Like the office, your kitchen must be organized. If you’ve never organized a kitchen before, it can seem like a daunting process. In such a chaos, knowing where to start can even seem impossible. Fortunately, there are some simple procedures you can follow to keep your kitchen clean, tidy, and well-organized.
The first thing you can do to tame the chaos in your kitchen is to identify zones within the space. A kitchen area is an area where you perform the same task over and over again, such as preparing food before cooking, baking, serving, storing, or cleaning. Once you’ve designated these zones, it’s easy to optimize that part of the kitchen for the activities it hosts most often.
When you start a major organizing project, be sure to plan ahead. Don’t take everything out of drawers and cabinets unless you know you have a block of time to devote to the project. Spend time deciding which appliances and supplies will end up in which location. If you have a plan for your kitchen ahead of time, you’re less likely to feel lost in the middle of your reorganization project. Consider your habits, the flow of traffic through your kitchen, and which appliances you use most frequently when planning your new kitchen. Then systematically remove everything from the kitchen and sort all items into categories.
You can then review each category and choose which items to keep and which to discard. Items that you don’t use often should be stored in the back of the cabinet, or on top, to allow easy access to the ones you use most often. If you have a hard time remembering what you keep in your drawers and cabinets, consider posting an inventory list on the inside of your doors. Another helpful tip is to keep a shopping list on the inside of a cabinet door or on the refrigerator where you can easily add it when you think of something you need to buy.
If you’re having trouble with forgotten items piling up in the back of your cabinet, try installing a Lazy Susan. These turntables will help you easily see items at the back of the cabinet. Specialized organizing tools are available, such as paper bag storage, revolving spice racks, and shelves to hold plastic wrap and aluminum foil. These can help save space and alleviate clutter, but too many of them or bought without foresight will add to clutter. Planning and careful consideration are of the utmost importance when organizing your kitchen. Plus, routine kitchen maintenance will lessen the need for major reorganizations. If you keep the amount of clutter in the kitchen low, your job will be easier in the long run.
