Organizing Your Kitchen in 5 Easy Steps

Did you know that the ‘hearth of the home’ historically was the place where the family congregated as it was the main source of heat and therefore where the residents kept themselves warm, as well as where the cooking was done. It is no coincidence that the main area of congregation in the home is also compared to the ‘heart of the home’ (do you see the similarity?), but what, in your opinion would constitute the soul of the home?

We’ll tell you what we think. The soul is the kitchen. Food, love, nourishment, comfort, these things present a synergy that can only be tied into a neat little bow when in reference to the kitchen. Spending time with family, cooking up a storm, messing around with the flavours, replicating a recipe passed down through generations, these activities bring us closer to our loved ones, and that warmth of friendship and admiration permeates every part of the house, emanating from the kitchen. The soul of the home.

When so much happens in the kitchen, it only makes sense that we should put extra care and attention into the room, and a great place to start is the organisation of the kitchen. So, we’re sharing some of our key organisation steps to keep the energy up, the space efficient and the memories happy.

• Keep Counters Clear: If you’ve ever seen any images of luxurious apartments in Mumbai they’re overrun by minimalism, the dominant trend of the recent past. And while we may not always agree that minimalism is the way forward, we cannot deny the style one exceptional quality- it reduces clutter. Clutter can be overwhelming, when items are out of place, or carelessly strewn around, because whether we outwardly adopt the lifestyle or not, we do inherently appreciate and require method to the madness. Oftentimes, the messiest clutter is the kitchen, and it can make the space a very unwelcome room to enter. Keep the countertops clear and you’ll find it a much more inviting space, being able to keep it tidy and clean (and subsequently free of all unwelcome pests) will allow you and your loved ones to utilise and enjoy the kitchen with a lot more freedom as you all can contribute to the cooking of the meal without scrambling for space previously taken up by… things!

• Utilise Vertical Space: If you’ve read our previous blogs, you’ve seen us mention the vertical space before and its efficiency when decorating a home. One of the most underutilised areas of any cabinet is the height of it. In a world that is coming off the ‘minimalist décor’ trend, we are returning to the idea of stacking products with a better understanding of how to make this necessity more efficient. Gone are the days of cramming into a cabinet and forgetting the products right at the back. The average 2BHK in Malad is fitted with a modular kitchen that often offers ample storage space, and a quick search online will offer you a world of options such as racks, and organisers to keep your food products, utensils, and cutlery tucked away, not hidden away (there’s a key difference there!).

• Labelling: Never underestimate the value of a good label maker. Labelling in the kitchen can help keep it organised, stocked, and very importantly cost effective. We all know the pains of putting food away or buying extra so that we don’t run out only to forget that we bought extra, that has fallen into an obscure corner and is now impossible to find; eventually when you do find the product, chances are it’s past its expiry date. Call a spade a spade, it hurts our core beliefs to waste food and yet, so many of us end up having to discard food that was perfectly good had it just been accessible in the first place. So instead of overstocking your kitchen and pantry with numerous extra items, labelling the containers they are in make it easier to gauge when it’s time to run to the store and replenish. You’d be surprised how much food we actually don’t consume regularly enough to keep purchasing and how organised your kitchen, your pantry, and your spending becomes just by labelling.

• Install Open Shelving: There are certain items in our kitchens that are cooking staples and best to have easy access to, such as oils and seasonings. Sometimes having a spice rack can be a little limiting in matters of holding all these essentials. Upon visiting a sample flat, a 2BHK in Goregaon it was evident that there is a great deal of space between the counter top and the cabinets to stall a nice stretch of shelving to accommodate necessities. You can also extend the shelving right along the length of the counter top to act as an additional space of vertical storage for key items that can also add character and aesthetic appeal to your kitchen!

• Organise Your Fridge: This is such an important, and such an underrated aspect of keeping your kitchen ordered. Too often, the fridge is taken for granted. Everything and more gets put away into the fridge in a haphazard manner making locating anything that much harder. A neat trick is to treat your fridge the way to treat the food pyramid. Keep your vegetables in the drawer, proteins on the shelf above the drawer, dairy on the shelf above that, and the subsequent shelves can be used to house condiments, sweets, and other refrigerated items. Always remember to save 1 clear shelf for food that is either to be eaten, or left overs. Pro tip: Never put your milk in the fridge door- the constant opening and closing of the fridge makes the door most susceptible to temperature change, and subsequently the growth of bacteria causing your milk to spoil faster than it needs to.

• Separate Your Wet & Dry Waste: An easy one and a mandate in a lot of buildings now, your waste must be separated. This method helps keep the kitchen clean, odour free, and also keeps breeding zones for pests contained- because if God forbid you spot an unwanted guest, scurrying around your kitchen, getting into cabinets, you can often pinpoint the culprit as a wet bin that has not been emptied. Contain the source of possible contamination, and you’ll find keeping your kitchen pristine to be far easier.

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