By Guest Blogger, Diana S.

How to Organize Your Kitchen

You will not find a household area that is as prone to clutter buildup as a kitchen. Utensils, plates, cups and other kitchenware usually end up in the sink as you rush to tackle your daily obligations. Your thinking in these situations usually goes somewhere along the lines of “I have bigger fish to fry.” This, as we all know, results in a serious problem even before the weekend comes around, especially if you live with a big family. We all want to organize the kitchen in a way that makes cleaning it up a breeze. Though you will never escape some effort when it comes to cleaning, here are some helpful tips on how to organize your kitchen.

Throw out what you don’t use

We have all been there – drawers filled with items and utensils you will never use. Break out of your hoarding habit and shake off what’s unnecessary. Empty your cupboards and drawers and whip out a few cardboard boxes for the stuff you didn’t use since you moved into the household. Put all the essentials back by grouping and stacking them up – kind of like a game of Tetris. You will end up with some coveted extra space you can use in the future. As far as useless utensils go, you can get rid of them in a yard sale or ask your neighbors if they can find anything useful.

Be consistent

Mislabeled and mismatched containers for spices and other foods is one of the leading causes of kitchen-chaos. Constantly looking for the ingredients you need is also a big time-waster. In order to avoid this issue, you can purchase containers of the same type – and possibly transparent ones, so you can always see their contents. It is best to opt for rectangular containers for best space management. If you stick to such elements consistently, you are bound to manage your well-organized kitchen with ease.

Always purchase new appliances

Malfunctioning appliances add to kitchen chaos. Surprisingly, we tend to enter into a sort of ritualistic behavior when it comes to managing smaller malfunctions and most people tend to stop noticing them. These malfunctions can range from a leaking dish-washer to ovens that take forever to warm up and fridges that are impossible to predict.

At the same time, you are losing precious time in the kitchen and you have to break the cycle. Appliance technology is developing fast, and you can purchase appliances such as top-of-the-line Maytag freezers that come with features which are downright helpful when it comes to organizing time and space in your kitchen – from reversible doors to adjustable shelves and automatic defrost.

Concentrate on your pantry

Pantry areas are usually the crux of kitchen chaos. If a bulk of trash is out of sight, it does not mean it is not there, and we all tend to shove whatever‘s in our way into the pantry without a second thought. This is a killer habit that can turn your pantry into an unhygienic, chaotic mess.

Purchase the same type of storage containers you’ve used to organize your cupboards (remember – consistency) and clear out all the shelves. Pour whatever you plan on using into the containers and start stacking. You can also use the back of your pantry door to hang some utensils or dishware. In fact – you can use the cupboard doors the same way.

Work triangle

In the case you have not heard of this, each kitchen basically has a triangular layout as far as humans are concerned – the points of this triangle are the sink, oven and fridge, respectively. Re-arrange your items and store them in a way that is logical when it comes to these three points – everything you might need in a particular zone should be within hand’s reach. This is also known as “achieving kitchen Zen”.

The old saying goes – “a place for everything and everything in its place” and you can bet your bottom dollar that a person who came up with these words of wisdom spent most of their time in the kitchen. Stay consistent when it comes to organization and clear your mind before the re-arrangement so you can be free to store your items in a way that comes naturally.

 

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.