Does anyone else feel as though the dishes in your kitchen are never ending? Like, are they reproducing at night when I’m sleeping? Where are all these dirty dishes coming from?! Since the pandemic started, we’ve been spending much more time at home, which includes mealtimes. Cooking three meals a day can have my kitchen looking like a hot mess! Can you relate? I thought it was time to whip our kitchens back into shape with these kitchen organizational tips.
Clear the countertops
If your kitchen is feeling cluttered, clearing the countertops will give you instant relief. Take a look at what items are living on your counter. Could they be moved into a cabinet? A drawer? Is there an organizational item that could be purchased to make it look a little neater? Less is more when it comes to your kitchen counters. Assess the mess and tuck away as much as you can store.
Pull everything out of your cabinets (yes everything!)
This is the first step in any organizing job that I do. When’s the last time you pulled everything out of your cabinets? If it’s been more than a year DO IT. I bet there’s some old Tupperware lids hidden behind that rice cooker. You’re going to find some gems that you completely forgot about! Pull everything out, wipe those cabinets and drawers clean, and start to plan where your items will go back. Think about what areas of your kitchen aren’t working, and try a different layout to see if something else might work.
Say goodbye to single-use gadgets
What’s the weirdest single-use kitchen item I’ve ever found in a client’s home? An asparagus pot. Yes, apparently that’s a thing. The second is a knife for grapefruit. Why can’t a regular knife be used? I HAVE NO CLUE. If you have items in your kitchen that literally have one use or purpose, ditch it. Consider this too when buying new items for your kitchen. If you are tight on kitchen space, then you need gadgets that have multiple uses. For instance, an Instant Pot also has a slow cooker setting. Do you really need both? Think about the items you use most often in your kitchen and hang on to those. Donate rarely used kitchen items to your local thrift store.
Group like items together
While everything is out of your cabinets, make groups of like items. Utensils, cups, plates, bowls, baking, pots etc. Once you have all of the items grouped together, you will be able to see if you have too much of one particular group. Are there a few cups that can go? Maybe you have several pots that are exactly the same or a few missing lids. Here is where you can purge any kitchen items you no longer need or use.
Store most used items within reach
Do you do most of your chopping on the island? Store your knives and cutting boards nearby. Always in need of a spoon when you're standing over the stove? Store your cooking utensils next to the stove. This goes for items in cabinets as well. If you use your Instant Pot weekly, make sure it isn’t shoved all the way in the back. Keep your most used items within sight and reach.
Store rarely used items up high (or elsewhere in the house)
Are there dishes you only during the holidays? Is baking a once a year hobby for you? Utilize the hard to reach spaces in your cabinets or store rarely used items in the pantry. Pantry full? Consider a china cabinet, buffet, or nearby closet to store any overflow from the kitchen.
Use drawer inserts to keep drawers looking tidy
Drawer inserts or dividers help to keep all of your drawer items in their place. Don’t just use them for your basic forks, knives, and spoons. Your cooking utensil drawer could use a little order too!
Use risers to utilize vertical space in your cabinets
There is often wasted space in cabinets. If you have adjustable shelves, move them around to best use all of your cabinet space. Are your shelves not adjustable? Use risers to create extra space within your cabinets.
Set aside time to tidy up your kitchen DAILY
The only way to keep your kitchen looking tidy is to clean it daily. After dinner each night, get the whole family involved in cleaning up, washing pots, wiping the counters, and loading the dishwasher to run each night. I like to unload my dishwasher each morning when I’m waiting for my coffee to brew. It takes less than 5 minutes and I go to bed with a clean kitchen every night :)
Do you have any specific questions regarding the organization of your kitchen? Email sara@socoorganizers with your kitchen questions!