Put a lid on chaos

When mismatched food storage containers stack up, take control of the clutter

Mismatched food containers.
Mismatched food containers.

There's no escaping them. Nearly every kitchen has them: Leftover leftovers containers.


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Professional organizer Pam Reaves (pictured) of Little Rock has been working with Lindsey Gray (not pictured), owner of Eggshells Kitchen Co., to update and organize the systems for storing pantry items and leftover food in Gray’s home kitchen.

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Food storage containers needn’t be expensive. Look for sets that are airtight, leak-proof and clear. It helps if they also nest inside one another when not in use.

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Food storage items can add clutter and a little chaos to a kitchen.

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Courtesy of The Container Store

The 1.6-quart, three-compartment Lunch Bento Box from The Container Store is a great way to carry leftovers or other lunches to the office or school and costs $8.99.

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Not all food storage containers are created equal; some serve more than one purpose, such as this Kitchen IQ v-etched container grater which does double duty as a grater and a place to store the food in the refrigerator after grating.

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Courtesy of The Container Store

Professional organizer Pam Reaves prefers using these Glasslock Clean & Fresh food storage containers from The Container Store. Selling from $5.49 to $8.99 each, they are easy to clean and store, she says.

They range from repurposed plastic packaging that once held some frozen dessert topping or deli ham. And the utilitarian plastic Ziploc or Glad receptacles sold at grocery and big-box stores. Or glass dishes by Pyrex and Anchor Hocking and designers' decorative food-storage systems sold at high-end specialty shops.

These containers' virtues vary, but all tend to create the same problem: the jumble they become when tossed unorganized into a dark cabinet.

Taming that chaos is a challenge, to be sure. Even for Lindsey Gray of Little Rock, owner of Eggshells Kitchen Co., a kitchen specialty store in Little Rock's Heights neighborhood.

She grappled with loose lids and missing containers in her own kitchen until a few years ago when she found an organizational system that worked for her.

"It's one of those 'As Seen on TV' products," she says, displaying the circular plastic holder filled with neatly stacked food containers and accompanying lids.

"This is the set I currently use every day for my family," she says. "Once I find a place to put things, it makes it easier to go back and return those items to that same spot."

But disorganization can be found elsewhere in her kitchen. Inside a lower cabinet lurks a variety of mismatched storage containers not so neatly organized.

"The biggest challenge I have is being able to find the right pieces I need. And if I do find a matching container and lid, sometimes I discover it's one that can't go in the microwave," she says, adding that she is willing to spend more money to ensure that she has good-quality, matching containers.

That's when Gray asked Little Rock-based organizer Pam Reaves of P.R. Consulting & Designs LLC to help impose order on her home kitchen.

"When I'm helping clients organize the kitchens, the main issue I see with leftover containers is that they may not have the other half of an item," says Reaves, who doesn't throw anything away before obtaining the client's permission.

"When I'm organizing a kitchen, I usually find mismatched pieces."

A FRUGAL FIX

Kim Ledbetter, a hairdresser in Little Rock, says she often repurposes containers from the grocery store -- such as the plastic trays luncheon meat is packaged in -- to store leftovers.

"Everything from Cool Whip to butter containers," Ledbetter says, adding with a laugh, "I call it 'redneck Tupperware.'"

But for those with limited cabinet space, using one type and brand of containers that can be compactly stored is crucial.

The type of leftover containers professional organizer Reaves prefers? Ones that can be easily and inexpensively replaced.

"Some of my favorites are the really cheap sets you can find at Wal-Mart for $5 for the entire set," she says. The 14-piece MainStays plastic set sells for $4.97 and includes seven square containers and matching lids which all fit neatly and compactly into one another.

"Everything is contained inside all the other pieces to make up one little square cube. If there's a lid or container missing, you'll notice it right away," Reaves says. "If I lose a piece of that, I don't care; I just buy another set."

To thoroughly organize a kitchen is an ongoing project and not something that's just done one time.

"It's something you have to continue to do for the rest of your life," she says. "The homeowner needs to constantly continue the process. What I do is try to make the process less stressful and teach them how to make it a way of life."

SORTING IT ALL OUT

"When it comes to most containers, I'm going to organize by size and type," Reaves says. "I divide my containers between two types."

One type is just for her family and kept at home. These include glass ones with tight lids such as Pyrex or Glasslock as well as high-quality plastic ware.

"The type of materials to use for food storage should really depend on what you're planning to store. It's also always important to ensure you're choosing the right container that is airtight, leak-proof and clear," she says.

"Then I have another set of leftover containers in a separate location of the kitchen that are of toss-away quality that I keep to put leftovers I'll send with family and friends and that I don't expect or plan to get back."

And she doesn't keep any mismatched pieces.

"When you have only a lid or a bowl, get rid of it," Reaves says.

MAKE IT NICE

So what does Melanie Graham, public relations assistant with The Container Store, use in her kitchen to store leftovers at home?

"Personally, I use an assortment of glass, plastic and stainless-steel food storage, depending on what I'm storing inside," Graham says. "I like to use glass or stainless-steel solutions when storing food items like pasta or those with tomato or darker sauces as it's less likely to stain."

She adds that since the average person will open the refrigerator and kitchen cabinets 15 to 20 times day, it's important to stay ahead of any potential problems by keeping this heavily used area of the home clean and clear.

"By having these areas in order, you will not only help create a clutter-free kitchen, but also save you time while preparing your meals or reaching for that perfect snack," she says.

"Food storage solutions are the perfect way to create order and simplify the contents in your refrigerator."

HomeStyle on 02/04/2017

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