Kitchens are not the easiest places to keep organized. The mess tends to get out of hand fast, especially when you keep putting off getting things done.
If you’re wondering why kitchens get messy fast, perhaps it’s because it’s the most used room in a home. Most families like to hang out in the kitchen — whether they are cooking or not.
With lots of traffic coming and going through this area, it can be challenging to keep your kitchen in order.
At times you’ll find it easier to resort to superficial changes and half-hearted attempts because it’s quicker that way.
Yet, you shouldn’t avoid organizing your kitchen as it’ll inevitably cause other problems. You’ll find it hard to reach certain areas when you’re cleaning, resulting in dust buildup, and eventually, that could even lead to bugs.
So, how can you organize your kitchen this year and keep it that way moving forward?
1. Organize By Sections
The kitchen is a multipurpose room with various sections. This makes working on every area all at once daunting. You’re also not likely to do the most thorough job if you exhaust yourself midway through.
Like most big tasks, the smart way of conquering this step would be by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable tasks.
In this case, you want to focus on sections. Identify and work on individual areas of the kitchen one section at a time.
When using this divide and conquer strategy, all you have to do is complete one section and come back the next day for another.
This is an ideal approach to kitchen organization for people who don’t have much time on their hands.
Coming Up With Sections
Here are identifiable areas in the kitchen that you can work on separately:
- The cooking area, which houses the stove and oven
- The food preparation area, typically the counter space
- The food storage section, usually the pantry
- The cabinets
- The surface of your kitchen table
2. Prioritize What You Use
Kitchens tend to get messy when we use lots of items at the same time. Cleaning these tools and keeping them on hand is tricky. You’ll be struggling to maintain clutter-free spaces.
So, it’s time to declutter your kitchen. But just getting rid of things you barely use is not enough – not if you seem to have a lot of stuff that you actually use regularly.
The best form of decluttering would be to cut the items down to what you absolutely need. Think of it as being minimalist.
Bear in mind we’re not saying toss out your cookware sets or your storage containers. Keep your favorite items and store away the rest if what you have is serving you just fine.
The same applies to similar items, especially utensils. If you have many of the same things, keep a few out and store away the rest.
3. Free The Countertops
It’s undeniably convenient to have many of the items you use displayed out on the countertops. You’ll even feel better about it when arranging their order from little spice jars to the blender.
The excuse is that you use these items regularly, but it doesn’t take away from the fact — they could be contributing to clutter.
Besides, you wouldn’t exert yourself too much if you were to reach for your espresso machine in a cabinet dedicated to big appliances. It may not be as convenient as the counter space, but it contributes to maintaining order.
Also, the idea is not to get rid of everything on the countertops but to keep items taking up that space to the bare minimum. It comes down to priority.
4. Stack Similar Items Together
Do you often open the pantry door and can’t seem to figure out where your favorite condiments are?
That tends to happen when you throw stuff in there without a plan. If your pantry is a mess, don’t even think; take everything out and begin arranging it all afresh.
Try to stack similar items together so that it’s easier to get to them. Besides, you’ll always be able to tell when you’re running out of something. So, it’s definitely a plus.
You may also want to label items that go into clear jars, such as spices.
5. Dedicate The Cabinets
The worst thing you can do with your cabinets is allow them to become a mess. Finding anything in a hurry will be a nightmare. You also won’t know for sure how much room you have if you’re not careful with your storage space.
To get the most out of your cabinets, define what items go where. Dedicate each cabinet to specific items such as pots and pans. This way you’ll always know where to look for something.
6. Create Room For Small Utensils
Small items are notorious for creating a mess, especially in the drawers where many of us keep them. You open a drawer, and you have knives, spoons, and forks all mixed up.
Well, there’s only one solution to keeping your drawer organized if you’ve dedicated it to small utensils. Get a drawer compartment.
It’s easy to build one into your drawer using plywood. Figure out the sections, take measurements, cut the plywood, and glue the pieces in place. And just like that, you’ve got yourself areas within the drawer for different items.
Alternatively, you can buy drawer organizers instead of making them yourself.
7. Don’t Ignore Vertical Space
Don’t have a lot of space?
Create some by going vertical. We tend to ignore the walls, but you can hang a few things on them and save a lot of floor or counter space.
The outcome is not unattractive either. Say you don’t have much room for your pans and knife sets. One solution would be to hook the pans on a hanging dish rack and get a wall-mounted magnetic knife holder.
Conclusion
Cleaning the kitchen and putting everything in order can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. What you need is a strategy to help maintain order long after you’ve organized your kitchen.
With the tips we’ve shared, you should be able to make lasting changes this year and afterward.
Author Bio
Ascend Five Points South offers luxury student housing near the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Learn more about their student apartments today!
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