Archives for Kitchen

Save cabinet space with stackable stemware

Stemware always takes up far too much space in kitchen cabinets. Even trendy stemless wine glasses can only reduce the shelf height requirement, leaving a full footprint occupied by each glass.

That’s why we were elated to come across these inexpensive and stackable Eddy glasses from Crate & Barrel. They’re only $2.95 each.

Cheers.

Posted by PJ on Jan 25, 2010 | 24 Comments | Tweet This

Ice Box Art

It isn’t often that I get Christmas gifts that reduce clutter, but this year my mom gave my family a gift that will help keep our kids’ artwork under control, and since I’d read some questions in the forums on the topic, I wanted to share the idea with you.

The first part of the gift is a simple acrylic sign holder with magnetic tape on the back. There are many ways that you can decorate this, or if your kids are a little older, have them decorate it themselves. Maybe create a decorative border, or include the child’s name. This gives them their own special place on the fridge, which is especially important if you have more than one child, and also helps you teach PEEP (a Place for Everything, Everything in its Place).

The other part of the gift is an album to be used when artwork comes off of the fridge. The album can include pages that hold the actual artwork, or just photographs of the artwork if your kids are very productive and you need to fit more in the album.

My son isn’t even one year old yet, but I can’t wait to start displaying his artwork on the fridge with this uncluttered and fun system!

Posted by Brian on Jan 18, 2010 | 9 Comments | Tweet This

Can a waffle iron make more than waffles?

Back in 2007, the stand-alone waffle maker was listed as one of our first Unitasker Wednesday features. To put it mildly, there was significant “disagreement” from readers with our decision to list it.

I’ve always been of the opinion that a grill with multiple removable plates, of which one is a waffle maker, is the better way to go if you really enjoy making waffles at home. Instead of storing five separate appliances, you store one appliance and five sets of plates that take up significantly less space. We’ve even run a great tip from a reader explaining how to store the plates in an organized manner.

For the first time ever, though, I have come to doubt our Unitasker designation for the waffle maker after learning about the fun new website: Waffleizer.com.

This new website has already featured recipes for hamburgers, bread pudding (pictured), and hash browns. It is a blog dedicated to “alternative recipes for your waffle iron.” The blog promises to post 30 non-traditional uses for a waffle maker, and a month of recipes would certainly turn a Unitasker into a multi-tasker. I’m eager to see the next 27 recipes, and I hope that if you have a stand-alone waffle maker in your cupboard that you consider giving these alternative recipes a try. Bring out that Unitasker and see if it can really make more than Saturday morning breakfast.

(Thanks to Serious Eats for introducing us to this new site. Bread pudding image from Waffleizer.com)

Posted by Erin on Jan 12, 2010 | 23 Comments | Tweet This

A simple Thanksgiving solution

Thanks to Asha at Parent Hacks, I have stumbled upon a simple living suggestion that I will use this Thanksgiving.

Until yesterday, I had no idea that chalk wrote easily on matte-finish oilcloth. The concept is so basic, yet its implications have my head spinning. I’m no longer trying to think of ways to decorate my Thanksgiving table, entertain the kids during mealtime, or am worried about a centerpiece — I have my solution:

Simply buy enough solid-color, matte-finish oilcloth to use as a tablecloth for your dining table. With either regular chalk or chalk pens, write guest names next to their plates. This replaces any need for place setting holders.

Additionally, you can write menu ingredients next to platters, draw seasonal designs down the center of the table, and give young guests chalk pens to play tic-tac-toe and draw pictures with during the meal.

Matte-finish oilcloth is extremely inexpensive (less than $10 a yard most places) and wipes clean with a damp cloth. And, you can redecorate and reuse it again and again. A piece of solid white oilcloth with colored chalk can make it perfect for everyday use — especially in homes with young kids. Just be sure to cure the oilcloth first.

I love simple solutions.

