Tackling Under the Kitchen Sink

I am blessed to have a wonderful, functional kitchen. However, there are two spaces that are neglected --- and therefore -- not preforming up to par.

One of those spaces is under my kitchen sink.

Because what could be a great space to store, organize, and hide necessary but unsightly items, is really just a disaster zone of yuck and I don't even know whats going on down there.

When we moved into our house, the previous owners left a lot of their "household items"... including what THEY used in this area (which apparently in my giddy-moving-in-stupor I never bothered to toss?). So add that to my lack of effort in make this organized what-so-ever and you get a mess.

What's worse is that we haven't bothered to "baby proof" any of our cabinets yet and since I am standing at the sink all the time Will is constantly getting in here, pulling down the trash can, and trying to eat weird things...

Here's my reality:

Oh there's my large black trash bags I've been looking for!

Dear self, stop forgetting to bring the reusable grocery bags from the van INTO the store when you grocery stop.

Yikes!

Okay, admitting there is a problem is Step #1. Check. Next step, cleaning everything out and wiping it down.

There's actually a decent amount of space, huh! Oh and in case you noticed, no we don't have a garbage disposal.

Alright, I threw away/recycled all the previous owner's supplies (except for a yellow tub), condensed all the plastic grocery bags into one to save for bathroom trash cans, and prepared to create function.

Unfortunately, due to some poor plumbing, the right side of the cabinet has limited depth for storing things. I thought maybe if I can fit the trash can on that side in front of the pipe I could avoid having to reach behind so many things.

If I tuck it towards the center, it fit perfectly and left me room to store my garbage bags so I don't have to dig back behind the can! I usually have the pull the can out to throw things in anyways, and it slides sideways easily so I don't mind. Plus it will probably make it less likely Will can pull it out as easily!

Now, I tucked my newly discovered yellow tub, cleaning products/bottles in the back of the left side with my plastic bag collection.

Look! There's even extra space! What to fill it with?

This is where my newly organized space gets really functional.

 

I've been wanting somewhere to throw dirty clothes/dishrags/napkins in the kitchen -- since we don't use any paper products we go through a lot of rags every day!

(I don't like having an empty laundry basket sitting in the middle of everything, so my current method has been to pile everything on the corner of the counter and throw it to the bottom of the stairs when I need to space...)

Not even close to where the washing machine is...

Luckily, I found this empty 5 gallon bucket in the basement.

Which of course fits perfectly. Ahhh. Now I have an organized, functional, not so embarrassing space! 

I wonder how long it will take Tommy to notice I switch the side the trash can is on...

BEFORE

AFTER

What's going on under your kitchen sink?

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As we first began living a more green, eco-friendly, and financially conscious life, I learned pretty quickly that my beloved air fresheners and candles were probably not the safest or affordable way to freshen our home.

I tried buying cheaper candles, but noticed they don't really let off much of a scent.

I don't know the specifics of the science, but it's pretty obvious when you look at the label on any air sprays that they're probably spraying more than just a freshening scent in the air. We don't use store bought cleaning products, so I needed an affordable way to make my bathroom smell clean when it was clean instead of smelling like a pile of dirty cloth diapers... which are stored underneath the sink...

I also didn't want anything that was releasing harmful toxics or anything had a flame that would undoubtably attract my children and result in something that would probably not make my dad, a retired fireman, very proud.

So, I found this tutorial on Pinterest. All you needed was baking soda, a jar, and your favorite essential oil. It took me about 3 minutes AND it looked cute (bonus!)

The baking soda is supposed to "absorb" the orders and the EOs obviously release and enjoyable smell. I was excited! I WAS CRUNCHY!

But, I noticed after only a day it wasn't really the lavender-in-your-face smell I was hoping for anymore. I tried poking more holes in the top, adding more essential oils, even just leaving the top off all together but I still wasn't getting the fill-the-entire-room smell I was hoping for needed. It was more of a stick-your-face-right-by-the-jar smell.

Fast forward two months later

One day I accidentally bought the wrong essential oil from the health food store. I had meant to buy lemon but instead bought a lemon-scented-locally-made-fake-essential-oil-thing. Honestly, I don't know what it's called but it's not for topical or internal use (which I wanted) it's only for scent. I blame my mistake on the fact that the entire time we were in the store I was distracted by Evelyn trying to chuck the glass jar of probiotics at Will's head.

I checked my receipt and sure enough I had only spent $3.75 instead of $43 like most essential oils. I decided to keep it and opened it up. It smelled wonderful. And clean.

Our bathroom was exceptionally stinky that day so I filled one of the sinks with a little bit of warm water and put a few drops in. Ahhhhhh LEMONS!

And it continued to smell like lemons.
Until I let the sink drain that night.
But even then it stayed lemon-y for awhile longer.
And I did it again the next morning.

And that was my solution. I still keep a little jar of baking soda by my diapers (it doesn't really bother me so I figure why not?) but every day I fill up one sink, drop in two drops of my lemon scent and let it sit all day (or until I need the sink.)

If your bathroom only has one sink, I imagine you could also just set a little bowl of water on the counter and drop them in there!

A week or so later I randomly read that Crunchy Betty does something similar. It's been over a month and my lemon essential scent oil is barely empty at all (I'll admit I don't really use it on the weekends or days when we are out and about).

What about you, what are your favorite ways to freshen your bathroom (or home) naturally and affordably?


EDIT: Many of you are asking what the lemon scented oil is called and where to find it. It is an essential oil however the label stated "for fragrance use only". My brand is made locally by our little health foods store. I haven't tried it personally but did find this brand on Amazon which looks like a great option if you are unable to find it somewhere locally!

Thank you following along on our journey to simplicity. Please be sure to learn about our family, like our page on Facebook, and visit the right column to subscribe to our posts :)

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

Philippians 4:12

God Bless!