Posted 10:26 pm Thursday, November 01, 2012
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With holidays coming, declutter your kitchen
BY PATRICE DUNAGIN
The kitchen is the center of the home for most families. There is a lot going on in the kitchen, from meal prep to homework. With all the activity, the kitchen can easily become cluttered.
The kitchen is the center of the home for most families. There is a lot going on in the kitchen, from meal prep to homework. With all the activity, the kitchen can easily become cluttered.
If your kitchen is small your surface space is at a premium and you can’t afford for it to be cluttered. With the busy holidays approaching, now would be a great time to de-clutter and organize the kitchen.
Start with the cabinets and remove everything. If you discover items you no longer need, place them in a box labeled yard sale or give away. Throw away open boxes of food that have passed their expiration date.
Clean the shelves and begin putting items back in the cabinet; grouping similar items together.
You may want to purchase some cabinet organizers to make better use of your storage. Tiered shelves are great for the spice cupboard, allowing you to view all your spices.
Hanging pots on a pot rack or wallrack can provide needed space in your cabinets. Lazy Susan trays and carousels make efficient use of space and easy access.
When it comes to organizing drawers, inexpensive trays can help tremendously.
You can purchase divided trays or several trays in various sizes to place in the drawer. It will be much easier to find small items when they are contained within the tray.
Organize drawers by the type of items they contain, making it easier to find things and for other members of the family to return to the correct drawer.
If your counter space is limited, you may want to purchase a wire grid system and securely fasten it to the wall.
You can use hooks on it and even create shelves on it; placing small, but often needed items on it.
Open shelving is another option for freeing up some counter space. If you have the wall space you can build open shelves with wood or metal.
Clean the shelves and begin putting items back in the cabinet; grouping similar items together.
You may want to purchase some cabinet organizers to make better use of your storage. Tiered shelves are great for the spice cupboard, allowing you to view all your spices.
Hanging pots on a pot rack or wallrack can provide needed space in your cabinets. Lazy Susan trays and carousels make efficient use of space and easy access.
When it comes to organizing drawers, inexpensive trays can help tremendously.
You can purchase divided trays or several trays in various sizes to place in the drawer. It will be much easier to find small items when they are contained within the tray.
Organize drawers by the type of items they contain, making it easier to find things and for other members of the family to return to the correct drawer.
If your counter space is limited, you may want to purchase a wire grid system and securely fasten it to the wall.
You can use hooks on it and even create shelves on it; placing small, but often needed items on it.
Open shelving is another option for freeing up some counter space. If you have the wall space you can build open shelves with wood or metal.
Place dishes, glasses, serving bowls, and cookbooks on the shelves and hang utensils from hooks below the shelves.
You can also purchase stand alone shelves, check out small ones designed for the bathroom, if you can’t find the right size or color in regular shelving.
Be sure to measure your space before you go shopping and take a tape measure with you when shopping.
When it comes to canned goods, place the label so it is easy to read.
Tiered shelves can help keep labels visible. As you purchase new canned food, place it behind what is presently in your cupboard and consume items in the front first.
Store canned goods by type; placing fruits together, beans together, etc.
Once you have de-cluttered, organized and given every item a home it’s time to give your kitchen an overall cleaning. Clean and de-grease counter tops, stove, cabinets and the floor. Then give your sink a deep cleaning that makes it sparkle.
Once you have done all that, take a short break, pat yourself on the back, and get ready for the holidays.
For more information contact Patrice Dunagin, Smith County FCS Agent for Texas AgriLife Extension Service, at 903-590-2980.
You can also purchase stand alone shelves, check out small ones designed for the bathroom, if you can’t find the right size or color in regular shelving.
Be sure to measure your space before you go shopping and take a tape measure with you when shopping.
When it comes to canned goods, place the label so it is easy to read.
Tiered shelves can help keep labels visible. As you purchase new canned food, place it behind what is presently in your cupboard and consume items in the front first.
Store canned goods by type; placing fruits together, beans together, etc.
Once you have de-cluttered, organized and given every item a home it’s time to give your kitchen an overall cleaning. Clean and de-grease counter tops, stove, cabinets and the floor. Then give your sink a deep cleaning that makes it sparkle.
Once you have done all that, take a short break, pat yourself on the back, and get ready for the holidays.
For more information contact Patrice Dunagin, Smith County FCS Agent for Texas AgriLife Extension Service, at 903-590-2980.
