April 1, 2020 | Homeownership
If the world’s population shares one thing in common at the moment, it is that we are all bound to our homes “self-isolating” until further notice. This situation is easier for some than it is for others, but a large part of the struggle can have to do with space your spending time in. If you’re not enjoying spending time in that space, why would you want to be there? Life is notoriously busy and we’re constantly go, go, go- right? This often results in a lack of our organization skills as we’re usually just fighting to keep up, so why not utilize some time at home to better organize your space? The kitchen is a tremendously high-traffic area in most homes, so beginning here will make a substantial difference in the efficiency of day-to-day life.
Let’s face it, an organized home is a happy home. Not only because it’s easier to find what you need but, in fact, research has proven that cluttered spaces can cause additional unnecessary stress and anxiety, which we don’t need any more of at the minute, do we? Luckily, we finally have some time to get things in order to help make life more enjoyable and the spaces we are spending time in more pleasant as well- even after all of the “self-isolating” is over.
Start by…
Sorting Items by Frequency of Use (can apply to any space in your home)
A common problem we all face is the thought of “what if I’ll need that one day” which usually results in us keeping things that we almost never use on hand or in the way of items of which we use day-to-day, resulting in a clamoured experience when we’re trying to get our hands on the essentials. Store things where you use them, for instance, pots and pans should be near your stove, and plates, bowls and glasses should be near the dishwasher. Or move your fine china out of the way of your every day glasses and mugs, rearrange your summer clothes to the back of your closet or bottom of your drawers during the winter, keep the keys to the cottage stored away to make room for your everyday car keys on the hook. Things like that. You’ll be surprised how just by moving things we rarely use out of the way of our everyday necessities will make things much easier straight off the hop.
Here are 8 tips and tricks to get you more organized in the kitchen- keep in mind, getting things organized doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it might seem…
- Keep your frequently used appliances (coffee maker and toaster) on the counter, but other less frequently used appliances should be stored away in a lower drawer or cupboard.
- Use see-through bins and containers, this way, you can always do a quick and easy inventory of what you have in stock in the pantry.
- Drawer dividers are a life-saver when keeping things organized in drawers- we all know how it feels searching for the potato peeler or pizza cutter.
- Keep your most frequently used items in the most accessible places- frequently used items should be placed at eye level; store heavy items below waist level, and infrequently used items on high shelves or in a different area of the home.
- Utilize baskets and bins to contain small items that can easily clutter (e.g. spices, cleaning supplies, pasta, chips & snacks etc.)
- Utilize the space beneath the shelves by using an under-shelf wire rack to take advantage of the height between shelves. Things like espresso cups, teacups & small plates can be stored here.
- Stack crockery by shape. Keep the round platters with the round platters and square platters with the square platters – this makes for a maximization of space.
- Use a Lazy Susan in your corner cabinets and storage spaces. These multi-tier turntables might get thought of as a thing of the past, but they truly do maximize space and added convenience when organizing condiments or spices.
Learning how to declutter and organize your home one room at a time and (and as a result, decluttering your life) doesn’t need to be as painful as some make it out to be. And the benefits are numerous. No matter which decluttering tip you choose to get started the goal is to take your first step in decluttering your life with excitement behind it.
We hope everyone is keeping safe during this time, if you have any questions regarding how COVID-19 is impacting the Toronto real estate market we would be happy to chat with you. Contact us today! We’re here to help.