Start the Year Off Right With an Organized Kitchen!

 The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is over for another year, giving you a much-needed break from the kitchen! If you found yourself feeling extra stressed this holiday season when baking Christmas cookies, cooking large family feasts or hosting your annual get-together, your kitchen’s organizational system may be to blame. Now’s the time to get your kitchen in order for a more Zen experience and figure out systems that work best for you when you’re in a high-pressure cooking or baking situation. Here are a few tips for minimizing kitchen clutter, optimizing your counter space usage and getting rid of anything that you haven’t used in a while (or ever) to make room for the things you need every day.

Delete Duplicates

When a couple gets married or moves in together, the chances of having duplicates in your kitchen increases. Suddenly you find yourselves with two of everything: toasters, coffee makers, blenders...you get the idea. The possibility of owning more than one of every small appliance gets even greater when the wedding gifts start rolling in from well-meaning friends and relatives. While it can be hard to part with the Mr. Coffee that kept you sane through all those all-nighters in college, or give away the lookalike food processors you received from Uncle Ed, Cousin Jenny and Grandma Sue on your wedding day, you’ll be much happier when you whittle down your kitchen appliance collection to just one of everything.

Play “Sell, Toss, Donate” With Kitchen Items

Be honest, have you ever used that waffle maker that’s currently taking up valuable real estate on your kitchen countertop? How about the enormous bread maker you bought at a garage sale during your homemade baking phase? If you haven’t used a kitchen appliance in a year or longer, consider selling it on Craigslist or eBay or donating it to Goodwill or another charity-based thrift store. Any kitchen appliances that are beyond repair or are unsafe to use should be disposed of responsibly. Getting rid of appliances can be hard when you think you’re still going to need them one day, but you’ll be rewarded with a sleek, clutter-free kitchen that cuts down significantly on everyday stress.

Devise a System- and Stick to It!

Most of us already have designated cabinets and drawers for the things we need and use everyday in our kitchens. However, when life gets in the way, it can be difficult to stick to an organizational system and put things back where they belong after each use. If you find that your current system is hard to remember or doesn’t make sense to you, maybe it’s time to do a complete reorganization of your kitchen to help you make the best use of your counter space, utensils and appliances.

A new year can be a fresh start- why not begin with your kitchen? By following these organization tips, you can turn your kitchen into an inviting, clutter-free space that inspires creativity, conversation and happiness!

Why Choose Black Stainless

If you’re looking for something bold and shiny for your kitchen, then black stainless is definitely a good way to go.  Black stainless has been available for a few years now from major appliance manufacturers like Kitchen Aid, LG, and Samsung.  Even other brands like Whirlpool and GE have their own version of black stainless. This newer trend is here to stay!

The question is, what is black stainless exactly?                     

Black stainless as it reads is a bit misleading since there is no such thing as black stainless. In most cases, they are created from stainless steel and then coated in black oxide. Black oxide not only darkens stainless steel, but it also offers a bit of added protection. Often black oxide is added to ferrous materials and steel to add protection against mild corrosives. This is why many black stainless

steel appliances offer smudge-proof coating as an included benefit. In addition, black oxide offers protection against mild abrasions. Older refrigerators were coated in paint, so it only a matter of time before they were covered in chips and scratches. Since these refrigerators aren’t painted, but are instead oxidized, there’s no chance of them chipping – unless of course you take a hammer to it!

So why choose black stainless?

In addition to the durability and smudge proof of black stainless, it looks really sleek in all kitchens no matter the color palette.  Since this is a newer color in the industry, it is only found on the newest models. These models will feature some of the latest technology: Door-in-Door, Easy Clean, fingerprint resistance, dual door range, and 4 &5 French door refrigerators just to name a few.

If you are looking to upgrade your kitchen, I would definitely suggest considering going with black stainless. The fact that black stainless pairs well with just about any kitchen color under the sun and overall durability are 2 good reasons to upgrade today.  These appliances will be around for a while and can be in your home for a very long time.

Come check out black stainless for yourself at one of our stores. You will be amazed at how it looks.

8 Tips for Surviving a Kitchen Remodel

It’s finally happening- you are getting the kitchen of your dreams! For all gourmet cooks (and those who aspire to be), a kitchen remodel is the beginning of many exciting culinary adventures. However, before you can fire up your fancy new Viking range, you need to find a way to cope with the stress and inconvenience that comes along with upgrading your existing kitchen.

It takes a little creativity and a LOT of planning, but it is possible to still dine at home in the midst of a kitchen renovation. Here are a few helpful tips to guide you through the construction period as smoothly as possible.

1. Understand the Timeframe

 Discuss a timeline with your contractor to get a realistic estimate of how long you will not be able to use your kitchen. Make sure to find out if you can use parts of the kitchen for some of the renovation period, or if the entire area will need to be avoided. With these details in mind, develop a workaround for the areas which can still be used, if any. Is there space for the fridge to be plugged in until the flooring needs to be replaced? Will you still have access to the kitchen sink when the contractors have left for the day? Just remember that renovation can be a messy business and you may want to seal off the kitchen from the rest of the house until the remodel is complete.

