Are you looking for tips on organizing your physical kitchen? Are you having trouble getting meals on the table? Are you spending lots of time at the grocery store? Or--Are you just burnt out thinking of meals?
In this area you will find answers to all of these questions.
Meal Planning
We all plan meals. You may not think you do but you do! Some of us plan a week ahead, a day ahead, a couple hours ahead or just a few minutes ahead. The longer you wait to plan your meal the greater restrictions you are placing on yourself. If you wait to plan your meal until the last minute you are limited by what is in your refrig, freezer or pantry. If you work best this way, then you are more likely to have a greater supply of food to help fight against this feeling of being limited.
Now, if you plan ahead of going to the grocery store, you are not limited by anything but your budget. You can plan your meals and get the appropriate ingredients to make those meals. It gives you much greater flexibility to create more interesting and healthy meals.
The Grocery Planner Pad is a fabulous planner pad that combines your grocery list and meal plan on the same page. As you plan your meals for the week, you list the groceries you need to make those meals. No more last minute visits to the grocery store!
The Recipe Finder Index is a must have for every cook that uses recipes. This simple index makes finding your tried and true recipes a snap.
The Recipe Finder Index can be used in conjunction with your recipe box or the Recipe Finder Box which accomodates all different sizes of recipes. It is really convenient and practical.
Don't have time to cook?
Use these resources:
Let's Dish
Dinner Done
E-Mealz
With your recipes and planning in order you can now turn to organizing your physical kitchen. The challenge in organizing a kitchen is choosing categories that make sense. There are so many different kinds of items stored in a kitchen that it is difficult to choose how to set up categories so things are put away consistently.
Also, it is quite overwhelming to try to move things around only to find that the items don't quite fit only having to move them again.
Lori Marrero created the SpaceScaping Kitchen Organizing System which is made up of 60 repositionable labels which help you set up your kitchen right the first time. You don't have to move everything again but just move the label! When you are satisfied with the location of everything, you can then move the items into the appropriate spot.
Assign food items to cabinets and drawers in close proximity to where they will be used. Items need to be easily grabbed and easily put away. For instance, if it is difficult for you to reach high cabinets then , perhaps, you should consider using those cabinets for storage of items that are rarely used.
When planning your kitchen, be sure to allow space for inventory in each category to rise and fall. You will have MORE inventory right after a grocery trip and you will have LESS right before a grocery trip.
Don't be constrainead by the height of your shelving in your cabinets. Do you find yourself storing your cereal boxes on top of the refrigerator when no one but you can reach because it is the only place they fit? Consider pouring your cereal in containers that fit shelving near the table and where the children can easily grab it and put it away. It only takes a few minutes to transfer the cereal to an airtight container but it will save you hours of frustration from the cereal never being put away. This principle can be applied to many different food items. First, decide the best adn most convenient cabinet and then figure out the container.
Using Blind Corners.Oh, the dreaded blind cabinets that are supposed to increase storage but instead, crate a big black hole. Items too often find their way back in the cabinet never to be found again. Using two baskets of containers is a great solution. One basket is to be placed in the blind corner and the other is to be placed in front of it. Place lightweight items in the baskets. When you need items from the back basket, the front basket can be easily removed and the back basket can be pulled out. Both can be replaced quickly and easily. Now that's organization!
Label. The secret to keeping a kitchen organized is labeling. Labeling ensures that items coming home from the grocery store get placed back in the appropriate spot. Labeling also tells everyone in the house where the item's "home" is. I label the front of the shelf on which the glasses or items are stored. Label makers can be found in most office supply stores.
