If you open your kitchen cupboards to a mess of baking materials, spilled cereal, measuring cups and, wait, what is that...? It's time to organize! Use these tips to get your cupboards in top shape. You'll save time in the kitchen, and you'll purge your cooking area of all things expired.
First step: Empty your cupboards completely, clean the shelves, then start to organize items into groups on your counters/kitchen table.
- Keep food and cooking utensils separate. Keep food in cupboards closest to the refrigerator, and cooking materials in cupboards closest to the stove. This instantly divides your kitchen into the food storage area and the food preparation area.
- Group like-items. Organize appliances, cooking utensils like spatulas and wooden spoons, silverware, knives, storage containers, dishes, cups, cutting boards, pots and pans.
Now it's time to put everything back in your cupboards.
- Food Area: Breakfast items like cereal, oatmeal, etc. should be kept together, as should baking goods like flour, sugar, brown sugar, corn starch, cooking spray, and so on. Separate your cans based on their contents–vegetables, fruits, legumes, etc. Continue this until all food items are placed in their proper location.
- Food Preparation Area: Put appliances into your cupboards based on the frequency of use. If it's something you only pull out for the holidays, store it in the very back, or in the attic. If the appliance is used daily, keep it in the front.
Place utensils in drawers based on the jobs they do. Silverware should be placed in a drawer close to your dishes and cups so that when it's time to set the table, everything is in the same region. Spatulas, slotted spoons and whisks go in drawers near your cookie sheets, mixing bowls, and pots and pans. Always keep the item's function in mind when deciding where to store it.
To keep your kitchen looking uncluttered, only keep one or two items on the countertops at a time.
Written by: Erika Fifelski was born and raised in West Michigan, and after a brief stint on the sunrise side, she's home and loving it. Erika enjoys cooking, sewing, vacuuming, and discovering new ways to live sustainably and support local businesses.
