Re-claim your kitchen!

The kitchen represents the heart of the home. It’s a place where stresses are halved over cups of tea, where old friends gather for a nostalgia top up, and where Mother’s gourmet magic is conjured.
The downside to a very social kitchen though is the amount of clutter that it attracts. From letters to trinkets, gadgets that you’ll never use to stuff piled high on top of the cupboards, that favourite place to hang out can rapidly become one of the biggest storage places in your house meaning it starts to lose its actual function as a kitchen!

Re-claim your kitchen now! Get rid of the stress of never being able to locate that right utensil, pot, or mixer. Shift those tumbling plastic containers and reveal your hidden cups and plates with A&A Self Storage’s top tips to solving your kitchen dilemmas.

1. Identify and fix hotspots – Hotspots are areas in your kitchen that seem to attract clutter and disorganization and a kitchen is full of them. These tend to be pantries, cupboards, counters and even refrigerators. Shelves can quickly pile up with unnecessary and unused products. It’s good to figure out what areas you’re targeting first before you start organizing.

2. Once you’ve targeted your areas that need the most attention, start with the smaller things and work your way up so you don’t become overwhelmed. Work on de-cluttering your shelves by throwing out or donating old containers, pots, pans, and tableware you no longer use or have worn out. It’ll open up so much free space, allowing you to re-arrange what’s left. Remember to keep it simple.

3. Kitchen counters are prime areas for clutter. Counters quickly collect papers, mail, and are always overcrowded with small appliances and decorative accessories. Find a new permanent place to hold your mail. Counter space should be reserved for those every day appliances. If there are some that are occasionally used, store them inside a cabinet or closet nearby. You’ll find if you limit the number of decorative items on the counter tops, your kitchen will already begin to look more organised.

4. Don’t give in to a junk drawer. Junk drawers often start out as a good intention but quickly become more of a nuisance than anything else. If you have fallen victim to a junk drawer, take some time to sort through it, pitching things that you’ll never touch and storing what you still need in the appropriate location.

5. Kitchen cupboards can seem quite daunting. All those pot and pans, dish towels, bowls, and cooking accessories can quickly accumulate. Take on one cupboard at a time to ensure a thorough job. Make three or four different piles; keep, donate, rubbish, and store. If there are some pieces you never use but can’t seem to part with like wedding gifts, A&A Self Storage (www.aaselfstorage.com) could be the ideal place to store them with storage starting from just £5 a week.!

6. Your fridge can easily be overlooked when you want to de-clutter your kitchen, but organising your fridge can actually make cooking much more enjoyable. Toss expired items into the rubbish bin. Try placing larger items towards the back of the fridge, making it easier to see exactly what you have available. Keep like items together (cheese, meats, dips). You’ll know exactly where to look the next time you need ham for that sandwich. Use clear containers when storing food it makes it easier to see what’s in it.

Once you’ve overcome the challenges of de-cluttering and organising remember to work the kitchen into your weekly routine by keeping your sink and counters clean daily. Place dirty dishes into the dishwasher or wash them immediately to keep them out of the sink. Remember to keep your counters cleared down and return items to their rightful locations – don’t let them pile up again.

Once you’ve sorted your kitchen, why not Invite your friends over for tea or dinner and wow them with your improved kitchen space. You’ll definitely want to make some new memories over the stove when everything looks the way you’ve always wanted it to be!