I love when my home feels organised, but it can feel like it’s so much of a BIG job to really make the changes that I often put some of the more high use areas (that really need organisation the most) on the back burner. Organising my laundry about 6 months ago really opened my eyes to how things can stay neat if I just give everything a proper place to go back to. So a few weeks back I decided to tackle the parts of my kitchen that really needed to change. Here’s how it went.
The Utensils Drawer
This was really the reason that I decided to bite the bullet and make my kitchen easier to use. It was really bugging me to find the right utensil right when I needed it, so I decided to find a solution. I found this cool tray at my local Trade Secret and knew that it would make it so much easier to find things once they were all separated out.
I used this as a chance to throw some things that we no longer needed or were damaged away and just keep what we use and need. It was a small change, but it has made a big difference for me.
The Junk Drawer
Yep, we all have one, and this one was becoming a pain for me. But when I was in the storage section of Trade Secret looking for the tray for the utensils drawer, I saw this one marked as for the junk drawer and I decided to get it too! It’s funny how it’s the simple things that seem to make a big difference.
The little compartments made it easy for me to separate things so they were easy to find again and only a few things didn’t fit. It’s far from perfect, but is at least a working solution for my home.
The Corner Cupboard
Most of my cupboards are already so organised that they really didn’t need to feature here, but I did have one that was a pain and it’s where I keep the baking stuff and other similar appliances. It frustrated me that you had to get everything out just to get anything out of it, so I added two simple solutions that have made a big difference.
First, my aunt kindly offered the hanging baskets that hang under the shelf and then I also added a document file. The hanging baskets now hold all my cookie cutters on the left, and I can just pull the basket out when I need to use them and on the right is some small muffin trays and cake decorating things. Before the cookie cutters sat in a mixing bowl and it was a pain to get to.
The document file I found at a local Op Shop (thrift store) and it has really been a game changer. I am using it to store all cupcake pans and cooling racks for baking and even a recipe or two. Now I can just slide the one I need out without having to unpack the whole cupboard. It freed up a bunch of space and I was even able to give more things that didn’t have a proper home a home.
The Pantry Shelves
I was nervous about sharing the before pictures from these, because they are such a mess! The pantry is an old school one that’s very no-frills and really needed some love. The shelves are tall and we weren’t really using the space as best as we could. So when I was shopping for possible solutions I came across the expandable shelf and bought 1 to see if it was what I needed for the job. I also decided that the old vinyl covering 2 shelves needed to go, but I loved the yellow, so I grabbed some placemats (also from KMart) to test out.
I tested out the shelf (shown in the first pantry photos) and used 4 placemats that I cut to size and lined up. They were the perfect solution to both using the space well as well as having a neat covering for the shelves. So I went back and bought two more shelves and 8 more placemats and did the other two shelves.
A few things got thrown out or moved to a different shelf, but the majority just fit in the pantry so much better that we now have space for things for special occasions.
Thoughts on the project
I feel so much lighter when working in the kitchen now. It’s really interesting that it was some small changes that have really made a big difference. Our laundry is still as neat as it was when I first did the mini makeover on it and I hope that the kitchen will be changed for the better too!
Does your kitchen need some of these small things to help it work more efficiently too? What’s your kitchen organisation tip?
If you do try this, I’d love to see a photo or hear about how it went! Tweet me your pics at: @danniellecresp or instagram me at: @dannielle with the hashtag: #styleforahappyhome
Note: This post is in no way sponsored by Trade Secret or KMart or the Op Shop, it’s just where I shopped for these things and thought it would be helpful in case you were looking to get your own.