A Smart Spin for the Container-ChallengedWritten by N Powell
I consider myself a very organized person. In cabinets above my kitchen countertops, I’ve organized my dishes by size and have all my bowls on one long shelf above my meal plates. My coffee mugs and glasses are organized by size and shape in another cabinet, while my pots and pans sit in a storage facility by my oven. My silverware is organized by utensil neatly in a drawer. My food pantries are separated into breakfast foods, pastas, canned foods, and sauces. My failure lies in making sense of my food storage containers.
I am living in Tupperware hell. After pulling my plastic food containers out of dishwasher, I place them in a 2-shelf cabinet next to my kitchen sink. There my beloved plastic handy-dandy food containers sit, littered among newly unused bread machine and old toaster oven. When I need to store leftovers, I dig through clutter it seems that I can’t locate right lid for right container when I need it!
I woke up one day in an organizing mood. I decided to start with cabinet next to kitchen sink.
Common consensus among home organizing experts seems to be to group similar items together, and to stock these items in an orderly fashion in a central location, within easy reach when needed. I already had my food containers where I wanted them. Now, it was simply a matter of determining which lids fit which containers. I went through and dutifully matched lid in my hand to containers in cabinet. I disposed of homeless lids and containers. This way, I weeded out useless containers and was stuck with only good and complete ones. This lasted for about two weeks.
Next, I tried nesting smaller food containers in progressively bigger containers like Russian nested dolls, with lids placed conveniently on top shelf, various rounds and squares on bottom shelf of cabinet. This was very inconvenient, as I would need to dig though nested containers and flip through all lids to find a particular container. Thus, it became a hassle to retrieve what I wanted.
One evening, in between flipping to HGTV and Food Network, an infomercial advertised one particular item that caught my eye. The Smart-Spin Food Storage System appeared to be that miracle cure to my kitchen organizing woes. The design principles behind product appeared so simple that it initially
| | Wrought Iron Décor for Rustic Mountain CharmWritten by Johann Erickson
Anyone having had privilege of visiting Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee knows well thick pine forests, tumbling rivers, and delightful atmosphere of days gone by. The scenery is breathtaking, yet cozy mystical, yet warm and inviting. Log cabins, hearty food, and friendly people typify life in Smoky Mountains. Wildlife abounds, and narrow meandering roads consistently promise yet another captivating meadow just around next bend. For those fortunate few who live in Smokies, home is in a wooded glen, or a scenic view of neighboring ridge. Life is rustic, comfortable and serene. For rest of us who long to revisit these enchanting forests, even if we live in Midwestern suburbia, we can bring ambiance of Smoky Mountains right into our own homes with traditional rustic wrought iron decor.
Smoky Mountain decor is fairly easy to emulate simply visualize woodland scene and take that vision into your living room. It might begin with a wrought iron welcome sign posted cheerfully on your front door, welcoming you, your family, and guests into indoor mountain sanctuary. As you walk into room, rugged wood paneled walls are warmed by a rawhide shade atop a sculpted forest wrought iron lamp. An antique rocker sits next to a crackling fire in fireplace and heavy pine sofa is flanked by wrought iron end tables, each with a base covered in sculpted woodland scenes. The room needn’t be sparse, but don’t overcrowd it either. A few rustic wrought iron accent pieces will compliment your mountain flair. Fine touches such as a moose switch plate cover, a bear light sconce, elk bookends, and a moose coat rack will add
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