Moving can be stressful enough, but afterward, you have the seemingly endless task of unpacking your belongings. Putting together your kitchen can be especially daunting because of all of the odds and ends you need to organize. As long as you take your space into account, have a plan and do it gradually, the task of organizing your kitchen, as well as other rooms in your new home, won’t be too overwhelming.
Taking Space into Account
Before you start to unpack, become more familiar with your kitchen space. Knowing how many cupboards, cabinets and drawers and how much counter space you have will help you to develop a better vision for organizing your kitchen. Making a rough drawing of the space can help you to get more of a sense of where to put everything.
As you are looking at your space, think about what appliances, utensils, and pans you use most. Make sure they are within reach, especially if you need them on a daily basis. You can store special appliances or pans that you don’t use as often, such as roasters, in higher or lower cabinets. As you put items away, think about whether you, your spouse or significant other and your children will be able to reach them.
Making a Plan
Having a plan in place can be important as you start organizing your new kitchen. You may want to start coming up with ideas before you move in so that you know what you need to make your kitchen workable. Consider drawer dividers, a storage cart or racks to help you to better organize items such as towels, spices, utensils, and pans.
As you are coming up with a plan, consider how you will use the drawer and cabinet space you have. Think about which items will fit in which spaces before putting them away and re-evaluate your plans as you begin to use your kitchen. Getting out your measuring tape can help you as you decide which appliances and pans will fit in which space.
Labeling items before you move can help you to organize your new kitchen better. It is important that you know where certain utensils, pans, and appliances are so that you can unpack them in the order that you envision. You also don’t want to be in a position where you don’t know which spice is which when you are unpacking.
Unpacking Gradually
Many families make the mistake of trying to hurry and put everything away. Having boxes stacked in your kitchen can be annoying, but you don’t want to end up with a kitchen scheme that will only work in the short-term.
Start by unpacking what you need the most to be able to cook and eat for the first few days or week. As you are putting your utensils and pots away, keep track of where you are putting them. Making a list can help you to keep organized during this process.
As you are gradually unpacking, take inventory of what you really need. You may find that you have pots, pans, plates or utensils that you never use. Consider donating them or throwing them away, if they can’t be used anymore. You may find that some appliances don’t fit in your apartment and need to be tossed.
Taking your time to unpack your kitchen will ultimately help you in the long-run. As long as you think about your new space and have a plan of attack, the process will go much more smoothly. Just make sure to consider your family and involve them in the process to make your kitchen more homey for everyone.