Eating Spaces: Kitchen Décor {Settled In September}

I'm a pretty practical girls. I mean, I like the things I use daily to be cutesy but they Have to be practical {other than my obsession with pictures everywhere}.

The Kitchen

In the way of decorations, my kitchen is possibly the most simply decorated. Since I need my counter space as clear as possible to prepare {most of the time} 3 meals a day as well as constant drinks and then afternoon snacks, I don't like there to be a lot of cute just sitting around. I'm not one of those who hides away all my small appliances. If I use it more than twice a week, its gonna stay on the counter. The only exception right now is the crockpot. I haven't learned how to use it to its full extent, don't have a large space to store it easily, and plan to do more meals in it this fall/winter.

Here is a tour around my "decorations" in the kitchen:

The plate holder. I found this at Hobby Lobby {one of my FAVS} when their "metals" were on sale. It was the last one they had and it was slightly bent at the top. I did something I've never done before and was slightly embraced to ask buuuuut, when I went to check it out I showed them the bend and explained it was the last one and ask if I could get a discount because it was "damaged". After calling over a manager, she agreed to give me an additional 15% off the already 50% and it was a steal!

I'm a slacker. YEP! I bought it intending on painting it since it was an odd off-white color. I liked the idea of orange since I don't use it often but apparently the spray paint I already had was not glossy. It looks odd or cheap with the flat paint AND I'm not in love with the orange. I am now planning to paint it red or black before hanging it. Then I think I'll put some of the cutesy serving platters on it; cute but easy, practical access.

Plate HolderThis is my awesome under counter radio/cd player, stack of cute serving platters, and my painted pottery I did with my mom:

Cute Platers

This is the window above the sink. For a long time I didn't have anything up here because I loved the clean, clear look. BUT I also love this ministry {Forgotten Song} as well as this tray I found with a bestie while garage selling, and the {fake} fresh lemons.

Above the Kitchen Sink Decor

Here is the corner of the kitchen cabinets: paper towels, can opener, toaster, and another piece of pottery painted with my sweet youth group girlies.

Kitchen CounterRothacher PlaterNext to this above corner is the part of counter next to the oven. This is where I like to keep my other appliances out that I use often and want near the oven and fridge.

Kitchen Counter Small AppliancesAbove the shelving is a nice open storage space. Now, I HAVE having anything decorative that I have to dust just for fun so I try to only store party items I don't use often but still have a purpose. This is a giant bowl and cool vase Matt and I received for a wedding gifts. The vase is full of fall items I hadn't cleaned up from last year {don't judge- its almost fall again 😉 }. Also, the bowl wouldn't prop up high enough to see over the lip of the shelf so I used one of our 'rice socks'  to prop is up. lol

Decorative BowlThe next set of shelves are all connected but kind of divided by where each new set of cabinets start. This was a little frustrating but at the same time gave simple divisions for decorations. These vases I have collected over the years...which is surprising since I don't have fresh flowers often. I use some as empty decorations or fill them with random stuff during different seasons.  The next set is a sentimental set of decorative spices that a friends dad gave me as a wedding gift. The awesome hot pink chevron casserole carrier was an awesome birthday gift from my mother-in-love.

I also put these items in the corner because there's the most counter space under them. Sounds sill, I know. BUT I tend to climb on the counter to get things up high since I'm only 5'2" and add being prego to that, I needed the safest place to store the items I would be getting up and down more often 😉

Above Shelving DecorThe last part of our decorations above the cabinets are my Fiestaware pitchers and another awesome garage sale find, the green pottery-looking vase. Next to those is the goodwill find- plate/platter holder and the cake stands I made for a besties baby shower.

Party Supply StorageHope you enjoyed my sad lil tour of my "decor". We are finishing up the "mantel" above the buffet and I'll give ya a separate post about the hard work my hubs did!

Share Button

Post to Twitter

Settling In September Post Series

This is the tentative editorial calendar for the Settled In September month long series.

