If I have a Frugal Friday, can I have a Tidy Tuesday? I think I will use Tuesdays to focus on decluttering (which I talked about a week or so ago) and organization. Even though we'd sometimes like to ignore the mundane tasks of home maintenance, it is part of providing a comfortable, peaceful home for our family.
Because I talked about decluttering the kitchen, maybe I can now offer a few tips on organizing it. Whole books have been written on the topic and I am not in the mood to write an entire book at the moment so a few tips will have to do. :) Besides, even a few changes can make a big difference. If you cleared out your cupboards and refrigerator of the expired food and other unnecessary supplies, you now have a little more room to work with.
Most experts on kitchen organization recommend that you store supplies where you usually use them. So...pot holders and trivets near the stove, dishes and silverware near the dishwasher, baking supplies near the counter where you work, etc.
Store things you use frequently in the most accessible place. For things you only use on holidays or other occasions, you don't even have to keep them in the kitchen if you don't have room for them.
I know you're not supposed to keep spices near the stove but I do keep them in a cupboard right next to it. There are little riser things you can buy to elevate the back row of spices to make them easier to see...I use a 2"X4"piece of wood cut to the length of the cupboard and that works just as well.
Even though most people store cleaning supplies under the sink, I never did because kids could reach them too easily. I keep the trash containers (one for recycling and one for throw-out stuff) and dish drainer under the sink and keep the cleaning supplies in a lockable cupboard.
Because I make bread frequently, I have one cupboard devoted to all my bread-making supplies. Having everything in the same place makes it quick and easy to prepare bread. If there's something you make frequently, it's a good idea to keep the supplies close together.
My husband watches what he eats so I keep extra sets of measuring cups and spoons in the serving area so I can easily keep track of the amount he eats. (no guesswork!)
Plastic storage containers seem to multiply so it's a good idea to occasionally toss out extras. You really don't need THAT many containers. I keep the lids in a separate plastic shoe-box...neater that way.
For little things that slide around in drawers, use dividers made for silverware or cosmetics to contain them.
I think I've written enough for today. There's a lot you can do to make your kitchen more efficient and fun to work in. Did I actually say fun?
Milton Evacuation from Venice
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