Kitchen Organization tips
Let’s face it, all of us our busy and life plus our kitchen sometimes become hot messes. Here is a simple way to organize one part of your life…The Kitchen. Clutter attracts clutter and calm attracts calm, in life and in the kitchen. Consider taking these small steps to a clear moment of peace. You only have 15 minutes, tackle one drawer. One drawer will lead to another and another until your kitchen is beautiful, organized and clutter free. So, what if it takes you a month! Each time you clear a drawer or a shelf is one step closer to your goal.
1. Start by decluttering your kitchen and getting rid of any items that you no longer use or need. This will create more space and make it easier to organize. The cookie cutters you have had in the drawer for 15 years and haven’t used, say sayonara to. The sandwich crust cutter designs taking up space, time to go. Your kids haven’t eaten crustless bread for 5 years. Plus, let’s be honest, Uncrustables. Declutter your junk drawers. We have them. It’s the catch all spot when someone comes over and we need a quick straighten up area. I went through mine the other day and had stuff from forever ago. Receipts, kitchen gadget manuals, coffee filters I forgot about, broken pencils and crayons from my wonderful children. Make the time to go through this and purge what is not still needed.
2. Utilize storage containers and organizers to keep similar items together. For example, use small bins or dividers for your utensil drawer, or clear containers for your pantry items. I personally use these in my pantry and love them. They stack really well. https://amzn.to/3HEd1um You can purchase them here through Amazon or the Better Homes and Gardens brand at Walmart. Bonus…if you go to my shop, you can purchase customized labels for them.
3. Group similar items together in your cabinets and pantry. This will make it easier to find what you need when cooking or baking. For example, keep all your spices in one place or group canned goods together. Store frequently used items in easily accessible spots. Place pots, pans, and cooking utensils near the stove for easy access. Keep everyday dishes and glasses within reach in your cabinets.
4. Every storage container MUST have a lid! Better yet, a lot of companies are making storage containers with the same size lid despite being different ounce containers. Let me tell you, this makes life and the Tupperware cabinet a lot less messy! Pro tip: If your red sauce stains your containers, add a few drops of Dawn dish soap, a paper towel and a little bit of water and shake it. Helps to remove the stain.
5. Use vertical space to maximize storage. Install hooks or a magnetic strip on the wall to hang pots, pans, and cooking utensils. Add shelves above your cabinets to store less frequently used items. At this point, consider how many coffee cups and glassware you actually need. For a while, I bought a cute and fun coffee mug everywhere I traveled. Fun at first until I ended up with shelves of coffee cups. It was hard to part with some of them, but I was so happy I cleared out the clutter. I am serious when I tell you I had mugs that were decades old. No matter how many you have, you are probably using the same few. We have our favorites and its ok to admit it. They are not our children. LOL. Time to let go. They had a good run.
6. Consider using drawer organizers to separate and organize your utensils, cutlery, and kitchen gadgets. This will make it easier to find what you need and prevent cluttered drawers. Measure your drawer’s length, depth and width and take a trip to Home Depot or Lowes. 2×2 wood slats are a great and inexpensive way to divide your drawers. They will even cut the wood for you. You can purchase some off of Amazon to do the same thing. Here is a set of clear kitchen dividers that will work https://amzn.to/3UlFQDm or a bit more expensive are the bamboo set https://amzn.to/49gigfx Dump the duplicates of things. You don’t really need fourteen whisks and twelve measuring cups unless you are baking daily. Consider letting go of some of the extras to alleviate the clutter. Donate to Goodwill or just toss in the outside trash, so you are not tempted to retrieve it later.
7. Keep countertops clear of unnecessary items. Store appliances that you don’t use daily in cabinets or on shelves to reduce visual clutter and create more workspace. If your kitchen counter tops or table is a catch all for random items, consider placing a decorative basket nearby that you can go through once a week. It will look cute on the counter and also be functional to keep the clutter at bay.
8. Label containers and jars to easily identify the contents. This will save time and make it easier to find ingredients or pantry items. The Love, Wine and Beach store connected to this blog has spice and pantry container customized labels. Spices do not have a forever shelf life. It’s time to purge the ones that are stuck together and haven’t been used ever, they just came with the cute spice contraption. Follow Elsa’s lead from Frozen and, “let it go, let it go!”
9. Regularly clean out your refrigerator and pantry to discard expired or unused items. This will help keep your kitchen organized and ensure you are using fresh ingredients. Have a time limit on how long your children’s art stays up on the refrigerator. One week, two weeks. I bought a laminator for their artwork I could not let go of. Each of my children have a large storage container I keep my favorite items of theirs. The laminator helps preserve those unique keepsakes. Once every two weeks, I clear off the fridge. They also have a limit to how many items are on there. 2 artworks max at a time. This number may be different to you. Whatever works, but once every two weeks I have an empty fridge front and its calming. It also encourages the little ones to step away from the electronics to make new pictures. Win win all the way around.
10. Lastly, establish a routine for cleaning and organizing your kitchen. Spend a few minutes each day tidying up and putting items back in their designated places to keep your kitchen organized long-term. Find a cleaner that you enjoy the smell of, so you can wipe down your counters with and know that smell means a clean and tidy kitchen.
XO, Janthina
