For many homeowners, the kitchen is the busiest room in the house. From cooking to gathering around the island during gatherings, the space sees a lot of foot traffic. With a bit of patience, a few creative ideas, and some room organization tactics, you’ll make it a more enjoyable place to spend time.
Do:
Declutter your countertops.
Make extra
space on your countertops by using multi-layered trays, lazy Susans, and open shelving to store condiments and spices. Put snacks and fruits in rattan or see-through wire baskets to grab food on the go.
Create designated zones.
For better room organization, create zones in your kitchen for sorting out tools and necessities. Designate an area for keeping the baking supplies, sheets, and tools close to the oven. Store your spices, utensils, pots, and pans at an arm’s reach for more fluid movement in the kitchen. Stash plastic bags, wraps, and containers near the refrigerator for quick storage of leftovers.
Store items by use.
Group your kitchenware, bakeware, glassware, and silverware according to their frequency of use and purpose, and place them in specific areas for easy access. For example, everyday dinnerware should be stored on lower, easy-to-reach shelves and stacked in front of fancy utensils and fine china that is rarely used.
Don’t:
Keep anything you won’t use.
Take out everything in your cabinets and drawers, and sort through it. Toss out anything that’s expired, broken, or damaged, including containers without lids, duplicate items, and plastic bags taking up space. For canned goods or items you won’t be using soon, consider donating them.
Stow items together.
Similar to your wares, go through your pantry items, supplies, and cooking utensils and sort them into separate piles. Use drawer organizers and dividers to group similar items so you won’t have to rummage to find the item you want. Keep lids together, and discard containers without tops to free up space.
Disregard nooks & crannies.
Make use of small spaces by mounting racks and pegs to hang pots, pans, mugs, and cooking tools. Attach a magnetic sorter on the side of your fridge for holding menus, coupons, cookbooks, and notepads. Place hanging shelves at the back of the doors for additional storage and room organization.
