How to t Hoard Paper Goods and Take Back Control of Your Cabinet Space

 

Take Back Control of Your Cabinet Space

Welcome to day 28 of the 40 Day Clutter Challenge. Our goal is to declutter, organize and tidy for 20 minutes or less per day while choosing 12 items to get rid of that we no longer love, need or use.

Today we are working on paper goods, cleaning supplies and if you have time, the utility closet (or any place you store your large cleaning tools)

I have a confession and being that I am Catholic, please don’t get too excited… this is not a real confession, just an admission of a mini-hoarding phase.

I was once an obsessive cocktail napkin hoarder.  Okay, I am not talking a roomful where the cat and dog have to sleep in a corner in fear of the napkins towers crashing down around their ears.  But I did have a cabinet and two drawers full and it really was ridiculous.

Complaining to my husband that our house was too small because I had no place to put things and then later opening up that cabinet and cocktail napkins scattering all over the place was just a sign that I needed an intervention.  I need order. Well real order, not just stacking and stashing like our good fellow below with the awesome mustache.

 

How To Take Back Control of Your Cabinet Space

1. Start using the Paper Goods that you have collected and that have any kind of verbiage on them that say, Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, “Wine References” or any other reference.  Work your way down to plain blank paper goods. Or DONATE THEM to a local shelter, let them enjoy a few pretty colors but keep the wine and booze reference at home. ( Homeless folks may have issues with these sorts of things)
2. Next, let go of your perfectionism.  The next time you have an event invest in pretty flowers and not pretty napkins and plates.  Flowers add such a nice touch and can be placed in the vegetation recycle bin.  Paper goods…. take over space because of leftovers and there are always leftovers.
3. Only buy what you need.
4. Only buy what you need in one base color ( white preferably)  and one more color for napkins, and cocktail napkins. ( Consider red, it works with Christmas, Valentine’s and Fourth of July and red is always good.)
5. Buy Clear Plastic Plates for Parties and White Heavy Weight Paper for BBQ’s and other heavier food events that require a knife and folks.
6. Buy heavy-duty plastic flatware in clear and no other color or possibly white if you have a source that will not break when eating pasta or potato salad.  You can usually buy these at Costco, Walmart, and Target or over in the Amazon….. where busy moms hang out.
7. On the rare occasion that you feel the urge to have matching everything, for example, a baby shower, use the leftover paper products immediately.  If you love pretty things and having parties for expectant moms frequently, you will not want to use the same design a second time.  Don’t hoard the leftover… use them up.

QUOTE:

We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing. Billy Graham

Take Back Control of Your Cabinet Space and Get Control Of Paper Goods

CHALLENGE – Spend 20 minutes organizing and tidying where your store Paper Goods and Cleaning Supplies and possible the Utility Closet if you have time.

Your goal is also to get rid of or donate 12 items today.  You can totally do this!

QUESTION:  Do you collect anything?  Have you ever collected an item to a point that you had to stack it on the floor or in the garage or other places?  P

Have a super day!