Monday, January 07, 2008

How I store: Tupperware

Q: How do you store your Tupperware? Mine always tumbles out.

A: I don't have the secret, Monica! The kids use mine like another set of stacking toys. If you have the space, it's best to store items with lids on. One less thing you have to find!

You can see how I store my Tupperware in this photo from the archives. Browse the Tupperware category on the sidebar to see how I use (and abuse) my yard sale collection!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have an old metal BREAD box (it says bread on the outside of the box) that I keep on the counter under the cup-board with my Tupperware. I stack the Tupperware container biggest to smallest and keep the lids the same way...biggest to smallest in the bread box below...this works to keep things neat and orderly. The metal bread box is an antique I picked up years ago. I love using it. Roxie

TJ said...

That would be great, but my kitchen is so small that I try to keep the kids out of it! One day when my kitchen can support more than 1 person in it at a time... Ok we did manage 2 on Christmas Eve, but we did a lot of dancing around each other.

Jennifer said...

AFter moving in here, we discovered that the only place for tupperware was a large drawer. I didn't think I would like it, but it has been so wonderful! Nothing can fall out like in a cabinet. If you have a large drawer you could move it too, I think it would help.
Jennifer

Mrs. Darling said...

When I built my kitchen I didnt pout nay cupboards on the bottom of the cabinets. They are all huge drawers! This stores tupperware nicely and you can always reach the back because a drawer pulls out of course.

Mrs. Darling said...

I was helpng my daughter with history when I wrote the aboce and wow what a typo mess. Thats suppose to read, "I didnt put any cupboards...

Miss G said...

My sister-in-law introduced our whole family to the smart spin several years ago and I love it! For those of you not familiar, it has three sizes of plastic containers and the lids fit ALL of them. They all sit on a spinning holder. It takes up so little space in my cabinet and they are easy to stack in the freezer with leftovers and I just pull one out each day to take with me for lunch.

Martha said...

This may sound funnt - but I went out and purchased the same 'shaped" containers for everything - but in differnt sizes (lrg, med, sma) Then they all fit together nicely - without a bunch of differnt shaped containers everywhere. I then store the lids next to them in my drawer.

~Martie

Kerry said...

Here's an idea for tupperware lid storage!

http://theten0clockscholar.blogspot.com/2008/01/tupperware-storage-lose-lids.html

The Mom said...

Erm isn't the point of tupperware that you have something IN it?

The Mom said...

PS I realise I am kind of an anomoly here with 12 children living at home (ages 16 - in full time work - down to 3- makes full time mess if I am not careful)

And living in the UK where we are all living in about one quarter of the space per person that you do in the US . . .and don't get me started on food prices!

I want to be an American

I want to be an American

I want to be an American

Life there is sooooo inexpensive compared to the UK

I know you are being frugal, but I think you are blessed even without all the coupons and offers etc; the price of food in the UK would frighten you. (hey, it frightens me, and I've lived here all my life)

And as for the price of housing - (at this point an audience would collapse on the floor) - the average "starter home" where we live costs (this is in American dollars) $450,000 (cheap and nasty and probably dangerous homes available at $350,000)

And in the UK for some mad reason or other, renting is MORE expensive than buying.

We have a generation (not my children yet) who are living at home with their parents cos they just can't jump on to the bottom rung of that property ladder.

I want to be an American

I want to be an American

etc etc. Thank God my husband was born in California, and is a US citizen with a US passport.

Maybe one day

I'll be an American

Till then, thanks for the cheerful happy blog about frugality; but it takes my breath away that you can live on so little.

Be thankful, friend. As I am. I have clean water running from my tap - and yes I have to pay to heat it - but the water is clean, drinkable, plentiful, cold and Free

I have a roof over my head that is not going to fall in; and this winter, altho we all go to bed in double sets of pjs and bed socks and hats, and wake up with ice on the *inside* of the windows. . .

None of that hurts. Well, not too much.

Americans, be thankful

LOL, I am also thankful, tho a little envious.

Kind regards
H

TracyMichele said...

Store Tupperware? I do not understand the question. LOL. My tupperware storage is the bane of my existance. I have been begging DH for the Smart Spin system for years. *sigh*. Ms.G.. mind if I have DH call you for a recommendation? hehe.

Betty Canuck said...

I store our Tupperware type containers in the bottom of my China Cabinet. I have bins a bit larger than a legal sized piece of paper. I can fit 4 of these on the bottom of the cabinet and on the half shelf in that section of the cabinet. For Dh's lunch containers (he takes 2 meals a day to work as he works over 10 hours per shift) I have the lids in 1 bin and the bottoms in the bin beside this one.

