Room by Room - Organizing your Kitchen

The next room in the Room by Room collection is the Kitchen.

 

There are some really great ideas out there for organizing your kitchen. Some require no handy skills at all and others much more. First we will talk about quick installs that will, at most, require a screwdriver or a hammer.

 

Don't use valuable cupboard space for your pots. Install a hanging pot rack. This will help increase the amount of space you have for items that are less attractive to display.

 

 

If you have a kitchen with almost enough room to have a table and chairs, ditch the table with a pedestal and chairs. Opt for a high table that's main support is on the outside and use stools. This way you can place the stools under the table when it is not in use, providing you with more space to walk around and an additional work space.

 

 

Add additional shelving space in your cupboards. This does not have to be as tedious as it sounds. Many stores have prefabricated shelves that either stand up on or hang from your current shelves. They can be found at Dollar Stores, Ikea and many other places.

 

 

Don't assume you have to use space for the expected purpose. A lot of people put their cleaning supplies under the sink but if this is premium space opt to use it for you appliances.

 

Like with the bathroom, use vertical space. Add shelving to bare walls to optimize the amount of storage you have in the kitchen. Use these shelves to store your cookbooks and your nice kitchenware. You can also install magnet strips for knives to optimize this space.

 

 

 

Install rails that you can hang baskets and hooks off of. These can be another great place to store items that usually take up valuable cupboard and drawer space.

 

 

 

Get rid of the junk drawer because it only gives you reason not to find a place for everything. If you have odds and ends that you know you use but don't really have another place to go, get a small storage container and place everything in the box in an inconspicuous area.

 

Use the space on the inside of your cabinet. The possibilities are endless. Add hooks to hang measuring utensils and cake decorating tips and cutters. Install holders to hang your spices or a magazine holder for storing aluminum foil and cling wrap.

 

 

Place similar cupboard items in baskets and other storage containers. For items like spices, it makes it much easier to pull out and find the ones at the back.

 

 

Add storage baskets to your fridge. Do this by gluing magnets to your choice of storage basket and use them for items such as spices and cookie cutters.

 

 

 

Use a file divider to store large flat items, such as cutting boards, upright. Or use them to stack frying pans in an accessible way.

 

 

Now for the more handy projects.

 

Make your drawers more functional by using drawer dividers. You can build your own or buy premade ones.
 

 

Pegboard is not just for shops and retail stores. Buy a sheet of pegboard, screw a one inch frame to the back, paint it a vibrant colour and use it to hang your kitchen wares on.

 

 

There is nothing I hate more than the faux drawers in front of the sink. I have actually, on more than one occasion, gone to someone's house and tried to open them only to realize that they are in fact fake. This trick will let you use this space to hide away every day items and declutter your counters.
 

 

Create a rolling cabinet for the wasted space beside your appliances. Although you can build shelves to store food products, I am going to build one with a peg board back so that I can hang my Swiffer and broom in it. I am opting for peg board so that I have the freedom to rearrange it. When I do this project, I will be sure to post a DIY tutorial.

 

Share your kitchen ideas in the comments.

Organizing Your Refrigerator - Because who wants to waste that much food!

My fridge is a sore spot for me - every time I open it, everything is out of place, I forget about food pushed to the back and it is boring. My least favourite day of the week is Tuesday - the day I clean out my fridge. I waste so much food because I don't even remember I have it.

So, I did what I always do and looked for some inspiration!

My favourite idea was using storage containers and trays. It is a great idea. I am able to separate all of my food by type and it is easy to look in the back - just pull out the tray. They even have storage units that are specifically for holding pop cans, eggs and wine sized bottles.

If you don't want to invest in acrylic trays, try baskets from the Dollar Store or be specific in designating spaces in your fridge for particular items.

The next thing I fell in love with was a Lazy-Susan in your fridge for your condiments. I love condiments. My fridge door is full of them and they are covering the shelves but this is why they are the most often forgotten. They are always the item that ends up at the back of my fridge (along with leftovers). I suddenly remember I bought a new tasty Thai sauce and, when I grab it, it is expired. This Lazy-Susan trick works just like it does on the table - place it on the shelf and spin it to get a quick view of everything you have. Remember, tall stuff goes to the centre!

Another idea is to use white erase labels on your leftover Tupperware. That way you can be sure it really is the chicken you had two days ago. It is also a great idea to write the date it is bad by (not the date it was stored) that way the kids (and spouses) know when not to eat it anymore.

The last idea I found was to keep a white board (or use your fridge if it is actually yours) to keep track of what items are in your fridge. This will help you know what is there, and may be hidden, as well as what you need to get. It will also limit the amount of time you spend opening and closing the fridge.

I also found an idea for sassing up your fridge. Add removable mats (made out of cupboard liners) or even mac tack the shelves. This adds personality and makes it easier to clean up if something spills. No more taking out the shelves or breaking your shoulder to reach the back of the lower shelf.