January 1 - Day Two

I read your suggestions yesterday and added a few of my own.  One task at a time I'll get it all done!  Yesterday I cleaned out old makeup and the medicine cabinet above my sink.  I also drug out a big picnic basket I keep in my sun room.  It hadn't been opened in over a year I know.  Doggone it, more old photographs!  I thought my kids had gotten all of them when they sorted and divided them last summer just before our anniversary reception.

Actually none of them were quite this old, or quite this pretty.  :)  I threw away lots of old broken frames, the envelopes that photos come in from the developer, and cardboard inserts from old frames.  And, for goodness sake, in with those old photos I found some VIPs...very important papers!  Don't ask me how or why but both of my parents' death certificates were in there.  I.  Have.  No.  Idea.

I moved on to the sewing room and cleaned out two cubbies of "things I want to make soon."  Some of them I had the fabric and pattern, some were just patterns, one was even one pillowcase with all the stuff for the matching one.  Gracious.

Today...Day Two.  I have what I lovingly call a "farmhouse kitchen."  That means I have little storage so everything on display in my kitchen is something that can be useful.  This is my husband's grandmother's "buffet."  I have no idea what a buffet really is but that's what she called it.

Last week I took all my jars off and dusted the whole piece.  I also got out the Orange Glow and shined it up - I love the scent of that!  These jars - I prefer the antique blue ones but don't have enough for everything - hold all kinds of things.  On the top row I have staples like flour, sugar, corn meal, etc.  The second shelf is mostly dehydrated things.  I love to dehydrate vegetables and fruits so there I have hash brown potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, green beans. okra, corn, apples, pears, pineapple.  There might be a jar or two of jelly also.  The bottom shelf is for spices and things like garlic slices, cinnamon/sugar, shrimp boil spices...and on the right are herbs like basil, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, chili powder.  Oh and a few sweet potatoes in the middle - my husband's favorite vegetable!  And of course everything is labeled.  What a timesaver that is when I'm searching for something in particular.

Below all that are six drawers - that's what I tackled today.  The top two are junk drawers and I'd show you those but really, they are junk drawers.  Just organized junk drawers today.  The others hold things like lids for my pots, supplies for my food saver, my small mixer and the attachments, and in one of them a few wine glasses.  I might need those quickly so they're close to the refrigerator.  :)  Since two of them were junk drawers I had to enlist my husband's help to explain what some of that stuff was.  Which led to him cleaning our our "hardware" tubbies in the hall closet.  What a deal that was.  :)

Also on top of my refrigerator I keep two baskets.  One holds chips and snacks like that.  I've checked all the dates and made sure they were closed good and lined up like little soldiers.  The other basket is this one.

Those are "lock and lock" containers.  They hold three different kinds of crackers; the other is for a few cookies.  You could use any container with a tight lid but honestly this idea is one of my very favorites.  The crackers stay fresher and everything is neater.

And last there was this little shelf tucked away in a narrow place where nothing else fits.

I took everything off and wiped down the shelves.  I sorted through the cookbooks and got rid of a lot.  Well, a few.  Two, I got rid of two.  The clear bins hold other staples that I don't use quite as often...baking soda, confectioners sugar, etc.  The bread baskets on top hold extra napkins.  Again - labeled.  I'm a whiz with labels!

So that's it for today.  I'm headed for my stitching chair and some cross stitch.  I earned it.

Tomorrow....Day Three....I'll do the medicine closet in the hall and maybe the linen closet.  On Day Four I plan to tackle the coat closet.  Yuck.  And if I'm really brave and really persuasive on Day Five I hope to enlist my husband to work on his closets.  Pray for me.