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The Kitchen - Prescription OneSample Prescription
| Welcome to part one of becoming a great chef! Just joking! However, getting the kitchen in order has sparked others on to cooking more often and enjoying it! We hope that after these prescriptions you, too, will start to enjoy this space.
The kitchen is the busiest room in the house. It is a room that is wearing more and more hats every day. The kitchen has become a place to pay bills, go through mail, handle calls, and even a place for children to do homework. There is a max as to how much you can do in a space and how much you can put in it. Deciding how much you can keep has to do with how much square footage you have.
 Example: The average bath tub can hold 40 gallons of water. Let’s say you are determined to put 50 gallons of water in your tub. After you pour in the 41st gallon the tub begins to overflow. As you keep pouring it in, the water overflows and now its contents have nowhere else to go but all over the floor. Now you have a mess in your bathroom, the floor is soaking wet, and water is everywhere. You will be frustrated trying to clean it all up. I know what you’re thinking. Why would I want more water in my tub than it can hold? I don’t know. . Why are you trying to fit 20 spatulas in a kitchen drawer that’s already full? The lesson from the tub scenario applies to every room in your home. Do you see? If you put too much in a space it will overflow, be wasteful and cause a big mess. So where do we start??
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Step 1 - Create a plan and vision for the space: (20 min)
 You wouldn’t get on the road to drive across the country without a map or guide would you? You need a plan. Take out your organizing journal and get started. Take a look at the kitchen and decide what you want to achieve. Be realistic. If your vision includes all new appliances but your budget doesn’t, then you need to have a future goals list for this space. Don’t give up that dream; just be realistic about what you can do now.
We have clients call and ask if they should organize before they renovate. The answer is yes. Make sure you have thought out where everything will go in the new space. One thing that frustrates homeowners most is when they remodel or build a new house and realize after everything is complete that they didn’t plan for enough storage. We provide space planning on an hourly consultative basis for clients quite frequently. Architects and builders are great but they aren’t organizers. Bringing an organizer in to make sure you have it all covered is a good idea. It can save you frustration and money in the long run. The point is; have a plan.
**Tip: Call the charity of your choosing and arrange for a pick-up of any items that you may donate this week.
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Step 2 – Purge, Purge, Purge: (1-2 hrs)
We have organized countless kitchens and pantries and they almost always have appliances that have never been used, or so many spatulas you could flip 40 burgers at one time. One of our favorite stories is from a client who had a special pancake spatula that took up way too much space in the drawer. It had dust on it as well as the original price tag, but the client was adamant that it stay. She had already admitted to hating cooking but this she could not let go of. Why? The reasons we hold on to too many things are too numerous to get into here. One thing we often hear from clients is, “one day I may need that”. One day may never come; what’s important is the here and now. Do not buy anything unless you absolutely need it. For now, we will deal with what you already have and the first step is to purge!
If you are having trouble purging or need help and motivation please refer to our message board. We are here to answer your questions and help you achieve your goals. We can also address this at your weekly or monthly checkup.
 Don’t forget your junk drawers. We see many junk drawers in the kitchen that are overflowing. It’s o.k. to have a “junk drawer,” but make sure it is set up correctly and stocked with things you really use. Get rid of any miscellaneous items that were just shoved in and really belong somewhere else or in the trash!- To begin the purge of the pantry we would recommend having 2 bags with you. The first bag is for expired or stale food that needs to be thrown out. The second bag is for food items that you have in the pantry that you will never cook. We all have items that we see in the grocery store and purchase on impulse, thinking we will try something new. Canned and dry goods that are not expired will make an excellent donation to your local church or food bank. How wonderful to have the opportunity to help someone else. A person in need can benefit from the things you no longer need or use, including food!
- Look through all of your drawers and cabinets one at a time. Pull out specialty appliances tucked away in the deep dark recesses and donate them. Eliminate unused aprons, potholder and dishtowels.
- Remove excess dishes, bowls and glasses. Coffee mugs are especially notorious for multiplying. We’ve often found over 40 mugs in homes with only 2 coffee drinkers. It’s easy to collect them from work and special events. If you’re tempted to offer one as a gift, think about how many you have yourself. Perhaps a gift card to the person’s favorite coffee house would be a better alternative.
We know that the purging process can be physically and mentally draining, but don’t you feel better now that you’ve removed so much clutter from your home? Take a deep breath, relax and congratulate yourself for a job well done.
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| Next week: Setting up the pantry |
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