The kitchen is the heart and soul of your home. It is where we have family time, discussions around meals and we entertain or grab snacks to go. In many homes it is where our children do their homework, we charge our phones & tablets and pay our bills. In other words, it is the control center of our lives. Therefore, kitchens these days need to be well laid out, keeping the flow of the house moving yet at the same time well organized, peaceful and serene.
Seems like a daunting task, but take it from professional organizers it can be done!
At H2H, one of our specialties is kitchen organizing. It is the room stocked with small gadgets, large appliances, entertaining items, dishes for adults, dishes for kids, cleaning supplies and food storage containers just to name a few items. Organizing done properly is like a puzzle, it has to be put together with often used basics in mind, while keeping the family needs and uses as a priority.
For example, a coffee or tea drinking family will need a coffee station where the mugs, coffee, sweeteners and filters are all easily accessible. A non- coffee drinking household would not want to take up the space and may need the area for something they find more of a priority.
The point is that no two kitchen are alike. Some are new and high-tech, some are older and cozy. It doesn’t matter, every kitchen should be organized around the family’s uses and needs keeping in mind the flow of cook(s) in the kitchen and the flow of the house.
Here our are top suggestions when organizing your kitchen:
What are your priorities?
What appliances you use consistently? What cooking utensils do you need easy access to? Do you need a coffee or tea station? A wine/beer station? Do you want your children to have access to their snacks, plates, cups? Are you a baker? A cook? Both? By knowing what you use frequently, we can start to put together the pieces of the puzzle.
The kitchen should flow smoothly
Everything you use frequently should be in easy reach. You should not have to run across your kitchen to find a chopping board or a knife when it is time to chop an onion. Where do you prep your food? You will need an area near the sink and garbage where you store cutting boards, knives and bowls.
Near the stove and oven should be your spices, oils, vinegars, pots/pans and oven mitts. A drawer or shelf space should be set aside for foil, plastic wrap, and food bags. Dishes and glass wear can be stored near the dishwasher for easy unloading, or in some homes near the table to make setting the table easier. There is no right or wrong, as we said earlier, every family is different and organizing is about doing what is best for your kitchen and your family.
Clearing clutter
This is a very important step and can be time consuming.
Do you use 3 sets of measuring cups or spoons? Do you still have peelers from college? Do you use all 5 wine openers? 7 flashlights? Do all the pots and pans have the correct lids? Are all the spices current or have some expired? Do you have a fondue pot or ice cream maker you no longer use but received as a wedding gift? Do you use all 15 wooden spoons? You get the picture. It is difficult to part with things and very time consuming to review your items. Sometimes hiring a professional to help make decisions and take the donates for you can be helpful.
Now that you have established where the basic priority items will live and you have cleared duplicates and clutter, you can then find homes for your remaining items.
You may need a utility drawer for items such as batteries, keys, pens, flashlights and other household items which you use on occasion. This drawer does not need to be close to the cooking area.
Large appliances such as a crockpot or wok which may not be used daily can live in a more remote shelf.
Seasonal items such as holiday baking and summer entertaining may be able to live in another area of the house such as the basement or garage so as to free up space in your kitchen.
Pet supplies, things such as pet supplies can sometimes be relocated to another area of the house such as the mudroom, laundry room or pantry if applicable. If not, they certainly can stay in the kitchen. Once again, not necessarily near the cooking area.
Clear surfaces, try to keep your surfaces as clear as possible. Clear areas help you feel calm and stress free. You will feel more in control. When you have a clear area in the kitchen it invites you to cook something delicious for your family!
We can’t stress enough that no two kitchens are alike and there is no right or wrong. Piecing the kitchen puzzle pieces together to create your most organized kitchen takes time but when done correctly it will make the world of difference to you and your family. You will be able to be more efficient as a cook having the items you use frequently close to where you need them. Your family will be able to find what they need without stress, thereby creating that peaceful and serene home.
