Friday, November 9, 2012

Electronics cords - Organized!

I am sure that I first saw this idea somewhere else, I just don't know where. 
Anyway, my kids are always looking for the cords to recharge their electronics.  You know, there are different cords for the Kindle, the nook, the MP3 players, the iPod, each camera.  Why, WHY does there need to be so many different shapes and sizes?!?
One day while sitting at my desk after getting up the look for a cord for the THIRD time, I decided to change our lives forever! 
I gathered up all of the different cords I could find.  I then used my handy dandy label maker to make identifying labels for each one.  For some reason, the kids can't tell exactly which cord they are looking for.  Then, I found the self stick velcro I had recently purchased from Joann's.  I put a long piece of the "hook" part on my desk door and put a small piece of the "loop" portion on the back of each and every cord we use.  I also exanded it into all of my USB thumb drives.  Now I (and the kids) know where to find each of the cords we need - that is, if they put them back where they are supposed to go which is rarely.
It is very hard to see the velcro that is stuck on the door because I was able to find it in clear.  I'm really happy with the fact that it doesn't show up very much.

Now you can kind of see the velcro stuck to the door.  Also, I didn't put a tag on my iPod cord because I am the only one that uses it and I can tell it from the others.  Duh.

I even put the Nook outlet charging adapter there so we will (in theory) always find the cord and adapter together.  That is, if they are put away together.  Does anyone else have this problem?

Now you can see the loop part of the velcro that is on the back of each of the USB cords and thumb drives. 

Teeny tiny kitchen cabinets

So I have a small kitchen.  Very small.  For a family of 6.  At least that's the way I feel.  My counter space is virtually non existent and the cabinets are so small that I have to turn my dutch oven sideways to get it in and out of the cabinet.  We keep the crock pot and griddle on the floor in front of the microwave (that's convenient and looks GREAT!)
So, needless to say, with very little space, I have lots of storage problems.  BUT, I recently solved one of them.  On a trip to Ikea (love it!) I found these great little baskets to hang on the door.  I had been looking for something like them for quite a while but couldn't find one that Coupon Boy would agree to paying for.  These were inexpensive and JUST WHAT WE NEEDED!!!
This isn't an earth shattering revelation but I am glad I've got these.

They fit on my doors and actually still enabled me to shut the doors.  See, I had purchased several other options and they were all either too big for the door or, if they actually fit on the door they stuck out too far to get the door closed.

These don't stick out too far at all and fit many more lids in them.  We just had leftovers for dinner last night so all the other lids are in the dishwasher.

This one holds my smaller lids and can actually hold 2 rows of them.  Double the storage!!!

Yep!  That is the full width of my cabinets.  AND, I only have 4 of these on the bottom.