Next up as we journey through our book, Homemakers, room by room is the one, the only, the CLOSET.
The closet is either a woman’s favorite place in the house or the space she most abhors. Getting dressed is a ritual, and frankly, women either love it or hate it — or most often, both! We’ve all had those mornings where we try on 20 different outfits only to end up wearing the very first one we put on. For today’s sneak peek into the book, we’re sharing tips on how to keep your closet organized.
Whenever our kitchens are a mess — it tends to feel like a metaphor for our life also being somewhat of a mess. You know the scene: When there are baking dishes and leftovers all over the place, mismatched Tupperware pieces spilling out of your cabinets, restocked pantry goods haphazardly stuffed into the wrong spots... It can be hard to deal when our kitchens are out of sorts.
If you're looking to declutter your kitchen, then you've come to the right place because we rounded up some of the coolest kitchen cabinet organizers and organization inspiration for your own kitchen in 2023. These babies save space without sacrificing style, which will make whipping up those one pot spring dinners way more fun. Keep reading for everything you need to know about how to organize kitchen cabinets.
Photo by RDNE Stock project
The most important thing to focus on when organizing your kitchen cabinets is maximizing space. That just means making the most of the space that you have, because no matter how big your cabinets are, if they're filled to the brim with items that don't have a dedicated spot, it's going to feel cluttered.
Focus on keeping similar items together, using up vertical space by stacking where you're able (like with bowls or glasses) and making sure that every object has a dedicated space.
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Use your cabinets to hold more than just kitchenware — display books and plants to bring some personality into your kitchen. You don't have to save all the fun for your bedroom and living room!
If you live in a small apartment, or just don't have cabinets, you can still take part in the fun. Use the space above your sink or your countertop to add your own shelves. This is a great option because when you're doing it yourself, you can customize the storage to your needs.
If you don't want to stack your plates (or you don't have the room for all the designs to have their own stacks), set them upright instead with a DIY plate rack. (via PMQ For Two)
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Okay, so this one isn't technically cabinet organization, but it will definitely save you room in your cabinets. DIY this wine rack that will move your wine bottles from your cabinets onto the wall and add color to your room at the same time.
The Home Edit's organization tips are totally inspiring thanks to their efficiency and their color. Grabbing bins from somewhere like The Container Store or Target can help you contain your products so they don't end up spread across your shelf, and they also make it easier to stack your items since they won't fall over.
Don't underestimate the power of labels. When you buy your bins, tubs, and other organizers, write what you intend to store inside on all the containers and make sure that the corresponding product is always inside. That way, you'll have one bin of flour instead of multiple half-empty bags. Plus, it just looks prettier!
Image via roam in color/Unsplash.
For a quick update on the system you already have, stack your plates so that like plates are together, with the biggest plates are on the bottom — this will ensure they sit together in a way that takes up the least amount of room.
Make sure all the rims of your glasses are touching when storing them in your cabinets, and when you're organizing mugs, face the handles toward each other so there's less empty space and more room for new mugs. Because let's be honest, we can always buy new mugs.
Don't forget to use up the space on top of your cabinets too! Grab some baskets to organize new bottles of olive oil, bags of coffee, or cleaning supplies that you get from the store. (via A Beautiful Mess)
If you love to stay hydrated (ie: you have nine water bottles in your cabinet), then you should grab a product like this YouCopia UpSpace Bottle Organizer ($25+). It'll keep all your water bottle snug together so that you have more room for all your mugs. Speaking of...
The great thing about these Better Houseware Undershelf Cup & Mug Hooks ($10 for two) is that since they hook around the top of a shelf, they don't take up any room at the base.
One way to make sure you save room is to use up vertical space instead of horizontal space. That's why we love the Chrome Roll-Out Bakeware Organizer ($66), which stacks all your muffin tins and cookie sheets on their end. Trust us: this will save you tons of room.
Your fruit deserves a comfy spot to hang out in, so grab a Macrame Fruit Hammock ($30) that will keep fruit off the counter. Cute!
The great thing about a container like the Everything Organ Cabinet Depth Pantry Bin ($101+) is that it's clear because you know what you have at all times. You won't have to pull out the bins to see what's inside!
Use an Expandable Countertop Organizer ($38) in your cabinets — or use it on your counter to clear out your cabinets). We love that this pick's expandable because that means you can move it around to different areas, no matter how big the area is.
A pot organizer like this one from MUDEELA ($22) will keep all your pots and pans together, and you won't have to put up with the noise of when they're stacked on top of each other.
You can't forget about the spices! A rack like this Spice Rack($25) will keep all your spices together and make accessing them a whole lot easier.
