Tidy up the kitchen, once and for all.
The kitchen is so much more than where you cook and eat. And these days, being at home, we’re spending a lot of time there. We’re stocking up on groceries and cooking more, which inevitably means cleaning up more often. It also means the kitchen can get pretty cluttered. But, more time at home also means more time to tackle projects around the house and more time to tidy up. Why not take this opportunity to get organized? Using the BB&B Method (IYKYK, and if you don’t, we’re about to teach you) we can help you banish, bundle, and be tidy… and keep it that way. Here’s how it’s done.
Banish
The first thing you’re going to have to do is part ways with things that are broken or that you never use. Lisa Zaslow, founder and CEO of Gotham Organizers says, “It’s easy for things to accumulate in the back of cabinets and drawers.” Don’t we know it. “Go by area in your kitchen and eliminate food and items that are past their prime and that you never use.”
Bundle
Now that you have only the things you’ll be keeping, you’ve completed the first B! Time to bundle. Zaslow recommends grouping similar types of dishware, cookware, and foods so you can quickly find the item you need. It also means keeping things near where you’ll be using them. Put your everyday dishes with your everyday glasses and mugs. Keep serveware with your special occasion pieces.
Put your pots and pans together, and close to the stove. Cutting boards, knives, and prep gadgets should go together, close to the counter. Store spices together, near oils and vinegars. Pet supplies can be their own separate bundle.
Pro tip: Make meal prep even simpler by storing supplies and ingredients together. Here are a few recommendations from Zaslow:
- Coffee station
- Breakfast bar
- Kids lunch prep station
- Create your own meal kits at the beginning of the week with the ingredients for your favorite dishes. Pre-measure spices and dry ingredients into zip-top bags. Prep smoothies and store all of the ingredients together in the fridge or freezer.
- Baking zone
Be Tidy
Time to be tidy. It sounds so simple at first, but it’s an ongoing process that really never ends. The trick to staying tidy is giving everything a designated place. If your pots and pans have a place to go to, you won’t risk having them pile up in and around the stove after each use. Here are a few ideas.
Cutting boards, mixing bowls, and other meal prep gadgets should go near the countertop. Bakeware and other items you don’t use every day (think: formal dishware, champagne flutes, party supplies, specialty gadgets, etc.) can go on higher shelves—looking at you, cabinet on top of the refrigerator. We’ve got organizers for those, too!
Keep your knives within easy reach, either in a knife block or on a magnetic bar.
Cooking utensils you use often, like turners and wooden spoons should go in a crock near the stove. It’s helpful to be able to grab them easily. We also all know the feeling of having a spatula sitting in such a way that it’s completely impossible to open a drawer. Eliminate that obstacle entirely.
For everyday dishes, use a shelf doubler, which lets you store more in the same amount of space and access your dishes more easily. No more stacking your bowls on top of your smaller plates on top of your bigger plates. For your utensils, a drawer organizer goes a long way in keeping forks, knives, and spoons together (and also separate).
The area under your sink can easily become a black hole. You know you keep your cleaning supplies under there, but it's impossible to know how much you have of each because everything jumbled together. What you end up with is nine different half-ish full bottles of the same cleaning supplies, dish towels in various corners, and sponges that never get used because they're so far buried that you can't see them and just keep buying new packs. Enough. Get yourself an under-the-sink organizer and fix the problem once and for all.
Pro tip: Zaslow recommends a waterproof non-sticky shelf liner under the sink to catch any spills or leaks.
WIth all your new space and easy access to your gadgets, you’ll have time to master a few recipes! Want more kitchen organization tips? Check out our guide to pantry organization.