4 Life-Changing Steps For Organizing Your Tupperware Drawer
by The Candidly Team
Uchhhhhhh. Just thinking about the utter explosion of those 37 random lids with no counterparts breaks us into a light, cold sweat.
From the organization to the pieces themselves, it’s all bad. We buy the wrong products. They never match. We have no idea how to arrange them.
So we made it our goal in LIFE to write the definitive article on the topic, such that we never, ever have to write (or read) another article about tupperware, ever again.
Naturally, we reached out to master organizer, Shira Gill, and with her guidance and brilliance, we realized we could solve this dilemma in 4 steps. Yes. 4.
Ready?
Step 1: The tupperware itself.
Listen. There are infinite options. They all seem the same, yet few actually ever work.
So, let’s keep it simple. Here are our favorite sets to buy, and why:
1. Top choice: Bayco 24 Piece Glass Food Storage Containers with Lids, $40
If you want one solid, functional, aesthetically pleasing set, try this. Plus, these are made of glass which, according to Shira, is better than plastic. “It’s wise to avoid plastic, which can leach chemicals into your food, especially when the food you’re storing is hot," she says. “Glass is a durable and stylish alternative, and ideal for storing both hot and cold food. Also, glass won’t get warped or discolored over time like plastic, and can be recycled if it eventually chips.”
2. Bovado Glass Containers with Bamboo Lids, $35
If you want to go eco-friendly, try these. According to Shira, “the most sustainable options are made of materials such as glass, or wood instead of plastic. I love stackable glass and bamboo containers.”
3. Martha Stewart Collection 12 Piece Storage Set, $84
A little bit more chic than the workhorse glass options above, but still work like a dream. Oh, and Martha Stewart-approved. So.
Step 2: Big is better.
Sometimes, 8 neatly stacked, rectangular containers each holding a single chicken breast just doesn’t cut it. And when we say “sometimes” we of course mean “dear god why do the size of tupperware containers make us feel like we must be the only people on earth with portion control issues?”
But hey, we have big families! We need room for all that Sunday meal-prep kale soup! Or the 5 pounds of potato salad we made because what’s better than homemade potato salad waiting for you in the fridge! Or we want to make an entire week’s worth of gazpacho without using every bowl in our kitchen!
And for those occasions, try these:
1. AGTrade 60oz Large Glass Food Storage Container, $26
If you frequently prep meals for an entire family, just try these. They come in a set of 2, and the reviews are great.
2. Mepal Microwavable Nested Storage Bowls, $72
If BIG is what you want, go for the “deep” set. The largest bowl holds over 3 quarts, they’re stackable, and they come in an array of lovely colors like “Nordic Berry” and “Blush.”
3. Razab 80oz Glass Food Storage Containers, Set of 2, $37
If your dream is to find tupperware that can hold an entire chicken, well, do we have the set for you. Plus, these are microwave, dishwasher, freezer and oven safe to boot.
Step 3: The dreaded drawer.
Your tupperware drawer is also an explosion, yes? Filled with random pieces of junk that don’t seem to match or stack, and end up strewn about, with no rhyme or reason?
Well, according to Shira, this is because we all have way more tupperware than we need, and most of it isn’t functional. “The number one mistake I see by far is buying (and keeping) more tupperware than you could ever use,” says Shira. “I also see jumbled drawers that only contain tops -- who wants to sort through and match lids with containers?”
Instead, she recommends we “pick out the best and the brightest set or treat yourself to a new matching set, and then donate or recycle the duds.”
One of the biggest hurdles for motivating ourselves to organize anything is time. But remember— it’s a drawer, it’s not the whole house. So Shira thinks it’s possible to limit this whole operation to 20 minutes using these simple hacks:
1. Don’t fill more than a single drawer: Once you’ve cleared out your drawer, donated all the ones you don’t need, and chosen your perfect, ideal pieces of tupperware, then it’s time to contain the containers. Pick one convenient place, instead of allowing everything to spill into drawers all around your kitchen, and start putting in the most useful ones first. “Find a clear convenient drawer or shelf and line up or stack up your food storage containers by size,” says Shira.
2. Store your lids vertically: If you have one, blissful, matching set that elegantly stacks, then just store them stacked. If not, it might be easier to store everything without the lids, and “use a plate rack or lid organizer to store lids vertically and keep them tidy,” suggests Shira.
3. If you need a custom solution, try this: “Umbra also makes this adjustable pegboard inspired tupperware organizer you can pop in your drawer—it can help keep different containers separate and prevent them from sliding around in your drawer,” Shira says.
4. Store any small or extra pieces in a basket: Once you’ve accounted for the large and most-used pieces, you can store your extra bits and bobs in a basket.
5. If all else fails, just use this: If you have zero time or energy for hacks, Shira suggest using “a food storage and lid organizer to keep your containers in place and put a bow on it.”
Step 4: Not everything HAS to be “tupperware.”
If 1800 different pieces of plastic, glass, and bamboo are taking up your entire kitchen, there are countless food storage options that don’t require tupperware, and may even take up less room in your house, kitchen, and brain, like:
1. Stasher Bags, $44 for a set of 4
Not only can these be used in place of plastic baggies AND tupperware, but these are also dishwasher, freezer, and microwave-safe. And they’re more compact than endless sets of plastic and glass containers.
2. Evriholder Avo Saver, $15 for a 2-pack
Does your leftover avocado half needs its OWN glass box? No, it does not. It just needs this weird little baby carrier.
3. Food Huggers Reusable Silicone Food Savers, $13
No need to ever awkwardly store fruit in a container or plastic baggie again.
4. Five Two Airtight Silicone Lids, $40
“Reusable silicone lids are a great alternative to plastic lids or cling wrap,” says Shira. And with these airtight lids, every regular ole’ mixing bowl or serving bowl can become functional tupperware. Just store your leftovers in whatever vessel you served them in. Done.
Did we solve it? I think we solved it.
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We have to eat.
