Berte: Sorting out your kitchen

By Janice Elizabeth Berte

Your house is a disaster from the snow and the mud trekked in by your kids and the family dog Brodie. You open a cabinet drawer or closet and have to quickly move out of the way since the avalanche of Tupperware tumbles at your feet. You always said to your husband or partner that you wanted a bigger house and more closet space, but thanks to the bad economy, that idea got shelved. So, unless you inherit large sums of money, it is time to streamline and get motivated for your new and improved kitchen.

Well, fret no more, I have some terrific solutions to get you cracking, and let’s start with the room where everyone congregates, the kitchen.

A lot of homes have that big piece of granite island that, like candy to a child, has an irresistible attraction. Never mind that there is a beautiful dining room waiting to be visited. Ultimately the old galley wins out.

First, stand in the center of your kitchen with a pad and pen in hand and make three columns. The first column is titled, “How I would like my kitchen to look.” The second, “What is not working.” And the third, “What is working.”

For example, ask yourself these questions: Do you want cabinets that pull out? Is there enough counter space” Are the fixtures outdated? Do the walls need to be painted? Is the kitchen big enough for our family?.

Second, once you have made your lists, start on the left side of your kitchen and pull out all of the items from each cabinet. Place everything on the counters and floor so you can see things clearly. Have a stash of double-bagged paper bags lined up for expired products.

Third, once emptied, wipe down and vacuum out all of the food stains and debris in the cabinets that may be left from months of neglect.

Fourth, you don’t have to do this, but I would recommend putting in cabinet liner. This liner will protect your woodwork especially if food drips from the cans or containers. It’s an extra protective measure.

Fifth, if there is no date on the food item I would still discard them just to be on the safe side – unless you know it is brand new.

Sixth, group all like items together so you can see what you need and what you do not need. This will cut down on future grocery bills. And ask yourself if any of these items will be warranted down the road. For example, make piles of all canned vegetables, soups, crackers, jam/jellies, condiments, and pastas in categories. Most people are on diets, so now is a good time to either discard or give away those packages of cookies and candy bars you have stashed in the back corner closet. Pull out and toss any chipped glasses, dishes or soiled pans from your cabinets.

Seventh, ask yourself questions like: Will I be entertaining as much this year? Is my child leaving for college? Will I have a parent/parents living with us? Are we thinking of downsizing eventually? Asking these questions now will help you make smart decisions about any future renovations.

Eighth, once all the items are weeded and in proper categories, start putting back the items, but ask yourself if these products work in that particular cabinet. For example, you would not want your mugs far from the coffee maker on your counter, or having your dishes placed on the other side from your dishwasher. Make sure your items create ease and flow in your kitchen and not a lot of wasted back and forth walking.

Ninth, this suggestion will be an additional expense, but one that I find important and that is to buy correct food storage containers. Purchasing these items will indeed keep the foods fresher and contained. As we all know, some of the supermarket packages are so flimsy and it also creates fiascos if one of those packages break. How many times have you struggled with the packaging and splattered potato chips all over the floor? You have to be the hulk just to open these bags. I can also think of flour and sugar packages which leak so that could be something you may want to buy. If you do not have the extra money, just put these bags/packets in Ziploc bags, a safe second choice.

If you do buy the food storage containers – which can be found at the Container Store or Bed, Bath and Beyond – label each unit to make it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for. Buying a label maker is always a good investment. You can change the fonts, colors and sizes of your labels, which makes organizing that much more fun and productive.

Now that you have structured all of the insides of your cabinets, you can now move onto your next room. Good luck.

Janice Elizabeth Berte lives in Framingham.