Things Every Home Needs: In the Kitchen

This post is part of a series titled "Things Every Home Needs"

Declared "the heart of the home" by some, the kitchen is a place where a lot happens. Mainly, food-making.

Note: Included is dinnerware, even though that could fall under the dining room category. Also, I have noticed that day-after Thanksgiving sales usually have good deals on kitchen supplies.

Now, I am not a fancy chef. Basic, simple meals are made in my kitchen. So, this is a very simple kitchen list. I'm sure Rachael Ray has tons more kitchen supplies, some of which I don't even know the name of or how to use. Also, I have paired down the quantity of kitchen supplies, of course it is nice to have more of anything, but I put a quantity that I think works well.

Here we go:

Stovetop Pots/Pans:

Tip: make sure none of the pots/pans are bigger than your biggest burner or smaller than your smallest burner. Make sure all have lids.

1 Soup Pot. I have this one, it works nice. If you have an electric stovetop, make sure the bottom is flat and not lipped-in (this advice applies to all pots/pans I have accidently made these mistake with a stock pot - it causes the pot to take longer to heat up).

Frying pan(s). Or they might be called sauté pans. Anyways, get at least one. Highly, highly recommend two. Get one the size of your biggest burner with about 2" sides for your first pan, and get a medium-size one or one that is the size of a different burner for your second frying pan. Remember: get one that comes with a lid.

Medium-Size Pot. This should be a 3-4 quart pot. This size pot is my favorite, great for everyday use. Two would be nice, but one is just fine. Jazz it up with a green handle.

 

Small Appliances:

Electric Beater/Mixer. Those stand-up Kitchen-Aid ones are nice, but pricey. Just get a basic handheld one.

Slow Cooker. More important than a blender, but not important enough to have right away if you're just starting out.

Blender. While this isn't completely necessary I would recommend one.

Toaster. An absolute must.

Little Things:

Big Serving/Stirring Spoons. At least 2, but one is fine if you have serving spoons that come with your eating utensils.

Punch Ladle. Good for punch, obviously, and good for scooping runny soups/sauces.

Wisk. One medium-size. For mixing pudding.

Spatula/Turner.

I recommend 2 of this style, one for pancakes and one for eggs. But 3 would be nice. These can be plastic or metal.

Rubber spatulas. Get one big one (for a task like scraping brownie mix out of a bowl) and one small one(for scraping the last bit of tomato soup out of the can).

Measuring cups and spoons. Plastic or Metal. Buy ones that are separate like this, not one like this because it is harder to pack down brown sugar and you would only have one measurer to work with

Meat Tenderizer. Good for flattening meat, smashing up ice cream toppings, and crushing ice.

Cheese Grater. Not high on my most-used list, but comes in handy a few times per year. If  you get one, make sure it is one that has multiple grate sizes.

Scissors. Doesn't have to be kitchen sheers, although these are nice. A regular pair of scissors will cut things fine.

Can Opener.

Potato Peeler.

Meat Thermometer.

Tongs. For flipping meat while grilling and serving hot dogs. Not completely necessary, but handy.

Bottle Opener.

Ice Cream Scooper. Completely optional. A spoon will accomplish the same task.

Cutting Board. You can easily get away with just one cutting board, but two would be nice. Make sure your cutting board(s) is small enough to fit in your dishwasher, but don't waste your money on a little-bitty cutting board.

Rolling Pin.

Timer. Only necessary if your oven or microwave doesn't have one.

Bigger Stuff:

Colander. A nice metal one.

Bowls. Highly recommend Pyrex. These can be used for mixing up stuff (like cookie dough), used for serving, and used for storage. Get ones that come with lids.

Serving dish. Highly recommend a basic white Corningware bakeware dish with a glass lid. I pull this out for fancy dishes. Only need one but two is nice. Corningware is safe for the oven too.

9x13 Aluminum Pans with Aluminum Lids. This is another must-have. For oven-use and everything else. Casseroles, meats, desserts, etc. Get at least 2. Three would be nice, but no more than three.

Boiler Pan. Your oven might have came with one.

Muffin/Cupcake Tin. Not completely necessary but nice. Could live without for awhile, but would be nice to have.
 
