Too much kitchen clutter and overflowing cabinets? Here’s how to scale back and use your kitchen space to maximum effect.
In most homes, the kitchen gets the most foot-traffic. From breakfast and lunch preparations to roaring dinner parties – it’s the one space in the house that everyone uses daily. So why not organise your space efficiently? Update your storage and organisation systems with our tips below, and finally rid your kitchen of that old appliance that’s never been used.
Here’s how to prep your kitchen design for more efficient culinary outings.
Get to grips with location
When going for maximum organisation, location is the first step to getting it right. An efficient kitchen keeps the distance between your main work stations as short as possible. Most well-planned kitchens harness the power of the triangle – the shape of the area between your fridge, stove and sink. A well designed triangle layout isn’t too cramped, but shouldn’t take you too many steps to move from one point to the next. Even if you can’t change the layout of your kitchen, being aware of the triangle will allow you to plan your storage areas more efficiently. I.e. store your pots and pans in the base cabinets near the near the stove and keep your dishwashing liquid near the sink.
© Leicht
Set up stations
To wrap your head around the idea of effective organisation, divide your kitchens into five distinct stations – each with their own purpose. There is a cleaning station, the preparation station, the cooking station, the food storage station and the non-food storage station.
The idea behind these stations, is to store everything in your kitchen as near as possible to its corresponding station. Your dishwasher and sink is your cleaning zone, so naturally your everyday dishes should be stored in close vicinity to that zone. Your prep station is the place for tools like mixing bowls, knives and chopping blocks. Perishable products go near the food storage station, whereas things like tupperware and lesser-used appliances should be placed in the non-food storage station. By recognising your stations and organising accordingly, you’ll be set for maximum efficiency in your kitchen.
© Leicht
Move favourites to the front
This one is rather obvious, but still worth mentioning – your most frequently used items should be placed at the front of your kitchen cabinets for better reach. Think vertically too. Things like lesser-used bowls and speciality glasses should be placed higher up in your wall cabinets, with everyday favourites places within arms-reach. Also think about the type of meals you cook most often. If you’re a keen baker, keep your flour and measuring cups near the front, and other items to the back.
© Leicht
Hang it up
If you have a particularly small kitchen, this kitchen storage tip could be a real life-saver. If you have the wall space (and hooks) for it, you could hang your frequently used pots, pans, whisks and spatulas near your cooking station. Not only will this save you valuable kitchen cabinet storage space, but allow you to reach your preferred cooking tools quickly. You could even consider hanging a full hooked rack above your kitchen island for maximum efficiency (and considerable style).
© Leicht
Keep counters clutter-free
Kitchen counters should be off limits for any type of storage except a canister with wooden spoons and spatulas and a knife block. Keeping a clean workspace will optimise your cooking workflow and avoid any awkward preparation or accidents. For big appliances that aren’t used as often, think about storing them in a storage area outside of your kitchen if space is limited. Items that are visible, should be used on a daily basis.
© Leicht
There you have it. By following these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to having a kitchen design space that saves you time, effort and plenty of frustration. And if you find yourself rethinking your entire kitchen layout, it’s best to do your research and define the optimal kitchen floorplan or get some design ideas on building the perfect small kitchen.