Some mDesign Metal Pull-Out Baskets ($21) will create organization within your cabinet the way that cubes do. It's like a two-in-one storage space!
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Colleen Hoover stans, listen up! While the announcement that Anne Hathaway would lead CoHo's Verity movie broke the Brit + Co group chat, it has nothing on the announcement that was made today: she'll be joined by the one and only Dakota Johnson. And we freaked out. Dakota is a master at intrigue and suspense, and I can't think of anyone else who'd be able to draw us into the story like she will.
Verity follows it-girl author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway) and her husband Jeremy, who hire Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson) to finish the remaining books in Verity's series. But as Lowen starts to take a closer look at their lives, she comes to the horrifying realization that not all is as it seems. While It Ends With Us is Colleen Hoover's most popular and widely-known title, Verity is regarded as one of the wildest — and I'm sure the movie is going to be the same.
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The Princess Diaries' Anne Hathaway leads the new movie as Verity Crawford, author, wife, and (apparently) secret keeper.
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Dakota Johnson stars as Lowen Ashleigh, a down-on-her-luck writer who's confident working for Verity is her big break.
The actress is also starring in Celine Song's upcoming rom-com Materialists, and told Brit + Co just how much she loved working with "big idiots" Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans.
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We'll also see Trap's Josh Hartnett as Jeremy Crawford, Verity's husband.
The Verity movie isn't the only Colleen Hoover book adaptation in the works! Read up on the latest news on Regretting You, starring Allison Williams and McKenna Grace.
It’s a happy day when we get to put away our sweaters and jackets and pull out our sundresses and sandals for warmer weather, which (we swear) is just around the corner. Organizing your closet can seem like a daunting task, but creating a simple system for success can make it manageable and even enjoyable. When you start each morning by opening your closet and see the picture perfect image of organization, you know you’re going to have a good day. Not only does it look good, but it makes getting ready so, so much easier. We talked to THE queen of organization, Jill Pollack, who runs a whole business helping women get organized. Here’s what she told us.
Photo by Liza Summer
“People always ask me, ‘what’s your system?’ But it’s different for everyone,” Pollack says. “Do you think a skirt is casual? Do you wear more color or neutrals? For many people, their work and going out attire overlap.” Pollack recommends that instead of sectioning your closet into work clothes, going-out clothes and the like, think in simple terms and keep your staple items in front so they are easy to find. “Black tie clothes are for a rare occasion, so stick them in the back of your closet or a whole other closet all together.”
Photo by Kassandre Pedro
You must learn to let go of those items you are never going to wear, like the jeans you keep thinking you’ll fit into someday or the t-shirt that you wouldn’t be caught dead in but reminds you of freshman year of college. “If you haven’t worn it in over a year and your weight and lifestyle have stayed pretty much the same, pass on it,” Pollack says. Other items Pollack says you need to chuck — anything irrevocably stained, not worth repairing, clothes you’ve tried on at least three times this year and rejected and items that make you feel unattractive.
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Pollack says the best way to keep your clothes in good shape when you are going to go months without wearing them is by first making sure they are clean, neatly folding them and sticking them in a cedar chest.
Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva
Unless you have a shoe organization system set in place, your shoes are going to end up in a big heap on your closet floor. “If you have room for shelves, I like putting shoes there, at eye level,” Pollack says. “If you have a lot of closet floor space, I like double and triple shoe racks. But a hanging shoe rack works too.”
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This post has been updated.
Main image by Anastasia Shuraeva
If there’s one recipe you 100 percent need to crank out some seriously festive Christmas dessert ideas, it’s the classic, basic sugar cookie. Some of the most intricately ordained, masterpiece cookies (like pink Christmas decorations, jolly reindeer, and llamas) begin with a simple foundation. Let’s start with this recipe we love for a vanilla-bean-speckled version that’s sure to hold its own under all that royal icing.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add vanilla bean and egg. Mix until just incorporated. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
Gradually add flour (you may not need the full three cups), and mix until dough forms and pulls away from the bowl. Divide dough into two even discs and wrap in cling wrap, then refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
When ready to roll dough, pre-heat oven to 350°F and line baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Using a rolling pin, roll cookie dough between two pieces of parchment paper to 1/4-inch in thickness, and use cookie cutters to cut out cookie shapes.
Transfer cookies to a baking tray using a lightly floured spatula. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes before baking.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or when edges begin to brown. The time will be dependent on size and thickness of cookies.
Decorate your easy Christmas cookies to you and your family's liking!
Check out our baking and cooking classes for more recipes to make at home!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
See our ‘Grammable Holiday Cookie Guide.
Recipe via Vickie Liu; photos via Brittany Griffin/Brit + Co
