This Drawer Is a Meal-Prepping Lifesaver in Chris Loves Julia’s Newly Renovated Kitchen

Most wedding gifts will eventually find themselves in a box in a basement or garage after a few years go by. But there is one registry staple that always seems to stick around: food storage. Julia Marcum still has the Rubbermaid containers she and her husband, Chris, received 13 years ago on their big day—you could say it’s love. “They’ve just been this constant in my life,” says Julia. Like most of us, the couple behind the design blog Chris Loves Julia had accrued ones with the company’s classic red lid, which definitely stood the test of time but didn’t necessarily fit with the style of their new North Carolina house. 

Eighteen months ago, the pair was contacted by Rubbermaid to create a new color for the brand’s stackable, nestable EasyFindLids, and they devised a fresh, light blue-gray shade that blends in nicely with their taupe cabinets and dark green island. “I’ve worked so hard to make our home a place where we can feel calm, at ease, and comfortable,” shares Julia. “And honestly even the small things we surround ourselves with affect that.” Over the course of the past year, they’ve thought about all the little things, like putting two paneled dishwashers on either side of their sink. Then there are all the clever tidying tricks they embraced. Ahead, the seasoned renovators share four built-in organization moments that have totally changed the game.

The Lunch-Packing Station

The Marcums have dedicated an entire lower drawer to their newly revamped Rubbermaid collection, and it’s conveniently located right under a drawer that houses special compartments for various size baggies. “That way I can easily put things for the girls’ lunches right into their boxes,” says Julia. And no, it isn’t some bespoke creation—you can get the same baggie organizer on Amazon for $40. 

The Garbage Can Refill

When Stoffer Cabinetry, the couple’s cupboard designers, asked them what their previous kitchen pain points were and what they wished was more organized, Julia immediately responded: garbage bags! “We have these trash can pull-outs…why am I going elsewhere to get a new bag?” she says of her thinking process. So they incorporated a nook at the back of the pull-out to fit a bag holder—that way no one ever forgets to put a new one in the can when they take the full one out. “Thank goodness,” she says, laughing. 

The Other Lid Holder

Aside from storing her Rubbermaid lids in an orderly manner (she’s a proponent of separating the bases from the tops), Julia also has a drawer dedicated to the lids of her pots and pans. The space has narrow, angled shelves inside of it, so all the tops neatly stack and slide into place. 

The Knife Slots 

Chris’s favorite part of the kitchen? The slotted drawer that’s dedicated to “all the knives he’s gaga about,” explains Julia (it’s another Stoffer Cabinetry addition). We concur: It’s looking sharp.

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