simplify your kitchen

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When you simplify your kitchen, you remove the chaos and make room for streamlining what you have and how you do things. Let’s face it, dinnertime can be stressful even in the smallest families. Without a plan, faced with a pantry of unorganized ingredients, and having more tools than needed, preparing meals may be impossible.

Living a simple life is the backbone of a peaceful day and a stress-free evening, and it all starts in the heart of the home, the kitchen.

Let’s map out a plan that will take you from cluttered to loving this important room again.

Wouldn’t it be great to snap your fingers and transform your kitchen from a hectic, clutter-filled space to a serene, streamlined hub of your home?

Maybe magic isn’t the answer, but we do have some magic tips that you can start using right away. Practical steps and strategies that will help you remove the unnecessary, making cooking and baking a more enjoyable, stress-free daily task.

As you simplify your kitchen, you’ll discover how an organized space can set the tone for a calmer, more relaxed day-to-day life. Bookmark this page and keep it in your simple living guide.

What is a simplified kitchen?

A simplified kitchen is one that has been intentionally decluttered and organized to make meal preparation and cooking easier.

When the area where you cook is streamlined, preparing meals is a breeze.

You can see this tip come to life in the back end of any successful restaurant. With so many people working to get multiple dishes out quickly, having a systemized layout is crucial.

Every item has a specific home, and every task has a designated area where it is done.

If a busy restaurant kitchen can be organized, so can yours, and It involves three key steps.

1. Removing unnecessary items.
2. Streamlining tools and ingredients.
3. Creating a functional space that promotes efficiency and ease.

A simplified kitchen can also positively impact the other rooms in your home. When you see the positive results of this one space, you will be motivated to carry that simplistic approach to each area, completely transforming your home.

How to Simplify Your Kitchen

Let’s tackle some of the common areas in a kitchen and look at ways to streamline each one. Keep in mind less is more with this project. Less stuff means more room to cook and that is, after all, the goal of our focus today.

Simplify Food Storage Containers

Many times the containers we have for leftovers far outnumber the amount we actually need.

1. Gather up all the containers in your kitchen and start by tossing any that are damaged or stained.
2. Choose the best from what you have left, and ensure you have a lid that fits each securely.
3. Put the food containers you are keeping in a large basket or other organiazer, making it easier to find what you need efficiently.
4. Don’t forget to deal with the excess stuff. Donate what is good and toss what is damaged.

Simplify Dishes, Glasses, and Cups

Having multiple sets of dishes is more than what you need in a kitchen. Let’s pare down your sets into something more reasonable.

1. Take all of your glasses and dishes to an open area so it is easier to sort through.
2. Toss any that are chipped or cracked, keeping the best and an amount that is reasonable for daily use.
3. If you routinely entertain, you can keep extra dishes and glasses in your pantry. Store them in containers that are meant to hold and protect items.

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Simplify Small Appliances

Evaluate your small appliances and consider which ones you actually use on a regular basis. If there are any that have been gathering dust, it may be time to donate or sell them.

1. Do an inventory of your small appliances.
2. Donate anything you no longer need or use.
3. Toss anything that is broken.
4. Only keep out on your counter what you use daily.
5. Store in a cabinet or pantry the things you use weekly. This will free up much needed space on your counters for cooking and meal prep.

Simplify Cooking Tools

Tools are an important part of a kitchen as they help you to cook more easily. The trick isn’t in the tools but how many you have of each. Have a core collection that you routinely use and donate the rest.

1. Go through your utensil drawer and remove any tools that you rarely use.
2. Keep only the essentials, like a spatula, whisk, wooden spoon, and can opener.
3. Store tools near to where you use them for a more efficient setup.

SLCG Pro Tip: If you are short on drawer space, you can use a pretty crock to hold your cooking tools near where you use them.

Simplify Kitchen Gadgets

We all have those random gadgets that we thought would be useful but only end up taking up space in our drawers.

1. Go through crowded drawers looking for gadgets you haven’t used in a while.
2. Donate what you find or pass them on to your family and friends. A gadget that failed in your kitchen might be a helpful tool for them.

By only keeping things you routinely use, it will be easier to find what you need and save valuable drawer space.

Simplifying Decorations

While it’s nice to have decorative items in the kitchen, too many can make your space feel cluttered and overwhelming.

1. Reevaluate what you have on your walls, counters, and on top of your cabinets.
2. Consider downsizing your decor to remove some of the chaos.
3. Bring in heirlooms that relate to your kitchen or love of cooking. This personalized touch can bring charm to a busy space.

By only having a few things out, you will transform the kitchen into a more visually pleasing space.

Simplify Bakeware, pots and pans

Pots and pans are essential to a simplified kitchen, but we often overlook the quality. Free up space to hold new updated tools and respark your love of cooking.

1. Go through your pots and pans and keep only what you use on a regular basis.
2. If you have any duplicates or rarely used items, consider selling or donating them.
3. If you are short on storage space, use a hanging pot rack to keep things out so you can get to them easily.

Declutter Counters

In a kitchen, counters are the most important area because this is where you prep your meals, preserve garden harvests, bake bread, and create amazing desserts.

1. Take a look at your counters and remove any uncessecary items that are not being used on a daily basis.
2. Keep only the essentials on the counters that you use in the area where you use them. This approach will help to streamline your entire kitchen.
3. Use organizers to hold like items giving a more organized look to a space.
4. Each week reset your counters removing anything that does not belong.

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Simplify Food storage

Another crucial area in a kitchen is the food you keep on hand to cook with. Create an organized yet simplified area so you can easily grab ingredients during meal prep.

1. Gather up food you have throughout your kitchen.
2. Toss anything that is expired or stale.
3. Choose a central location for your dry food storage area such as a pantry or large cabinet.
4. Create a layout using categories to keep food where it belongs. A few ideas are: soups, breakfast, Italian, and snacks.
5. Always visit your food storage area before heading out to the grocery store. This will ensure you are only buying what you need and getting overstocked.

Make the most of your space

Organizing is a key part of simplifying a kitchen. Having a specific home for your things makes doing tasks easier.

Use these tips to tie your new layout all together.

Utilize Vertical Space

If you are short on space even after simplify the above areas, you can look to other spaces for more storage options.

Make the most of your kitchen’s vertical space by installing shelves or hanging racks for storage. This is a great way to keep items off countertops and create more room in cabinets and drawers.

Keep Papers Out

If you have mail and other papers that end up on your kitchen counters, consider setting up a home hub to hold everything in one spot.

You can use a wall in the kitchen, a cabinet, or even a few baskets on the end of the counter. A designated spot for holding mail, bills, and even school papers will keep your kitchen neater.

Learn how to set up a Command Center in a Home for more tips.

Keep things Put Away

Once you have decluttered and organized your kitchen, make an effort to keep it that way. Develop a cleaning routine and put items back in their designated spaces after use. To help, use bins and basket to hold like items so you can toss and go.

The easier your organizing setup is, the more likely you and your family will stick with it.

Simplifying and organizing your kitchen can transform it from a chaotic and cluttered space into a serene and efficient place to cook and spend time with your family.

By decluttering, maximizing storage space, keeping the countertops clear, and developing a system that is easy to maintain, you can create a functional and pleasant environment that enhances your cooking experience and brings joy to your daily routine.

More simple Living Tips:

• Best Books on Simple Living
• How to Live Clutter-Free
• Household Tricks to Make Life Easier