Post by Stacey Walker. Stacey mostly works behind the scenes for Walker Woodworking, managing day to day operations, and marketing. Stacey has helped many clients create their dream space.

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 there is a lot going on making it important that things have a place and stay there. There is nothing worse than a kitchen that is messy, cluttered, and dysfunctional. We wanted to share some organization tips and helpful tricks that can 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 that have 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 to 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. 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 a great 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 so filling and washing can be made 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 on putting lighter ones in the upper cabinets with the bulkier ones in the bottom. Drawers are also a great solution since it allows 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 items used on a regular basis. Talk to your designer about what you have and what is a must in the kitchen. They can help you find the storage solutions 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 make sure to 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.