Winter Lodge: Old Tools New Tricks
A cold winter day is the perfect time to get organized after the holidays!
Jason DeCrow, © 2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Hosts Sunny Anderson, Marcela Valladolid and Jeff Mauro discuss organizational tips and tricks during a winter edition of the Old Tool, New Tricks segment, as seen on Food Network's The Kitchen, Season 11.
Ultimate Ornament Organizer:
Old Tool: Water bottles and plastic cups
New Trick: Ornament organizer
You will need:
- Tape
- Beaded garlands
- Empty water bottles with caps
- Scissors
- Cardboard
- Large plastic bin
- Plastic party cups
- Tree ornaments
- Tape one end of each of your beaded garlands to the cap of a water bottle. (It's easier for you to remove it this way.)
- Thread the other end of each garland into a water bottle.
- Screw on the caps.
- Cut out cardboard pieces the size of your plastic bin.
- Tape plastic cups in rows along the cardboard pieces.
- Place the garland bottles in the bin and place your ornaments in the plastic cups.
- Stack on top of each other and put the lid on!
Wrapping Paper Storage:
Old Tool: Empty paper towel rolls and garment bag
New Trick: Wrapping paper storage
You will need:
- Scissors
- Empty paper towel rolls
- Wrapping paper
- Clear garment bag
- Clothes hanger
- Cut the paper towel rolls vertically (lengthwise).
- Slide 2 paper towel rolls on each roll of wrapping paper (1 on each end).
- Place the wrapping paper in a clear garment bag.
- Hang the garment bag in a closet to safely store your wrapping paper year-round!
Holiday Lights Storage:
Old Tool: Clothes hanger and hose reel
New Trick: Holiday lights storage
You will need:
- Indoor holiday lights
- Clothes hanger
- Outdoor holiday lights
- Hose reel
- Take one end of your indoor lights and tie it in around the end of a clothes hanger.
- Start wrapping the lights around the hanger in a circular motion, covering the whole hanger (2 strands of lights usually fit!).
- Hang the lights in the garage.
- Secure one end of your outdoor lights to the center of an empty hose reel.
- Start spinning the hose reel until all of your outdoor lights are neatly wrapped up.
Ribbon Organizer:
Old Tool: Basket and ribbon
New Trick: Ribbon organizer
You will need:
- Thin wooden rods
- Baskets or bins with holes
- Various spools of ribbon
- Find wooden rods at your local craft store (ones that fit inside the holes of the baskets you're using).
- Put ribbon spools on each wooden rod.
- Place the ends of the wooden rods through the holes of your baskets on opposite ends (2 rods should fit per basket).
- Thread each ribbon through the basket hole in front of it and pull.
- When ready to use, just pull as much ribbon as you need and cut!
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