If you're like me, the kitchen is the hub of your home.

And if you're not on top of things daily, the paperwork can quickly pile up and threaten to smother you!

Today....because it's January and I'm feeling the urge (along with many of you) to simplify my home, I'm sharing a couple of quick and easy tips that have helped me...and they're things that can benefit anyone because:

- they're simple

-  help control clutter

- can be completed in an afternoon

- look attractive

Form and function in one!

I've shared my aggravation about how my kitchen functions (rather, doesn't function) with you already, and shown you pictures of one side of my kitchen, you know, that tight little space where you can't be at the sink while loading the dishwasher....or standing at the stove while someone opens the fridge....the space with only 2 1/2 small drawers...

What I haven't shown you yet is the elephant in the middle of my kitchen...the pantry. We're stuck with it because it's on a supporting wall...but it's smack dab in the middle of our downstairs, and makes it impossible to have any kind of open floor plan. 

I think you already get that the kitchen is not my favorite room in our home! But it's a room where I spend a lot of my time, so I'm all about making it work for me.

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If you look at the above picture, you'll see the two projects that I'm sharing today...a wall basket to organize paperwork...and a chalkboard wall. Those little indented walls are the perfect place to tuck a little bit of organizing!

 Let's start with the chalkboard wall. I used to have a smaller chalkboard hanging in that space, but the grocery list was always bigger than the chalkboard, so I decided to paint the wall in that little corner nook with chalkboard paint. 

The best thing about having a chalkboard wall to keep track of groceries is that everyone in the family adds to it. When I'm ready to go shopping, I just take a picture of the list on the chalkboard and don't have to rewrite the list! 

Tape off the area with frog tape. Burnish the edges of the tape with a credit card to ensure paint doesn't seep under it (you can use anything flat, even your fingernail).

Paint inside the taped off area. Let it dry before painting another coat. This will be hard to do because it will look so bad and streaky and you'll wonder if you've just ruined your wall!

Be patient!

Of course, Little DIY walked by at this point, took one look at it and said,

"Uh mom...are you going to leave it like that?"

Thanks.

Okay, now that everyone has commented on how bad it looks, and you've waited for it to dry, lightly sand it (very lightly) to knock back any little drips or lumps or uneven areas.

NOW you may paint your second coat (and listen to the angels sing the halleluiah chorus because it looks SO good and you didn't ruin the wall after all!)

While the paint is still wet, go ahead and remove the tape....unless it's obvious that you're going to need another coat of paint. If that's the case, repeat the step above!

LET IT DRY!

Once you're sure it's dry, take a piece of chalk and rub the flat side all over your new chalkboard wall. This seasons the chalkboard. It basically means that what you write will be erasable. Without seasoning it, you'll be stuck with the first thing you write on it. 

Then take a rag and wipe the chalk off. 

Now it's ready to write and doodle on!

Add your grocery list and then call your kids to come down and doodle on the other side! They will love it, I promise! You may not have a corner like I do, but I'm sure you have a cabinet end or wall that you could paint a chalkboard on. 

Here's a look at the whole wall. I love the extra space to write grocery items, leave notes for one another, doodle and encourage creativity.

Moving on to the other side of the pantry and the second tip for today,

This corner is where our garbage can sits. It's been a plain, unattractive space up until now.

I found this flat, hanging metal basket for about $15 and knew it would help control the paper clutter that usually winds up on the kitchen counter. Here's a similar one you can buy from Walmart.

It was so simple to hang on the wall. 

I added the chalkboard tags to make it easier for others in the family to know where to put things.

When it's full, I take the papers out and file them properly in our cabinet in the bonus room...but until then, it's a great solution to getting that paperwork off the counters! These metal wall baskets can be used in almost any room of the house to stay organized.

There you have it, two simple and do-able ways to make your kitchen function better. As moms, we all know that the kitchen is about so much more than food!

Simple ideas that help us be better organized makes us happier moms!

I hope you can use these easy tips in your own home.

Sharing with: Confessions of a Serial DIYer, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, The Pin Junkie, Blesser House,  Tatertots and Jello,  Designer Trapped, The Happy Housie,