The year is moving along nicely, and if you have received our past two months' organization guides, then you are already off to a great start with an organized closet and office space. Spring is just a couple of weeks away, and I want to help you kickstart your spring cleaning by showing you easy fixes to optimize your kitchen for ultimate functionality and easy living. Sound good? Well, keep reading!

Before starting, you should first understand why these changes are necessary for a happier and healthier lifestyle. This is a self-evaluation that has no right or wrong answer and will also allow you to understand what issues you are dealing with daily in your kitchen. Ask yourself these questions: Is it a hassle to retrieve dishes and put them away? Do you have trouble finding the right food storage container lid? Have I ever bought ingredients that I already had in the pantry but couldn’t see before going to the store? Do I have the amount of counter space that allows me to freely move when cooking/baking? Is there a fight to

close the utensil drawer? Is there a current struggle to keep my kitchen looking clean and tidy?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, don’t fret! Many people in their busy lives struggle with their kitchen; it’s normal. You may have not realized how annoying these things are in your everyday life until now.

How To Achieve Your Dream Kitchen

STEP ONE: PURGE & DECLUTTEROne major issue that has caused the crowding in your kitchen is the unknown of what is hiding in your kitchen. You need to see every item in your kitchen and decide whether or not it still holds use and value in your kitchen. This is not the most fun part, but I promise if you dedicate the time needed to pull out these items, it can seriously save you space and money in the future. This is a great time to get the family or your close friends involved. Have them help you pull out each item one by one and sort them into bags.

Think about each item that comes out: Is it necessary? Does it work? Do you love it? Don’t linger too much on these questions with any item. The goal is to make quick decisions to finish the purging and move on to the fun parts!

Once you decide that an item will not stay, place it in a donation bag or trash bag (if the item is broken or unusable). You don’t have to lose the value of an item you spent your hard-earned money on. Host a yard sale to grab some funds back from those purchases, or even better donate to your local thrift store or shelter to someone in need who would greatly appreciate your gesture. For the items you know for sure you want to keep, further separate them, grouping like items together (i.e. pans/pots, spices, cutlery, cooking utensils, gadgets, etc). Once you’ve removed every item, you’re ready for the next step.

 

STEP TWO: SANITIZE & DISINFECTIf you haven’t cleaned out your cabinets and drawers in a while, more than likely they need a good cleaning. With the drawers empty, now is the perfect time to do a deep cleaning. First, dust your cabinet shelves and drawers. A handheld vacuum does a great job at grabbing any crumbs or little pieces that are hard to get out of drawers. After dusting, wipe down each surface with disinfectant. You can stop here for a moment and appreciate the new appearance of your empty cabinets and drawers, and pantry. You can also

take it a step further and install cabinet and drawer liners. These allow for your drawers and cabinets to stay cleaner and more sanitary in the future. There are also many modern patterns and colors that can suit your kitchen style, so don’t worry about tossing out the old and updating a little new.

 

STEP THREE: DECIDE YOUR ZONESYou are getting closer to the fun part, but first you need to decide what areas, cabinets, and drawers best suit your different categories. This is a chance to switch up your routine and find new, better adjusted spaces for your kitchenware. Take out a pen and paper (or better yet, pull out your tablet/phone for easier access in the future) and plan out your zones. Here’s my example:

Everyday Zone: your easiest to access items and close to the sink/dishwasher (plates, bowls, basic glassware, tumblers, serveware, and cutlery)

Cooking Zone: close to the oven and range (pots, pans, cutting boards, cooking utensils, measuring cups/spoons, mixing bowls, baking gadgets)

Pantry: items to be stored outside of the major cabinets and drawers (spices, dry goods, larger kitchen gadgets)

Accessories & Food Storage: items to store near the fridge (Tupperware, food storage, food wraps, Ziploc

bags, aluminum foil)

Coffee & Bar: everything you need for your morning cup of joe or evening sip of wine (coffee cups, pods, coffee accessories, coffee pot or Keurig, wine glasses, shot glasses, bar accessories and glassware)

Under the Sink: near the trash, and toxic items (cleaning supplies, extra hand/dish soap, rubber gloves, garbage bags, recycling)

 

Special Items: these items need a special spot and are most likely delicate items that you can also consider storing other places like your dining room (china, serveware, hosting items, pottery)

Now that you have a clear plan for which items go where, think about how you will position them. Keep the items you use the most at eye level, and place any items you seldom use further away or higher up. Consider using organizers for small items.

Under the sink and in your pantry, group items in clear pull-out organizer bins and label by category.

Put away cups by tallest to the back and shortest to the front, or place them ascending left to right.

To put away your baking pans, cookie sheets, and cutting boards, consider a rack that allows arranging them by size. 

Place your spices on a rack in alphabetical order for easy finding and use. To gain even more space, try installing a cabinet door rack. This is a quicker way to find your spices during cooking, since you will not need to reach inside your cabinet.

Tidy your drawers by using a drawer organizer that fits your needs. You can separate cooking utensils by using drawer inserts and never worry about forcing a drawer to open or close.

FOOD-O-RAMAApril 6th

Shop from 30 food trucks selling full portions and small plates at Food-o-Rama, with live music onstage, craft beer, vendors,

and a kids’ zone in Grant Park. Free admission.

UNDERWATER EGG HUNT & BUNNY BREAKFAST

April 20th 11 am - 2 pmEaster Egg Hunt with a twist…Underwater! There will also be

prizes, games, breakfast vendors, pictures with the Easter Bunny, and more! Bring your own water-friendly basket for

hunting! All ages; $12/person, register online with code BEP11101 or call 678.277.0880.

MY LUCKY CHARMApril 17th 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Come have a shamrockin’ good time with your partner. Break out your best green attire and enjoy an evening out with dinner and dancing. Free childcare (ages 6 to 12) provided to the first five registered couples (two children maximum per couple). To request childcare, call the center by April 10. Kids will enjoy

pizza, punch, and a movie. Register online with code OSB11006.

EGGS FROM THE SKYApril 20th

Join 25,000 at Northeast Cobb Community Egg Drop, with helicopter egg drops, games, and food vendors at Sprayberry

High School. Free. Optional unlimited rides $7. Egg hunt schedule: 11:30 a.m. age 0 to 3; 1:30 p.m. helicopter drop and

age 4 to 7; 2 p.m. special needs; 3:30 p.m. age 8 to 10.

DUNWOODY FESTIVALApril 24th - 28th

Lemonade Days features carnival rides and food starting Wed., a beer & wine garden starting Fri., a 5K race Sat., and then

vendors, pony rides, and a petting zoo on the weekend at Brook Run Park. No pets.

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the fun!

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Organized Chick is a professional organizing company serving all of metro Atlanta, including, but not limited to, Decatur, Buckhead, Duluth, Johns Creek, Suwanee, Hamilton Mill, Peachtree Corners, Grayson, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Snellville, Braselton, Buford, Loganville, Dunwoody,

Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Cumming, Smyrna, Marietta. Organized Chick can help with decluttering closets, garages, playrooms, bedrooms, offices, businesses, storage units, estates,

attics, basements, kitchens, and craft rooms, as well as moving and relocating, downsizing, filing systems, inventory, paper management, packing and unpacking, staging homes for sale,

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