Rubbermaid - Adventures in Organization

Our guest pro-organizer sheds light on your closet challenges

You can close the doors on your closet woes, but that doesn’t make them go away. Take a good look in there—is your closet doing its job? According to professional organizer Lorie Marrero, if you can’t immediately see what you’re  looking for, the answer is "no."

That's just a sneak peak at the article our guest professional organizer, Lorie Marrero, helped us put together this month.

Read the complete "Closet for keeps" article on Rubbermaid.com. If you like the article let us know by rating it by clicking the "Write a review" button in the top right side navigation column.

We hope you enjoy.

Organizing the Pantry

How many of you want to get your pantry organized? So do I. My pantry IS NOT a disaster like my garage was, but it could use a refresh.

I have plenty of space but it's not being utilized very well.  The reality is we let our 11 year old daughter 'reorganize' it to earn a few dollars.  She did a nice job of getting everything neat and orderly but it wasn't really efficient or usable. It's hard to find things, items we use frequently are hard to get to, etc.  It's now time to tackle this project and put things in order.

As always I have a few ideas about how I should tackle this project but I'm completely open to your input and suggestions. I look forward to hearing your comments and am excited to share the results in the future.

Organizing the Attic & Preserving Memories

I'm going to start off this post by apologizing to the Professional Organizers who suggested I organize my pantry before tackling my attic. The rational for this suggestion was because I use my pantry much more than my attic. In most cases I would agree with this suggestion. In this situation they did not take into account my irrational obsession with getting my attic organized :)

It wasn't so much being bothered by the attic being messy as it was storing old photos, graphic design portfolios, and other special memories in old cardboard boxes.  The way I looked at it, if the item was worth keeping it was also worth storing it more carefully.

The first order of business was to pull everything out of the attic (it is actually a cubby off our bonus room) and move it into the center of the room.  I then started to unpack everything and sort it into piles.  I had piles for kids memories, wedding stuff, old business & tax documents, photos, old cassettes, and most importantly... the Goodwill pile. I even came across our Halloween and Fall decorations. That was an added bonus.

With everything unpacked I used the old cardboard boxes to pack and carry the Goodwill pile to the car (this part always makes me feel good). The next step was to carefully pack and store the items I decided to keep into a variety of Rubbermaid totes. I think I had five different types and sizes of totes (why do we make so many types). NOTE: I made sure I labeled the contents of the non-clear totes to ensure we could identify what was inside without opening them.

After all was said and done I had only spent one hour to give my attic a storage makeover. I can now rest easily knowing the photos I took at the YMCA camp when I was 12 are safe and secure.

BONUS TIP: Now that Fall is upon us, attics are not very hot (even a little cool). There's no better time to get your attic organized. Don't wait until winter when it gets too cold. Doing so will only provide a good excuse to not go up into the attic.

Other Popular Uses for Trash Cans

Trash cans, obviously, are designed to collect, store and transport garbage for pick-up day.  But, that is hardly the extent of what they can be used for.  Probably the most amazing use I have ever seen was to make an elaborate Halloween costume.

But seriously, below are some very common uses for trash cans that people have shared with us:

• Yard Debris (grass, pruning, leaves, weeds, etc.) – This is by far that biggest alternative use for trash cans.  In the yard a trash can is extremely versatile because many tasks require a similar solution – bagging yard debris.  Each city has a slightly different policy on how to dispose of that debris, but in all cases a trash can will make collecting it, bagging it and disposing of it easier.  Even if you just need to collect the debris to be moved and dumped somewhere else on your property, trash cans can aid you greatly.

• Recycling (paper, aluminum, plastic, glass, etc.) – If you are provided a 14 gallon recycling bin, that is great.  I’d venture that if you are recycling all that you can the bin you are provided isn’t big enough.  Just like storing garbage, trash cans store recyclables just as well.  Mark it “Recycling” with a silver Sharpie for your hauler to pick up.  Or if your hauler will only take extra recycling in bags, make sure you line the can prior to filling it up and just take the liner to the curb.  If you live in a state with a bottle bill, cut a whole in the top just large enough to slide a 2 liter bottle through, put it in the garage, and the family will know where to throw all of their empty cans and bottles until it is time to take them in for redemption.

