Organized kitchen at Lennox

Recently my team and I helped a family settle into their new home, and one of those spaces we settled was the kitchen. The kitchen is the hub of the home, it’s the one room every one in the house uses on a daily basis. It’s one of those make or break it areas for daily routines.

Kitchens are also the easiest to organize in my opinion. I love the simplicity of them and how much impact they truly provide. Ever wonder what makes a kitchen feel organized?

Zones! It’s all about zones and location! Zones for categories, but also placement of those zones for flow and ease in the kitchen during meal prep and clean up.

Let me share what I mean about zones in pictures!

Where you place your daily dishes and utensils matters… you want them to be nearest to your dishwasher. When daily dishes and utensils are near the dishwasher it’s so much easier to unload.

Speaking of utensils- they’re not all alike and they shouldn’t be jumbled together. We’re not animals!

Separating your utensils by use will make meal prep, cooking, serving and eating so much easier if you’re not searching for the right utensil.

Here are the different types of utensils and how you should separate them if possible:

daily utensils- forks, spoons, knives, chopsticks, and straws. Think of these utensils as the things you’d use to eat a meal.

prep utensils- knives, slicers, openers, mixing spoons, whisks, and spatulas. Think of these utensils as the things you’d use to prepare food before eating or cooking.

cooking utensils- tongs, spatulas, ladles, thermometers, and wooden spoons. Think of these utensils and things you’d use to cook food before serving.

serving utensils- cheese board knives, picks, serveware, salad tongs, etc. Think of these as utensils you’d use to serve prepared food.

Your zone for prepping food ideally is nearest to the sink and trash for washing and clean up, but also has ample space for using a cutting board. Prep zones should have all the knives, gadgets, cutting boards and mixing bowls within reach.

Your cooking zone is located nearest to the stove. In this area you have all your utensils, pots, pans, oils and spices.

Another zone to consider is where you keep your small appliances. Most of my clients like to keep their counters clear of appliances as much as possible. This makes cleaning easier but also keeps your kitchen from looking like a cluttered mess. Pick a cabinet where you can keep them all if possible. Roll out shelves are a major plus because some of them can be clunky.

Entertaining dishes for those Sunday dinners or get togethers are best kept separate from your daily dishes. Since they’re typically not used on a daily or weekly basis, it’s best to utilize lower or harder to reach areas for these items.

Your baking zone is best kept near the oven if possible, especially oven mitts! Baking pans and sheets can get jumbled and hard to access. My favorite solution is to store them vertically. If your kitchen is not customized with vertical storage you can purchase vertical organizers. All you need is a tall and deep cabinet, sometimes that might require you remove a shelf.

Not every cabinet will have shelves removed, sometimes adding shelves from a hardware store can make all the difference. I especially recommend doing this for upper cabinets to keep daily dishes from getting over-stacked, which causes chipping. I also love to do this for ovenware as pictured above. Upper cabinets are a much easier way to reach ovenware.

Food storage containers are also best kept in their own cabinet. I often use containers to hold smaller items and lids. Separating kids containers from food prep can also be really helpful, especially when you’re scrambling to make those school lunches.

Disposable dishes and utensils are often a big part of most kitchens. If they’re not used every day, I suggest keeping them in a lower cabinet or pantry separated by type. I love these versatile containers for separating napkins, cups, cutlery, plates, and bowls.

Supplements, daily medications and first aid supplies are a popular zone for the kitchen too. Containing those categories in their own bins or on their own shelves can make a world of difference when it comes to accessibility. Placing sports bottles and blenders nearby is also a great way to create a wellness zone!

I think it’s also worth mentioning the smart reason my clients hire us to unpack the kitchen for them, not only are we experts in creating zones for function… but we also can do it in one day! Having a functional kitchen on the first day of a move is a game changer!

Shop the products used on this project here.

Over the years I’ve definitely discovered some favorite products. If you don’t have time for the product rabbit hole… use my tried and true recommendations. Here’s the link to shop my favs!