This month I have really been thinking hard about our kitchen and how it functions for us. I am sure many of you can relate when I say that the kitchen is the most common and heavily used area in the home. Sort of the "hub" if you will.
I am always taking note of the things that work and what absolutely is not, and try to problem solve those problematic areas, which I then share with you darling friends. And although our kitchen isn't perfect, as I sit and reflect on it this month, there are quite a few items we have been using for years and years that have made our lives in the kitchen so much simpler and easier. So today, instead of reflecting on the bad, I am going to reflect on the GREAT! And share with you items that I specifically heart to use in our own kitchen {and two that have made their way onto my wish list for the future}.
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Now, time to review:
- I am not a huge fan of kitchen counter clutter, I am however, a fan of easy access and being smart about storage. Keeping a pretty utensil jar on our counter next to the stove keeps daily cooking utensils right within reach and allows you to use your drawers to store less frequently used items and everything else you don't want out in the open.
- I use small baskets all over my kitchen. I keep one on the opposite side of the stove, to corral cooking oils and vinegars. I also use them in my cupboards to group common food packets and small food packages together.
- By now, you all know I am the biggest advocate for drawer liners in any shape, color or style. Not only do they allow you to quickly wash up and clean out your drawers, but they also add a happy smiling surprise every time you reach in to grab a measuring spoon or apple cutter.
- Pull out drawers are the best.invention.ever. We were fortunate enough to have our already installed within our cabinet when the home was built, but I can't imagine life without them. They allow you to easily gain access to items stored in the back of the cabinet, that are typically out of site, out of mind.
- If there is anything I want out of site, out of mind, in the kitchen, it is our knives. Not necessarily for our sake, but because our kids are in the kitchen just as much as we are. By using a drawer knife block organizer, we are able to keep the knives tucked away and add a child safety mechanism to the drawer as well.
- Large glass jars are awesome for keeping frequently used baking items, cereals and puppy treats on your counter, while doubling as adorable, functional accessories.
- These shelves are wish list item number one for me. They double the available storage space within a cabinet, and allow dishes to be stacked for simpler access.
- We added a bakeware organizer to our cabinet a few years ago and it has made life so much simpler ever since. It allowed us to place our baking sheets and cutting boards vertically vs. horizontally stacked. Now, they just slide in and out with ease vs. having to dig through a stack.
- This fam of five goes through a lot of cereal. So by using cereal keepers we can always see our inventory {we absolutely can't allow it to run out or we will have grumpy kids, lol}, and it keeps it fresh for longer, since when we keep cereal in the box, the bag tends to be left open.
- Wish list item number two is the tiered cabinet organizer. Or, I may just DIY one, but regardless, I love that it allows you to easily see items in the back of a cabinet, so nothing is forgotten and everything is within reach.
- The multi-purpose bins are typically used for the home office and around the house, but I find they work best in the kitchen in the fridge or freezer for keeping food contents separated and organized.
- Drawer organizers have been a winner around here for years. Rummaging isn't the name of the game, and organizers not only prevent things from getting mixed up within the drawers, they also prevent you from placing too many things in without thinking about where they belong.
- Since food is expensive, we store leftovers, freshly cut fruits and vegetables in glass food storage containers. I went with glass a few years ago since they are BPA free and keep food contents nice and cold. Plus, they last far longer than any plastic option I have come across. Well worth our investment.
- I have to admit, iHeart my coffee tin. It's the simple things. I don't use ground coffee, which I think the tin was initially intended for, but I do toss my box of K-Cups inside and keep it right next to the coffee maker. Again, any way to group common items together wins in this kitchen!
- Raise your hand if you have paper piles on your counter. That was us too. Every single day. Then, I invested in a wall pocket system and now we can sort family papers in their appropriate bin, hang our keys, drop our change and keep stamps and notepads all within reach, but not on the counter.
- For all of our dried foods, we now store them in clear, air tight containers. We can always see what we have, everything stays fresh and by adding a vinyl label on the side, I can use a chalk marker to write in the date that we put the food within the container. Now it I never have to question how old something is or if it is still good enough to eat.
- No kitchen is complete without mason jars. They are so versatile for everything from spices to sprinkles. I am in love.
- Our kitchen isn't huge, but it isn't small either. However, we did eventually outgrow it as our family grew. I don't hoard excessive entertaining pieces or small appliances, but we did need to expand our storage. Purchasing a sideboard cabinet allowed us to have a place to store serving items, crock pots, food sealers and tea kettles. It greatly expanded our storage for all of those things we don't use daily, but still use often enough to keep, and was far less costly than building a new kitchen or home.
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