One of the most rewarding parts of my job is speaking to groups about purging and organizing areas in their homes. Last nights event at Cape House was not only an amazing turnout but a beautiful shop to share tips on how to organize your kitchen. I brought a few of my favorite things to show the guests how to simplify and organize the Kitchen. Are you ready for a kitchen refresh?
PURGE
Remove everything from all drawers and cabinets. Yes, EVERYTHING!
Get rid of expired food and food items you bought and never used that are taking up space. Donate usable food to a local food bank.
Let go of broken, chipped and mismatched dishes and glasses.
Remove items that don’t belong in a kitchen.
Purge multiple utensils and keep only what you need. Who really needs 5 ice cream scoops?
Small appliances that are broken and cannot be repaired or have never been used.
Tupperware that won’t close properly, has a missing lid or has just seen better days.
Pots and pans that are not in good shape and the extra lids that don’t fit on anything.
KEEP COUNTERS FREE OF CLUTTER
The first thing you see every morning when you wake up to get your cup of coffee and breakfast is the kitchen countertops. If your countertops are covered with unpaid bills, dirty dishes, wallets, keys, purses I think you know where I’m going with this it is a stressful way to begin your day. Kitchen counters are for preparing food all items should have their own area in the home. If you have items that you use on a daily basis a simple tray will keep them neat and organized and looks good too!
REWORK THE SPACE
Now that you have purged look at the space with a fresh set of eyes. What changes can be made to utilize every bit of space? Do you have shelves where the vertical space can be used better? Do you want to add pull out drawers? Now is the time to make these changes.
SORT LIKE ITEMS
After you have decided what to keep it is time to sort like items including food items. Keeping like items together saves money because you are not repurchasing what you already own. Stay away from buying in bulk unless you have the room to store the items. An example of like categories in a kitchen is pasta, snacks, baking, paper products, breakfast items and all of the items you need for your morning shake.
MEASURE
Before you buy containers to organize measure the space. I have seen containers become clutter when they do not work and are not returned. Measuring allows you to buy exactly what you need and fit the space perfectly.
CONTAIN
There are so many choices on containers so my advice is to keep it simple. My preference is clear or white containers that can be easily labeled. Baskets also look great in pantries.
REFRIGERATOR
The refrigerator is often forgotten when decluttering and organizing the kitchen. A good clean out should happen once a week and I prefer to do it the day before garbage day. This is one of my favorites because you can see items that normally get lost on side shelves. These keep like items together and allow easy access.
JUNK DRAWER
We all have a so-called junk drawer in the kitchen. The problem is when the junk gets overwhelming, the drawer can’t open and it becomes a useless waste of space. Keep only essentials in the drawer and purge it often to keep it that way. What are some essentials? Tape, scissors, extra set of car keys, notepad, pens, tape measure and anything else you deem necessary.
UNDER THE KITCHEN SINK
Underneath the sink is still part of the kitchen and it can become cluttered quickly. This is a favorite because it comes in different sizes and utilizes the vertical space under the sink. Caddies are also helpful to keep cleaning supplies organized.
SET UP A COFFEE STATION
If you want to make your mornings run smoothly keep your coffee essentials located in one area of the kitchen. Purge your coffee mugs and keep only what you use and have room to store.
MAKE A LIST
Keeping a list of the items you need saves time and money. I have mentioned this App in previous posts but it really is my favorite for making and keeping lists.
The kitchen is the hub of the home and keeping it clutter-free and organized makes cooking, entertaining and everyday living easier.
Images | Cape House
