Steps to Organizing Your Kitchen

People say that the kitchen is the heart of any home. It is not just a place where you cook to feed your family- it is a place where everyone gathers for conversations, meals and friendly get-togethers. 

While your kitchen is becoming a hub of activities, it also ends up being a room that gathers clutter every day, throughout the year. Whether you are a man or a woman, you will always have the tendency to leave your keys, glasses, bags, wallets, ties and scarves on the kitchen table. Not to mention the items that already adorn your table and kitchen counter like the fruit basket, toaster, juice jar and glasses, pots, pans and what not, all add up to your average kitchen clutter.

But with your kitchen being the focal point of your home, it is very important to keep this area spick and span in order to avoid confusions. So, in this blog, we explore ways to step up your organizing techniques and self storage skills to keep your kitchen neat and clutter-free.

Start off with a working plan

Before you start off on your organizing spree, make sure to have a plan that works. Categorize your kitchen into different zones, and start working on one zone at a time. For instance, keep your overhead shelves as a pantry, to store cereals, pulses, spices and snacks, while the lower shelves near the sink as storage for cleaning liquids, gloves and garbage bags. 

Have zones like countertops, pantry, crockery cabinet and junk drawer before you start organizing.

Say goodbye to the junk

Old plates, spoons and glasses, mismatched storage containers, utensils, broken appliances and expired food are generally considered junk and must be thrown away from time to time. Half of your general kitchen cluttering occur when you fail to identify these junk and remove them as they are made. 

Hoarding kitchen items due to their sentimental value and moving them to self storage is not the right way to go, even if you want to. Junk and excess items must either be thrown away, donated or sold off through a thrift shop.

Stick to the essentials

When you are organizing your kitchen, make sure to stick to the essentials. Get rid of items that haven’t been in use for ages. Be honest to yourself and work towards a clutter-free kitchen.

Scrub and clean

Once you have emptied all your cabinets, drawers and countertops, make sure to deep clean all these areas. Scrub off oil and food stains, dry the racks before you start arranging your essentials. You can also wash and dry your crockery before putting them back in their places.

Sub-categorize your kitchenware

Another useful tip is to subcategorize your kitchenware before putting them back into place. For instance, place your baking items together while organizing your kitchen. Similarly, set aside a box for plastic bags and aluminium foils for wrapping things together near your refrigerator for easy access.

Use organizing baskets to organise your pantry. For instance, use baskets to store all your baking goodies together and the spices in another basket. Store snacks in a cabinet which can be accessed by your kids as well. This will not only help you access things easily but also keep similar things together for use.

Move to self storage

If you own items like antique or special occasion crockery, you can move it to a temporary self storage unit where you can store them as and when needed. Although most self storages have bigger spaces with long term renting options, look for places which have options for short term storage. That way, you can easily access your special occasion crockery whenever you need and restore them without worries.

Decluttering and cleaning is not a one-time thing. The best way to make the habit stick is to follow it on a daily basis. Place key hangers for your keys and make sure not to put things on your kitchen table and out of place at your home. Move all your extra cutlery to self storage units. Organize and manage your home in such a way that you will utilize all your kitchen space effectively.