Dreaming of a clutter free instagrammable kitchen? Well the answer lies in a combination of clutter free organisation, clever storage solutions and a simple kitchen hack or two. Read on to find out more…
8 Ways to Organise your Kitchen
1. Declutter
Your kitchen will be so much easer to keep organised and tidy when you have a a lot less in your cupboards, so the first thing you need to do is have a ruthless declutter session and eradicate any out of date tins and jars and never used, lingering at the back of your cupboard kitchenware! If you can’t bear to part with some things immediately, put everything you’ve not used recently in a box, pop it in the shed and if you don’t revisit it then it has 100% got to go!
2. Use pull out larder cabinets
When planning your kitchen, it may seem like yet another cost to add onto your bespoke kitchen renovation but you will not regret adding in a pull out larder cabinet, particularly if cupboard space is limited. You will be astounded as to how much you can fit into this type of cabinet but more importantly, once you put it in there, it is easily accessible. The pull out larder is great for family kitchens when you want the children to be able to access manageable items themselves like cereal, or (healthy!) snacks.
3. Make things accessible
Not only do you want to make items accessible for the kids, you also want to think about where you put frequently used items so that you can not only reach for them easily, but also put away quickly to maintain a tidy space. Think about items that you may want to keep out on display and make sure they are both practical and stylish. Alternatively, go for a complete clutter free zone and create cupboard or drawer space next to the hob to store items such as oil and seasonings so they are within easy reach. Also, if you’re short on kitchen space think about storing xmas crockery or baking tins (if you are more of an M&S cake baker than GBB baker!) outside of the kitchen so they don’t take up much needed space for the day to day.
4. Open shelving
There has been a huge trend this year of incorporating open shelving into kitchens to make a space more personal and unique. An exquisitely styled shelf doesn’t happen by chance and requires a little bit of thought, not only in terms of the look but also how you will maintain the vision if you use the items on the shelf. If you put some of your (very stylish) every day crockery on there it gives you a great incentive to wash up and re display post dinner time, rather than leaving things on the draining board for a day or two!
5. Organise into zones
By splitting your kitchen into zones it allows you to create a very efficient, organised space. To do this you need to try to group similar items together, and closest to the area that you will be using them e.g.
_ Cooking
_ Baking
_ Food prep
_ Hot drinks
_ Breakfast
There has been a move recently towards customers creating a hot drinks/breakfast station that sits behind a pocket door so your toaster and coffee machine can be out of sight when not in use. If you are someone that has a manic morning routine, the breakfast mess can be quickly tucked away until you have time for crumb/tea bag disposal!
6. Create a separate bar/ entertaining area
Following on from the zoning theme, many of our customers who like to entertain at home are choosing to opt for a dedicated bar area within their open plan kitchen/dining/living space. This allows you to store drinks and occasional glassware away from the day to day kitchen area, freeing up valuable cupboard space and keeps guests from getting under your feet when you are busy at the hob getting dinner party ready. A gorgeous bespoke Saute&Soak cabinet creates a seamless link between cooking and partying, with everything you need at hand – cocktail shakers at the ready!
7. Incorporate drawers for crockery
Traditionally crockery was always placed in cupboards, but kitchen design has luckily moved on since the 1908’s and the drawer has come into its own! Drawers allow you to access heavy items a lot more easily, give you more capacity for large plates and are great for kids who want to help themselves to their cereal bowl in the morning. Also think about where these drawers are placed if planning your new kitchen, as ideally they should be as close to your dishwasher or sink as possible, so you’re not walking across the kitchen with piles of heavy crockery – a swift dishwasher to drawer action is what we are after.
8. Kitchen organisation hacks
You only need to scroll through Tik Tok or Instagram for a few minutes before you are immersed in the latest home organisation hacks but its safe to say, some are definitely more useful than others!
I think the one that always crops up and is genuinely useful is the tension rod trick. Pop one in your under the sink cupboard to organise cleaning spray bottles or hang one in the void of a cupboard that houses your bin to keep your kitchen roll within easy reach and out of sight.
And finally, for those that love a bit of order in your cupboards, use a filing system for your flat items like baking trays and chopping boards allowing you to slot items in side by side making it a lot neater and easy to access.
Fancy having a chat with one of our designers about how we could take your kitchen design to the next level? Give them a tinkle on 01909 261 061 or ni********@**********ak.com
