Step-by-Step Declutter
  • Home
  • About Sheri
    • Contact
    • Services >
      • FAQ
      • The Organization Process
      • Packages & Plans
      • Presentations
      • Results
      • Why Hire an Organizer?
  • Organization Basics
    • Declutter Your Home >
      • Basics of Home Organization
      • Household Cleaning Schedule
      • Tips for a Quick Declutter
    • Basics of Decluttering >
      • 4 T's of Decluttering
      • Clutter vs Decor
      • Coming to Terms with Your Clutter Personality
      • Conquer Clutter
      • Principles of Organization
      • The Proven Process for Organizing Everything
      • Purge Like a Pro
      • Rules for Decluttering
      • Steps to Declutter
      • Systems for Decluttering
    • Organizing by Room >
      • Bathroom >
        • Bathroom Storage Solutions
        • DIY Bathroom Wall Storage
        • Declutter Hair Accessories
        • Declutter Your Makeup
        • Declutter Your Medicine Cabinet
      • Bedroom >
        • Bedroom Storage Solutions
        • How to Declutter Clothing
        • How to Organize Your Closet
      • Entry
      • Home Office >
        • Declutter Your Files
      • Kids' Rooms >
        • Toy Storage Tips
        • Toy Storage Options
        • Maintaining Kids' Rooms
      • Kitchen >
        • Primary Kitchen Work Zones
        • Secondary Kitchen Work Zones
        • Movable Kitchen Storage
        • How to Declutter Kitchen Cabinets
        • How to Organize Kitchen Cabinets
        • Kitchen Cabinet Space Savers
        • How to Declutter a Refrigerator
        • Tips for Organizing a Refrigerator
        • Meal Planning
        • How to Organize Recipes
      • Pantry >
        • Pantry Inspiration
    • Storage Solutions >
      • Assessing Your Storage Needs
      • How to Create a Whole House Storage Plan
      • Storage Kits
      • Storage Unit Dos and Don'ts: An Organizer's Perspective
    • Information Management >
      • How to Establish an Information Management System
      • How to Organize with Lists
      • Declutter Papers
      • Deciding What Paperwork to Keep
    • Family >
      • How to Raise an Organized Child
      • Teaching Kids to Work
    • Productivity >
      • Stop Procrastinating and Declutter
      • The Myths of Multitasking
      • 7 Strategies for Single Tasking
    • Lifestyle >
      • College Prep >
        • College Packing List
        • Dorm Room Essentials
        • What Not to Take to College
      • Holiday Planning >
        • Declutter Your Holidays
        • Clutter-free Gift Giving
        • Give the Best Gifts
        • Organize Your Gift Giving
      • Preparing for Transition >
        • Aging with Grace and Purpose >
          • Estate Planning
          • Organizing for Alzheimer's Disease
        • Adult Children
      • Travel Planning >
        • Air Travel with Kids
        • Sightseeing with Kids
        • Tips for Care-free Travel
        • Traveling with Kids
    • Moving >
      • Creating a Household Inventory
      • Organize Your Move
      • Planning for a Move
      • Moving Options
      • Prepare for Movers
      • Working with Movers
      • Tips for Packing
      • Tips for Unpacking
  • Resources
    • Books >
      • Moving Made Easy
    • Challenges >
      • Get Rid of 100 Things in 100 Days
    • Newsletter
    • Product Recommendations >
      • Organization Gems Every Girl Needs
      • 12 Amazing Organization Products for Men
      • Fabulous Farmhouse Storage Solutions
      • Crazy Cool Products That Will Make You Want to Clean
      • Best Board Games for Beating Boredom
    • Donate Your Stuff >
      • Donate Books
      • Donate Clothes
      • Donate Craft Supplies
      • Donate DVDs & More
      • Donate or Recycle Electronics
      • Donate Furniture
      • Donate Musical Instruments
      • Donate School Supplies
      • Donate Sports Equipment
      • Donate Used Toys
    • Recycling Resources
    • Sell Your Stuff >
      • Garage Sale Organization
    • Swap Your Stuff
    • Setting Goals
    • Tools for Organizing >
      • Furniture >
        • Organize with Dressers
      • Wall Storage >
        • Organize with Pegboards
        • Personalized Pegboards
  • Blog

Declutter Your Kitchen


Is the goal to declutter your kitchen high on your list of household organization tasks?

