Creating a minimalist kitchen can be a challenging task at first especially if you have so many things. However, it can be done. Remind yourself of the benefits of minimalism to help you become motivated to start organizing your kitchen. Know that it will not only make your space look cleaner and beautiful but more importantly, more functional too.
Here are some easy organization tips to achieve a minimalist look for your kitchen.
1. Declutter your kitchen.
A Moen survey states that the kitchen is one of the most cluttered spaces in our homes. So, the first step to organizing is to declutter the space. Decluttering not only helps eliminate 40% of your housework but also lessens stress too.
Take note though that being a minimalist does not mean pairing things down to the bare minimum. It simply means taking stock of everything you have and deciding which ones you really need.
Go through all your cabinets, drawers, fridge, and pantry and get rid of anything that is expired or broken. Sort all the remaining items and separate those that you don’t use so that you can donate or sell them instead. You’ll be left with the items that you truly need and use in your kitchen.
2. Categorize.
It’s time to divide and conquer. Look at your kitchen and categorize it into sections. Decide where you want to place everything based on how you usually use the kitchen.
For instance, you want everything you normally use for cooking as near the stove as possible. Place items that you frequently use somewhere you can easily access them. If you’re a big coffee drinker, for example, place your mugs near your coffee maker.
Utilize your cabinets well. Food items as well as dishes, glasses, and food storage containers are normally stored in the upper cabinets. Pots and pans, food prep items, and appliances can go in the lower cabinets. Don’t forget to store your cleaning supplies properly too. Even undermount stainless steel kitchen sinks, for instance, leave enough space below to store your cleaning supplies.
3. Make use of kitchen organizers.
Kitchen organizers make everything look neat. Plus, they make it easier for you to find things because they keep them in place.
There are many types of organizers to choose from. Use food containers, such as clear mason jars, to store sugar, flour, dry pasta and all sorts of dry food. Baskets are also a great way to separate items on your shelves and cabinets. Airtight food containers are likewise available to keep food fresh and organized in your fridge.
4. Have a command center.
Kitchen counters often end up as a clutter zone for mail, school newsletters, newspapers, keys, and all sorts of knick knacks. You can organize all these items by having a dedicated command center for them.
A command center can have various organizers or corkboards to pin papers and even hooks for keys and other items. The point is to keep these items out of valuable kitchen space but still have it somewhere easily accessible.
5. Clear out your counters.
Some minimalists keep their kitchen counters completely bare. However, if you have a small kitchen with very little counter space, you might need to place some items on them, and that’s okay.
Sort your things first and decide which ones you absolutely need to place on the counters. Some examples would be your dish rack, coffee machine, paper towels, fruit baskets, and cooking tools. Things such as large appliances, cookbooks, and serving dishes are best stored somewhere else.
6. Keep things neat and tidy.
The key to keeping things organized is to make it a habit to stay neat and tidy. Always put things back where they belong. You can take even just 10 – 15 minutes at a time to put away clean dishes, wipe down counters or store items cluttering your counter. Go through your fridge and your pantry at least once a week to remove spoiled food and other items you no longer need.
Organizing a minimalist kitchen doesn’t have to be daunting. As long as you maintain a minimalist mindset and commit to it, you can keep your kitchen functional and beautiful.
My girlfriend and I are trying to transition to having a minimalistic home. We agree with the concept of stripping down our belongings to get rid of unnecessary stuff. We’re having a particularly hard time with the kitchen, so I appreciate your tip of categorizing the things into sections. I like that you said we should store food items and utensils on the upper cabinets where they are easy to get. We’ll try to take note of all your tips and do the organizing ourselves. But if it gets too overwhelming, we’ll contact a professional organizer to help us declutter and organize our whole home. Thanks!