Natural Homemade Living

On our recent vacation to my sister's home, I discovered her awesome spice drawer! I loved seeing all of the spices at once instead of digging through different container sizes in my kitchen cabinet. My first project after vacation was to purchase small canning jars that would fit into my drawer. I used chalkboard vinyl paper and wrote each spice name with a chalkboard marker. I had a few jars left so I stored the spices I use less frequently in my cabinet. She also stores her measuring spoons in the spice drawer...I copied that idea too! 😀 Happy organizing! Love and peace, Tammi

It's hard to believe August is almost halfway over and the kids are getting ready to go back to school. Where did the summer go? We've been busy camping, working on projects, organizing and redecorating so we'll have some cool stuff to share once things settle down. Today I wanted to share my favorite pantry organizing tip, the DIY chip holder. I don't usually buy chips in small bags but for camping these little bags are perfect. I used to store them in a large basket but it seemed like it was a mess when everyone was digging through a basket to find their favorite chips. I decided to make a holder for them and hung it inside the pantry door. It was a quick little project and the kids love it! Most of the items I already had in my craft baskets so the project only cost $3.00. What You Need: Rulers - I bought the craft rulers at Michael's (4 in a package) Small wood clothespins - you can get these at the craft store Craft...

Use file folder holder to organize kitchen bowl lids I'm not sure why in the middle of shopping, quilting, baking and a million other things happening during the holiday season, I choose to reorganize my kitchen cabinets. Well, that's just what I do! To keep it simple, I donated any containers that I didn't use and only saved my favorites. I used a file folder holder for my lids. I also decided to store my blender under the cabinet instead of on the countertop. The biggest hurdle for me is deciding what to keep. This year it was simple, if I use it, I keep it, the rest of the stuff has been given a new home! Happy organizing! Love and peace, ~ Simply Tammi

New year, new ideas and it's time to clean out and organize! I'm not sure how it works for you but I can keep most of my house organized throughout the year but my Creative Workspace (as Peter Walsh refers to it) I refer to it as my craft room, is another story. Of course, I may have mentioned it before but this year I was in procrastination mode and everything started to pile up at the end. Yeah, not a good idea so I won't do that again! I started cleaning out my craft room last week. My system was slow at first because it was so overwhelming when I saw everything in the middle of the room. That's how I do it, just like Peter Walsh says (the great organizer and de-clutter expert) check out his web site and organizing store, Peter Walsh Organize By Room , take everything out, that means closets too! Make 3 piles, donate, keep, throw away and start organizing. It took 4 days of about an hour a day to decide which craft projects I was actually going to work o...

Before..shocking, I know! After Happy Labor Day Everyone! I hope you are all getting some time to relax and enjoy your family. I am still in the process of getting unpacked and organized from our move to Washington from Minnesota. One of the first things I had to do when I moved was get my kitchen functional, which means getting the pantry organized. In our MN house, I didn't really have a pantry, it was more like a deep cupboard. Now I have an actual walk in Pantry. If you have a cupboard pantry, check out our other posts on  Organizing the kitchen .  So on to... different pantry, different challenges. I wanted to use my pantry for food and things I don't need to use on a daily basis. (roasting pan, canner, crockpot etc.) I set it up in sections, baking, cooking, snacks, breakfast foods, things I don't use everyday but need to get to. So decide what you use a lot and put it in sections that are easy to get to. If you keep things together that you use together the...

Spring has arrived, FINALLY! It is the first day since September that it's been in the 70's, seven long months of cold! If you read our blog often, you know this means we have been cleaning, sorting and organizing!  I bought some Peter Walsh fridge bins at Costco. I found similar ones at other stores and online also. They come in lots of different sizes. It's handy to put things in groups like you use them. My condiments like mustard, ketchup, hot sauce, etc. are in one bin. The peanut butter, jellies and syrup are in another one. So when you are serving something you can take out the whole bin instead of a bunch of separate containers. You also avoid the "sticky shelves" in your fridge! I put things that I use most like rice, pasta, and dry beans in jars and store them in an old wooden box. I keep that on my counter next to my stove. It's also helpful for family members or visitors, so they don't have to look through all the cupboards to find thing...

