Thank you Dana! My kitchen function has changed as my family has changed. Watching this made me realize that I am still accomodating traffic flows that no longer exist and working around toddlers that are now adults.
Your Mom’s comment about organizing without moving your feet, reminded me of a term that chefs use in kitchens. Mis En Place means that Items are placed to make the most organized, efficient use of space and time. Have enjoyed watching your videos. Thank you.
35 years ago, my husband and I added a bigger kitchen on to our hose. We designed it ourselves for how we moved and worked in our kitchen. We hardly ever move our feet when loading or unloading the dishwasher. Your advice was so validating! Our kids were babies when we completed our addition, so we have modified placement of things as we went along. I now have a soup area, a baking area, a drawer for leftover containers (though lids are still separate, so we do have things to work on). I love watching your channel for new ideas and strategies. I learn something every time. Thanks!
Love the dishwasher scenario :) I think that way, but my kitchen configuration means moving more. I empty everything onto the counter and stack like items ,throw the 'near stuff' in the cupboards, and then carry groups to the other side. After 25 years of married life, I put the salad tongs IN the salad bowl and no longer have to hear WHERE ARE THEY from the salad making husband :) We can all find little things that make it easier Just 2 of us
I do this, too. The glasses go in the cabinet above the dishwasher because they don't stack, but I can easily move the plates in a stack, so they go in the further cabinet. The cutlery is all in a basket, so I set it on the counter and sort it into the drawers. My kitchen is arranged in stations - serving stuff near the dining room, prep stuff near the stove. Storage stuff near the fridge.
I moved my “cutlery on the side of my kitchen where my plates and glasses are and my spices next to stove. After a year I still open the drawer next to my stove for my cutlery. Lol
My kitchen is so small there is no room for any drawers, and certainly no space for a dishwasher,. And I LOVE IT. Talk about utilizing the container method this is the kitchen built for that. I have it setup for easy cooking and easy dishwashing. And by-the-way. I find hand washing dishes very therapeutic for me a time to reflex on God's Love and Blessings, and a great time for Praise and Thanksgiving for all He has done for me in my life! Love ❤Ruthie
The thing that bothers me about that cupboard is how the tall glasses are behind the short ones. You could hear them clanging together as she maneuvered the tall glass horizontal to get it to fit behind the shorter ones. It would be a lot easier to have all the short glasses on one side and all the tall glasses on the other side (so talls would be in front of talls, and shorts in front of shorts). Maybe she has some reason to do it that way... I don't know? Edit: It's at 3:19
Thank you so much. I have just listened to you read 2 books to me twice as I had long……. Drives for work. Decluttering At The Speed Of Life recommended by Amanda Paige - This Crazy Life, and due to my own curiosity How To Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind! My story is a bit different. I started making my own bed at 3. By 6 I was doing the family washing and cooking by 11, I had to manage my parents home as my mum was bed ridden for at least 2 months. So from 8 - 18 I was the family housekeeper to the total amazement of family friends and fellow classmates at school. Needless to say when at 11 in cookery class they said let’s boil an egg and no one knew how - I wondered on what it planet did they live and why couldn’t we boil several eggs at once? The teacher was not amused and thought I was a smart Alec. So when I went to University I was the girl who took a first aid kit a sewing machine and soon had a set of saucepans and an iron!!! Not normal for a party animal environment. I was married before I finished only 20. Had first child at 25 second at 28, very clean tidy home at that stage - obsessed with keeping it clean for my babies, though continually collected more things and unfortunately divorced at 34. I had to work to support my family and did long hours even got a second degree- pulled all nighters to get the assignments in on time. I guess like you I’m creative and deadline or goal driven. First major goal set age 5, second age 8 - both achieved twice. Yep over achiever of the unimportant things in life really. Not so much of an achiever where it really counts. Teacher all levels. All subject areas - one is never enough. Cake decorating - including wedding cakes. All different types of cooking Italian, French, Chinese- variety is the key to life. Receptionist/Typist, crafting any type except painting and drawing. But dying fabric requires inks and poppy wreaths need to be painted red. Patchwork including cushions, several quilts, many sizes. Sewing all styles. Dressmaking yep. Knitting dolls, Lacey baby things or whatever. Crochet love it. Big blankets or dainty handkerchiefs. Check. Really need to keep hands and mind challenged. Reading- well books are our friends!! I learnt to read in 3 weeks at age 6 to catch up with the class- I’ve been devouring books ever since. My library is extensive diverse and all over the house- literally. I’m a born collector. Everyone says so. My family and friends are literally all over the world and my Christmas letters to everyone are treasured and were started way before everyone got on the bandwagon- the family called them my round Robin. So loads of grief, PTSD, anxiety, depression etc. Etc. Life has not been easy. We moved continents twice in my early childhood and by nature I’m a homebody who needs to nest, so it was unsettling. I’m ok with all that. I know mentally how and why I got to this stage. Imagine a giant paper volcano exploded in the middle of your house - that’s where the office/craft room is - and the lava that spewed through every room was paper of some kind, photos, receipts etc. Added to that because never do anything by halves- a trail of crafting and books etc. Through this downhill journey which started in 2002 and has gotten worse with each diabolical event since. There are only 2 things I kept up. The dishes are washed and the washing is up to date. There is however a huge stack of clean air drying containers by the sink- I heard too air drying is best. Though the clothes are clean a humongous pile in my room unable to get into the wardrobe! This all just adds to the eyesore that unfortunately is the home I was once so proud of- oh how the mighty have fallen. WELL Even though I drove from 7am - 1pm continuously for work today. Listening to you all the way, I came home energised and decided that the eyesore that is my bedroom had to change. When my 35 year old messy daughter (actually diagnosed with domestic blindness) poked her head around my door- I informed her that my drawer was a container and whatever underwear wouldn’t fit in it couldn’t stay. Armed with my donate box and garbage bag I went through the drawer AND piles of clothes AND not only did I complete that drawer I did the other 3 in the dresser and culled part of the pile in front of it. That’s why I have to say THANK YOU. I put a few of the clothes on hangers and tomorrow I really want to do the cupboard behind the door. One area at a time. This place is going to get better. Visual clutter- I have cleaned and Christmas decorated my front porch. It is making me smile as I come home. It took so little effort and the reward is enormous- I’m able to look past the grass my daughter was unable to mow due to being ill. I’ve decided I’m sorting my home now for me because I want it to bring me joy. I’ve earned it. My room is first after the porch for me because I need it after giving all my energy to family friends and charities. I’m older now than when my dad retired and after all my efforts I’m feeling I have nothing to show for it. As you identified it’s overwhelming me with its clutter I need to be able to breathe. I need to add that finances are at rock bottom and I was lucky enough that my daughter allowed me to share her audible and have your 2 books to get me out of my head. It’s way too noisy there on road trips. So at 63 I’m FINALLY learning how to tidy a home without making a bigger mess and what I did right and wrong for so many years. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. All the way from Australia Jackyxxoo Ps. I was always in the school productions and aced campfire leading as a Scouter for 30 years. 🤪
Hi from Okinawa Japan 🇯🇵. Loved your personal story! I am touched by your overcomer character❣️ I think many people would benefit if you start your own blog or testimonial to help others. God Bless from a 63 yr old .
Just today I was organizing my file cabinet that has four drawers and found two small pictures on plaques shoved in one. I thought, “I would have never thought to look here if I wanted to find them. Where would I look?”And then I immediately took them there. So, thanks because I know darn well that because they fit in that file space I probably would have kept them there in that random spot and then would have not been able to find them later.
Just love this video. Thank you so much for it 😊❤. You make kitchen organizing fun. Three ideas i found especially helpful: 1. This is your kitchen so it needs to work for you/your family, not a magazine photo shoot. 2. Don't get hung up on finding the perfect place/solution, just make a decision that works for you now. 3. It is OK to change things over time if something else works better or circumstances change.
Point of performance! Yay! This is why I actually don't want my kitchen too big! My apartment currently has what is honestly the BEST kitchen when it come to both point of performance and the "triangle" rule (well for MY preferences for the triangle at least lol).
