Can you believe we’re already well into Fall?
This first week and a bit of living at our new place has just flown by! And to say I love it is an understatement 🙂
One of the things I love most about moving (yes I’m crazy) is getting to organize a new space.
More importantly, organize a new kitchen!
The way you organize your pantry and kitchen can have a HUGE impact on your overall health and motivation to cook from home.
Imagine two kitchens for a moment…
One is loaded with “stuff”. Every inch of counter space is covered with papers, appliances, dirty dishes etc.. The fridge is PACKED and you can never find what you’re looking for.
The second kitchen is clean. The counters are free from anything unnecessary and when you open the fridge it takes a nano second to find what you’re looking for.
Which room would you rather be in?
Which room do you think you’d be more inspired to cook in?
OK, I’m hoping you picked the second one…
If not, I’m not sure why you’re still reading this 😉
So, the question is HOW do you get your kitchen and pantry back in order for functionality and joy?
Well… I had to ask myself that very question last week as I unpacked box after box of dry food and kitchen gadgets.
And today I want to share my top 10 kitchen and pantry organization tips with you.
These are things I use in my own life to make being in my kitchen fun and a place that I want to spend time in!
1. Keep the counters CLEAR as much as possible. Put away any appliances or jars/junk that are unnecessary and get in the habit of simply pulling it out if you ever need to use it. We do this with our toaster oven, crock pot, magic bullet, coffee maker etc.. The 2 things that are allowed on my counter are my Vitamix and Tea Kettle as I use them both multiple times a day (and seeing them brings me joy!)
2. To help with tip #1, designate a shelf/drawer/bowl to toss junk in. Somehow most kitchens become the dumping zone for car keys, receipts, or any other odds and ends that come into the house with no place to go. I love having a special table or spot for these “random” items so they don’t end up on the kitchen counter (we’re still working on this one in our new place!).
3. Store dry goods and food in clear jars. I’m a huge FAN of mason jars. I love going into my pantry and everything looking so beautiful and matchy matchy. There’s also the added benefit of being easy to find what you’re looking for without having to dig through a mess of bags and boxes.
4. Keep your spices fresh and easy to find. Having this drawer or cupboard organized (matching jars anyone?) is a life saver! You’ll always know which spices you’re running low on and easily be able to find what you need to create any recipe.
5. Store nuts and seeds in glass jars in the fridge. This is hands down my favourite organization trick. Not only should all nuts and seeds be kept in the fridge to protect their delicate (and healthy) oils from going rancid, but there’s just something about opening up that fridge and having all those healthy snacks right there staring at you! Side note: if you’re still buying nuts that have been roasted or coated in processed and hydrogenated oils, try buying raw and toasting them yourself at home!
6. PURGE out anything you don’t actually use. Some tough love here as you may be still hanging on to that 100 year old set of china that was handed down from your great grandmother. News flash, she’s no longer around and I can almost guarantee that you’re health and happiness in your kitchen is a lot more important to her than any “stuff”. So, go through those cabinets and be ruthless. Get rid of anything you haven’t used in the last 6 months to 1 year.
7. Organize your leftover container drawer or cabinet. I’ve seen some pretty scary Tupperware drawers in my day and let me tell you this, that’s one BIG messy source of stress.
8. Make use of a large chalk board or white board to keep track of the meal plan, shopping lists and household activities taking place this week.
9. Create a space/shelf/or container inside your fridge to keep all of the produce that needs to be used up first. This is a great place to put those foods that are a few days from going off as a reminder to build them into your meals in the next day or two.
10. Keep all root vegetables, garlic, ginger, onions, and even tomatoes OUT of the fridge and in a cool dark place. Storing these items in the fridge can cause them to go off quicker as well as causing many of your other vegetables to ripen much quicker too.
Do you have any other organizational tricks that you use and love?
We’d love to hear them over in my free Facebook Community HERE!
I hope you’re feeling excited and motivated to make some powerful changes in your kitchen. I can’t wait to hear all about it!
Happy organizing!
Love & Light,
Dani