(Anyone know if this works on just regular, glossy-finish oilcloth? If so, the price per yard is significantly less expensive. Image from Yum Sugar.)

Posted by Erin on Nov 19, 2009 | 12 Comments | Tweet This

Cooking and freezing: Ideas for getting past mealtime stress

Since our son surprisingly joined our family two months ago, my husband and I have had weird eating routines. Gone were the days of sitting down and eating a well-balanced meal at the table, and in were sandwiches gobbled over the sink in a groggy, sleep-deprived daze. I don’t like hastily prepared meals that lack major nutritional food groups, so I called my mom and asked her to help me get things back on track.

This past weekend, my mom and I prepared, cooked, and froze about a month’s worth of meals. Beef stew, burritos, pre-mixed ingredients for homemade bread, and dozens of other options now line the shelves of our refrigerator and freezer. It’s nice to once again be working from a meal plan and not feel overwhelmed by the simple act of getting dinner on the table.

I’ve found that extending a formal invitation to a friend or family member to help with an aspect of my life where I need to be better organized can be the motivation I need to get things done. I actually did most of the cooking this weekend while my mom played with her grandson and kept me company. Simply having a set time on the schedule and someone with me meant that I didn’t put off this chore and stayed focused on it. In addition to meal preparations, this idea also works great for closet uncluttering, paper filing, and cleaning out the garage.

If you’ve never worked from a meal plan or used a freezer to help with meal planning, I recommend you read these articles and give these methods a try — especially if you feel stressed out by the question “what’s for dinner?”

Also, last week, the Lifehacker blog ran a wonderful article called “10 Simple Freezer Tricks to Save You Time and Money” that can get you moving in the same direction.

How do you keep from feeling overwhelmed at mealtime? Give us your tips in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Oct 26, 2009 | 24 Comments | Tweet This

Space-saving cheese grater

Since I only have two drawers in my kitchen, I’m constantly on the lookout for space-saving versions of the tools I use. I have a collapsible colander and try to use knives instead of small, specific gadgets.

A reader (whose e-mail I unfortunately prematurely deleted, so I can’t give proper attribution) sent us a link to this wonderful collapsible cheese grater that is now at the top of my wish list:

The Joseph Joseph brand cheese grater folds flat for storage and up for use. It’s sturdy and comes in a handful of colors. It’s great for small-space living.

I’m really looking forward to getting rid of the giant cheese grater I have now.

Posted by Erin on Oct 22, 2009 | 18 Comments | Tweet This

Sheetseat eco-friendly and ultra-storable folding chair

With the theme of Thursday’s Blog Action Day being climate change, we’ve been thinking more about green organizing and uncluttering. Even just rethinking everyday items can make a small difference, like the Lunch Skins that Erin posted about on Tuesday.

I’m always a big fan of new solutions to old problems, so I was impressed with Ufuk Keskin’s unique take on portable seating with his Sheetseat folding chair:

Folding chairs are certainly not a new concept — the idea dates back around 4000 years to the Middle Kingdom of Egypt — but Keskin’s Sheetseat is the first I’ve seen that collapses down to a thickness of a mere thee quarters of an inch.

The simplicity of this design and the use of little more than a small sheet of plywood make the Sheetseet quite environmentally friendly. And the fact that you can easily store seating for six friends inconspicuously behind a curtain or couch, or under a bed, is about as uncluttered as you can get.

Posted by Brian on Oct 17, 2009 | 28 Comments | Tweet This

Lunch skins reduce waste and save lunch

Thursday is Blog Action Day and this year’s topic is Climate Change. As a result, I’ve been thinking about green organizing and uncluttering advice that will be applicable to the topic. Obviously, living an uncluttered life is better for the environment than living a life of excess and materialism. However, I’ve been searching for specific recommendations that I can give beyond the general.

