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4 Tips for Beautifully Organized Drawers

It’s easy to let your drawers fall into chaos. They’re only open for a few seconds at a time, and they’re easy to hide. But you know they’re there–whispering behind your back, just waiting to explode. We’re here to help you wrangle the clutter with these easy and satisfying tips for beautifully organized drawers.

1. Tidy Your T-Shirts the KonMari Way

If you have a big collection of t-shirts, you know how quickly your drawer can turn into a mess. To save time in the morning, and prevent wrinkles, stack your t-shirts upright in the drawer instead of flat. Your drawer will hold more, you’ll be able to see them all at once for easy choosing, and they’ll stay neatly folded.

Folding skills a little lacking? Check out this step-by-step guide on using the KonMari method to fold like a pro:

2. Use Smart Compartments For Odds and Ends

Your silverware drawer is pretty organized, right? Knives, spoons, and forks are all in their right places. That’s because of the organizer in there! You probably already have one in the kitchen, so why not get one for your other drawers that need some TLC? Cutlery trays and small bins are inexpensive, and great for keeping cosmetics, junk drawers, craft drawers and other small odds and ends tidy.

3. Contain Those Pesky Kitchen Containers

It’s your kitchen’s dirty little secret. It’s your… FOOD CONTAINER DRAWER! Don’t worry—you’re definitely not alone. Everyone’s is a mess. But it doesn’t have to be! Despite food storage containers being bulky, awkward, and mismatched, your drawer can actually be a soothing place of zen organization.

Recycle any tubs or lids that don’t have a mate. Ahhhh. Feels good, doesn’t it? Next add a drawer divider or two and separate items into size/shape categories. Start with the largest items in the corner and add smaller ones around. Lastly, stack your lids horizontally so you can ‘file’ them instead of digging through the pile every time.

Pro tip: Nest plastic containers together, and turn them on their sides if the stack is too tall for the drawer. Don’t nest glass containers together, as they could get stuck together and break. And store plastic containers and lids separately, since a seal can trap moisture and create a stale smell.

See more tips, tricks, and photos from Better Homes & Gardens

4. Upcycle Using What You Already Have

We love a good upcycling tip! Keeping a messy drawer organized can be as easy as re-using old stuff from around your house. Have you got things collecting dust around your house like old gift boxes, egg cartons, muffin tins, or food containers without their lids? (Really, who doesn’t?) Well then, you have an organized junk drawer!

There, another spring cleaning item checked off your list! Share your best drawer organization tips in the comments below and find everything you need for storage and organization online at London Drugs.

3 Easy Steps to Declutter Your Garage

Image from Garage Guru

At London Drugs we’ve shared tips for cleaning your computer, kitchen, vehicle, and more. What’s next to declutter? Your garage, of course! The garage, after all, is the place where items from all these spaces, and everywhere else, often end up.

We get it. It’s a big space. But that doesn’t mean you should just put everything in there, wherever it fits, and look away.

Don’t worry, we can help you organize your garage in three easy steps:

1. Make a Plan

Image from morgansladephotography.com

First, consider the space and how to use it best. Already stumped? Start by hand drawing a floorplan, taking some measurements, and deciding where you’ll put the big stuff. For the rest, be sure to plan on putting what you’ll use most where you can get it easiest, as well as the opposite. Leaving space for a workbench and tools is also ideal, when possible. It’s just as important to consider what to remove. Remember: garages are often unheated, poorly insulated, and accessible to outdoor critters. So certain items should be kept elsewhere, including: plugged-in refrigerators (inefficient in high/low temperatures), paint cans (last longer indoors), pet food (too tempting for critters), paper products (ruined by humidity and mold), and noxious or flammable chemicals (better off in a shed).

2. Get Organized

Image from I Heart Organizing

After that, begin mentally or physically creating piles. One for things to keep, one to give/throw away, and another of things to sell. Take care of the non-keeper piles first, and do it fast. Many second-hand stores take bulk donations, and some accept unused building supplies. Then schedule a garage sale or list your sell-able items online right away. After that, begin dividing the keeper items into categories of similar objects, like “tools,” “camping stuff,” “clothes,” “kids stuff,” “holiday items,” “keepsakes”…the list goes on. After that, break those groups down more. Whose is it? What’s it made of? What’s it for? Let your organisational impulse run wild and never be afraid to use COLOUR coded bins or stickies. Once like is grouped with like, and you know where you want it to go, it’s time for some exercise.

