Not a helper to chop veggies or a sous chef—I’m talking organizational help. Looking for kitchen ideas? You’re not alone. In the past couple weeks, several friends have mentioned their kitchen needs work. Well, that’s what I DO, so I’m here to help in the kitchen. Think about the issues in your kitchen. What piles up, and where? Are your cabinets crammed with precarious stacks of bowls, pots and pans, and airtight containers?
Many people have a small kitchen that doesn’t seem to have enough storage. Apartments, starter homes, and older homes tend to have small kitchens with woefully inadequate cabinet space. In my very first kitchen, I could barely open the oven without hitting our small table! At that time, I did not have many dishes or tools, so it wasn’t an issue.
When I moved into my current house, I had the opposite challenge: too many cabinets. Imagine! After I unpacked my entire kitchen, I discovered I still had a double cabinet standing empty on the fringes. This is a good ‘problem’ to have. I ended up putting clear containers for the kids’ school keepers and art there.
With either situation, here is the best solution: establish a ‘home’ for everything in your kitchen.
If your stuff is overflowing with dishes, tools and appliances, it’s time to purge. Here is some advice.
Do you use this? Is it really worth the space it’s using up? Is there an appliance you keep because you USED to us it, or one received as a wedding gift and feel guilty giving it away? Let it GO!
Take them out of the kitchen. Put them into the garage or, better yet, the trunk of the car to get donated. Place them as close to their ultimate destination as possible.
Put all the small lids (ex.: canning jar lids) together in a small drawer or container. All airtight food containers go together. I store lids in a separate drawer, contained by a few clear boxes to make them easy to find.
Mixing bowls, and even glass 13×9 pans can be stacked with a rubbery mat to keep them from chipping.
Look at my Pinterest page for creative ideas here. It’s much easier to retrieve platters which are standing up and separated by dowels or a partition. https://www.pinterest.com/jennyrossomorin/kitchen-organizing-ideas/
I used one in Vermont, and I loved it. If you need more storage space, look around. Is there an empty bit of wall to install a few hooks?
Many people install small baskets inside cabinet doors to hold spices or essential oils. If you don’t want to drill into your cabinets, try sticky hooks. They are very strong and easily removable.
I hope these kitchen ideas help you!
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As always, if you need more help, check out my book on Amazon: Get Organized Quick. It has a chapter on keeping counters clear. With over 100 tips on organizing, it is a goldmine of ideas!
Click here for my book: https://www.amazon.com/Get-Organized-Quick-Minutes-Organize-ebook/dp/B01KKY30TS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524229138&sr=8-1&keywords=get+organized+quick
Resources:
https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/rooms-and-spaces/kitchen/8-ways-to-make-a-small-kitchen-sizzle. Photo credit for galley kitchen image.
Pot rack image courtesy Bed Bath and Beyond.