One green solution that a friend recently brought to my attention is Lunch Skins. They’re reusable sandwich and snack bags:

The bags are dishwasher safe, food safe, and resistant to grease and moisture (no need to worry about your jelly leaking out of the bag). Plus, they come in many fun patterns. Lunch Skins aren’t great for long-term storage of foods in the freezer, but they are are perfect for lunchboxes and snacks when you’re on the go. Reducing your waste when you can is greener than doing nothing at all.

Posted by Erin on Oct 13, 2009 | 37 Comments | Tweet This

Organizing a party pantry

I was recently given a copy of the book Simple Stunning Parties at Home by its author Karen Bussen. In the book, Karen suggests organizing a “party pantry” so that “when it’s time to throw a dinner party or a wine and cheese night on the spur of the moment, I look [to it] for design inspiration, and I pull together all the elements I need.” She lives in a small New York City apartment, so her party pantry isn’t large or cluttered. She recommends a “small closet, a cupboard in the kitchen, or an antique hutch — whatever works for you.”

One of the reasons I have committed myself to living an uncluttered, simple life is because I want to be able to enjoy time with those I love. Being able to invite friends and family over to the house on a moment’s notice is important to me, and an uncluttered home makes this stress-free and simple. Having an organized party pantry makes these surprise events even easier — and so I’m working to create one in my kitchen.

In addition to the obvious tableware, Karen suggests having snacks and condiments with long shelf lives in your party pantry. I’ve always struggled with knowing which types of snacks work well as appetizers or finger foods, so I found this list extremely helpful (from page 23):

  • Packaged plain breadsticks
  • Jars of olives, pickled jalapenos, stuffed grape leaves, and roasted sweet peppers
  • Pistachios and mixed nuts or trail mixes
  • Dill pickles
  • Bottles of my favorite pasta sauce and a few types of past
  • Boxes of crispbreads and crackers
  • A variety of unusual chips (root vegetable, pita, tortilla, and others)
  • Dried fruits (apricots, cranberries, cherries, and golden raisins)
  • Plain microwave popcorn
  • Dried Italian sausages and salami
  • Biscotti and other cookies

Obviously, you wouldn’t need to keep all of these items in your party pantry. Rather, this is a list of possibilities for things that are good to store and serve. It is also fun to finish the rest of the jar or box of snacks after your guests leave. My mouth is watering just thinking about this list.

What snacks and supplies do you have on hand for unexpected guests? How do you organize your party pantry? Tell us about your setup in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Oct 8, 2009 | 29 Comments | Tweet This

Uncluttered mealtime

Reader Beth sent us the following wonderful suggestion for organizing meals at home for little money and little stress. Thanks to Beth for such wonderful advice:

I understand the challenge of cooking — I live alone and love to cook. So, I wanted to share some of my ideas on “uncluttering” mealtime:

[1] Make a list of staples that you always have in your pantry. I have tried weekly meal plans and sometimes I don’t feel like cooking on Thursday what I scheduled on Sunday! Here are some things I always have available –

  • Pasta
  • Canned Tuna Fish
  • Tomato Sauce
  • Eggs
  • Bacon
  • Cheese
  • Ground Beef (frozen)
  • Chicken (frozen)
  • Fresh vegetables (whatever is in season)

[2] Pick a day (usually on the weekend for me) and cook a big dinner. Tonight, it was a big dish of pasta with fresh tomatoes (out of my garden) and cheese. I now have leftovers for two other meals. Other times, I will make a dinner that is too big for just me – such as meatloaf. I have purchased plastic freezer containers with partitions (they look just like a TV dinner) and I usually have leftovers for 3 to 5 dinners. They go in the freezer — marked with the contents and the date frozen. An easy and more nutritious dinner than takeout!

[3] Set a grocery budget and stick to it! Be creative! That tuna fish salad can be used for soup and sandwiches one night and tuna melts the next.

[4] Trade meals with friends or relatives. My mom lives with my brother so she has the same problem as me. If she is cooking a big dinner one night for the two of them and has leftovers, I might say to her “hey, save me some lasagna and I’ll give you a tray of chicken parm.”