3. Get Moving

Image from Sypsie Designs

That’s right, the physical portion of garage decluttering. You knew was coming, right? Don’t worry, it can be fun too. The key is having a place to put everything. So after leaving space for the big stuff, get to work creating perfect little spaces for everything else. Just take it one pre-organized category at a time. Of course, it helps to have enough containers, cupboards, hooks, shelves, jars, and boxes (just not paper ones, remember). One thing you should really focus on is utilizing every inch of the wall space to save floor space for vehicles and walking on. You can stack, hang, shelf, peg, or hook a lot to garage walls, which are usually ten to twelve feet tall. Finally, make sure you have plenty of small or partitioned organizers, containers, and jars. When decluttering a garage, remember that it’s always okay to sweat the small stuff.

More Extra Clever Tips & Tricks

28 Brilliant Garage Organization Ideas (via Listoric)

49 Brilliant Garage Organization Tips, Ideas and DIY Projects (via DIY & Crafts)

Time To Sort Out The Mess – 20 Tips For A Well-Organized Garage (via HOMedit)

Good luck, and happy organizing!

Here are just a few items at London Drugs that can help you organize your garage in no time. Well, okay. Maybe in time for fall! [CLICK PRODUCTS FOR INFO]

ALSO: LD’s BEST HOME CLEANING TIPS & TRICKS

You can speak to an LD Expert any time, in-store and online. Or check out the latest flyer for our brilliant spring deals!

8 Easy Ways You Can Celebrate Earth Month

Earth Month is upon us, and to celebrate, we’ve put together 8 easy ways you can be a sustainability superhero all year long.

1. Recycle

Thankfully, recycling is now just a part of daily life here in Canada, and we here at London Drugs are happy to help you divert some of your unwanted items away from the landfill. Curbside recycling programs are of course the most convenient, but we accept some items that your local program might not. You can find a full list here of items that can be brought into London Drugs for recycling.

Packaging is a big part of landfill waste, so as part of our commitment to reduce waste, our Take Back the Pack program will accept packaging from any product we sell in our stores–whether it’s a tube of sunscreen, or a flat-screen TV. From plastic packs to cardboard, plastic wrap, and even Styrofoam, just bring the packaging to Customer Service and we’ll collect it and send it to local facilities for responsible processing. It’s easier on landfills, convenient for our customers and better for the environment.

2. Delete the Disposables

Photo from Jeff Werner on Flickr

Disposable cups and food packaging are one of the biggest environmental problems we have at the moment. Here are some facts:

More than 1.6 billion paper and polystyrene cups are thrown out by Canadians each year
2.5 million cups per day are thrown out in Vancouver alone
114.5 million kilograms of paper cup waste—the equivalent of 22,900 elephants—is dumped into the landfills each year.
10 kg of cups are saved from entering the landfill each year when a 1-cup-a-day coffee drinker uses a reusable mug instead of a disposable cup.

London Drugs carries a wide range of re-useable mugs and water bottles that will fit your lifestyle. Tossing one in your bag or backpack before leaving for work or school could save loads of landfill garbage each year. You can even get a custom photo carafe from our PhotoLab to keep your caffeine and your memories close!

4. Save Water

Canadians are already doing what they can to save our precious water. We turn off the taps while brushing our teeth, we take shorter showers, we don’t water our lawns on restricted watering days. But there is even more we can do to cut down on our water consumption. Did you know that a family of three can save up to 11,000 litres of water or more a year just by installing a high-efficiency showerhead? The Waterpik EcoFlow 3 Mode Handheld Shower Head can not only save thousands of litres of waste water, it can also save you money on your water and energy bills.

5. Reduce Household Energy Use

Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

There are many small ways you can reduce the energy you use in your home that really add up. Here are just a few:

Turn off appliances and lights that you’re not using, or put appliances on an on/off timer.
Install energy-efficient appliances. You can learn more about efficient appliances at Natural Resources Canada.
Use a programmable thermostat that lowers or raises the temperature when you’re not home.
Put on a sweater instead of turning up the heat.
Insulate doors and windows to reduce drafts.
Open windows or turn on a fan for a breeze instead of turning on the air conditioning.
Hang clothes to dry instead of using the dryer.
Use an electric teakettle instead of a stovetop kettle to boil water.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).

6. Shop Locally

Shopping locally is a great way to keep things green. Buying goods produced close to home saves the fossil fuel and emissions from things shipped from far-off countries, and bonus do-goodery – it helps the local economy! London Drugs supports local entrepreneurs and companies by carrying many products manufactured in Western Canada. Check out our Green Deals blog to see a full list of quality Canadian products that we sell.

