organizing your kitchen

[Sara Noel]

I'm not talking about just cleaning in all this organizational talk. If you're up to the big cleaning sweep, do it. I'm mostly talking about decluttering and organizing your living spaces. This is about the preparation for cleaning and maintaining.

Kitchens can be one of the biggest areas in a home to become disorderly.

My kitchen upon first glance is neat and tidy, but open up some drawers and cabinets and you'll find that it's not as well organized as it could be.

I try to keep things neat, but one of my weaknesses is my junk drawer. I strongly believe in having one, but I like to think of it as a temporary holding cell and not a shove it in there and hope the drawer closes type of spaces. We have a drawer here that Gabe keeps a tape measurer, most often used sized screwdrivers, a hammer, etc. I think it's time to get a little toolbox for under the sink, so it's not cluttering up the drawers anymore.

My kids often grab spices, measuring cups, and spatulas to play with. Whenever it's time for me to bake, I can't seem to find these items.

I saw a picture of Julia Child's kitchen and she had a full wall of pots and pans hanging on a pegboard. I thought this was so neat because you just knew everything was right there and handy. Ok, so maybe you don't have a full wall, but how about something like this rack?

I think the average person has recipes that are out of order, pots and pans, and containers shoved into spaces, or cabinets that are just completely unorganized.

Add the fridge, sink, and countertops and phew...that kitchen can really be cluttered with STUFF.

Much like what I said about organizing your bathroom, simply look around and decide what needs better organizing. Empty things out and categorize like items, items that can be tossed or donated, moved, or organized nicely and stay.

What's on your countertop? Does it have to be there? Does it serve a purpose being there? How often do you use what's on your counter?

Are your plates, glasses, utensils, pots and pans in the best cabinets/drawers? Are your plates in a cabinet closest to the sink or dishwasher to make it easier when putting things away? Are your pots and pans closest to your stove?

Are like items together or scattered here and there?

Decide if you need all those plastic containers, mugs, plastic cups, etc.

Think of your kitchen broken up into zones. Items that aren't used often can be placed on top shelves. An area to cook in, prepare meals in, etc.

Do you have a notepad or dry erase board to jot down items you are running low on or have plenty enough of? You can meal plan on it too.

Inside of cabinets you can keep a running inventory. Everyone will know where something belongs and you'll know what you have.

Many utensils can be stored in a container on the counter, so they aren't cluttering up drawers.

I'm fortunate that my cabinets have a built in spice rack, a separate storage pantry, pull out drawers, and two lazy susans. Yet still, things are not perfectly organized. I also have a separate glass doored cabinet for my appliances that I don't use daily. I like that it has glass doors because I can see my appliances.

Pull out everything an area at a time in the kitchen. Decide if you still need items, if they are expired, if you've used them anytime recently, or if they can be tossed or given away.

Can your pans be better organized this way?

http://www.homeideas.com/nps/newprod...5&dircatid=150

or this



There are a lot of sink organizers that can free up some space and help you organize too.





There are great drawer dividers.

Here's a nice way to organize your foil and plastic wrap.
http://www.rubbermaid.com/hpd/consum...hirdMenuIndex=

Tons of types of wire shelving that can be added too.

Pull out cutting boards.
http://www.organizes-it.com/poundercabcut.php

Plastic bag dispensers
http://www.organizes-it.com/pobagstor.php

Pot lid organizers
http://www.organizes-it.com/polidmaid.php

Cupboard clips
http://www.organizes-it.com/poCupboard.php

There are just tons of ways to organize a kitchen.

Let's get cracking on organizing our kitchen spaces.

[Sara Noel]

some added links with suggestions on organizing your kitchen.

Here's one about the fridge.
http://www.homemadesimple.com/organi...r_rescue.shtml

Spices
http://www.tipking.com/tip/3937.html


Recipes
http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqa.htm


General organization
http://utut.essortment.com/organizingkitch_rhli.htm

http://www.creativehomemaking.com/ar.../080503a.shtml

http://www.onlineorganizing.com/Tool..._Checklist.htm

http://www.ineedmoretime.com/kitchen_tips.htm

http://www.bathandkitchenstudio.com/...ze-kitchen.cfm

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/ah_organizi...488146,00.html

[canadian gardener]

wow I just saw this, thanks Sara!

I don't have a junk drawer. I only have 4 in my kitchen, all shallow. One is "eatin' irons", then tea towels and dishcloths in the next and I've got stove utensils by the stove and mixing utensils in the drawer where I have my "mixing" station.

Tools are important, I keep a few handy ones in the hall closet in a dishpan. Stuff to hang a picture, a hammer, a screwdriver with multiple heads, a tape measure and a few other odds and ends.

I divided my kitchen into stations.

My wet station is to the left of the sink, and it has my coffeepot, a can of coffee, some filters, mugs and teabags. I keep juice pitchers here and some ice cube trays when summer is over.

To the right of the sink is clean dishes and glasses.

Then the stove, my hot area. I keep my oven mitts, racks, utensils for stirring hot pots, the pots and pans handy there.

moving around again is my mixing center, bowls, measuring cups casseroles, and cheesecake pans, etc plus mixing utensils like measuring spoons and stuff like cornstarch and spices.

beside the fridge is my "put leftovers away, make the lunches" center, and I store my clear plastics in there with bags and freezer stuff.

They overlap a bit especially the last 2, but it's a mental trick to help keep stuff where you use it.

My kitchen is small enough that I can stand in the middle and touch all 3 sides. It's pretty hard to get into when I roll our portable dishwasher to the sink to run it.

But that helps. No backtracking.

[bee9984]

I am bumping this up as there are some good ideas which I hadn't thought of

[momof42003]

Thanks, I don't know how I missed this... Great info, thanks Sara.