I have been doing the same thing lately. For the kitchen, there are websites that allow you to enter a list of ingredients to search recipes. My favorite so far: http://allrecipes.com/Search/Ingredients.aspx.

I am terrible about using up makeup, mainly because I don't wear it very often. I generally ditch mascara after a few months, but I keep non-liquid stuff forever.

I do this regularly with my pantry and freezer. I call it an "Eat Down"

It always reminds me that I need to be better about labeling things in my freezer! The last mystery lump was actually frozen bananas waiting to be made into banana bread!

Brilliant use of magnetic canisters in a bathroom cabinet!!!

don't get me wrong, i love those magnetic canisters and i love the idea of them in my bathroom for my bobby pins and hair things. but that photo of unlabeled pills really irks me; no name, no dosage, no directions, no expiration date. and even if you did put all of that information on those little canisters it'd just be a waste of time and effort when you could just keep them in the bottle they came in. sorry to be such a nit picker but i think that photo is not only a really bad idea, but also potentially dangerous.

but otherwise, great ideas! and i really like the hook on the inside of the medicine cabinet for the scissors. i can't even count how many of those guys i've lost, rebought and found the old one. i probably have 5 in my apartment right now! :D

abbatron, then you're not going to like my bathroom counter that has little stainless steel bowls from IKEA with unmarked prescription pills in them. is there anything else in my home where I live alone that you'd like to meddle with?

I think the pill thing is fine if it's just like asprin or whatev. you generally know how many you can take and you can just jot the exp. date ontheback.
and perscription meds well if you take them all the time you KNOW how to take them.
it might be dangerous with small children but other than that. if it works do it.

thebradseed: Hey, now. There's no way abbatron would of known that you specifically live alone. That's not meddling. It was just an oversight in a comment.

Yeah, Abbatron is definitely meddling, since she physically came into your apartment and removed those unmarked pill bowls. You should send her an invoice for those. coughsarcasmcough

I agree with Abbatron. I take prescription pills every day and sure, I know how many of those to take. But there's also some over the counter stuff that I take once every few months- decongestants, ibuprofen, stuff like that- that I don't have the directions memorized for. It's nice to be able to go, "Oh, two every four hours. Sure." I spose you could peel the labels off and tape them on the back of the containers, but generally labels don't peel off that well in my experience.

While it doesn't "irk" me that the pills are unlabeled in this picture, it's probably not something that's always a great idea. That seems reasonable to me. Folks should chill out, or take a pill, if you will.

Looks like Aspirin and Advil to me.... I know when/how to use those.

I think I take asprin and advil way way less often than most people.

I think the concern isn't really how or when to take them as much as the danger of leaving anything potentially deadly in an unmarked container.

I also live alone, but the danger of leaving unmarked medication is not worth the vanity for me.

Thebradseed, I'd be very cautious placing "stainless steel bowls from IKEA with unmarked prescription pills" on your bathroom counter. Aside from the obvious dangers of young nieces and nephews having easy access to them [I tremble at the thought of my niece or nephew ODing on the tylenol I've placed within arms reach], you're also exposing your medication to the moisture [and frankly the particles of feces] that's inevitably going to be present in a bathroom which will alter their chemical composition and likely leave you with ineffective pills.

Not to mention the risks associated with taking expired medication.

pniccole,
I don't think it is ok it is just advil or aleve or something like that, and here is why:

My niece drank an entire bottle of children's tylenol and was rushed to the hospital to have her stomach pumped.
Even something that simple can turn terribly dangerous. Aside from the fact that these things become tragically unlabeled with directions and doses, but also come sans an ingredients list, other medicine conflicts, and important phone numbers should an accidental overdose happen. In addition, the original packaging comes with child protection caps, which is even more important than you can imagine.

The problem with the unmarked containers is that their contents look so inviting: almost like candies. Thus, they are a lure to the young and unsuspecting. However, it IS a good idea for small storage...

I am proud to announce that I have not bought any shampoo and moisturisers since last September, when I decided I would use up the existing half bottles/jars and even samples that come by magazines or are handed out at malls and such places.
It is absolutely pleasing and lightening to see more empty space in my bath cupboard.
Also, I have bought very few key items of clothing in the last 15 months or so. I use more of my stowed-away accessories, put on more make-up and use my creativity trying to look trendy with not-so-fashionable clothing items. I have been dressing somewhat differently than my usual looks and it has been fun, if not refreshing and revealing.