• Animal Feed Storage (dog food, bird seed, livestock feed, etc.) – Sure, the food comes in a bag, but there are a lot of reasons not to store it in that once you get home.  Mice and rodents can get in to eat the food and contaminate it in the process.  Water damage can spoil the food.  Smart pets can eat through the bag if they get to where it is stored.  Not to mention, no one likes picking up the spill if the bag happens to split open.  Putting that food in a durable, plastic garbage can will both protect the food and make it easier to store.  For instance, a 40lbs bag of dog food fits nicely in a 20 gallon trash can (Part Number 2892).  Or, for more space efficiency in tight areas check out the 30 gallon Slimfit trash can (Part Number 2979).  Heavy feedbags for light agriculture can be dumped into wheeled trash cans so you have a portable storage solution.

• Gardening (mulch, potting soil, etc.) – My least favorite job each gardening season as a kid was spreading peat moss and having it spill all over our garage only to have to sweep it up over and over.  Storing those types of gardening substances in containers helps to manage moisture and store without spills.  Again, a wheeled trash can will allow you to roll it out to the garden area where you need to use it instead of using buckets, carts, or wheel barrows.

• Sporting Goods / Equipment Storage – What do you put 3 basketballs, 2 footballs, a frisbee, soccer ball, and baseball gear in to store in your garage?  For years, elementary schools around the country have used garbage cans to store sports equipment.  The same goes for camping and other recreational gear.

• Tool Storage –  If you haven’t invested in some type of rail system in your garage, and you hate having your shovels, rakes, edgers and other long-handled tools falling all over the place, putting them in a trash can in the corner can make storing them a lot easier (and safer).

• Charcoal/Firewood Storage – While not a lot of people use trash cans for this, we have heard that this is another solution that trash cans provide.

What have you used your trash can for in the yard and around the house other than to store garbage? Submit your comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Real life moving tips

I recently found myself searching the Classifieds for a new place to call home as I was nearing the end of a lease in an apartment I despised.  I was convinced this search would take until the end of time to find something suitable; however, I was able to find a place within two weeks.

New apartment?  Check.  Moving truck?  Check.  Packing supplies?  Not so much.

Wow! With gas prices draining my wallet on the regular, the cost to fill a moving truck with gas was surely going to be a small fortune.  And then I saw the price for moving boxes.  A few moments of sticker shock later, the reality that the boxes would be in a dumpster when all was said and done made me nauseous.

I purchased some packaging tape and something to settle my queasy stomach: Roughneck Storage Boxes. 

 

In all honesty, the cost of Rubbermaid containers, when compared to moving boxes, really was my most cost-effective solution.  And, since they are reusable and can store seasonal belongings without fear of "decomposing" cardboard sealed the deal. The icing on my cake was, that according to the local weather station, the weekend I picked to move was full of rain. Wet cardboard does not make for easy lifting.  Yuck.

 

I stopped in at Lowe's to purchase a nice selection of different sized totes so that I could begin the daunting task of packing my life.

 

I found that packaging tape and Dymo labels stick nicely to Roughneck containers. These labels saved me from having to direct traffic and containers to their designated rooms.

 

In a week's time, my roommate and I managed to pack our apartment and label each container.  In a day's time, with the help of some loving friends and family members, our lives were packed into a moving truck, two pick-up trucks, and three cars. After being hauled twenty miles, a week's effort took an hour and a half to be unpacked into the townhouse. 

 

A few bumps and bruises later, the empty Roughneck containers found their place under the basement stairs.  Another great feature is that they nest inside of each other and take up little space when stored emptied.

Oh, and as with every move, we managed to find items we didn't have room for or use for.  Rather than throwing them away, we re-labeled a few Roughneck storage boxes and stacked them next to the empties in the basement.

Now, to convince Rubbermaid to make Roughneck Storage Boxes that can pack, move, and unpack themselves would make for one happy, frequent mover!

Food Storage Drawer - Before & After

Just this morning I received a Twitter alert from one of our followers, @benag. She posted a couple before and after photos of the food storage drawer in her kitchen.  Below are her photos and comments.

@benag says: "Plastic containers are supposed to be convenient. Having a drawer of mis-matched pieces drives me nuts. This new product cleans it up."

This is the before photo.

This is the after photo using Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids

5 Lessons Learned From a Tailgate

Usually I’m the kind of person that will just show up to your tailgate, eat your tasty food, and commend you on the lovely set-up. Recently I actually helped a friend plan and set-up a massive tailgate. Here’s what I learned:

Use 2-3 cars.

This is a GREAT idea if you have a large group. It gives you more space to stretch out. HINT: If you have a tent, make sure one of the cars is a small car. Compact cars can be pulled further up into the parking space, leaving room for the tent to be set up in the rest of that space. You may have to go over the car just a bit to ensure you leave enough room for other cars to pass.

Bring a tent!

