Kitchen Organizing in Small Steps
A kitchen is more than just a room. It’s the heart of your home, your command central, a place for family and friends to meet, but sometimes it can become a dumping ground. Because this room is such a busy multi-tasker in your home, kitchen organizing can be a daunting and downright overwhelming task. But you don’t have to have an entire weekend to tear your kitchen apart and put it back together. By tackling smaller kitchen organizing projects on a consistent basis, you can make real progress, without missing a beat in the heart of your home.
The first step is to step back and strategize. What are your biggest trouble spots and why? Don’t be afraid to rethink where you store things. Poor placement of frequently used items can be a major source of kitchen headaches! The kitchen is often one of the first rooms unpacked and put away when you first move. But just because you put it there on day one, doesn’t mean it was the best place for that item and doesn’t mean it needs to stay there. Step back and decide where it makes sense to store each category of items based on where and how you use it. The time it takes to rearrange will save you time and frustration in the long run. You don’t have to know where everything will go before you start – organizing is like a puzzle – get some key pieces in place and the rest will start falling into place too.
After a bit of strategizing, it’s time to start small and focus. The easiest way to tackle any organizing project is to begin with a smaller task. Make a list of those trouble spots you identified – think utensil drawer, Tupperware collection, or the junk drawer. You should also include any re-arranging of items you identified in your strategy session on your list. Smaller projects lead to easy victories and help you build momentum. They’re also more practical when you have limited chunks of time to work on organizing your kitchen. For each mini project, use our STUFF steps to get you from start to finish.
- Sort like items together
- Toss or donate anything you don’t need, use or love!
- Unify – decide where it makes sense to store each group of items
- Find and fill containers for each group of items or activity
- Follow Up – Clean up as you go and put items away in their new homes
Even a small victory can give you the boost you need to keep going. Stay consistent and get a routine going – maybe make it a goal to tackle one mini project each week and you’ll have a new kitchen in no time!
Want to learn more? Download our e-Course, Kitchen Mission: Reclaim the Heart of Your Home. You will learn a step by step process to create an organized kitchen!
Organizing U has everything you need to achieve an organized life! We offer nationwide hands-on Home and Office Organizing Services, online education to help you Learn How to Get Organized and comprehensive Professional Organizer Training programs.
