Step One: The Kitchen
It’s “empty-nester” season. The kids are either back in full day school or off to college and out of the house — at least for now. You may be feeling like you’ve been left holding the bag: The summer storms have come and gone and you get to deal with the aftermath. Organizing your home can be very cathartic; a practical and inexpensive way to freshen up your spaces. Whether you’re enjoying your gift of peace and quiet or haunted by your empty echoing hallways, this is a good time to take a look at your empty nest and do some re-feathering. Think of it as sort of a mini-renovation, without the big price tag.
Rather than taking on the entire house at once, try starting with just one room. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that of all the activities in and around the house that are performed on an average day, both men and women spend the highest percentage of time dealing with food preparation and cleanup: 41 percent for men, 68 percent for women. Therefore, since the bulk of our time at home is spent in our kitchens, it seems to me that the kitchen is the area where our first efforts will be best spent.
To begin, make a list of activities that occur in your kitchen. This will certainly include food preparation, but may or may not include dining. It also might also include bill paying, homework, or crafting. The list should be specific to your own family’s activities.
Taking your list, think of your kitchen in terms of zones. For instance, use drawers closest to the dining area to house flatware, while keeping cooking utensils closest to the stove. Keep the “junk” drawer — the one that holds tape, scissors, pens and such — closest to the area where you pay bills.
Now, choose to tackle one zone at a time. Take a look at everything in that zone. Everything. Even items on the top shelves way back in the cabinets.
With each item you consider, ask yourself these questions to discern whether the “twigs and feathers” that currently line your nest are for the birds that live here now or for ones who’ve already flown the coop:
1. When was the last time I used it? Was it when my now college-aged kids were in elementary school? (These may be things such as plastic cups, plates and straws.)
2. Is it still useful? (Does it work? Is it broken? Was that juicer or waffle maker just a great idea at the time but not realistically something I would ever use?)
3. Is it really special to me? (Was it a wedding gift? A family heirloom? Do I love it?)
4. How many do I have? (Do I need 25 mugs or will 12 suffice?)
5. Does it need to reside in the kitchen? (For example: holiday items don’t need to be within immediate reach, they can be stored with holiday décor until the right season.)
Once you have your answers, remove whatever did not pass the test and return what remains, always keeping like with like. Use this process to freshen up your home and brighten up your space.
* To contact Annette Reyman for organizing work, productivity support, gift certificates or speaking engagements in the Greater Philadelphia area call 610- 213-9559 or email her at annette@allrightorganizing.com. Reyman is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO®) and Board Member of its Greater Philadelphia Chapter. Visit her website at www.allrightorganizing.com or follow All Right Organizing on Facebook.
