What a few weeks it's been! I'm sure you can relate... I feel like I've spent 90% of my time in the kitchen attempting to homeschool my kiddo and slip in a little work when I can. It got me thinking about all the other moms out there trying to juggle life, work, school and home simultaneously. It got me thinking about what we can do right now, at home, in our kitchens, while our kids our learning. There is something we CAN DO... we can create a new sense of calm, clarity and order in the one room we are practically living in! We can curb the clutter, start fresh and take small steps for big improvements in our kitchens and more importantly our minds!
Step 1 - Simply declutter. Start by taking everything out of your cabinets, ONE cabinet at a time. Think about what you really need and use. Donate or throw away the rest. Wipe out your cabinets while they are empty and put items back by grouping them into like categories. Do you really need 25 mismatched coffee and travel mugs? No. Do you really need 50 tupperware containers with lids that don't fit? Probably not.
Step 2 - Identify your kitchen work zone. This is the high traffic area between the sink, stove and refrigerator. Did you know that there is actually a recommended order as to how you should have your kitchen set up? Wait, what? you say... Yes! Where you have your plates, forks, glasses, pots & pans and so forth actually matter. They should all be housed according to your kitchen's triangular work zone to create efficiency. This is where the functional part of a beautiful kitchen really comes into play. Grab a copy of my free Pro Kitchen Organizer Checklist to make sure you're set up correctly.
Below is a sample floorplan from a kitchen project I worked on a few years ago. The triangular work zone looks a little different today because of the addition of center islands. The work zone is still there, it's just a little more elongated (think stretched triangle) and often includes a prep sink. Here is how I would have this kitchen up:
Step 3 - Assess your overall kitchen vibe. What does your kitchen say about you? If your home is a reflection of your life, which it is, does it feel fresh and cheerful? There are some quick ways you can easily improve your kitchen just by changing paint, hardware and lighting. There area plenty of tutorials online about how to paint cabinets. Sherwin Williams is still open in many areas of the country for curbside pickup and has pretty much everything you need. Updating your hardware and lighting are two more great ways to instantly improve your kitchen and can be ordered on line. Make sure you measure your existing hardware sizes before ordering.
If you are interested in taking this time to reorganize and refresh your kitchen, please send me your before and after photos! I would love to see your progress! Also I've just started a new FB group Kitchen, Bath & Mudrooms by Design. I'd love to have you join me over there where busy moms just like you will be sharing their design challenges. Get in now because I will be going live each week to address someone's design challenge.... yep that's free professional design advice to help move you forward with your project! Stay healthy, stay sane and remember we can do this! XX00
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