How to Organize Your Kitchen So Things Stop Falling On Your Feet

Many of my bruises occur because of dropping things on my feet and last week I opened the freezer to have half a frozen chicken fall on my toe. I literally still have a purple toe, eight days later. However, I have been taking steps in the last year to declutter, organize, and basically simplify life. I thought over the next few months I would share some of these things I have done to try to make life more organized–which means I spend less time looking for things, cleaning things, putting things away and so much more.

About 5 months into my journey of decluttering I found Pinterest.com and it has helped me stay motivated when I grow frustrated with how to organize the messes. You can find them here: Lisa’s Pinterest Page | Rest Ministries Pinterest page. (You don’t have to join anything to just browse.)

So here are 7 of my kitchen ideas to keep those toes safe!

1. If you are not a fan of digging under the sink for your bottles of cleaner, whether it is store-bought or organic, a simple tension curtain rod under the sink is a great way to keep everything within easy reach. I found this idea on Pinterest and it has worked well, including not having to clean up the Ajax that used to fall out on the floor half the time as I dug through the cleaners. This is what it looks like under my kitchen sink. And yeah, I know I don’t need all those cleaners. An updated photo would show my little spray bottles of vinegar, water, and baking soda. I am trying!

2. Plastic containers are another one of those items that can take over a cupboard. I love these freebie containers that come with food items, but the lids used to drive me crazy. This handy idea from Pinterest is just a CD holder. I found one at the local thrift store for $.50.

3. I never liked how cereal boxes looked stacked up on my refrigerator, especially since I could see them from the living room. The worst part though is when I would open up the refrigerator and a box would fall on my head! I purchased this small cubical shelf organizer at Target for about $12. It keeps the boxes all in one place, they don’t fall off, and it looks nicer. And I don’t have any near heart attacks because of the box falling on my head scaring me to death! (And just a note, these are my child’s cereals. you will never know how hard it is to get him to eat anything, so please don’t comment on what I should or shouldn’t be eating or feeding him.)

4. I love having tons of flavors of drink mixes on hand, but the one I wanted was always in the box on the bottom (how does that happen?) I really wanted to learn how to organize my cupboard better because I can’t reach above the bottom shelf with my rotator cuffs having pieces missing. Now, I open up this little cupboard and seeing the little mason jars and such just makes me happy. I know–I am weird. (But first, I can see what I have or am running low on and secondly, the lids are easy to get off, but still keep everything fresh.

5. I always had packets of gravy mix or meatloaf mixes falling all over. I stuck some contact paper on a plastic container and now they are all in one place! And a wire rack holds our popcorn packets.

6. I have tried to figure out how to organize plates better and my “plate cupboards” are so narrow, a typical dinner plate is too deep to fit inside, so they end up in a lower cupboard. Ah well, I guess plates in the seventies, when the cupboards were built, really were smaller, huh?  I always want one on the bottom and my fingers can’t lift very many and half the time we would end up just using paper plates (I know, sad, huh?) I found these simple but very sturdy plate holders at IKEA for about $7 and they have helped me keep dishes much more organized. I also use them in my office and son’s room as it is a better way to stack without stacking boxes on top of one another which requires more lifting.

7. One of my biggest deterrents to cooking has always been getting a baking dish out. I have always wanted those drawers that pull out that hold all your bake ware but it was the expense I didn’t want. So, trying to figure out how to organize my casseroles dishes, I found these, Mainstays Organizer Racks, at Walmart for under $6.00. Turn it sideways and now you can get out just one piece of bake ware without having to pull them all out while they are nested, which was always too heavy for me. This photo isn’t great. Afterwards, I got my dad to connect it to the wall when he was visiting. I think he is as excited about my Pinterest inspiration as my husband (smile).

Do you have any favorite tips on how to organize to prevent things from falling on you? Post them below so we can borrow your ideas and all our lives can be easier. . .  and we’ll have fewer bruises and swollen toes!

Stay tuned for the next post when I give you a peek inside my refrigerator (is that brave or what?) and a post where I share my favorite gadgets in the kitchen.

And don’t forget! If you are on Pinterest, Pin This! (see button above at the beginning) And if you aren’t, be sure to follow Rest Ministries on Pinterest for loads of good ideas to make life easier when you live with a chronic illness.

Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries and she lives in San Diego with her husband and son. She is gradually learning how to balance motherhood, family, illness, and ministry, but she still knows it will be a lifetime lesson. You can see the books she has written, including, Why Can’t I Make People Understand? at the Rest Ministries shop.