|
September 2007 – Put aside traditional thinking. Think outside the ‘cupboard’ and you might find a whole new use for your kitchen space that makes great sense for you and your family.
Whether you have many cupboards or few, keeping kitchen contents organized will save you time. Kitchen organization is a personal decision that takes into account your family size, food and beverage habits and other storage needs that may make sense for your home. This month’s article will give you tools to organize your kitchen in a way that makes sense for you.
Who says all mugs on one shelf, all glasses on another? Try 4 of each type of cup on the lowest shelf for easy access. Repeat this pattern as you move up until all cups are stored.
Be honest with yourself. Shot glasses or serving dishes that are only used for holidays and social gatherings should be stored in more remote areas. Leave the shelves that are more easily accessible to frequently used dishes.
Say goodbye to traditional utensil trays that come in standard sizes and leave wasted space in your drawers, not to mention the hidden areas of dirt and crumbs that collect around the corners. Your local hardware/supply store sells organization trays that can be easily cut to fit your exact dimensions.
Out of ‘site’, out of mind. Human nature dictates that if products are hard to reach, we’ll use them less. Keep your vitamins, medicines and cleaning supplies in a convenient location but ensure that you have used child safety locks to secure the cupboard doors.
Unless you have ample cupboard space, there must be a better place to store these items. Try a storage basket on the top shelf of your coat closet. When kitchen space is at a premium, prioritize items by frequency of use.
Can you really afford to dedicate an entire kitchen drawer to these items? If not, find another location that makes sense for you. Perhaps a storage bin in a coat closet, your linen closet or a decorative storage trunk in the family or living room could be the right choice for you.
A ‘pet peeve’ in our house. “Do we really need all of these,” my husband will ask, as he searches for a lid in the cupboard that never stays organized. Our next attempt at solving this problem will involve trying different products. Easily stackable containers that come with their own storage structure could do the trick.
Another important consideration is environmental. Try ‘Laptop Lunches’ by Enviromomonline.com. These bento boxes are designed to help families pack nutritious, environment-friendly lunches for school, work, and travel.
Good luck with your kitchen therapy.
If you have a storage or home maintenance challenge and need ideas to solve them, or if you have a comment about how some of my ideas have worked for you, email me.
Article by Sheri Gammon Dewling
Markham Organizing Maven
©2007 All Rights Reserved. |
