Six Kitchen Organizing Mistakes and Easy Ways to Fix Them - Part 2
To continue to improve your kitchen’s function, we are offering a second part to the organizing mistakes and easy fixes series. These easy fixes make working in the kitchen that much easier. Kitchen organization is important because the kitchen is often the center and heart of the home. We offer the following suggestions to make the process better and cooking more enjoyable.
Mistake 1: See which tools are most important.
Easy Fix:
Empty out a shoe box or can onto the kitchen counter. After you’ve used and washed a utensil, place it in the box. In a few weeks, you’ve collected the utensils that serve your needs on a regular basis. All the rest can be stored away for special occasion use. That way, you’ll always have what you need within easy reach and clutter won’t block your access or become a problem. You’ll eliminate time looking through different drawers and in different areas for the items you use most.
Mistake 2: You keep snacks in their original cardboard boxes, even if there is only one left.
Easy Fix:
Dump all prepackaged snacks into open-top bins. Ideally, multiple boxes of the same size that are clear and easy to reach are best. You can have one for bars, one for snack packs, one for fruit cups, and one for packs of nuts. When space is limited, however, one larger box for all snacks may do. To make your cabinet look good, choose pretty containers or wrap each box in nice paper and label them. Keep replenishing your system and recycling the store packages.
Mistake 3: You don’t make use of the full height of your cabinet shelves.
Easy Fix:
Double up on dish and glassware capacity by placing a simple wire shelf inside your cabinet. This helps you get more out of your space. These lightweight, moveable shelves keep your storage system flexible. Remember, leave no spot under-used. Use the shelves in your pantry, too, to create more usable space while avoiding precarious stacking. And don’t forget that cabinet shelves themselves are typically adjustable. Customize them to your height needs by repositioning the pegs. You can also call the manufacturer for more if you need them.
Mistake 4: End Paperwork Piles - All the mail always ends up in the kitchen.
Easy Fix:
Set aside a place with a basket in which to put the mail. Each day, take things out of the basket and immediately file what you need to keep, discard junk mail, and put things that need your attention in a pending file or work on paperwork right away. It’s easy to let paperwork stack up. Get on top of it early so that the paperwork flows through your home rather than getting stuck.
Mistake 5: Storing holiday dishes and items that are rarely used in prime spaces in your kitchen.
Easy Fix:
Store these items up high and out of the way until you need them.
Mistake 6: Knowing how long leftovers in the refrigerator are good because no one remembers how old they are.
Easy Fix:
Use a dry-erase marker to write the date on your clear glass leftover containers. You don’t need tape. The marker washes right off in the dishwasher. And, as a bonus, get a magnetic marker that sticks to the refrigerator. The dry, cold atmosphere on the refrigerator sets the ink, making it harder to smear without force. And glass containers are handy for other things. They also save you the step of transferring leftovers to a plate for reheating.
The Uncluttered Life, Inc.
The Uncluttered Life, Inc. is a home decluttering and organizing company that is located in the DFW area. On our site, we offer Declutter Deck®, which is an easy 52 card deck of short prompts that make home organization fast and fun. The deck comes with decluttering and organizing prompts that can be done in quick chunks of time, making the decluttering process easy. Each deck sells for $19.95 and is a great gift idea. Give it as a housewarming gift, or to someone who is struggling with clutter. Also great for those with ADHD.