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Does your kitchen look cluttered?

Is your table a catch-all for things that your family drops when they come through the door, such as homework, newspapers and mail?

Is your kitchen counter untidy?

Do your kitchen drawers attract things that belong in other places?

A cluttered kitchen is a problem I faced recently.

Here’s how I organized my kitchen from top to bottom…

Start With A Plan

The first thing I did was make a plan.

I wrote a brief note explaining the uses of a kitchen, which I stuck to the refrigerator so my family would know what a kitchen is for. Included were things like:

• meal preparations
• eating
• hobbies (these have to be done at the kitchen table)
• entertaining guests.

Create A Checklist

Then I made a checklist of items that should be kept in the kitchen.

Newspapers and mail were not included on this list.

• Mail belongs in the wall pocket that’s hung on the wall, specifically for this purpose.
• The newspapers belong in the magazine rack in the den.

Once I’d made my checklist, I then knew exactly what had to go and what could remain in the kitchen. Next, I made a list of things I needed to do over the next few days.

A great kitchen utensil checklist.

Remove Clutter from Walls, Countertops & Drawers

The very morning that I made my plan, I began to declutter the kitchen.

I made a place for everything.

I took down the wall pocket, sorted the mail and threw out anything that was outdated. I cleaned the wall pocket thoroughly, placed it back on the wall and put all current mail into it. Then, I sorted the newspapers and magazines that were heaped on the table, put the old ones in the recycling bin and placed the latest 2 in the magazine rack after it had been cleaned.

Once all the clutter was cleared from the table, I moved on to decluttering the countertop.

Then, I started on the cabinet drawers and got rid of all the items that hadn’t been used in the last 6 months.

It wasn’t long until all the drawers had been cleaned, lined with fresh shelf paper and the items returned to their proper place.

Some simple tips for organizing kitchen drawers.

An Organized Pantry

The following day, I started on the pantry.

All outdated food items were tossed. Christmas cookie cutters were put into a clear, plastic tote and stored on the top shelf, along with other seasonal items and the shelves were washed and lined with new shelf paper. (Leftover wallpaper could also be used if you don’t have any shelf paper in the house.)

Great tips for organizing your pantry.

Cleaning Out Kitchen Cabinets

Once the pantry was completed, I emptied the kitchen cabinets.

Odd dishes and flatware were put into a box that were donated to a charitable organization. Dishes that were chipped or cracked went into the garbage. All cabinets were washed and lined with shelf paper.

Finally, everything was put into its proper place.

Repair and Adjustment

The following day, I used WD-40 on the cabinet hinges and all doors leading in and out of the kitchen, including the pantry door.

Once that was done, I sharpened every knife in the house.

Next, I replaced a tap washer, cleaned out the refrigerator as well as the oven and stove.

By this time, the kitchen was beginning to shape up nicely and I felt good about my efforts.

Organizing Tools

Now that things were coming together, I had some free time to shop.

I headed to the hardware store and purchased a kitchen organizing system.

I also got a metal rack, some dividers and a metal kitchen cart. Besides that, I took home an overhead rack for pots and pans, a dish towel rack and a wall-mounted utensil organizer. The following weekend, my husband and I installed each of those things.

Dead Space

Kitchens can have a lot of dead space. Stand back and take a look. Which areas could use a little more organization in your kitchen?

Here are some ideas:

• Fun baskets placed on the counter can be used to store items that aren’t used regularly but are necessary.
• You could also mount a wine glass rack for wine glasses and a mug tree to store extra mugs.
• Utensil holders and paper towel racks can be mounted on the wall between upper and lower cabinets.
• You could place a tea cart, or a metal cart beside the stove to hold spices and other food preparation items.

My Decluttered Kitchen

After I got the kitchen spic and span, I created a cleaning schedule of tasks.

Daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks have kept my kitchen decluttered and sparkling clean ever since — which makes my kitchen a cozy and inviting place to be again!

More Tips For Organizing & Decluttering Your Kitchen:

How & Why To Streamline Your Kitchen By Decluttering

Best House & Home Magazines For Home Organizing & Decorating

How To Purge, Evaluate & Organize Your Kitchen

5 Reasons To Organize Your Kitchen TODAY

How To Get In The Right State Of Mind For Organizing Your Kitchen

Practical Tips For Decluttering Your Kitchen