2. Set Up a Temporary Kitchen

 Even if you’re planning to eat out at restaurants for the majority of the renovation, you still may wish to have an area in which you can make a morning cup of coffee or toast a bagel. You can set up a temporary kitchen space in a garage, basement or corner of a downstairs room, such as the family room. If you have an area with a wet bar or a utility tub, that would work well for any dishes that may need to be washed. Make sure there are plenty of available outlets for the appliances you may wish to plug in.

3. Stock Up

During your kitchen remodel, be sure to buy items like canned soup, cold cereal, breakfast bars and frozen meals that you can eat conveniently and relatively easily at home. You may also want to check into prepared foods at your supermarket’s deli for meal ideas- you will be amazed at the quality and variety of the foods they offer! Cooking meals ahead of time is another good option, provided you still have access to a microwave and a freezer during the remodel. Save yourself the headache of doing the dishes and buy disposable tableware until your renovation is complete.

4. Pack it Away…or Don’t

 Before the remodel is scheduled to begin, take the time to carefully pack up the contents of your kitchen. This is also a good time to purge any items you never use (hello, breadmaker wedding present!) and any duplicate, broken or mismatched items you may have. Don’t forget to set aside any utensils or appliances you may still need on a daily basis during the remodel.

5. Protect the Rest of the House

 Aside from the kitchen, think about the other high-traffic areas of the house that need to be protected from construction dust and workers walking through all day. Drop cloths can be laid down on the floors to protect carpet from stains, and breakable items such as pictures, sculpture and knickknacks, should be removed from any walls or shelves that could be accidentally bumped when cabinetry or appliances are being moved in.

6. Take it Outside

 If you are doing your kitchen renovation during the warmer months, your outdoor grill and patio table serves as a wonderful substitute for the kitchen. You can use your grill to roast veggies, bake pizza and make foil-packet dinners like you did at camp as a kid. With the addition of a picnic blanket and some s’mores, you and your family will think of the kitchen remodel as a fun adventure instead of a burden or inconvenience.

7. Don’t Forget Fido

 If your pet is used to his food and water bowls being in the kitchen, start moving his bowls to an alternate location about a week before the remodel begins. This will help them get used to eating in a different place. Also, if your pet is constantly underfoot or especially anxious around strange people and noises, be sure to keep him away from work areas at all times.

8. Get Away From it All

As long as you’re OK with leaving your kitchen remodel contractors in the house without you there, this is an ideal time for a family vacation, camping trip or long weekend at the lake. Being away from the remodel will not only recharge your batteries, but you will be amazed and surprised by the progress the remodelers have made upon your return.

All of you who have done a remodel, what other tips can you give? If you are about to do a remodel, what questions do you have? Leave them in the comments section.

Making Cents: 4 Budget Tips for the Savvy Saver

Would you like to have more money in savings, either for travel, retirement, or a major purchase like a house or remodeling your house? Sure, we all would! But being able to save is easier said than done. Between necessary monthly expenses, revolving credit card debt, and unforeseen events, it can be hard to hang onto that little extra you were going to use as your nest egg. Here are some helpful hints for becoming a better budgeter so you can start maximizing your savings each year!

           

Tip #1-Write down what you spend

This one seems like a no-brainer, but in the age of credit card swipes and one-click online purchasing, we just aren’t keeping track of our expenses like we used to back in the old checkbook register days. Five dollars here for a coffee, ten dollars there for parking- it adds up fast, leaving you wondering where the money went at the end of the month. Try keeping your receipts in your pocket or purse throughout the day and then reconciling them to the balance information on your bank’s website or mobile app when you get home. For those of you who are tech-savvy, check out free spending tracker apps such as Mint or LevelMoney to keep your spending in check.

Tip #2-Set a goal

If you have a specific thing you are saving up for, you are more likely to actually save, according to the experts. Having a set goal in mind may be all you need to turn over a new leaf as a super saver. For example, if you and your friends want to have a Cancun getaway by the end of the summer, and you know your share is going to equal $750, now you know what you need to save and when you need to save it by. It’s as simple as that! Common goals for savings include purchase of a home or car, travel, a major appliance or electronic, or retirement. Pick your goal and stick with it!

Tip #3- Create a budget

This can be a tricky one, as we tend to think of our major bills only when mapping out a monthly budget. While rent, car payments and the electric bill are easy to remember when coming up with your budget plan, you also need to look at everything else you spend money on each month. How much do you spend on groceries? What about gas? How many times do you eat out per month? Do you get your hair and nails done at a salon? Be sure to write down literally everything you use money for in a given month so you can determine what, if anything, you can eliminate in able to work towards your savings goal.

Tip #4-Treat Yourself...Occasionally

So you’ve hashed out this comprehensive budget plan to help you reach your savings goal. Good for you! The only downside is that now you feel like you can’t do anything fun ever again. Just like dieting, saving money works best when you don’t feel as though you are depriving yourself. To turn saving into a good habit that lasts you for the rest of your life, it’s important that you don’t make yourself feel miserable over it. At the end of every week, do something nice for yourself- treat yourself to lunch or a latte, or make a (very small) purchase on a luxury item. This will not only boost your morale to get you to your ultimate savings goal, but will also prevent you from “bingeing” on a crazy-expensive purchase when you’ve reached your savings saturation point!

Do you have any handy money-saving tips that work for you? Please share in the comments section.