One of the biggest headaches is coming home to a disorganized kitchen. As it is the only place that you can gather to cook and enjoy a pleasant meal, it is important that your kitchen is organized in such a way that can save time and avoid unnecessary stress. Before you begin the process of organizing and sorting out the belongings you must plan out how you want to arrange the countertops, cabinets and drawers. Here are some steps that you can help get your kitchen organized.
Get Rid Of Items That You Don’t Need
When cupboards and cabinets are cluttered it is often hard to find what you need. Get rid of all items that are only taking up space. You can figure this out by simply considering the last time you used something and how many times you use it if at all. If you don’t use a certain item, then it is best to let it go. Pass any unused items that you don’t need to a friend or donate them to a local charity. If there are a lot of items that you don’t want or need, then consider holding a garage sale. If you have certain items of personal value such as vintage plates, or bottles then it is best to store them in cabinets or wine storage away from the kitchen.
Cleaning the Kitchen Thoroughly
The next step is to thoroughly clean the area. Dust the cabinets, kitchen appliances, wine cooling & storage units, and any other decorative items from both inside and outside. When necessary use, soapy water or a disinfectant spray to clean the cabinets and countertops. Any rugs, cloth items and rags must be washed completely, while the kitchen floors must be swept and mopped. This is to ensure that you start organizing the kitchen with a clean slate!
Creating Activity Zones
The most efficient way of using your kitchen is by making the space more functional so that it is easier for you to use the items effectively as well as move around easily. Some of the ways in which you can do this are by incorporating various activity stations; for example a coffee or a tea spot in an easy-to-reach location where all the ingredients, mugs and coffee are all close by. The food preparation station, where you prepare the dishes will have the cutting board, knives and any other related items together. The cooking area is where the cooker and any cooking utensils are. This should ideally be close to the sink as well for ease of washing up.
Frequently Used Items
Keep items that you use frequently in easy-to-reach places. They should be easy to reach, take out, use and wash easily. It is best to keep such appliances at eye level or at waist height in the dishwasher area, sink, or stove. It is not efficient to stack pots, pans, utensils and plates on top of each other if you need to spend time and effort digging out the plate that you want. Hang them on a wall mount for easier reach.