homemaking hack #1: silverware jars

We've got a super busy day planned today- I'm covering two exercise classes for friends and I need to hit the post office and then Sam's club for a grocery run. I made my menu plans last night and was dreaming hoping to keep it under $100. Then I actually started listing what I needed. Yeah. Sam's and $100 week + grocery trips are not happening. Ha! At least I did the math before I went instead of letting the register do it for me. That has happened way more than once. ;)

We were out of everything breakfast related as of yesterday, so last night I mixed up some bread and set the timer on the bread machine. I used to make homemade bread all the time, but since I went bread-free last year I haven't gotten back in the habit. Now I'm thinking I might try it again on a regular basis. Everyone in the family loves hot bread. :) It had been so long that I forgot to set the crust to light, but it was still really good!

Here's the recipe I used. I hadn't tried that one before, but it was good. {I can't compare it to my Artisan bread, though! Not even in the same category.}

Here is the awesome bread machine I use- I stole it from GW for $10, and blogged about it during my 31 days of thrifting series!

But I couldn't get on with my week without showing you one of my more recent homemaking hacks. :) I have several of these planned to share with you guys in the near future. {*mischievous grin*}

This one is life changing. In the kitchen, anyway. ;)

Wait for it.... it's big....

I've started to leave all of my useful silverware out on the counter. 

Crazy, huh? 

You know me, I like to live on the wild side. :)

Though we stopped sorting them by size long, long ago and just used a big double caddy in the drawer, I was super tired of walking across the kitchen to grab a fork when I was cooking and preparing dinner on the other side. {or maybe I was just lazy...} I could have moved it all to another drawer close by, but I'm loving not having to cross the kitchen and open the drawer. 

Apparently, I either eat all the time, or I'm making food all the time, because I was having to get in that hard-to-pull drawer like every five seconds.

I could hide the jars when we have company, but the truth is, I like the way they look. Kind of like I'm having a dinner party on my counter every day. :)

And I estimate that I'm saving at least 15 steps and 30 seconds every day. hehehe.

It's officially a homemaking hack I'm quite fond of now. :)

So tell me...

What do you do with your silverware? 

Are you a silverware sorter? Or are you living the wild life like me? :P

Do you love your bread maker too? Any great recipes to share?? I'm always on the lookout!