After a week of organizing, tearing apart and reorganizing, my kitchen hardware cabinet drawers are finally filled with stuff. Finally somewhere to keep my ... lawnmower sharpening kit?
I am slowly becoming an organized person. There have always been bits of my life that are incredibly organized (my freezer, my dresser drawers, my collection of bobby pins which I cleverly keep in between the cushions of my sofa). As a whole though, my organizing never feels completely organized.
My new(ish) kitchen hardware cabinet has forced me into becoming hyper-organized because if I wasn't, I'd never be able to find anything in the more than 50 drawers. I spent a WEEK a little while ago organizing my dining room bookcase cubbies, my dining room cupboard and ... filling my hardware cabinet.
It all started with going through my dining room cupboards, which is where I keep a LOT of stuff. It's really my only storage area on the main floor so everything from Sous Vide machines to staplers are stored in the cupboards.
I pulled everything out and and organized it by what it was. So tape in one pile, picture hanging things, flower vials and frogs, scissors ... everything got organized by what it was. All of the "smalls" (things that would fit in my tiny drawers, came out of the dining room and into the kitchen cabinet. And then, that freed up a lot of room in my large dining room cupboards for the big stuff like candlesticks, flower vases and wrapping paper.
The organizing then seeped into the kitchen where I was able to move my baking supplies and utensils into the hardware cabinet, making room in my cupboards for all my small kitchen appliances.
What's in the hardware cabinet and how did I organize it?
The Dymo label maker for the win.
I filled my drawers and labelled the sides of them so I could quickly pull them out and know what's inside. Most of the drawers are above my eye level so this was important.
I'm now on the hunt for a nice, antique clipboard to hang on the side of the cabinet where I'll keep a comprehensive list of the drawers and contents.
About half the drawers are full, which is perfect because that gives me room for adding new stuff to them over the years. Months. Weeks. Days. Probably the next few hours.
The bottom drawers are bigger so more useful. One of them, and I don't know why this thrills me to the extent that it does, fits all of my vintage pie plates. The drawer to the right holds baking supplies like yeast, baking soda, baking powder and the all important sprinkles. The drawer to the left holds lesser used kitchen utensils.
Little wrenches, pliers, and snips get their own drawer.
I look to see that I'm opening the right drawer by the label on the side and then just slide the whole drawer out so I can go through it looking for whatever I need.
I have the drawers of some of the more common things I used memorized but come next year I'll have no idea which drawer holds my lawnmower sharpening kit.
The drawers are not filled alphabetically. I filled them according to use. So sugar for my coffee is down low and directly across from my coffee maker and fridge. All gadgets and tool related things are in the top two rows. Spices are near the bottom and down to the left of the cabinet, closest to my counter. Don't you worry about it, it all makes sense in my life and in my head.
You want to know what's in every drawer don't you? Here you go.
- Pencil Sharpeners, pencils.
- Scissors, things that cut.
- Stapler, staples.
- Lightbulbs.
- Small screwdrivers.
- Wrench, allen keys, snips.
- Picture Hangers.
- Push pins, wire
- Tape, edge banding.
- Glue, Small Motor Oils.
- Hot Glue Gun, glue sticks.
- Flower vials, frogs.
- Eek.
- Salad bags.
- Coffee filters.
- Round cookie cutters.
- Jewellery making stuff.
- Pest control (ant traps, fly strips ...)
- Label maker.
- Flower cubby.
- Mower sharpener.
- ------------------
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- Sugar.
- Spices.
- Spices.
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- Beeswax paste & cloth.
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- Plastic bags.
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- Spices.
- Spices.
- Snacks.
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- Tea.
- Napkins.
Lower drawers - Empty, Empty, Utensils, Pie plates, Baking Supplies, Cat food, Swear jar. My swear jar works different than most in that every time I swear I get to take $1 out of it to go buy candy.
I grabbed that pie plate with GLEE and made a goat cheese and leek quiche in it. It was the most exciting day of my life next to the day I found all those bobby pins in my sofa cushions.
If you want to see the whole process I have video of it all in my highlights under the title "Organizing" on my Instagram account. You'll see the whole thing, the dining room cupboards, the kitchen cupboards, the secret flower compartment in my cabinet.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
I love how you found this awesome cabinet without know what it might become, had it fitted to your space and now utilized . Love it! 😊
Love, love, love! Because I'm a wee bit OCD I have to ask.... were all of those small drawers made so precisely the same that you were able to shuffle them into different slots in order for the numbers to be in order after you removed six in the re-size? No sticking/rubbing/stubborn opening? Or did you just take off the numbers and shuffle them? I'm so jealous I don't have a piece like this... or a place to put it. It looks like it was made for your home! (which I guess it was, kinda)
Hi Jean. Yes, I was lucky that I could just shuffle the drawers. :) ~ karen!
What are salad bags?
Here you go Susan ... https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/one-way-store-lettuce/. ~ karen!
A huge, beautiful, decorative junk drawer! Organized junk drawer. I think it's genius. So many little 'things' that are useful but too small to get a normal place of storage. Now I wish I had one of these instead of a pile of plastic boxes that have hand written contents on front. Easy to find what I need, but u.g.l.y.
Excellent!
I love the labels on the drawer side. They would have looked tacky on the front. Good work, Karen!
