Like the rest of the world, the kitchen is that one space in our house that seems to be used morning, noon & night. It makes it difficult to keep things organized & in their place. I imagine we aren't alone when it comes to the need for kitchen organization & reorganization/maintenance.
Here are ALL the ways we keep things in order - from the cupboards, to the drawers, to the pantry, refrigerator & recipes/cookbooks.
Essentials Steps for Kitchen Organization
1. Purge - often you don't need more space or more storage containers, you need less stuff. Take a look through your cupboards, are there items that you no longer use or serve a purpose? Let them go.;
2. Storage - for all those items you DO need in your kitchen, the proper storage and storage containers are essential;
3. Organization - once you've purged and have the proper storage, organize; and last but not least,
4. Maintenance - once the purging is complete, storage items and space are set and you've organized.... the last step is maintenance. Unfortunately organization doesn't happen on it's own. Continue to purge as necessary and keep things neat, orderly and in their space.
{Does the thought of tackling the kitchen all at once sound too intimidating? Tackle a few cupboards/drawers at a time using the steps above until you've gone through all of them.}
Our Favorite Drawer & Cupboard Organizers
The Junk Drawer Organizer (top left)... a total must. {I use to have a variety of small baskets organizing the drawer, yet it never looked organized.} The Bronze Wire Baskets (top right)… you can stack multiple baskets to create more storage space. I use two for snacks on the bottom shelf of our pantry cupboard. Lastly, two sets of the Four Piece Willow Baskets (bottom) to organize various things in our cupboards, such as teas; essential oils; medications; rice packets; and more. {All of these products were purchased at Walmart.}
Pantry Organization
Did you know having an organized pantry can save you money? Take time to go through all the items in your pantry to take an "inventory" so you aren't buying more than what you need. OR to use up those items that may have been lurking in there longer than you suspected. After all It's easy to forget what you have on hand when you are shopping weekly.
Refrigerator Refresh
Ughhhh - the refrigerator may be the one thing I hate to clean the most. It always seems like such a hassle... BUT I promise you that this little refresh can be done in 30 minutes or less regardless of what shape your refrigerator is in. That includes cleaning out all the old/expired items & completely wiping down the entire fridge {and even scrubbing the bins from the doors with warm soapy water!} and putting it all back together! The key is not to spend too long deciding what should be kept & what should be tossed, simply keep moving along! Ready to get started? Follow the simple steps below:
1. Start at the TOP of the refrigerator and work your way down.
2. Toss any items that are expired or are not going to be used within the given expiration date.
3. Wipe down the shelves as you go with a cleaning product of your choice {we prefer Young Living Thieves Cleaner}.
4. Take out the bins from the door(s) and scrub them in warm, soapy water, then leave them to dry.
5. Continue to the fruit/vegetable drawers, remove all items from inside, wipe down the drawers and remove from the refrigerator to wipe down underneath them.
6. The remaining drawer in our refrigerator is the "Cool Select Pantry Drawer" - follow the steps in #5 above.
7. Once you've completely wiped down/cleaned out the refrigerator, you're ready to put back all the things.
{You should note that the garbage can get heavy depending on what you are tossing out so a few trips to the outside trash may be necessary.}
Recipe & Cookbook Organization
Now with all the cupboards, drawers & refrigerator in order....tackle those recipes & cookbooks. It's easier to meal plan & cook when you know right where those recipes are. I recently wrote a post about this that you can find here.
As always, Orderly by Danica can help with all your organization needs. Have questions or need help? Contact us via email at orderlybydanica@gmail.com or by phone at 585.749.3493