Organise YOUR Kitchen

All of this week there has been so much talk of organisation.... on Katrina's blog and The Decorating Forum. So we thought it fitting to give you a few tips on how to get your kitchen (the hub of the home) sorted.

5 tips before you start:
1. Do you have 1 hour or 4 hours to spare? This is important as you need to think about what you can achieve in that time. No good starting something as big as sorting your kitchen if you can't get close to finishing it. You may need to break up over a couple of days.
2. Garbage bags in hand. There will ultimately be 2 piles - give away or throw. You need to have the bags accessible before you starting pulling things out. Things you keep can go straight back into your kitchen.
3. Are you likely to be disrupted? If you have kiddies, do you have activities ready for them?
4. Do you get emotional about detaching yourself from items? If yes, get over it (mean aren't I? But I promise I am only helping you!). If no, you are ready to do this.
5. Are you serious about achieving this? If yes, get to it!

The aim:
The aim is to have a kitchen (pantry, drawers, shelves... the lot) that ONLY houses things you will use. If you didn't use it recently, then it has to go.

You do not need 4 egg lifters. You do not need 5 mixed herb spices. You do not need 8 casserole dishes (and probably half of them are chipped). Do you ever use the yoghurt makers?

You are going to remove things from the shelf 1 by 1.
Throw?
Keep?
Give Away?

At this point I highly recommend you have a sponge ready to wipe the shelves and drawers as you go.

The KEEP items:
I cannot stress enough how important it is to ensure the items you are keeping go back into the drawers or onto the shelves in an orderly manner.
Examples - all tins together, all coffee mugs together etc etc.
If you get this right, you won't have to do it ever again!

The best places for things?
Here are some ideas for drawers - they are great for crockery (including maybe your better dinner set), saucepans and frypans, casserole dishes and roasting dishes, tupperware, and recently Julie-Ann put her slow cooker in one because she wanted it very handy. We wouldn't suggest glasses or cups unless the drawer isn't very deep.
Glasses are good near the dishwasher as it makes it easier to unstack them.
Saucepans and frying pans near the hotplate.
Crockery is best near where you would plate up.
Narrow side cabinets are fantastic for trays and cutting boards.
Definitions:
Give away - to friends, family, or charity.
Throw - in the bin, not move it to another spot!
Keep - are you sure about that item? Yep? Then keep. If unsure... it has to go.

Organisation Tools:
We have sourced some bits for you that can help keep the organisation in tact. Don't feel like you have to have these. Like Katrina has been saying on her blog "you don't have to spend money to be organised".These are just ideas.
We enjoy some of the products and would love to hear if you have any of them, or can recommend any more? 

Katrina's pantry a few years ago.


Containers all stacked together. Lids on! No floating and missing lids!

Sorting food as you put it into the fridge helps you keep track of what you have. No lingering plastic cold meat bags in the back of the fridge.

Tea towel hooks - these can go inside or outside the door.

Pull out spice rack.

Another variation of an easily mountable spice rack.

Extra shelf for pantry so you can stack food. From Howards Storage World.

Pockets are excellent for packet soups, gravey, packet pasta. Can stack them all in together and they won't float through your pantry. From Howards Storage World.

Slide and stack basket (sorry about the quality). Great for in the pantry and under the sink for cleaning bottles. From Howards Storage World.

Utensil trays are a must! From Howards Storage World.
Grip mat for inside drawers so items don't slip around.



And to finish the post off we thought we would give you some organised kitchens for inspiration!

We would love your feedback. Your comments keep us motivated to keep producing fun posts for you to read.

Katrina & Julie-Ann.

17 comments:

A Room For Everyone said...

What a great post! Organising the kitchen is on my to do list..I sort of just shoved everything in when the new kitchen was finally finished! Rachaelxx

Kerry said...

Terrific examples of organisation. I have a tiny kitchen with the most pathetic excuse for cupboard space so need to be organised. Pleased to say I do most of this. Phew, at least one room is under control...sort of!