P.S. are you growing out your hair? Hadn’t seen you in a pony tail before
I am growing it just enough that I can put it in a ponytail. Or ponynub as I call it. ~ karen!
I need a big favour.Could you take a second and see if you can "read" the labels with your fingers? My father has lost his sight and at 92 wont learn braille.He still throws dinner parties and cooks so l would like to label his spices to avoid another chili disaster.Thanks
Oh my goodness! He is 92 and still has dinner parties? Good for him. I'll check once I go downstairs, but I'll warn you that I don't have very sensitive fingertips after years of ... well being me, lol. So I might not be good judge. The letters are raised though. ~ karen!
Christine, it's expensive but the Pen Friend 2 voice labeling system would be fantastic for him. A cheaper option is to get puffy paint and write the name of the spice on the bottle. Also, if he uses a smart phone, BeMyEyes is an app where you do a video call with a volunteer who will "be your eyes". Other apps will read what the camera is pointing to.
All that organization just does my head in...so...cute sandals!
Thank you, they were $5!! ~ karen
Love your bread box - all my breads and buns are overflowing in my wicker basket so looking for something to keep them neat. Perhaps a post on breadboxes titled " And where do you keep your bread?" Just a thought.
I actually just did a post on that about a week ago, lol! (Well not that exactly but it was on storing bread and what is the best way) ~ karen!
Karen I love the cabinet. I also love your floors. I've been away from your blog for awhile if this is somewhere I apologize...are those the true old fashioned linoleum tiles? Glued down in an incredibly laborious process? We remodeled a 1918 Craftsman and put in burgundy and white true linoleum. It was amazing. Indestructible easy to clean. Rent a buffing? Machine every 6 months and it was like new. If not linoleum then what are the tiles? Ive always dreamed of black white tiles in my dream kitchen...j
Hi Jilly! I have in fact done a post on how I did the floor. It isn't linoleum, it's VCT (vinyl composite tiles). Same affordability and indestructibility as linoleum and also glued down. You can read all about it here.. And also here. ~ karen!
Love the drawers, but more importantly, you have an organized freezer? Do share, please. I've reorganized mine over the years and have never been totally satisfied with any system I've chosen.
Here you go Pat ... https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/how-to-fit-twice-as-much-into-your-freezer/ ~ karen!
Joy! Lust! Envy!
All of the most important things in life. ;) ~ karen!
I'm totally impressed! (especially the label maker idea - I love to label!)
Blessings for finding what you're searching for in the drawers, Edie Marie
The cabinet looks so much better than I remember! Maybe it's because of all the beautiful things you've stored on the shelves and on top - so artistic!
I don't remember you putting up a rack/hanger for silverware on the side. Is it for the items you use the most? It looks very nice.
That's a hanger and utensils that I never had room for in my kitchen before. They're handmade from a company in the American south and they have weird things like marrow spoons etc. ~ karen!
Love your cabinet and your organization. Although I have a Brother labeler that I use a lot, I think your vintage-style Dymo labeler gives the right feel to your cabinet. It also brings back memories of my dad bringing it home from work for me to play with a few decades ago when I was about six.
And I have the very same egg scale you have; it is my most cherished item that belonged to my M-I-L.
That's exactly why I got the Dymo. I wanted the labels to look a bit old. ~ karen!
Well done! and I envy you your empty drawers, that would give me huge happiness.
What is Eek (drawer 13)?
I think that is the answer--13
LoL, I thought drawers 37 and 38 held spiders! I first thought, “why would you organize your spiders”? and then, “why would you need TWO drawers of spiders”?
LOLOL! ~ karen
You might like a Brother PT-1230PC label printer.
I actually love this little handheld one. I find it relaxing for some reason to click out the labels. :) ~ karen!
“Eek!’?
Yup. :) ~ karen!
13. Eek
is that an herb or spice or description?
Isn’t that where one stores their spiders??
Or possibly things with which to frighten their mothers? After all, a drawer is just a box. Don’t be afraid to open it!
Why a Dymo Labeler rather than say, a Brother with the flat tape?
It all looks so wonderful; we land in our new home tomorrow and it’s going to look like the bomb squad was 10 min too late for at least a month.
Likely longer.
Because I just really like them. I love clicking the knob around and the older looking labels. ~ karen!
As if I could love you any more!! Dymo labelers are the bomb. Low tech is sometimes the best tech. There are also some older ones (you can find them in Ebay, Etsy etc) that allow you to do metal labels (sticky-backed or not). Those are great for labeling fruit trees, plants, etc.
p.s.
the cabinet of curiosities is now the cabinet of common sense. Of course you organized things by easy reach/utility vs some other "cute" system. BTW, they sell clipboard clips so you could make your own clipboard :) This sucker is pretty heavy but so pretty http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=32159&cat=1,43326,51918,32159 and this one's more utilitarian https://clipboards.com/78-mm-black-butterfly-clipboard-clip%20?language=en¤cy=USD&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqcHCvuHS4gIVEo7ICh2mYwU0EAQYBSABEgI8dvD_BwE
Thanks Fruitcat! (is that your given name?) I like the Lee Valley one! ~ karen
Neither. ;) ~ karen!
Ummm...frogs? Shouldn’t they be near water?
Flower frogs I think. ???
Yes! Flower frogs, not ribbit ribbit frogs.
Um what the heck is a flower frog?