My spice drawer used to look like yours, and I knew where things were without labels. But whenever anyone else needed something, they'd ruin my "system". I finally took a couple simple steps that made it easier for everyone: a couple drawer dividers so I could corral things into rows, and labels on the tops of jars. Minimal investment of time/money, and it has stayed neat.
You let someone else touch your spices..?!!! 😱 Touch my spices and die 😳🤣 I don’t like labels on anything, it feels a little like we’re all at primary school again to me…. Just don’t let people touch your spices!!!!!! 😜
@LouciferFlump I label mine because some spices look too much alike. And knowing me, I'd likely grab paprika instead of the cinnamon without smelling it before tossing it into the recipe lol.
Unsolicited advice, if you keep your glasses small on one side and large on the other, you won't have to reach behind to get the glass you want. Otherwise I applaud your technique. 🎉
I took pictures of the kitchen & the cabinet locations. Before we ever moved in… I mapped out the most logical places for everything to go. Dishes near dishwasher, Spices near stove, Dinner foods near stove area, things we don’t use very often (blender, crockpot, juicer) in less accessible cabinets. I packed box by map, clearly labeled & had post-it notes for outside cabinet doors as to where things are for our first couple weeks. Otherwise, I would have had overload of decisions.
The kitchen is fun to organize once the inventory is lower. We put baking goods in in baskets in cupboard by the stove. It really helps us. Canned stuff goes in pantry because it works for this kitchen.
I love your thinking process for the kitchen. The past 6 + years that I've been married and we've been in the house he's lived in since long before I moved in, I'm finally making this kitchen my own. Even though he has always said it's now my kitchen and I need to make it my own, I really struggled in my mind to take over and arrange things in a way that works for me. I've never been in a situation in my entire life where I felt like the kitchen was my domain and I'm the one who gets to decide how I want things arranged and done in my working space. Also, I'm a short lefty in a medium to tall righty kind of world, and struggled all my life with clumsiness, confusion, and awkwardness in doing alot of things because just about everything and every space is designed for average height rightness. For some reason, I didn't make the connection that being left handed, I needed to arrange my work space (any work space) for a lefty, and I arranged things in my work areas in the same spot a righty would, while still using my left hand. Well, it finally dawned on me recently, at least in my kitchen, to think like a lefty while re- organising my kitchen, and to stop thinking about where most other people put things. I ended up with my counters and cabinets divided into stations...my beverage station, my prep stain, my cooking station and my serving station. And everything is set up, as much as the kitchen structure would allow, for me to work from right to left instead of working from left to right. Game changer! My thoughts when I work in my kitchen now are, "so this is what normal feels like when people work in their kitchen?" I am not confused, stressed, super clumsy or super messy when I'm there. I'm still a Messy cook, but not nearly as messy 😂. I just feel way more relaxed, and doing anything in that kitchen is now a no-brainer. I now find everything where I naturally look or reach for it, for the most part. I even...gasp...relocated the dog dish to the shelf in the station where I keep our bowls! It just makes logical sense to me to look for her bowl in the same place where the rest of the bowls are. Some may find it gross, but it gets washed really clean just like our plates and bowls. No biggy. So I guess I do t he opposite of uou, where I arrange things where I naturally look fir it or reach for it when I need it, instead of where I would put it away.
Ever since I binged on your podcasts and started getting rid of sooooo much, I am able to put things places I would look for them first And Find them 😅
I just discovered your channel. I have a seasonal job so my winter is when I deep clean. Your ideas are wonderful Thank you, I'm sure you are going to bang your head on that open door
I was just thinking.. if your glasses cupboard opened the other way... That would be AWESOME!! Hehe 😁 Thanks Dana! That's a wonderful way to have your kitchen set up 👍🥰
I watched your video on the layers of a clean house.....like a few minutes ago lol and it makes so much sense. It was much easier to have a super clean house before I had my 3 children. So when I go to clean, which for me was doing all 3 steps in one session I would be exhausted. It could make you tired just looking at the task ahead lol but now I can have a process. So thank you.
I unload dw by first placing dishes on that clean counter right by you, then putting them in cabinet. I like being able to close the dw as soon as possible. Thank you for this video 😊
I’m currently rearranging my kitchen since some family members have married and/or gone to college. This video is a great template and reminder of how to make things work. Thank you
I have a tiny kitchen and with the dishwasher open there is only one place to stand. I had to put things away from that one spot. It took me a few trys but we finally got it all sorted and now it's so quick. Thanks Dana for confirming this.
I dont have a dishwasher in our very old very small farmhouse galley kitchen, and probably never will, but the concept of efficiency of movement still applies. Thank you for the ideas!!!!! Due to my physically dysfunctional knees and back, my ability to stand for prolonged periods at one time is restricted (15 to 30 minutes is my max), and walking is very painful. I can not immediately put out of place items away one by one, for me that is not efficient and it greatly reduces my overall ability to get any task completed. I use a container (bin or bag) to collect wayward items and then do one grand tour to put wandering and out of place things from one room or area back where they belong all at one time. It works for me.
Storage containers with the lids on IS a game changer. The dishes are right above the dishwasher. Unfortunately it's broken right now, waiting for the money for repairs. Kathy B
Great ideas! When we remodeled our kitchen a few years ago our plates didn't fit in the cabinet where I wanted to put them. So this ended up being the starting point of how other things got put away. I put the plates where they fit and then we had a lot of cups, glasses and mugs so they went in a cabinet large enough to fit them, which just happened to be by the fridge. The drawer sizes determined which items I put in them. Then we had pull out lower cabinets for the pots, pans, cookie sheets etc. I still occasionally rearrange a few items so it can evolve as you go. Thanks for another fantastic video! 😊
I just went through "moving in" to our kitchen remodel in December and luckily my husband helped me come up with pretty much this system (he cooks too). I moved where we stored dishes so I could reach the cabinets without having to close the dishwasher each time. We started with what we wanted within reach at major appliances: spices, cooking utensils, pans near the stove; glasses as near to the refrigerator as possible while still reachable from the dishwasher, plus leftover storage supplies.; silverware near the dishes and glasses so we could grab everything together when setting the table, etc. Then we worked our way outward to less frequently needed items. The biggest help from my husband for me, the over-thinker, was your point that I didn't have only one chance to decide the BEST place. There are no kitchen police to say I can't change my mind as we use our new kitchen. It took so much of the stress out of the process.
We have a slightly different layout, but we prioritize having the plates, bowls and silverware close to the table. (This helps so someone else can help set the table without getting in the way of the cook.) The cabinet that holds the glasses is close to the dishwasher, but i find it easier to store the glasses in the cabinet diagonally located (so I can open the dishwasher all the way, and stand between the sink and stove to unload the glasses). I hand wash the pots and pans, but those are in the lower cabinet directly across from the dishwasher. I recently switched some things, because I had all the baking ingredients in the upper cabinet on the left of the stove. I decided these items would be better on the other side of the kitchen (away from the steam and heat). So far, I love the new arrangement.
Yup this makes perfect sense. I've been in my place for 2 years and I'm still trying to figure out where to put stuff lol. You're videos have been a Godsend. Thank you :-)
Now I wonder where you moved the popcorn to?! As i have developed back/bending issues I have had to rearrange things and declutter so my most used items are all waist to shoulder height.
OMG I am so glad you posted about back/bending issues! I was just diagnosed with osteoporosis and would not have thought about this issue when in the kitchen. I'm totally going to (carefully) go through all of the lower cabinets and see what I can move up or get rid of. And the popcorn....yes, where did she put it!?? LOL I also may re-watch that part of the video because I really thought I saw 2 containers of popcorn. 🤷🤷 😆🤣
@@patticollins5783 If you don't have cabinet drawers in your lower cabinets, I seriously recommend adding some drawer pull-outs. I store all of my pots and pans, casserole dishes, etc. in drawers, and it prevents me from having to crouch down to get to things on cabinet shelves.
Great tips.. we definitely have a coffee prep, lunch packing area, and dishwasher unload zone with almost no steps. Never really thought about it... but I do love my kitchen more when that happens!
When I first arranged my kitchen, I realized there weren't nearly enough cabinets near my dishwasher to follow this standard guidance. I have plenty of cabinets as well as a walk-in pantry, but they are all on the other side of the kitchen. Most of the cabinets fall between the refrigerator and the range, so the next best location became "point of use" rather than proximity to the dishwasher.
