Organizing Tips and Tidbits

How to Deal with that Mess under your Sink(s)

This area of the house can be quite daunting and full of “what do I do with stuff?” stuff. It can be in the kitchen, bathroom or laundry room. What is it about that area under the sink that we allow to get so out of control? Do we expect it to be dirty? After all we keep items there that often include cleaning supplies so do we anticipate the area will clean itself? Or is it that it is all too toxic to want to touch? It’s probably some parts of all the above. So, what do we do with it?

Here are some simple and inexpensive tips to keep the kitchen sink areas more tidy.

As children we could identity like things, but somehow as we age we tend to lose that gift, especially when it comes to the sink area. So, first of all get some clean empty jars, clear plastic containers, some clear plastic baggies, (large and small) and put like things together.

• One long and low plastic container for tools. Mine is roughly 16L” X 10W” and 7” H (including lid) which fits nicely on one side of the cabinet, clear from the pipes. It could go about 2 inches taller and still clear the garbage disposal. You might get by with a smaller one. Just make sure yours is big enough for a hammer or your largest tool, but still small enough to fit under the sink and be able to close the cabinet door. It can act as a drawer and slide in and out of the cabinet with ease, even though it can be rather heavy. Once you fill this you might elect to move the whole box to your garage or basement.
• One smaller plastic container for miscellaneous small items (mine is pretty big, roughly 12”L X 8”W X 5”H including lid) which clears the pipes and holds all those small items for me, but too tall to stack. You might select a smaller one that could be stacked on top of the one full of tools. In here you can put like things together in plastic baggies or jars. I have items like the open pack of picture hangers, the extra wall anchors, extra nuts, bolts, screws, etc. Other items for this box can be things that you are tempted to put in your “junk drawer” (we’ll get to that one later), including industrial tapes like duck, electrical, floral, and heavy duty packing tape. You might elect to take this entire container out to the garage or into the basement once you fill it with your items, giving you more room for those cleaning items, if you have a good place for these items.
• What else do you have under your sink? Trash bags? Steel wool pads, spray cleaners, liquid detergents? Now you should have room to put a deep open box to hold your cleaners and other items upright so they don’t tip over and spill in the cabinet.
• What else migrates under your sink? I just found a some “spackle” my husband must have put away there. But regardless of what’s under the sink, you get the idea. Put like things together in one container that is easy to access and one that you will readily use and put things away once you are done with them.
• Finally, when you do find things that don’t belong there (spackle) take the minute to put them away where they belong. It will help you keep that clutter under control.