If you saw my Kitchen Tour last week, you may have noticed this little nook by the fridge:
I’ve turned this nook into our new “Kitchen Command Center.” Probably a rather dramatic name. But it’s sort of alliterative, and I was an English major. So this is what you get!
This was our old countertop solution. While it worked, it didn’t work great. It quickly became a receptacle for Counter Crap & Clutter, especially given its spot on the island. So I decided that moving the filing system would, theoretically, help reduce the amount of clutter that piles up on the island. And, a solution that would “hide” things a bit better also wouldn’t be a bad idea. My neighbor inadvertently came through with the win when she recently hosted a Thirty One party, and I bought this new counter-worthy file folder holder. The folders tuck down in there perfectly, and I like the little pockets on the front to stash business cards, important receipts, a notepad, or other things you need to keep handy.
If you’re curious, my current folders are labeled: To Do / to File, Bills to Pay, Stamps & Envelopes, Retailer Coupons, and Paint Swatches.
Want to make your own Kitchen Command Center? Well, it couldn’t be easier!
The side of the fridge is perfect for hanging calendars and sports schedules, coupons you don’t want to forget to use (huzzah for free paint samples from Lowe’s), photos, etc.
If you’re curious, the file folders & notebook (which I turned into an address book with colorful page tabs) are from Target and the magnets are by Kate Grenier designs.
Do you have a Kitchen Command Center? What are your tips for reducing Counter Clutter?
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Nice. I have a friend who does Thirty-One. I’m off to look at the “folder holder.” 🙂
Good Luck 😉
I adore those magnets! 🙂
Heather @ Southern State of Mind recently posted…Dining Room Turned Home Office Details
Aren’t they awesome!? I’ll update the post with source/site info; the artist has an online store.
I have similarly labeled files! But they’re stashed in a basket in our IKEA expedit and truth be told, it’s too crammed in there to easily maintain a sense of order. So, it ends up a jumbled mess. I think I might need a file folder holder like yours that is open and easy to access to get my rear in gear on this one. Thanks for the inspiration, friend!
Warmly,
Lauren
The Thinking Closet
Lauren @ The Thinking Closet recently posted…Wedding Dress Shopping Tips: The Cardinal Rule I Broke & Why It Was Worth It
It’s been working well for us so far! We desperately need to create a mega-filing system, but have been putting it off for a loooonnng time.
I like how you utilized the side of your fridge as a board! That is a great idea for utilizing unused space. 🙂
I have a ginormouse treenware handled catch all that I set in the corner on my countertop where the corner turns off into the penninsula. It is amazing. You can throw magazines, coupons, a box of kleenx, sunglasses, keys, etc. and everything still looks nice and organized. I “clean” it out about once a week. If I had that stuff thrown on the counter it wouldn’t look the same. I also dedicate one cabinet to “office supplies”.. i.e… address book, envelopes, stamps, fun pens, etc. I also keep in that cabinet my Thirty-One file organizer like you have above! I keep folders for temporary filing like receipes, etc. Eventually I will all all that upstairs to my office for permanent filing.
My husband gets the mail and it all goes into his office every night where he sorts it. We kind of go with the motto of handling it once. If it’s a bill, write the check and put everything in an envelope. If it’s a magazine, it gets sorted to the right destination, i.e. office, bathroom, etc. Invitations, announcements automatically get placed on the fridge in our garage/shop and junk – IN THE TRASH! 🙂
I think the key to reducing counter clutter is containerize! Have a place for everything. Clean and sort once a week before the clutter builds up too quickly.
Wow, I just wrote a book. I think I like this topic a little too much.
Haha, it was a very informative book!! I LOVE your motto of handling the mail once, and sorting through everything once a week. That’s our big problem – we sort it, and then it sits, and sits, and sits.
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