How I organise my Tupperware cupboard

My plastics cupboard had been driving me crazy for awhile. So when I asked for blog post suggestions and a follower asked me how I organise my Tupperware cupboard, it was just the motivation I needed.

Confession – I have zero pieces of actual Tupperware but I think we all call plastics “Tupperware”.

Ready?

Let me show you my cupboard and talk you through my process.

Here is the before pic. It’s organised but there is too much stuff.

The back of the cupboard opens to my dining room so I’ve always not put too much in there in case the cupboard falls open on the other side šŸ™‚

1. Keep what you actually need

This is the stuff that was really bothering me. Far too many plastic containers when IĀ  actually don’t have any babies. If it were up to only me, I’d keep only the 6 plates, 6 bowls and 6 popsicle holders for outside snacks in the garden or around the pool, and the two 4-division plates, simply because I bought those for my 3-year-olds at Duane Reed in NYC. Awww.

The kids and Dion told me they also need a few snack bowls for popcorn/ chip movie watching so I ended up keeping a few more.

2. Use square or rectangular containers

Round containers are a complete waste of space in a cupboard. If you have plenty of space, go for it. Most people don’t have an excess of space so buy square or rectangular so you can put more in the same space.

I mentioned this on my instastory but these are the only round containers I own, by choice. The bottom one is great for transporting soft fruit like a peach or nectarine, and we use the turquoise lidded ones for nuts. The ones on the left are from our restaurant takeaways

3. Store all lunchboxes together, both yours and the kids’ ones

I keep a plastic basket with my work food items and containers. Normally this wouldn’t make sense. Why keep cup-a-soup, milk, cheese wedges and cereals with other empty containers?

Because I don’t like hunting around for the stuff I use to pack my work food.

This way, everyone knows that those are my things and nobody touches them.

I do the same with the kids’ lunchboxes. We only use their lunchboxes for their lunches. They have two lunchboxes each – one standard and one smaller for when they don’t feel like taking lots of food. I completely follow their lead and only pack the quantities they tell me they want, and this way, everything gets eaten 99.9% of the time.

4. Containerise like crazy

I store containers with their lids on except for containers that “nest”.Ā  (that one lonely purple lid is the friend to a container that was used without its lid on the day I organised this cupboard) This batch is the stuff I use All The Time so I keep them in a big plastic container and just pull it out as if a drawer so that I have easy access.

I tossed most of the tiny containers probably a year ago because I don’t have tiny babies anymore. These are the ones we still use and I keep them all in this big plastic jug. It’s useful because I can grab it out to poke through for the one I need, and then put back.

this was the “before” pic šŸ™‚

I even containerise these because I can’t stand smaller stuff toppling around my cupboard. The ones on the left are from the Clutter Buster Rotation Station (I’ve had them for a good 10+ years :))

5. Store infrequently-used items at the back or on the bottom shelf

Here is the after pic. I use the things on the top shelf daily so I don’t have to bend my back…much to get to them.

Here is the pile that was decluttered. I could easily have another go, but let’s not freak them all out too much šŸ™‚

And that’s it.

Not very exciting or Pinterest-worthy at all, but hugely satisfying when everything has a friend (a lid) and a place in the world.

Repeat after me – it doesn’t have to be perfect to be organised.

Hope this helps, CatJuggles.

Readers, let me know if you do any of these things. Which tricks do you use in your “Tupperware” cupboard? Will you tackle your cupboard this weekend?

PS Have you read The Husband’s Secret? I identify so much with Cecilia, the lady who sold Tupperware šŸ™‚

{31 days of easy organising solutions} – use square containers

One of the best ways to maximise storage in your pantry or fridge is to use square containers. 10 bonus points for you if they’re see-through too.

The shape means that there’s no wasted space and you can pack much more into the same space.

It’s also particularly useful if you can see the contents, especially for food leftovers in the fridge.

I used to waste a lot more food before when I didn’t have see-through containers but now I can see at a glance what needs to be used up.

Source: potterybarnkids.com via katie on Pinterest

Just a caution – if you don’t currently have square containers, please don’t go out and buy a whole new set. Rather grab a roll of masking tape and use it to label your current containers šŸ™‚

 

What kind of containers do you use?

 

Have you checked out my book, Live Organised, yet?

 

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