Bread Pan. Same amount of usage as a muffin/cupcake tin.

2 Cookie Sheets. They should be what I call medium-size. Big enough for a frozen pizza. I like Air-Bake cookie sheets or another brand of insulated cookie sheets.

1 Giant Plastic Bowl. Does not have to have a lid. Great for big family gathering dishes (like fruit salad) and Halloween candy, if you get a lot of trick-or-treaters. While this is not completely necessary, it is pretty inexpensive.

Food storage containers. Just save butter containers, lunch meat containers, and containers from the deli. In addition, you could get Tupperware or these Pyrex storage containers (oven-safe and microwaveable!).

Linens:

Towels/Washcloths. At least 4 towels, 6 would be nice. It is nice to have 2 towels out at a time. At least 2 washcloths, 3-4 would be nice.

Hot Pads/Mitten. Get a pot holder/mitten combo. At least 4 of these, but only 2 have to be the hot-pad mitten combo. Also, I like the idea of red or green pot holder because they are festive under dishes at Christmas gatherings or just get neutrals or whatever color you prefer.

Dinnerware:

Plates. regular size and dessert size. Think about the size of your family gatherings and if you use real plates or just use paper plates each time. Medium-size plates are nice to have because they visualize a smaller portion, but completely not necessary.

Glasses/Mugs. It is okay to have mugs and no glasses. I find they are more durable. But you might want glasses for special occasions on hand. I would not recommend just glasses because what about dipping those Oreos in milk?

Forks and Spoons. Make sure these are a normal size. Fork prongs should not be too long.

Knives. Butter knives. Steak knives. One paring knife. A big knife with a jagged edge for slicing a watermelon or a big hunk of meat.  

Things Every Home Needs: Bedroom

This post is part of a series titled "Things Every Home Needs"

Bedrooms. All you really need is a place to sleep and get dressed. So here are the basics. Keep in mind that I would recommend white linens because when laundry needs to be done it is easier to just throw in a load of whites with some bleach and not worry about colors. Plus, kids change their minds a lot, so buying white linens keeps things simple and saves money in the long run.

A comforter. I would highly recommend a down or down-alternative comforter.

Down keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Here is the one pictured above. This one is great. Or you could get a true down.

 

Pillows (2 per sleeping spot), pillow protectors, pillow cases, a fitted sheet, and a flat sheet.

For the last three items (pillowcase and sheets), you can buy each of these items individually. However, usually it is cheaper to buy these in a set. I recommend Fieldcrest sheets from Target. These Fieldcrest sheets that have a faint stripe pattern which makes it super easy to make the bed instead of trying to figure out what side of the sheet is the long side and which is the short side.

Clothes storage (closet, dresser, under bed)

 

I really like these storage containers because they fit under a bed without having to use bed risers.

A nightstand for each person with a lamp.

Alarm clock (if don't use cell phone).

I prefer an alarm that can charge my iPod, has a radio alarm (so you wake up to a radio instead of BEEP-ing), and obviously displays the time, digitally. And if I'm being picky I don't like the time to be in displayed in red, I prefer green or blue. So this one is perfect.

Fan (ceiling, floor, table)

Has anyone found a quiet fan, besides a ceiling fan?

Optional:

Headboard. I would recommend a fabric headboard because isn't the point of a headboard to make a softer place for your head?

Radio. Your alarm clock can double as a radio.

"Junk" storage. This is important if you have kids as this is a great place for toys that end up in their room. You can use the under-the-bed plastic storage totes mentioned above.

Laundry hamper. If you don't take your clothes straight to the laundry room, get a hamper or a basket.

An extra blanket or blankets, depending on where you live. This is a good place to add some color and personality to your all white linens.

 

 

Are you looking to simplify and organize a different room? Check out other rooms here.

Things Every Home Needs: Living Room

This post is part of a series titled "Things Every Home Needs"

This room is one of my favorite spaces because it is where I sit down, relax, and gather with friends and family. This post was a little difficult to title because this room has so many names to different people and can apply to multiple rooms in your home. So I'll just go over all the names for this space that came to my mind: living room, family room, den, sitting room, great room, common room, lounge, parlor.