I would be interested in hearing others ideas!

I agree with Beth, I would love to hear other ideas, too. How do you make mealtime uncluttered in your home?

Posted by Erin on Oct 5, 2009 | 37 Comments | Tweet This

Keep it in rotation

Professional organizer extraordinaire Monica Ricci returns to Unclutterer to talk about consumable products. You can follow Monica on Twitter, Facebook, and her blog for more organizing tips.

There are two types of things in our lives — consumable goods and what I call hard goods. Consumable goods are things we buy, use, and re-buy to sustain our lives. Hard goods are items we buy with the intention of keeping them long term. There are some important differences between consumables and hard goods. First, the obvious is that consumables get used up and need to be re-acquired. Second, it makes sense to purchase consumables in quantity because of their consumable nature, provided you have ample space to store them. But one of the most important differences is that while consumables get consumed, hard goods live with us until we choose to move them along. Another differentiating factor is that consumable items need to be balanced and stay in motion. If not, you’ve got trouble. Trouble in the form of overspending, crowded storage spaces, mystery inventory and expired products which equals more wasted money.

To avoid these perils, evaluate your consumable inventory regularly. This means keeping on top of three primary areas: the refrigerator, the pantry and your toiletries stash.

  1. Clean out the refrigerator weekly, preferably the night before trash goes out to the curb.
  2. Keep informed about what’s in your pantry and don’t buy things you already have. Sort through everything in your pantry at least twice a year.
  3. Except for toilet paper and possibly bar soap, only keep a few extra toiletries on hand at any given time. Toiletry goods expire quickly (especially makeup), so buy them only when you need them.

There you have it … three simple ways to make sure your consumables get consumed in a way that doesn’t crowd your life, waste money, or waste food.

Posted by Monica on Sep 21, 2009 | 20 Comments | Tweet This

Alternative uses for colanders

Not only does knowing how to properly use your kitchen utensils save you time, space, and money, but knowing additional uses for your utensils can have the same effect. Earlier this week, the DIY Life blog wrote about “10 Clever Uses for Colanders.” The post, written by Diane Rixon, includes some smart ideas for making multi-uses with this large piece of kitchen equipment.

These are my favorites from the article:

1. Grease splatter reducer. Carefully place a colander upside down over frying foods. The heat can get out, but the grease is largely contained.

5. Play accessory. Kids love to watch anything drain through a colander. I mean anything. Sifting water, small beads, bird seed, sand, or good old-fashioned dirt through a colander works well for keeping kids entertained.

7. Bug tent. Colanders can’t keep tiny bugs off picnic and barbecue spreads, but they will help discourage large flies. So if your platter has no lid and you’re in a pinch, grab a colander and pop it upside down over your food.

Check out the full list of 10 and then come back here and share more of your ideas for creative uses for colanders and other kitchen utensils.

Posted by Erin on Aug 27, 2009 | 23 Comments | Tweet This

Cut the clutter

It’s easy to buy duplicate items that perform the same task when you don’t have a solid understanding of all the bells and whistles of what you already own. Whether it’s software on your computer or utensils in the kitchen, you should take the time to learn all there is to know about what you have.

To this end, I think that knowing how to properly use a knife can save you time, money, and space. Chef Roger Mooking gives an extremely good lesson on knife skills that makes items like the Slap Chop unnecessary:

If you can’t see the video automatically, check out the clip on YouTube directly.

(via Slashfood)

Posted by Erin on Aug 25, 2009 | 25 Comments | Tweet This

Nesting cookware for camping

Back to Monday’s theme of “Wow, this is cool!” I want to introduce you to the MSR Flex 4 System Cookset:

If you’re a camping enthusiast (or even if you live in an apartment with a tiny kitchen), this incredible nesting cookset is perfect for you. I can’t stop looking at it. I may even be drooling.

