For more and more people, there’s no joy in cooking anymore because of disorganization in their kitchens.
According to a survey conducted by MasterBrand Cabinets, 81 per cent of homeowners report they can't relax if their kitchen is a mess. Of the respondents, 60 per cent said countertop clutter is the most stressful, especially appliances. Other survey respondents found mail and other paperwork on the kitchen counters stressful.
This does not need to be the case, says Jennifer Williams Saklofske, professional home organizer with Your Last Resort based in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley.
The first step, says Williams Saklofske, is to purge. Start by going through cupboards and throwing out or donating any unwanted or unneeded kitchen appliances or gadgets.
How many wooden spoons or spatulas do you really need? Williams Saklofske says there’s no right answer for everyone. Think about what you frequently make and the tools you need to make it. If you are really struggling, she says, the Internet is full of lists and suggestions of the basic tools needed for a well-equipped kitchen.
Williams Saklofske suggests purging food by throwing away expired items or donating unopened items to the food bank.
According to Emily Parks, a productivity consultant with Organize for Success in Raleigh, N.C., there are a few apps that can help keep your food organized and you on top of your expiration dates.
“My favorite app for tracking expiration dates to keep a pantry organized would be Fridgely for the iPhone,” says Parks.
According to the Fridgely website, the average family of four wastes 25 per cent of their food each year, so this app tells you when your food is going to expire so that you can use it before it does.
Other apps Parks recommends are Food Manager, Magic Fridge and FreshFridge. For most of these apps, simply add your household items by scanning the barcodes and setting the expiration date. These apps can help prevent products from getting buried at the back of the cupboard and help curb food wastage.
Stop spice waste
Another item to check frequently are spices, says Raina Noel, another consultant with Your Last Resort.
“Spices don’t go bad, but they do lose their potency over time,” she said, adding that proper care and storage can combat this.
Consider transferring your spices into individual, stackable containers, and make sure each container is clearly labelled where you can see it, Noel says. Something as simple as masking tape works, or there are pretty, free printables online.
Jennifer Banks, a Tupperware consultant from Kentville, says it’s key to ensure moisture doesn’t get into spice containers.
“Many of us will be cooking over a stove,” says Banks, “and we hold the spice over the stove, pouring it into our measuring spoon, allowing the steam to go into the spice jar. This moisture is what causes the spices to clump.”
Noel adds that having your items in jars or containers helps to prevent infestations of pantry moths, which tend to eat through plastic bags and thin cardboard, so even unopened packages may become infested.
Cupboard organization
When it comes to organizing cupboards, Williams Saklofske suggests using baskets and jars. Start by putting like with like, keeping spices, tea, canned goods, or breakfast items together, and store them in baskets or totes.
Banks suggests keeping items near where they are going to be used. For example, as she does a lot of microwave cooking, she keeps all her microwave-safe dishes and gadgets in the cupboard above.
She has also created a school lunch making station. In the drawers and cupboards by this counter space, Banks keeps everything together, including a cutting board for making sandwiches, lunch bags and snack cups.
“I can quickly make a school lunch and send them out the door,” she says. “I’m not hunting around for all the bits and bobs, as everything is together.”
Ann Greener, of Port Williams, uses a similar idea in her kitchen. Because she bakes a lot, she has a baking tote - a large basket filled with basic baking supplies, such as baking powder and soda, chocolate chips, sugar, and vanilla. When she is baking, she merely brings out the tote.
Plastic container storage
Plastic containers can quickly get out of control. Banks says the first step is to throw out anything that is broken, doesn’t have a matching lid, or is pitted or damaged from microwave use.
She suggests storing any containers you want to keep upside down, making them easier to stack and keeping dust and debris out.
“Most often, the top of the container is wider than the base,” explains Banks. “If you store them face up, most people don’t take the time to properly put one inside the other, and so containers pile up and you end up with an avalanche.”
Lids are often an issue, says Banks. Store lids together in an empty container or in a plastic file folder or dish rack hung inside the cupboard door.
Overall, says Noel, try to have your counters as clear as possible as it will make your kitchen less cluttered looking and therefore less stressful. Organizing a kitchen can hugely impact stress levels, she says, and can be done one drawer or cupboard at a time. It won’t take long to make a big difference.
Laura Churchill Duke lives in the Annapolis Valley and is a partner in Your Last Resort home organization business, which is quoted in this story.
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