I seriously don’t know what we would have done without ours. On a hot day, people will appreciate a place to congregate that’s away from direct sunlight. You can buy them at any sporting goods store and they are simple to put up, take down and pack away for easy transport. Just be sure to break down the tent before you leave for the game. Since it’s so easy to deal with, it might be gone before you get back!

Serve food in reusable containers.

Several of our dishes we not salvageable the next day because they were not sealed in proper containers. Bean dip, spinach dip, ham delights and breakfast casserole all were science projects in the cooler by the time anyone got back to them. Any sealable container will do. But Rubbermaid’s TakeAlongs are especially made for the job since they travel well. Also try Twist & Seal Containers for messy sauces and condiments. Another advantage of using containers is that you don’t have to worry about wiping down serving dishes.

Use a portable music device.

Within 3 hours, we had 3 dead batteries and all sorts of windows rolled down – not protecting the valuable items inside. So bring your boom box or jumper cables – or both. You can never be too safe.

Clean as you go.

Game time is game time. If you leave all the cleaning and car-packing for the very last minute, you might not make it to your seat on time!

Under-the-Sink Recycling Storage

We all know recycling is a good thing to do but it's not always convenient.

In my home one of the hassles was having to walk to the recycling bin in the garage every time we wanted to recycle something.  I solved this problem by adding a small Rubbermaid dishpan under my sink. I now have a place to temporarily keep a few bottles, cans and newspapers without having to walk to the garage every five minutes.  The small size is a perfect fit, the handles allow for easy carrying, and the tall sidewalls keeps everything from spilling out.

How have you handled recycling in your home?

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To learn more about Rubbermaid and the environment, please visit www.rubbermaid.com/green

Rubbermaid FastTrack Garage Organization System

We've recently created a new FastTrack video that quickly explains the benefits of the product. Thought I'd share it with you.

Here's the link to the $10 FastTrack rebate. The rebate offer expires 9/15/08.

How I use my New 32 Gallon Roughneck

I, like about half of America, have a large wheeled trash can provided to me by the city.  With 96 gallons of capacity, there are few weeks that I wish I could throw away more than it can hold.

But, that doesn’t mean that my 96 gallon “Big Blue” serves all of my needs – especially when it comes to yard work.  It just isn’t practical to lug that big thing around the yard with me as I mow, weed, and edge.  So, I brought home one of the new 32 gallon Roughneck trash cans to try out.

This was a product that my Team and I developed and launched earlier in the year, so I was pretty curious to see how it performed.

Mainly, what I needed it for was to hold trash bags open while I dumped in grass from the catcher or limbs trimmed from bushes and shrubs (the city requires that all yard debris be bagged for some reason).  When mowing the lawn I used to try and feed the lawn bag over the catcher, pouring the grass clippings into the bag, etc., but most of the time the bag fell off on one side, grass clippings fell everywhere, and it was a pain.  Having this trash can just sitting there to hold the bag open was a huge help.  The same was true with limbs trimmed off of bushes and shrubs, as you try and shove them in a bag with no structure they usually just pocked through and tore the bag and I couldn’t really shove a good amount of limbs in because I had nothing to push against.

Hint #1 – A 33 gallon trash bag fits snugly around the rim of the can, so you don’t have to worry about it falling down inside when you pour in the grass or putting in limbs.  But, air from underneath the trash bag also gets trapped and limits the amount you can pour in.  I make a small tear in the bag up near the rim to release that air pressure when I dump the grass in.  If you don’t alleviate that air pressure it just builds up the more that you put in it, until the bag pops off the rim and collapses inside the can, and then you have a real mess.

One other thing I dislike dealing with while working in the yard is filling a full trash bag, tying it off and dropping it in the 96 gallon bin only to find that I have to walk back to the garage to get another trash bag.  To me, I always want to be making progress in the yard, not extra trips.  This new trash can features a bag cinch, just in case you are using an over-sized bag and need to tuck the excess in to lock it down.  But, I found another use for it…

Hint #2 – If you don’t need to use the bag cinch for the trash bag inside the trash can, you can use it to carry a spare bag.  With a bag cinch in each handle, you can have two spares ready to go, and two less trips back to the garage!

Lastly, the designer and engineers did a great job making the base of this trash can more durable and less prone to wear a whole through the bottom.  I have been using this can just about every weekend since April 2008, making sure to drag it on the driveway and sidewalk everywhere I go. While the scratching is very evident the amount of wear (depth of scratching) is actually pretty light.  This trash can will last me a long time around the yard.

What little tricks have you found that makes using your trash can easier?