Whatever you call it here's all that you need in that space:

A basic couch. Make sure it's comfy. You don't have to get a basic couch, you can get a sectional or a couch with recliners, but a basic couch is more versatile.

A type of entertainment such as a TV, or a computer/laptop/tablet.

What happens when the sun goes down? You'll need a light source (lamp, sconce).

Optional things, but I would consider them must-haves if you have the space:

End tables are super nice the have. They provide a place to set a drink or that bowl of popcorn.

Chairs or another couch

Storage:
Baskets for toys/books/mags/games only if you have no other spot for them in your house

Storage ottomans or footstools (you gotta kick your feet up after a long day).

Throws for those cold days and nights. I would suggest getting one for each family member.

Pillows for naps.

That's all you need for the whatever-you-call-it room. Up next is bedrooms.

Things Every Home Needs: The Dining Room

This post is part of a series titled "Things Every Home Needs"

The dining room is perhaps the simplest room in your house. It is the place to eat. Cooking and baking does not happen here, the dining room is mainly just for eating.

If you have an eat-in kitchen and no other dining room, ignore the rest of your kitchen and just focus on the dining part of your kitchen. However, if this is your situation I would recommend a counter height table so your table can double as an island.

The easiest approach to tackling a dining room is to purchase a dining table and chairs set.

 



When selecting a table make sure the table is big enough for your needs. If you entertain and host family gatherings, make sure your table is big enough to seat everyone, or as big as your room allows. Also think about how you use the dining table on a daily basis. If your dining table is used as a place to pay bills, do laundry, homework or crafts, you're going to want a bigger table. Bottom line is: the bigger the better, but measure to make sure the table will fit in the space with room for chairs and room for people to walk around the chairs.

A dining room set isn't your only option. Chairs and a table can also be purchased separately, so if you're not the matchy-matchy type, this is the way to go.



 This table (above) is a great option because it expands to seat more chairs.

Comfortable seating is also important, so it would be ideal to sit in the chairs before purchasing them.

These look comfy though.

 

If you want something different than chairs, or if you are tight on space, a bench could be a great choice. Remember though, with a bench everyone must be the same distance away from the table and if there is more than two people on the bench, the middle person is blocked in until someone on an end moves.

 

With a small space a bench can be placed against a wall and the table can be pulled up to the bench. A basic bench can be a great option. 

 

 

Additional seating for guests is also important, unless you want them to sit on the floor.

 

These stylish folding chairs would be neat, more basic folding chairs will provide the same function.

 

One additional thing you might need to consider when creating your dining room is storage. Where are you going to store extra chairs? Table leaves? If you have a closet nearby, that is a great option. Other options could be under stairs, the garage, or a large wardrobe.

 

 



This one (above) is great, here is another option.

 

If you don't need a lot of extra seating, consider purchasing nicer extra seating options and just leaving them out in the rest of your house. You can pull one or two chairs to the side of one wall in the dining room.  



A banquette might be a great option, especially if you just have a corner or need to seat a lot of people. Restaurant use this type of seating because they can seat more people in a smaller area. It is important to keep in mind that if Little Johnny, who is seating in the middle, needs to use the bathroom others must move to let him out.

 

 

Don't forget about lighting in your dining room. A chandelier is typical in most dining rooms.

Recessed lighting and wall sconces are other great options.

 

Should your dining room have more than just lighting, a table and seating? I tend to think not but maybe I am missing something. Let me know in the comments.



Things Every Home Needs: The Entry

If you missed the last post, I announced I am participating in a Blogging Challenge! Well... that was in May and now it's November. Better late than never.

This series will go through each room in a typical home, give a detailed list of everything you need in the space. Not "things you might want to have around" or "things that you need once a year." Need as in it would be uncomfortable or very inconvenient to live without these items.

I find that, in many rooms in my house, I have unnecessary items taking up space and creating clutter. So, this series will help you declutter and get back to the basic items.

This series is excellent if you are:
-Just starting out
-Moving into a new house
-Currently have a cluttered/cramped home
-Dealing with small spaces
-Always finding something you forgot you had
-If you're missing something
So, everyone!

