Spouse Information Center #6
Where you can get Cheaper Prescription Glasses & How to Better Organize Small Kitchens with Limited Space.
I’m back! My husband is doing wonderful and is back to work after having a massive heart attack. As for myself, I am recovering very well from my hysterectomy surgery.
It’s time to start answering your questions.
Question: Help! Where can I get cheaper eye glasses than on base? At our last duty station in Arizona we had options. You would think being overseas prices would be better. Thank you in advance for any help.
Sugin’s Reply: Being overseas we don’t have as many options for optical shops to get glasses like we do in America. Personally my favorite place to order my glasses is from Zenni Optical. http://www.zennioptical.com/
Question: I can’t thank you enough for what not to bring video. Now I have a different problem. How do you keep anything organized with such small kitchens and limited storage?
Sugin’s Reply: When trying to organize a smaller space, thinking outside the box is key. Here are a few tips that have helped me with organizing smaller kitchens that have limited space.
*** More information will be announced in October for your chance to win a “Free Kitchen Organization Make Over“*** Sorry this contest is only open to people in my local area.
Tips:
- Start by sorting your kitchen items. Don’t keep items you don’t use, try to sell the items or donate these items to local shelters.
- Only store items that you use weekly. Storing specialty items like rolling pins, cake pans, mixers, etc. would be taking up extra space. These are normally items we don’t use on a daily or weekly bases. If possible make another storage area or shelf for these items in a different area of your house such as, the garage, utility room, closets, or attic.
- Next make a little layout of your kitchen. Use all areas where space is available for example corners, outside of cupboards, the areas around the fridge and under the kitchen sink are often overlooked. Measuring out areas helps you know how much room each area can offer. Write down how you are wanting to set up and organize your kitchen.
- Use index cards to write down the items each area will hold. Then using safe adhesive tape that will not damage items you are sticking it to, tape the index card to areas where that item will go.
- Make extra shelves if possible for the cupboards you have. Check and see if you cupboards have adjustable shelving. My cupboards have adjustable shelving so, I took out the pegs and the shelf and brought them to a hardware store. I spoke my horrible German, and asked them to make extra shelves for me. The cost was low and I was able to add 3 extra shelves to my cupboards.
*** Make sure you properly measure the each cupboard shelve needed or bring in shelves from each cupboard you are wanting to add more shelves too.***
- Buying proper organization items can help a lot. There are many different type of organization items you can buy or even make yourself to store your kitchen items in. Extra ways to save money when buying organization and storage items are to check thrift stores, yard sale sites and garage sales for great deals. Click link to see the example for the 6 Piece Cabinet organizer Set http://amzn.to/2dGMf5B
- Use the outside of your cupboards to hold items. Using 3DM safe peel tape hooks you can hang hot pads and towels. You can buy hanging racks that attach and hang over the top of the cupboards. There are many different sizes providing more storage for different items like canned foods, cereal boxes. Click link to see the example for the “4-Tier over Door Hanging Rack/Shelves for Pantry or Storage Cupboard”. http://amzn.to/2dP9HxQ
- The corners can be very useful. You can hang a produce basket or use a corner shelf to fill the small shelf with spices. When possible corner racks add a lot more shelfing and space to store items. Click link to see the example for the “Corner Rack Display Shelf Kitchen” http://amzn.to/2dPcFm4
- The area between the side of the fridge and the wall space are often over looked. There are many different size rolling shelves that are available and very cheap to make. These shelves provide for extra storage. The top of the fridge is another area that you can store items. Click link to see the example for the “Slim Slide Out Storage Tower Rack Shelf with Wheels 4-Tier” http://amzn.to/2dPegrU
- Hang your pots and pans when possible. Make sure you ask the landlord and that you have the proper walls to mount a hanging pot rack. Click link to see the example for the “Cooks Standard Wall Mount Pot Rack” http://amzn.to/2d0cEgb or “Ceiling Mount Cookware Rack Hanging Hanger Organizer” http://amzn.to/2dpxO8f .
- Think outside the box. See what storage and organization items you already have that you might not be using. For example, do you have a behind the toilet storage self? I am talking about the one that goes from floor to ceiling. This is a great shelf to put over your trash cans, the shelves are higher making this a great area to store trash bags and cleaning items. Click link to see the example for the Bathroom Space saver http://amzn.to/2dGHxJt
***Make sure if you have small children that all cleaners and bags are stored in safe area***
- The area under the kitchen sink can be used to store more than just cleaning items or trash bags. Make sure you are not bumping the plumbing under the sink this may cause leaks. There are many different kind of organization shelves that can help protect the plumbing giving you more space. When possible store cleaning products in garage, utility rooms, or the laundry room. The area under the kitchen sink is a great area to store pots, pans, bakeware, Tupperware etc. Click link to see the example for the “Under Sink 2 Tier Expandable Shelf Organizer” http://amzn.to/2dXWjdw
The links I added for example are from amazon are paid ads and also some items I have used.
I would love to hear from you, please share your ideas and tips in the comments below. If you have a question, please email me at Sue@suginscorner.com. In the subject line please title your email “Question for Spouse Information Center”. The reason I am calling this the Spouse Information Center and not Sugin’s got the answer; is I do not have all the answers and I have not been stationed all over the world. I encourage others who are stationed overseas to make a video to contribute to the Spouse information Center and help expand our library of topics.
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Thank you for all your support!
