One of the appliances that gets the most use in your home happens to be the refrigerator. Every day our family members get in and out of the refrigerator to grab what they need and off they go. Rarely do they take the time out to clean up any messes that occur. As the week goes on, these refrigerator messes get out of control pretty quickly.

If this sounds like your refrigerator you are not alone! Personally, I used to dislike cleaning out my refrigerator because it was so time consuming. Over the years I have learned a few tricks on how to clean it properly and how to organize my items to help prevent accidental messes.

The first thing that you want to do is to remove everything from inside your refrigerator. Fill up your sink with warm soapy water and grab a new clean sponge. Take your shelves and racks over to the sink and scrub them down with the soapy water. When you are finished scrubbing them, rinse clean with cool water and towel dry. Fill up a bucket with warm soapy water and take it over to the refrigerator so that you can wipe down the inside walls, drawers, shelves and doors that are not removable. Rinse with clean water and towel dry.

Before you place everything back inside your refrigerator, check all of the expiration dates. Anything that has expired gets immediately tossed. Use a clean damp sponge to clean any gook off of your condiment bottles and containers before placing them back inside.

If organization is a problem for you, I suggest you invest in some clear containers that are stackable. I purchased 1 cup, 2 cup, 3 cup, 4 cup and 8 cup containers that are specifically made for the refrigerator and they stack on top of each other to save on space. I went with clear ones so that we can easily see the inside contents without having to label them. I also purchased slim oval shaped plastic beverage containers that take up less space than round ones and use those for all of our beverages. I decided to go with clear and opaque beverage containers so we can easily see the inside contents. Finally, I purchased some really neat slim design condiment containers at our local kitchen supply store. These containers are fantastic for holding all of your messy condiments and I find they fit inside my refrigerator door a lot easier than the regular containers that condiments come in.

Keeping your refrigerator clean and organized doesn’t have to be a nightmare. I suggest giving it a good overall cleaning once a month and to invest in some great slim design containers that are specifically made for refrigerator use. When you notice spills and drips, clean them up right away instead of letting them accumulate for another day.

Shelly Hill is a mother and grandmother living in Pennsylvania who enjoys cooking, baking and canning. You can visit Shelly’s online foodie blog called Shakin ‘N Bakin in the Kitchen at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com for free foodie articles, cooking tips and for free recipes.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Mainly this is to let you know that things may not look right if you happen to be visiting while things are being moved around. Plans are in the works…but for now, please excuse our mess.

Oh, and be sure to check back to see how things are progressing.

I still can’t believe it’s going to be 2010. Remember when that year was just a movie title? Well, we’re here now. Although the world is not exactly the way science fiction writers pictured it, the world is a completely different place than it was just 20 years ago.

20 years ago, not every household had a computer and no one had the Internet as we know it today. Cell phones were a rarity and text messaging via mobile phone was non-existent. In fact, most “in-touch” people still carried pagers, aka “beepers”.

Ah so long ago.
But enough of that trip down memory lane. Let’s get back to the here and now. It’s a new year and in fact, it’s a new decade.

I know we talked resolutions the other day and I hope those tips we helpful. Interestingly enough, according to a quirkology.com study, only 12% of the participants achieved their New Year’s Resolution goals, even though 52% were confident at the outset of the study that they would do so. That doesn’t bode well for us and our resolutions, does it?

Bah humbug, I say!

I think New Year’s Resolutions get a bum rap because they come with such a big, shiny label. People make and break resolutions every day. They say they’ll stop smoking. They say they’ll stop eating junk food. They say they’ll become a vegetarian. They say they’ll exercise 3 times per week. Guess what? Most of those people don’t do it, no matter on which day they made they made the resolution.

The Mark Twain quote rings true for so many people, in so many ways: “It’s easy to quit smoking. I’ve done it hundreds of times.”

The thing is, you’ve really got to be dedicated to your goal or resolution. You need support, a plan and you’ve got to get back on track when you fall off. If you’re just making a resolution for resolution’s sake, save it for another time when you’re really ready.

Like I mentioned, I’m putting a focus on a healthier lifestyle. No pressure to be stick thin, starve or exercise until I drop. Maybe fewer ice cream treats and more walks up the stairs, instead of taking the elevator. You know, stuff I can incorporate into my everyday life.

If you’re making a resolution, good for you. If you’re not, why not make a goal to simply be grateful for all the blessings your life has brought you? When you’re ready to set an important goal for yourself, you’ll know it.

1. Keep, donate, or toss. As you tackle your sorting and decluttering, one rule of thumb is, if it hasn’t been used in 6 months consider donating if it’s in good shape, or send it to the trash. Use two boxes, label one for trash, one for donations – then put everything else in it’s place. Mom always said, “A place for everything, and everything in it’s place!” You just may have to create places for some things.