If so, you’re not alone. Given the amount of traffic that passes through the kitchen, and the amount of time most people spend there, it’s no wonder it’s a priority for many of us.  Despite the plethora of spacious, orderly (not to mention beautiful) kitchen designs available for viewing on the internet, in magazines, and on television, most of us only dream of having the desired amount of storage and work space in our kitchens.
Due to the demands of my husband’s job, our family has moved frequently – 16 times to be exact. That’s a lot of different kitchens, and I can honestly say not one of them was everything I would wish a kitchen to be.  Granted, some were better than others; some were even quite nice, but none of them had sufficient cabinet or counter space to comfortably meet our needs. As a result, I've had a lot of practice organizing kitchens and devising strategies to get the most out of the space available.


If your dream kitchen is still just a dream (and likely to remain so for some time to come), do not despair. You can have an orderly, functional, efficient kitchen! Understanding some basic principles of kitchen design will help you in achieving that goal to declutter your kitchen.

Kitchen Work Triangle

Most kitchens are designed with the concept of a work triangle in mind. The three main appliances or fixtures in the kitchen make up the points of the triangle. Those are: the refrigerator, the oven/range, and the sink.
Ideally, the total walking distance between the three points of the triangle should be between 12 and 18 feet. Less than 12 feet can lead to frustration. More than 18 feet can be exhausting for the cook.

I doubt that there are many of us who are forced to live with the daily frustration of a kitchen that is too big to be comfortable. If that is the case for you, you have my sincere sympathy. I’m afraid I can only image what that must be like. You see, I just paced off the distance of the work triangle in my current kitchen. It’s 12 feet – barely. That explains a lot.
You may be wondering how understanding the concept of a work triangle will assist you in your quest to declutter your kitchen . Simple. The whole point of decluttering any space is to improve functionality in addition to aesthetics. When it comes to kitchens, functionality hinges on the three points of the triangle. These three appliances/fixtures represent the three main functions or activities associated with this space - the storing, cooking, and cleaning of food and the tools used to prepare and serve it.
Sample Kitchen Work Triangles
Picture
Picture
There is a logical process involved in the preparation of food.
  • You purchase the food.
  • You bring the food home and put it away – either in cupboards, on shelves, or in the refrigerator/freezer.
  • When you are ready to eat, you get the food out.
  • You wash the food (as needed).
  • You slice, chop, peel, mix, and so forth depending on what you are preparing.
  • You cook the food.
  • You serve the food.
  • You store the leftover food (if there is any).
  • Lastly, you clean any dishes, utensils, pans, or mixing bowls used in the preparation and serving of the food.

​Organizing your kitchen with this process in mind will allow you to improve the functionality of the space and limit the amount of wasted effort you expend retracing your steps.

Declutter Your Kitchen with Work Zones

Directly related to the three points of the kitchen work triangle is the concept of kitchen work zones (sometimes referred to as centers). The three main work zones are:
  • Refrigeration Zone
  • Clean-up Zone
  • Cooking Zone

Kitchen work zones should be created with the concept of point-of-use storage in mind. Point-of-use storage refers to storing items where you use them. It is somewhat intuitive but frequently violated.

Often, when it comes to kitchens, the concept of storing like items together interferes with the concept of storing items where you use them. I’m going to ask you, in this specific instance, to assume that point-of-use storage takes precedence over storing like items together.
Picture
A classic example of this conflict is utensils. Our gut tells us they all belong in the same drawer, but typically the utensil drawer is bursting at the seams making it difficult to locate the specific tool you need at a given time.

Instead, consider separating tools according to function. Keep the tools you use at the stove top (whisks, stirring spoons, turners, etc.) in a crock or other decorative container on the countertop near the stove for easy access. Store the mixing spoons and spatulas in your Mixing Zone. Store the knives, peelers, and graters together in the Preparation Zone, and so forth. More about these last two zones on the kitchen work zones page.
The main thing to keep in mind as you set out to declutter your kitchen is work flow. The goal should be for the kitchen to function smoothly and efficiently. For that to be the case, you must be able to move with ease from one activity (or zone) to the next in a logical sequence.  A working knowledge of the kitchen work triangle and kitchen work zones will help tremendously in your efforts to declutter your kitchen.

