11 Tips to Help Homeschool Families Eliminate Kitchen Clutter
Does it seem you’re always trying to eliminate kitchen clutter, but it never seems to last? Here are 11 tips to help your family cut down on the clutter and help prevent its return.
Having a cluttered kitchen seems to be part and parcel of the homeschooling life. My kids always seem to be mixing up slime, creating some baking soda concoction, or eating for the third time by 10:30 am, and I know I’m not alone in this struggle.
However, eliminating clutter in the kitchen will give you more space to work with and create storage space you never knew existed. I have a small kitchen, so I’m always looking for ways to make it a bit more organized and keep some of the chaos at bay.
So here are 11 detailed tips on how to better organize your kitchen and how to keep it that way, well at least until the traditional homeschool second breakfast.
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How to Eliminate Clutter in Your Kitchen
Start With a Clean Space
I’m not sure why no one else in my family seems to get this, but it is so much easier to get rid of clutter if you clean up your kitchen first. How can you make good decisions and move forward if your distracted by and fighting a mess?
Having a clean kitchen will give you more space to work with fewer distractions. You’ll also be able to see most everything at once and better decide if it needs to stay or go.
Clear Out the Stuff
Throw away the things you never use or set them aside to sell or donate. Do you have that random drawer full of soy sauce and taco sauce packages, get rid of them. This is what it means to eliminate kitchen clutter! Where does it all come from?
If you have limited kitchen space, put appliances you rarely use in the basement or attic. I keep my Instant Pot over my nearby washer and dryer because there is no way they would fit in my cabinets. Once I had my Instant Pots, my slow cookers went to the basement and finally out of the house.
Plan Your Workspace.
Start by noticing where you typically do most of your prep work. I don’t particularly appreciate facing the cabinets while I cut and prep, and I also like to be by the sink. This makes choosing my main prep spot easy. There’s only one option.
Look at what you need and designate an area to keep open as your main work area. You can also save time by keeping the appliances you use daily, such as your coffee pot, within easy reach but tucked away. Ours has a permanent home tucked under the cabinet next to the refrigerator.
Organize According to Function
It’s best to store items you use together. One drawer has all the measuring cups and spoons. Another, near the sink, has all the kitchen towels. Create a place with all the appliances you need to make a cup of coffee or tea or assemble a salad.
Organize Your Cabinets
Stock up on storage products to prevent things from getting lost in large kitchen cabinets. It will be easier to find what you need if you take advantage of modular organizers, sliding drawers, tiered shelving, and pull-out shelves. You can even buy products that don’t require installation if you prefer.
I just discovered refrigerator storage and purchased a bin to hold all the frequently used condiments. It makes it easy to pull in and out without digging through four layers of items looking for the ketchup.
We also once had extremely deep pantry cabinets. I knew they were going to be useless if we didn’t find a solution. Pull-out kitchen baskets installed in the cabinets saved the day. You lose a bit of space to the mechanism, but it’s worth it for the increased functionality.
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Go Vertical
Reclaim unused space by installing hanging hooks. You can keep expensive cookware safe and easily within reach on a pot rack.
The otherwise unused space between cabinets and counters can hold cups, towels, and other small items. If you have a pantry or kitchen door, add a door shelf for more storage.
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Purge the Paper
If you’re drowning in recipes and take-out menus, think of your peace of mind and add them to the recycle bin. With everything available online, you may be able to avoid most of the paper clutter. Limit yourself to a small bin or clip to prevent documents from accumulating that you don’t need.
I still keep my Instant Pot book nearby to quickly lookup cooking times, but the cookbooks I want to keep are stored in an area other than my kitchen.
Prevent Kitchen Clutter
Keep It Tidy
Rejoice in the fact that you have done the hard work. It takes more time to get your kitchen in order than to keep it that way. So make an effort to keep it a little tidy regularly. You can break it up into one drawer or area at a time or into short intervals of 15 minutes a week.
It’s amazing how just focusing on one spot for a few minutes each day can help eliminate kitchen clutter.
Shop Wisely
Now that you know what’s in your kitchen, you won’t be standing in the kitchen aisle wondering if you need wood skewers again. Be picky when shopping, and only buy kitchen products you need and have room for.
Clean Out Regularly
As you discover more things you never really use, get rid of them immediately. It may make sense to keep a few plastic yogurt cups (we are homeschoolers), but you probably don’t need an extensive collection. I actually clean out yogurt cups or disposable plastic trays and store them without art supplies. Then it’s so much easier to clean up after an art project if we can get rid of the paint tray.
Make it Pretty
It’s easier to get motivated to declutter your kitchen if it looks pretty. Plus, simple decorations have a greater impact on a tidy kitchen. Try changing your dish towels and curtains to keep up with seasonal colors.
I enjoy fresh flowers in the kitchen, and luckily in the summer have a free supply out my back door. However, if you don’t want to spend money on flowers, grab a couple of potted plants and add some life to your kitchen.
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Eliminate Kitchen Clutter for Now
Unfortunately, kitchen clutter has a way of sneaking back in no matter what you do. One day, you walk in and wonder where all this stuff came from. It’s okay; it happens to everyone. The important thing to do is address it a bit every day and keep the kitchen clutter monster at bay.
When you banish clutter from your kitchen and make sure it doesn’t creep back in, cooking is more fun. And when your kitchen is spacious and attractive, and you’ll get more done in less time.
Isn’t that what every homeschool mom wants?