(via NotCot)

Posted by Erin on Aug 19, 2009 | 25 Comments | Tweet This

You don’t have to be the best

When I was younger, I studied ballet. By the time high school rolled around, I was spending 16 hours a week at the ballet studio, and that number would easily double when we were getting ready for performances. I wanted to be a prima ballerina and I poured most of my free time into preparing for that goal.

Then one day, I looked in the studio mirror and realized I wasn’t the best dancer in my company. I was technically proficient and extremely graceful, but there were at least two other girls who made me look like I had never taken a dance class in my life. These girls were exquisite, and a part of me knew that I would never be the prima ballerina as long as they were dancing.

So, I quit.

After 13 years of eating, studying, training, and living the life of a ballerina, I walked away from all of it without any notice.

I rarely talk about my time studying ballet because I am embarrassed by how it all ended. I can’t believe that I was so arrogant as to believe that if I wasn’t the best, I wanted nothing to do with it.

What surprises me, though, is how often I turn to this flawed logic. Maybe you do the same thing? I didn’t take up running until my mid-30s because I knew I was a slow runner. It never crossed my mind that I might run for some reason other than winning a race. I never thought about the benefits of the exercise, how good I would feel while running, and that I might love running just for the sake of running. I missed out on decades of running because I wasn’t going to be the best runner. Ugh.

I run into this type of all-or-nothing absolutist thinking a great deal when talking to people about uncluttering. They see it as a dichotomy where a person will either be organized or disorganized. They don’t try to get even a little clutter out of their lives because they can’t get all clutter removed. They know that the prima Unclutterers will always be “better,” so they don’t try at all.

The humbling truth of the matter is that there will always be someone who is better at doing something than you are. Thankfully, uncluttering isn’t a competition and it doesn’t require you to be the best. It doesn’t matter if someone does it better than you do. You don’t get rid of clutter for someone else, you get rid of it for you. Comparing yourself to another person is unnecessary; you only need to look at your life and your needs to decide what is best for you.

Posted by Erin on Aug 3, 2009 | 77 Comments | Tweet This

Ask Unclutterer: Help me organize and build a bar

Reader Tyler submitted the following to Ask Unclutterer:

I graduated college in May. Moved to Chicago for a consulting job. Four days a week I’m in a different state and I fly back to Chicago on weekends. I have friends from college who also moved here. I like to have pre-going out parties on weekends at my place to build a social life. I want to put together a bar in my dining room. I want it to be a gentleman’s bar not something I would have done in college like a kegerator. I like being organized and prepared. Want to do it up right. Think GQ.

If you don’t already have a piece of furniture to act as a bar and you have room for it, I recommend you get something to act as your “gentleman’s bar.” This will give you a space to store the liquor you have out of direct light and your bar equipment as you acquire it (ice bucket, high ball glasses, etc.), plus you can use the top as a serving area when you do have a party. In our home, we use an Ikea Bjursta. We bought ours a few years ago and it looks a little different than the one they sell now (and I think ours was less expensive than this one), but you get the general idea. Check out Craigslist, garage sales, and second-hand shops for something more unique if that fits your style.

Once you have the furniture, your next step is to decide on a signature drink. (I’m thinking martinis, old fashions, Mary Pickfords, sidecars, Manhattans, etc.) You mentioned that you usually throw pre-parties, so let the bar you’re going to later be the one to offer a full-range of options. You just want to get the party started, and you don’t have to break the bank to do so. Find a drink recipe that you really like, and only store the ingredients for it. Change up your signature drink whenever you run through your ingredients to keep your guests interested and clutter out of your space.

Eventually, you will get nice bottles of liquor as gifts, and you can let those be your alternatives when someone isn’t a fan of your signature drink. I keep a bottle each of vodka, bourbon, gin, light rum, vermouth, and tequila in our home bar and a bottle of Khaluha, grenadine, and sweet and sour mix in the refrigerator. I also grow mint in our garden. We have friends and clients over for dinner and/or drinks four or five times a month, so we have more on hand than I think most people should. I don’t recommend storing more than what I’ve just listed. It becomes a pain to store and keep organized. As with most things, it’s about quality, not quantity. I’m trying to get back to a signature drink and get rid of some of the stuff we’re storing.

