Cooking at Café D: 31 Days To a More Organized Life: Day 31

"Tasks that take 31 Minutes or less... to make your life just a little bit easier!"

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Welcome to Day 31 - The Finale.

Just a heads up, this one will be long. Sorry.
I really want to tie things up and show you how
each of the steps we've taken in the 31 Day Series leads to a more organized life.

A more organized - YOU!

Whether your style is country or industrial - or someplace in between -
one thing remains consistent. A stress-free and healthy kitchen (and life!)
is organized and works well for your individual needs.
Let's take another look at the top photo.

Perhaps you love open shelving.

Notice the heavy platters are near the stove for easy serving. With the holidays approaching, perhaps you want to move your serving dishes closer to the stove - either temporarily or permanently.

Open plate racks make putting away everyday dishes quick and easy. And, they free up drawer space. Your junk drawer doesn't have to be in the heart of the kitchen since you probably don't use it every day. A drawer tucked away on an end might be fine.

Consider the repetitive movements you do every day.

Yep, we're talking ergonomics here. Are your plates and cups stored close to your dishwasher? If not, should they be? Only you know what actions you take in your kitchen that seem to take longer then they should. Consider the storage containers we talked about on Day 8. I keep mine right near the stove for easy portioning and freezing.

Are you lucky enough to have a pull out pantry?

Consider what it holds. Frequently used spices? (Did you check your stock like we talked about?) Vinegars and oils? Small saucepans? Zip lock bags? Maybe this would be a great place for your baking cabinet as we discussed on Day 13.

Speaking of baking, how about having a handy book shelf?

Have a small kitchen like I do?
Make the most of your space and think vertically.

A rolling cart, as we saw in the old 1949 Blast From the Past video on Day 15, can be handy in the kitchen. Use it when you need more space making cookies or for a buffet style dinner - then tuck it away.

Keep heavy pots where you don't have to bend for them.
And, keep the tools you use most close by.

Are you blessed with a kitchen island?

Make sure the height feels right so your back doesn't feel strained. Need a lift? Perhaps you could use bed risers to raise it. Is the island permanent? Use a thick butcher block to make the island feel taller and more in proportion to your body. And, be sure to use any space underneath for storage.

Remember to use what you've got!

Don't have a pantry?

Keep bulk items in storage jars at the ready and - get creative. And, you can keep it simple and put the condiments you use every day out on your table.

Each day, take 31 minutes to do something SMALL.

Take a moment to dream about how you would like your kitchen to look.
How do you want it to flow? Then group, organize, purge.
Do what you need to do to make your life just a little easier.
Afterward, sit back and enjoy the extra time you have with your family.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on how
YOU make YOUR kitchen just right.
Tell us below.

Want to catch up?