Spring organization

We are still moving snow around here in Maine, but it is March and that means that one day (hopefully soon) spring will be here. There’s no better way to shake off the old cold winter vibes than to refresh your kitchen with a thorough spring clean. We have some of our top tips for a quick and impactful spring clean that will leave your kitchen sparkling and better organized.

purge – clean – restock

Whatever part of your kitchen you start with, PCR is the method to use. Whether you’re cleaning your fridge, cabinets or drawers the first thing to do is purge. Throw away anything that is broken, unused or a duplicate (we all have one spatula we like, and one that is never used. It’s a fact of life). Get rid of any expired foods (looking at you cans and spices). Take inventory of your small appliances and decide which ones deserve to stay, which should be relocated and which ones should be donated.

Once you’ve thoroughly purged it’s time to clean. Get rid of dust, grime and crumbs using your favorite spray cleaner and a cloth. There’s no need for nasty chemicals, use earth friendly cleaners or make your own.

Restock. This is the fun part. Put your reduced load back in place and enjoy the shiny spaciousness. Take the opportunity to move things around so that the placement make sense for the way you use things. Place like things together and more frequently used items within easy reach.

Create zones

One of the easiest ways to give your kitchen a refresh is to make it more functional. Creating zones in your kitchen is the perfect way to help your kitchen function better. It’s the simple idea of keeping like things together. For example a baking zone would keep all the things you commonly use to bake at your fingertips. Mixer, measuring cups, bowls and basic ingredients. A coffee zone may include your favorite beans and sweeteners but also mugs and spoons. If you have kids in the house a kids snack zone in a safe, easy to reach area will not only keep things organized, it will promote independence in your little ones and give you a break.

Consider your layout

Your kitchen should be all about efficient movement. For example, ideally you should be able to move dishes from sink to dishwasher without any steps. And then from dishwasher to plate cabinet or drawer in one movement. Think about where your plates, bowls and glasses are stored. Are they in close proximity to the sink and dishwasher or are you’re traipsing all over the kitchen to put them away. After the purge and the clean is the perfect time to rethink your kitchen layout.

Make the most of what you’ve got

Listen, we obviously wish everyone could have a brand new perfectly customized JF kitchen. But we understand that sometimes you have to wait for that dream kitchen. So we believe it’s always a good time to organize your kitchen. Even if you’re waiting for that perfect time to remodel your kitchen, start doing the work to organize now. Your existing kitchen may not be your dream space, but every kitchen can benefit from a little organization TLC. And, the process of organizing your cabinets will will help you identify exactly what you want and need in your dream kitchen. And when you’re ready – we are here.