  I have been trying to figure out a good way to keep my pan lids from falling out of the cupboard but still have them easily accessible. I found this dish rack for $3 at the thrift store. It could also be used to hold storage container lids. I can just slide it out when I need a lid, they aren't falling out or getting shoved way in the back of the cupboard anymore. Another organizing idea to store pan lids (from my sister) is to use a file rack. You can find them at the thrift store or at a department or office supply store for under $5.00.  More Kitchen Organizing tips I use a plastic shoe box for my storage container lids. You could use a regular shoebox too, I like using clear containers so I can see what's in them. ~Simply Angie

Welcome to our gallery of simple storage ideas!  We use glass containers for sugar, flour, oatmeal, pancake mix, granola or anything we use on a regular basis. Baskets are handy for dishtowels, recipe books, or magazines. Pitchers can be used for kitchen utensils. Ball jars are perfect for cupcake liners, straw holders and buttons. Vintage jars such as old sugar or syrup jars are great by the oven to keep toothpicks to check your baked goods. Pringles containers wrapped in contact paper make great pasta storage containers. Hope you get some tips and remember to share your simple storage ideas with us! ~ Simply Angie and Tammi

Who knew that all of those recipe books were hiding in my buffet? Only me! It was simply another one of those projects that I kept thinking I'll work on it later. And everyone knows "later" never works out well. A couple of years ago, I did a massive sort with my cookbooks and I was able to sell many of them on a garage sale. Since I love to cook and bake, I felt some sort of attachment to my cookbooks! (I know, it's weird). Many of them are old, family members have written cute little notes in them and I didn't want to part with them. But when I took them out and saw my cookbook disaster, I quickly changed my mind.     I started this project by giving myself limits. I used the top shelf in the buffet for my favorite cookbooks that I actually use. The bottom shelf is for our blog information and family recipes. My first rule in throwing away was to throw away any loose papers, you know the internet recipes, magazine, newspaper recipes or those free recipe b...

  A few weeks ago I found these shadow boxes on sale for 75% off at Michael's Craft Store; they were only $5.99 so I bought 3 of them for various heirlooms and keepsakes. I put things that I had from our Grandma in this one. She liked to sew, I had a few of her spools and a thread box. I also had some pieces from the game Keyword, that we would play together when I would go and stay. It's a nice way to display and keep a few things, instead of boxes full of things stuck in a closet or basement.  If you have things that you have kept as an heirloom or feel like you just can't get rid of, make sure you have them somewhere that you can use and appreciate them. I also like the idea of taking pictures of kids projects and artwork and making the pictures into a book instead of keeping all the paper and projects that don't usually hold their shape and stay intact over the years.  As organizer Peter Walsh says,  "This is harsh, when you tell me, 'Everything ...

Where to begin? It's a new year, how about a new organizing system? I don't know about you but during the entire holiday season, I really wasn't doing a very good job of keeping my papers organized. So for the past few days, I have been finding the papers that I had been stuffing into those "little places" everywhere! It drives me crazy when I do that! We sort of have an office in one of our extra bedrooms. I'm not really an "official office" type person. My room is first a music room and second a place to keep my bills and paperwork. I'm a messy musician. If you are a musician or if you live with one, I know you get this! Sheet music, equipment, cords, amps, mixers, wires everywhere! So, I began with all of that first. For my sheet music, I have tried notebooks, binders, portfolios, expanding files, boxes, etc., I've tried it all and I finally found a system that has worked for 5 days! Yes, this is a record! After many days of nagging ...

Does this look familiar? This was one of those days, there were a few too many projects going! As you already know if you have been following our blog, my sister and I are a little bit nutty and we have a love hate relationship with organizing and stuff...love to organize..hate the mess! It always gets worse before it gets better, so don't be discouraged when you're in the middle of a mess. Lately Tammi and I have been texting pictures of our messes to each other, you always need a little humor in the middle of a mess! Getting organized isn't usually an hour long episode, it sometimes takes days, but it will get done and you will feel so much better when you know where things are and aren't wasting time looking for things. I have copied some links to places that will take some of your unwanted, things. Most places also have local charities too, so check your area for these. Some places will even come and pick it up for you. In any case remember, if it's or broken,...

I put the finishing touches on my kitchen organization project this week. I previously used a basket to store my bowl lids which worked well for me but I realized that when my family helps out in the kitchen, they needed something that they could see the lids rather than digging through a basket. So instead I used a dish draining rack to organize them. I tested my new system on Thanksgiving and it worked great! I started with the larger lids on the right and worked to the left with the smaller lids. It was much easier to choose the correct lid because we didn't have to take the basket out to look through all of them. A simple tip to help you get organized on a budget! Another tip to help organize your lids if you don't have a dish draining rack, is to use a file folder holder, Simply A Kitchen Use For File Folder Holder . They both work great! Organizing lids with dish draining rack  Love and peace, ~ Simply Tammi

So once again I was back in my kitchen trying to figure out why I couldn't get it organized "just right". Every time I think I have it organized, I start cooking or baking and realize that I'm still going back and forth in my kitchen getting things! I have already de-cluttered by putting "like" things together, getting rid of duplicate items and only keeping what I use. So this time, instead of just jumping in and moving everything around, I actually took the time to figure out what was wrong with the way my kitchen cupboards were organized! You're probably thinking "duh!" but really, this was a "light bulb" moment for me. To really get the most out of any space you need to step back and look at how you use it and where you do things. The counter space I wanted to use for my baking was not the counter I actually would use every time I starting baking.  Sooo, I moved it all around! (did you hear my family just grumble?!?...

