Decluttering your entire kitchen - from drawers and counters to cabinets and the pantry - seems like a big job.
But it doesn’t have to be an epic task, and these tips will give you a big helping hand to achieve a more structured, clutter-free kitchen.
1. Put items where you're most likely to use them
Try dividing your kitchen into sections or zones. Food preparation tools, such as cutting boards, measuring cups and mixing bowls, should be located near the largest available workspace. Store cooking needs such as pots, pans, and bake ware, near the stove and serving supplies near the dining room. Tupperware, plastic wrap, foil and other storage items work well near the refrigerator, and the dishwasher or sink area is a great place for dish towels, sponges, trash bags and all-purpose cleaners.
2. Use the space between cabinets and the ceiling
A lot of space is wasted between the tops of cabinets and the ceiling. If you have the opportunity to put in cabinets, make sure they go all the way to the ceiling and take advantage of all that additional storage. If new cabinets aren't in your budget, look for interesting storage options that can be tucked on top to maximize that often unused space. Hide items you don't use frequently up there.
A lot of space is wasted between the tops of cabinets and the ceiling. If you have the opportunity to put in cabinets, make sure they go all the way to the ceiling and take advantage of all that additional storage. If new cabinets aren't in your budget, look for interesting storage options that can be tucked on top to maximize that often unused space. Hide items you don't use frequently up there.
3. Hang items on the back of cabinets
Use clear hanging shoe organisers for storage. If the organiser is too wide or tall for your door, you can trim it down to a more desirable size. Use cup-holder screws, narrow-ended command hooks or strong Velcro tape to hang the organiser so that its hooks don't show over the top of the door.
4. Move more on-the-counter items into storage
Scan your counters. Are they packed with jars, appliances, cookbooks, spices and decorations? If too many of these items are on display, you lose counter space and risk having a cluttered-looking kitchen. If it doesn't get used more than once a week, store it. If you don't have the space to store the item, maybe it's time to consider whether it's used often enough to keep at all.
5. Reassess the flow of your kitchen
If you feel as though you, your kids and partner are constantly bumping into one another, you may feel as though your kitchen is too small. The problem may actually be that the flow of your kitchen needs tweaking. Try moving ‘lunch making supplies' to one corner and 'breakfast stuff' to another. This may open up the traffic flow and give everyone plenty of elbow room while getting things done.
Image via Pinterest.