Now, I know there are lists and slideshows of things that people think you need. But I find that those list are overdone and still include unnecessary items. Unless you're really into cooking and baking do you really need a food processor and a blender and a toaster oven and a toaster and a regular oven?

This series will give a master list of everything your home needs.


Let's start this challenge off, shall we?

When you enter your home where are you?

Your house of course, duh.

Well, more specifically, your house entry.

If you think your house doesn't have a formal entry, we are going to make one. Right. Now.

Picture this... you walk in the front door, go ahead open the door, step in, okay good, you're there, that is the entry! Easy right? No? Still confused? Think about your guests. When a guest walks through the door and into your house, that is the entry.

Some homes have a front entry and a back entry or garage entry. We are talking about the front entry here. However, this list would also work for a back entry.

What you need in a fuctional entry:
-Hang coats/sweater/jacket
-Take off shoes

Highly Recommend:
-A rug to catch dirt
-Place to sit and take off shoes

If you don't have a back entry or if this is your (your, as in, yourself + guests) main entry:
-A place for keys
-Spot for purse/wallet

If this is your main entry and you live in an area where you need winter gear:
-Place for hats, gloves, mittens, etc.

Easy Option:

For a simple, buy one thing and done option, this is great. It provides hooks for coats, cubbies for shoes and winter gear, and a place to sit. You could also put this piece in a closet.

If you don't have room or don't prefer the option above, then start focusing on each function you need the space to perform.

Hanging Coats:
If you have a closet near your entry, you can use it as your place to hang coats by using hangers. I would suggest investing in wood hangers because this is a space that your guests will see, plus it will make you feel all fancy when you come home from work and hang your coat on a sturdy, wooden hanger.

If you are able to drill into the walls, you could put hooks in the closet instead of using hangers. You could even just put up a row of hooks.

Help! I don't have a closet! What am I going to do?

If you don't have a closet:
-Can you drill into the walls? If you can, put up some hooks. If you can't, or if you don't have an available wall, due to light switchs or an entryway that just collides into another room (aka: no formal entry), get a coat rack. You could even get a coat rack with an umbrella stand, or you could just hang the umbrella(s) on one of the coat pegs.

Shoes:
-Easy, shoes go on the floor. No storage purchases needed. But, if you want to purchase something or if you are in a tight space and shoes would end up filling up your entry and spilling out the door, get shelving. If you have a closet, you could put low shelving in the closet under the coats and/or get an over-the-door shoe rack. If you don't have a closet, you can use the low shelving below the hooks you put up or placed somewhere else in your entry.

If you don't have room for the low shelving, these door/vertical shoe cabinets would work. Ikea has more options.



A Spot for Little Things and Winter Gear:

Entryway can get cluttered easily, and that sets the mood for the rest of your house. So, a cluttered entryway is more likely to create a cluttered house.

Having a functional, easy storage option for your keys, wallet, etc is important because those are the things that we tend to just drop somewhere and cannot find the little things back when we need them.

If you have a closet, an over-the-door organizer is perfect. Even though some are called shoe organizers, they function perfectly as a spot to catch the little items.

If you have a table nearby, a bowl or basket would also function as a catcher for the little items. A basket on the floor would also work well for storing winter gear.

A traditional key hook would work wonderfully for car keys, spare keys, and all the other keys.

 



A Place to Sit:

Having a place to sit is almost a must in an entryway. It provides a comfortable place to take shoes on and off, without having to sit on the floor or try and balance on one leg.

A bench with storage would provide a place for winter gear, or storing other larger items that end up in the entryway such as purses.

A simple bench, without "storage" still provides storage. Under the bench is a great spot to drop shoes.

If you don't have space for a bench, a small stool or a chair will do just fine.


Catching Dirt and Defining the Entry:

A rug traps some dirt, and visually provides a designated entry area. I highly recommend using a rug that is also meant for outdoor use, for more durability.

Also, get a rug that is as large as you can fit in the space, when guests come in they don't want to feel like they all have to squeeze onto a 2 x 3 rug. However, if a small rug is all you can fit, then just get the small rug.

I also do not recommend a light colored rug, as lighter colors tend to show dirt better.

So, that is all my advice for creating a functional, organized, clutter-free entry. Did I miss any must-haves for an entryway?