I don't know why I have so many cleaning products - wait, yes I do. I love buying new cleaning items. It is my way of starting the process of the 'deep clean.' Why a deep clean? I don't know. I guess I always feel like my house is dirtier than yours. When we cook we just make such a mess. We do clean as we go too, but we sing and dance and laugh, and just have a grand ole time. And make a mess while doing it too. Add in 3 dogs and it's just a lot. Now that most of the kids are gone, I'm glad that we made the mess, it was worth it.
Over the holidays I noticed that under the sink was a bit out of control. I was afraid I was going to break the plumbing under there if we kept moving things looking for stuff. Could you imagine, a holiday fountain! hahaha.
I am blessed that I have a large sink and a little sink in our kitchen, but both of them were full of cleaning products. It's wasteful, no one needs all that. Now I see it, taken note of it, and will not be buying anymore cleaning items for a while. 2024 goals - be better. But..... not perfect, because I bought these really cute little make-up boxes from walmart for storage. They are $22.99 for a pack of 4. I bought 3 packs, and they are perfect. This was not my idea, I got it for a youtube video. I will say that 1/3 of the boxes did come in broken, so if you order them, order more than you need knowing that you'll need to return some of them. Since so many were broken, I had to buy 4 more, girl math. Right?
I'm jumping ahead, sorry. I feel it is important to have the under sink area organized for a few reasons. The most important reason, when you have small children it most likely is childproof. Especially if you have your cleaning products under your sink. You'll want to be able to reach in quickly and grab what you want. You also want your guests to be able to do the same. When everything is clearly labeled,you are more likely to get help around the kitchen. You deserve the help, so accept it when it is offered!! For some reason, for me, I had a hard time accepting help in the kitchen, like I was failing at something. How dumb is that!! But that is how I felt. So, from an older woman to the younger generations, please accept help so you can enjoy the company.
Addressing wasteful spending was next up. I had my cleaning products in 5 different areas so I really didn't realize how much I had. I had many 1/2 full bottles that I combined, yes, I enjoy playing chemist. In truth, when it comes to cleaning products around the house you need toilet cleaner, an all purpose cleaner, floor cleaner, and I do like my oven cleaner and that is probably it. I do have vinegar and baking soda that I use and I love the Pink Stuff for the bathrooms. I have no right to say what you need and don't need because I love it all. I have Norwex and just found out that I have been using it wrong for years! I love their microfiber cloths and just found out that you don't need to use cleaners, just water. Just WATER! An Organizers dream and I have been obsessively buying cleaning products fearing a pandemic may happen - oh wait, that did happen, and yes, we did get sick.
Another great reason to organize that under sink area, is in case of a leak. If everything is neatly arranged. It's so much easier to get in and address the problem when you can quickly remove everything from the area. We have had more than one garbage disposal mishap in our home where we had to clear out the down under sink area. Having it nice and organized would have been nice and less embarrassing.
I like these little make-up bins because they have some height to them. I feel like I can get a good amount of stuff in them while still being able to work around the plumbing. There is still plenty of room in the back if I choose to add more supplies in the future. The best part is, now everything is in one area. I don't need to go hunting around the house for anything. Since everything is clearly marked, the rest of the family better be able to find things without calling me to ask where it's at.
I suggest that you measure the area under your sink so you know how many bins you
can purchase. At the base of your cabinet, do you have a smooth transition or is there a lip? Mine has a lip, I like these make up bins because they are raised just enough to be above that. I can open and close the the drawer smoothly. Please keep this in mind while shopping. I have seen this mistake more than once.
My last tip is not to be afraid to keep rearranging until you are happy with it. You may see a picture that you like on Pinterest and then replicate it. It may be pretty, but it needs to be functional for you and your needs. That is what is important. Everything else is secondary.
Σχόλια