The very first thing you see when you step inside my home is our kitchen. So although it hasn't always been easy or obvious, I have had to find some solutions to help me keep it clear and free from chaos. Now that we've got a system in place, I wanted to share in case it could be helpful for anyone else.
We are a family of five and I cook a LOT, so it gets messy EVERY day, but implementing a few things here and there has made a tremendous difference in efficiency.
Although my journey in Minimalism isn't about striving for the "perfect" house, because of my streamlined system, my kitchen can get back to the picture noted above at least once a day. Even if it doesn't stay this way all day -- with 3 small kids, there are times during the day when things definitely look "lived in" and life happens -- getting back to its original state doesn't take nearly as long as it used to, since there is so much less stuff to create a mess in the first place. This helps me manage my anxiety, feel more peaceful (as much as possible with a house full of children), and allows me more time to spend doing fun things.
My constant goal is to find ways in my daily life to minimize stress! There are so many things we DON'T have control over in life. STUFF shouldn't be one of them. A kitchen should represent your family, so don't feel like it "should" look a certain way in order to "be acceptable" because "acceptable" is whatever makes you happy! Here are my kitchen tips that have helped me out in streamlining our space.
1. Designated cups/plates on a shelf for the kids
Three kids, times 3 meals per day, plus 2 snacks. That's 15 plates per day not even including myself and my husband!!! Now, the kids (ages 6, 4, and 2 years old) are responsible for washing their own plate after each meal (I help the 2 year old, but she still participates). The cups used to multiply throughout the house and now it has one designated spot. Before, I had to run the dishwasher twice, and now I barely have have enough to fill one load some days. It takes longer to rearrange the dishwasher to squeeze in more plates, than it does for them to just wash it, and it teaches them awareness of their own messes. No magic fairy in this house! We have a chair that has steps that fold out, which the kids use to reach the sink.
2. Utilize the INSIDE of the cabinet doors for post it notes and a dry erase board
I have to write everything down, but post it notes everywhere make a space look busy, so I started taping stuff like recipes, party invitations, school announcements etc. on the inside of the doors so I wouldn't lose them.
3. Iron wire rack for phone chargers and mail/bills
I found this iron rack at Lowe's, and it's perfect for allowing the cords to fit through while it's charging and storing off the counter. The cut out makes accessing stuff really easy.
4. Hang the Kids' Artwork Separately from the Fridge
I like having a clutter-free fridge (and I hate constantly picking up magnets from the floor). I also love seeing the kids' artwork, so we have a designated wall for all of their treasures.
5. Compost in the freezer
Unfortunately (although I would love to have one), we do not have a garbage disposal and we live in the country, so we also do not have trash service (which requires us to haul our own). This means we compost all food scraps. We used to keep a small bucket on the counter, but A) This bugged me and B) It gets super gross and stinks. I decided it was worth giving up freezer space and storing it there and OMG it's a game changer! I put about an inch of water in the bottom before putting in the freezer and when I dump this in the garden it slides right out in one block! No more gagging over gross food stuck to the bottom, I don't have to dump it every day, and it frees up counter space.
6. Wall Planter used as a Fruit basket
This holds a lot of fruit and when the older kids are hungry it's easily accessible for them to get their own snack. A lot of other fruit storage options are on the floor where toddlers can make a big mess, so this is a great solution for us.
7. Flat cloth drying rack
I tried putting my traditional dish drying rack under the sink daily, because I didn't like it taking up counter space, but I cook a LOT and it just wasn't practical. This flat cloth drying rack gives a more streamlined minimal look (when it's empty, of course).
8. Utilize 3M hooks whenever possible.
I keep the scissors high out of the reach of little fingers. I also do not like picking up the dish towels off the floor, so I keep them above the sink, where they can reach if they have a stool and are washing dishes, but not running through the house pulling them down. I wish I had invented 3M hooks! They are everywhere in my house.
9. Under the counter coffee maker
I had been eyeing this for about a year and finally got one recently. It was about $100 which is an investment for a coffee maker (for us) but I really love the extra counter space it saves.
