I’ve been a food blogger, photographer, and stylist for nearly 20 years now, which basically means I’ve spent two decades collecting… stuff. Plates, bowls, linens, random props, small appliances. All of it lives in a storage closet in my basement that has, for just as long, been complete chaos.
I’m talking things I bought for one specific photo shoot and never used again. Multiple versions of the same item “just in case.” Appliances I forgot I owned. And anytime I needed something from that closet, I’d ask one of my tall teenagers for help and they would have to parkour over stacks of dishes and bins, risking their lives to retrieve a waffle maker or serving bowl or whatever.
But this week, something magical happened. My husband took all but my youngest on a long trip, and for the first time ever, I had both the time and the space to tackle my closet-of-dispair.
A friend of mine who's a professional organizer once told me the best way to organize is to remove every single item out of the space first. I’ve never been able to do that because it would mean spreading everything all over my basement, which is usually full of teenagers and their friends on the daily. But this week: Empty house. Game on.
It took me the entire week. I filled my husband’s truck twice with donations, passed a bunch of things on to my sister and sister-in-law, and listened to more episodes of Friends than I can count while I worked.
Now all I want for Mother’s Day is for my family to take another trip without me so I can tackle the next project 😂
I’ll share a few photos below so you can see the before and after and I hope it serves as a little inspo if you have a space-of-dispair you've been avoiding too!
In related news, below on The Good List today, you'll find 5 great finds that I re-discovered while cleaning the closet!
xo,
Sara
This is just one wall, but I corralled all my appliances, labeled clear bins, and got some shelf risers to organize my extra pans. Everything has a home!
On Our Table This Week
With just me and my 11 year old home, we had a lot of "fun food" as we call it! haha!
A late night run to my favorite drive through NY Pizza-by-the-slice place Johnny Bronx (if you're local, it's a must try. The white slice is my fave!)
Grilled Cheeseburgers on the bbq with air-fried curly fries + Fry Sauce, and watermelon (for him. you know I don't like watermelon because I'm a crazy person.)
We tried the DQ Girl Scout Mint Cookie Dipped Cone (love a dipped cone!)
My youngest has gotten really good at making these Homemade Oreos independently. I also talked my 20yr old in Ecuador through this recipe on FaceTime using his very limited kitchen equipment and his turned out great!
The Good List is where I share the food, finds, and everyday favorites I'd tell you about if you were sitting at my kitchen counter!
Party Posts and Ribbons
I had PILES of ribbons in this closet. I got them all organized and hung up on cute wall hooks! These posts are one of my most-used things! Their tallest size (my favorite) is back ordered but worth it. I also have the 18". I use them to hang banners on tables and counters and decorate with ribbon bundles. Especially love for parties, celebrations, and holidays. Code OURBESTBITES will get you a discount!
Literally forgot I owned this. Now of course it's not necessary...you can air-pop popcorn in a pot or the microwave or an air popper, but I gotta say, I forgot how fun the Whirly Pop is! I taught my son how to make kettle corn with it and he was amazed. We used it a couple times!
I've been using washable Ruggable rugs for 6 or 7 years now. I love them- especially for high use areas like my kitchen and entry way because I love how easy it is to just toss in the washing machine. I also love changing mine out for holidays, etc. I have quite a few of their original style which kind of velcro-s onto a base. These fold up super thin and I organized my stash. I also really like the look and feel of the new "all in one" option, which is a more traditional look and style (and feels better under foot). These ones take up a bit more storage room though. I have entry way rugs, large area rugs, and lots of runners!
I have so many different sizes of deli containers and they were all over the place! It felt good to organize these and get them in one location. This is something I always have on hand. Sturdy deli containers are so useful for so many things! I use them to store pizza dough, to deliver food to neighbors, sending home leftovers with guests, gifting and more. They're just handy to keep around, and if you have them, you'll find yourself grabbing them often.
This is one of those appliances I knew I had but it's been kind of hidden away for a while. And while I don't deep fry often, I love having a little appliance for it because I like to deep fry outside to keep the smell and mess out! In the summer time it's super fun to deep fry things like funnel cakes and fair food like Deep Fried Peaches. I was telling my youngest we'd pull it out and fry up some fun treats.
Some product links may be affiliate links, which simply means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them. That said, nothing on The Good List is ever sponsored or part of a brand partnership - these are all things I buy myself and love enough to share with my friends (that’s you!)
Sara Wells
Sara Wells co-founded Our Best Bites in 2008. She is the author of three Bestselling Cook Books, Best Bites: 150 Family Favorite Recipes, Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites, and 400 Calories or Less from Our Best Bites. Sara’s work has been featured in many local and national news outlets and publications such as Parenting Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Fine Cooking, The Rachel Ray Show and the New York Times.
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