose of these items.

Organize

  1. Take a look at the remaining plastic ware reusables.
  2. Where do you want their home in your home to be? Pantry? Cabinet? Drawer? Shelving? Will they fit in this area? If not, you may have to go back to the purging step (Donate).
  3. Would you like to buy organizing products to divide/contain them? Bins? Baskets? Plastic? Stainless? Wood? Color? Style? Size? (Note: you may find it helpful to wait to purchase any organizing products until after you’ve completed decluttering and organizing. For now, just make notes about what you might like and the size it needs to be.)
  4. Locate your selection in which to house them.
  5. Place your items into your selection. Place the selection into its home.
  6. Enjoy being able to find your plastic ware reusables whenever you need them.
  7. Remember to return your plastic ware reusables here after each use.

Congratulations! You did it! We’ll continue your Freedom Journey tomorrow. There are only 8 days left to your newly organized kitchen.

For more suggestions about Plastic Ware Reusables, see this earlier blogpost.

“Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.” Psalm 25:17 (New International Version)

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 Hello, my name is Tina Bonifacio, and I am a Professional Organizer working with residential and commercial clients in the greater Savannah, Georgia area. For more information, visit https://organizedbytina.com. Thanks for stopping by. You are welcome back anytime.


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