Re-Organizing Your Kitchen Post Holiday
We made it!!! We shopped, cooked, baked, entertained and cleaned up...well, mostly!
Maybe while preparing your holiday meals you realized your kitchen wasn't as functional as it could be!
Here are some tips to maximize your efficiency:
Alphabetize your spices. You want me to do what? Yes! That's what I said.
First, while you are doing that you can check the expiration date so your dishes are not made with spices that have lost their "oomph."
Combine any duplicates so that you have less jars or tins and toss out any that you really don't like or use much.
Now picture yourself reaching for a spice or herb in the middle of cooking. You go right to it, use it and put it back in its place.
It helps with time management and avoids distraction while cooking, which often leads to a burnt dish.
Everybody sing: A-B-C-D-E-F-G...Organize your spices, 1-2-3!
What's in your drawers?
In my tiny kitchen I have only 2 deep drawers. In one I stack mixing bowls, my hand mixer and the mixing blades that go with it.
Every so often I empty the drawers and find that I can reorganize some of the contents and make more room for whatever I think works better.
Come to think of it, right after this I am going to change one deep drawer with the plastic wrap and foils and put them in a more shallow drawer and have more storage for deeper items.
There's always room for improvement. Yup...works for me, too.
Just how many spatulas and strainers do you need?
Gather all your spatulas and kitchen utensils. Lay them out according to function. I bet you have at least 3 spatulas, 4 strainers, etc. Pick out the ones you really use often and keep them nearby.
You can even put adhesive hooks inside your cabinets and hang them inside for easy access and more room in your drawers.
Now look at each one that's not a favorite...if you haven't used it in months either toss it or give it to some utensil-challenged person, or a soup kitchen, perhaps.
Your refrigerator door(s) have potential to save you time:
My youngest, when he was six, opened up the refrigerator and said with aghast: "Why would you put peanut butter next to pickles?!" He was so right!
I only have 2 refrigerator door shelves. My condiments are all together, upside down so that I don't have to waste time waiting to pour; mayonnaise and spreads together, liquid marinades in the same area, etc.
Not only does it help in reaching for something quickly, but you can easily see when you are running low or are missing an item. The key is to train your household to put everything back where it belongs.
The key idea is create a system that works for you!!! Make your meal prep time, holiday or everyday, much more efficient.
