Organizing Your Kitchen Setup

Organizing Your Kitchen

When you are designing your kitchen, you want to create an attractive, functional place, somewhere for family and friends to gather for parties and every day meals; you want someplace where everyone will feel comfortable and relaxed.

You also want a place that is easy to maneuver around. This is a very important part of the design of your kitchen. Having everything within the reach of each appliance is not only important; it can be a safety issue. It can be dangerous if you have to leave the stove or reach over a gas flame for something that you need. There are some basic design tips that will assist you in making your kitchen functional and well organized.

When you design your kitchen, you will not want to put your refrigerator too close to the stove because it will use more energy to stay cool. Place your dishwasher next to the sink; this is a given in just about every kitchen. The reasons for this are simple. The dishwasher should be near the sink not just because of the drain, but also because it is easier to put the dishes in the cabinets above the dishwasher instead of walking across the kitchen again and again.

Think in terms of “stations”. A well organized kitchen will have a clean up station, a cooking station, perhaps a baking station if you bake often, and even an office station where you clip coupons, store cookbooks, open mail, etc. Keeping all the items you need for a task together makes a station.

A well organized kitchen can also give the appearance of more space, and with the right lighting, can achieve the look that you want. If you have a kitchen that is on the small side, you need to minimize clutter and get rid of any appliances you don’t use daily. If you use some weekly or less often, store them somewhere else – they don’t deserve a place on your countertop. 

When you stop and think about it, your kitchen is the focal point of your home. It is where most families get together to start their day at breakfast, and it is where most families end their day while sharing the events of their day.

A kitchen should be warm and inviting, and a peaceful place to visit with friends. Designing should not only reflect this, is should also reflect your own style and personality.

They functionality of a well organized kitchen should not be done so rigidly that is the only thing that people notice. You want your kitchen to make people feel welcome. It should also reflect your personality. You spend enough time cooking and cleaning, your furnishings should bring a smile to your face too. Don’t be afraid to mix things up and show a little whimsy.