Kitchen Refresh
I believe that kitchens are the workhorse of our home. They are the space used most often by the most people. So, they should definitely function well, right?
These homeowners loved to cook, using lots of spices and pantry goods while doing so. They also have two kids that were in and out of the kitchen to grab the snacks and breakfast items they needed (as well as do their lunch prep). The homeowners contemplated a kitchen renovation to start over from scratch to get the space they thought they needed. Before they invested the money into a renovation, they decided to ask More Breathing Room for help to see how an organizational refresh might be able to improve the function of the space.
“Kara worked with me to understand how our family operates and made her plans accordingly so that the spaces are not only neat but also functional. She has definitely saved me time and money. Most importantly, she has given me and my family more breathing room.”
The Before: Cooking meant wheeling out the spice cart to access lower shelves, searching the whole pantry for food items, purchasing multiples when food items couldn’t be found easily, etc. Also, family members bumped into one another constantly when finding snacks or prepping lunches.
Requirement: A new plan for kitchen flow. Food storage solutions for the pantry. A system for maintenance.
The After: For improving the overall kitchen flow, we divided the kitchen into zones based on functions (i.e., baking, coffee/tea, breakfast, snacks, cooking, entertaining) and located tools/supplies related to each task near one another.
Since the pantry was the main source of frustration, we focused on improving the food storage systems here. We installed a door rack and decanted many of the spices and dried beans/lentils that are used frequently so they can be seen easily by the cook. Then, we divided the shelves by category (grains, dinner prep, snacks, baking, etc.) and used bins to create homes for each sub-category (rice, pasta, sauces, etc.). Using clear bins meant the family could see what they had stored; adding a label ensured that family members would know where to store each item to keep up the maintenance.
“Initially I felt embarrassed about reaching out for help and letting someone see the disorganization behind my cabinets, but Kara made me feel at ease and comfortable right from the start. ”