How To Organize Plasticware
If you’re like most people, at some point you’ve gone looking for a plastic container only to encounter a chaotic cabinet filled with a hodgepodge of lids and bowls. This scenario can really make wrapping up leftovers or packing lunches a pain. These tasks should not require dodging an avalanche of plastic or spending 15 minutes hunting for the matching pieces of food storage containers.
Tired of plasticware falling out of random cabinets? Done sorting through mystery lids? Learn how to store plasticware so you can level up in terms of your kitchen organization.
Declutter
Before you begin any home organization project, it’s important to get rid of things you don’t need. The same is true when organizing plasticware. Remove all the plastic containers from your cabinets and lay them out on a table. Go through and match them together. You’ll almost certainly find several tops or bottoms that have no mates. Recycle them, donate them, use them as dishes for your pets — just get them out of your kitchen cabinet so you don’t have to worry about them any longer. Now that you only have complete sets, you’re ready to learn how to organize plastic containers.Master Basic Stacking
One of the easiest means of organizing plasticware is to stack like a pro. On one side of the cabinet, stack container bottoms. Place smaller containers inside of larger ones until they’re all nestled neatly. Then, on the other side of the cabinet, organize your lids with the largest on the bottom and the smallest towards the top. Whenever you need a container pull down your stacks and find the coordinating pairs. Keep this method viable by ensuring all of your containers are put away properly after you wash them.Keep Lids in a Drawer or in Bins
Another of the simpler plasticware organization ideas you might like involves storing lids and bottoms separately. Keep the storage containers themselves stacked neatly in the cabinet and organize the lids in a kitchen drawer. If you don’t have a spare drawer, stash your plasticware tops (in an orderly fashion, of course) in a basket or larger storage bin that you place in the cabinet. When it comes time to stow that leftover lasagna, you’ll know exactly where to find all the necessary components of your food storage.Rack Those Lids Up
As you can tell, the lids are the problem children of the plasticware family. As long as you can keep them contained and accounted for, you’re in decent shape. Get creative when organizing plasticware by taking dish racks and magazine racks out of their comfort zones. Both are an excellent means of keeping those lids in control; just make sure you slide tops in according to size so that you don’t waste time hunting for them. Ready for a bonus tip? Magazine racks can be mounted to the inside of cabinet or pantry doors, which can open up some valuable shelf space for you.Now that you know how to store plasticware you might be inspired to put other areas of your home in order. Check out these tips on pantry organization for inspiration.
Need some help getting your house organized? Contact your local Merry Maids to see if they can lend a hand.
