Fall is the Best Time for Organizing the Heart of Your Home

For most of us, spring is the time we like to dig deep and get our hands dirty. Afterall, it isn’t called “spring cleaning” without a reason. However, if you think about it, fall is also the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and clean out one certain area that is the hub of your home – the kitchen. Why would fall be the perfect time you ask?

Your kids have been home all summer and likely wreaked a little bit of havoc on the organization of your kitchen. And just think of all the cooking tasks that you’ll be tackling in the next few months. Thanksgiving, Christmas, maybe a New Year’s Eve get together. Cooking and hosting a gathering are always easier when things are organized. So, before the company heads your way and the kitchen heats up as the place to be, try these tips for getting your kitchen up to snuff and ready for company.

Take it All Out

This may sound overwhelming at first, but seriously, empty your cabinets and drawers. All of them. Take everything out and lay it on the counter tops. You’ll likely be surprised just how much stuff is lurking in the back of your cabinets. While everything is empty, this is also a great time to give them a good wipe down and cleaning. Those holiday dishes that you haven’t used since last Thanksgiving and Christmas; run them through the dishwasher so they are ready when the time comes in just a few weeks.

Now, take a good look at everything sitting on your counter. Be realistic about what you use. Get rid of the dishes, utensils, and appliances that you won’t use any more. Throw away food and spices that are expired. Foods that you thought you just had to have but know you’re not really going to eat – donate them to a local food pantry. You’ll be amazed by how much you are able to get rid of in just this step.

Divide and Conquer

Now that you have everything out of the cabinets, go through and organize things by category. Put all your mixing bowls together. Baking dishes, pots & pans, storage containers. Get them all organized together. Separate your utensils. Put all your spatulas together, all your mixing spoons, measuring cups and measuring spoons. Do you really need 10 wooden spoons? Maybe you need a few to the donate pile.

Have a child getting ready to go to college soon? Now is the time to make them a box of their own. Do you have two sets of measuring spoons or cups? Put one in the box for them and keep one for yourself. Two blenders? Add that one to their box too. Not only will this help organize your kitchen, but it will save you time and money when it’s time to help your college student get their own place.

Find a Place for Everything

Now that you have gotten rid of all the expired items and items that you no longer need or wanted, it is time to organize what is left. Take a good look around and think about whether your previous storage spaces were organized with convenience in mind. Did you store your pots and pans on the other side of the kitchen away from the stove? If so, maybe it’s time to find them a new home that is within reach of the stove top where they’ll be used.

Your spices, oils, and cooking sprays should all be within arm’s length of the stove and you should be able to see all of them at the same time without digging around. Now that you know exactly where you’re going to keep things, it’s time to start putting things back in their place.

Store like items with like items. All your prepping tools should be in one place. Your baking items together in one place. Your storage containers and lids should all have a place of their own. Make sure that your kitchen is organized with your convenience in mind so that things are stored near where they will be used and are all together and easy to find.

Organize the Chaos

Since everything has a designated spot now, you may have discovered that you need a few extra helpers to get things in tip top shape. For example, to get those spices all within eye shot, you may need to buy a layered shelf to set them on. Get that salt and pepper out of the cabinet and turn them into decorative accents in your kitchen by using our salt and pepper tins. This will put your salt and pepper in an easy to reach location and free up space in your cabinet.

When it comes time to put your utensils back in the drawer, think of the ones that you use most often. Instead of throwing them back into a drawer where you will have to dig for them, display them in our utensil caddy. Not only will they add to your kitchen décor, but they’ll be within easy reach the next time you need them.

Do you have a pet that gets a snack every time they take a break outside? Instead of shoving their treats in the back of the cabinet. Display them in our treat container. If you don’t have pets, the treat container also makes a great place to store cookies for your grand kids when they visit on the weekend or your kids when they come home after school.

While we’re on the subject of after school….

Kids always seem to come home from school starving and ready for a snack. Why not organize their snacks with our sweet and salty tins? Not only will they keep things organized and ready to go when the kids get home, but the tins will look nice and tidy when (not if) your kids leave them sitting on the counter.

Spending just one day organizing your kitchen will be well worth the effort. You will have a tidy, organized space that is ready for the holiday company and baking, and a space that you will look forward to spending time . Not to mention, it will look good with the new decorative pieces you have added. So, what are you waiting for?!