As the school year starts up again, new routines (school lunches, weeknight dinners, afternoon snack attacks!) threaten to send your kitchen into chaos. Follow these “10 Commandments of Clutter-Free Kitchens” to get organized and start the year off right. R.J. Tilley has a team of designers who can help you design a organized, functional and stress free kitchen.Clear a pantry shelf that’s low enough for your kids and grandkids to reach. That way everyone can help themselves to snacks and healthy treats. Keep small snacks corralled in clear plastic bins without lids so that you can see at a glance what’s stored inside.
2. Preserve and defend your counter space
Keep only frequently-used utensils out, organized in crocks, plus small appliances you use every day, but try not to have too much else on your work surface.
Location is key
3.Put dishes and glasses in the cabinet nearest the dishwasher and sink
4. Dry goods in the cabinet nearest your work space
5.Cookware in the cabinet nearest the stove.
6.Think the same way for drawers: Forks and serving utensils go in the drawer nearest the sink, cooking utensils in the drawer nearest the stove.
7. Drawers can be hard to keep organized, especially when they hold too much: The kitchen ‘junk drawer’ is the secret shame of many otherwise-organized cooks. Use drawer dividers.
8.Purge like crazy: Make sure you clean out your food cabinet regularly, and take a hard look at which pans you really reach for.
9. Shop your pantry’s staples: When the school year starts, the weeknight dinner routine kicks into high gear. Make sure you’re stocked up on pantry staples so you don’t have to head to the store every time you want to whip up a quick weeknight meal.
10. Call R.J. Tilley! We have a team of designers who can help you design a organized, functional and stress free kitchen. www.rjtilley.com
