Get Organized in your Kitchen

There are people from one end of the spectrum to the other on being organized.  I'm closer to the organized end then the other but there are many individuals out that could make me look disorganized.  So if you can do it better, great.  Maybe you could make some suggestions for the rest of us.

Not waiting around for a reply, I want to talk about taking stock of your kitchen.  There are not many kitchens out there that are the same.  They may have different amounts of square footage, layout, equipment and storage space.  So everyone has to look at what they have and try to determine how is it going to work best for them.  I mentioned in an earlier blog that I use a closet in the bedroom I converted to an office for my pantry.  I really hate to say this but there are no perfect kitchens out there.  Even the high-end ones that have been designed by pros find there are things they would do differently, after they operate in the kitchen for awhile.

So what are you, someone new at the game, going to do with your kitchen?

Well, let's start with reviewing what we have in our kitchen.  Where is the stove, refrigerator and sink?  These are some important pieces that you will be using as you navigate your cooking.  What do you have for counter space?  Where are the cupboards in relationship to the items already mentioned?  Now that you have thought about these questions, let's start with a plan.

If you have ever watched a cooking show, you will have noticed that just about everyone has a kitchen island.  You would have also noticed that they do most of their prep on the island next to a stove top of some kind (normally gas).  That is what all of us would like to be able to do.  So let's start with our stove top.

Now that we have the stove top, where is the sink in relationship to it?  What is between that sink and stove top?  Hopefully it is a good size piece of counter.  This counter space between the sink and the stove top is a great place to set up your prep area.  By doing this, you have the two pieces of equipment that you need most  right where you want them.

The next item on our set up is where to put your knives.  If you have a knife block to keep your knives in, then it should go on the counter in part of your prep area.  If you don't have a knife block, then you will want to use a drawer right under your prep area.  The reason behind this is you want your knives close.  These will be the main tools you use as you prep a meal.

We have a prep area close to the sink, stove top and our knives.  That is a good start and tomorrow we will continue with more organizing for the kitchen.