Tiny Kitchen Storage Ideas
May 26, 2016
Tiny Kitchen Storage Solutions to Maximize Your Small Workspace
A cook needs to cook like a painter needs to paint. Cooking is an artistic urge that needs expression. When a creative cook inherits a tiny kitchen, this can seem like the end of the world. Small counters, lack of cabinet and storage space, and combined kitchen-dining areas can be soul crushing to the creative chef, for whom cooking is a passion – not just a means for sustenance.
Even for the average person, a tiny kitchen can be a serious hindrance to preparing meals. If you are among the disadvantaged, please don’t despair, as we’ve got some great storage ideas to maximize your kitchen space and transform your small kitchen into the workroom of your dreams.
Collapsible Kitchen Accessories and Containers
Collapsible kitchen accessories and containers, usually made of silicone or other rubbers, fold flat for easy storage and expand into full-sized, utility items when you need to use them. Collapsible strainers are fantastic kitchen additions, as colanders are known space hogs in your cupboard. This one has slide-out handles for easy handling.
Oval Food Canisters
Oval food canisters take up less lateral space on your counter or in your cupboard, maximizing storage space while keeping dried goods fresh. They have removable silicone gaskets and latched lids for airtight storage. Clear glass makes it easy to view your contents, plus these make colorful counter displays if you lack cupboard space. Add labels for flours and dried goods that you’re likely to confuse (like all those green powdered smoothie additives).
Kitchen Carts
Kitchen carts add extra working space to a small kitchen, while providing additional storage space for utensils, pots and pans. The right butcher block table can eliminate the need for other cutting boards as well. This Catskill butcher block has a backsplash to contain food, a fold-down extension, and durable wheels for mobility. As a bonus, it’s made in the USA.
Over-Door Storage Bins
Over-door storage bins make great use of unused space behind cabinet doors. Simple, lightweight wire and heavier steel ones are available for storing a range of products. This tall over-door organizer fits on standard cabinet doors and accommodates tall items such as plastic wrap.
Over-Door Trash Bins
Over-door trash bins keep trash out of view and yet, accessible when you’re performing kitchen tasks. The over-cabinet door grocery bag holder re-uses ordinary plastic grocery bags for convenient trash disposal – a great way to recycle. Maximizing all the space behind cupboard doors gives you TONS of space you didn’t know you had.
Blendtec and All-In-One Blenders
Using a single appliance for all of your food processing chores can eliminate the need for owning a bunch of different kitchen electrics. The Blendtec can process soups, blend smoothies, puree baby food, whip up ice cream, mix batter and perform a lot of the tasks of many other kitchen appliances. Reducing the number of gadgets you require for food prep will make your small kitchen seem instantly bigger. And, if you have counter space, the Blendtec can sit in the open where you can use it frequently – plus it looks cool in your kitchen.
Ceiling and Wall-Mounted Pot Racks
Stove drawers are never large enough to store all the pans and lids required for the average household cooking needs. And if you’re pressed for cupboard space, pot racks can be a lifesaver. This wall-mounted pot rack has a built-in bookshelf for keeping your cookbooks accessible and includes hooks for pots, pans and even utensils. The ceiling-mounted varieties are the antidote to kitchens with no available wall space.
There are lots of other ways to make your small kitchen more efficient, which we’ll explore in future blog posts. These ideas and products should get you started transforming your space into an organized space you’ll love, however. Of course, you’ll enjoy browsing our Kitchen category for every kind of kitchen organizer, gadget and accessory you need to make your tiny kitchen into the food prep space of your dreams.
Also check out our Cleaning Tips for Single People blog post.
And here’s another small kitchen post with lots of great ideas.
by Laurie H.
Ergonomic Workstations for a Healthy Back
May 19, 2016
Ergonomic Workstations Provide Comfort While Promoting Back Health
Taking care of your body is essential for health and wellness, and when you feel good, you’re always going to be more productive. While labor jobs can be hard on your spine and body, sitting all day is really a stress to your lower back and neck. Chiropractors attribute a lot of back dysfunction to prolonged sitting, poor posture, and poorly-equipped workstations. Sore necks, headaches and backaches are just a few of the symptoms that may present when confined to a desk day after day. Posture, exercise and ergonomic workstations and equipment are essential components to back health.
While periodic massages are great therapy and help de-stress you after a week’s work, there are lots of things you can do for yourself to help keep your back in shape and your body feeling good. Of course, if you have chronic problems, you’ll want to consult a professional, but exercising every day, even if only walking 20 minutes helps decompress your spine, as well as providing cardiovascular benefits.
Taking short breaks and moving around during your work day is ideal. Periodic stretching and brief walks get your blood flowing and are good for circulation and your muscles, joints and mental well being. Of course, if you can schedule longer walks into your work day, that’s a good way to break up the day and potentially boost your metabolism.
Making ergonomic changes to your workstation, whether you commute or work out of a home office, can greatly benefit your posture. Ergonomic workstations require optimal computer height, desk height, chair height and keyboard heights – all tailored to fit your body. The top of your computer screen should be about 2-3 inches below eye level for optimal viewing. If it’s too low, the neck and shoulders tend to automatically bend forward to adjust your viewing height. Setting a monitor directly on a desk is probably the most common mistake in computer station setup. A desk monitor stand helps boost the height of your monitor. This inexpensive Monitor Stand adds 4 inches in height to your monitor, accommodates monitors up to 24-inches and, combined with an adjustable-height chair, forms a fairly ergonomic workstation.
