Moving into your new Gerstad Builders home can be both exciting and stressful. Plus, with multiple boxes of items to put away, organizing now is important because disorganization later can add to the stress. This can be especially true in the kitchen. For example, how can you prepare dinner when the spatula is missing or the right saucepan can’t be found?

Organizing your kitchen can be very satisfying but figuring out where to begin can prove to be difficult. Here are some tips for homeowners on the best ways to organize by grouping kitchen items by type and storing items near where you use them.

Getting started:

Gather some boxes and garbage bags and start by removing everything in the drawers and cabinets.  Place the items on your counter or table in order to sort through everything. Remember, that you have filled those cabinets with items that you use often plus items that you rarely use or if at all.

Now is the perfect time to donate items that have gone unused for long periods of time. Make sure to throw out expired pantry items too. Remember, it is okay to give things away and remove clutter. 

Cleaning:

After everything has been removed and sorted, it’s time to clean. 

• Pantry/Cabinets: Use warm water, gentle soap and a soft cloth to wipe out the inside and outside of your cabinets. Let them dry completely before putting anything back in. Think about adding shelf liner for instance to make wiping out the cabinets easier in the future. 
• Drawers: Similar to the pantry, wipe them out with a soft cloth and warm soapy water. Another cleaning tip, would be to vacuum out the drawers in order to remove any debris prior to wiping them out. 

Organization:

Now the real fun begins and you get to organize the kitchen exactly how you imagined. Start by thinking of your kitchen in functional zones. Such as; baking, stovetop, washing, prepping and cooking. Use blue painter’s tape as temporary labels on the drawers and cabinets once you have decided where each group will reside. First, layout your kitchen items by the groups mentioned above. Second, take those tools in each category and figure out which ones should be together in regards to efficiency. 

For the pantry, group foods by types. For example; breakfast, baking, snacks, and cooking. However, when creating these groups, make sure they fit into your family’s lifestyle. Be creative. 

After you have categorized everything, place them in the drawers and cabinets close to where they will be used the most. For the pantry, the foods you use most often should be placed in easy to reach places. 

Even though all of this may seem like a daunting task, you will be happy in the long run that your Gerstad kitchen is organized to meet your specific needs. Make sure to gather the family to help with the organizing. Don’t forget the kids since they are home doing remote learning and are around to help.

Gerstad Builders takes pride in their customer service which is why they created the Build Fresh, Build Hands-Free Luxury Package option. This amazing offer is available when a home is purchased in any one of Gerstad’s communities and the home is under contract by 10/15/2020 and closed by 6/31/2021. Contact us to take advantage of this amazing offer.