Home Organization: Kitchens

March 13, 2020

Kick-off your spring cleaning with the most active room of the house: the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s the space where the most time is spent and the space most prone to accumulating clutter. At Harcrest Homes, we offer endless built-in design options and tips to help homeowners with home organization and make the most out of their kitchen space.

Organize into Kitchen Zones

Organizing your kitchen into zones is the easiest way to store items in a way that is convenient for daily use. In the kitchen, there are four essential zones: the prep zone, the cooking zone, the cleaning zone and the put-away zone. The prep zone should be an area that offers the most counter space for prepping meals and should house items such as cutting boards, knives, kitchen towels, prep bowls and other essentials. The cooking zone is where the cooking takes place is where cooking utensils and supplies should be within easy reach. In the cleaning zone, be sure to have cleaning products available to clean as you go. Having easy access to cleaning supplies and picking up as you go is a great way to keep things neat and organized while cooking, as opposed to a big clean up at the end. The put-away zone typically includes the area around your fridge and should consist of items used for storing food such as saran wrap, tin foil and food storage containers. Identifying these spaces in your kitchen and organizing accordingly is a great first step in kitchen organization.

Utilize Space

Kitchens provide plenty of ways to be creative with storage and organization. Make the most out of underused cabinet space by hanging hooks or storage organizers on the inside doors. Also use the outside cabinet wall for cooking utensils, potholders and more. The awkward space above your kitchen cabinets is also a great spot for storing cookbooks, baskets, bowls, light-weight appliances or anything else that would otherwise clutter the kitchen counters. Save this area for less used items in the kitchen or bigger gadgets that don’t fit well in other spaces. Be sure to think about the weight of these items. You might not want to get heavy items down from a high spot later! If your counter lacks storage space, organize upwards with under-shelf stackers or baskets to keep your must-have items on display. Overhead storage is a convenient place to store clunky pots and pans while baskets, containers and Lazy Susan’s can be placed on countertops to keep regularly used items in one central place.

Add Custom-Built Storage

If there’s not enough organization space, add some more! Building a custom home allows homeowners to include kitchen features that are conducive to the organization. Need more space for storing appliances or ingredients? A walk-in pantry or custom wall shelving provides just the space for that. Have dishes and glass wear you’d like to show off? Consider adding a functional butler’s pantry that also serves as an ideal hosting station. If having extra counter space and cabinet space is a must-have, an oversized, multifunctional island with extra cabinets and drawers is the perfect kitchen addition. Other custom-built kitchen features include custom cabinetry options such as deep drawers, cabinet dividers and pullout shelving.

To learn more about how our team at Harcrest Homes can meet any and all of your home organization and kitchen needs, visit www.HarcrestHomes.com.