This is the fourth week of the Get Rid of Excess and Organize Your Home series. If you missed the previous three weeks, I’ll have the links at the bottom of this post so you can catch up. Today I’ll be discussing one of the most frequently used rooms in the home, the kitchen. It’s where I spend a lot of my time since I like to work at my kitchen table since I don’t have a dedicated office space. My kitchen is very small, so keeping it organized is a must in our household or it can get out of hand quickly. Here are some simple tips to help you keep the kitchen area organized and under control:
Get Rid Of Excess And Organize Your Home {Kitchen}
Keep it simple
The easiest way to keep your kitchen clutter free is by keeping it simple. In other words, don’t have several options of dinnerware, cookware and kitchen gadgets. As you can see below, we own a minimal amount of plates and cups. In fact, we used to own less than this until I was gifted a set by my mother-in-law recently (the green ones). I think she felt bad and thought we needed them. 🙂 If I know I’m having guests over, I simply serve food on paper plates. It’s less dishes to wash as well!
Designate zones
Designate zones for things you know must stay in the kitchen and get used frequently. For example; I keep the our dog’s food in a lower cabinet that is close to his crate. Since it’s my son’s job to feed him, I’ve made it easier for him to access the food. I also keep the dog’s leash in the small drawer above it along with small plastic bags so it’s easy to find when we take him outside. Things that rarely get used such as plastic dinnerware and cups, get placed in the cabinet space above the refrigerator. Think about how you use your kitchen space and store things accordingly. It’s all about what works best for you and your family.
Maximize pantry space
I know that not every home has a pantry. In fact, this is the first time I have ever had one in my home. However, my pantry is very small so I have to maximize the space I do have. I do this by placing items in the pantry that fit best in the space, even if it’s not food. I don’t use the pantry exclusively for food because it would be silly to place small items in there when they take up less space in a kitchen cabinet. I also like to use plastic bins to store small snacks and food containers.
How do you organize your kitchen space? I would love to hear your tips!
Missed the previous post from this series? Check out Week 1 {Living Room}, Week 2 {Kids’ Bedrooms} or Week 3 {Bathroom}.
Agree with all points you are making, including getting rid of excess. But 7 types of cereal in the pantry?
Thanks and I had to chuckle at your comment. I agree with you, but try convincing the grandparents that feel the kids need an endless supply of cereal. This was even after I donated boxes. 🙂
I did the same I actually got rid of two boxes of mismatched and old dishes ..I couldn’t believe how many forks and spoons I had, over 60 peices, got rid of that too
[…] This what my cabinet looks like now. The bottom two shelves are what we use daily. The top shelf is glassware that is reserved for guests only. We actually didn’t own many dishes to begin with, but for whatever reason the little bit we did own, always seemed to wind up in the sink. All at once. If you want to see what our cabinet used to look like check out this post where I share how to organize your kitchen. […]
These are great tips! I’m the WORST for clutter…. Just wondering where week 5 is posted… 🙂
We got transferred a little over a year ago and my kitchen went from being bigger than my living room to a tiny galley kitchen. We purged and only kept the necessities. It was very therapeutic. I actually like it more now that it’s so simple.
I recently posted my kitchen organization when we moved into our new house. I also love to use bins or containers in drawers and cupboards to add separation and keep things where they’re supposed to be. Also, being minimal is so helpful in staying organized!!
I bought a $5 shoe organizer at Ikea. Put it on the inside of the pantry door; the top pockets hold assorted water bottles. I use the bottom ones hold things like seasoning packets, fruit cups, bendy straws and cracker packs; really all the little stuff that falls through my wire shelves or gets lost an smashed between other items.
I’m inspired to get rid of excess cups and dishes! One thing I have done so far that helped tremendously is to find plastic bins that fit inside the cabinets for things like cup towels and tupperware. That way I free up drawers, make use of vertical space that otherwise would go wasted, and keep items from falling or toppling when the cabinet is opened!
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We use the zone idea, too! We have a lower cabinet that’s dedicated to our 1-year-old. We keep her cups, bowls, plates, and utensils there because she likes to play with them now (prevents her from playing with other cabinets) and will be able to get her own place setting to use when she gets older. When she starts eating pantry-type snacks, we’ll keep those there for her, as well. Thanks for sharing!
That’s a great idea Lisa! I have a 7-month old and I know I’ll have to adjust accordingly as well. 🙂