Oh, and as far as accoutrements are concerned, you honestly don’t need a lot. We have an ice bucket (you could use a bowl), a cocktail shaker, and eight high ball glasses (these are also our every day glasses when we’re not having parties).

Thank you, Tyler, for submitting your question for our Ask Unclutterer column. I hope that I helped! Check out the comments section for even more bar-organizing ideas.

Do you have a question relating to organizing, cleaning, home and office projects, productivity, or any problems you think the Unclutterer team could help you solve? To submit your questions to Ask Unclutterer, go to our contact page and type your question in the content field. Please list the subject of your e-mail as “Ask Unclutterer.” If you feel comfortable sharing images of the spaces that trouble you, let us know about them. The more information we have about your specific issue, the better.

Posted by Erin on Jul 24, 2009 | 14 Comments | Tweet This

Book review: The Itty Bitty Kitchen Handbook

I love that I’m back to reviewing books again and I was excited when I finally worked my way to Justin Spring’s The Itty Bitty Kitchen Handbook. Published in 2006, this gem is essential reading for anyone who finds themselves in a cluttered kitchen of any size.

From page six:

Since clutter is particularly toxic to small kitchen spaces, we’ll start with some purging (and even get a little touchy-feely about why it’s so hard to keep a kitchen clutter free), then move on to deep cleaning and organizing.

Clutter busting, cleaning and organizing — an unclutterer’s dream book!

Some of my favorite advice can be found in the first part of the book:

For Those Who Can’t Let Go:
Some Tips and Tricks for Kitchen Pack Rats

LETTING GO OF STUFF comes easier to some than to others. For those of us who have a really hard time getting rid of unused and unneeded kitchen stuff, here are some thoughts to keep in mind:

  1. Rmember that much of the stuff you are now going to make a decision about was in fact given to you by someone who, however thrifty, secretly wanted to be rid of it–and finessed the job by giving it to you.
  2. Console yourself that much of the stuff you are making decisions about was never meant to be held on to and has no great commercial value.
  3. Beware of meaningless sentimental attachments.
  4. Focus, whenever possible, on the possibility that by cleaning out your kitchen cabinets you will be giving some really good stuff to others. Your guilt about letting go of stuff (and your fear of unwittingly losing some really valuable stuff) can thus be vanquished through the reassurance that you are giving stuff to charity. Thrift shops that benefit specific charities are your best bet, since your stuff will find a good home, the proceeds from the sale will help a worth cause, and–hey!– you will even be getting a tax deduction.
  5. Finally, and most important: remember that you are not so much getting rid of stuff as making room to live.

The second part of the book is full of recipes that are perfect for a small kitchen. Not necessarily that exciting for an unclutterer, but there are some tasty recipes in there regardless.

The book’s author currently lives in a small New York City apartment that has a 45-square-foot kitchen and grew up using a kitchen on a tiny family sailboat. His advice is practical and based on years of experience.

Posted by Erin on Jul 18, 2009 | 25 Comments | Tweet This

Corralling lids

The August issue of Real Simple magazine (pg. 36) has a great tip for maintaining order in the kitchen:

small tension rod
ORIGINAL PURPOSE: Hanging curtains.
AHA! USE: Corralling pot lids in kitchen drawers. Position the expandable rod a quarter of the way into the drawer and stand the lids up.
REWARD: Easier access to pots and their tops.

Do you use an item in an unconventional way to help keep your kitchen organized? Tell us about your simple solutions in the comments.

UPDATE: Several readers have inquired about the tension rod pictured and it appears to be this one, which expands from 15″ to 25″ and is available in a variety of finishes.

