Professional Organizer Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland Scott Roewer’s organizing blog DeClutterYou

As a professional organizer, I’ve been in a few hundred homes, and one thing I’ve discovered is the kitchen is an easy place for clutter to pile up.  Does your kitchen have clutter? If you’re like most Americans, it does!  Keep reading, below are three steps to organizing your kitchen.

You know the kitchen clutter I’m talking about – the plastic grocery store bags that multiply overnight, the mismatched plastic ware, the bread machine you ‘should’ use, or the ‘obligation’ purchase you made at that last Pampered Chef party. The clutter sometimes lands on the kitchen counter but often the disorganization lurks behind the cabinet doors or in the deep, dark pantry.  Because it’s out of site, out of mind, the it easy to forget about the clutter. But, the time will come when you need to find something specific and you’ll have to dig.

You may be on your hands and knees digging in the back of the cabinet, or you’re dropping cans of soup on your toe as you forage past the Mickey Mouse shaped waffle maker, the Ginsu Knives, and the battery powered flour sifter. Either way, it’s frustrating! I’ve seen counter clutter so deep that it has caused personal injury!  Save the digging for the garden this summer and organize your kitchen.

Use my ’3-P’ kitchen organizing method to start process – Pull, Purge, Place.

Pull – Start in one area of your kitchen and pull all the items from the cabinets. When was the last time you wiped down those shelves?  While you are working, clean the shelves! As you place items on the counter, group the similar items together.  You may need a small folding table or your dining room table to have a larger working space.

Purge – Now that you are able to see all of your dishes, plastic ware, kitchen gadgets, pots and pans, etc., it’s time to purge! Kitchen clutter is usually not about having enough storage space. It’s commonly about too much stuff. With that in mind, keep the items you use most often. Beware of multiple items. How many potholders, spatulas, and frying pans can you use at once? If you’ve not used an item in the last year, do you really need it?  Do you have two items that are different but serve a similar purpose? NOTE – Things not to save include; take out containers, plastic ware missing it’s bottom or top, plastic stadium cups, rusty pans – you get the idea.  Give your surplus items to a student moving into their first apartment, have a garage sale, or donate the items to charity.

Place – When placing the items back in the cabinets, designate a home. For example: coffee maker near the sink with the mugs close by, glasses by the dishwasher, pots by the stove, knives in the food prep area, and so forth.  Your kitchen items should be stored in the area they are used.  Resist the urge to pile everything back into the drawers.  Use drawer organizers to divide utensils in the drawers.  The goal is to be able to open a drawer and see everything inside.

My ’3-P’ method is a good self-help method for organizing your kitchen.  You may need to add accessories to your counter top, drawer glide outs or shelves to maximize your kitchen.  If you have a specific kitchen clutter problem, leave us a comment below, we’ll be happy to help.

Happy cooking, from my kitchen to yours – LOL.  (OK – I laugh because I only prepare food, I don’t cook!)

I simply love when brilliant people recreate common products to fit space limitations or with a new twist. Here are a few favorite pieces I have stumbled upon.

Origami for the Kitchen.
Orikaso has taken a completely flat piece of ultra lightweight polypropylene and engineered it to fold into a bowl, cup, or plate. Imagine the envious people around you when your picnic basket is smaller and lighter in weight, yet you’re sporting ultra cool blanket-top dish ware. Currently you can buy a dinner set, after dinner set, or a complete set for an individual.

Their web store has announced they will soon come out with a fold-up colander/strainer, cutting boards, and a set designed specifically for picnics. I hope they’re released in time for the great Fall movie events on the National Mall. For ‘green’ readers, yes, it is dishwasher safe and you can recycle the items if necessary. However, with a 10 year guarantee, you’ll have these items around for years of enjoyment. Check out how to fold bowl actually folds from a flat piece of polypropylene into the bowl.

Perfect For A Picnic.
Speaking of fantastic picnic plates, check out this amazing plastic plate I recently saw at one my favorite stores in DC, HomeRule. Designed with caterers in mind, this plate allows the user to snap her utensils into place and also hold a wine glass. No more fumbling over how to hold your glass and no more sticking your fork and spoon in your pocket as you move through the buffet line. Problem solved with the all-in-one design. There are even two locations to put your dipping sauces.

Shop HomeRule online or stop in the store to buy a set of 8 plates for $9.99. Grace, the store’s manager, reports that their shoppers love the fact the plates are dishwasher safe and not easily scratched. If not for picnics, use them for your next office luncheon or holiday party. The plates have a luxurious image versus that of something disposable. Plus I love that it is 100% recyclable. What this video to see how the plate works.

If you want to see the video produced by the makers of the CaterPlate, click here to go to Youtube.

Multipurpose & Space Saving Design.
You’ve probably seen the collapsible measuring cups and colanders, but check out the Foldibowl™. This bowl has no hard plastic because it is made completely out of silicon. Therefore it can also be used as a trivet. I love that I can flip it over and push it on to the counter top, where it will stick like a suction cup. It’s a great tool for boaters who don’t want bowls sliding around for those days when they’re out on rough water. I’m going to be giving these as gifts to my friends with boats and to my parents, who have a motor home. To buy online, Google Foldibowl, or check out your local Bed Bath & Beyond store. The lowest price I found online was here.

Do you have a favorite space saving kitchen product? If so, leave a comment to share it with our readers.