Settled In September Series{links will go live on the day each post is published}

September

1st          Intro to the series
before pics

Week 1: Living room

2rd           collage wall
3th           homemade mantel
4th          big Betsy
5th           big Betsy/end tables/coffee table
6th          organization

Week 2: Eating spaces

Dining room
9th           Layout, art display frame & picture walls

Kitchen
10th        Organizing Cabinets
11th        Organizing the Pantry & Shelf Tutorial
12th        Organizing Fridge
13th        Mantel {and other décor} {DELAYED bc we haven't finished hanging it 😉 }

Week 3: Laundry room & School Room

Laundry
16th        Moving and organizing shelves
17th        Basket shelves
18th        Cleaning tool hanger and Mudroom/bench {DELAYED bc of craziness}
School Room
19th        School Corner and Supply Organization {possibly a day late bc of travel}
20th        Toys and Organization

Week 4: Bedrooms

Jamin’s {and soon to be Ellie's} room
23rd        Dresser/changing table/Shelving {both sets}/Cityscape/brick wall

Girls’ room
24th        Glitter walls/Castle/shelves/letters

Guest room/Office
25th       bed makeover/consignment organization/desk/office stuff

Master bedroom
26th        Stripes/quote/lamps/pictures/Painted furniture

Bathrooms
27th        cabinets, tub toys, in shower, towels

Week 5: Garage sale/Consigning

30th       FREE Printables from the entire month!

Share Button

Post to Twitter

Organizing the Fridge {Settled In September}

I hate learning a new refrigerator. You know, learning where the best place is to store things, how to make it functional, where to place shelves {if they are moveable}. This is what I have so far but am still moving things!

ORGANIZING the Refrigerator

Freezer Zones:

Freezer Zones

  1. Frozen Bread & Cheese
  2. Frozen grease in emptied cans {freeze it so doesn't spill all over the trash}
  3. Frozen Beef {divided into 1 lb bags}
  4. Ice Dispenser that needs to be cleared of any blockage & has to be un-clogged all the time
  5. Frozen Potatoes {hash browns, tots, fries}
  6. Frozen Veggies/Fruit
  7. Frozen {fast} Meals
  8. Frozen Desserts

Refrigerator Zones:

Fridge Zones

  1. Milk, Juice, & Large Pitchers
  2. Sodas & desserts
  3. Dairy & Breakfast
  4. Leftovers
  5. Fruit & Veggies
  6. Cheese and Meat
  7. Frosting & Tiny Items
  8. Condiments
    • Cooking & Salads
    • Sandwiches
  9. Salsa & Toppings
  10. Water

Deep Freeze Zones:

Deep Freeze Zones

  1. Bread/rolls
  2. Meats
  3. Meals/casseroles
  4. Ice Packs
  5. Fruit/Veggies
  6. Pizzas

Organizing in your fridge can be just like any other space in your home. Some times using organizational tools can make it that much more efficient.

  • I love using the Lazy Susan to store things like yogurt, biscuits, Cinnamon rolls, and other larger containers that seem to stack up and get in the way of accessing other items.
  • Plastic racks {like I use in my pantry} work good for winter stocking of the deep freeze. It will allow you to stack more items deeper in the freezer. I would recommend only stacking like-items so you don't forget what you've got.
  • Other tools that work well in fridges and freezers are plastic box-like containers. Ones with handles {like I use in our medicine cabinet} are also great for storing smaller package items like fruit, veggies, cheeses, and meats that seem to stack up.
  • You do have to be careful not to use containers that would take away from the cooling of items {especially if they are not already cold/frozen}. You always want them to be open-air or slotted so things don't heat up or get blocked from the coolness of the fridge/freezer.

Organizing the fridge/freezer is important for saving money, time, and sanity! If the refrigerator is disorganized, you don't know what you have you will

  • buy excess leading to things going bad
  • have a much harder time meal planning & preparing meals
  • end up with WAY too many leftovers and you have to declare Multiple "leftover day(s)".

For more tips on organizing your fridge or storing leftovers, you can click HERE to read an older post on the topic.

A weeks worth of leftovers= Leftover Lunch Leftover PlatesRemember, organization is basically grouping like items. Functional organization is grouping like items & storing them in the most practical place for easy usage.

Happy Kitchen Organizing!

find other post in this series HERE

Share Button

Post to Twitter

Shelf Tutorial & Pantry Organization {Settled In September}

I love having a pantry! A place designated for something. And of all things- FoOd!

Empty Kitchen Pantry

I've been blessed with a pantry in all our houses {even the 1200 sq ft one}. This is the smallest pantry I've ever had but I am not complaining. When we moved in, the pantry had great thick wire shelving. It was installed so even, level, and secure. The only downer? I use canned food. Lots of them! That, and stuff kept falling through the slats.

Full Pantry Full on the wire shelving

These poor shelves were buckling under the weight of my "can shelf". So, my sweet hubs did yet another perk project for me; I mean really, this wasn't necessary but I love how it turned out.