2. Designate areas throughout the house with specific purposes. Have a central location for your mail, and where you pay your bills. Find storage places for off-season clothes, jackets and gear. Keep your overstock of canned and other grocery goods in a pantry, or designated storage area. Utilize clearly labeled bins or boxes for like items, placed or arranged in some order that works best for you and your family.

3. Use baskets, bins, or other containers in clutter hotspots to control piles. On your desk, keep a letterholder for incoming and outgoing mail. Cups or baskets for smaller items like hair clips or pens can help avoid clutter. We have a bowl we toss our keys in when we come in, so they’re easily located on the way out. A strategically placed basket on a stairway might ensure that things get taken upstairs too.

4. Hang it up. Stick on hooks are inexpensive and can help little ones keep jackets and towels off the floor. A hanging key-rack by the common entryway can keep keys from ever being lost again. Create a family photo collage for the wall, and clear some table, or mantle space. Keep kids most treasured artwork to frame, or hang somewhere for display. In our house it’s the pantry and basement doors.

5. Create a better “flow” in a room by rearranging the furniture. Relocate lamps, or other pieces that might serve another purpose in a different room. Mix it up! Sometimes just rearranging furniture can give the room a new sense of organization.

These totes can help you keep your photos, tools, stickers, markers, and other supplies from other people’s reach. Buy using this scrapbooking storage, you can store away your scrapbooking stuff in just one place to keep them handy and organized.

Aside from bags and scrapbooking totes, another useful means of scrapbooking storage is the scrapbook cases, which usually come in handy and removable snap cases. Here, you can store your scrapbooking supplies and keep them from being lost or damaged. Usually, scrapbook cases are space savers and can perfectly fit into chest-style storage units with a divided top.

You can use this scrapbook case for holding scrapbook pages, photos, stickers, and other scrap-booking tools. When buying a scrapbook case, make sure that you buy an item which enables you to see the contents inside easy so you can easily identify photos and other materials you wish to use. Since you will be putting photos inside the scrapbook case, make sure that it is acid and PVC free. In the market, there are various scrapbook cases available which enable you to transport, organize, and protect your 12×12 pages or photos.

The scrapbook organizer, on the other hand, is a very practical and sensible scrapbook storage solution. Usually comes in different cases, you can neatly organize your scrapbook papers, stamps, stickers, markers, and other supplies in its handy and easy-to-remove snap cases.

Scrapbook organizers are a must for a scrapbooker who is always on the go because it can help you keep all of your supplies in one place. Scrapbook organizers can be folded into half for easy transport with wide shoulder strap or carrying handle for easy use.

In looking for a scrapbook case or scrapbook organizer, make sure that you look for those that can fit neatly into a chest-style storage unit and those that occupy minimal space in your closet or craft room. Also, look for scrapbooking organizers that are great for storing art projects, office supplies, and other accessories you are using. It is best if you look for those scrapbook organizers that offer top features such as divided areas that are also perfect for drawing utensils such as paintbrushes and many more.

The kitchen is often the center of a family home, with people gathering there to do many activities in addition to cooking and eating. The more organized your kitchen is, the more inviting it will be.

Take a quick inventory of your kitchen supplies. Are there items that you have unnecessary duplicates of that you don’t really need? If so, get rid of them. You can either save them for a garage sale, or give them away. Then sort your kitchen items by use and size.

There are a few simple changes that you can make to your kitchen to help with storage and organization. Many items don’t fit well in the cupboards. By hanging them from a frame with hooks, attached to the ceiling, it not only saves precious shelf space but also makes the pots and pans more accessible. There are many nice designs you can purchase that will fit with most any décor; many of them have a cast iron or stainless look. You can also make a simple one with a wood frame, dowel rods and hooks. They can be mounted above the stove or an island.

The way your kitchen is laid out will have an impact in how you organize your tools and cooking supplies. An island offers a wonderful workspace that also provides a good deal of storage. Sometimes you can find small islands on wheels that can be kept in a cupboard or pantry and only brought out when needed. These can be a great addition to a smaller kitchen.

Storing your bakewear near the oven is a logical thing to do. Sometimes the stove itself will have a storage drawer in the base where you can keep cookie sheets. Your other baking supplies like spatulas, wooden spoons, and sprinkles, can be stored in drawers near the oven, too.

It is also a good idea to store your dishes, glassware and silverware near the dishwasher or sink. This reduces the amount of time it takes to put things away after washing. There are many cupboard organizers that can help maximize your space for storing your dishes as well. There are mug trees and hooks that can help organize all the mugs and coffee cups.

There are many organization and storage units that can help increase your storage space. Even an extra set of shelves on top of the cabinet can increase your space. Canisters can help keep your baking supplies not only looking nice, but staying fresh longer. Open canisters also make a great place to store larger utensils that don’t always fit well in the drawers.

Every kitchen is laid out a bit differently, so it may take some experimenting to see what sort of system works best for you. But once you establish a system, you might be surprised at how much more organized your kitchen is and how much time you’ll save in preparing meals for your family.