The Mid-back Task Chair has a gas lift for easy lever operation and a generous travel range from 17.5 to 23 inches, which accommodates most desk heights. Comfortable arm rests and a sleek contemporary design make this a handsome and functional choice for a home or work office. The chair has superior lumbar support, a comfortable, faux-suede upholstery and comes in a variety of colors from neutral gray to festive Wasabi green for the more adventurous types.
An Adjustable Standup Desk gives you maximum control over your work height and enables working while standing up, which many find preferable to sitting. A front hand crank makes it a breeze to adjust and the smooth glass top is easy to keep clean. The keyboard tray slides out for convenient access and pushes in when you don’t need it. A similar model with a composite top is also available.
Many people have headaches or feel nagging pain and discomfort without really questioning the source. While lots of factors can contribute to head and back pain, if you pay close attention to your surroundings and assess the ergonomics of your workstation and make appropriate adjustments, you may feel some immediate benefits.
by Laurie Halbritter
Jewelry Storage With Umbra
April 29, 2016
My jewelry has always had a way of spreading like bishop’s weed throughout the house – over the vanity, in the cabinet, and on the tables or windowsills (where I absentmindedly remove and leave them). Of course, I may suffer from an organizational impairment, which I am working on in therapy and at my job, but I have risen to the challenge of getting my clutter under control, including my jewelry, with a little help from my employee discount AND from Umbra, one of my favorite companies.
Umbra is a Toronto-based company offering innovative, award-winning organizing and decorative products at affordable prices. One of the unique things about them is that they employ many international designers who bring a diverse wealth of ideas, inspiration and innovation to the creative table. Furthermore, they honor their artists by individually crediting them for their designs. I have to think that honoring and celebrating their designers is one of the secrets to their success, whatever the reasoning behind it.
Employing multiple designers from across the globe means Umbra continually situates itself on the cutting edge of design. Umbra designers breathe fresh life into old ideas, as well as create brand new, inspired, non-derivative, out-of-this-world designs. Their product lines range from bathroom accessories to waste cans to curtain rods (something new). Jewelry storage and display products are extensive and unsurpassed in originality by most competitor products. Umbra jewelry organizing products include jewelry boxes, hanging jewelry storage (including their bestselling Little Black Dress line), and stunning jewelry trees and displays that are as visually intriguing as they are functional.
Here are a few of my favorite Umbra jewelry storage products by category:
Umbra Hanging Jewelry Storage Organizers
Little Black Dress – Sexy and clever, this 39-pocket jewelry organizer hangs right on a closet rod and rolls easily to fit in luggage when traveling. This original Little Black Dress was so popular, they expanded the line with similarly witty jewelry organizing products.
Little Black Corset – Naughty and nice, this jewelry holder harkens to vintage homemade panty girdle storage assemblies with a modern twist. 23 pockets for storage hold plenty of baubles and 20 additional Velcro straps keep bracelets and other accessories secure.
Little Mini Black Dress – Smaller than the former organizers but with ample storage and sass (4 zippered compartments with 9 compartments), this little hanging organizer rocks for compact, rollup luggage storage.
Umbra Jewelry Trees
Umbra Venus Jewelry Stand – cleverly references the famous Botticelli Venus with the Umbra’s popular dress motif standing in for her. Fashioned in mesh, with plenty of holes for earring storage, the dress sits atop a storage shell and includes additional overhead arms for storing bracelets and necklaces.
Jewelry Tree Stand – Flower – is a simple, yet elegant solution for hanging necklaces and other jewelry. A sparse array of flowers suggests a cosmos patch in summer, realized in a design that is both contemporary and utilitarian. 11 different chromed flowers have four petals each for storing a variety of necklaces and bracelets.
Umbra Ring Holders
Umbra Animal Ring Holders – Compact and minimalist, these little Anigram die-cast zinc ring holders ensure your rings don’t get lost. Made with white bodies and contrasting silver appendages, these little guys are adorable objets d’art. Choose from bunny, reindeer, dog and elephant holders.
Elephant Ring Holder – This chrome-plated elephant ring holder, with its clean lines and minimalist design, is absolutely sublime. Hang rings from either the trunk or tusks.
Umbra jewelry displays are as aesthetically pleasing as they are utilitarian and make fabulous gifts for your favorite vixens, your mother, daughter or any jewelry-loving individual in your life. I’m sure you and your gift recipients will enjoy your Umbra products as much as I have mine.
Designers:
Matt Carr – Little Black Dress
Sung Wook Park and Marcee Ruby – Little Black Corset
Sung Wook Park – Little Mini Black Dress
Luciano Lorenzatti – Umbra Venus Jewelry Stand
Alan Wisniewski – Jewelry Tree Stand
Sung WookPark – Umbra Animal Ring Holders
Joel Yatscoff – Elephant Ring Holder
by Laurie. H