Kitchen Organizing the Smart Way!

              To store each item so it can be seen and retrieved easily means that:

                    (1) Every item will be seen when you open a cabinet door or drawer.
(2) Every item will be accessible without having to move another item. 

To meet the above criteria, shelves and drawers need to be the right kind and configuration for each article. Drawer Dividers should be used in drawers to keep utensils in order so each item is easy to find. Vertical Dividers should be used for separating cake pans, cookie sheets, bread boards, and serving trays in larger drawers and cabinets. Roll-out Trays or drawers are a must in deep pantry or base cabinets to bring all items into view. Canned goods can be arranged 2 deep on 8” shelves providing both cans are the same — 2 cans of chicken-noodle soup, 2 cans of fruit cocktail, etc.— which, by the way, is a wise way to purchase so you are never caught short. Put the cans in alphabetical order (separating one section for fruits and one for vegetables) — the same for spices and herbs. This kind of organization makes finding any food item a snap. When you have provided the right kind of storage, every item will have it’s own cubbyhole and can be easily seen. DO NOT STACK ITEMS INSIDE EACH OTHER. KEEP LIDS TOGETHER WITH THE ITEMS THEY BELONG TO — examples—pans and storage containers. Otherwise you waste a lot of time search-ing for a lid that fits.

Worksheet 10 will show you an elevation drawing and reference table of how items can be stored at a mix-and-store center. The height of drawers and depth of shelves meet the criteria of having items within easy reach, as well as easily seen and retrievable. Your placement of items could be different depending on the number of shelves and drawers you have and the frequency in which you use the item.

When you see Worksheet 10, you will probably say, “Wait a minute! My cabinets are not made with all those varying shelf widths and drawer dividers”. Don’t be surprised, ready-made cabinets rarely are. Designers for mass-produced cabinets cannot anticipate what every home will need. The cooks of your household may be begging for space to store 6 different kinds of cake pans, but the bachelor next door, may never bake a cake. If you are not planning to do a complete remodel, what can you do? The answer is to custom-ize what you have to fit your own needs.

See Suggestions for Maximizing Storage Space in Step 11.

Choose Worksheet 10—Placement of every item in a Mix-and-Store Center 

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

Copyright:  Lifestyle Systems – 2011 – 2012