Posted by Erin on Jul 16, 2009 | 23 Comments | Tweet This

Convenient dry goods delivery from Alice.com

A couple months ago, I was given the opportunity to be a beta-beta tester for Alice.com. (A gamma tester?) It’s a dry goods grocery delivery service where you place an order online and then have the items shipped directly to your home.

The prices are comparable to what you might find in a big box store like Costco or Sam’s Club, but the products are sized like what you would buy in a grocery store or pharmacy. All with the added convenience of not having to go to a store (and there is no charge for shipping). You can set up a shopping list and reminders, so that every few weeks or a couple times a year (you set the schedule) you receive a notification from Alice.com telling you that you might be getting low on toilet paper or deodorant or shampoo.

I’ve gone shopping on Alice, paid for my order, and received a shipment. For as much as I ordered, I was genuinely surprised at how little packaging they used. It all fit in a reasonably sized box and the box broke down easily to go into our recycling bin. Everything about the process was convenient.

And I think that is why I liked it so much. It’s convenient. I’m incredibly busy and the last thing I want to do is have to run to the store to pick up toilet paper when we inevitably run out at 10:00 at night. Now, I get a notice once a month asking me if I need toilet paper, and if my supplies are low, I order more. I make a few clicks with my mouse in less than a minute and toilet paper appears two days later.

Right now, since they’re still in beta, they’re only carrying the major brands. But, they’re in negotiations with smaller manufacturers to increase their inventory. They actually carried my favorite brand of all of the supplies I ordered, so I didn’t notice that anything was missing. During testing, though, I noted one or two types of products that weren’t on their inventory and poof! after I suggested the product it appeared on the list a few days later. So, I know they’re listening to consumer requests. The interface is easy to use, too, and these cute little cartoon people guide you through the site:

I think about my friends who have infants at home and barely have time to shower, and how nice it would be for them if diapers just appeared on their doorsteps. I think about my friends who live in downtown New York who have to take 20 minute train rides to get to the closest big box store, and how much time it would save them if their dry good items could simply be delivered. Since I buy the vast majority of my food through our local farmer’s market, Alice.com saves me from having to make a second shopping trip to the grocery store. It’s extremely convenient for busy people. It removes an errand/chore from my weekly schedule and allows me to spend that time doing something that matters more to me. It’s simple and uncluttered, for my life.

Granted, this service isn’t for everyone. If you like going to the grocery store and smelling products and first touching what you’re going to buy, then you won’t like getting your dry goods delivered. It also takes 15 to 20 minutes to put together your initial order (at least that is what it took me) which isn’t much of a time saver on that first trip. Subsequent trips are just seconds, however, since you have an established shopping list. Also, if you buy a lot of small production goods, it might take a while for those to become available as contracts are negotiated between Alice and those manufacturers.

What do you think about dry goods being delivered to your door? To me, it’s a lot like Netflix or Amazon, just with the specific grocery angle. If you’re interested in trying it for yourself, you can sign up for a free account and be a beta tester, too, at Alice.com. Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Jun 23, 2009 | 49 Comments | Tweet This

House Beautiful: What’s in your junk drawer?

Recently, I received a fun request from House Beautiful magazine to share a photo of my home’s junk drawer with their readers.

Somewhere in every home there’s the bottomless, fascinating, slightly terrifying junk drawer. It’s like a little attic.

Truth be told, I don’t have a junk drawer in my house. I have just two built-in drawers in my entire place, and they’re in the kitchen. One of the drawers holds eating utensils and the other holds food preparation utensils. Which, unfortunately, I believe made me the least fun of the 8 “brave souls” featured in the article.

I’m honored that House Beautiful reporter Shax Riegler still included me in her entertaining article in the May issue. If you missed it while it was on newsstands, check it out online. (I am still giddy that my drawer is pictured next to Karim Rashid’s. I may be his biggest fan.)

Mine:

Karim Rashid’s:

Posted by Erin on Jun 20, 2009 | 12 Comments | Tweet This