Beyond the Remodel: Clearing Kitchen Clutter for a Calm and Functional Space
From quick weekday breakfasts to elaborate special-occasion dinners planned and prepared with care, the kitchen is nearly always a hub of household activity. This constant bustle, while indicative of a vibrant home, also means it’s a common place for clutter to accumulate. For homeowners in Phoenix considering a kitchen remodel or those who have recently completed one, maintaining an organized space is key to long-term enjoyment. Here at Homework Remodels, a premier Phoenix home remodeling company, we believe a truly successful kitchen renovation doesn’t just involve new kitchen cabinets and countertops, but also the smart strategies to keep them clutter-free. Let’s explore practical ways to clear the clutter and create a beautiful, truly functional space in your Phoenix kitchen.
Clear the Clutter and Create Calm, Clear Surfaces
Kitchen counters are often the first casualty of a busy household. They can quickly become overwhelmed with mail, shopping bags, small appliances, and a wide array of kitchen tools and gadgets. Once these prime surfaces are full, the simple act of preparing meals becomes much more challenging and less enjoyable. Moreover, just the sight of a cluttered counter can contribute to daily stress, impacting the overall atmosphere of your kitchen design. Reclaim that clean, clear space on your kitchen surfaces to make abundant room for comfortable and efficient cooking.
TAKE ACTION TO CLEAR THE CLUTTER:
- Start by completely clearing off and thoroughly cleaning all your kitchen counters, one section at a time. This fresh start is crucial.
- Before putting anything back, critically assess what you honestly need to access daily. These are the truly essential items worthy of prime counter space – for example, your coffeepot, a jar of frequently used wooden spoons, and a favorite cutting board or fruit bowl.
- Aim to find a different, designated home for everything else. This might mean inside a cupboard, on a pantry shelf, or within a specialized kitchen storage solution.
- If your kitchen layout also serves as an entry point for your home, dedicate a specific, organized spot for frequently dropped items, such as keys and mail (for example, a decorative dish for keys and a slim tray or wall organizer for mail). This prevents these non-kitchen items from spreading over your freshly cleared kitchen countertops.
- Consider investing in clever kitchen organizing products like drawer dividers, utensil caddies, or tiered shelf inserts to maximize internal storage and maintain order.
Choose Your Essentials: Smart Storage Solutions for Your Kitchen Remodel
Instead of focusing on what to get rid of, choose to look at clearing clutter in a positive light. Ask yourself this empowering question: “What do I truly love and consistently use in my kitchen?” This shift in perspective can make the decluttering process feel less like a chore and more like curating your ideal cooking space.
Focus on clearing prime space – specifically, your top drawers and easily accessible cabinets – for the pots, pans, kitchen tools, and dishes you use daily. These are the workhorses of your kitchen and deserve to be within effortless reach. Highly specialized cooking gadgets certainly have their place (and if there’s one you genuinely love and use often, by all means, keep it!). However, allowing these less-frequently used items to take up valuable, front-and-center real estate will only make it harder to work efficiently in your kitchen. During a kitchen remodel, consider dedicated appliance garages or deep pull-out drawers for these items.
TAKE ACTION TO CLEAR THE CLUTTER:
- Without looking in your kitchen cupboards, think through a typical day of preparing meals at home. Mentally walk through the process of cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Make a list of every single pot, pan, cooking tool, and dish you use to make those meals happen.
- Once your list is complete, ensure these essential items are stored in the drawers, cabinets, and shelves that are easiest to reach and most convenient for your workflow.
- Next, look at what’s left in the other, less accessible areas of your kitchen storage. Be honest with yourself and see if you can let go of some cooking tools, small appliances, or excess food storage containers that you rarely (or never) use. Donating or selling these items can feel incredibly freeing.
Rethink Nooks and Corners: Maximizing Every Square Foot in Your Kitchen Design
If your kitchen design is compact and galley-style, this may not apply as much. But if you have a bit more space to play with, take a moment to critically consider how you are currently using those often-overlooked nooks and corners. It’s clear how the main kitchen work area should be used (for cooking, chopping, and washing up), but when it comes to the nooks and corners, their purpose is truly up to you.
Think about what you genuinely want from this space. Could it be a cozy nook to read while dinner simmers? A tidy built-in desk for paying bills or managing household tasks? An art corner for your child’s creative endeavors? Let yourself daydream a bit, and note down what possibilities come to mind. This is where a custom kitchen renovation by Homework Remodels can truly shine, creating bespoke solutions for these often-neglected areas.
TAKE ACTION:
- Once you’ve decided how you want to use your kitchen nook or corner purposefully, gather only the items you want to have in this specific space.
- If items are collecting here that do not serve the dedicated purpose of this area, immediately move them out.
- For example, if your goal is to create a quiet corner to read while a pot of soup simmers on the stove, focus on creating a comfy seating area with appropriate lighting. Then, actively take out the unnecessary and distracting stuff, like piles of old bills, shopping bags, or stray gadgets that have migrated there. This commitment to purpose will transform the space.
Make Space for Simple Pleasures: Infusing Joy into Your Kitchen
The kitchen is undoubtedly a hardworking space, often the central hub for meal preparation and daily routines. However, it can and should also be a place where we gather, relax, and find simple joys. Whether you’re enjoying a quiet glass of wine at the end of the day or listening to a favorite podcast while washing the dishes, consider which simple pleasures you can intentionally incorporate into your kitchen space and your daily routine. A thoughtful kitchen remodel by Homework Remodels can integrate features that support these moments.
TAKE ACTION:
Thinking through each part of the day, consider what small item or routine you could add to make your time in the kitchen a bit more pleasurable. Here are a few ideas that enhance the ambiance of any kitchen:
- A radio or a stylish docking station for listening to music or podcasts while you cook or clean.
- A small vase with fresh flowers or a low-maintenance succulent to add natural beauty and life to your kitchen island or countertop.
- A pot of fresh herbs on the windowsill provides not only beauty but also delightful aromas and fresh ingredients.
- A scented candle to light beside you while you wash dishes, turning a chore into a more sensory experience.
- A pair of comfortable, stylish stools at your kitchen island or peninsula, inviting family and friends to chat and connect while you cook, making the kitchen a more social hub.
By embracing these decluttering and organizing strategies, you can maintain the beauty and functionality achieved through your Phoenix kitchen remodel. This proactive approach ensures that your kitchen remains a truly beautiful, functional, and serene space.