Sue Wolfe- I place my plates and bowls near the area where I use them. The glasses near the refrigerator, etc. I realize that's not always going to work in every kitchen. You have to work with the cabinets that you have. I do keep my spices next to the stove as well as my oven mitts. As you said, Dana, you can change things down the road if they don't work for you initially. 👏💪❤️❤️
I store things closest to where I will use them in the kitchen. Dinner dishes, glassware and cups, mixing bowls, colanders, measuring cups, and cutlery are all within reach of the dishwasher. When we bought our house in 1997, I designed and had a new kitchen built to my specifications. One drawer is actually an extra pull-out counter for when I need it near the microwave, toaster and KitchenAid mixer. I also had pull-out drawers put in the bottom cabinets that hold my bowls and pots and pans. The area above the refrigerator has a built-in wine rack instead of the usual wasted cabinet space. I also had them install a cabinet with turntable for my spices on the left side of my stove, which also hold my oils, and specialty spices. At the bottom of that area is a cabinet which holds my baking pans and cooling racks. All stored next to the stove. My kitchen is a small galley kitchen, but it holds everything I need because I also have a large pantry to keep groceries, serving pieces, small appliances and cleaning tools all sectioned off in that area.
I used, "where would I look for this first" for the first time today and IT WORKED after trying to think of the best home for something for a couple days. But as soon as I asked the question, "if I needed it, where would I look for it first", the answer popped into my head immediately. Genius
My bedroom is arranged very much like this, too. I can get dressed from just-a-robe to out-the-door in three steps, including hanging up my robe and checking the full length mirror.
I think the biggest mistake a person can make when setting up their kitchen, is to set it up like their mom or grandmom did without taking into account your own lifestyle. For example, I have all my coffee needs in one cabinet: coffee, creamer, filters, mugs, spoon, etc... My whole kitchen is set up with "stations".
@nikkidale1270 don't know about her, but these are mine. : Beverage station= glasses, mugs, k-cup machine and coffee maker. Coffee, tea, and all other beverages and items related to beverages (for me, the cabinets, counter space, and drawers closest to the fridge Wash station (think, dish washer, sink, drain, cabinet under the sink ) Prep Station = think, stand mixer, cutting boards, measuring cups, can opener, cutlery, mixing bowls, baking ingredients, any shelf-safe food items that you would typically prep with (I e., canned tomatoes, sauce, pasta, etc) Cooking station= stove and oven, pots and pans, Any extra cooking appliances (I e., pressure cooker, air fryer, etc), cooking utensils, etc Serving station= plates, bowls, silverware, etc. My counter space in my cooking station is also part of my serving station. They kind of overlap eachother. But the idea is to group the tools and equipment together in the same general area as their respective consumables. It makes no sense to have the glasses and mugs way over in the dish cabinet and the coffee and tea and other drinks on the opposite side of the kitchen. I also find it easier to have people in the kitchen at the same time without tripling over each other so much, if everything is grouped this way. I can be cooking and doing dishes and someone can come inand get coffee and not have to worry about either of us getting in the other's way. Or, if someone is helping me cook, they can be prepping while I'm putting the dish together. Even in a kitchen with limited counter space, this type of set up makes it easier for 2 people to be in there at the same time.
I do stations too and I love it! My baking station (flour, sugar, baking supplies, stand mixer, bread machine, etc.) is one of my favorites. No more lugging my stand mixer and going back and forth to make things like cookies! My wonderful husband just added an outlet to my station as oddly there was not one so now I can put recipes together without moving my feet.
If I had to unload my dishes without moving my feet, I would have to throw my dishes out of the window LOL. But, it is a good idea. My dishwasher and sink are under 4 big windows, which look out to a beautiful woods. So, it’s worth the “footwork “ I have to do.
This is great advice but as I was watching you I wanted to reach through the screen and get the dish soap and Barkeepers friend and put it under the sink! Haha! It would drive me nuts, moving that stuff around to wipe down the sink. :) I completely agree that everyone needs to figure out what works for them in their own kitchen.
My mom remodeled her kitchen in 1972 so she had a work triangle that was with the stove, sink, and frige very close. All her items were where you would want to find them. Cups, plates, and silverware all in cabinet and drawer above the dishwasher. Stovetop tools and hotpads and trivets were by the stove. Spices were above the counter where we mixed baking items. She set up a farm friend's kitchen and the woman found everything instinctively-we visited occasionally at each other's homes and farms, but mom and the other lady never worked in each other's kitchens. Your "where would you look first" is totally logical! Wish all kitchens were so well set up...
Every few years my partner and I go through the house and see if we can change things to work better. We don't have a lot of stuff so it's not a huge deal, but it makes the house so much more functional!
Excellent advice (as usual). I can't empty my dishwasher without walking, except for glassware. OTOH, the baking stuff is near the counter next to the oven; the cooking utensils are next to the stove. In other words I traded ease of reaching when using for ease of putting away. I just had a test of my logic when someone new to the household emptied the dishwasher and made up places to put things using her logic ... only two things were "off" and they were logical, just not my logic (specifically, the colander was put with the measuring cups instead of with the other strainer thingies and there was something else odd that I've now forgotten). I did have spices standing in a drawer and did write on the caps, but I'm in love with the fancy spice drawer I added when I redid my kitchen--except at least one of my kids who cooks here can't alphabetize. LOL.
Thank you, Dana! My brain works so similarly to yours and hearing someone else say the things I’ve struggled with too is sooooo validating. I absolutely am the person who tries to find the BEST spot for things and will live with chaos until I find it instead of making one decision that’s good enough and being open to changing it in the future.
I generally use that rule of keeping most used items close to the dishwasher. I also consider putting items close to where I would use the item. I also like to group like items together. For example: I keep knives and cutting boards together. I keep cups close to the water dispenser. I consider it all and adjust as needed.
The only problem with adjusting things is you have to remember to tell the other people in your house where you put stuff! I drive my hubby crazy sometimes. 😂
If I moved things around in the fridge, my hubby couldn't find what he wanted. It also took me a while to realize that our height difference of 6 inches meant putting things in his sight line made a difference, if he had to bend down to find something, it didn't exist! 😊
I live alone, and have a tiny kitchen. I only have 2 low level cupboards that go into the corners, and 2 full length and 2 half height eye level cupboards. I have a dishwasher next to the washing machine in there too. I need to take everything out of my kitchen, and put it on a collapsible table, then I can actually see what I have, and if the items I want to keep are where I would look for them. Thank you for this informative video. Blessings from a very wet and windy West Devon, England, and Jilly & Madge the rescue greyhound. xxx
Love you so much, Dana. Seems like when I finally read my dishwasher guide, it suggested emptying the bottom first. Not sure why. Doesn’t really matter, because Hubby is “the man” for that job. 😂 I placed things in our new house where I thought I’d use them. I get lots of steps (exercise) going to get measuring devices. Definitely need to move them! I am 75 and a Weight Watcher, though, so every step helps. ❤️❤️❤️
@@belllchina Ditto! I always empty the bottom drawer first to keep the stuff there dry. The top always seems to have the stuff that doesn't fully drain.
I just recently moved my spices into a drawer. I bought jars and labeled them on the top and side. I like mine in alphabetical order. Thank you for all the other tips ❤
I have working on trying to do major declutter & organization of my home. However, I’ve been getting so frustrated and running into roadblocks because I don’t know where to put some of things I’m keeping (reforming shopaholic here 🤣😳) but I love you’re statement of asking myself “where’s the first place I would look for this?”. It’s so simple but I’ve never thought about it in that way before! Here’s hoping I can move through my stuff a little faster now!!!!!
