How To: Organize Your Kitchen

Olivia and a friend coloring in our last kitchen.

Before- a poor arrangement and avocado walls. Yikes!

I currently have a tiny kitchen with little cupboard or counter top space AND no room for the table (but the rest of the house meets our needs very well, so it is worth the inconvenience!).




Now - a better arrangement and navy walls to display my Blue Delft

 




Another view - the other side of the room




Aunt Katie and Claire cookin' it up!

3. Prioritize your priorities.

This is the time to personalize YOUR kitchen.

The most coveted space in the kitchen is a spot with a large section of counter top space and a large cupboard/storage area. THIS is your work station.

* If you are a baker, keep your mixing bowls, hand held mixer, counter top mixer, measuring cups and spoons, sifter, rolling pins, etc. in this area. You may even want to store your flour, baking powder/soda, sugar and other baking ingredients here if you have the storage space. That way, your most - used items will always be at your finger tips.

* If you are more of a chef, priority will be given to your stove top cooking items such as cutting boards and knives, vegetable peelers, and spices and seasonings. Keep these things in easy reach for prep times without delays.

* If you don't have the time to cook or interest in cooking and prefer to have ready-made or easy-to-prepare meals, this is still your work space, but your cupboards will be stocked with pantry items and the things that you need to prepare these easy meals such as salad/ mixing bowls, scissors, stirring/ serving utensils, etc.

This is YOUR kitchen. Set it up for YOUR convenience.

When my sister in law moved into her first home, a dear friend helped her unpack and set up her kitchen. After living in the house for a year, she decided that it would work better to store some little-used items in her walk in pantry on the other side of the dining room, and have her food items in the kitchen cupboard where they would be more easily accessible. So she made the switch!


4. Think it through.

I love it when am helping in someone else's kitchen and I can find everything I need because it is where I expect it to be.

 Look at your kitchen logically. What makes sense?

* Store pots and pans, stirring utensils, and pot holders near the stove.

* Put plates, bowls and drinking glasses in a cupboard near the sink/dishwasher or the table that you use for family meals. Even better if that cupboard is convenient to both!


5. Other bits of advice.

* Keep similar items together. For example: don't put dishes and food items in the same cupboard.

* Store little-used items in harder to reach places and most-used items in easy to reach places.

I have a very deep lower cupboard where I keep my cake pans, waffle iron, crock pot, and other things that I do not use every day. I may have to stand on my head to reach them when I do need them, but at least the things that I use the most are in easy-to-reach places.
* It can be very frustrating to work in your kitchen when you have to search for an item because it does not have it's own place. Place labels on the shelves or inside the cupboard doors for the things that belong there. This is particularly useful if you have children who help in the kitchen. You do not have to go out and buy labels, simply print or type words such as "plates," "glasses," "cereal," and "pans" on a piece of paper, cut them out, and tape them where you need them. (I did this with my light switch and garbage disposal switch so that I would not mix them up!)

* Control "junk" drawers with dividers. If you cannot afford to buy them, use other things like small plastic food storage containers or cardboard strips.

I cannot promise you the kitchen of your dreams, but if you try these things, I CAN promise that working in your kitchen will be much more efficient!

Happy cooking!

"Martha's" Kitchen How To My Haven my Home