The Unwritten Cabinet Organization Guide: Back to School

rdu-clientservices • September 6, 2022

School is back in session, so it is time to get organized, plan, and prepare for the year. We made this guide to make it as simple as possible for you to manage your child's back-to-school routine.

Cabinet Organization Ideas to Help Keep Your Family on Task

Here’s some creative cabinet organization ideas can help you to keep your kitchen cabinets organized and neat. With these tips, you will be able to see what you have in your cabinets and find the items that you need easily.

In this part of the blog article we’ll share how to make use of extra space or cluttered cabinets in an effective manner:

  • A creative way of organizing your kitchen cabinets is by using baskets or bins. You can store all of the similar items together such as spices, cooking utensils, or cooking ingredients. This way everything is visible and easy to find.
  • Another creative idea for organizing your kitchen cabinets is by color coding them. This way when you are looking for a specific item it will be easier to find since they are all grouped together in a certain color.
  • Keep important papers and important school documents in a drawer or on top of the desk (or large box for all documents) that can be seen easily. This includes notes from teachers, medical information, insurance cards, etc.
  • Fill a filing cabinet or organize a pantry shelf for just the kids; use containers for cereal, after school snacks, juice boxes, and extra supplies!

Having a designated kitchen cabinet space in your home for all of your kid-friendly cleaning supplies can be incredibly helpful on those days when you are juggling kids and work. Antibacterial wipes, sponges, eco-friendly non-toxic all purpose cleaners, and other kid friendly cleaning supplies should all be found in this space.

Of course, if you’re going to adhere cork board, peel-able wallpaper, or any adhesives to the backs of your cabinet doors...it’s always best to have them professionally painted with a high quality durable paint that will withstand future removal of adhesives.

A La Carte Cabinet Painting is the go-to professional cabinet painters servicing Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly-Springs, and Cary NC. Book a consultation with us today!



Organizing Back to School Stress 


Let's face it: back-to-school organizations can be stressful. However, we are going to discuss some simple ways that you can avoid this stress. 


The first tip is to create an organized home atmosphere to illustrate how important organizational skills are to your child. Establishing organizational skills with your kids is the best way to avoid preventable situations. It is time to say goodbye to the history homework lost in the math folder problems or the hectic search at the bottom of the backpack to find the correct paper situations—and say hello to an organized school year.


Here at
A La Carte Cabinet Painting, we understand the stresses of being disorganized—trust us, we've all been there! However, something as simple as organizing your cabinets and shelves can be a game changer for your family. That is why we are providing you with some easy and affordable tips to start your organization journey heading into the school year.



Back of Doors - the Ultimate Space Saver!


You have to get a
handle on the situation—Use the back of doors to your advantage!


Maximize space by using the back of your kitchen door; this is an accessible location and can be beneficial when used innovatively. Utilizing the back of doors can be easy to organize schedules and provide extra space for quick grabs. 


You can find the perfect
kitchen organizer that best fits your family's needs. You could prepare your kids for school by arranging snacks and school supplies into the organizer's pouch, bin, or shelf. That means, no more chaotic mornings trying to gather school materials and catch the school bus in time. 


You could also add a blackboard or whiteboard on the back of the door. Another excellent strategy is to use magnetic paint. If you are using our painting services, we are offering a new service which includes magnetic paint. We recommend the brand  is
 MAGNETIZE-IT!, which is sold at Lowes. It is a great way to help your children learn and communicate. Draw artwork or write messages for you and your child on a blackboard in your kitchen. You could even write a daily note to start their school day.


Lastly, you may consider including a schedule behind the kitchen door to keep everyone on track with the day's plans. There will be no more excuses for missing soccer practice or piano lessons. 


Hint:
Having a schedule comes in handy when planning rideshare—eliminate the confusion of who’s on carpooling duty and turn to your family schedule instead!




Easy ways to adhere or create a board to your cabinet door:

Use the back of your cabinet door and line it with a cork board

  • Get creative with your board. 
  • Adhere containers to keep pens, markers, doodle paper, and other little materials you might need.
  • Personalize it by pinning family photos and inspirational quotes.


You can also use the back of a cabinet door to hang your calendar. Make sure to use adhesive hanging strips that do not damage the existing finish of the cabinet wood.

  • Do not hammer nails into wood!
  • Use double-sided mounting tape like Command, Gorilla, and Scotch which are accessible at places like Target, Home Depot, and Amazon.


Purchase magnetic or chalk paint and paint back of the door to create your own custom calendar. You can also ask your cabinet refinisher to add this to the back of a door as a special request.


Functional Household Cabinet Organization to Optimize Your School Year.


How to make use of extra space or cluttered cabinets effectively:


A great tip is to use
food storage containers in the pantry. Food containers can be beneficial when saving space because they reduce the need for cardboard boxes and appear much cleaner. This is perfect for foods like cereal and refillable snacks since it reduces the issues of sticking hands in the box and portion control. 