Hey Dana! At 3:19 If you can put all of your shorter glasses to one side (right or left) of your designated glass shelf and all of your taller glasses on the opposite side, you wouldn’t have to manuver your tall glasses horizontally into the cupboard and clang them together to get them behind the shorter ones. So talls would be in front of talls and shorts in front of shorts... hope that makes sense! Great video, thank you!! Edit: Cutlery sounds too "uptight" to me. We say silverware even though they are made of stainless steel... they're still silver colored, lol! 😅
I've always set up my new kitchens by function. Pots and pans in lowers near the stove, plates at the closest upper cabinet near the stove. Glasses in an upper next to the fridge. Mugs near the coffee pot. Its the same concept as yours for reducing the amount of travel, but instead of it being travel when unloading the dishwasher, which isn't every day, I reduced the travel on the daily occurrences of cooking and serving food. Some kitchens are better suited than others. My current kitchen doesn't have enough space for spices to be near the stove like yours and I am envious, but I wouldn't give up my plate storage for the spices. It worked out for the best though because I use more spices than would fit in a drawer anyway, so now they are on shallow door racks on the inside of my 2 pantry doors, close enough to the stove that its not an issue, and yet they aren't wasting space on the pantry shelves. Mentioning it for anyone who is looking for a solution to their spice addiction storage! And Dana & Reid: I enjoy the credits at the end as much or more than I do the videos themselves!!! Love this so much!
Hi there just an idea l place my spices in a medium size clear container [l have 2 containers]and place it above the fan cupboard..when l need the spices l bring the container down use what l need one by one placing the spices back in the container after each use …when all is finished l place the container back into the cupboard. This works for me❤️
Hi Dana, Oh, thank you so much for this video. I'm am a super chronic overthinker, and I needed this video since I just re organized parts of my kitchen, and it's not working, so thank you so much. Happy Thanksgiving 🦃🦃, and I will see you next time❤
Great video! We just moved into our retirement home on acreage in the country, and we are remodelling the kitchen, but meanwhile, i still have to have a place to put my dishes. Everything is fluid right now.
Now living alone i moved a coffee cup,coffee vitamins bowl for cereal, kettle all in the one place so i do not move to start the day. All the other cups bowls etc in another cupboard looks odd when others in the house but it works for me
I have not moved into a new house but am in the process of having my kitchen remodeled and things will have to change. I agree with you that a decision made is better than overthinking.
Each time you go down and come back up I'm scared you bump your head 😮 I love how you're organized though and I also like your strategy. It makes total sense to me. I'm just starting to declutter my big house to get ready to sell it within the next year/years and move into either a small house or even a mobile home. Thanks for sharing your tips, I find them very helpful ❤
I so respect your thinking! Your dish math encourages me every time to just quickly get those few dishes done (by hand, since I live alone and I wanted the space under the counter.) Would love to see a video on organizing strategies for kitchen tool drawers. Your tongues and scissors drawer looks just like mine! ☺
I don't have cupboards by my dishwasher. I lay a clean towel down and empty the dishes on that. I carry the silverware rack to where I can empty it quickly. Then I put away the other things. If I ever change my kitchen layout, I will definitely do it your way. Meanwhile the dishes are easy to set the table.
Great ideas for those, like me, who have ADHD. I try to zone the kitchen so I know where everything is. I’m English so I make LOTS of tea. So my tea making things, tea bags, spoons, a jar of coffee, are all on a tray near my kettle. And the mugs are in a cupboard just above that zone.
I’m guilty of keeping things where they are just because that’s where they are already, even if they’re in an inconvenient place that makes me want to never use them. 😅 Those were some of the easiest things to declutter when I did my kitchen sweep, though.
When my children were young my sister decided to help me and rearrange my cupboards. She moved the coffee cups to the lowest most accessible shelf I had ever but I don’t drink coffee and at the time we rarely drank hot beverages at home. What I did have was too short. People who needed to be able to get to glasses easily. Fast-forward to now where my adults son lives with me and the coffee cups are back on the first shelf where he can easily make his first cuppa cuppa coffee in the morning. Second point being that your needs change overtime don’t be afraid to rearrange where your life is currently.
Hi Dana I watched how you arranged your dishes above the dishwasher and that is how I had things in my old kitchen. I’m my new kitchen I arranged dishes close to stove and away from dishwasher. The reason is that it really strains your back to have to reach over and around the dishwasher door and drawers. You might strain your back which I’m try to avoid being a nurse and my daughter being a physiotherapist assistant.
I like to label things with a Sharpie on Scotch tape. I won't spend money on a fancy labeling system because then I would feel bad about changing things. If I decide to move something, I can just rip off the tape and relabel, no harm no foul.
I have a full cupboard and a half cupboard on same side of top row and 3 full cupboards on the bottom row. Each has one unmoveable shelf across the middle. Oh, I do also have one undersink cabinet for cleaning supplies. I have baking and other oven supplies stuffed into the 2 lower cupboards on the same side. The other full cupboard on bottom row of other side is rarely used because a box or two of kitchen stuff is always in front of it. It is supposed to be the cereal boxes cupboard because it has no divider across the middle. It is really a struggle to find space for everything I use in the kitchen. I have 2 hutches in the dining area that I use as pantries for foods in cans, jars, and boxes (pasta, spaghetti, sauces, rice, instant potatoes,etc.). Btw, I can't walk around the dishwasher because, when it is open, the dw door edge is only 3 or 4 inches away from the oven. #apartmentliving
This is very handy. Our new kitchen doesn't allow me to not move my feet when emptying the dishwasher. There is simply not enough cupboard space over the dishwasher and we house the first aid and medications in this cupboard as it is closest to the back door - we put things from the chemist straight in there when returning home etc. My family like to rearrange the kitchen which is frustrating as they don't look and notice where the item goes. My previous kitchen was my late mil's kitchen so I arranged it just as she did to make it easier for everyone.
I recently decided to put my cutlery in a different drawer after 15 years. It’s soooo much better. Don’t hesitate to try something new even if you’ve lived in your home for a long time.
I do the same with the dishwasher and I put pots near stove I put bread and peanut butter on top cabinet above my toaster - or all drinks and tea etc above my coffee machine and kettle
Love your accents - you could be a very successful actress, perhaps in a daytime drama. 🥰 I have organised my kitchen similarly only around the cooking process: cooking tools, spices etc, other ingredients.
Thank you Dana! My kitchen function has changed as my family has changed. Watching this made me realize that I am still accomodating traffic flows that no longer exist and working around toddlers that are now adults.
I can so relate to your comment 😊
Your Mom’s comment about organizing without moving your feet, reminded me of a term that chefs use in kitchens. Mis En Place means that Items are placed to make the most organized, efficient use of space and time. Have enjoyed watching your videos. Thank you.
35 years ago, my husband and I added a bigger kitchen on to our hose. We designed it ourselves for how we moved and worked in our kitchen. We hardly ever move our feet when loading or unloading the dishwasher. Your advice was so validating! Our kids were babies when we completed our addition, so we have modified placement of things as we went along. I now have a soup area, a baking area, a drawer for leftover containers (though lids are still separate, so we do have things to work on). I love watching your channel for new ideas and strategies. I learn something every time. Thanks!
Love the dishwasher scenario :) I think that way, but my kitchen configuration means moving more. I empty everything onto the counter and stack like items ,throw the 'near stuff' in the cupboards, and then carry groups to the other side. After 25 years of married life, I put the salad tongs IN the salad bowl and no longer have to hear WHERE ARE THEY from the salad making husband :) We can all find little things that make it easier Just 2 of us
You're like me girl !!!! ❤❤❤😂 or I'm like YOU 👍
Salad tongs on the salad bowl 🤯 why have I not thought of this?
I do this, too. The glasses go in the cabinet above the dishwasher because they don't stack, but I can easily move the plates in a stack, so they go in the further cabinet. The cutlery is all in a basket, so I set it on the counter and sort it into the drawers.
My kitchen is arranged in stations - serving stuff near the dining room, prep stuff near the stove. Storage stuff near the fridge.
I moved my “cutlery on the side of my kitchen where my plates and glasses are and my spices next to stove. After a year I still open the drawer next to my stove for my cutlery. Lol
Where should I put this vs where would I look for this first is such a game changer. Thank you!
My kitchen is so small there is no room for any drawers, and certainly no space for a dishwasher,. And I LOVE IT. Talk about utilizing the container method this is the kitchen built for that. I have it setup for easy cooking and easy dishwashing. And by-the-way. I find hand washing dishes very therapeutic for me a time to reflex on God's Love and Blessings, and a great time for Praise and Thanksgiving for all He has done for me in my life! Love ❤Ruthie
Pretty sure Reid just volunteered to be the one to write the names of the spices on the lids.
