Simple Tips For Making Your Kitchen Really Work For You

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When it comes to a house, there is one thing that I really can’t stand – a kitchen that just doesn’t work. When we first moved into our current home, the kitchen space was barely usable with few cabinets and worktops, an oven set down low, and the fridge slot in the wrong location. As soon as we could afford to make changes, we did, with my whole plan being based on how we could make this room work far better for us as a family. Now that I have a kitchen that flows, I wanted to share my tips so you can also do the same.

Look At How You Use Your Kitchen

Before you can start to plan, you need to really understand how you are using your kitchen on a daily basis. To observe this, you could either make notes as each family uses this space or you could set up a security camera to see what works and what doesn’t. After around a week, you should be able to clearly see where your changes are needed, for example, the cups are set too high, the bin isn’t close to where you meal prep or make a cuppa, your utensils are too far away from the hob, children can’t reach what they need etc. Take all of these pointers and look closely at how small adaptations could improve your whole setup.

Appliance Positioning

If you are a keen cook, I think it is imperative that the oven be at a comfortable level for use. As I mentioned in the intro, ours used to be set low down, which not only meant we were constantly bending down to use it and to check the food, but our then toddler could also easily hang onto it and pull it open!! Moving this to chest level and away from a child’s grasp made such a difference. Cooking became much less of a chore, we no longer had to worry about safety, and it is in a better position for taking things in and out. You can apply the same logic to your microwave, fridge freezer, washing machine and so on. All of these appliances are used countless times each week and having them in a position that works for you is so important.

In Cupboard Bins

These are a game-changer in my opinion. If you have the space and can afford to give up cupboard space to integrated bins, go for it! Not only does it make the kitchen look tidier, it keeps smells at bay and if placed in the right location, you can open the cupboard and simply wipe any crumbs or rubbish directly inside. We have ours under what I would call our main worktop, where we make tea and toast, sandwiches and prepare meals. When we do all of these things, we don’t ever have to turn around and walk back and forth to the bin, we just simply pull the cupboard door open.

Pots and Pans Extendable Cupboard Rack

This is another change that we love in our home. We installed a 3-shelved extendable rack inside one of our cupboards, which resulted in a much more organised space and a more efficient one too. We can fit all of our pots and pans, lids, colander, sieve, jugs, glass dishes, bowls and cheese graters in this one cupboard, whereas previously, they took up much more space within the kitchen. It is also very easy to pull the rack out and find exactly what you need without the hassle of having to pull all of the contents out.

Sink With Double Bowl or Drainer

There’s nothing more frustrating than washing up in a single bowl sink and finding you need to pour or rinse something down the drain. I think most houses have these as standard (I certainly always did growing up), but when it came to replacing our sink, I knew I needed one with a drainer too. Again, it’s just about making life a bit easier by making this space work for you. Having this separate area to tip things away, rinse, fill a cup or kettle without being in the way, allows you to get on with your task and finish it without annoying interruptions. It may seem small, but it could make a big difference to your family.

Shelving

Having open shelving allows you to place things that you want at easy reach, exactly where they will be needed when you are using the kitchen. For example, cookbooks, spices, condiments, oils, ceramic jars and utensils. You can also use this space to make your kitchen feel more homely by placing ornaments, plants and photos.

Utensils Holder

Ok, stick with me on this one because it may sound silly, but this could save you time. If you keep utensils in a drawer and struggle to make it close with all the different-shaped items, or if you have one of those stands where you have to spend time hanging each utensil on each arm, stop. Get yourself a large stoneware or stainless steel holder that all of your utensils can fit into, and keep this right next to where you cook, and hopefully also quite close to where you wash up or empty the dishwasher (if possible).

What I would Change/Add If I Could

My kitchen isn’t perfect and at the size it is, it never will be, so of course I have a little wish list which includes:

• Island – the space to prepare, sit and chat, enjoy a cuppa, extra storage.
• Cupboards to the ceiling – we really should have done this when someone suggested it to us. We constantly use that space at the top to keep things on and converting this into small cupboards would have just helped to keep everything looking a bit tidier.
• Drinks bottle rack – a narrow rack for keeping wines, beers, squash bottles etc so these don’t take up cupboard or worktop space.
• Deep drawers for easier storage of plates and bowls.
• Separate utility room – Oh, that is the dream!

With these very simple tips and changes, you can make your kitchen work for you in no time. Just think about how you use this space, how you can improve the flow and what would make a big difference to your daily life.

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