What a Mess!

Akk! When I open up my cabinet of plastic ware, yogurt containers, etc., it's worse than Mr. Magoo's closet! What can I do to keep them straight, to have enough containers yet be able to find sizes and covers when I need them? I do have some set in a separate cabinet for my toddler, but still don't have the others suitably arranged. Thank you.

~ Ann McG


Try a Box

Finding a way to stack plastic containers has always been a tough one. The first thing you need to do is actually take the time to match up the lids with the containers. Any extras--throw them away! The easiest and cheapest way to organize plastic lids for containers is to find a box that fits on the shelf of your cabinet. It can be any size you need for the space you have. You can neatly arrange lids in the box (you may have to cut down the sides to fit) but they are always together in one place--very convenient.
If you want to get creative, you can make it pretty or match your decor with shelf paper, wallpaper, or even material.

Most of the larger rectangular covers I store standing up on edge in narrow spaces of my cupboard, such as between cereal storers, or beside unopened boxes of food. There is also a small space next to my plate rack I use for large rectangular lids. The oval lids can mostly be kept in one of the tall oval containers.

If you stack the shorter empty "modular" containers beneath the taller ones of the same shape/size bottom, I think you will find they stack more compactly. This works wonders with the several sizes of rectangular "mates" and the ovals. It also saves a little space with the square rounds.

~ Rose B, mother of three, in NC

Try a Dish Strainer

I recycle old dish strainers. They hold lids small in front to largest in the back. The silverware "department" holds plastic silverware I have washed to re-use for work lunches etc. Then I stack the containers nearby.

~ Kris B.


More Than One Step Needed

First and foremost, do you need (use) all of the containers you have? Your first order of business should be to eliminate any unnecessary containers and move any non-kitchen plastic ware to the area where it will be used (example: small yogurt containers to be used for seedlings should be kept in the potting shed, garage, etc.).   Small containers that don't stack well could go together into a larger container, the same can be done with lids. Tupperware sells a lid keeper that can be attached to the inside of your cabinet door. If you're not interested in looks you could simply staple or nail a heavy duty plastic bag (zipper style freezer bag) to the inside of the cabinet door - depending on the size of the cabinet door, you could used two or three of these bags (one below the other) to sort lids by size and to keep the bags from bulging. Happy organizing!

~ Jen Ozols,
Connecticut.


Match Maker

Number the lids and containers that match. For example all of one size containers would be labeled with 1's and the matching lids would be labeled with 1's. Then when you look in your drawer you can immediately spot the lid that fits!!

~ Vicki K.

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Worth Buying a Matched Set

I too had what I called "the cupboard from he--" filled with mismatched plastic ware. That cabinet even followed me from my apartment to my house.

One day I got fed up with the plastic ware nightmare. I took everything out of the cabinet and sorted through it. I matched up all lids with the container. Any extra lids and containers that didn't have matches I threw away. I also through away all severely stained and leaky pieces.

I was left with a pitifully small assortment of plastic ware. So I went to K-mart and bought a 60 piece set of stacking plastic ware from Anchor Hocking for $14.99. That was the best purchase I have ever made. Although the set was touted as stacking, you can't stack with the lids on, which meant roaming lids that would disappear as soon as the cabinet doors were closed. so I needed a lid bin.

I didn't want to spend anymore money on bins, so I came up with a homemade version that has lasted 4 years and is still going strong. I took a couple of Gap shirt boxes (the deep ones) and I cut them in half. Using half of the bottom box I folded over each edge, creating a 1/4 inch lip, into the interior of the box. Then stapled (with a heavy duty staple gun like the PowerShot from Black and Decker) the box on the newly formed lip right to the inside of the cabinet door. Make sure to staple the base of the box first and then work your way up the sides. I was able to fit four of these shirt box bins onto the inside of the doors of the cabinet. I then placed all lids in the bins, different sized lids can be separated into a certain bin.

This method has served me well for over 4 years and ended my plastic ware nightmare.

~ Angie Hoseth
Newark, Delaw


Use Baggies Instead

When it reached the point that I had an entire cabinet full of plastic food-storage containers (most of which I couldn't find the top for when I needed it), I decided it wasn't worth the huge amount of space, time and money that I was spending on it. Now I keep plastic zip-lock baggies in various sizes, and use them for all my left-overs. I can always see just what's in the bag, and they can be thrown away with the leftovers if they spoil. They also take up much less space in the fridge and freezer.

~ Teresa S