Kitchen Drawer Purge

 With the New Year in full swing I, like everyone else, have gotten the bug to purge and organize my home.  I seem to collect lots of things over the year as I am sure you all do also.  I have always had trouble getting rid of items because in my mind I think "what if I need that sometime and have to buy it again!"  Well that has never happened yet so I have started purging more frequently.  It does make you feel so much better when you have some semblance of organization, even if it is in a closed drawer that only you see!

This project first started out with me wanting to organize the junk drawer in the kitchen.  You know the drawer you through anything random in because you haven't the slightest clue what to do with it.  Well, sometimes a small project turns into something bigger!

The junk drawer before

 I started thinking about the flow of my kitchen and how annoying it is when I am cooking and people are coming over to me at the island to get silverware when the plates are at the other end closer to the table.  This was when I looked at the junk drawer and decided it would now be silverware drawer.  How perfect to have your silverware beneath where you have your plates!

So I cleared out the drawer and replaced it with my silverware holder and napkin container.  I have to say I love the change! 

 

New silverware drawer

Since I moved the silverware I was left with a large drawer next to the stove on the island that was mostly empty other then measuring spoons and other misc cooking supplies.  I decided it was time to purge my product make my island cooking station more convenient for me!

 

So I took all my cooking utensils out of the drawers beside the stove and beneath the stove and sorted them out on the island.  Does anyone really need this many cooking utensils!!!!

 

Prior utensil storage area

 

 

 

 

I boxed up everything I am not keeping so I can donate it.  I left myself with the bare essentials for cooking.  Just a few of everything.  Pretty much the ones that I use now on a regular basis.  I mean come on I had 9 rubber spatulas!  Once the purge was over I began the refilling of the drawers.

 

Um I believe I was photo bombed by a Yorkie!





I started by placing organizers I already had into the drawers.  When it doubt shop your house.  I did not buy a single organizer to finish the job.  Everything was from other places in my home that were not being utilized in the best way so I brought them into the kitchen and they all work perfectly.  They don't match at all but I am the only one who sees it regularly.  Of course I am putting pictures of it on the Internet so maybe.....

Without further ado I present my newly organized utensil drawers!

I also moved a smaller drawers contents of unique utensils that are not used on a regular basis which in turn misplaced my K Cups.  So I moved those to the smaller drawer now which is just as close to the coffee machine as they were before.  Now the coffee drawer only has that, Coffee!  I added a container to hold my long spoons that I always use to stir my coffee.  I had put them in the silverware drawer at first but decided it didn't make sense since I only use them for my coffee.

I am so happy with how my drawers turned out!  I think the flow of my kitchen is better and I am not rooting around under my stove for the utensil I need.  Now I just have to remember where I moved everything!  A bit of a learning curve is taking place but we will all get it soon enough.

Now my only problem is I don't have a junk drawer anymore! 

 

Junk without a home!

 



I guess I have created my next organization project! 

 

Anyone else catch the new year organizing bug? 

What have you organized and how has it helped?

How Pinterest-ing Candle Cleanout

Has anyone else seen the pin on Pinterest where you can clean out every ounce of wax from a candle jar to be reused for other things?  Well I saw it and decided I had to give it a try because frankly those Bath and Body Works candle jars are gorgeous and I can think of a ton of things to do with them when it is cleaned out! 

 

Source: snapguide.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

 

I started out with a candle that was burned down to the bottom.  Why do they have to burn down through the middle leaving wax all down the sides?  Question for another day I guess!  I boiled water on the stove and poured it over the candle.  I had to put it in the sink because I was afraid what might happen to the glass.  Nothing did happen and I really should have considered the fact it is like a mini fire bowl when the candle is lit but better safe then sorry!

 

 

I stirred it around a bit to loosen all of the wax from the sides.

 

 

 

Then I let it sit until water was cooled down to room temperature. 

 

Once it was cooled down there was a chunk of wax waiting to be removed from the top of the container. 

 

I removed the wax and then dumped out the water.

 

I gave the glass a little scrub with soap and water to remove and residue from the jar and also took the labels off.  Which might I add came off rather nicely!

 



 

And here I have a clean lidded jar to do whatever I want with!

 

SUCCESS!

 

This was so easy I will never throw away another candle jar again.  I think I will use this to fill with Christmas candies and give as a gift.  Picture a beautiful bow on this baby and I will be all set!  I can also see etching a saying on it with my etching liquid.  Loose change jar anyone!

 

Again Pinterest has not steered me wrong. 

 

Has anyone else tried a project from Pinterest?

How did it turn out?