Prime time to act on those new resolutions

I want to get out the door On Time every day for work (or school).

I’d like to always be able to find my: cell phone, purse (or wallet), bills/mail, the kids’ hat & mittens, their homework/backpack, phone chargers, and ultimately my keys.

I want to be able to keep up with the household laundry.

I want making dinner easier and grocery shopping simple.

I want to keep my house clean and under control.

These are all very reasonable goals for any individual or even a family as a whole. It is your job to set the goals and find out how to attain them. If in years past you’ve been unsuccessful at “getting organized” just talking to a organizing professional can help.

This week we are going to continue to organize your kitchen by confronting these 3 areas: Cabinet contents vs. placement, managing your pantry, and un-stuffing your overstuffed “junk” drawer.

Junk drawer

Based on last week’s organizing work you may have a container filled with items that “don’t belong” including the contents of what was your junk drawer. In the process of becoming organized the idea is to find or make a home for every item in your house. If an item does not have a permanent place in your space then the item “floating” around your home somewhat misplaced, can be expected. Go through the contents of the container one by one quickly placing items in categories and putting in their rightful place and discarding all mismatched items that remain unused. Junk drawers are a great “catch all” for these items but not necessarily a good home for them.

FAQS.com states the top 20 contents of a junk drawer are: loose thumb tacks, rulers/tape measure, tape of all various types, appliance manuals, pens/pencils, an assortment of used/unused batteries, shoelaces, old cell phones, eyeglass screwdriver, nail file, an assortment of glue, a flashlight, electronic cords and paper clips.

If you do have a designated “junk drawer” than take the time to purchase a drawer organizer or find items in your home that you can maintain an organized drawer with.

The correct placement of said junk drawer is key for its use and effectiveness especially if placed in your kitchen.

Cabinet contents/

placement

Ideally when you first move into a home it is best to take the time while unpacking to place items in cabinets that are most effective for optimal use of its contents. An example of poor placement is if you had to get down on all fours to retrieve a drinking glass from a lower cabinet.

Here are a few pointers.

Daily drinking glasses, plates, and bowls should be place in an upper cabinet closest to the kitchen sink and dishwasher. When loading and unloading a dishwasher the proper placement of your daily dishes will be key to getting them put away quickly for any member of the family. Remove all seasonal dishes, special occasion dishes, broken or otherwise damaged items away in another space. There should be a reasonable amount of space remaining in this cabinet so that contents are not overflowing and falling out when trying to retrieve an item.

Household cleaners are best placed a. below the sink (if small children are not present in the home) b. in the cabinet above the refrigerator, or c. in a bathroom cabinet or linen cabinet. Take the time to go through your household cleaners, disposing of containers that are almost empty or unused. Your home requires basic cleaning supplies – windows, floors, dusting, disinfectant, and a general carpet cleaner.

Plasticware. The dreaded task of retrieving a container for leftovers … I think I could write a book on how extremely frustrating this is for most people. It is best to go through your containers and find all lids and dispose of all extra lids or containers without lids. Then store the container with the lids either placed under them so that you can stack them inside of each other or sealed. Place your plastic ware in a cabinet that is easily accessible, big enough for your collection, and where it can be maintained by all members of the family.

Pantry

Last but not least the placement and management of your pantry is essential to keeping your supplies stocked and meal preparation easy. In my work with clients I have frequently found a closet in close proximity to a kitchen that lacks a designated pantry. In most situations it is makes more sense for the family to utilize this closet as a full pantry where all food is kept. A pantry is ideal for restocking commonly used items, but cabinets can serve the same purpose if available. Lazy Susan’s are great for pantry items but can get overloaded if not used properly. Upper cabinets work great for food storage because they are easiest to see and reach.

Keep all baking supplies in one cabinet close to where you store your mixer and baking pans.

Keep all spices next to the stove or above.

Do not stack canned goods in a lazy susan as the movement will cause them to fall. Place canned goods on the bottom and boxed goods on the top.

Store all boxed goods on their front so that you can stack them vertically rather than line them up horizontally. This enables you to see the contents of the box without retrieving or generally disturbing the rest of the stack. It also allows you to utilize the full space in your cabinet.

Remember that non-perishable food does expire. Check all of your boxes and canned goods as you restock your pantry so that the newest food goes in the back. Dispose of expired goods immediately.

A simple restructuring of your cabinet contents could easily change the way you prepare meals and reduce the stress and frustration of cooking. Be sure to take this task one step at a time, cleaning the interior of the cabinet as you go. Weekends work great for this project so that you can remain focused and complete the project in one day.

Bergstrom, of Littlefork, is a professional organizer and consultant.