7. Purchase Fair-Trade Products

If you can’t find what you need from a local company, the next best thing is shop for products labeled as Fair Trade. This designation tells you that these items were produced using sustainable methods and that local people are receiving fair prices for the goods they produce. Many of the coffee brands London Drugs sells carry the Fair Trade designation, including Earth, Ethical Bean, Kicking Horse and Salt Spring.

8. Use Eco-Friendly Products

You can make a difference to the environment easily just by choosing gentler, greener products. Well, how do you know when a product is ‘green’ exactly? It can mean things like it has third-party sustainability certification, reduced or recyclable packaging, reduced synthetic chemicals/toxins, and many other factors. London Drugs is proud to carry hundreds of green products. There is no such thing as a ‘zero-footprint’ product, but we’ve got a full list of all of the eco-friendly products we carry on our GreenDeal.ca website, along with other tips on recycling and sustainability education.

April Book of the Month

Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
Everyone knows a guy like Jared: the sixteen-year-old burnout in high school who sells weed cookies and has a scary mom who’s often wasted and wielding some kind of weapon. Jared smokes and drinks too much, and his mom is a mess, and he can’t rely on anyone for consistent love and support, except for his flatulent pit bull, Baby Killer, but now she’s dead.
He’s also a kid with an immense capacity for compassion and an impulse to watch over people more than twice his age, and he tries his best to stabilize his family and keep everything afloat.
But it’s weird the way he sometimes blacks out. And he puzzles over why his maternal grandmother has never liked him, why she says he’s the son of a trickster, that he isn’t human. Also, ravens have begun to speak to him – even when he’s not stoned.
You think you know Jared, but you don’t.

Book of the Month
Every month we will be featuring a new book to be showcased in our Book of the Month. Staff members and friends will be reading the book and posting their reviews. We’d love to hear what you thought of these books as well. Post your comments and let us know. Son of a Trickster is available at London Drugs along with many other great titles and is on sale for the month of April.

7 Signs Of A True Canadian Spring

Hooray! It’s spring. Flowers! Sunshine! Bunnies! At least, that’s what the calendar says. But in Canada, looking out the window probably tells us another story. Here’s what our spring actually looks like. #realtalk

1. Shorts become appropriate. Kind of.

Photo by @chris_donaldson_in_3d on Instagram

The temperature is above 5 degrees, so obviously it’s time for shorts. Luckily, they go great with that toque.

9 DIY Easter Projects to For You and Your Kids

Easter is here, so it’s time to gather the family for some quality time together this holiday weekend. But beyond an Easter egg hunt and a big delicious dinner, what are some good activities to keep little hands occupied and entertained? Don’t worry, we’ve got some ideas for engaging DIY Easter projects.

Photo via Alice and Lois

1. Marbled Easter eggs

When it comes to decorating eggs this year, get fancy! You can make beautiful marbled eggs with just nail polish and water

(and rubber gloves to keep the mess down). Check out the tutorial here and try all kinds of colours!

2. Sidewalk chalk eggs

Spring has sprung, and soon the weather will catch up. Your kids will want to spend all their time outside in the sun. Get them prepared for outdoor fun by making some egg shaped sidewalk chalk! Mix tempera paint and Plaster of Paris, place the mixture inside plastic Easter eggs, wait for it to dry, and voila!

3. Pin the tail on the bunny

It’s not Easter without the Easter Bunny! Update the classic “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” game from your youth to “Pin the Tail on the Bunny”. Print the bunny out on poster-sized paper, cut out some fluffy tails, and you’re good to go. No need to use actual pins, little pieces of tape will do the trick for bunny-to-tail adherence (and save your walls). This is a fun and safe way for kids to interact with rabbits! Rather than getting them a real bunny for a pet, which is a surprising amount of work, play with pretend bunnies instead.

Photo via Sugar and Charm

4. Bunny hand puppets

If your kids are really bunny-crazy, make some felt bunny hand puppets for them to play with year round. The bright colours and soft fabric make these just as fun to put together as they are to play with. They’ve got such great little faces!

5. Easter egg scavenger hunt

If you want to perhaps reduce the amount of chocolate your kids eat, as well as make the traditional Easter egg hunt a bit more exciting, try an Easter egg scavenger hunt! Fill plastic Easter eggs with clues that will lead to the next egg, and the next, until the adventurers eventually find the final egg and a special prize.

