Successfully figuring out how to organize your kitchen can create more space and fashion an efficient and comfortable atmosphere for cooking, dining, and entertaining. Use these steps to improve and streamline your kitchen environment.
Eliminate Clutter
The first step in learning how to organize your kitchen is to get rid of the things that are not needed so that the size and shape of the usable areas can be more easily taken advantage of. Remove any item that does not strictly belong in the kitchen and then focus on reducing the amount of things that are left. Start with the flat surfaces and make sure nothing is stored out in the open that is not used more than three days a week. Next, go through the drawers and cabinets and toss anything that is broken or missing pieces. Finally, give away or donate anything that is still in good shape but has not been used in over a year.
Keep Things Fresh
Another place to look for hidden clutter is in the refrigerator and pantry. Cleaning out these food storage areas will not only help you conserve space, it will also keep your family safe from potentially dangerous foods. Begin by tossing anything old, expired, moldy, or stale. Then, organize the space by storing similarly shaped items together (jars and bottles together, cans separate from boxes, etc.) and use baskets for smaller packages or oddly shaped items that tend to get messy and spread out. To make things easier to find, do not keep food items and non-food items (such as cooking dishes) stored in the same place. You can find a lot of practical kitchen storage and organization items online.
Make a Place for Everything
Just as keeping all the condiments on the same shelf in the fridge makes sense, storing like items together in the cabinets and drawers is helpful, too. Gather all the pieces that will often be used together (such as baking tools, for instance) and move these items closest to the work area where they are commonly employed. Then, move the objects that are used most often towards the front. Keeping all of the serving utensils separate from all the cooking spatulas and storing any favorite pots and pans closer to the stove will make finding the right tool for each job much faster and easier.
Choose Proper Storage Areas
Once everything is where it belongs it will be much easier to see where additional organization and space is needed. Before going shopping for storage units, make sure to have a specific idea in mind and stick to a plan to keep from wasting time, space, and money. Decide what specific areas need organization (i.e. pantry, drawers, or cabinets) and how you want to separate things (canisters, baskets, drawer separators, etc.) When deciding what type of storage is needed, take into consideration the décor, how often the space is used, and whether it is necessary to see the items or contents, or if it is possible to hide them.
Once a kitchen has been organized and everything is in its proper place, it will become easier to maintain and clean. The kitchen will become a haven of peace and may turn out to be your favorite room.