Kitchen Organization Day 1: Kick-Off to the Mini-Series!
Unfortunately, I have no coffee at the moment. However, it’s as good a time as any to start the first official post in our Kitchen Organization mini-series!
I am so excited to help you guys get started on this journey and can’t wait to hear feedback and success stories as we go!
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So where do we start our organization process?
I will always say decluttering.
The most important part of organizing is to declutter your space.
I promise you will get tired of me talking about decluttering but it is really SOOOOO important to this process.
It will be easier to clean if we throw a bunch of crap away. I will make a bullet-point list of places to start decluttering but I will have a detailed decluttering guide available for download as well!
Here we go:
- Junk drawer
- Tupperware
- Plates and bowls
- Cups
- Silverware and cooking utensils
- Unused cooking appliances
- Junk Cabinet (I know you probably have one)
- Refrigerator
- Pantry
This list should give you a good start on where to look for items to throw away or donate. Remember, just like I explained in my Mindful Minimalism post, you should only keep things you need and use. Anything else is just clutter and taking up space in your home AND mind.
Side note:
When I say things you need and use, that doesn’t mean keeping all 30 dinner plates when you only have a family of 4. Don’t be me. Scale back the dishes. Even if they go in a box in the shed in case of accidental breaks. You can thank me later.
Take stock of your kitchen!
Once you’ve completed the decluttering part, the next most important thing to do is make note of what you have. As I mentioned in the Introduction Post, the best way to do this is by gathering all of the “like” items into one spot.
Now, you can also do this by just writing them down, but I prefer the visual help so I usually just gather them all onto my counter. From here I can gauge what my organizational needs are and what store solutions I need to come up with.
What are the best storage solutions for kitchen organization?
Well, let me just give you a list! (Can you tell I love lists yet?)
- Cabinets and shelves
- Adjustable shelves: Items of different heights
- Lazy Susan: Turntable style shelf for hard-to-reach cabinets
- Pull-out shelves: Also used for hard-to-reach cabinets
- Under sink organizer: Keeps all your cleaning products organized
- Drawers:
- Utensil trays: Separating silverware
- Drawer dividers: Separate cutlery or cookware by like kind
- Pantry:
- Airtight containers: Flour, sugar, rice, beans
- Wire baskets/bins: Snacks, bagged items, spices
- Can rack: Rotating and storage canned goods
- Refrigerator:
- Shelf liners: Using liners makes spills so much easier to clean up
- Clear containers: Separate food items by like kind such as fruits, veggies, dairy products or snacks
- Drawer dividers: Separate meats, cheeses, or deli items
- Egg holder: Keep eggs from rolling around
- Miscellaneous:
- Utensil rack: For hanging cooking utensils
- Pot rack: Also for hanging pots
- Magnetic knife strip: Mount to the wall to stick knives close to your prep space
This list gives you a pretty good idea of what you have to work within your kitchen. Almost EVERY area can be organized perfectly to meet your needs with the right storage solution.
Until Tomorrow…
I think that is enough for one day. I could keep going but this would be a very VERY long post if I try to cover the entire kitchen at one time. The goal here is to be effective, productive and meet our goals NOT to get overwhelmed. I will post Kitchen Day 2 tomorrow so we can keep chugging along.
As always, let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.
