More Home Cooked Meals in an Organized Kitchen
The holidays were filled with social gatherings, restaurant outings, and celebrations that included overindulging. Now into the new year, a common resolution is to eat in more and dine out less. But to really follow through with this, and have any chance of making it stick, it is important to set yourself up for success in the kitchen. You want to have what you need on hand to make prepping, cooking, and storing food easier, and more enjoyable so that this resolution lasts long into the new year.
Here are some Haume recommended items to help you achieve this healthy habit reset.
01 Weekly Meal Planner & Shopping List
Eliminating the last minute “what’s for dinner?” is the first step to successful home cooked meals. These planners and shopping lists are stylish and effective solutions, making it simple to decide on meals for the week.
02 Fridge Organizers
Once you’ve decided on a menu for the week, stocking your fridge with the fruits, veggies and produce that you’ll need is the next step. Having a fridge categorized by section with everything visible makes all the difference. This also eliminates food waste, as nothing is expiring and hidden at the back of a shelf. These produce bins, egg trays and fridge dividers offer just what you need and look beautiful too.
03 Herbs on Hand
Having fresh herbs in the kitchen always seems like a good idea. The addition of fresh parsley or cilantro for example can make any meal gourmet. But if they aren’t stored correctly, they will wilt in no time. This breathable herb keeper is large enough to store many herbs and will allow them to last twice as long.
04 Butter Keeper
It is always nice to have fresh butter on hand to use for cooking. Based on the classic French beurrier, this marble butter crock keeps butter soft & spreadable without refrigeration. The natural marble looks beautiful on your table or countertop, revealing subtle grey veining & a smooth hand-polished finish.
05 Put your Spices on the Stand
When your go-to spices are fully visible, chances are you will cook with them more. This clear acrylic spice organizer works for any drawer, giving you easy access and the ability to see all spices at once.
06 Colour Coded Cutting Board Set
Many people are guilty of using the same cutting board for everything, but it is not the way to go. This stylish cutting board set has a specific board for each food type to prevent mess and cross-contamination. The boards wipe clean easily and come in a stand-up storage case that would look nice on any countertop.
07 Non-Stick Grill Pan
You don’t need multiple pans to grill delicious dinners. This skillet is great for meat, fish, and vegetables and is everlasting thanks to its heavy duty cast iron aluminum material.
08 Mix & Measure All In One Place
Mixing bowls, measuring cups, and sifters typically take up a lot of coveted shelf space. This set is nestled together making it a compact and stylish option for your meal prep needs.
09 Nesting Food Storage Container Set
Batch cooking is a great way to make more than you need to have leftovers for the rest of the week. A drawer full of mismatched containers is always a headache. We suggest investing in a space saving matching set. These are stackable, leakproof, airtight, and BPA free keeping your leftovers fresh for the week.
10 Air Fryer Freedom
One of the daunting things about cooking at home is the mess that it leaves behind. Having a sink full of pots and pans to clean is anything but pleasant. Enter the air fryer. This one step machine is easy to use, easy to clean, and creates healthier meals than many other cooking methods.
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Seasonal Closet Functionality: Flipping Your Clothes For Winter
Luckily, the weather was above seasonal for most of the fall. But don’t be fooled, the “official” transition is imminent. Now into November, the summer attire is well out of rotation, and it’s time to have cozy layers within reach. Here are some haume tips to help you transition your closet for winter.
Shape Up and Ship Out!
Like all organizing projects, our first step is always to take everything out and declutter. Closet space is a valuable commodity, and you don’t want wasted square footage. If clothes have gone untouched for over a year, it’s time to let them go. And if you have winter pieces that you didn’t wear last season, chances are they won’t be coming back into the mix.
Bump the Beachwear
During the winter months, we like to file summer dresses at the back of the hanging section, while bathing suits can ideally go in a clear storage container on a top shelf. This way, they are still visible if you decide to visit an indoor pool or go on a warm getaway.
Send Summer Packing
If your closet can only hold one season of clothing at a time, we suggest investing in bins with lids to store your summer wear and placing them under your bed, in the basement, or other storage area in the home.
Level With Layering Pieces
You will still want access to your t-shirts, blouses, and light long sleeves for layering, so we don’t suggest putting them totally out of reach. Create sorted piles and place them on smaller side shelves or drawers, saving center shelving for bulkier pieces.
Sweaters Take Centre Stage
Now is the time for winter clothes to shine. Place bulky knit sweaters, sweatshirts, and scarves on centre shelves for easy access and visibility. For hanging, we suggest folding sweaters over the hangers so you don’t stretch out the fabric. If you store your clothes in a dresser, keep winter pieces in the top drawers and summer clothes in the bottom. Summer clothing packs smaller and can usually be condensed into a few drawers. One tip is to roll pieces and place side by side instead of folding and stacking.
Shuffle Shoes and Boots
It’s time for summer shoes to head into hibernation. Store seasonal sandals and special occasion footwear in bins at the top of your closet during winter if possible. Remove summer footwear from the mudroom and entryways, making room for winter boots. Now is also a great time to discard or donate any pairs that are worn out or outdated.
We hope these tips help. If your cozy clothes are within reach, you will be ready to embrace winter in all its glory. Sitting by a warm fire with a cup of hot cocoa is sure to help too!
Fall Forward: Prepping Your Home for the Cool Months Ahead
It all begins with an idea.
The transition happens in a flash and summer seems to leave us in a hurry without saying goodbye. One day you’re wearing short sleeves, and the next you’re waking up to cool and crisp autumn mornings that call for- dare we say it- jackets and closed toed shoes! Welcome fall.
This is the time when umbrellas, rain boots, light jackets, and even gloves and tuques, come out of hiding, outdoor items go away, and you slowly prepare your home for hibernation. Before it gets any colder, here are some ways to get you, your family, and your space ready and organized for the chilly days ahead.
Easy Access to Fall Clothing
Mornings are hectic and time is always at a minimum. Be sure to have the items on hand that you and your family might need by having your front hall closets, mudrooms, and cubbies organized and restructured for fall. Create dedicated spaces and bins for shoes, jackets, and accessories so everyone knows where they are, and where to put them back when they come home.
Put Away Out of Season Items
Now is the time to store any summer clothing and accessories like the pile of flip flops and collection of sunscreen and bug spray at the door. Before storing your summer essentials, now is a great time to declutter and donate any items that you know won’t serve you or your family next year.
Cleaning and Storing Outdoor Furniture
We always suggest cleaning your outdoor furniture before putting it away. It may seem like a pain now, but you will thank yourself in the spring. Now is also the time to replace outdoor lights, cleanout eavestroughs, store garden equipment, and turn the water off on outdoor hoses, always being sure to drain them well so the leftover water doesn’t freeze and crack the hose.
Be Winter Ready
A late October dusting of snow is not unheard of, and you don’t want to be searching for your car brush or winter boots the day of so you will eb sure to have Winter tools on hand. Make sure to have shovels, car brushes, and salt on hand and ready to go.
Prepare Your Pantry
Taste buds change with the seasons. Before stocking up on comfort foods for the fall, take this time to declutter and edit, removing any expired food and donating items that won’t get eaten. Now you can fill your shelves with hearty fall foods like squashes, soups, broths, nuts and beans.
Fall Home Décor and Aromas
As the temperature starts to drop, it’s only natural that we spend more time indoors. Make your space feel cozy and inviting by adding blankets and heavier textured velvet pillows to your living room, and aromatic candles that invite the fall scents in like pumpkin spice, amber, cinnamon, and fig.
We hope that these tips help, and make it a little easier to adapt to the fall season ahead.