How to have an organised kitchen without throwing things away

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These days, it seems like there’s always a new Tupperware set or a stainless-steel pan to cram into the kitchen. Space is limited, but we so often feel like we need every single utensil in there, and we don’t have the heart to part with any of them because we might need to use it … one day. And while you don’t really need it all to prepare great food, you still want to keep it all. There are ways to organise your space so that you don’t have to throw away half your kitchen to maintain order.

Multi-level storage

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The first rule of any organised room is that every single item needs to have its spot. And finding a spot as ‘in the cupboard’ is not nearly good enough.

The more precise you are, the better it will be, which is why storage-within-storage is a great option.

Let’s say that you have a box in the cupboard for baking decoration. Put additional, smaller boxes within that box and sort them further into piping tools (and even further into piping tips and bags), sprinkles, cookie cutters, etc. This way, whenever you use something, you know exactly where its spot is, and there is no confusion over where it should go. Utilise this in as many areas as you can, and you will have a mess-free kitchen in no time.

Place stuff smartly

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Just because you have a perfectly sized gap to place all of your wooden spoons in, doesn’t mean you should do it, if it is nowhere near your stove.

When designing (or rethinking) your kitchen space, you have to think about where you are most likely to need the things that you are storing. Plates and silverware should be near the dining table, pots and pans next to the stove and cleaning supplies near the sink. If the proper place of something is out of our reach, we are a lot more likely to just leave it where we used it, instead of returning it where it should be. The position of things will vary for every household, so think about what works best for you and your kitchen.

Have an updated grocery list

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Whether that is a whiteboard that you snap a picture of whenever you leave the house, a note in your phone or a piece of paper stuck on the fridge, you need to have a grocery list that is accessible to everyone in the household and that should be updated regularly.

Whenever you are near running out of something, or if there are any specialty items you want for a particular meal, it should all be written down. Then, whenever you go shopping, bring this list to stop you from buying things that will only end up cluttering your space.

Use all of your surfaces

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When we say things like “I don’t have enough space”, what we really mean is either that we don’t have enough work area. Get a Maytag upright freezer to maximize the space available for cupboards and counters, while still having enough space to store all of your long-lasting food. Get a foldable counter surface that you can fold away when you don’t need it and a sink cover that transforms it into additional space for all of your chopping needs. Try to only have equipment that can be put away, since that will liberate a lot of space.

Having an organised kitchen might at times seem like an impossible task, but with just a little bit of determination and good habits, you will be well on your way to having a magazine-worthy kitchen.

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