Back to Basics - Kitchens
3 minute read
The hub of your home. A space for family to pass through, somewhere to connect, dine & discuss. But overrun with stuff, your kitchen can be a distraction and a frustration all in one.
However it looks right now, and however you’d like it to be, there are plenty of simple things you can do to move your kitchen towards a calm, functional space.
APDO member Amanda Manson shares her favourite steps that she’s either implemented in her own home, or used with clients, that might help you too.
1. Store frequently-used items in an easy-to-reach spot
Plates, cutlery, cups, pans – you get the idea. Keep these in the most easily accessible spaces, not on the top shelf of a tall cupboard. Eye-level storage is the perfect place! You’re unlikely to need a bread-maker or juicer every day, so store it low down, in a corner cupboard or up top out of the way until it’s needed.
2. Zoning for the win!
Consider the layout of your kitchen, and where your commonly used appliances such as the kettle and toaster are positioned, then store associated items nearby. Keep cups, teabags, sugar, teaspoons, etc close, so you aren’t going back and forth to make a drink!
3. Make the most of hidden spaces
Try wire racks hung from a shelf inside a cupboard for extra cup & mug storage, under-shelf racks for food packets, hooks on the back of cupboard doors for towels, vertical clips for mops and brooms.
4. Meals made easy
It makes more sense to store similar food items near to each other, making food preparation (and shopping lists) a breeze. Pasta, sauces, rice, and tinned vegetables would seem a good fit together, so keep them nearby and you’ll never have an issue whipping up dinner again!
5. Contain, contain, contain!
Avoid spillage, messy interiors and the occasional fall out by using containers or baskets inside your cupboards and drawers. Just think about those Tupperware tubs that drift around. Sort lids & bottoms (discarding the oddments), and keep them together in a cheap basket, simply pulling it out to retrieve what you need, when you need it.
6. Bulk Buying
A great deal is only a great deal if you need it! Whilst BOGOF offers might look like a bargain, you run the risk of cramming your cupboards full of unnecessary food, taking up valuable space and having it go out of date if not used in time. Use a shopping list app like AnyList to keep track of what you really need!
7. Keeping crockery for ‘best’
If you own a lovely dinner service that you only use once a year, consider giving it a new lease of life and using it more often, rather than finding room for 2 sets. We all know that life is short – it’s time to enjoy the things you have around you rather than forget about them!
8. Just in case items
You could probably find several glass Gu pudding jars, empty jam jars, takeaway tubs and plastic bags in your kitchen that ‘might’ come in handy one day. No! It’s time to draw the line and reclaim valuable space instead of it being overrun with things you might only need on the odd occasion. Never has one less ramekin or food container really been an issue...
9. Keep worktops & surfaces clear
Particularly if you’ve limited counter-space, try to do a clear and wipe down at the end of each day, so you can start each new day afresh, without the residue of last night’s dinner lurking.
However you choose to make changes in your kitchen space, remember that just one simple tweak could make all the difference to your daily routine, saving you time and stress!
If you'd like support as you declutter and organise your kitchen, take a look at our directory of Professional Organisers to find your local contact. Go for it.
