Organizing By Olympia

   Pre-Holiday Organization Series - Part 3 of 3 Tiny cabinet or walk-in pantry, there is a solution for us all when it comes to organizing & storing our baking ingredients & parchment paper. For many people the pantry is a catchall for anything that doesn't go in the fridge. There may be boxes of cereal next to the instant pot, which is next to the ripped open bag of paper towel rolls. Or maybe you store cans of beans in one cupboard, and your baking supplies in another, but both could use some help in organization. Maybe your bag of brown sugar is at risk of becoming a brick from moisture sneaking in. There are so many ways to get your pantry/dry good storage into a nice-to-look-at, easily perusable, and non-perishable friendly space. And for the holidays when there are items to store and gather for Thanksgiving and Christmas food prep, we want to make it as simple and not-frustrating as possible! The pantry might be one of the bigger projects to tackle, but don't be...

   Pre-Holiday Organization Series - Part 2 of 3 Whether you store your spices in a cupboard or a drawer, I think we can all agree that space smells amazing! But where is the marjoram for the stuffing? Maybe on the bottom shelf, behind the Costco-sized container of taco seasoning? Spices can make or break the result of a good recipe. Not enough salt, too much cumin (although I personally don't think there is such a thing!), cinnamon sticks lost their potency.  And for this and every holiday season, we want to produce high quality flavors for our friends and family to enjoy the dishes we make. We want them to have a taste of that delicious homemade cranberry sauce and say, "Wow! What's that amazing flavor? Can I get the recipe?". With a deep dive into your spice cupboard/drawer, you may find an interesting spice that you forgot you even had, that could take a dish to a whole new level of yum! But before you run off to the store to pick-up all of those holiday spices th...

  Pre-Holiday Organization Series - Part 1 of 3 You know that big rectangular box in the kitchen , whose optimal body temp is a cool 37 degrees Fahrenheit? The one who keeps our seltzers, yogurt, and lettuce staying chilled, unspoiled, and crisp? The magnet board for cherished child drawings and selfies with besties. You got it, folks. It's the refrigerator. Or rather, "The Fridge". It's where we keep the healthy snacks for kid's lunches, nightly dinner ingredients, and midnight snacks. The guilty pleasures and the motivational sustenance alike. It's also the place where things get lost, hidden in dark corners on the bottom shelf, or trapped behind too many bottles of salad dressing. The Fridge is an important appliance in our every day lives. It's also one of the areas we see the most temporary change happening with regards to getting ready for the holidays. Cranberries, Turkey, Brussels Sprouts, Ham, several different pies, and a nice 1/2 gallon of heav...