Last weekend, I took the train to Milwaukee to visit my oldest. He just graduated from college (insert proud mother!) and needed help moving to his new digs; sharing a house with 2 friends.
Dropping into his life for a few days was so much fun and brought back my own sweet memories of flying out to L.A. to begin my adult life after college a million years ago.
They begged me to organize their kitchen. How could I say no? #dreamjob
There were 3 criteria:
1. One housemate needed all his Tupperware to stay together as he prepares his food for the week on Sunday and packages it all up in containers for work. Inspiring!
2. My son wanted to have his kitchen inventory photographed before it was put away so when he moves out one day, he'll know what is his to take. Smart!
3. Every cupboard/shelf had to be labeled. This crew plans on having lots of parties and they want everyone to be able to find and return what they use in the kitchen. Dreamy!
This kitchen looked beautiful, but it had its share of challenges:
1. No silverware drawer. Just one narrow drawer for utensils.
2. Not enough cupboards for food storage and no pantry.
3. No way to tell which side of the cabinet door to open as there are no knobs. This was so frustrating!
I am happy to report that all challenges were creatively solved later in this blog post.
Moving had to happen first and I was charged with packing up my son's old kitchen. Of course, I started with tossing all the expired food.
How do you avoid having expired food? Meal planning!
The bags of grains were messy and hard to store, so as is usual in most homes,
I found many empty jars to pour them into and then labeled them accordingly. #kombucha
Why did I label on top of the jars instead of the fronts? My son is nearly 6'7" and looks down on everything. Organize for your habits, not for Pinterest.
After pulling an all-nighter, he was ready to move! Oh, to be young again...
These were 3 of at least 8 appliances that needed to live on the counter; juicer, bullets, food processor, coffee makers, a toaster, Britta water pitcher etc. I am sure they will be winnowing.
Moving this bookcase into an extra doorway gave my son a much-needed pantry. He cooks most of his food from scratch!
I labeled everything with temporary labels to see how they liked the organization of their things.
We tweaked accordingly.
Found this bad boy at Home Depot. It was the perfect housewarming gift.
These new labels were a big hit! Not only does it look more professional, I located each label in the corner of the door that opens, rather than at the hinge. Problem solved. Sometimes I amaze myself.
The silverware challenge was resolved with more empty mason jars. I located them right above the dishwasher and labeled accordingly for everyone's ease. Sometimes the easiest solution is the simplest.
When it was all done, the guys were thankful and I was pleased. The true test is that first party!
Meanwhile, I got to organize the gel pens next. I found the perfect storage! #coloringbooks
If you're low on time, I can do this for you too! We meet for 15 minutes to craft a plan and then you go on about your day to return to a beautifully organized space.
If you struggle in the area of meal planning, contact me for coaching. I can teach you the skills to manage your food and save money which may lead to healthier eating and even weight loss.
What is the most important thing in your kitchen?
Can you beat 8 appliances on your countertops?
Do you make your own Kombucha?
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