Kitchens are no doubt the busiest part of our homes. We do almost everything there: cook and entertain, it is a place for your kids to do homework, sometimes they even play board games or work on their crafts projects. Busy kitchens can easily be overrun with their art supplies, old spices and damaged utensils or pots and pans that you do not use anymore. With so little time, how do you organize your kitchen and optimize space and flow?
How to Organize your Kitchen
Here are a few preliminary steps that you can take to organize your pantry and cabinets in the kitchen.
1. Take an inventory of your kitchen and remove anything you don’t use frequently or haven’t used in the last couple of months. This includes any food or spices. Check dates on the medicine bottles and throw away those that are beyond the expiration date.
2. Empty your kitchen cupboards and drawers and wash them with warm soapy water. Then rinse the interiors with plain water or a mixture of vinegar and let them dry. Once dry, be sure to replace cupboard and drawer liners with new ones. If you really like them, wash them with soap water and re-lay once dry.
3. Pots and pans are needed frequently while cooking. Place them near the stove, nesting the pots and pans in one another will help you conserve space. If you have space, you can organize your kitchen cabinets using a stackable rack for your pans like the one below.
4. While you are at it, check each one you choose to keep has a matching lid. This is also the best time to repair pot handles and fasten the screws. You know you have always thought of doing this while cooking.
5. Place your silverware and dishes close to your eating area. Alternatively, you can place them near your dishwasher. Any of these placement will help reduce your cooking or cleanup time.
6. Plastic containers are a boon. But they can be easily misplaced. Go through your containers to ensure each has a matching lid. Also look for any cracks or other damage, you don’t want to have a leaky container in your refrigerator. Store the containers near the refrigerator so that they are handy.
7. A revolving rack is the best piece of furniture you can get for your spices. Do not store your spices near the stove as excessive heat can make them lose taste. A good alternative is to have a spice gripper on the inside of your cabinets that will save you countertop space.
8. If you are like me and add ingredients on the fly, finding the right thing is a challenge in a messy kitchen. Organize your kitchen pantry by storing all the canned goods in the same place so that you know where to go for those chickpeas or the Italian tomatoes.
9. Kitchen is full of hazards when you have children running around your home. Keep your knives, scissors, and household chemicals out of reach and locked, when you are not around. But also make sure that things that your kids need often are accessible to them.
10. Do you dream of a clean and sparking kitchen countertop? Organize your kitchen counter tops with a countertop storage cabinet and make your dream come true. Keep your small appliances in these cabinets and reduce the countertop clutter.
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