KITCHEN ORGANIZATION TIPS
The kitchen is undeniably the most used area of the home, whether it is making the morning coffee before heading out the door, making the kids a snack when they come home, or sharing the day’s events as you make dinner. It is the central hub of the house and where everyone can just relax. This also means that a lot is going on, making it important that things have a place and stay there. Nothing is worse than a messy, cluttered, and dysfunctional kitchen. We wanted to share some organization tips and helpful tricks to help you have a space that works well for you and your family.
Stations
The kitchen is a multi-purpose space, meaning that cooking, baking, and even drinks are done all within one space. Sometimes, the best thing is to create designated areas with everything needed to accomplish the task. This means less bumping into one another and more getting done.
- Beverage: creating a place where the to-go cups, coffee mugs, and sweeteners are all in one place can be the best solution for those early mornings or family gatherings. Consider placing the Coffee maker near the cabinet where the mugs are stored. Even better, how about a unique cabinet created just for that on an easy roll-out drawer?
- Spice rack: when you cook, it is tiring to have to constantly walk around the kitchen looking for that one additional spice before you can finish that meal, not to mention having to wipe your hands before opening the numerous cabinet doors to find what you are looking for and having the spices all neatly tucked away in a simple roll-out cabinet or in a shelf tucked neatly beside the stove.
- Baking: cookie sheets, rolling pins, mixing bowls, and cake pans can all be stored together in one area. A tray divider is an excellent addition to the lower cabinet while storing the remaining items in an upper cabinet. Locate both near the oven, and baking will be much easier.
- Cooking: pots and pans should be located near the stove and sink to make filling and washing easier. The less distance that is needed to transport a full pot to the stove, the less mess is likely to happen.
Each station serves a purpose and allows more than one person to be in the kitchen at the same time meaning more can get done in the same amount of time.
Storage
There are a lot of things that end up in the kitchen, including larger items such as crockpots, air fryers, and Dutch ovens. These items are useful but they are heavy and bulky to store. It’s usually best to keep them in a lower cabinet because it is easier to lift them up instead of down. When placing your items in the kitchen, plan to put lighter ones in the upper cabinets with the bulkier ones in the bottom. Drawers are also a great solution since they allow you to pull everything out to see instead of trying to push things out of the way. Remember that if you rarely use an item, it can be stored in the pantry or even the garage, freeing up space for regular items. Talk to your designer about what you have and what is necessary in the kitchen. They can help you find storage solutions that are specific to your needs.
Space
One way a kitchen can be made to feel disorganized is through clutter. Since so much takes place in the kitchen, it’s easy for this space to become the homework station, office, and craft room. Keeping a designated drawer or specific area for these items will keep the kitchen area more organized. It is, however, essential that the kitchen stay as it was intended to be. If a little writing area is needed,, include a space for a small desk in your design or double sticker drawers for more storage.
The Central Hub
We know that life is busy and we often look forward to going home and relaxing with our family but if the kitchen is disorganized it can quickly create tension. By taking time to make a few changes to the space you can ensure that everyone enjoys spending time in the heart of the home. Come visit our showroom and tour our different kitchens and let’s get you started the many ways to organize your kitchen.