Photo via Tiny Rotten Peanuts

6. String Easter eggs

This one is a bit messy, but that’s why your kids will love it. Put those sticky fingers to good use! Blow up some small balloons and wrap them in coloured string or embroidery floss soaked in a liquid glue solution. After they dry, pop the balloons and you’re left with these cool string eggs!

7. Toilet roll bunnies

These little bunnies turn out so cute, you’ll hardly believe they were made from repurposed toilet paper rolls! Cover them in fabric or paint, add some ears, whiskers, and a tail — you’ve got a bunny! This project is really easy for kids for put their own spin on.

Photo via Martha Stewart

8. Envelope bunnies

Say “Hoppy Easter” with these adorable envelope bunnies. With markers, construction paper, and pompoms kids can create rabbits out of envelopes, and then fill those envelope bunnies with a card and treats!

9. Mini wooden Easter baskets

This one is a bit more fiddly and time consuming, but it’ll keep your kids engaged and they’ll end up with a fantastic Easter basket to hold some chocolate eggs. All you need is paper cups, popsicle sticks, glue, and paint. If you treat them carefully, these baskets can be kept for future years and your kids can remember how much fun they were to make!

Remember, all of these suggestions should be family activities. Do the crafts with them, and don’t expect picture perfect results. The fun is in trying new things and learning together! Happy Easter!

10 Easter Dishes For Every Kind of Tradition

From low-key brunches to big, sumptuous dinners, Easter meals offer a variety of opportunities to celebrate and relax with your loved ones. Whether you’re hosting a feast or making a dish to contribute, you won’t want to plan your spread without these recipes.

1. Ham and Artichoke Quiche with Mustard-Rye Glaze

Enjoy all of the succulent flavours of an Easter feast with this savoury quiche, perfect for brunch. Chopped artichoke hearts, gruyere cheese, and a nutty crust combine to make what’s sure to become a family favourite.

[Get the recipe from Crumb.]

2. Leg of Lamb with Stuffed Artichokes, Spinach, and Red Pepper

Searching for a triumphant main dish for your dinner? Look no further. This leg of lamb is stuffed with a gorgeous assortment of veggies, and is bound to impress and delight everyone at your table.

[Get the recipe from Canadian Living.]

3. Easter Egg Bread

What’s Easter without some thematically adorable treats? This Easter Egg bread is not only seasonally appropriate, but is bread-making-beginner-friendly.

[Get the recipe from Simple Bites.]

4. Rosemary Goat Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

What’s more reminiscent of spring than fresh herbs? This scalloped potato dish is covered in a rich and creamy sauce, and topped with fresh rosemary. It’s the perfect accompaniment for any Easter dinner.

[Get the recipe from the Little Potato Company.]

5. English Pea Salad Recipe

Even if you’re not a huge fan of peas, this salad is dressed up with so much flavour that you’ll never notice you’re eating your greens. Prepare it the day before to save time and let the veggies marinate in the dressing.

[Get the recipe from Country Living.]

6. Sour Cream and Bacon Deviled Eggs

No Easter spread can be considered complete without a tasty egg dish. These aren’t your standard deviled eggs, either. A rich sour cream and bacon filling will make this a fast favourite.

[Get the recipe from The Food Network.]

7. Roasted Carrots with Carrot-Top Pesto

Roasted carrots are the perfect side dish for any Easter feast. If you love buying them with the tops still on but don’t have a resident pet bunny to eat them for you, you can turn them into a tangy pesto with this simple recipe.

[Get the recipe from Vega.]

8. Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs with Dilled Orzo

If you don’t feel like having a big to-do so that you can enjoy more time relaxing with your family, this is the perfect dinner recipe. You need only eight ingredients, fresh herbs for garnish, and you’re set!

[Get the recipe from Family Bites.]

9. Baked Ham With Orange & Brown Sugar Glaze

This succulent ham recipe includes a how-to to make your own simple (yet so delicious) glaze out of aromatic cloves and citrus flavours. If you’re planning on cooking a ham for your Easter dinner, you’ll absolutely want to give this a try.

[Get the recipe from Cookin’ Canuck.]

10. Put an Egg on it: Easy Easter Cake

This decadently adorable dessert will put the Easter bunny to shame. If dessert is your domain, this is for you (and it will look great on your Pinterest board, too!).

[Get the recipe at Coco Cake Land.]

Did we miss your favourite Easter recipe? Post it in the comments below!