Abowlfulloflemons.com. - The Complete Book of Home Organization: 200+ Tips and Projects

by Toni Hammersely

My favorite room in our house is the kitchen. This space allows me to express my creativity through decorating, organizing, cooking, and baking. Over the years, it has evolved from complete chaos to a fine-tuned and systematically organized space. Through trial and error, Ive been able to implement new systems to make it work for my familyand throughout this chapter Ill be sharing ways that your kitchen can work for you. However small or abundant your space may be, theres no doubt you can make the most of it. Next, well hit the dining rooma space not to be forgotten. By weaving these two spaces together and incorporating as many organizing solutions as you can, youll be able to simplify the clutter and perfect your storage so that you can enjoy these rooms to the fullest.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and a well-planned space will streamline food prep, cooking, baking, and cleaningall while maximizing time and efficiency. Before you start pulling everything out of the cabinets and drawers, begin by writing out a plan. Consider how many cabinets and drawers you have. What needs organizing? Which areas are used for which tasks? How many gadgets, small appliances, and dishes can you purge, and how much space will result? Write out your ideas and get a detailed plan on paper. Once youve got your guideline, its time to get started.

The kitchen functions at its best when its set up in zones. There are five main zones: cooking, preparation, cleaning, storage, and food. Everything in your kitchen should fit into one of these five categories. If you have an item that doesnt fit, it may not belong in the kitchen.

A. COOKING Your cooking space should include spices, oils and vinegars, cooking utensils, pots and pans, pot holders, trivets, and other tools.

B. CLEANING All things related to cleaning your kitchen should be in this zone, which is typically centered around the dishwasher and kitchen sink. Categories include kitchen cleaners, under the sink items (sponges, paper towels, microfiber cloths, trash bags, dishwasher detergent), recycling bins, and trash cans.

C. PREPARATION Everything needed to prep meals goes in the preparation zone. Items might include mixing bowls, knives, cutting boards, kitchen gadgets, blender, and other appliances. Specific areas will form within this zone, like the baking and school lunch stations ().

D. STORAGE Items in the storage zone include food containers, silverware, dishes, glasses, and small appliances.

E. FOOD The pantry is considered the food zone. If you dont have a pantry, designate a few cupboards or a standing cabinet in which to store food items.

Kitchen islands are excellent multipurpose areas that might serve as storage, preparation, or cooking spaces.

Few things feel better than waking up to a clean space. At the end of each day, when dinner is done and the kids are in bed, take 15 minutes to give everything a quick cleanup and wipe-down. Youll notice that this easy task will really affect your mood for the rest of the eveningand make heading into the next days meal preparations a breeze.

LOAD Load the dishwasher (and empty it the next morningnow youll always know whether its clean or dirty).

CLEAN Clean the sink: Rinse out any remaining food, scrub with baking soda, and use a daily cleaning solution (). You should do a separate deep clean on the sink once per week.

SPRAY Spray and wipe down the countertops, stovetop, table, and any other surfaces.

REPLACE Put a clean washcloth and dish towel out and toss the dirty ones in the laundry.

EMPTY Take the garbage out to avoid old food smells and leaks, and put a new liner in the can.

Some studies state a higher concentration of bacteria can be found in the kitchen sink than in the toilet bowl. Heres my recipe for an easy kitchen sink cleanser that you can DIY at home and use on a daily basis to keep the germs away.

YOULL NEED

1 clean spray bottle

1 part white vinegar

1 part water

DIRECTIONS

Mix the vinegar and water, cap your bottle, and shake vigorously. Use a permanent marker to label it Daily Sink Cleanerthis will prevent confusion with other sprays and remind you of its usefulness! Simply spray your sink and faucet, let sit for a few minutes, then wipe down. Youll have a fresher sink in no time.

Baking soda may be the unsung hero of keeping your home fresh and clean. To make an easy pantry-sourced compound, use half of a lemon with some baking soda to create an abrasive scrubber.

This combo also works on rust stains on porcelain tubsand many other seemingly tough cleaning jobs. The lemon also helps whiten or bleach areas that are yellowed.

Youll be surprised how easilyand naturallythe markings will lift off.

Spices are the soul of any home-cooked meal, and having them easily accessible makes cooking that much more fun. Create an organized spice station near your cooking area to store your spices, oils, and mixes. Remember that the key is functional organizing, so you will want this space to be near your oven. Its time to toss out those ten-year-old spices and replenish them with fresh, new jars.

REMOVE Pull out all the spices and condiments from your cabinets, pantry, and drawers so you can take inventory of what you have. Throw out all expired itemsthe flavor wont last.

CATEGORIZE Sort by size and type of item (cooking oils, cooking spices, baking spices, mixes, etc.)

ORGANIZE Stack your remaining jars on spice shelves, in drawers, or on lazy susans, or section them into baskets as best suits your needs. Alphabetize if it helps you find spices more easily.

DESIGNATE Choose a space near your oven where you can keep oils, vinegars, and other commonly used items (, at right).