Kitchen 101 - Organization

“Better keep yourself clean and bright. You are the window through which you must see the world.” - George Shaw

In my ideal kitchen, everything would have its own place and always be there when I needed it- especially that dreaded drop zone under the sink. *cringes* I will be honest in saying I specifically avoid this area of the kitchen for the 'cringe' factor. However, I have been determined (over time of course) to reclaim these spaces and use them to their best potential. As you will remember last summer I reclaimed the closet under the stairs from drab and dank...

To fab and swank... (pardon my silly expression)

That was my initial test of 'simplified organization'- making a system that is so simple and fool proof that everyone knows exactly where things are, and where they belong. So with that in mind, here's a photo of todays before picture... 

After removing everything from under the sink I wiped down the shelf itself. Next I decided what could be eliminated, I usually keep all of my vases, glass tea lights and kitchen cleaners down here. Like most things that collect over time, letting go of some of your less favorable pieces make room for other items that could use the space. Ensuring that these pieces are all clean and ready for their next use is also a good idea as well. I came across some of my glass votive holders and discovered left over wax in them. 

I also conveniently came across a tip (Thank you Martha Stewart!) that stated rather than scratching at it with a butter knife, simply sticking it in the freezer will force the wax to shrink just enough to pop it free with minimal force. As usual Martha was right. I loved her suggestion for a personal kitchen cleaning tray / bucket thats ready for action when you need it. 

So it was with that in mind that I set back to work in making the remaining eco friendly cleaning supplies needed for this cute idea. 

In yesterday's blog I gave the recipe for an All-Purpose Cleaner. By clicking on each title you can have the recipes for Furniture Polish, Window Cleaner and Creamy Powder Scrub to add to your collection. I like to have an extra container of Baking Soda on hand for scrubbing pots with out scratching the surface. 

 

The rest they say is history. All of the supplies- including the bottles cost under $10- and they are eco-friendly which is always a plus. Finally everything has a home and it is a much improved kitchen sink I am proud to open when I have guests about. 

Now that everything has a home I can rest a little easier now, at least as far as the kitchen sink is concerned anyways.