Pollock Family Adventures: Kitchen Organization Makeover: My First Kitchen Organization Project

I recently stumbled upon a personal realization that had been here all along – the passion I have for organizing things. And, not only my own things, but things and spaces that belongs to other people as well.

When I think of organization, words like "fun" and "exciting" come to mind. I decided to put my passion to the test on a friend's kitchen (who will remain anonymous).

They too are a military family. And as military life goes, we are never granted a permanent place to call "home," and for that matter, rarely a home that fits our perfect need. No. Often times, we are given one choice. And it could mean living in a house that could be considered nearly historic with just as much fixing and problems. Or too tiny to be considered our ideal space. But as the saying goes, home is where the military sends us.

This unique living situation lends us military families to an additional obstacle when trying to fit our family and things into a temporary assigned house for the next few short years: Where do we put all that stuff - and quick!?

And so my friend decided, as many of us do, after moving into her current home, that the easiest solution was to stuff all that "stuff" in a drawer, cabinet, or wherever "stuff" would fit and close the door quick. (Stuff that had been collected, stored and moved more often than it had actually been used).

Finding a new home for every item she owned seemed so uneventful and nearly impossible. She had more exciting things to do than to ponder the question, "where is the perfect new home for this (fill in the blank)?"

Who could blame her?

She had more important things to take care of, like three kids to love, feed and entertain, a husband to reprimand, and a fitness schedule to keep up. And of course, more bargain shopping to do.

Taking time to assess her needs and space was the least of her priorities.

But, I knew what an organized space would mean for her peace of mind, her wallet, and her busy schedule. I was determined to put a stop to her "stuffing" approach which was costing her precious time looking for things and lots of money down the drain. With my passion for organizing, a little tough love, and lots of coaching along the way, we recently completed her kitchen overhaul.

The project took approximately three weeks of small chunks of time here and there (24 hours, spread over 6 visits each lasting between 1-4 hours). By no means a quick or easy project. But it was a fun experience and as a bonus, I got to know my friend better along the way.

The best part, the overhaul cost less than $50 in organizational supplies and bins. And if you are wondering, no bins or supplies were purchased until the end - only after every item had an assigned home and had passed my rigorous questioning, "do you use this??"

Here are before and after pictures. See what you think.

BEFORE

Mugs, mugs and more mugs

The dark dungeon, otherwise known as a "blind corner cabinet." The worst invention in the history of kitchen design.

Medicine cabinet

Dishes

THE EXECUTION PLAN ON PAPER

Thankfully, with some minor adjusting of shelves as well as some rearranging, and lots of sorting, tossing and purging, we narrowed her "prime real estate" kitchen space to only the essential items she truly needed. The rest to be stored, sold, or donated.

Assigning homes for all the keepers. This was the fun part for me!

AFTER

Lids are stashed in the sturdy bin. Pans stacked only 3 high for easy access and lifting.

A cleared countertop means less "visual clutter."

Ahhh. That's more like it.

Her new baking section! Baking is her hobby and now she has everything she needs to bake in one easy-to-see, easy to access cabinet.

Dishes were downsized to only the neccessary quantity and style her family uses daily (some items in dishwasher not shown).

The pantry cabinet.

Top shelf is rice, pastas, and grains.

Middle shelf is breakfast foods and sweets.

Lower shelf is teas and beverage mixes.

Clear, stackable containers keep tea bags visible and easy to access.

The baking bowls, and other baking items stored in the "blind corner cabinet."

Food storage containers in the "blind corner cabinet." The stackable shelves help avoid too much piling and eases access and inventory.

Another look at the "blind corner cabinet" a most hidious space in many kitchens where accessing anything is nearly impossible. With this layout and some stackable shelves, we improved it's visibility and functionality. (The bar of lights will be adhered to the side wall).

The medicine cabinet. Now she can grab what she needs based on symptom and family member (a bin for cold medicines, children's medicine, pain relief, and vitamins).

Neatly stacked baking trays and cutting boards, using a file divider.