Are you sick of cleaning out the clutter in your kitchen? Clearing the kitchen bench for example is rewarding, however it’s not long before it’s lost again under layers of stuff. It’s a natural dumping ground for your family’s tech devices, keys, toys etc. Even with a luxury modern kitchen which is designed to visually appeal and provide the ‘wow’ factor when guests visit is somewhat less impressive when clutter is around. So your next spring clean is going to be different. You’re going to get your cooking area or leicht kitchen if you have one, back to showing off it’s best side so to speak.
Here are the top five ways to organise your kitchen so it remains a clutter-free zone, just perfect for all the family and guests to hang out.
Measure your space
Probably one of the most notable kitchen mistakes is, not being aware of how much space there is and how to can use it both vertically and horizontally. Not measuring drawers before purchasing space saving organizers, like cutlery trays etc. can result in space not being well utilised and the wrong objects put into ill fitting areas. So before purchasing anything or even filling up your kitchen with your pots, pans etc measure everything. Then methodically design where everything should go. It may seem a labour intensive task to actually removing everything, however starting over will mean your kitchen is better organised plus you’ll be surprised by what you may find hidden in a drawer!
Get rid of what you don’t use
If you don’t use it, get rid of it! Wedding gifts like pasta makers and egg poachers are always a nice idea, but if you’d rather buy a tub of Häagen-Dazs ice cream instead of making your own, throw away the homemade ice cream kit! Also get rid of all out of date foods that have been sitting in the cupboard for years. That tin of beans from 1998 needs to go.
Personalise your pantry
Using three tiered shelves in your cupboards not only makes your foods easier to see and organise, it’s also more aesthetically pleasing . Round items are best stored on a round organiser, for example: if you place marbles inside a cake pan and place a second cake pan on top, you have a spinning shelf that works like magic.
Give everyday items prime counter space
Give the items used the most often the prime space in the kitchen! Pots and pans should be easily accessible by the stove top and oven. Less used items like gravy boats and turkey lifters can be placed at the back of the cupboard or even in somewhere else in the house. Some items just don’t need to be in kitchen if they’re used once or twice a year.
Get in the zone
The best way to limit the amount of time you spend in preparation is to zone your cooking space. Place what you use most often together in the same zone for ease of access, use and placement.
Always leave the kitchen better than you found it
Finally, a way of being able to maintain a clutter-free kitchen is that you should always leave the kitchen in a better state than when they found it. This could mean rapidly wiping down the table when you walk through the kitchen, or taking the water glasses out of the sink and loading them in the dishwasher. It means continuously looking at your kitchen with a discerning eye and asking yourself: “What small thing can I do in this moment to make my kitchen a little bit better?” Small things grow up to be great habits.