Declutter Your Kitchen One Component at a Time

Kitchens are complex spaces with numerous components which work together (ideally) to fulfill the room’s function. Each aspect of this essential space deserves some individual attention. When it comes to decluttering the kitchen, each component plays a role in contributing to, or detracting from, the functionality and aesthetics of this important room. ​

Kitchen Organization Resources


For more information on decluttering your kitchen click on the images below. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Please Share


I hope you found this page helpful in your efforts to declutter your kitchen. Please share it with your friends on social media so they can enjoy the benefits of a clutter-free kitchen as well. 
Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About Sheri
    • Contact
    • Services >
      • FAQ
      • The Organization Process
      • Packages & Plans
      • Presentations
      • Results
      • Why Hire an Organizer?
  • Organization Basics
    • Declutter Your Home >
      • Basics of Home Organization
      • Household Cleaning Schedule
      • Tips for a Quick Declutter
    • Basics of Decluttering >
      • 4 T's of Decluttering
      • Clutter vs Decor
      • Coming to Terms with Your Clutter Personality
      • Conquer Clutter
      • Principles of Organization
      • The Proven Process for Organizing Everything
      • Purge Like a Pro
      • Rules for Decluttering
      • Steps to Declutter
      • Systems for Decluttering
    • Organizing by Room >
      • Bathroom >
        • Bathroom Storage Solutions
        • DIY Bathroom Wall Storage
        • Declutter Hair Accessories
        • Declutter Your Makeup
        • Declutter Your Medicine Cabinet
      • Bedroom >
        • Bedroom Storage Solutions
        • How to Declutter Clothing
        • How to Organize Your Closet
      • Entry
      • Home Office >
        • Declutter Your Files
      • Kids' Rooms >
        • Toy Storage Tips
        • Toy Storage Options
        • Maintaining Kids' Rooms
      • Kitchen >
        • Primary Kitchen Work Zones
        • Secondary Kitchen Work Zones
        • Movable Kitchen Storage
        • How to Declutter Kitchen Cabinets
        • How to Organize Kitchen Cabinets
        • Kitchen Cabinet Space Savers
        • How to Declutter a Refrigerator
        • Tips for Organizing a Refrigerator
        • Meal Planning
        • How to Organize Recipes
      • Pantry >
        • Pantry Inspiration
    • Storage Solutions >
      • Assessing Your Storage Needs
      • How to Create a Whole House Storage Plan
      • Storage Kits
      • Storage Unit Dos and Don'ts: An Organizer's Perspective
    • Information Management >
      • How to Establish an Information Management System
      • How to Organize with Lists
      • Declutter Papers
      • Deciding What Paperwork to Keep
    • Family >
      • How to Raise an Organized Child
      • Teaching Kids to Work
    • Productivity >
      • Stop Procrastinating and Declutter
      • The Myths of Multitasking
      • 7 Strategies for Single Tasking
    • Lifestyle >
      • College Prep >
        • College Packing List
        • Dorm Room Essentials
        • What Not to Take to College
      • Holiday Planning >
        • Declutter Your Holidays
        • Clutter-free Gift Giving
        • Give the Best Gifts
        • Organize Your Gift Giving
      • Preparing for Transition >
        • Aging with Grace and Purpose >
          • Estate Planning
          • Organizing for Alzheimer's Disease
        • Adult Children
      • Travel Planning >
        • Air Travel with Kids
        • Sightseeing with Kids
        • Tips for Care-free Travel
        • Traveling with Kids
    • Moving >
      • Creating a Household Inventory
      • Organize Your Move
      • Planning for a Move
      • Moving Options
      • Prepare for Movers
      • Working with Movers
      • Tips for Packing
      • Tips for Unpacking
  • Resources
    • Books >
      • Moving Made Easy
    • Challenges >
      • Get Rid of 100 Things in 100 Days
    • Newsletter
    • Product Recommendations >
      • Organization Gems Every Girl Needs
      • 12 Amazing Organization Products for Men
      • Fabulous Farmhouse Storage Solutions
      • Crazy Cool Products That Will Make You Want to Clean
      • Best Board Games for Beating Boredom
    • Donate Your Stuff >
      • Donate Books
      • Donate Clothes
      • Donate Craft Supplies
      • Donate DVDs & More
      • Donate or Recycle Electronics
      • Donate Furniture
      • Donate Musical Instruments
      • Donate School Supplies
      • Donate Sports Equipment
      • Donate Used Toys
    • Recycling Resources
    • Sell Your Stuff >
      • Garage Sale Organization
    • Swap Your Stuff
    • Setting Goals
    • Tools for Organizing >
      • Furniture >
        • Organize with Dressers
      • Wall Storage >
        • Organize with Pegboards
        • Personalized Pegboards
  • Blog