Hello everyone and welcome to week three of my New Years Blog series where I am providing tips and tricks for getting your spaces organized and decluttered for 2021! If you have missed the last two blogs, I suggest that you pause reading this one and go check out the Introduction Blog and my blog on the Bedroom! 

This week we are going to be discussing the kitchen! Most of us spend at least a little time in the kitchen each and every day. It is by far the area in the home with the most traffic and it can be a complicated task to keep it organized and uncluttered. The kitchen is not just used for the functional purpose of cooking and eating. At Modular Closets we believe that an organized kitchen is the heart of the home where delicious meals are eaten together, and memories are made.

I have previously provided some blog posts and tip videos on how to keep your pantry organized and I will get into that a little later in this blog, but pantries are not the only places in the kitchen that can be a hassle to maintain. So, let’s dive in and get your kitchen organized! 

The Purpose of Your Kitchen

Much like we discussed in last week’s blog post about the functionality of your bedroom, you need to determine how you use your kitchen space. Each room holds a specific purpose for you and the more conscience you become of that purpose, the easier it is to organize the space. For the kitchen, there is a

functional purpose of cooking and eating, but there are many other aspects that you might be forgetting about. For example, some people have a small desk area in the kitchen, others keep their tools in a "junk drawer." Some keep their pens, and stationary in the kitchen, and many others have a coffee station. It is important to note all the functions of your kitchen so you can make sure there are systems in place to suit your specific needs. The more systems that are designed, the more organized your home and life will be.

It Is Important to Know the Flow of Your Kitchen.

One of the best tips I can give for a kitchen is to make sure that you design a flow for your kitchen storage. Many spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and it is important to be aware of how you move around the kitchen. Your kitchen is unique to you, so organize your items in a way that makes sense for you!. For example, I am cooking constantly and when I first moved into my home, my spices were in a cabinet on the opposite side of the kitchen from my stove and it became a hassle to cook the simplest dish. So, I made sure to find a space next to the stove to rehome my spices for an easier cooking flow. Remember, there are no rules when it comes to the design of your home. Design it and organize it in a way that works for you and your family. This principle extends to the design of your kitchen.  

Organizing your Kitchen

One of the benefits of keeping an organized kitchen is less waste. No one likes throwing out food that could have been used so this year I encourage you to develop one organizing kitchen habit to help you save food - declutter the fridge.

The Fridge.

First and foremost, make sure you empty your fridge and give it a good deep clean. Once that’s done, you can take the same approach that you would for a closet or a pantry and group your food into like items and store them in a space that makes sense for your habits and needs.  

Declutter your fridge on a light scale once a week, and do a big cleanout and purge once a month. This has a ripple effect on your kitchen organization. Because you will be able to see everything, you won't buy food that you already have, you will save money, and meal planning and prep will be so much easier! 

Under the Sink Storage

This is a small space that becomes over cluttered very quickly. This year, I encourage you to not just focus on keeping everything uncluttered, but to shift your mindset towards a more intentional way of being organized. 

Under the sink is a great spot for cleaning supplies, extra sponges, and dish soap. Keep it simple with the essential cleaning products you need and organize it so you can see all your items at once. When I talk about being intentional in the way you organize, I mean focusing on the items you truly need and keeping the area simplified and organized. 

A space can be organized and still have too much stuff. So, here are some items that can be utilized for premium under the sink storage:

• Small Bins or Baskets - Cleaning supplies should be easily seen and accessible, so make sure that the bin or baskets are small enough so you don’t lose sight of your items.
• Risers - These are great for additional layers of storage. They will keep your items visible and create more storage space. You can find these at any home goods type stores or even your dollar store!  
• Command Hooks - You can use these in any part of your kitchen, but I like to hang them on the back of the sink cabinet door so I can hang my small dusters and cleaning brushes for easy access.

Pantry Organization

As I mentioned earlier, I have several blog posts and videos regarding pantry organization but it definitely won't hurt to go over some of my best pantry tips while we are here! 

First of all, get yourself a Modular Closet system for your pantry! Seriously, it will change how you organize everything! They are completely customizable and make keeping your pantry uncluttered very easy! Here are some of my favorite features that will help you keep your pantry Pinterest-worthy:

• Adjustable Shelves - Everyone has different kinds of foods and cooking supplies that they need to store and since those things come in all different shapes and sizes, Modular Closets adjustable shelves are the perfect way to customize your pantry just right. Once all your food items are grouped together, and it's time to organize them on the shelves, adjust the shelves to fit your items. For example, if all your pasta is on this shelf it is going to need to be a bit taller than the shelf that holds your baking supplies. 
• Grab & Go Station - This drawer is a huge time saver! The grab & go station is a designated place where you can quickly grab a snack without having to dig through your pantry. When your kids come home from school and are looking for that afternoon snack, they know exactly where to go. This also allows you to choose what snacks they have access to! 
• Wire Baskets - Modular Closets has an in-unit wire basket drawer that is perfect for storing your veggies! You can keep them separate from the rest of your food items without taking up floor or counter space! 

For more about Modular Closets and organization, visit my blog Christina’s Corner to see more tips like these! 

More Tools For Your Kitchen

Once you have your systems in place, I urge you to make sure that all of your spaces are as uncluttered and organized as they can be! If you are unsatisfied with something, do some research and figure out the solution that works best for you! Look to tools like drawer organizers, hooks, baskets, bins, label makers, and file organizers for your baking sheets and cutting boards. Trust me, most kitchen organization problems can be remedied with a quick Pinterest search and a trip to the dollar store. 

Moving Forward

My goal here is to give you the tools to maintain an organized kitchen for a long time. I don’t know exactly what each of you need for your kitchens, but I do know that if we strive to maintain our spaces this year, we will find some peace in the most chaotic spaces of our homes. So what’s your goal for your kitchen? Do you need to keep things off your counters or find storage solutions for all the junk that lands on the kitchen table? What project stresses you out the most? Let me know in the comments and we can find a creative solution together! 

Next week we will be discussing the newest addition to homes across the world: The home office! Until then, start decluttering your kitchen and let me know how it turns out! 

Also, don’t forget to follow Modular Closets on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!  Subscribe to Modular Closets on YouTube and visit www.modularclosets.com to design your closet! 

Happy Organizing

-Christina Giaquinto