Is de-cluttering your Lansing area home on your list of goals for 2019?
Tidying up your home is a hot topic these days, but it’s not always easy to get started. You spend so much time in the kitchen and, particularly with an open plan kitchen design, probably find it is the place where everyone hangs out. Kick start your de-cluttering plans with this busy space, where you will really notice and appreciate the difference. Here are 10 tips for de-cluttering your kitchen design.
1. Assess anything broken
If you have a family heirloom dish with a crack or chip in it, pull it out, take it to a professional, and get it fixed. Remove anything else you have that is broken and not worth repairing. Recycle whenever possible or turn a piece of cracked pottery into a unique planter in your garden, but otherwise toss your broken, worn out items. Take electronics broken beyond repair to an appropriate recycling location.
2. De-duplicate
If you love to shop for kitchen gadgets (who doesn’t?) you may be guilty of buying one too many lemon zesters or flour sifters. Sort through all these items and donate duplicates that are in good working order to a local charity or thrift store. Don’t be afraid to apply this rule to gifts. If you were given two blenders for your wedding, pass one on to a friend or donate it.
3. Decide what you don’t use
Did you go through a short-lived juicing craze and now have a perfectly good, but under-utilized juicer? Figure out what you don’t use and find a good home for it. If it is something you will use once a year, consider moving it to an attic or basement. If you know you will not use it, then it is time to get rid of it!
4. Clear up countertops
Nothing makes a kitchen design feel messier and more cluttered than having too much stuff on your countertops. File or recycle papers, put some small appliances away in a kitchen cabinet, move electronics to designated storage, and get other small items like spice jars and bottles of oil off the counter and into a pantry or storage pull out.
5. The same goes for your floor.
Clear up loose items and move pet food bowls and your trash can to locations that are accessible but not underfoot. Better yet, create customized kitchen cabinet storage for pet supplies and garbage can pull-outs in your next kitchen remodel.
6. Tackle those drawers
Don’t let your junk drawer get the better of you! Take everything out, sort through it, and throw out or recycle what you don’t need. Consider handy drawer dividers to help you organize those items you plan to keep.
7. Match up or move out storage containers
Storage containers are essential in a kitchen design. They can be useful for storing dry goods in a pantry or for putting away leftover food. Unfortunately, storage containers and their lids are just like socks in a dryer – always missing a match. Go through your containers and make sure they all have a lid, pull out any mis-matched pieces, and get rid of them.
8. Clear up food items
You should regularly clear out your refrigerator and remove any expired food, old leftovers, and nearly empty bottles of salad dressing. Take the opportunity to wipe down shelves and clean drawers before you re-stock the fridge. Similarly, pantry storage can become cluttered with expired and unused food items and must be cleared out regularly too.
9. Evaluate your kitchen design storage
The best way to keep ongoing clutter away is to invest in customized kitchen cabinet storage as part of a kitchen remodel. Take full advantage of all available storage with specialized inserts and dividers for everything from baking trays to spices. Include a pantry or pull out storage to keep all your food items organized and visible. Repackaging dried goods into easy to store clear containers (like baking supplies, rice, and pasta) can make them easier to fit in the pantry and more visible when you need to find something. Add an area for electronics storage, perhaps a drawer equipped with USB chargers.
10. Get your under-sink storage in order
The area under your sink can be a black hole of cleaning products, brushes, and sponges. After you clear out everything you don’t need, equip your under-sink cabinet with storage accessories like a caddy for cleaning products, lazy Susan, or storage bins.
The new year is the perfect time to start fresh with a clutter-free kitchen. If you are planning a kitchen remodel, be sure to include plenty of customized storage to keep everything you need organized. Contact our experienced kitchen design experts to learn more.