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I would have hubby change the one cupboard door to otherside so you could have glass cupboard and dish cupboard at same time without dodging door.
But when she wanted a glass of water the door would be in the wrong place to the sink.😊
These are both good points. Also, Dana is an expert cupboard door dodger I hear.
@@hazelmeldrum5860 so the solution would be to have the cabinet door open to the ceiling [problem solved]
The thing that bothers me about that cupboard is how the tall glasses are behind the short ones. You could hear them clanging together as she maneuvered the tall glass horizontal to get it to fit behind the shorter ones. It would be a lot easier to have all the short glasses on one side and all the tall glasses on the other side (so talls would be in front of talls, and shorts in front of shorts). Maybe she has some reason to do it that way... I don't know?
Edit: It's at 3:19
Yes, like glasses in columns not rows.
Thank you so much. I have just listened to you read 2 books to me twice as I had long……. Drives for work. Decluttering At The Speed Of Life recommended by Amanda Paige - This Crazy Life, and due to my own curiosity How To Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind!
My story is a bit different.
I started making my own bed at 3. By 6 I was doing the family washing and cooking by 11, I had to manage my parents home as my mum was bed ridden for at least 2 months. So from 8 - 18 I was the family housekeeper to the total amazement of family friends and fellow classmates at school. Needless to say when at 11 in cookery class they said let’s boil an egg and no one knew how - I wondered on what it planet did they live and why couldn’t we boil several eggs at once? The teacher was not amused and thought I was a smart Alec.
So when I went to University I was the girl who took a first aid kit a sewing machine and soon had a set of saucepans and an iron!!! Not normal for a party animal environment.
I was married before I finished only 20. Had first child at 25 second at 28, very clean tidy home at that stage - obsessed with keeping it clean for my babies, though continually collected more things and unfortunately divorced at 34.
I had to work to support my family and did long hours even got a second degree- pulled all nighters to get the assignments in on time.
I guess like you I’m creative and deadline or goal driven. First major goal set age 5, second age 8 - both achieved twice. Yep over achiever of the unimportant things in life really. Not so much of an achiever where it really counts.
Teacher all levels. All subject areas - one is never enough. Cake decorating - including wedding cakes. All different types of cooking Italian, French, Chinese- variety is the key to life. Receptionist/Typist, crafting any type except painting and drawing. But dying fabric requires inks and poppy wreaths need to be painted red. Patchwork including cushions, several quilts, many sizes. Sewing all styles. Dressmaking yep. Knitting dolls, Lacey baby things or whatever. Crochet love it. Big blankets or dainty handkerchiefs. Check. Really need to keep hands and mind challenged.
Reading- well books are our friends!! I learnt to read in 3 weeks at age 6 to catch up with the class- I’ve been devouring books ever since. My library is extensive diverse and all over the house- literally. I’m a born collector. Everyone says so.
My family and friends are literally all over the world and my Christmas letters to everyone are treasured and were started way before everyone got on the bandwagon- the family called them my round Robin.
So loads of grief, PTSD, anxiety, depression etc. Etc. Life has not been easy.
We moved continents twice in my early childhood and by nature I’m a homebody who needs to nest, so it was unsettling. I’m ok with all that. I know mentally how and why I got to this stage.
Imagine a giant paper volcano exploded in the middle of your house - that’s where the office/craft room is - and the lava that spewed through every room was paper of some kind, photos, receipts etc. Added to that because never do anything by halves- a trail of crafting and books etc.
Through this downhill journey which started in 2002 and has gotten worse with each diabolical event since. There are only 2 things I kept up. The dishes are washed and the washing is up to date. There is however a huge stack of clean air drying containers by the sink- I heard too air drying is best.
Though the clothes are clean a humongous pile in my room unable to get into the wardrobe!
This all just adds to the eyesore that unfortunately is the home I was once so proud of- oh how the mighty have fallen.
WELL
Even though I drove from 7am - 1pm continuously for work today. Listening to you all the way, I came home energised and decided that the eyesore that is my bedroom had to change.
When my 35 year old messy daughter (actually diagnosed with domestic blindness) poked her head around my door- I informed her that my drawer was a container and whatever underwear wouldn’t fit in it couldn’t stay. Armed with my donate box and garbage bag I went through the drawer AND piles of clothes AND not only did I complete that drawer I did the other 3 in the dresser and culled part of the pile in front of it.
That’s why I have to say THANK YOU.
I put a few of the clothes on hangers and tomorrow I really want to do the cupboard behind the door. One area at a time. This place is going to get better.
Visual clutter- I have cleaned and Christmas decorated my front porch. It is making me smile as I come home. It took so little effort and the reward is enormous- I’m able to look past the grass my daughter was unable to mow due to being ill.
I’ve decided I’m sorting my home now for me because I want it to bring me joy. I’ve earned it. My room is first after the porch for me because I need it after giving all my energy to family friends and charities. I’m older now than when my dad retired and after all my efforts I’m feeling I have nothing to show for it.
As you identified it’s overwhelming me with its clutter I need to be able to breathe.
I need to add that finances are at rock bottom and I was lucky enough that my daughter allowed me to share her audible and have your 2 books to get me out of my head. It’s way too noisy there on road trips.
So at 63 I’m FINALLY learning how to tidy a home without making a bigger mess and what I did right and wrong for so many years.
THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. All the way from Australia Jackyxxoo
Ps. I was always in the school productions and aced campfire leading as a Scouter for 30 years. 🤪
Hi from Okinawa Japan 🇯🇵. Loved your personal story! I am touched by your overcomer character❣️ I think many people would benefit if you start your own blog or testimonial to help others. God Bless from a 63 yr old .
Ive had enough of world events. This is a breath of fresh air. Thank you!
Just today I was organizing my file cabinet that has four drawers and found two small pictures on plaques shoved in one. I thought, “I would have never thought to look here if I wanted to find them. Where would I look?”And then I immediately took them there. So, thanks because I know darn well that because they fit in that file space I probably would have kept them there in that random spot and then would have not been able to find them later.
Just love this video. Thank you so much for it 😊❤. You make kitchen organizing fun. Three ideas i found especially helpful:
1. This is your kitchen so it needs to work for you/your family, not a magazine photo shoot.
2. Don't get hung up on finding the perfect place/solution, just make a decision that works for you now.
3. It is OK to change things over time if something else works better or circumstances change.
Point of performance! Yay! This is why I actually don't want my kitchen too big! My apartment currently has what is honestly the BEST kitchen when it come to both point of performance and the "triangle" rule (well for MY preferences for the triangle at least lol).
😄 the ending credits! I was waiting to hear where you looked for the popcorn first. Lol
This is invaluable during times of sickness and pain.
My spice drawer used to look like yours, and I knew where things were without labels. But whenever anyone else needed something, they'd ruin my "system". I finally took a couple simple steps that made it easier for everyone: a couple drawer dividers so I could corral things into rows, and labels on the tops of jars. Minimal investment of time/money, and it has stayed neat.
You let someone else touch your spices..?!!! 😱
Touch my spices and die 😳🤣
I don’t like labels on anything, it feels a little like we’re all at primary school again to me…. Just don’t let people touch your spices!!!!!! 😜
@LouciferFlump I label mine because some spices look too much alike. And knowing me, I'd likely grab paprika instead of the cinnamon without smelling it before tossing it into the recipe lol.
I love you. You are the only organizer that has ever made sense to me. You really give such sound, doable advice. Thank you!
Unsolicited advice, if you keep your glasses small on one side and large on the other, you won't have to reach behind to get the glass you want. Otherwise I applaud your technique. 🎉
I took pictures of the kitchen & the cabinet locations. Before we ever moved in… I mapped out the most logical places for everything to go. Dishes near dishwasher, Spices near stove, Dinner foods near stove area, things we don’t use very often (blender, crockpot, juicer) in less accessible cabinets. I packed box by map, clearly labeled & had post-it notes for outside cabinet doors as to where things are for our first couple weeks. Otherwise, I would have had overload of decisions.
I will be following your method for our next move, which is likely within the next 3 years.
