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 The world from a short person's POV - not Australia or New Zealand. |
Random thoughts, pointed comments, and whatever else crosses my mind 
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A clutter-free workspace can bring a little sanity to your busy day. If you have been following along, you are probably ready for this next step: Creating a Plan of Action. Taking this next step takes very little time, but if you skip it you are setting yourself up for disaster. There are any number of methods and techniques for creating plans, and all projects, no matter how small should have one. Of course, the most popular one now is the Marie Kondo Method that suggests organizing by category rather than room by room. You have probably heard the phrase, "If it gives you joy, keep it, if not say thank you and put it aside." But here is another method that might work for you. It's called The Kindergarten Model by Julie Morgenstern. Organizing is about creating a space so that it reflects who you are and how you want to function in the area. You need to arrange things logically and efficiently so that staying organized will be a snap. Take a look at Kindergarten rooms for example. They are divided into activity zones. This makes it easy to focus on one activity at a time and, everything needed for that activity is right there in that space. With this in mind, you can walk into any room and decide what to do and where to do it. The beauty of this model is that it can be applied to anything: office, home, room, drawer, car. And since one of the major rooms in any home that works best when organized is the kitchen I'll give you an example of how this works. Activity Zones: Food preparation, cooking, dishwashing and dish storage, food storage, and possibly, utility and home info/paperwork hub. As you identify each zone, consider what supplies are needed and what storage units you will need. Unless you are creating a kitchen from scratch, you will have to make your plan work with the existing floor/cabinet design. Look at how your kitchen is working for you now. If an area works efficiently, you can look at other areas that need improvement. Identifying the zone that is most practical for a certain activity will go a long way to getting the kitchen organized in a way that works for you. The food preparation zone is where you do most cutting, chopping, mixing and seasoning. So, the best location for this activity would be along the counter between the sink and stove or between the stove and frig., depending on how your kitchen is laid out. The cabinets above and below should hold the supplies and equipment needed. I have found it most efficient to use the space between the sink and stove for this zone. It is easy to clean the cutting board when using it next to the sink. I keep all my spices in an upper cabinet. In the cooking zone which is around the stove, I keep my pots and pans, etc. in a lower cabinet. I also keep most of the serving bowls in an upper cabinet. Knives, spatulas, slicers are in an adjoining drawer. Bakeware is in an upper cabinet including measuring cups and mixing bowls. Wisk and other small items needed for baking are in a lower drawer. My kitchen aid mixer is on the counter between the stove and frig. since this is my designated baking area. In the Dishwashing/storage zone, I have stored my everyday dishes, glasses, and cups in the upper cabinets next to the sink. Flatware including steak knives and specialty pieces are in drawers below the cabinets. This area is close to the dining room so it is convenient to use for meals and then put used pieces in the dishwasher. Dishwashing products and cleaning products are stored under the sink on a special mat that can be cleaned if anything spills. The counter in this area is used as a serving buffet next to the dining room. I also have a coffee zone next to the pantry. The counter contains two coffee makers, one for my mother and one for us. Coffee supplies are stored in the cabinet below. I am fortunate to have a walk-in pantry where all my food supplies are housed. The pantry is a special area that requires as much attention as the rest of the kitchen. You don't want to open the door and wonder if you have an item or not, only to find that you have duplicates because you forgot where you put the product or it got lost behind other items. My suggestion is to put like items together, utilizing storage containers (make sure they fit on the shelves unless you can adjust the levels.) and that they are labeled or you can see through them. For example, in my pantry, different kinds of pasta are in clear containers next to bottled sauces; can goods are stacked together by type. Flour, sugar, salt, etc. are in clear containers on another shelf. Oils are grouped together on the same shelf. Crackers and chips are in a basket on another shelf. Cereals are stored on the top shelf in clear containers. I periodically review the contents of the pantry making sure like or complementary items are together, removing any items that are past their shelf life. I used chalkboard paint on the inside of the door to the pantry. I keep a list of items that need to be replaced or specialty items for menus there. If you are not fortunate enough to have a pantry in close proximity to the kitchen, consider storing items near where you are most likely to use them. Lazy susans are great for this if you have them. Though I highly recommend finding a space to incorporate a pantry if at all possible. Take a good look at how you want the room to function for you and your family. Give close attention to the counters and storage space you have available. It is worth the time to take a trip to a local home goods store to get ideas of storage containers, racks, and liners that are available now. Most are not very expensive and can add to your overall design. I used tiered shelves to increase the space for seasonings, baskets for snacks, clear containers for sugar, etc., mats and cabinet liners to help keep the area clean, and a divider system for trays and pot lids. While this is a plan for kitchens, you can approach any room or area in the same way. Laundry rooms can be planned out the same, closets as well. Remember, an excess of supplies like condiments in the kitchen or shampoos, lotions in the bath can easily cause clutter. Make sure you are storing like items together and take an inventory before you go shopping. If children or other members have their own items, teach them to do the same. In the next post, I'll write more on organizing closets, bathrooms and a real problem area for most of us: the office. Do you have a particular area that you are having trouble getting organized the way you want it? What seems to be the culprit? Let me know, and I will try to give you suggestions and support. |
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Fire dancers!!! Wow! What fun! You really are in Paradise! So happy you for you! 
But I wish I loved it. That would be SO HANDY! So, I've been working on positive self-talk regarding cleaning. I smile when I say these things and I say them out loud if I'm alone or in my head if I'm not. I say things like, "I love to clean. Cleaning is fun. Cleaning makes me happy. I enjoy a tidy space." Blah, blah, blah...
Sure, it's dumb, but if it works, it doesn't matter. 
). 
I'm the prime example of someone who needed her own advice over 40 years ago. 