Hey there, fellow homemakers!
When I think of my home, I picture my kitchen first because that’s my favorite room in the house. It’s where the family hangs out, where we make plans, eat together, cook together and have fun together.
It’s no wonder our kitchens often end up being so cluttered and disorganized. It’s where we spend most of our time! Because of this, I’ve compiled some tips to keep the most important room in my house cleaned up and clutter free. Let’s go!
1. Practice practical prioritization
Say that five times fast. Start with your eyes, a pen and paper. Make a list of what you use most in your kitchen (appliances not included), and make sure that’s the stuff that’s close at hand. If you never use your cookbooks, they can be up high or put away, looking pretty someplace else. If you use your pots and pans daily, consider a handsome pot rack that will free up cabinet space for something else. Let’s get practical!
2. Think vertically
Other than drawers, shelves and cabinets, the walls are great for adding storage to keep your kitchen organized. Hooks, additional shelves, spice racks and more can give your aprons, frequently used glassware and spices a place to call home. Again, this frees up space in drawers and cabinets to hide what was formerly cluttering up your countertops. Win-win!
3. Do a reorg
Organize your dishes by purpose, then by frequency of use. So while you probably already keep your glassware in one cabinet and your plates and bowls in another, you might want to move the less-used fancy china up top and the everyday stuff down within reach. A little reorganization goes a long way.
4. Create zones
Divide your kitchen into zones by function. The area around the stove should be where you keep your pots and pans. The area around your fridge would make a great place to keep a drawer full of plastic baggies, aluminum foil, plastic storage containers and plastic wrap for packing up leftovers and school lunches. The area adjacent to any dining or table spaces should contain utensils and utility drawers for family meal supplies and materials for homework and arts and crafts projects.
5. Do what works for you
In the end, it’s YOUR house. If these tips don’t work in your kitchen or make sense for the way you cook, don’t worry! Make your kitchen work for the way you live, and you’ll be much happier. That’s the point here, folks! Functionality is a function of the person doing the functioning, ya know? And as head homemaker, you’re the one doing most of the functioning. You’re the boss—remember that!
And while you’re doing what makes you happy, make sure there’s something non-functional and just plain pretty in your kitchen just for you, whether it’s a vase of fresh flowers or some beautiful home décor accessories from your friends at Home Zone Furniture.
Good luck with your organizing!
Bree
