Have a Kitchen that Works for You
Are you having a hard time getting motivated to prepare meals at home? The reasons may be many, but one that’s often overlooked is the way your kitchen is organized.
Just like an office that is overloaded with files strewn over the desk, a kitchen that is not well-ordered can make the idea of preparing meals every day somewhat distasteful. A messy office, or a messy kitchen is stressful and just not a fun place to be.
Making your kitchen attractive and workable requires a step by step assessment of how it is currently set up and a plan to streamline it into a space where you have everything you need at your fingertips, clean and well organized.
To get there, you may want to organize your tools, cookware and dishes in one step, following that with inventorying your dry goods and refrigerator foods in a second step. Then there are baking materials, appliances, paper goods and cleaning materials that require organizing. Like an office or a basement workshop, the kitchen is a complex room that needs order so that you can function efficiently in it and enjoy the experience.
Approach the process of putting order into your kitchen on an ongoing basis, giving attention to one segment at a time. This will prevent overwhelm and make your space ready for meal prep.
Below are the major kitchen categories: and tasks that need attention :
Inventory your kitchen tools. Take the ones you never use, or have duplicates of that you don’t need, and donate them. This will make the tools you do need more visible and accessible.
Empty your flatware drawer and wash the container that holds them. You’ll likely find crumbs.
Take all the glasses out of the cabinet; remove any odd or broken glasses and place them in the cabinet in an orderly way
Go to the cabinet(s) that holds your bowls and storage containers. Remove any you don’t like or don’t use and donate them. Return the ones you want win an orderly arrangement.
Check out your pots and pans. Remove any that are damaged or never used. Return the rest in an orderly arrangement.
Check out your baking tins and cookie sheets. Toss and replace any as needed.
Look over all your appliances; donate the ones you never use; clean the rest with a soft cloth and arrange them in cabinets/pantry/closet
Non refrigerated food: do one cabinet at a time. This would include your spice rack, oils and vinegars, dry cereals, dry pasta, whole grains, canned goods, baking goods, etc. Replace spices that are more than 1 yr old; check freshness date on all cans, bottles, etc. and organize.
Refrigerator and freezer: Remove all outdated goods or items with freezer burn. Take everything out of the refrigerator and wash down all shelves and drawers with warm water and baking soda. Clean the inside of the frame and replace shelves and drawers. Arrange fresh and frozen food by category so it will be easy for you to see what you have. Vacuum the coils and underneath the refrigerator.
Check your supply of paper goods and buy as needed: napkins, storage bags, foil, wax and saran wraps, parchment paper, lunch bags. paper towels, trash bags.
Empty the space under the sink, wash the area and organize soaps, sponges, etc.
Toss discolored towels, aprons and oven mitts; replace as needed.
Don’t forget your oven: hopefully it’s a self-clean; and the microwave and stovetop likely need regular attention.
Now you’re ready to cook! With your favorite chopping knife ready to prep your vegetables, a roasting pan for your sweet potatoes and organic chicken, spices at your fingertips, dinner will be ready in no time! A well-ordered kitchen will make cooking a much more enjoyable experience.