Timesavers Archives - Page 2 of 2 - The Sunshine Express

Egg Carton Organizer

I am obsessed with finding better, quicker, simpler ways to do anything, including organizing my closets. Messy, cluttered closets are not only maddening, but also the quickest way to ratchet up my stress level when getting ready for work.

Several years ago we remodeled and added a master bath. I had a larger vanity with several drawers, and no idea what to store in them. (Imagine!) I also needed a better way to organize my jewelry. I was getting tired of digging for a matched set of earrings; I looked at jewelry boxes, but not only did I not really have the space to have one, I couldn’t find one I liked.

Necessity is the mother of invention, of course, and, inspired by an omelet one Sunday morning, the light dawned. An egg carton would make a perfect jewelry holder!

Being the home stager that I am, having a clean, uncluttered space is priority one. Therefore, I went for the clear plastic egg cartons over the regular cardboard ones.

In this picture, I’ve combined two cartons. The cartons I used had two sections with egg cups, and the third section was flat. I cut apart the sections of the second carton, and placed one of the egg cup sections in the flat lid. If you don’t have that many pairs of earrings, you can always use the flat side of the carton for bracelets or watches. You can also cut apart the sections to place them to fit your space best.

Ta Da!!! No more searching for matched pairs of earrings, and my bracelets and watches are in one place. This super simple organizer is an easy stress reliever, and best of all, it’s free. Free rocks. Happy Organizing!

Perfect Every Time!

Because the final weekend project idea is on “rain delay” until next week, I’m sharing this instead. You’ll never fry bacon again!

I picked up one of the all-time greatest tips at a meeting last month. Maybe you already knew about this. But for me, it was like the heavens opened up and a beacon shined.

When I cook bacon, it seems like I either get the skillet too hot, or not hot enough. I like my bacon crisp, Jimmy likes his still tender, before it turns crispy. With a short attention span in the morning, I would wander off and do something else, either overcooking his, or mine. Then there’s the messy skillet to clean, and all the splatters on top of the stove. Not to mention the cumulative greasy steam that ends up on the hood fan and any decorative items on top of your cabinetry. If you have a self-cleaning oven, this is a huge timesaver.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the bacon out in a shallow baking pan, and bake for 20 minutes. (For less crisp, take it out a little sooner.) Remove from pan, and drain on paper towels as usual. How hard is that?

Baked bacon has a slightly chewier texture than fried bacon, (unless you bake it really really crisp). If you purchase the already cooked bacon in the store to microwave during weekdays, think how much money you’d save if you cooked your own on the weekend! I’m even toying with the idea of making my own bacon bits for salads. Wow. That sounds so….Martha! 😀

Category Archives: Timesavers

‘Eggs’cellent Jewelry Organizer

Bakin’ My Bacon