Ways To Organize Your Kitchen To Work Better For You
The kitchen is arguably the most used room in your home. We’ve all fondly referred to it as (or heard it referred to as) the heart of our home. Perhaps you have a cute nickname for it like Central Station or the Gathering Spot. But despite how well used the kitchen is, not much thought goes into how it’s organized. Why is kitchen organization not considered?
A properly organized kitchen can make mornings less hectic, meal prep quicker, and I will even argue that it will save you money. So whether you are looking for ways to make back to school easier, or just needing some kitchen organization advice and tips, I’ve got your back. Read on!
And while we’re at it you may be interested in my list of items to easily declutter now!
The Big Clean Out
No one ever realizes just how many little kitchen gadgets we collect. An avocado slicer here, a strawberry huller there, and the next thing you know you have a drawer full of spatulas but you only use your favourite one that you keep by the stove. What a waste of precious space!
Find a big empty space, like a dining table, and empty your drawers and cupboards onto it. Everything, if you can fit. You may need to break it down into sections or else do cupboards first and drawers later.
The point is to see just how much kitchenware you have, and what you forgot that you have. But before you start itching to sort and toss, I have another step for you.
Reassess Your Kitchen Layout
Without thinking about where things use to be kept, I want you to just look at the layout of your kitchen. Most kitchens are designed with a triangle work zone. Meaning that if you drew a line from the stove to the sink to the fridge to the stove, it would form a triangle. This is called the work zone and is your most common kitchen path as you go about working in the kitchen.
Your kitchen should be organized in a way that compliments this natural cooking path. So pots and pans are typically stored near the stove. Storage containers are usually stored near the fridge. Dishes are normally stored near the sink or the dishwasher, and the reason for this is that it’s easier to put away these dishes once they are clean. Dishes aren’t needed along the cooking path since they are used once the food is already prepared.
So take a look at your kitchen, and decide if you can move around the location of some of your kitchenware to make cooking less of a hassle. A little kitchen organization forethought can save you time by minimizing your movements around the room.
Reorganize Your Kitchen
Before you start putting bowls and spoons away, create zones in your kitchen and label them with a sticky note. Labelling the zones will make it easier for you to put similar-purposed items together. If you do a lot of baking then you may have a baking zone where you will keep your baking supplies together. You may have a coffee zone. You may have a snack zone or a canning zone.
I have a baking zone, coffee and tea zone, a cleanup zone, a food prep zone, a cooking zone, a storage zone, a Christmas zone, a dishes zone, a barbeque zone, a large appliance zone, an adult snack zone, a kids snack zone, an alcohol and drinks zone, and a pantry zone. Some of these came together naturally because we found we kept going to a specific drawer or cabinet expecting a kitchen gadget to be there, and others needed some thought like the kid’s snack zone.
The kid’s snack zone is a great idea, you are basically making a snack drawer for your kids that they can reach. Now, this may depend on your household and if your kids can self-monitor their snack intake, but it could help both you and them out. You pick what snacks you want readily available to your kids. And if they know they can help themselves to a snack after school, from a drawer or shelf they can reach themselves, then they don’t have to bother you to make them something. And it gives them a boost of independence by choosing their snack from the options you’ve given them and getting it for themselves.
Sort Your Gear
Now that you know what zones you need, you can start sorting your assortment of kitchen doohickies. Do you have a single-use gadget like a watermelon slicer, that hardly ever get used? Do you have something else that can also cover that gadget’s job? Then it may be time to part with that rarely used kitchen treasure. Do you have multiple items or too many spoons? How many storage containers does a person really need? You are streamlining your supplies so that what you have really serves you best.
Once you have culled your collection, then you can start putting things away.
Organized Kitchen Zones
As you put away your kitchenwares, make sure you are staying true to your zones. You’ll probably find that some products are multi-purposed so put them where they are mostly used for. You can always adjust things later if something really seems out of place.
Once you have filled your zones and put away the gadgets that you plan to keep, now you can head to a container store, or as I prefer, the dollar store for some organizing trays. I say do this last so you don’t more storage containers than you need and try to fill them. Instead, you are buying containers that have a predetermined use.
Take measurements of your drawers and cupboards before you head out to get a better fit with your organizers. Nothing worse than getting home pumped to put your organizers to use only to discover they are too tall for your drawer. Major bummer.
Kitchen Organization for Life
The tough work is done and now you’re set. You should find that your kitchen flow is much smoother and quicker. You know where everything is so you don’t need to buy another peeler when you can’t find one anywhere. Meal prep is easier because your tools are all right at hand. And your kitchen will feel more relaxed and fun instead of chaotic and disorderly. Enjoy your newly organized kitchen zone!
BONUS!
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