Tiny Kitchen Tidy Up
I love utilizing small space! I am a believer in doing a lot with a little, making the most of what you have, and making it count! This adorable kitchen has wonderful light and beautiful finishes, but also has shallow drawers and relatively limited pantry space.
My client for this project, a single mom of one adorable boy, needed help figuring out a flow for her kitchen. She needed to find homes for the kitchen tools she actually uses and likes, and she needed to let go of the rest. For this kitchen, I delved deep into my client’s day-to-day. In addition to being a top mama, she is also a nurse who works nights, so her mornings needed to be easy and smooth. Breakfast was a moment in the day that she liked to spend with her son. Waffles are a regular dish in this household (jealous!).
I started by taking everything out of all the cabinets and drawers, and going through each item with my client. She ended up donating over HALF of her kitchen tools and used bowls, griddles, etc. Once we had decluttered, I found new homes for her items that would make her mornings easier after a night shift. I gave her a entire cabinet dedicated to breakfast. In addition, I gave her another cabinet dedicated to tupperware and lunch supplies, making packing up her son’s lunch each morning a breeze.
For the pantry, I tossed all expired items (you’d be surprised how quickly those “Best By” dates can sneak up on you in the pantry and, no, canned food, unfortunately, does not last forever!). I also tossed items her son was no longer enjoying. I grouped the rest of the items by type, putting grains with grains, snacks in one zone, and drinks in another.
With this project I also made a designated “treat cabinet” that is out of view of my client’s son. Here, my client now keeps all of her holiday treats and surprise candy. This allows her to make surprises more fun, and it keeps her son from being tempted to eat all the candy, all the time;-)
What my client discovered through this organizing project is just how much space she actually had. It just wasn’t being utilized to it’s full potential. By decluttering and sorting, I was able to create space that served my client’s needs, making her day-to-day easier and less stressful for her AND for her son. That is one happy family in a tiny, tidy kitchen!
