Expert Tips For Kitchen Organisation
Practical kitchen organisation tips brought to you by PG Bison and The Labb.
22/08/2021
the container store
Ever since the global pandemic that started in 2020, as well as the resulting lockdown restrictions, we have been limited to spend far more time confined to our homes - more than we usually do. During this period of confinement and having far more time on your hands to reflect, you may have noticed that your home is not as well-organised as it can be. Or it could be that the shared experience at home has resulted in disorganisation.
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Leading supplier of board products, PG Bison, collaborated with The Labb founder, Candice Prins, to present a webinar that discusses organising a kitchen. They realised that for many, organising the kitchen can be one of the most daunting projects to tackle, and for this reason, you may find the following tips extremely helpful when organising your kitchen.
While this article summarizes the main points discussed at the webinar, you will also find the webinar video below.
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Candice Prins, founder of The Labb and home organisation guru, advises that organising a kitchen does not have to be a huge and time-consuming task if you have the right organisation tools.
Clutter clogs the mind
Bet you didn't know that any type of organisation is a very therapeutic activity when dealt with calmly and rationally. The result not only works towards a well-organised home but also a better mind space. “Research has shown that cluttered or unorganised rooms in a home negatively impact our state of mind and increase stress levels,” says Candice. In this chaotic world that we live in, having a comfortable, clean, clutter-free home may immensely improve your wellbeing.
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When properly organised, you will immediately notice that items are easier to find, and you won't waste time searching for things that are not where they are supposed to be. This is of particular importance if there are children in the home and have easy access to items that should be out of reach.
The Labb's top kitchen organisation tips
The trick when organising a kitchen is to decide on a starting point, and this applies to the rest of the home as well. Candice offers the following tips to achieve an organised kitchen that works for you:
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1. One at a time
Too often, when tackling kitchen organisation, is the need to take everything out and have it all end up in a huge, disorganised pile of clutter on the floor or countertops. It is far better to tackle a single cupboard at a time and be able to organise as you go along. The best idea is to select the messiest cupboard, one that has been plaguing you forever and take this on as the first task. You also don't need to do everything in one day, but rather spread it over several days so that you can fully concentrate on the task. Once you have tackled the largest project, everything else will be easier.
De-clutter, compartmentalize and containerize, and label everything. And, more importantly, make sure to involve the entire family in the organisation task, that way they will all be interested in keeping everything neat and tidy.
2. Sorting through everything
To make sense of the clutter from each cupboard, create separate piles of items that you want to keep, sell, give to someone or trash if items are not recyclable. It can be a hard process, but you need to be honest with yourself when sorting items and decided in which pile they should be placed. Some people tend to hang onto things even though they are no longer needed or useful.
This time of organisation is the ideal time to take stock of what you have and what you need. Why have 10 or more coffee mugs when you only need 6, and that's not even taking into consideration the fact that most of them are chipped or cracked? Feel free to let things go.
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3. Organisation tools
It isn't always possible to achieve organisation if you don't have the tools at your disposal. Items such as drawer organisers, shelf separators and storage containers make a huge difference in corralling loose items, and easier to keep everything organised. If you want more information on The Labb range of products simply visit labb.co.za and click on Shop to view their product selection.
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Spice cupboards are usually a clutter-zone, especially if you make use of plenty of spices. Candice recommends sorting through these and storing your spices in stackable, airtight containers that are clearly labelled and can be grouped by use, whether it be baking, braaing or entertaining outdoors, or for when cooking meals. When you need to use spices, they can easily be taken to the prep or cooking station or outside to the braai.
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Another cluttered zone is the pantry. For this area, Candice recommends that you sort according to high use. Things like flour, rice and pasta can be stored in airtight containers to prevent weevils or contamination and keep them fresher for longer. Arrange everything according to how often you reach in the pantry to grab it.
Should you reach a stage where enough is enough and you feel that you simply can't go on, you can hire a professional organisation guru like Candice to tackle the project for you.
4. Keep everything neat and tidy
If you are going through all the trouble of organising the kitchen, try to keep it going. Too often, people get stuck into organising a room or space and then it all falls back into chaos after a couple of months. Get into the habit of putting things back in the right place.