Taking the old shelves down was possibly the hardest part of the task. They were anchored into the wall in at least 3 places.

removing the anchors from the pantry walls

After removing the shelves {which will be used in the kids closets 😉 }, Matt measured how long and wide the old shelves were and then added a couple inches to the depth so I would have just a lil more space in this closet.

He used a saw and cut plywood the rectangle size of the 4 shelves and 1 bys for the braces he would use to anchor the shelves to the wall.

Pantry with Shelves Removed

Thankfully, we had all these awesome tools at our house BORROWED from friends.

After painting each piece, Matt anchored the small boards on both sides and then used a nail gun to secure the shelves to the braces.

There ya go! Sturdy wooden pantry shelves!

upgrading the pantry with wooden shelving as well as organizing the pantry

As for our simple pantry organization:

Pantry Organization

find other post in this series HERE

Share Button

Post to Twitter

Eating Spaces: Organizing Kitchen Cabinets {Settled In September}

Today, I wanna show you around our kitchen. This was possibly The first room we had set up and organized. The kitchen is most often the center of the home. It keeps the family fed, energized, and running. Its also the forerunner in hospitality. Wither that's serving a simple drink, a snack, a full fledged meal, or simple conversation over clean-up- the kitchen, although overlooked in the organizational department, can function with so much more ease if de-cluttered and organized.

Here is a simple layout of our kitchen. Its not huge but its definitely not tiny. I love the basic layout and it has plenty of storage for everything we could possibly need. I've labeled all the cabinets and drawers and then I'll have pictures of the insides of each of those below. This layout is so you can visualize where each cabinet/drawer is in relation to the staples of the kitchen: sink/dishwasher, oven/microwave, and refrigerator. I've also tried to give you an idea of where things are located in relation to other rooms so you can understand my logic in its placement.

The Rothacher Kitchen labeled

Starting on the top row of cabinets, working left to right:

Medicine Cabinet Medicine Cabinet Orgaization{click for this image withOut labels}

Glassware Cabinet Glassware and Mug Cabinet

Serving Dishes Cabinet Serving Dishes Cabinet

Storage Container Cabinet Storage Container Cabinet Organiztion{click here for this image withOut labels}

Baking Cabinet Baking Cabinet Organization{click here for this image withOut labels}

Cookbook Cabinet Spice Cabinet Orgaization{click for this image withOut labels}

Plastic Serving Dishes Cabinet Plastice Rarely Used Serving Dishes Cabinet

Starting with the drawers from left to right:

Silverware & Empty for Baby Items DrawersSilverware Orgaization{click here for this image withOut labels}

Cleaning Towel DrawerCleaning Towels

Hand Towel Drawer Hand Towel Drawer

Knife & Often Used Utensil Drawer Daily Use Utensil Drawer Organization{click here this image withOut labeles}

Less Used Utensils Used Less Often Utensils Drawer

Starting with the lower cabeinets, working left to right and ending with the bottom 2 {of 3} drawers between the oven and fridge

Plates, Bowls, and Cups Cabinet Plates, Bowls, Cups Cabinet Organization{click here for this image withOut labels}

Back of Plates, Bowls, & Cups Cabinet

Pitcher CabinetPitcher Cabinet

Cleaning Supplies Cabinet Cleaning Cabinet

Paper Goods Cabinet Paper Goods Cabinet Organization{click here for this image withOut labels}

Pan Cabinet Pan Cabinet Organization{click here for this image withOut labels}

Back of Pan Cabinet

{Frying} Pans and Lids Drawer Frying Pans & Lids Drawer

Pots DrawerPots Drawer

Moving to the other side of the kitchen past the laundry door and pantry is the "buffet".

Starting with the drawers, left to right:

Baking Tools Drawers Baking & Rarely Used Items Drawers Organization{click here for this image withOut labels}

Random Drawers Random Drawers

Starting with the lower cabinets, left to right:

Snack Cabinet Snack Cabinet side 1 Snack Cabinet side 2

My "Monica's Closet" Cabinet My Monica's Closet Cabinet Organization Bwahahahaha{click here for this terribly nasty image withOut the labeled excuses}

That's our kitchen...I didn't give much description of these images but I'd love to answer any questions you have about them. I didn't want to bore those who just wanted to see. Thanks for coming by!

find other post in this series HERE

Share Button
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Post to Twitter