In an earlier blog post this month, we talked about ways to de-clutter and organize your kitchen. Once you’ve done all that hard work, it’s important to develop strategies that will help you maintain that organization.
HGTV.com offers some quick and easy tips for keeping your kitchen running smoothly once you’ve got everything in place:
- Don’t let bags pile up. Our previous post offered a good suggestion for handling piles of plastic shopping bags (the best way to avoid collecting too many of these bags, of course, is to use reusable, eco-friendly shopping bags). Hang a bin on the inside of a cabinet, so you can keep all of your bags in one place. Then re-use your plastic shopping bags, or bring them back to the supermarket for recycling. If you bag your groceries in paper bags, stack them neatly in one corner of the pantry, or consider investing in a freestanding bag holder so you can store bags neatly. Re-use them to recycle paper waste on recycling day.
- Get creative when storing dishes. You’ll make the most of your cabinet space if you use creative, space-saving storage strategies, such as storing stemware by placing every other glass upside down, and nesting casserole dishes and bowls, so that numerous pieces take up a smaller space.
- Organize your drawers. Companies such as Downsview Kitchens offer numerous space-saving cabinet accessories, some of which are detailed in our last blog post. Keep cutlery in place with compartmentalized organizers, so that silverware and other items won’t end up in difficult-to-manage piles.
- Clean out the refrigerator regularly. Your refrigerator can get cluttered with items that get stuffed towards the back, and then forgotten. Out of date foods can also contribute to unpleasant refrigerator odors. Once a week, on garbage day, do a “refrigerator dump.” Toss out (or compost) any leftovers you haven’t eaten. Check any suspicious-looking foods for an expiration date. Get rid of spoiled fruits and vegetables, and make space for new, fresh foods. Organize your food by type, so that you don’t have to sort through many items every time you reach for something. Wipe out the shelves in the process, to keep your refrigerator clean and fresh.
- Check cabinets regularly, too. At least monthly, go through your cabinets and get rid of expired foods, or foods you won’t use. If the items are unopened and still edible, donate them to a local charity.
- Organize your kitchen by zones. Set up a baking zone where you store baking items near surfaces that are ideal for food preparation. Also create zones for other food categories, such as beverages, cleaning supplies, and recycling. That way, if you are working on a project in your kitchen, everything will be conveniently located within reach, and you won’t have to involve every area of the kitchen. Keep all cookbooks on one shelf, or lined up neatly in one counter area, so you can find what you’re looking for with a single glance.
- Organize your recipes. Cooks and chefs have their own favorite systems for keeping and maintaining recipes. Whether you store your recipes on index cards in a recipe box, or on lined paper in a three-ring binder, use one method, and store recipes in alphabetical order by category. Try to avoid mixing torn recipes from magazines, index cards, and computer printouts in a disorganized drawer or box.
- Don’t hold on to every jar and container. Reusing resources is a great thing to do, but catch yourself every time you rinse out a jam jar or wash a plastic container, before you stuff it, unused, in a cabinet. Glass jars and plastic containers have a way of piling up and taking up space in your kitchen. Keep just one set of reusable storage containers for all of your food storage needs. Recycle everything else.
- Clean up. It’s tempting to leave the kitchen clean-up for later in the day or the next morning. But it’s always a good idea to wash dishes, put away cooking items and recipes, cover and store leftover foods, and leave the kitchen in an organized state after every meal.
With the help of these tips, you can relax and enjoy your organized, healthy, clutter-free kitchen!
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