With all the convenient sizes and shapes they come in, Tupperware and other plastic containers have become very commonplace in the kitchen. However, all those different sizes and lids can make storage a nightmare. This is a guide about organizing Tupperware and plastic containers.
I have a file cabinet in my pantry. I got it from a pal for planning her yard sale and I use it to store my Tupperware lids. No more lids falling out of my kitchen cabinets when opening the doors or unsightly, unorderly cabinets for someone to look in while visiting. This way, my family knows where to find the lids, when we need them, no searching needed.
By Terri H.
Tips for organizing plastic storageware (i.e. Tupperware, Rubbermaid) from out ThriftyFun community.
By Ann
By Connie
By Denise
By Diamondee
By Tawnda
If you use them for leftovers, lunches and dry goods storage, most of these containers should be in continuous use, therefore not cluttering up a cupboard most of the time. If you only use some of them intermittently (e.g. in autumn for freezing produce), do they need to be stored in a kitchen cupboard? Box and label "autumn freezing containers" or whatever and store somewhere else. Are there any containers you never use - get rid of them. Are there any stained ones, one's with missing lids or bottoms, warped ones - get rid of them.
When you have weeded out the extras store lids, graduated from small to large, in lidded plastic container(s) and bottoms 'nesting' in each other in another plastic container(s). This keeps them dustfree and makes wiping out the cupboard shelves much easier - you don't have to remove every container individually. When you need a container you can take out the whole boxful and search for it at work top height - saves poking around in the back of the cupboard.
By Jo
It helps to put the container away in the same area after unloading the dishwasher, instead of cramming them in the cupboard to "sort out later."
Also I try to store the containers upside down, which looks funny in the cupboard, but it's in case any dust settles or the dishes aren't quite dry, etc. It all drains off the containers or doesn't affect the inside of the containers where the food actually goes.
By Angie
I keep the lids with the containers. This is just one shelf, the others are similar. Although it's not Tupperware, this system should work with any group of containers.
By Judith Mc-H from Emden, IL
We are seniors and my dear husband has agreed to put up the clean dishes. Good yes? But, haha isn't there always a but. When putting up plastic storage containers he just throws them in the area without putting the lids on. Some of the lids I'll never find again. Where do they go? (Like the socks, yes.)
Some of the newer plastic containers we can buy now have the lid snap on the bottom. A good idea, but boy are they expensive. How do all you gals keep track of the lids. It's always something isn't it.
By Nancy from Lewisville, TX
My kitchen door goes out into our garage. Right at the door, I've placed 2 - 2 drawer filing cabinets. One cabinet has lids, round and square and the other cabinet has round containers and square containers. Very handy and everything in it's place.
Donita from Loveland, CO.
I have a very small kitchen about 5x6. I have absolutely no place to put my plastic lids. I don't have room for a file cabinet; I barely have room to walk around. Please help me with any suggestions you might have.
Thank you.
By Jill from Sioux City, IA
Here's an idea that might work: Get some of the tacky rubber stuff for hanging things up (one brand name is FunTack) and put a small ball on each lid & stick it to the inside of a cabinet door. When you use the lid, leave the ball of tacky rubber on the door for when you store the lid again.
I have all kinds of things stuck on the backs of my cabinet doors with either FunTack or magnets - such as small juice powder packets, sweetener packets, charts of substitutions, a chart of pan sizes and how much they hold, directions for cooking rice and pastas, etc. This keeps everything handy & easy to find.
I also use some in the bathroom on the back of the medicine cabinet door (for the kind that swings out, not sliders) and linen cupboard, for sample packets of pills, shampoo, a first aid chart, etc.
Does anyone have a good way to store and retrieve these little necessary evils? I'd like to reuse yogurt, butter, and other plastic containers with lids, but inevitably lids become separated from containers, and the storage shelf is a disaster.
I would like suggestions for storing Tupperware.