Wow impressive. I don’t have the energy for all that in between working and life hahah
I did the same thing! It made packing easier because I knew where everything was going and if there wasn’t enough room I donated items.
The kitchen is fun to organize once the inventory is lower. We put baking goods in in baskets in cupboard by the stove. It really helps us. Canned stuff goes in pantry because it works for this kitchen.
I love your thinking process for the kitchen. The past 6 + years that I've been married and we've been in the house he's lived in since long before I moved in, I'm finally making this kitchen my own. Even though he has always said it's now my kitchen and I need to make it my own, I really struggled in my mind to take over and arrange things in a way that works for me. I've never been in a situation in my entire life where I felt like the kitchen was my domain and I'm the one who gets to decide how I want things arranged and done in my working space. Also, I'm a short lefty in a medium to tall righty kind of world, and struggled all my life with clumsiness, confusion, and awkwardness in doing alot of things because just about everything and every space is designed for average height rightness. For some reason, I didn't make the connection that being left handed, I needed to arrange my work space (any work space) for a lefty, and I arranged things in my work areas in the same spot a righty would, while still using my left hand. Well, it finally dawned on me recently, at least in my kitchen, to think like a lefty while re- organising my kitchen, and to stop thinking about where most other people put things. I ended up with my counters and cabinets divided into stations...my beverage station, my prep stain, my cooking station and my serving station. And everything is set up, as much as the kitchen structure would allow, for me to work from right to left instead of working from left to right. Game changer! My thoughts when I work in my kitchen now are, "so this is what normal feels like when people work in their kitchen?" I am not confused, stressed, super clumsy or super messy when I'm there. I'm still a Messy cook, but not nearly as messy 😂. I just feel way more relaxed, and doing anything in that kitchen is now a no-brainer. I now find everything where I naturally look or reach for it, for the most part. I even...gasp...relocated the dog dish to the shelf in the station where I keep our bowls! It just makes logical sense to me to look for her bowl in the same place where the rest of the bowls are. Some may find it gross, but it gets washed really clean just like our plates and bowls. No biggy. So I guess I do t he opposite of uou, where I arrange things where I naturally look fir it or reach for it when I need it, instead of where I would put it away.
I've recently started storing containers with the lids on. Great idea
Ever since I binged on your podcasts and started getting rid of sooooo much, I am able to put things places I would look for them first And Find them 😅
I just discovered your channel. I have a seasonal job so my winter is when I deep clean. Your ideas are wonderful Thank you, I'm sure you are going to bang your head on that open door
I was just thinking.. if your glasses cupboard opened the other way... That would be AWESOME!! Hehe 😁 Thanks Dana! That's a wonderful way to have your kitchen set up 👍🥰
I watched your video on the layers of a clean house.....like a few minutes ago lol and it makes so much sense. It was much easier to have a super clean house before I had my 3 children. So when I go to clean, which for me was doing all 3 steps in one session I would be exhausted. It could make you tired just looking at the task ahead lol but now I can have a process. So thank you.
Oh my gosh I was waiting for you to hit your head on the cabinet doors. Great video thanks for the info
Ha! Me, too.
Love watching/hearing you. You crack me up and I also learn so much! 😂
I unload dw by first placing dishes on that clean counter right by you, then putting them in cabinet. I like being able to close the dw as soon as possible. Thank you for this video 😊
Me too! I can't reach the cupboard where the dishes and glasses go if the dishwasher is open. (bad planning by the previous owner).
I’m currently rearranging my kitchen since some family members have married and/or gone to college. This video is a great template and reminder of how to make things work.
Thank you
I have a tiny kitchen and with the dishwasher open there is only one place to stand. I had to put things away from that one spot. It took me a few trys but we finally got it all sorted and now it's so quick. Thanks Dana for confirming this.
How did you organize? I left a message here regarding size cabinets I have. I just can't make anything fit, forget organized to take no steps!
I did watch this earlier when you posted it, but came back to wish you Happy Thanksgivin, enjoy and be blessed love to you all. xxx
I dont have a dishwasher in our very old very small farmhouse galley kitchen, and probably never will, but the concept of efficiency of movement still applies. Thank you for the ideas!!!!!
Due to my physically dysfunctional knees and back, my ability to stand for prolonged periods at one time is restricted (15 to 30 minutes is my max), and walking is very painful. I can not immediately put out of place items away one by one, for me that is not efficient and it greatly reduces my overall ability to get any task completed. I use a container (bin or bag) to collect wayward items and then do one grand tour to put wandering and out of place things from one room or area back where they belong all at one time. It works for me.
Storage containers with the lids on IS a game changer.
The dishes are right above the dishwasher. Unfortunately it's broken right now, waiting for the money for repairs.
Kathy B
Great ideas! When we remodeled our kitchen a few years ago our plates didn't fit in the cabinet where I wanted to put them. So this ended up being the starting point of how other things got put away. I put the plates where they fit and then we had a lot of cups, glasses and mugs so they went in a cabinet large enough to fit them, which just happened to be by the fridge. The drawer sizes determined which items I put in them. Then we had pull out lower cabinets for the pots, pans, cookie sheets etc. I still occasionally rearrange a few items so it can evolve as you go. Thanks for another fantastic video! 😊
I just went through "moving in" to our kitchen remodel in December and luckily my husband helped me come up with pretty much this system (he cooks too). I moved where we stored dishes so I could reach the cabinets without having to close the dishwasher each time. We started with what we wanted within reach at major appliances: spices, cooking utensils, pans near the stove; glasses as near to the refrigerator as possible while still reachable from the dishwasher, plus leftover storage supplies.; silverware near the dishes and glasses so we could grab everything together when setting the table, etc. Then we worked our way outward to less frequently needed items. The biggest help from my husband for me, the over-thinker, was your point that I didn't have only one chance to decide the BEST place. There are no kitchen police to say I can't change my mind as we use our new kitchen. It took so much of the stress out of the process.
We have a slightly different layout, but we prioritize having the plates, bowls and silverware close to the table. (This helps so someone else can help set the table without getting in the way of the cook.) The cabinet that holds the glasses is close to the dishwasher, but i find it easier to store the glasses in the cabinet diagonally located (so I can open the dishwasher all the way, and stand between the sink and stove to unload the glasses).
I hand wash the pots and pans, but those are in the lower cabinet directly across from the dishwasher.
I recently switched some things, because I had all the baking ingredients in the upper cabinet on the left of the stove. I decided these items would be better on the other side of the kitchen (away from the steam and heat). So far, I love the new arrangement.
I *love* the editor's note at the end of every video. Makes me laugh every time 😂
Yup this makes perfect sense. I've been in my place for 2 years and I'm still trying to figure out where to put stuff lol. You're videos have been a Godsend. Thank you :-)
I like that you call everything whose name doesn't come to mind a "dololly."
Now I wonder where you moved the popcorn to?!
As i have developed back/bending issues I have had to rearrange things and declutter so my most used items are all waist to shoulder height.
OMG I am so glad you posted about back/bending issues! I was just diagnosed with osteoporosis and would not have thought about this issue when in the kitchen. I'm totally going to (carefully) go through all of the lower cabinets and see what I can move up or get rid of.
And the popcorn....yes, where did she put it!?? LOL I also may re-watch that part of the video because I really thought I saw 2 containers of popcorn. 🤷🤷
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@@patticollins5783 If you don't have cabinet drawers in your lower cabinets, I seriously recommend adding some drawer pull-outs. I store all of my pots and pans, casserole dishes, etc. in drawers, and it prevents me from having to crouch down to get to things on cabinet shelves.
Great tips.. we definitely have a coffee prep, lunch packing area, and dishwasher unload zone with almost no steps. Never really thought about it... but I do love my kitchen more when that happens!
When I first arranged my kitchen, I realized there weren't nearly enough cabinets near my dishwasher to follow this standard guidance. I have plenty of cabinets as well as a walk-in pantry, but they are all on the other side of the kitchen. Most of the cabinets fall between the refrigerator and the range, so the next best location became "point of use" rather than proximity to the dishwasher.
