Moving into a new home is exciting, but the unpacking process can often feel overwhelming—especially when it comes to your kitchen. As home organizers, we've unpacked dozens of kitchens and would offer this key piece of advice: The key to creating a functional and organized kitchen lies in organizing it into zones. By dividing your kitchen into specific areas for different tasks, you can streamline your cooking process and make your kitchen more enjoyable to use. Here’s how to unpack and organize your kitchen into zones.
Step 1: Prep Your Space
Start with a clean slate. Empty all cabinets and drawers and wipe down all surfaces. Next, gather all supplies needed: a trash bag, post-its and a marker to label cabinets, and boxes or bins to sort items as you unpack. Take a deep breath, have an extra cup of coffee and get ready... Unpacking a kitchen is a huge job but so rewarding once completed!
Step 2: Define Your Zones
Having a blank slate to work with as you move in is actually a good thing! You can create organized systems in your kitchen from the start and your future self will most definitely thank you for the work you put into unpacking things correctly from the start!
A well-organized kitchen typically has several key "zones" that help make it functional. Go around your kitchen with post-it notes and label each of these zones prior to unpacking the boxes. Here are the most important zones in a typical kitchen:
1. Everyday dishes and utensils
Where: near or to the right of the dishwasher.
What: plates, bowls, silverware, glasses, coffee mugs, water bottles.
Tip: be mindful of which items you use most frequently and put those in the most accessible spot.
2. Cooking Zone
Where: near the stove.
What: pots, pans, cooking utensils and spices
Tip: If you have the cabinet space, we recommend an expandable pan organizer like this one found on Amazon
3. Small Appliances
3. Baking Zone
Where: near the stove.
What: mixing bowls, baking sheets, muffin tins, pie plates, cooling racks, plus any specialty baking tools, especially if you are an avid baker
Tip: Store commonly used baking ingredients with baking items to create a dedicated baking cabinet! We love these decanting containers and these Oxo containers to keep ingredients fresh and easy to see.
Prep Zone
Where: near the sink for easy cleanup
What: cutting boards, knives, prep mixing bowls, measuring cups and washing (colanders and salad spinners)
Tip: Use an in-drawer knife block to maximize your drawer space and keep countertops clear.
5. Serving and Entertaining Zone
Where: in a tall, deep cabinet or even in the dining room if there is storage space
What: serving platters, serving bowls, cake stands, table linens, placemats, and vases.
6. Food Storage
Where: typically a top drawer for wraps and a lower, deeper drawer or cabinet for food storage containers
What: food storage containers, Ziplock bags, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, bag clips.
Tip: Use a bag organizer to prevent the boxes from snagging when you open the drawer. These bag organizers from Amazon hold so many bags and create a simple, streamlined look in your drawers! We also like to use acrylic containers and long narrow bins to hold food storage containers and lids.
7. Cleaning Zone
Where: under the sink (kitchen towels can go in a drawer near the sink though)
What: cleaning supplies and tools, dish soap, sponges, and kitchen towels
Tip: Use turntables and acrylic containers to corral everything by category. We love these turntables and these multipurpose bins as well as these narrow acrylic bins that can tuck in smaller nooks and crannies under the sink.
Step 3: Be Strategic About It
Now that you know the basic zones in your kitchen, it's time to get to work! As you open up those boxes, try not to get overwhelmed. Organizing is all about breaking down overwhelming tasks into small, do-able chunks. Start by sorting items by category (those listed above). We recomend using several bins to sort smaller items such as utensils, cooking tools, etc. and place large items on a blanket on the floor or a large surface (pots, pans, serving dishes, small appliances, etc.) as you categorize them. This will allow you to see all of what you have before you start to put items away.
A few tips:
Now is the time to toss or donate anything you haven't used in awhile if you didn't do this during the packing process. You want your kitchen space to breathe and not feel cluttlered and crowded. Decluttering anything you don't love is the first step
Relocate items to a storage area (basement or attic) if you use them only once a year (think: that fancy punch bowl you might get out for your second cousin's baby shower next year...yeah, move that on down to storage!)
Final Thoughts
Unpacking and organizing your kitchen might seem like a daunting task, but breaking it down into manageable steps can make it enjoyable. With your kitchen organized, you can focus on what truly matters—creating delicious meals and making memories with loved ones. And if you need extra help, call in he pros! Our team would love to help!
Happy organizing!
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