5 Simple Tips For A Perfectly Organized Kitchen
Experts always tout the kitchen as the heart of the home. But this high-traffic area is much more likely to edge into chaos if you aren't careful. The room has a lot happening at one time, from morning coffee to bakesale cupcakes to dirty dinner dishes. And with tons of tools and ingredients, the area can get packed pretty quickly. It's no wonder that Kitchen Design Centre says that smart storage and ample cabinet space are a must-have in any kitchen.
When your kitchen is in chaos, it can make working in there tough. It can be hard to find items or pull them down from the cabinets. And when your cabinets are disorganized, it can flow down onto your countertops. Counters overwhelmed with appliances or ingredients reduce your usable workspace. You might have to shuffle items around just to finish dinner. Proper organization will provide a much more productive space in your kitchen, whether you're cooking for fifteen people or for yourself.
1. Store the most-used items low
When it comes to kitchen cabinets, you want to approach them with a strategy. Stuffing cabinets full of appliances and tools will only make it harder for you in the future. When it comes to small appliances, Declutter in Minutes says to consider how often you or your family uses each of the appliances.
Appliances like toasters, coffee makers, and blenders can stay on the counter because they're often used daily. Other appliances like a crock pot or juice can go up in the cabinets. If there are appliances you use often but not every day, place them lower on the shelves. But ones that only get occasional use should go higher on the shelves.
You can employ this method with other items in your kitchen. Mixing bowls, measuring cups, and dinner dishes can all be kept on lower cabinet shelves. Items like serving bowls, trays, and cake stands can be out of the way on higher shelves.
2. Organize coffee supplies
Your morning cup is the best way to start the day. But with different mugs, bags of coffee, and add-ins, your coffee corner can quickly take over your counter. Keep this space organized by creating a coffee station. Home Stories A to Z lays out the essential items, including a coffee machine, mug rack, storage for your coffee, and additions like sweeteners, creamers, and syrups. With these basic items, any kitchen can have a coffee station, whether it's a built-in cabinet or a dedicated area of your counters. You'll be able to choose the storage solutions that work best for you and your space.
For mug storage, use wall hooks, mug trees, or a dedicated shelf in the cabinet. Small drawers keep coffee pods from overtaking an area. And canisters are a great place to keep grounds, sugar, cinnamon, and other dry ingredients. Group all of your syrups together in a bin. Items that have to be refrigerated can have a dedicated corner that keeps them together and easily in reach.
3. Try a rolling cart
A rolling cart in your kitchen is a great addition if you're low on storage. Rolling carts offer flexibility, so you're able to use them to store whatever your kitchen needs. With a rolling cart, you'll be able to roll it wherever it's needed, like when you're cooking or prepping dinner. Choose thin carts that can roll into small spaces like between the fridge and a cabinet to hide away when not in use. Or use a larger one that can take the place of the island and give you more workspace.
Create a breakfast stand with a rolling cart by storing small appliances like the toaster and coffeemaker, says Centsational Style. This can make space on your counters, leaving them clear for cooking. You can also use rolling carts as a bar cart, an overflow pantry, and spice jar storage. If you choose a rolling island, be sure that it has storage space, which you can use for pots, pans, and larger appliances like air fryers and instant pots.
4. Declutter and separate the cutlery drawer
Drawers can quickly become chaotic because miscellaneous things get thrown in there and hidden out of sight. But over time, an unorganized cutlery drawer can become an issue. You don't want to have to go digging through piles of cutlery and cooking tools to simply find a whisk or wooden spoon.
Start by decluttering the drawer. Remove all the cutlery and tools and organize them into piles of what you want to keep and what you can get rid of. My Budget Recipes suggests having two to three of each piece of cutlery per person. Of course, you should keep your lifestyle in mind. If you like to entertain or don't want to do dishes often, you may want to have a few more pieces. You'll want to use a tray or organizer to keep the cutlery in place and avoid the drawer getting too messy again. You can also use drawer organizers to keep kitchen utensils and tools straight.
5. Install cabinet racks
Pots and pans can take up a ton of room in your cabinets, especially when they're stacked up on top of each other. It can be difficult to pull them down without bringing other pots and pans down with them. But by installing cabinet racks, you can keep your pots and pans organized and prevent your cabinets from getting too cluttered.
Wire organizers allow you to stack your cooking ware to save space, but without them being directly on top of each other. You can easily pull down one pan and slide it back into place. These are best for kitchens that don't have a lot of space or a large collection of cookware, says Organization Obsessed. If you have deep drawers, a drawer divider can allow you to slide pots and pans into their place. Adjustable racks allow you to fit the organizer into any cabinet and customize it to the size of your pots and pans.