Organize Unclutter 2008: February - Week 2

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February’s goal is an organized and uncluttered kitchen. Read the original post here >

This week we are taking a step back and planning our kitchen to maximize efficiency. We’re also going to tackle the inside of cabinets and drawers (inside, not on top). This will be our hardest week of the month. So hang in there and persevere! It will be so worth it in the end!

We’ll have 4 tasks to accomplish this week. Let’s put on our thinking caps and be strategical!

Tools you will need:

• Paper and a pencil
• 4 empty boxes or heavy-duty trash bags

Label them “Keep”, “Donate”, “Trash” and “Recycle”. If you plan to hold a yard sale or sell online, include a “For Sale” box. Get boxes from your supermarket or local liquor store.

NOTE: I will be making some suggestions that may or may not be feasible for you at this time (due to space limitations or money). What I’d like you to do is just consider your options when strategically organizing your kitchen. Remember the goal is to purposely plan your kitchen so it maximizes your time and efforts while cooking and cleaning.

1. Plan Your Kitchen: Create a Triangle

Look at your kitchen layout.

Walk from your refrigerator to your stove to your sink. Can you walk to each item without bumping into anything? If not, clear a path. Move items (i.e. that rolling kitchen island) so nothing is blocking your path from each area.

Note: Some of you may have extra small living space and you may have a dining table sitting in the middle of your kitchen. Look around you. Is there a way to move the table even a couple of inches out of your walking path? Every little bit of space helps increase your efficiency.

Now let’s figure out where everything will go!

2. Plan Your Kitchen: Create 5 Zones

NOTE: Some professional organizers also call them “stations” or “work centers” as well.

Draw on a piece of paper an outline of your kitchen. Note where your stove/oven, refrigerator, sink, and dining area are. Now notate your cabinet space and countertop space. We are going to rearrange our cabinet/drawer items to sync with our zones.

Zone 1: Cleaning
Location: Near the sink and dishwasher
What’s located there: trashcan, soap, rags, sponges, recycle bins, etc.

Zone 2: Cooking
Location: Near the stove/oven
What’s located there: pots, pans, microwave, toaster, etc.

Zone 3: Food Preparation
Location: Near available countertop space
What’s located there: mixing bowls, measuring cups/spoons, blender, etc.

Zone 4: Food Storage
Location: near the refrigerator
What’s located there: Tupperware, masking tape, permanent marker, etc.

Zone 5: Food Serving
Location: near the dining table
What’s located there: dishes, placemats, glasses, linen, etc.

Note which cabinets/drawers will be used for which zone. Keep only one type of each item in each cabinet (i.e. do not put dishware and cookware in one cabinet). If you have limited cabinet/drawer space, that’s OK. Do the best you can by keeping items for a particular zone as close to that zone as possible.
Write this down on your paper. You’ll refer to it while completing the next task.

Great job! Ready to put your plan into action??

3. Let’s tackle our cabinets and drawers.

Time to pull stuff out of the cabinets, purge, and put away in their zones.

Keep one type of item for each area. Example: dishes on one shelf, glasses on another shelf.

Trash broken or chipped items. Donate/sell duplicates and items that have not been used within the last year. Replace items as needed. (If money is tight this month, make a “wish list” of items you need to replace Plan at least 1 item to replace each month in your budget.)

Use a container or basket to keep small packets together (i.e. ketchup packets, Kool-Aid packets, etc.)

In drawers, use dividers, square/rectangle shaped containers, or empty shoe boxes to group and organize items together. Do not use circular shaped containers as they take up more space.

Specific tips for Zone #1: Cleaning

This location is at or near the sink.

Let’s take a look under the sink.

Throw away anything expired, old, or leaking.

Combine multiple opened cleaners if possible.

Consider replacing chemical cleaners with greener cleaning solutions. Clean House Clean Planet by Karen Logan is an awesome reference for this.

Do not keep food with your cleaning chemicals.

Childproof your cleaning cabinet(s). If you are unable to childproof your cabinets, look to putting your chemicals high and out-of-reach.

Put cleaners in a caddy for easy storage and portability. Check the dollar store for cheap caddies.

Purge excess plastic and paper bags. Consider replacing these with cloth bags to use when grocery shopping.

Take a rag and clean the space out thoroughly.

Specific tips for Zone #2: Cooking

Cooking items should be stored as close to the stove as possible.

Lay your pans out flat neatly stacked. Even better would be to mount a hanging pot rack and use that to free up valuable cabinet space.

Line up pot lids and flat dishware in a vertical rack like this.

Keep your pot holders and cooking utensils in drawers on either side of the stove. Replace any burnt or town potholders. Wash your potholders if it has been awhile.

Keep cookie cutters near your bakeware - in a drawer if you only have a few or in a container in the cabinet with your bakeware, if you have many. Pack seasonal cookie cutters away with your holiday decorations.

If you have large serving type items (i.e. large platters for serving many guests) that you only use once or twice a year, store these items in the highest cabinets. The cabinets above the refrigerator are perfect!

Take a rag and clean the space out thoroughly.

Specific tips for Zone #3: Food Preparation

Some basic items you may have in this zone would be:

Colander, mixing bowls, timer, measuring cups/spoons, ladles, potato peeler, thermometer, wooden spoons, whisks, etc.

Spread these items out on your counter top. How many of each item do you have? Purge multiples of items with the exception of wooden spoons & ladles and mixing bowls.

You’ll want to store these items near the sink and spacious counter top areas.

Take a rag and clean the space out thoroughly.

Specific tips for Zone #4: Food Storage

Keep storage bags and foil in or near your food storage zone.

Match up lids to storage containers. Trash items missing their bottoms or lids.

Take a rag and clean the space out thoroughly.

Specific tips for Zone #5: Food Serving

Typically dishes are stored near the dishwasher and/or sink.

Use a vertical rack for plates to optimize space.

Place like items together and on their own shelves.

Toss chipped glasses and dishes.

Put your silverware tray in the dishwasher for a good cleaning.

Take a rag and clean the space out thoroughly.

Whew! YOU DID IT!!!

Congratulations! You have completed Week 2 in organizing and uncluttering your kitchen! I’ll be posting periodically through the week my adventures as well as providing any encouragement you may need during the week. Be sure to check in on Saturday to let us know what you’ve accomplished!

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Organize Unclutter 2008 Participants

1. Jaime 2. Steph

3. Andrea 4. Weslee

Learn more about Organize Unclutter 2008 here.
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