Quick Tip Tuesday: The Difference a Dollar Makes

Quick Tip Tuesday: The Difference a Dollar Makes I have been spending some time helping a friend clean out every last drawer and cabinet of her kitchen, and it has been a really fun and rewarding process. We are working on the project in phases to be sure we are addressing all of the family's needs. Step one was to take before photos and come up with a plan. Step two was to remove all of the cabinet contents and purge. Step three was to put things back where they made the most sense, based entirely on how the family utilizes their kitchen. And step four was to have them live with the first round of changes prior to adding any specific storage items. We are currently in the step four stage, no storage added, just cleaning out, purging and putting things where they make sense.

We have some more big projects planned for the space, as well as some additional re-arranging, and then I plan to share the entire process and after photos. In the meantime, we decided to do something that made an instant impact on a budget and I thought it would be a perfect quick tip to share.

Here is the cupboard before. This is in the process of moving items and cleaning things out and determining proper placement for the contents.

The contents were removed entirely and everything was wiped down. Then we added black poster board behind the shelves with very small pieces of double-stick tape to hold it in place (small amounts of mounting putting or glue dots would also work). A single piece of black poster board should cost no more than a dollar from any dollar or craft store. But this ridiculously simple act (no painting required), really makes the dishes stand out and heightened the overall feeling of the cupboard!

I have taken the time to paint foam core boards for a similar result, but that can be much more time consuming and the result in the black poster board was just as effective. Plus, the poster board is easier to work with; both cutting to size and layering if multiple sheets are required.

The Mr. of the house was also impressed and instantly mentioned how much he preferred the end result of such an easy change. He opened the cupboard and let out a "Woah!" which I always consider a major high-five moment.

Aside from the poster board, we didn't add any fancy organizers. Much of the difference really came down to storing items that belonged together in a single cabinet. 

As you can also see, there was a little debate about storing cups up or down. I once learned that glassware should be stored up so no moisture is trapped after washing, but was always raised with glasses stored down. Which do you prefer?

Next time you are at the dollar store, grab a sheet or two of black poster board and pop it in the back of one of your cabinets. There is sure to be instant gratification from such a simple step, and that gratification will continue to surprise you every time you open the cabinet door. The absolute best part is this project doesn't discriminate, it really works just about everywhere in any setting (think rentals, bookcases, nooks and medicine cabinets...).

Have I convinced you to give this quick update a try? What is your favorite dollar store purchase?

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