By Jackie Leffner
This is the season of life where people gather to eat and enjoy each other’s company – what better time to make sure that your kitchen is one of the best organized spaces in your home! The more organized we can make your kitchen, the easier it is going to be to host that next family gathering. Or, if you have kids – the easier it is going to be for them to grab their own snack from the cabinet rather than asking for you to get it for them.
Tip #1: INVOLVE YOUR FAMILY 😊
Do you live alone in your house? If the answer is no, then that also means you should approach organizing a common space, like the kitchen, alone either. It is a place that everyone in the family goes to grab, prepare, or eat food! So, the systems you put in place must work for everyone. If they do not, it is going to cause more frustration eventually.
Do you have kids in the home? If so, we recommend designating a spot in a lower cabinet for lunchboxes, plastic cups, stackable food storage containers and easy kid-friendly snacks. Keeping like items together makes it easy to get everyone out the door in the morning. Plus, kids will always know where to stash their school lunch supplies at the end of the day, which is a win-win for everyone.
Tip #2: Premium Space is Reserved for Premium Items
Do you remember that immersion blender you use once a quarter to make your favorite soup? Is it sitting in one of your main drawers in your kitchen? Remember those hot pads you use every day for dinner that got booted and put up high? Consider switching up where you are putting your items in the kitchen to place the most frequently used items on the bottom shelves, where they are easily accessible. Stick special occasion items up high (or in storage) so they are out of the reach out little ones and not taking up prime real estate in your kitchen.
Ever heard of the “zoning method?” Depending on who lives in your house, zoning your kitchen can be an extremely useful tool to help make sure everyone is on the same page with what goes where. For example, you could devote an entire shelf or cabinet to your baking needs. Stock it with cookie sheets, loaf pans, oven mitts, flour, sugar, and other items. This will help you, and the rest of your family, identify where something new goes too! Bonus: if your mixer is stylish (and you use it often) leave it out on the counter with attachments inside the bowl and keep your ingredients close by on a shelf.
Now, if you have made it through Tips #1-2, you are deep in the kitchen organization zone! You have done the planning – Now, let us talk about how we can put things back and make this an organized space in your home!
Tip # 3: Choose Clear Storage Containers
We are big fans of see-through containers! This is particularly helpful for families with children or with individuals that have ADD. The transparent baskets will make it a lot easier to see what you have in stock AND show you what needs to be replenished the next time you are at the grocery store. Clear storage containers are incredibly easy to add a label to! Whether you print sticker labels & put them on, or simply write on them with Expo marker to make it clear to everyone what goes in each basket – always make sure you label 😊
Tip # 4: Plastic Storage Containers – Let Us Organize that Cabinet!
First, we want to normalize that EVERYONE has a Tupperware cabinet, and they all look different. Some are chaotic, some are pristine – but there is one thing they have in common. They take maintenance to upkeep. You must choose a system that will work for you and your family when you are taking Tupperware out and when you are putting it back.
There is nothing worse than opening a cabinet door and unleashing an avalanche of plastic food storage containers. If your collection is out of control, try tossing any container that is stained, cracked, or does not seal properly. Then use a specialty divider to separate your lids and containers by size.
Tip #5: Most Used Tool in a Kitchen: Utensils!
No one likes a crowded utensil drawer. If you are tired of digging through spoons and forks, invest in a modular drawer organizer. You can use a Marie Kondo organizer or one from Walmart! Whichever fits your drawer, utensils, and most importantly – your budget!
Feeling inspired to have your kitchen be your next organized space and looking FRESH and CLEAN with the new year? If after reading this, you would like some help organizing this space in your home, reach out to schedule your complimentary consultation today! We would love to help you turn your vision into a reality and help make your kitchen a place to share meals, laughs, and time together!
