Search:

Kitchen and Refrigerator Organizing

Why does everything end up on our kitchen counter tops? I’ve seen the strangest things land on people counter tops- toothbrushes, toys, underwear, and even tools. And not so strange things: food, fresh produce, paper, mail, keys, coupons, purses, sun block, sunglasses, CDs, money, checkbooks, etc. There’s something about the kitchen – everyone congregates there, even during parties. Many people hang out and talk in the kitchen. It must be the food that attracts people. I have friends who keep a couch in their kitchen. That makes sense. Why not have comfortable pieces of furniture where people spend the most amount of time?

There’s only one downside to having the kitchen being the center of action for the family. It’s the stuff that comes along with it. I’ll go back to my original question and this time I’ll answer it. Why does everything end up on the kitchen table or countertops? Because that’s where the family congregates and with family around, it brings the family’s stuff into the picture. Your preschoolers artwork and crayons; your middle schooler’s home work or science project; your teenager’s dirty dishes and makeup, your husband’s unopened mail and keys, and your wife’s returns which she has to take back to the store.

Now that’s just mentioning the counter tops. What about your kitchen cabinets and refrigerator? Most women that organize their kitchens with me want to organize for two reasons- 1. To maximize/utilize their space most efficiently 2. To be able to know what they have and where to find it.

So here are key concepts and tips to keep in mind in the kitchen.

• Once a day, clear off the countertops. Take a small laundry basket and fill it up with everything that doesn’t belong in the kitchen. Then walk through the rest of the house, dumping things off where they really belong. Or better yet, hand anything that belongs to a family member to that family member and make them go put it away. After a week, they’ll finally get it that mom or dad isn’t going to pick up after them. Next time, they’ll think twice about leaving their t-shirt or cell phone on the counter top.

• At different stages of life you might need to reserve one drawer or shelf for that specific time period- for example- a baby shelf for your newborn, a craft shelf for your preschoolers. It won’t always stay that way but might just for that time in your life.

• Create zones or stations in the kitchen, for example- the mugs, glasses, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and coffee maker should all be in the same proximity of each other. Another example is all bake ware and baking ingredients should be in the same zone.

• Shop first in your cabinets before going to the store. I look for ingredients I need to use up and try to figure out what I can make. By typing the ingredients into the advanced ingredient search on www.allrecipes.com, it tells me what I can make. Or I then know what 1 or 2 ingredients I need to pick up, instead of overbuying and shopping for ingredients I don’t need.

• Take time to read expiration dates for food not only in your refrigerator but cabinets. And throw expired food out.

• Have a designated shelf for leftovers and clear it off every week if you haven’t eaten them up. A good night to do this each week would be the night before the garbage pick up.

• Try to use clear, square Tupperware containers. It’s easiest to see what you have and they save space by stacking easily. Labeling the leftovers with a date is always great if you can get in to the habit of it. Masking tape and a black marker will do, unless you’d like to buy label maker.

• If you’re going to keep extra ketchup or soy sauce packets put them in a small container in the refrig so they don’t land all over the refrig or break open.

• Rotate food in the freezer, putting the new stuff in the back and bringing the old stuff forward to eat it first.