General Organization Tips for Kitchens-Tip #1

by Cindi Sutter, Founder & Editor Spirited Table® - content provided by Marty Basher. Marty is the design expert with Modular Closets, https://www.modularclosets.com. Marty regularly contributes on topics of home design, organization, improvement, and more, helping homeowners get the most out of the spaces in their home.

Stay tuned for 4 more tips from Marty that specifically target your Pantry, Fridge/Freezer, Cleaning Station, and Guest hygiene station!

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The holidays can be a fun and joyful time of year, but also crazy and chaotic. Making sure your kitchen is neat and organized ahead of time is a great way to ease some of the stress of the season.

Modular Closets' Marty Basher is a Design and Organization Expert with over 20 years of experience helping families organize their homes and households. His insight on home organization related topics has been featured on Reader’s Digest, Realtor.com, Cheapism, USA Today, MSN, Better Life Online, Huffington Post, Apt. Therapy, Martha Stewart Living, Woman’s World, and more. Marty offers tips to help get your kitchen organized for upcoming holiday festivities!

As leaves turn color and temperatures drop, we are happily reminded of the upcoming gift-giving, family-gathering, carol-singing season. With only three months left in the year, interwoven with various observances and religious festivities, it’s time to get your kitchen organized and ready for the holidays.

For some people, preparing for the holidays often translates to stress, chaos, and breaking the bank; however, an organized and well-stocked kitchen will greatly reduce any feelings of anxiety and pressure by encouraging a clutter-free and functional food prep space. 

General Organization Tips for Kitchens

The first step toward organizing your kitchen for the holidays is a complete cleaning overhaul of the pantry, fridge/freezer, and wherever you store cleaning supplies (typically under the sink for most homeowners).

Pull everything off the shelves. Taking inventory of what you have will help cut costs when making a grocery list for holiday dinners; therefore, remove everything out of the fridge, pantry, and cleaning station one area at a time. Inspect each item’s expiration date, and throw out anything old and moldy (including cleaning solutions). Wipe down all surfaces. Using a diluted bleach or vinegar-Dawn soap solution (either one--do not mix), clean up stains and grime that have coagulated over the months (or years). A microfiber cloth works well with picking up dust and food crumbs, and Magic Erasers removes tough smudge marks. Tackle the microwave while you are already in cleaning overdrive. Mortified by the caked-on splatter turning your microwave into a crime scene? Squirt some dish soap in a glass bowl of water and heat it for five minutes. Once done, let the bowl sit inside for an additional three to five minutes before you wipe the inside with a sponge or hand towel. The food residue scrubs right off. Categorize similar items together. Before returning everything back onto their shelves, an organization system must be made. Until then, categorize items by similarity and separate them into different piles. This will help you visualize what you have and decide on how to arrange the items.

Marty Basher Bio

Marty Basher is the design expert with Modular Closets, https://www.modularclosets.com. Marty regularly contributes on topics of home design, organization, improvement, and more, helping homeowners get the most out of the spaces in their home. Modular Closets are high-quality and easy-to-design closet systems made in the USA you can order, assemble, and install yourself, in no time at all. Using closet modules (closet pieces you can mix & match to design your own modular closet), homeowners everywhere are empowered to achieve a true custom closet look- for nearly 40% less than standard custom closets.