A neat, tidy home where everything has its place feels so much better to live in. If you’re like me, focusing on things is hard when there’s clutter, or when things just don’t seem to belong where they are.
But it wasn’t always this way for me. When I was younger, I didn’t care much about keeping things organized around the house. Looking back, I owe my mom for the way I keep things neat now. Our house was always so organized it could’ve been in a magazine.
My mom shared a lot of tips with me, especially on using those small cupboards that many kitchens have above the fridge. You know the ones I’m talking about? If you have them too, keep reading to learn some ideas for making the most of them.
At first glance, those small cupboards above the fridge might not seem all that useful.
They’re usually not big enough for larger items, and putting everyday things like plates or cups up that high isn’t very practical.
So, what should you do with them?
If you’re wondering how to make use of those small cupboards above your fridge, here are some handy tips!
**Storage for Kitchen Gadgets You Rarely Use**
These cupboards aren’t the best spot for things you use every day, but they’re perfect for items that only come out occasionally. This could include things like food processors, blenders, or waffle makers that you don’t need all the time.
**Canned Goods and Baking Supplies**
Most canned foods and baking supplies have long shelf lives, so it’s okay if they sit out of reach for a while. Consider storing cans or baking items up here if you only need them now and then, like weekend baking ingredients.
**Cookbooks**
If you have cookbooks you’d like to keep tidy and out of the way, this high cupboard can be a good storage place. I actually use mine for this purpose, and it keeps my books organized without taking up counter space.
Here are some more ideas for using those small cupboards above your fridge!
**Pantry Items and Spices**
Just like canned foods, some pantry items and spices can fit well in these cupboards. You might also use a small spice rack to keep your cooking spices organized and out of the way up here.
**Kitchen Towels**
If you buy kitchen towels in bulk, this can be a good storage space for them. Keeping them up high saves room in other drawers and keeps them organized.
**Special Occasion China**
If you have fine china or special cutlery that’s only used for special occasions, storing them above the fridge might make sense. It keeps them safe and out of reach of children.
**Safety Tips**
Always be careful with these cupboards. Avoid storing anything too heavy that could be hard to lift down safely. A sturdy stool or step ladder is best for reaching these items, and remember that the heat from the fridge below can make this space unsuitable for certain items.
What do you use your above-fridge cupboards for? Let us know!
6-Year-Old Boy Dies And Leaves Blue Stain On Carpet: Years Later, Mom Makes Heart-Wrenching Discovery
Every day, moms have a lot on their plates.
Managing multiple responsibilities throughout the day, like cleaning their children’s sticky hands and faces, folding laundry, ensuring they eat breakfast and lunch, and getting them ready for school, leaves parents with a lot on their plates and little time for relaxation.
No matter how hard they try, there will always be some sort of mishap—such as a toy you trip over, a glass of milk that gets knocked over, or a stain somewhere—waiting around the corner.
The luxury of taking a quick shower before going to bed or spending some alone time is something that many mothers cannot afford.
A mother who has seen it all, Heather Duckworth, recently wrote a piece in which she touched on some of the things we take for granted as parents.
A crucial component of that process is the mess that children make as they transform before our own eyes into the people we’ve always thought they’ll become.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that our kids will use the messes we cleaned up when they were adults as the greatest evidence to the upbringing we provided for them, so it’s worthwhile to make an effort to find happiness even in the middle of turmoil.
Unfortunately, not every woman gets to witness the chaos and disarray that kids bring about.
Not all parents are able to experience the happiness that children bring into their life, either.
Many new and expecting mothers connected with Heather’s widely shared post , “The Blue Stain.”
As Heather washed the grout her daughter had created with the slime, her heart began to race as she recalled the catastrophe she had to clean up all those years prior.
This mother would think, “My hands were full, but so was my heart,” after a demanding day of chasing after her two-year-old triplets and her four-year-old elder brother, picking up toys, and making sure no one got hurt in the mountains of laundry she was unable to finish that day.
Heather and her two sons danced to the radio as they cleaned up the playroom before calling it a night.
It was the last time they would laugh so hard for a while, no one could have anticipated.
She was about to go to sleep herself when she heard one of the boys say, “Uh, Oh,” and she noticed the enormous blue stain that would follow her about for the rest of her life.
One of the triplets’ pens exploded in his hand, splattering ink all over the place. Blue pajamas, hands, and face gave the appearance that the little child was a smurf.
Heather became enraged and felt like a lousy mother as she watched.
Although she hadn’t been upset with her son, she did blame herself since she’d placed the pen in a place where kids could readily get to it. She gave in to her emotions.
“When I noticed blue splatters all over the floor and a large pool of ink seeping into our brand-new carpet, I panicked. My husband had been doing the dishes, so I hurriedly shouted for him to come help me. My spouse began cleaning those vivid blue stains off of our carpet as soon as I got my son and took him to the toilet to clean him up. I was immediately upset.
Heather would often get angry and frustrated when she spotted the stain on the brand-new carpet. Up until the day it was eventually removed, the stain represented all the amazing experiences she shared with her sons.
A month after the little child spilled blue paint on the carpet, he was given a cancer diagnosis. Two years later, he passed away, leaving the stain as a reminder of their time together.
It remained in place, but now it served as a continual reminder of my kid. It served as a continual reminder of my annoyance at something so little and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
The blue stain served as a continual reminder that although life is messy, it is still worthwhile. a persistent prompt to stop worrying about the little things. a continual reminder that people matter more than “things.” a continuous reminder that mishaps do occur. a continual reminder to hold fast to what is important and let go of the trivial things.
She attempted to hide the bright blue stain with the furniture, but each time she tidied the space, it was there, glaring back at her, a constant reminder of her loss and the grief she was still experiencing.
The purpose of Heather’s narrative is to serve as a reminder of how frequently we forget to see the small things in life that bring us purpose and take life for granted. She feels compelled to tell all the mothers out there that the toys scattered around and the filthy clothes are what actually provide their homes a feeling of security and comfort for their family.
As Heather puts it, those messes caused by the people we care about the most are what give our lives meaning because the day will come when we will truly miss those times.”If it meant I could spend one more day with my son, I would gladly have a million blue ink stains on my carpet.”
She gives mothers this advice: try not to become so engrossed in the world that you lose out on spending valuable time with your children. Prioritize what really important in life since it’s too short to waste time cleaning stains!
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