Lastly, we recommend color coding as another superb method for organizing your kitchen. This style of organization will reduce the search time to find a specific item since they are all categorized by color. You may also use this method to arrange family members' schedules, belongings, chores, and food. Simply assign a color to each member and use stickers, markers, or folders to identify each person's belongings. This is effective when arranging everyone's schedules and responsibilities. Children with allergies or sensitivity concerns may also find it helpful. You may use the color-coding system to show which foods are safe and which foods to avoid if a kid or member of your family has allergies.


Designated Drawers

If you do not already have designated cabinets and drawers, this is the best place to start your organizational journey. To maintain a tidy appearance, organize your supplies into separate categories that will be easy to find, and use labels inside drawers to stay organized. Use small drawer organizers to separate items in the same space to avoid clutter. This is a great way to organize electronics and chargers. Using designated drawers as an electronic station keeps charging cords, headphones and USB cords from getting tangled while creating a location where these items are easy to find. 


Beyond just cabinet drawers, you can also use designated bins and shelves to organize necessities. Example: Create a health bin that may include antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizer, vitamins, and medicine for health or dietary needs. You can find the perfect storage bin at places like The Container Store, Target, Amazon, and HomeGoods. 



Tip:
Designate a drawer to keep important papers and school documents in a drawer or desk (or a large box for all records) that can be seen easily. This can include notes from teachers, medical information, and insurance cards.


If you are struggling to find the time or energy in your day to organize and live in the Raleigh area, we recommend contacting Tammi Keech at 
Life, Simplified. Using a local professional organizer can save you an abundance of time, stress and energy.


Closing Thoughts

Here at A La Carte Cabinet Painting, we recognize that life is full of challenges—whether it's about organizing skills or finances—which is why our goal is to make your cabinet experience stress-free for you and your wallet. Please check out our services, such as our homeowner discounts, or use our Labor Day discount to save 10% on the cabinet painting project.


A La Carte Cabinet Painting is the go-to professional cabinet painters servicing the greater Raleigh area including Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly-Springs, and Cary NC. Book a free consultation with us today!

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By Heather Perkins February 11, 2025
The year 2025 welcomes a collection of warm, neutral, and natural hues. In this blog, we delve into several key signature elements anticipated in today's designs. Design and Layout: Expect minimalistic, clean, and uncluttered spaces featuring concealed pantries, preparation areas, and sculleries that effectively hide messes, enhancing the experience of entertaining. Incorporating drawers throughout lower cabinetry provides additional storage, improved organization, and a practical solution for accommodating heavy pots and pans. Expansive islands equipped with built-in appliances and seating merge form and function, creating a shared space for both gathering and cooking seamlessly. Full overlay European-style cabinetry takes the center stage with it's sleek, modern appeal while traditional partial overlay takes a backseat in 2025. Open Shelving to neatly display plates, glasses, or cool trinkets and artwork add structural visual interest to and open up otherwise crowded wall space. Under Cabinet Lighting highlights countertop and backsplash and brightens the space Color Trends: Warm tones are in vogue while cool hues have taken a back seat. The era of stark white, sterile kitchens is a thing of the past; inviting warm shades encourage friends and family to congregate in a more welcoming atmosphere. Additionally, combinations of diverse textures and colors are trending. Rich, stained wood paired with gentle off-whites, greiges (a blend of grey and beige), or striking deep colors are all the rage this year. Below are some of our top color selections: Off Whites: Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (Light Reflectance Value 83), Benjamin Moore White Dove (LRV 83), Benjamin Moore Seapearl (LRV 78) and Benjamin Moore Ballet White (LRV 72) Greiges: Benjamin Moore Classic Gray (LRV 73), Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (LRV 55), Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige (LRV 58), Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray (LRV 63) and Benjamin Moore Pale Oak (68) Moody Darks: Sherwin Williams Rosemary, Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze, Sherwin Williams Naval, Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal and Sherwin Williams Black Magic Two-toned Kitchens: Natural woods mixed with painted cabinetry Finishes: Uniform finishes across the board are a thing of the past. Incorporating a blend of sheens and metals to create a subtle yet complementary contrast with cabinet colors introduces both interest and sophistication to the area. Warm metals such as antique brass can be beautifully combined with classic bronze or satin nickel, while polished brass provides a striking complement to polished chrome. Design professionals advise a maximum combination of 2-3 metals to achieve both interest and harmony within the space. At A La Carte Cabinet Painting, we provide complimentary expert color consultations designed to assist our clients in selecting shades that perfectly reflect their personality and design aspirations. We also order up to three Samplize color swatches for our clients, allowing them to visualize their preferred color options within their own space. These oversized peel and stick swatches are crafted from genuine paint by Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, PPG, and Farrow and Ball.
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