“If you can organize your kitchen, you can organize your life.” ~ Louis Parrish 

Many of us have new year’s resolutions that are focused on health and wellness. If we want to get healthy, we need an organized kitchen. So here is a complete guide for how to organize yours!

1. Open all cabinet drawers and take your “before” pictures. 
2. Remove ALL contents from cabinets and place on kitchen counter or floor. It’s a good idea to lay down an old sheet/tarp, as many kitchen items can be sticky or sharp.
3. Clean. Most of us do not take the time to clean out our pantry or drawers very often. Let’s face it – it can get nasty!  So take the time to do a DEEP clean of your kitchen
4. Categorize. Group like items together. 
   • Consumable items get stored in the fridge or pantry. For the pantry, create separate categories for snacks (think nuts/seeds/dried fruit/other healthy snacks!), cooking items (oils/vinegars), baking items, canned goods and back up items (condiments, etc). For the fridge, separate your veggies, fruits, meats and cheeses, nuts/seeds, condiments and beverages. 
   • Non-consumable items are typically stored in cabinets or open shelves. For non-consumables, we create “zones.”  
     • Cooking zone
     • Baking zone
     • Food storage (think tupperware, baggies, etc)
     • Plates/utensils/serving zone
     • Cleaning zone (products and tools)
5. Prepare to purge! Get trash bags or boxes out and label them trash, donate, sell*. 
6. Purge! Go through each category and decide what stays/goes. Be sure to check expiration dates!
7. Measure and take pictures. Measure each cabinet and take a picture of it. Store this on your phone for when you are shopping for organizing products. Be sure to measure the width, height and depth of each space.
8. Donate. Get those donations out of your kitchen before you buy anything new! Read more on our Donation Resources blog post.
9. Shop for organizing products. Stay consistent with your containers to create a sense of calm and order. We encourage you to consider eco-friendly products such as bamboo organizers and glass jars. Plastic is just not good for our health!
10. Implement and label.  It’s time to put everything back into place and label. 

A few pro tips to consider:

1. Keep everyday dishes in cabinets near the kitchen sink or dishwasher
2. Place heavier items down low. Pots and pans should be kept down low in the “cooking zone.”  Spices and oils that are used on a regular basis should be placed in the upper cabinets nearby.
3. Keep appliances that are infrequently used in a pantry/cabinet above the fridge. 
4. Keep your “cleaning products zone” either under the kitchen sink or near the sink/dishwasher
5. If using glass jars for grain storage, simply clip the cooking instructions and expiration date and tape them to the bottom of the jar. You can also use an erasable chalk marker. 
6. For grab-and-go healthy snacks, use clear storage containers in the fridge and stock them with sliced veggies and fruit. 

Here’s to a new year and decade of health! Happy organizing!