Organize your Kitchen!

“If I could just get more organized, I would…”

Ever hear those words—from your own mouth? Organizing professional Elizabeth Hagen assures homeowners, “organizing is more than self control. It’s a skill that anyone can learn.”If you’re remodeling your kitchen, you’ll be selecting kitchen cabinets, emptying the old cabinets so they can be removed, and returning all the contents when your shiny new kitchen is ready to be inhabited. This is your opportunity to get organized!If you’re not in remodeling mode yet, one day spent organizing your kitchen saves enormous time in the future. This is your opportunity to completely re-design your kitchen storage without spending a dime! The tools are simple: large garbage bags and a pad of sticky notes.

Step 1: Sticky notes
Write down everything you do in the kitchen and everything you store in the kitchen. Transfer each entry to a sticky note. Examples are “pay bills,” “make lunch,” “pot plants,” “feed the dog,” and “store holiday platters.” Step out of your kitchen and place the sticky notes around the adjacent room.

Step 2:  Countertops
Take everything off the countertops. Clean the countertops thoroughly. Put back ONLY the items you use daily. All other items should be placed by a sticky note.

Step 3:  Refrigerator and Freezer
Take everything out of the fridge and freezer. Clean the fridge and freezer thoroughly. Put back what you want to keep, this time by categories (beverages, leftovers, etc.)

Step 4: Under the Sink
This can be a scary step! Take everything out. Review thoroughly. Throw out as much as possible. Clean well, and put the items back using baskets to sort by category.

Step 5: Empty out the Kitchen
Take everything out of the kitchen—and Elizabeth means everything! Place each item by the appropriate sticky note. Then thoroughly clean the kitchen cabinets and drawers.“Once you haul it out, you’ll want to cry,” Elizabeth admits, "but keep telling yourself this will be SOOOO worth it! Trust the process.”

Step 6: The Piles
Look through each pile by each category. Broke? Dump it. Duplicates?  Give one away. Be ruthless in this step. If you never use the item—give it away.

Step 7: Almost there!
Take the trash out to the trash bins. Take the give away bags to your car to donate today.

Step 8:  Make a Plan
This is the fun part! Think of your kitchen as having “zones.” You are not working in zones, if, for example, you find yourself walking around a lot while you’re making dinner. Common zones are:

• Food Preparation Zone For this zone, use the longest uninterrupted counter space between the sink and fridge, or between the sink and oven. In this zone, place cutting boards, knives, mixing bowls, spices, food wraps, mixers, blenders, and measuring cups and spoons.
• Daily Cooking Zone This zone is around the oven and stovetop. In this zone, place pots, pans, cooking utensils, potholders, bakeware, recipes, and cookbooks.
• Daily Dishes Zone This zone is close to the dishwasher and sink. In this zone, place everyday dishes, bowls, mugs, glasses, and flatware.
• Food Serving Zone In a cabinet near where the family eats, place serving platters, placemats, napkins, tablecloths, serving utensils, breadbaskets, salt and pepper shakers, and candlesticks.
• Food Storage Zone In the fridge and pantry store canned goods, bottles, boxed food and paper products. In this zone, post a list of common items so you can circle them when you run low. Grab the list when you grocery shop.
• Household Information Zone This area will corral mail, phone, cell phone chargers, coupons, bills and kids’ papers.

• A items you use daily
• B items you use weekly
• C items you use monthly or seasonally

A items need to be lower in the cabinets and closer toward you. B items can be a little higher and further back. C items can be at the very top or in corners.

As you put things back, make a list of things you need and then go shopping!

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As a Certified Professional Organizer®, member of the National Speakers Association, and author of Organize with Confidence, nationally known speaker Elizabeth Hagen teaches common-sense systems and tools she has developed over 25 years. She will help you get organized, use your valuable time more wisely and feel great about yourself. You will face every day with more confidence because you will know how to accomplish what you’ve been promising yourself for years—making that ‘organization mission happen’.