It’s time to organize your kitchen. Perhaps you’re moving into a new place, or the spring-cleaning bug has bitten you...or maybe you just spent a half-hour looking for the correct equipment to make boxed macaroni and cheese. If so, your kitchen could probably use a bit of reorganization.
A nice, personally organized kitchen might even give you more motivation to use it. You can even involve your family in the process. And then, after you’re done, you can all celebrate together.
Take It One Section at a Time
Is the thought of completely reorganizing your kitchen overwhelming and causing you to hyperventilate? Don’t worry, you can do this if you just break it down into smaller, easier to digest pieces.
Remember, things are easier to do if you set smaller or incremental goals, so take it one cabinet or one drawer at a time. You’ll be more likely to see the results and keep going if you reach a short-term goal and move on from there.
Clear It Out
To get started, go through your kitchen and toss or donate anything you no longer—or, possibly, never did—use. If you don’t use your porcelain pie beads because you don’t know how to set your oven’s temperature, let alone how to bake a pastry shell, get rid of them.
Grab two bags or boxes, and designate one as “trash” and the other as “donate.” Toss out any expired pantry items such as spices or baking powder, and rid yourself of plastic containers that have lost their lids. Donate gadgets, pans, and linens you never use.
If you have large and rarely-used items such as a stock pots or platters, and your kitchen feels a little cramped, consider moving them out of the kitchen to a hall closet or storage area.
Maximize Efficiency
Set up your kitchen to make the most sense for your use.
Create stations for particular purposes. Designate a food preparation station near the sink, assign a separate area designated for pantry items, and set up a separate area dedicated to storage items themselves. Keep knives close to the cutting board; keep mugs, coffee, and coffee filters near the coffee maker.
Put glasses and dishes in a central location between the refrigerator and the dishwasher. Keep often-used cooking utensils in a drawer or in a standing container next to the stove. Sort pantry items by type—then group spices, canned juices, baking items, and other like items together.
Put frequently used items and groups of items on easy to reach shelves. For example, if you bake a lot, don’t store baking staples on shelves and cabinets that are too high or too low.
Bin It
Bins are a handy tool in the organized kitchen. Bins for recycling—one for paper, one for aluminum, and one for glass—help keep your trash neat and tidy until recycling day comes around. Having your recycling presorted saves you time and keeps things organized.
Bins can also be used for several other purposes. Putting cleansers in a pull-out bin under the sink helps you to find specialized polishes or cleaning products without having to dig under the kitchen sink.
If your cabinet space is particularly precious, consider taking packaged snacks out of their boxes and putting them together in a larger, see-through bin. This saves lots of space in your cabinet and makes it easier to see that you’re running low on something when making your grocery list.
Handy Little Tricks
There are loads of ways to maximize space and efficiency in your kitchen. You don’t have to try them all, but here are a few tips to help you out.
- Try using a Lazy Susan for particularly deep cupboards
- Put lesser-used items toward the back of the cabinets and drawers
- Use over-the-door or door-mounted holders for spices
- Find a shallow, open-topped box to keep spices and seasonings together
- Consider hanging pots and pans from the ceiling or the walls to conserve cabinet space
- Use an extra or decorative pitcher to store utensils on the counter
- Purchase freestanding or hanging wire shelves to maximize vertical space—these are especially handy for stacking dishes and pans
- Use stackable and reusable airtight containers for bulk baking and cooking staples
Make It Yours
Give your new kitchen layout a few weeks, and if something still doesn’t seem to work for you, change it. You’ll love how much simpler kitchen tasks are once you’ve found something that works.
Once you’ve completed the organization, make it your own and celebrate with family and friends. After all, you deserve it!
Get a free subscription to Homeminders’ home management system (no credit card required)