Since the stay-at-home order began, locals have spent more time in their houses than ever before. Suddenly, all those home projects you’ve been putting off are staring you right in the face. And what better time than now to complete them?
Professional organizer Sara West of South Coast Organizers helps clients straighten out their spaces. During the shutdown, she has held virtual organization sessions through video calls. 225 Dine chatted with her for some fun, helpful kitchen organization tips to try at home.
- Color code your cookbooks: This simple but effective strategy elevates your cluttered cookbook stacks to aesthetically pleasing kitchen decor.
- Clean out your spices: Pull all the spices out of the cabinet and throw out any that are a year or older past the expiration date. Once you’re done, you can make a list of spices that need to be replenished.
- Organize your pantry: Create zones in your pantry by placing similar items together. Label each section with a labeler or masking tape so each person in the home knows where things go.
Courtesy Sara West - Create snack baskets: Eating all of your quarantine snacks? West recommends creating baskets for each person in the house. Each day, you’ll begin with a set amount of snacks. Once they’re gone, you have to wait until the next day to get your snack on. For extra help, put the baskets out of sight, so you’re not encouraged to eat all day.
- Organize Tupperware: Stack similar containers and lids together. You can keep the lids on the containers, or store the containers and lids separately.
- Style your mug collection: Color code or organize your mugs by size and shape.
- Meal prep: Go through your kitchen and make a grocery list for specific meals. Meal prepping is especially important now because it helps people shop less—which means they’ll decrease how often they leave the house.
- Organize pots and pans: Stack like pots and pans with each other. Throw away or donate any damaged or overly scratched pots, and replace them with new ones.
- Clean refrigerator surface: There are a lot of germs going around. Clean your refrigerator handle and outer surface before redecorating the fridge with friendly cards and wedding invites.
- Full kitchen cleanse: Go through your entire kitchen and throw out or donate items you no longer use.
Photo by Jordan Hefler
Do you have any other fun kitchen organization tips? Share them in the comments!