I've had some requests lately for ideas and any tips for getting that nasty, musty smell out of front loading washing machines.  Even if you don't leave laundry sitting in your washer and you leave the door open, you will eventually still have "the smell." When your clothes smell worse coming out than going in...it's time to do a deep clean!  Tammi and I have noticed that our front loaders have been going a little longer between cleanings since we started making our own laundry detergent.  If you are buying laundry detergent make sure it says it is for "he" washers. I will have a new liquid recipe coming soon. I think it's a winner but have a little more testing washing to do! Here are a few tips that we have: Pull back the rubber seal Always check your manual for the best way to clean your specific front loader, these are just general tips that we use, my manual says to wear eye protection and rubber gloves...that's up to you. Always le...

I don't know about you, but at my house refrigerator organizing can be challenging! I'm pretty sure my husband can open the door and stand there, right in front of everything and still can't find what he's looking for! It has taken me quite a few years to figure out a system that actually works for us. I thought I would share my tips and maybe some of them will work for you. I limit my groceries for what I will be cooking or eating that week. I like to freeze meals ahead so my freezer is full and I don't have to waste time on what I am going to cook every night. I usually buy organic produce which doesn't keep too long and I hate to throw food away, so my refrigerator might look a little bare, but that's how I like it! Many of the items I make myself such as chicken and beef stock, yogurt, peanut butter, salsa, jelly, applesauce, syrup, dressings, and iced coffee. Most of my jars are labeled so my husband knows what is in them, and some I date with a sha...

Since Angie and I spend so much time in our kitchens they have to be organized. We have found great little organizing products under $5.00 that work great for kitchen organization. I love holiday entertaining and I've accumulated a little collection of holiday serving platters. I used to keep them in my pantry but I decided since I didn't use them on an everyday basis, they could be stored in the cabinet above my refrigerator. We both found simple little organizers that allow your items to stand. I used mine to store holiday platters so they take less space in a cabinet. So while on my kitchen stool, I also decided to reorganize the entire space. It's now being used for my extra holiday entertaining extras such as my holiday salt and pepper shakers, punch bowl and ladle. The pans and cookie sheets are stored on a rack normally used for filing. I turned one on end to hold my plates. I found them in an office supply store on clearance! Love and Peace ~Simply Tammi...

I'm not really a collector but I have "collected" some heirlooms and family memorabilia over the years.  Glass jars, vases or bowls are a great way to display collections, special heirlooms, and small items.  I used a couple of candle holders that I got "free" with a purchase years ago, and since I rarely use things for their original purpose, I filled them with special items from both of my Grandmas. I used one for thread, wooden spools and rickrack, in the other I put some game pieces and cards from a game that Grandma and I played together. Tammi uses a cake plate to display necklaces, earrings, vintage lipstick and pin. These could also be used to display and store the jewelry you use everyday also. ~Simply Angie

When we built our house a few years ago, at the top of my short list of requests was my very own closet, I didn't want to share a bedroom closet with my husband. Our house plan showed a walk-in closet but I knew that would never work! I wanted my own space for my clothes and so did my husband. For some reason I can remain organized in all rooms of our house except for my closet. I have no idea what the problem is, but if you ask my mom, she would tell you I've always been that way. Well mom, I have finally conquered my messy closet syndrome! It's been 5 days - all is clean and tidy in the closet area! For the past 4 years, I have wasted my money on purchased several organizing bins, space bags, shelves, totes, baskets, hanging bins, shoe organizers, etc., and still nothing worked, nothing was organized the way I envisioned it in my head. But over the weekend I had a revelation and decided that maybe I had too much stuff ! So I revisited my Peter Walsh organizing book a...

My laundry room is very compact and I love it! It is easy to keep clean because it is a smaller space. I have a cabinet, a shower curtain rod for hanging clothes, a sink, and I stacked my washer and dryer so everything is within reach. When we were planning the room, I knew I would not need a space to fold my clothes because I like to fold the clothes where I store them, which is mostly in the master bedroom or bathroom. So I opted for more living space rather than laundry room space. What I have learned over the past year on my organizing journey is that when you are dealing with a small space it is essential to keep them organized and don't let clutter accumulate. This is how I organized my laundry room space. On the bottom shelf that is easy to reach, I keep my homemade laundry soap (recipe on an earlier post) and some of the ingredients to make it, homemade fabric softener (vinegar and water) in a spray bottle, stain remover (Fels-Naptha), Dr. Bronner's liquid castile and ...