Kerryanne @ Shabby Art Boutique said...

I have to admit to being a tad 'anal' so I'm super organised and like everything in its proper place. My biggest problem is getting the rest of the family to see it my way... LOL.
I've always dreamed of having a house with a seperate scullery to put everything in. How fabulous would that be!

Julie-Ann said...

You are so ruthless Katrina lol. Mr17 cleaned out the spices recently- the oldest one was from 1993- oops. Some great tips & products Katrina. Keeping the kitchen organised is important and makes working in it a little more enjoyable. Although it is funny that when my DH unpacks the dishwasher he says he doesn't know where anything goes- excuses:(.

Unknown said...

Loove it! This will be printed off and stuck on my fridge when its time to move and I will sort my kitchen accordingly......You know you will have to go around the house and adapt to each room with this list now Katrina...all rooms must be this organised. OCD Much?

Oh Gorgeous Baby said...

Great post. I should have done this yesterday as I was in a mood where if it wasn't a must have it had to go! I might try a bit later today.

Niki said...

Girls after my own heart, thats for sure.
I have 5 "boys" to feed daily & a huge extended family at birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Mothers Day-anyway you get my drift.
I only have one of everything
(expect my function type serving platters, all one design & all stored away from my everyday stuff).
I hate searching through my cupboards for hours for my Lasagne dish, my nice platter etc. So one of everything including eggslice, wooden spoon etc.
If its dirty I wash it, if its broken I get a new one.
Or I use those afoil platters for big gatherings, as I also hate doing 40 dishwasher loads when the family leaves. Ha. Good advice girls & it really works, thanks guys,
Niki

Milena said...

I love having an organised kitchen. I am very neat so everything needs to be in its place and I am very good at throwing things out if I don't use them any more. We have moved so many times and about to move again so it's very important not to have unnecessary items in the kitchen that we don't really need.

The Pink Poodle said...

Hi girls...YOU are TALKING TO the CLEAN FREAK...

I am ALWAYS re organising my kitchen...(boring fellow bloggers with my kitchen MORE than once in blogs)..

BUT I have to admit..I still find getting rid of lots of things HIDDEN in cupboards difficult...as OH that was my nannas...oh that was a wedding pressie..etc etc..

BUT YOU are RIGHT....RIGHT & totally RIGHT...

thanks for the inspiration..YET ANOTHER BIG KITCHEN CLEAN OUT is on the HORIZON...

ALONG with the LAUNDRY...!!!

& my 23 yo sons room ( who lives interstate)...HIS WARDROBE IS STILL FULL of clothes..?? & he doesnt even live here?? & hasnt for many a year being at uni in qld...

WHAT THA??

xx andrea

The Moerks said...

I love that tupperware drawer. I can only dream... sigh. I am addicted to organisational catalogues. Now I just need to get in and do it.

petals and vintage said...

Thanks for the inspiration that I have been looking for. Kitchen organising has been on the agenda for a bit now. No time like the present. Cheers, Pam

Anastasia said...

Great post! we're getting a new kitchen soon and I plan to giveaway/throw away lots!!! delcuttering and reorganising - such a good feeling!

Janine Marshall said...

Hi Katrina & Julie-Ann,
Yes sireee, I have arrived finally!!! I have started to re-organise my kitchen cupboards and am only doing one or two as time allows, even though it would be nice to get them all done in one hit...I agree you do have to be realistic. Anyway, will call in again soon. Take care both of you!!
Janine
XXOO

Alicia ~ time worn style said...

Hi Ladies, can you tell me where that tea towel hook came from? We are in desperate need for one of those.
alicia

Karena said...

Really in need of organization!!

Great ideas!

Karena

Art by Karena

Amanda said...

Great post girls! I definitely need one of those slide/baskets things under our sink.

Alicia ~ time worn style said...

ok havent heard back but am guessing howards storage world for the tea towel hook? Does anyone know at all???
alicia :0)

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