I HAVE TO say… every new video it pops in my head… I LOVE LOVE your color of your hair!!! The platinum highlights are gorgeous!!! 😘
Sue Wolfe- I place my plates and bowls near the area where I use them. The glasses near the refrigerator, etc. I realize that's not always going to work in every kitchen. You have to work with the cabinets that you have. I do keep my spices next to the stove as well as my oven mitts. As you said, Dana, you can change things down the road if they don't work for you initially. 👏💪❤️❤️
I store things closest to where I will use them in the kitchen. Dinner dishes, glassware and cups, mixing bowls, colanders, measuring cups, and cutlery are all within reach of the dishwasher. When we bought our house in 1997, I designed and had a new kitchen built to my specifications. One drawer is actually an extra pull-out counter for when I need it near the microwave, toaster and KitchenAid mixer. I also had pull-out drawers put in the bottom cabinets that hold my bowls and pots and pans. The area above the refrigerator has a built-in wine rack instead of the usual wasted cabinet space. I also had them install a cabinet with turntable for my spices on the left side of my stove, which also hold my oils, and specialty spices. At the bottom of that area is a cabinet which holds my baking pans and cooling racks. All stored next to the stove. My kitchen is a small galley kitchen, but it holds everything I need because I also have a large pantry to keep groceries, serving pieces, small appliances and cleaning tools all sectioned off in that area.
I used, "where would I look for this first" for the first time today and IT WORKED after trying to think of the best home for something for a couple days. But as soon as I asked the question, "if I needed it, where would I look for it first", the answer popped into my head immediately. Genius
My bedroom is arranged very much like this, too. I can get dressed from just-a-robe to out-the-door in three steps, including hanging up my robe and checking the full length mirror.
I think the biggest mistake a person can make when setting up their kitchen, is to set it up like their mom or grandmom did without taking into account your own lifestyle. For example, I have all my coffee needs in one cabinet: coffee, creamer, filters, mugs, spoon, etc... My whole kitchen is set up with "stations".
curious to know your other "stations"this is intriguing
@nikkidale1270 don't know about her, but these are mine. :
Beverage station= glasses, mugs, k-cup machine and coffee maker. Coffee, tea, and all other beverages and items related to beverages (for me, the cabinets, counter space, and drawers closest to the fridge
Wash station (think, dish washer, sink, drain, cabinet under the sink )
Prep Station = think, stand mixer, cutting boards, measuring cups, can opener, cutlery, mixing bowls, baking ingredients, any shelf-safe food items that you would typically prep with (I e., canned tomatoes, sauce, pasta, etc)
Cooking station= stove and oven, pots and pans, Any extra cooking appliances (I e., pressure cooker, air fryer, etc), cooking utensils, etc
Serving station= plates, bowls, silverware, etc.
My counter space in my cooking station is also part of my serving station. They kind of overlap eachother.
But the idea is to group the tools and equipment together in the same general area as their respective consumables. It makes no sense to have the glasses and mugs way over in the dish cabinet and the coffee and tea and other drinks on the opposite side of the kitchen. I also find it easier to have people in the kitchen at the same time without tripling over each other so much, if everything is grouped this way. I can be cooking and doing dishes and someone can come inand get coffee and not have to worry about either of us getting in the other's way. Or, if someone is helping me cook, they can be prepping while I'm putting the dish together. Even in a kitchen with limited counter space, this type of set up makes it easier for 2 people to be in there at the same time.
@@lovefortruth3414Really appreciate your comment. Thank you for sharing 💜
@thlp6872 yvw. I hope it helps
I do stations too and I love it! My baking station (flour, sugar, baking supplies, stand mixer, bread machine, etc.) is one of my favorites. No more lugging my stand mixer and going back and forth to make things like cookies! My wonderful husband just added an outlet to my station as oddly there was not one so now I can put recipes together without moving my feet.
If I had to unload my dishes without moving my feet, I would have to throw my dishes out of the window LOL. But, it is a good idea. My dishwasher and sink are under 4 big windows, which look out to a beautiful woods. So, it’s worth the “footwork “ I have to do.
This is great advice but as I was watching you I wanted to reach through the screen and get the dish soap and Barkeepers friend and put it under the sink! Haha! It would drive me nuts, moving that stuff around to wipe down the sink. :) I completely agree that everyone needs to figure out what works for them in their own kitchen.
I wanted the cupboard door closed so she wouldn't bump her head!
@@jeme7339 Same!!!
My mom remodeled her kitchen in 1972 so she had a work triangle that was with the stove, sink, and frige very close. All her items were where you would want to find them. Cups, plates, and silverware all in cabinet and drawer above the dishwasher. Stovetop tools and hotpads and trivets were by the stove. Spices were above the counter where we mixed baking items. She set up a farm friend's kitchen and the woman found everything instinctively-we visited occasionally at each other's homes and farms, but mom and the other lady never worked in each other's kitchens. Your "where would you look first" is totally logical! Wish all kitchens were so well set up...
Use both cutlery and silverware.
Every few years my partner and I go through the house and see if we can change things to work better. We don't have a lot of stuff so it's not a huge deal, but it makes the house so much more functional!
Excellent advice (as usual). I can't empty my dishwasher without walking, except for glassware. OTOH, the baking stuff is near the counter next to the oven; the cooking utensils are next to the stove. In other words I traded ease of reaching when using for ease of putting away. I just had a test of my logic when someone new to the household emptied the dishwasher and made up places to put things using her logic ... only two things were "off" and they were logical, just not my logic (specifically, the colander was put with the measuring cups instead of with the other strainer thingies and there was something else odd that I've now forgotten). I did have spices standing in a drawer and did write on the caps, but I'm in love with the fancy spice drawer I added when I redid my kitchen--except at least one of my kids who cooks here can't alphabetize. LOL.
Thank you, Dana! My brain works so similarly to yours and hearing someone else say the things I’ve struggled with too is sooooo validating. I absolutely am the person who tries to find the BEST spot for things and will live with chaos until I find it instead of making one decision that’s good enough and being open to changing it in the future.
I generally use that rule of keeping most used items close to the dishwasher. I also consider putting items close to where I would use the item. I also like to group like items together. For example: I keep knives and cutting boards together. I keep cups close to the water dispenser. I consider it all and adjust as needed.
The only problem with adjusting things is you have to remember to tell the other people in your house where you put stuff! I drive my hubby crazy sometimes. 😂
If I moved things around in the fridge, my hubby couldn't find what he wanted. It also took me a while to realize that our height difference of 6 inches meant putting things in his sight line made a difference, if he had to bend down to find something, it didn't exist! 😊
When we redid our kitchen, I put labels on every shelf in every cabinet and even in the refrigerator. I also labeled every drawer. It helped a lot.
I love your accents and fun pronunciation of words!!
Fun!!
I live alone, and have a tiny kitchen. I only have 2 low level cupboards that go into the corners, and 2 full length and 2 half height eye level cupboards. I have a dishwasher next to the washing machine in there too. I need to take everything out of my kitchen, and put it on a collapsible table, then I can actually see what I have, and if the items I want to keep are where I would look for them. Thank you for this informative video. Blessings from a very wet and windy West Devon, England, and Jilly & Madge the rescue greyhound. xxx
This wouldn't work for my kitchen (it's spread out) but I totally get what you're saying!
Mine is too, but some things i can arrange in a" point of performance" way, see if u can too!😊
Love you so much, Dana.
Seems like when I finally read my dishwasher guide, it suggested emptying the bottom first. Not sure why. Doesn’t really matter, because Hubby is “the man” for that job. 😂
I placed things in our new house where I thought I’d use them. I get lots of steps (exercise) going to get measuring devices. Definitely need to move them!
I am 75 and a Weight Watcher, though, so every step helps. ❤️❤️❤️
I empty the bottom of dishwasher first so I don't spill leftover water from the top and everything on the bottom gets wet again 😅
@@belllchina Ditto! I always empty the bottom drawer first to keep the stuff there dry. The top always seems to have the stuff that doesn't fully drain.
