Tidy Cupboard

This morning I cleaned out one of our kitchen cupboards. I should have taken before and after photos but didn't think of it until I was done. This last week I purchased an expanding cabinet shelf to use in this cupboard.

The top shelf was full of stacks of mugs, cups and bowls that threatened to fall out if bumped the wrong way. Using this shelf is like magic - so much more room for those mugs and smaller coffee cups that go with the dishes.

I want you to notice the 3 stacked lime green mugs on the top shelf - right side. Those were a wedding gift that I got to pick out. John's sister had us choose a set of Melmac dishes (a kind of plastic dinnerware popular in the 50s, 60s and 70s) and the ones I chose had lime green designs which became really ugly after a few years but you know that green is really popular again now. We used them for years but I got rid of the dishes a long time ago but kept 3 of the mugs. The reason I kept them is they are light weight, stable (they don't tip over easily) and they had a nice handle. I kept them for using with our girls or other small children that came.

Now I wish I had kept 4 of them. All 4 of my grandchildren love to use "grandmas green cups". I use them all the time when the kids are here but sadly when all 4 are here have to I get another mug out for one of them. They just handle mugs better than a glass which is always in jeopardy of being tipped over.

My husband insists on keeping his meds. and vitamins in this cupboard and I didn't like it. I was afraid the grandchildren would get hold of them and besides the bottles were always tipping over or falling out of the cupboard. I found a small plastic basket and put them in and now it resides on the new shelf way up high. He is 6'2" so it is no problem for him to reach the basket.

The blank areas are for the dishes still in the dishwasher but they will have a place to be also. Feels good to have done this and it didn't take too long to do either. Maybe that should be my goal to clean one cupboard a day and it won't take so much of my time and get done, whereas now I keep putting it off as I don't want to spend all day doing it.

Will let you know if this will be a new plan to organize the house....all cupboards and closets are in disarray. We have lots of storage space here and I sure have filled it up the 4 years we have lived here. Besides I have decided it is easier to stuff something in a closet than make a decision to get rid of it. Sometimes I think it would be wonderful to have one of those people that are on TV that do the re-organization of peoples homes come here. Would love to have an unbiased opinion and some new clever storage ideas.

Lynn