At a time when most expectant parents are leaving the nest, my daughter and her husband gutted the kitchen.
Amid the flying sawdust and the hustle and bustle of workers, plates, glasses, pantry supplies, utensils, pots, pans, cans and cooking equipment were all left abandoned in the living room next door as if someone had thrown a grenade in. So much for nesting.
When baby George arrived four days earlier than expected, eager to know what all the fuss was about, Paige and Adam had just finished rushing to move things in, making game-time decisions about where to put what. Though they were grateful for their beautiful new kitchen and a new baby, having everything in its right place wasn't a priority.
Except for me.
Scene change: Meanwhile, in Florida, I've booked a flight to Colorado to meet and “help” my newborn grandson. On the flight, I have a mantra in mind: No. 1, add value. No. 2, don't overstep.
Taking a Risk that I waited until the second day of my visit to let my mother-in-law (me?) know that there was a great kitchen organizer in the area. I would be happy to call…just remind me to get “Fools Rush In” printed on a t-shirt.
“I mean, don’t butt in,” I whispered to Paige and Adam, trying not to wake the baby. The three of us stood in the kitchen. “I’m not saying the kitchen isn’t perfectly neat. LogicallyBut this organizer just gives you some ideas on how to organize your kitchen and save time.” sleep, Save time What new parents look forward to most.
Marni Jameson: Pregnancy and home renovations go hand in hand in my family
I instantly regretted making this presumptuous offer. How could I have thought the idea would be accepted? George opened his eyes and let out a small squeal. Paige and Adam looked at each other, then at me, and then, to my surprise, probably due to severe sleep deprivation, just shrugged and said, “Sure!”
Twenty years ago, I met Mary Rogers, a healthy cooking instructor and kitchen organizer from Boulder, Colorado. I was living in Colorado and invited her to my home for a column. She taught me to watch the way I moved around in the kitchen. For example, when I was making scrambled eggs, I would open the fridge to get the eggs, take five steps to get the pan, take another five steps to get the salt, and so on.
“It's math,” Rogers says. “Five extra seconds to grab your ingredients, bowls, and tools might not seem like a big deal, but soon those five seconds add up to 20, then a minute, then 10 minutes a week, then an hour a month.” She set up a coffee station so I could make coffee without having to move my feet.
“If your kitchen isn't efficient, you're not going to want to cook,” she says. “If cooking is a hassle, you're not going to cook healthy meals.”
After a quick tour of Paige and Adam's kitchen, Rogers noticed how quickly they prepared properly. They limited their cooking utensils to only what they would use. “In most homes, tidying up is the first step,” she says, “but not here.” They knew they wanted to keep important appliances and food close by, so they kept silverware, glasses, and dishes near the dishwasher.
She then offered the following steps and suggestions to make the couple's new kitchen more efficient:
- Place the food in the cooking areaCooking ingredients like oil, spices, vinegar, and canned goods should be near the stove. Paige and Adam kept their spices in a drawer near the stove, but when they opened the drawer, they could see the lids. They had to pull out the spices one by one to see what was in them. Rogers suggested labeling the lids or making an angled spice rack for the drawers. Paige and Adam made a rack. You could also use a turntable. Arrange your spices alphabetically.
- Eliminate trips to the pantry. One of Roger's biggest pet peeves is seeing cooks going back and forth to the pantry. Reserve the pantry for extra supplies like condiments, canned goods, and paper towels, as well as seldom-used plates and utensils (like a waffle iron). The pantry is also a great place to store snacks that aren't needed for cooking, so Rogers moved those out of the cooking area and into the pantry.
- Thin the caddy. Many kitchens have utensil caddies that are filled with tools the cook rarely uses, Rogers says, “so when you take one out, three more come out with it.” Thin out the canister to hold only the 6 to 10 utensils you use most often, and move the rest to a nearby drawer.
- Keep plates, glasses and cutlery near the dishwasher. The second best place is near the kitchen table for convenient table settings. If you can achieve both, even better. Similarly, store dish towels near the sink and potholders near the stove.
- Clear the counter. Unless you use them frequently, keep cooking utensils off the counter, especially in the cooking triangle (the busy area between the sink, refrigerator, and stove). It will improve the appearance of your kitchen and give you more space to mix ingredients or chop veggies.
- Weaving in cutenessThat said, Rogers praises all the moves that make a kitchen a welcoming place, including adding functional decor like a nice set of salt and pepper mills, a handmade wooden cutting board, a beautiful fruit bowl, or pretty linen dish towels.
- Use bins strategically. While Paige and Adam made good use of labelled boxes for flour, sugar, dog treats and nuts, Rogers saw more room for them, such as storing cleaning products under the sink. “Putting them in pull-out boxes makes it easy to access the products.”
Once they got used to their new normal, Paige and Adam agreed that the kitchen organizer was a great idea. “I always loved my new kitchen, but it's even better now,” said Paige. Phew!
Marni Jameson is the author of seven books, including the recently published Choosing the right size today to live your best life tomorrow; what to do with all your possessions to leave the legacy you desire; and Downsizing the family home. Contact details: Email: marni@marnijameson.com.
