Mission Kitchen Optimization

Having moved ten times in the last twenty years (yes that's an average of every two years:), I've lived in a variety of different spaces, and the kitchen is the space I probably think through the most in the unpacking process. The kitchen is the central hub of the home: where everyone gathers; the all-encompassing drop zone; the space where memories are made. However, most people stay a little longer than two years (I hope!), seasons of life come and go, and they may not realize they have slowly adjusted to the "way things are" even if things COULD be so much better. I recently had the opportunity to work with a family who have lived in their current home for 16 years. Their extended family helped them move in and unpack - fast forward to many bike races and a few kids later - and everything is almost in the same place.

Even though they managed, they knew their space could work better for them. They just didn't know where to start, and life was full with work, kids, a side business, and many more fun things to do. So they called me, and here's how we tackled this project.

We cut the fluff

I recently heard this reference of fluff when it comes to organization. Basically, fluff is all of the things taking up space that you can easily get rid of without much thought. This includes:

1. expired food and spices

2. expired/no longer used medications

3. broken items

4. items with many multiples (in this case, water bottles and chargers)

Once the fluff was one, we could analyze what was left and look to functionality.

The Eb and Flow

One of my favorite sayings from clients is "I never thought about it that way before." When different perspectives collaborate, real change happens. We questioned why coffee cups were in the cabinet across the kitchen from the coffee pot, how often certain things are used, and why are there three different places for the water bottles. Based on their kitchen and how they function, what would best go where? Here's what we did:

1. We centralized the food. The pantry contained lots of nonfood items, and the food was in various cabinets. By putting all the food together, the family can take better inventory of what they have and reduce spending money on duplicate/excess purchases.

2. We established the cooking zone. We moved and organized the spices and cooking oils to the cabinets directly next to the stove.

3. We combined like cooking utensils like measuring spoons and cups so they can be easily located.

4. We used clear bins and labels making everything easy to see and find.

5. We found a home for the water bottles with space to spare!

   
   
   
   
   

   

   

   

   

   

Now, the kitchen makes sense, and they are thrilled with the results!

The Challenge

As with any space, there are always challenges both with the space itself and keeping things organized. In this custom kitchen, every cabinet and drawer was a different size. Taking measurements was key in finding the right storage solutions. Now that everything has a place and all food and medicine are current, this family can easily maintain their newly organized kitchen!