In the other bins I store the bottoms and same lids in each bin. I have a Rock N Serve Bin (w/ lids). I have a Freezer Smart Bin (w/ lids). I have one that has mostly summer used items (w/ lids). Then I have the Thatsa Bowls set and those I use as mixing bowls and everything bowls, the lids are in my China Cabinet the bottoms in the kitchen for easier reaching while cooking/baking.

The jugs I used to have for milk because the lids closed tight and my children always tipped over the jugs, those are stored in the side of my corner cupboard in the kitchen. I now use them for water when we eat outside in the summer. The corner cupboard has a large lazy susan and the jugs fit nicely in the 'wasted' corners.


And, like you, when I have too much for the space, I purge. As it is I was thinking the other day of purging a bunch in the China cabinet because we don't have a need for them any more and I really would prefer the space as Pantry space.

Its just that I think my husband would balk at the idea. Its hard for him to think of getting rid of something, and all I can think of is that this was provided for us before when we needed it and it will be provided for again should we need it later on in life.

If it helps someone I can post the bin system in my own blog. Its a lot more simple than it seems on here.

The Chatty Housewife said...

I have one box for lids. For the containers I have one pile of round, one pile of square and one pile of rectangle. Anything that doesn't fit stacked there, goes. Small pieces wear their lids.

Laura said...

I actually store my containers and lids separately. I have the containers in an upper cabinet just above the counter where I clean up meal leftovers since that is what they are mostly used for. The lids are conveniently in the drawer just below that same counter space. I love having the lids in a drawer. They don't have to be "just so " to fit and they are easy to find or "dig" through. I try to keep them in two stacks - round and square/rectangular.
All kinds of lids go in that drawer by the way. The very front of the drawer is for sippy cup lids, and the very smallest of tupperware lids. That way they are easy to find by any member of the household! :)

Meredith said...

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I wish I had more than four shallow drawers!

The photo may be deceiving--I don't actually use all that space for Tupperware, just the 2 bins at the front. And the photo was taken just as everything was emptied and clean and waiting to be used, so it looks like I have far more to store than it is.

The Mom, thanks for your reminder to be thankful for the space we have.

Unknown said...

Thanks for stopping by, and encouraging me with a comment! I love your heart!

Have agreat day!!!

Anonymous said...

Meredith-
I know this is a post about Tupperware, but....would you maybe think about doing some posts on what we as Americans have (or don't have) compared to the rest of the world? I found "The mom's" post (from the UK) to be fascinating, and it had the same effect on me that your post about storage space had the other day. In that previous post, as I read about the size of the homes and the storage space that other women have or don't have, it made me ashamed a little bit that I complain about not having "any" space" (when, in fact, compared to many others, I do have a lot of space!), and it fired me up to do the very best job I can with what we have. Maybe it's the effect of decorating magazines, or the influence that media has on us in general, but I think that so many of us have this unrealistic idea of what other families are living like. We think that we are the only ones making do with less than ideal homes, so we have a tendency to sort of pout and get discouraged when we shouldn't. I don't know how worldwide Like Merchant Ships readership is, but I would love it if you would highlight what moms all around the world are living with, and encourage us to renew our thankfulness for all that we have been given.
Thanks so much for this blog, Meredith. It just simply makes my day, every day!
Susan

Tubo Family said...

The Mom reminded me of what I learned from a several week visit to Sicily, Italy and also from my own mom's stays in the UK--we Americans have it so good in terms of cost-of-living and convenient living. One that comes to mind: many European clothes washing machines are tiny & slow and dryers uncommon so even those of us with laundry in the garage or a closet instead of laundry room have it good.

Daiquiri said...

I posted a picture and description on my blog on this topic. Ahhh...Tupperware. The stuff drove me nuts until I came up with my current "system" of storing it. Drop by and take a peek if you're interested :)

I love your blog - I visit you daily!

http://calledblessed.blogspot.com

Jana said...

I linked to this post from my blog after reorganizing my tupperware now with lids! :) Just wanted to let you know about the link: http://barkerhappenings.blogspot.com/2008/01/more-organizing.html

Anonymous said...

Hi, I have a question about Tupperware plastic containers - those for drinking. Can ice cold water be put into these drinking containers? Will it cause the plastic to leach harmful chemicals? Thanks!