I like to use a zone plan to organize my home. Each month I tackle a different area. October is a prime month for the kitchen. The holidays are right around the corner and the kitchen will become a very busy place. Seasons have changed so you are ready to put away the ice cream maker and pull out the crock pot. This is also the time of year that food drives kick into high gear. Take this time to clear out the food that has accumulated because of impulse buying or overbuying.
Before starting, take a long look at your current kitchen set up. What is bothering you? Are your counters crowded? Are your spices a jumble? Are some often used items hard to reach? Create a vision of how you would like your kitchen to look and feel by the end of this month. Make a brainstorm list of all that needs to happen to make this vision come true.
Some items on your list might include:
Declutter your surfaces – what items are not used daily?
Purge your cabinets – how many plastic containers or saucepans do you need?
Organize for convenience – are your often used items easy to reach?
Set up zones – do you have a clear food preparation zone, cooking zone, dish zone, storage zone and serving zone?
Now tackle the project. Divide your kitchen into 4 zones and tackle just one zone a week. This will keep the job from being overwhelming.
Week 1 – Cooking Zone – Clean the stove, oven, and microwave. Organize pots, pans, cooking utensils, and bake-ware. If your space is crowded, consider giving away pots that are rarely used. If you have special cookware that is used only for a specific holiday, store that ware with the holiday decorations.
Week 2 – Food Preparation Zone – Clean out the refrigerator as well as organize cutting boards, knives, mixing bowls, spices, mixers, blenders, measuring cups and spoons. Get rid of duplicates. Toss foods and spices that are past their prime.
Week 3 – Dish Zone – Clean your sink area and dishwasher. Organize your dishware, mugs, glasses, and flatware. Discard items you don’t need or those that are broken.
Week 4 – Food Serving Zone and Food Storage Zone – Look over placemats, napkins, trivets, large serving pieces, and any groups of items you have not already organized. When you go through your pantry, pull out any cans that you have been holding on to and are reaching expiration. Donate these to a food pantry. When you replace the food in your pantry, group the foods by type – all soups together, all pasta, all fruits, etc.
By the end of the month you will love your organized kitchen space. You are ready for the holiday cooking!
For more details on organizing your kitchen visit my website www.timespaceorg.com and purchase my book From Vision to Victory: A Workbook For Finding a Simple Path to an Organized Home.
Jonda S. Beattie Professional Organizer