Your kitchen is the place that is the most prone to collecting clutter. Especially if you keep a kosher kitchen and thus have double the amount of pots and pans for meat and dairy (and sometimes parve.)
I recently received a request from a listener of the podcast, Journey To Organization.
She wanted a couple of tips about what to do with all of her kitchen appliances, food, pots, containers, etc.
I’ve been there, multiple times in fact.
Every time we moved or renovated, I had to think about how to keep my kitchen clutter-free as well as keeping it as functional as possible.
Obviously, every kitchen differs in size, height, and amount of cabinet space. But I’m going to list some quick and actionable tips for those looking to streamline the organization process no matter what kind of kitchen you have!
Take Everything Out
I want you to take stock of everything you own. (This is a similar strategy I used to declutter my closet)
Create three piles – keep, donate, and throw away. You keep what you love and use on a day-to-day basis, donate items you never use (hello ice cream maker!) and toss anything that is broken.
Once you have everything sitting out in front of you everything you begin to see the problematic items more clearly. Also once your cabinets, drawers, and counter space are bare – it makes the next step much simpler!
Creating Zones
Once you are done sorting and donating and throwing away – it’s time to start thinking about zones!
Zones are the areas in your home that you will be grouping like items in certain areas that will make your kitchen more functional
I like to ask myself these questions when creating zones for clients:
- Are the items you use the most within reach?
- How should I place the like items together?
- Does the set up of the kitchen allow for maximum efficiency?
Grouping Like Items
I like to use the example of grouping food items. I have a hard time understanding why people keep their food in so many different places in their kitchen.
When you group all your food in one area there is a less chance of you forgetting what you have on hand. You ultimately create less waste and save money because you are not throwing out food that’s gone bad.
You can also avoid unnecessary spending. For example, purchasing a bag of sugar when you already have 3 in the back of the pantry!
Where To Place Like Items
With this question think about the layout of your kitchen.
The cabinet closest to the stove should probably be for pots and pans, not for flatware.
The same goes for the drawers: think about items you need to grab when you are standing at the stove or even the sink.
If you have a kitchen island where you do the chopping and salad prep, store your cutting boards there and salad bowls. Or keeping your serving dish in an area close to where you plate and serve food for meals.
Maximum Efficiency Kitchen
After clearing out the clutter and setting up your ‘zones’ take some time to think if your setup is efficient.
If you are considering renovations, taking an inventory is a really important step. It is something you should share with your contractor or designer so they can help you maximize your space. If they don’t understand why you are sharing this list with them, find a new service provider!
Have any great space-saving ideas that you want to share? Well, I want to hear! Let me know in the comments or shoot me an email at [email protected].
Inspired by this post but have no clue where to start or need some extra support? I got you covered there too! Try out my Done In A Day Declutter online service where I personally help you get started on your journey to organization!
Happy organizing everyone!