STEP 8 – WHAT SHOULD BE STORED AT EACH WORK CENTER
For instance, the colander needs to be kept at the cleaning center (sink) because you use it first with wa-ter. Obviously, the skillets for frying eggs and steaks need to be by the range top, and the mixing bowls for making cakes need to be at the mix-and-store center. Not so obvious, and contrary to some of our habits, the coffee pot and tea kettle should be stored at the sink. The reason is that you usually put water in the pots first, before you place them on the range.
How you equip your kitchen depends on your lifestyle. If you tallied up lots of points in the Kitchen-Storage Test in Step 7, you will NOT be able to get by with the “minimum” basic utensils and supplies for a kitchen. Certainly, if you entertain large crowds on a regular basis, you cannot be limited to a few small sauce pans. But, on the other hand, if you never bake a pie or roll out cookies, you can eliminate the bread board and rolling pin.
Besides the equipment for preparing meals, you will need a place for your dinnerware, flatware (forks, knives, spoons), and glassware. Water glasses used throughout the day should be kept by the sink, or next to the refrigerator if the drinking water is there. The serving dishes for hot foods, logically, should be by the range and oven. But what about the dinner plates? The decision depends on “how” you serve your meals most often. (Go back to your answers in your Cook’s Profile). If you serve blue-plate style (from pan to plate), you will want the plates near the range top. However, if food is passed at the table “country style”, the plates are better located in a cupboard close to where you will eat. When you store your dinnerware in another room, be sure to have a cart on wheels or a tray to transport the stacks of dishes after washing.
The amount and kind of tableware you should have, again, is reflected by your lifestyle. If you always eat informally in the kitchen, one sturdy set of dinnerware stored near the eating table will suffice. A “service-for-eight” set serves a household of 4 people very nicely, leaving extra pieces for guests or for use between dish washings. The amount of flatware and glasses required varies depending on the type. Sixteen teaspoons, 8 for beverages and 8 for dessert, are more utilitarian than just one set of eight. The same holds true for luncheon-size forks in order to serve salad and pie in the same meal. A double set of water glasses solves the numbers problem for thirsty people at the sink as well as the dinner table.
Microwave ovens, to be used fully, may require some special equipment such as a browning skillet, a defrosting rack, and a glass-ring mold. Again, what you need depends on how you use the unit. Most of the baking dishes you already own will do fine — anything made of oven-proof glass, ceramic, pottery, and glass-ceramic. Even some plastics and, for short periods, baskets and wood are permissible. Beware though. Metals and items with metal trim, except small pieces of aluminum foil, CANNOT be used. To test if your dishes, even dinnerware, are microwave-safe, place a cup of cool water in the unit next to the dish and set the dial on high for 1 minute. If the dish is warm, it is absorbing the microwaves and should NOT be used in the oven. Using paper plates and paper towels saves on dishwashing.
A Planning Center somewhere in the kitchen is important. The common question, “What’s for dinner?” can be easily answered if the week’s menus are posted on a bulletin board, dry erase board, or chalk board. Your “office” may just be a corner of the eating bar, or the kitchen table. Wherever the place may be, you do need space for cookbooks, paper, pencils, and file folders nearby. If the telephone is there, a calendar will be handy to jot down appointment dates. A bulletin board is good for messages and lists of chores. And most essentially, a note pad and pencil should be easily accessible to “everyone” using the kitchen. If each person jots down the names of groceries and supplies as the last item is taken from the shelf or refrigerator, the shopping list will be more accurate and complete come marketing day. Likewise, if “all” your household management is done from the kitchen-planning desk, plan to allocate even more space for files and equipment. A computer, if used, must be plugged into electric current which does not carry your other motor driven appliances because “surging” may cause loss of information.
WET BAR. Some kitchens have an additional sink to be used as a wet bar. To be most useful, this center should have it’s own refrigerator. Some small-refrigerator units can be built into a base cabinet, others set nicely on top of the counter. A special rack or drawer should hold wines and champagnes. The bottles must lay on their sides in order to keep the corks moist and swollen.
WORKSHEET 8 is a complete checklist/inventory of the equipment, supplies, and food items that you have or in-tend to purchase. It is important to know each item’s frequency of use. Your answers will determine where and how the items will be stored for maximum efficiency. Completing Steps 9 and 10 will help you complete the process. If you have not made purchases as yet, try to select appliances and serving pieces that will have multi-purposes. This will help to reduce the storage space you will need.
NOTE: Worksheet 8 is an ideal source to help you sort out unused and outdated items — think $$$ for a garage sale. Your new knowledge will enable you to make wise purchase decisions in the future. A “bride-to-be” can use the information to complete her gift registries.
Check out Lifestyle Systems complete line of drawer and shelf organizers for the home and office at www.lifestylessystems.com. If you want to be an active participant to change/plan your kitchen download the corresponding worksheet for the workshop by clicking on the worksheet below:
Worksheet 1 – Cooks Profile
Worksheet 2 – Draw Your Kitchen
Worksheet 3 – My Work Triangle
Worksheet 4 – Location Of My Work Centers
Worksheet 5 – Measure My Counterspace
Worksheet 6 – Measure Heights of Work Surfaces
Worksheet 7 – Part 1 – Kitchen Storage Test
Worksheet 7 – Part 2 – Measure Your Kitchen Storage
Worksheet 8 – Part 1 – Kitchen Equipment Checklist
Worksheet 8 – Part 2 – Kitchen Equipment Checklist
Worksheet 8 – Part 3 – Tableware Storage Checklist
Worksheet 8 – Part 4 – Tableware Checklist Continued
Worksheet 8 – Part 5 – Supplies and Food Items Checklist
Worksheet 9 – Measure Points You Can Easily Reach In Your Kitchen
Worksheet 10 – How To Place Items In A Work Center
Worksheet 11 – Part 1 – Suggestions For Maximizing Storage Space In My Kitchen
Worksheet 11 – Part 2 – Suggestions For Maximizing Storage Space
Worksheet 11 – Part 3 – Suggestions For Maximizing Storage Space In My Kitchen
Worksheet 11 – Part 4 – Suggestions For Maximizing Storage Space In My Kitchen
Worksheet 12 – A Shopping List For Kitchen Equipment And Tableware
Worksheet 13 – Survey The Lighting And Electrical Outlets In My Kitchen
Worksheet 14 – Decorating Your Kitchen
Worksheet 15 – Gather Samples For My Kitchen
Worksheet 16 – Part 1 – Sources And Appointments
Worksheet 16 – Page 2 – Budget and Priority Schedule For My Kitchen
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