The kitchen represents one of the rooms where clients would like to bring a little sanity and are often at a loss as to where to start. Here are some small steps to bring some order to your kitchen.
First, think about how your kitchen functions and where you tend to stand the most. That area is where you want to store the things you use every day or most frequently. Move the less used items further away.
Countertops tend to be the focal point of most clutter. Start by putting your attention there, cleaning and removing clutter one area at a time. This will help you from feeling overwhelmed.
Kitchens have a lot of odd items that don’t receive everyday use. Think cookie cutters, cocktail stirrers or napkins, etc. Create an odd item drawer for these types of things and make sure it’s furthest away from where you regularly work.
Similarly, if you have the drawer space, create a junk drawer. This could hold any number of items. Tape dispensers, hammers, Krazy Glue. Again, it’s things you may not use but once in a blue moon.
Where possible, divide your utensil drawers so you’re storing like things together. This would be in addition to your silverware.
Also, if possible, add shelves to your pantry. Many pantries have additional space and could accommodate more shelves, giving you more room to stash items.
Kitchen counters tend to be magnets for keys, wallets and cell phones. Create a designated drop zone for those items so the clutter remains confined to one location.
Finally, you want to get in the habit of organizing your kitchen every single day, preferably before the day’s end. That includes taking care of the dishes. When you get up in the morning to start your day, you want a figurative and literal fresh start. It’s a little more difficult to do that with the previous day’s dirty dishes and clutter.
Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Organizing your kitchen will take a little more than that as well. The important thing is to keep at it, removing items as you go along, and finding a system that works best for you.
Need some help getting your house in order? Please give me a call at 508-246-6120 or drop a line.
