Plastic Storage Containers

It's no secret that I kind of have a thing for plastic storage containers.  Whether they're big and rectangular (say, for holding holiday decorations), long and skinny (say, for storing linens under the bed), or cylindrical with a twist-on lid (perfect for freezing soup), or...ok, I might have a problem.

If this was the 1950's, you know I would host Tupperware parties (yeah, I know you can still do that now, but somehow it seems wrong?).  I met the Glad people at BlogHer last year and scored a free sample of these nifty containers with little mini containers that snap into the inside of the lid (salad dressing! dip for veggies! chocolate sauce?), and at our old apartment, I literally had a plastic storage container filled with plastic storage containers (due to cabinet space that wasn't conducive to a tupperware drawer).

I'm not kidding. It sat on top of the fridge (or sometimes on the floor).  Great for giving to a baby to play with, but guess what? We don't have a baby who needs to be distracted by a Giant Plastic Tub of Smaller Plastic Tubs. I can't find a picture of it at the moment, but rest assured, it was ridiculous.

I've had "figure out tupperware situation" on my to-do list since we moved into our new place in August, but it's one of those things that isn't a top priority, so it kept getting pushed out.  I really wanted to organize it with some sort of pull-out drawer, because stack and re-stack as I might, things always got all jumbled when I tried to pull something from the back. And once it's a jumbled, cascading pile of mismatched lids and bottoms, there's not a whole lot that can be done.  Sure, I would occasionally squat down and rearrange it all, but I knew it would just happen again.  So disheartening, this tupperware (first world) problem.

It took winning a $50 Lowe's gift card on my we-met-at-blogher friend Emily's blog (The Happy Home - check it out!) to get me going. I found this Rev-A-Shelf drawer, ordered it online, and then...let it sit on the floor in the living room for almost more than two weeks.  But this story has a happy ending!  I finally installed it today, and (aside from my power tools needing a recharge) it was super easy to do.  Like, embarrassingly easy. I only used the power tools because I had to pre-drill a little, and because I like the convenience of the electric screwdriver.  Boom, done.

It's a little blurry, and a little crooked, because I took this picture on my phone.  If I hadn't been so proud of my tiny accomplishment and so eager to rush to the computer and blog, I would have taken nicer shots.  Maybe even one with me in it, looking all "ooh! so much plastic storage!" (nerd)

There is a little bit missing from the collection at this photo (it's in use), but believe it or not, I got rid of about 1/3 of what we had before.  (ha. "we" - as if Will cared about any of this)  This tiny little cabinet is much more organized now, though, and I love that I can just pull the drawer out to get what's in the back.  And if I run out of room, I can stick lids on the left side of the drawer there.  Or use that for...something else that is skinny.

I'm glad I downsized the collection (and admittedly, there is still a LOT left - but much of it is throwaway stuff that I can use to take food to other people's houses), and even more glad that I have it mostly squeezed into the drawer (they call me The Master Packer).  Honestly, it took me longer to figure out that puzzle than it did to screw in the drawer tracks, but I did it, and now it's nice (so there).  We'll see if it stays that way!

I have many more things on my weekend to-do list, and we're going to a basketball game in approximately 3 hours...let's see how much more I get done (and how much laying on the couch I do...so tempting).