I just recently moved my spices into a drawer. I bought jars and labeled them on the top and side. I like mine in alphabetical order. Thank you for all the other tips ❤
Omg you made it soo easy😮❤
I keep dancing in my kitchen from 1 corner to another 😅
I have working on trying to do major declutter & organization of my home. However, I’ve been getting so frustrated and running into roadblocks because I don’t know where to put some of things I’m keeping (reforming shopaholic here 🤣😳) but I love you’re statement of asking myself “where’s the first place I would look for this?”. It’s so simple but I’ve never thought about it in that way before! Here’s hoping I can move through my stuff a little faster now!!!!!
Store items closest to the point of use.
Yes
Hey Dana! At 3:19 If you can put all of your shorter glasses to one side (right or left) of your designated glass shelf and all of your taller glasses on the opposite side, you wouldn’t have to manuver your tall glasses horizontally into the cupboard and clang them together to get them behind the shorter ones. So talls would be in front of talls and shorts in front of shorts... hope that makes sense! Great video, thank you!!
Edit: Cutlery sounds too "uptight" to me. We say silverware even though they are made of stainless steel... they're still silver colored, lol! 😅
don't mind moving around to put things away, just adds to my steps for the day.
I've always set up my new kitchens by function. Pots and pans in lowers near the stove, plates at the closest upper cabinet near the stove. Glasses in an upper next to the fridge. Mugs near the coffee pot. Its the same concept as yours for reducing the amount of travel, but instead of it being travel when unloading the dishwasher, which isn't every day, I reduced the travel on the daily occurrences of cooking and serving food. Some kitchens are better suited than others. My current kitchen doesn't have enough space for spices to be near the stove like yours and I am envious, but I wouldn't give up my plate storage for the spices. It worked out for the best though because I use more spices than would fit in a drawer anyway, so now they are on shallow door racks on the inside of my 2 pantry doors, close enough to the stove that its not an issue, and yet they aren't wasting space on the pantry shelves. Mentioning it for anyone who is looking for a solution to their spice addiction storage! And Dana & Reid: I enjoy the credits at the end as much or more than I do the videos themselves!!! Love this so much!
Forgot to say... silverware!
Hi there just an idea l place my spices in a medium size clear container [l have 2 containers]and place it above the fan cupboard..when l need the spices l bring the container down use what l need one by one placing the spices back in the container after each use …when all is finished l place the container back into the cupboard. This works for me❤️
Hi Dana, Oh, thank you so much for this video. I'm am a super chronic overthinker, and I needed this video since I just re organized parts of my kitchen, and it's not working, so thank you so much. Happy Thanksgiving 🦃🦃, and I will see you next time❤
This helps so much.
Your books have helped me more than I can say.
By the way, your hair looks so pretty, and your earrings are very cute and trendy.
Great video! We just moved into our retirement home on acreage in the country, and we are remodelling the kitchen, but meanwhile, i still have to have a place to put my dishes. Everything is fluid right now.
I used this method when I helped my mum move house and it was really useful as now she doesn't phone me up when she can't find something.
Now living alone i moved a coffee cup,coffee vitamins bowl for cereal, kettle all in the one place so i do not move to start the day. All the other cups bowls etc in another cupboard looks odd when others in the house but it works for me
I have not moved into a new house but am in the process of having my kitchen remodeled and things will have to change. I agree with you that a decision made is better than overthinking.
I store most my containers w/lids on… I have a drawer for some smaller ones stacked , not deep. It’s so convenient! I thought I was only one ;)
Thank you! Love the sanity I get from following your books & videos! ❤
Each time you go down and come back up I'm scared you bump your head 😮
I love how you're organized though and I also like your strategy. It makes total sense to me. I'm just starting to declutter my big house to get ready to sell it within the next year/years and move into either a small house or even a mobile home. Thanks for sharing your tips, I find them very helpful ❤
I so respect your thinking! Your dish math encourages me every time to just quickly get those few dishes done (by hand, since I live alone and I wanted the space under the counter.) Would love to see a video on organizing strategies for kitchen tool drawers. Your tongues and scissors drawer looks just like mine! ☺
I don't have cupboards by my dishwasher. I lay a clean towel down and empty the dishes on that. I carry the silverware rack to where I can empty it quickly. Then I put away the other things. If I ever change my kitchen layout, I will definitely do it your way. Meanwhile the dishes are easy to set the table.
Thank you Dana for a great video. I’m an over thinker too.
Great ideas for those, like me, who have ADHD. I try to zone the kitchen so I know where everything is. I’m English so I make LOTS of tea. So my tea making things, tea bags, spoons, a jar of coffee, are all on a tray near my kettle. And the mugs are in a cupboard just above that zone.
Love your videos and comments in the credits! 😂
Please keep them coming!
I’m guilty of keeping things where they are just because that’s where they are already, even if they’re in an inconvenient place that makes me want to never use them. 😅 Those were some of the easiest things to declutter when I did my kitchen sweep, though.
When my children were young my sister decided to help me and rearrange my cupboards. She moved the coffee cups to the lowest most accessible shelf I had ever but I don’t drink coffee and at the time we rarely drank hot beverages at home. What I did have was too short. People who needed to be able to get to glasses easily.
Fast-forward to now where my adults son lives with me and the coffee cups are back on the first shelf where he can easily make his first cuppa cuppa coffee in the morning. Second point being that your needs change overtime don’t be afraid to rearrange where your life is currently.
In the UK it’s cutlery, silverware would be the Sunday best stuff for Christmas etc. I put stuff where I would use it, so cups next to the kettle etc.
Hi Dana
I watched how you arranged your dishes above the dishwasher and that is how I had things in my old kitchen. I’m my new kitchen I arranged dishes close to stove and away from dishwasher. The reason is that it really strains your back to have to reach over and around the dishwasher door and drawers. You might strain your back which I’m try to avoid being a nurse and my daughter being a physiotherapist assistant.
I love your videos! Thank you for this one. It makes such good sense & I just moved my tea & coffee cups closer to my dishwasher!
You just helped me reassign the drawers in my kitchen...pot holders by the stove...seems obvious now. Can openers go there too...I look there first.
I like to label things with a Sharpie on Scotch tape. I won't spend money on a fancy labeling system because then I would feel bad about changing things. If I decide to move something, I can just rip off the tape and relabel, no harm no foul.
I use a Sharpie and painters tape for easy removal.
Now you know reid, spices are in the drawer by the stove👍🏻☺️
I have a full cupboard and a half cupboard on same side of top row and 3 full cupboards on the bottom row. Each has one unmoveable shelf across the middle. Oh, I do also have one undersink cabinet for cleaning supplies. I have baking and other oven supplies stuffed into the 2 lower cupboards on the same side. The other full cupboard on bottom row of other side is rarely used because a box or two of kitchen stuff is always in front of it. It is supposed to be the cereal boxes cupboard because it has no divider across the middle. It is really a struggle to find space for everything I use in the kitchen. I have 2 hutches in the dining area that I use as pantries for foods in cans, jars, and boxes (pasta, spaghetti, sauces, rice, instant potatoes,etc.). Btw, I can't walk around the dishwasher because, when it is open, the dw door edge is only 3 or 4 inches away from the oven. #apartmentliving
This is very handy. Our new kitchen doesn't allow me to not move my feet when emptying the dishwasher. There is simply not enough cupboard space over the dishwasher and we house the first aid and medications in this cupboard as it is closest to the back door - we put things from the chemist straight in there when returning home etc. My family like to rearrange the kitchen which is frustrating as they don't look and notice where the item goes. My previous kitchen was my late mil's kitchen so I arranged it just as she did to make it easier for everyone.
We are moving in a few weeks so this was very timely!
Dana! I was struck by déjà vu with the open kitchen cabinet and you moving around it to film the video! 😂
We keep all of our spices in a bin and write the names on the top with a silver sharpie to make them easy to find.
I recently decided to put my cutlery in a different drawer after 15 years. It’s soooo much better. Don’t hesitate to try something new even if you’ve lived in your home for a long time.
Ways of cooking and things you need change. Adjusting as you go is a good suggestion. ❤🙏
I do the same with the dishwasher and I put pots near stove I put bread and peanut butter on top cabinet above my toaster - or all drinks and tea etc above my coffee machine and kettle
Love seeing your new videos!!!
Love your accents - you could be a very successful actress, perhaps in a daytime drama. 🥰
I have organised my kitchen similarly only around the cooking process: cooking tools, spices etc, other ingredients.