How to make the MOST out of the kitchen you have
It’s podcast day!
My second ever episode. Today I am talking KITCHENS, one of my favourite topics! Because (cliche alert) the kitchen is the heart of the home!
It truly is, and what happens in the kitchen tends to set the tone for the rest of the home. So it really pays to make sure that heart is ticking over nicely.
It’s an episode of 2 halves. The first half deals with clutter and kitchen surfaces, and the second is all about joy and beauty; the styling and decor.
Topics I cover:
Making the most of the kitchen you have now, whether you love or hate it, own or rent
Exactly how to declutter your kitchen
Kitchen organising tips
How to deal with cluttered worktops
What can go and what can stay- how to decide
The beautiful everyday on display
Adding ritual and beauty to your kitchen
The right lighting
Adding joy and colour
Listen below!
Key notes from the podcast
How to make the MOST of the kitchen you have
Today I am talking KITCHENS, one of my favourite topics! Because the kitchen is the heart of the home! And what happens in the kitchen tends to set the one for the rest of the home. So it really pays to make sure that heart is ticking over nicely.
The focus today is using what you currently HAVE. So this is renter- friendly. There will be future episodes where I talk about designing a kitchen from scratch. But today is focussing on what you have right now, whether you love or hate it, whether its temporary or rented.
I have tons of tips to help you to create a kitchen you love.
Today’s advice is split into 2 halves. The first one is focused on clutter, and managing kitchen surfaces. The second is focused on adding joy- so styling the space. *really* clear your kitchen worktops
Kitchen decluttering tips
I don’t see decluttering as a single act, but rather as a way of living. Kitchen decluttering is about getting rid of stuff just as much as it is about preventing stuff from coming in. I need to state that right at the beginning. Do you really need that egg poacher? That storage box? That milk whisk?
My decluttering mantra is : CCSA Clear it out. Clean it. Sort it. Arrange it.
Empty everything out
If you are tight on time you might not want to do your whole kitchen! But do it by category. Ie if you have plates in more than one place, get them all out. Once you’ve taken everything out, clean. I try to keep the kitchen cupboards clean, and keep food in sealed jars or bags, after a horrifying kitchen moth incident in our London flat 😱😱. The hoover is super helpful for getting crumbs and lint out of drawers and cupboards.
2. Edit
Handle everything, don’t just glance. Do you use this? Does it bring you joy? If not, donate/discard them. Do you have spices that went off in 2011? I have more chopping boards and wooden spoons than I officially need, but they bring me joy so they stay! Similarly with crockery. I use them for work so they stay but you may not need so much! Trust your instinct.
If you don’t want to immediately discard or donate, put some items on probation 👮♂️and set a reminder to review in a few months time.
3. Things in boxes
Also known as put things in boxes! Once you’ve sorted through your stuff, it’s time to organise. I want to share how I have organised my previous rental kitchens and my current tiny kitchen without spending much money time or energy on it.
And that is: Things in boxes!
Cupboards and drawers function much much better when everything has a compartment of some kind. I use a mix of boxes to do this - almost entirely recycled. In my drawers, for example, I have used old Tupperware that have missing or broken lids, and recycled postal boxes.
In my cupboards, most things now live in boxes that I can slide out really easily. The white boxes are a mix of (old) Ikea boxes that were dotted around the house, but pulled together for the kitchen, and some new ones from Wham storage. (Don’t buy storage until you have decluttered and know what you need)
4. Simple labelling
Label your boxers so everyone knows where to look. You can write on the box marker or chalk pen, or stick on a label. Whatever works for you.
Clearing Kitchen worktops
Most of the cluttering your kitchen will be concentrated on your flat surfaces: your island, worktops, and table. So we’re going to talk for a moment about those areas.
When it comes to kitchen worktops, the goal is to keep them as clear as possible. So in order to do this Sort through post and paperwork, dealing with it and store it away or discarding it. Put the random stuff that gathers there back in it's proper home.
If you do this and the worktops still feel cramped and cluttered, if you're still craving more space, then it’s time to rethink what you store on you’re worktops. You need to make as much room inside the cupboards as you can by decluttering. Which will then free up the work tops. Consider these ideas:
Fruit bowls
Do you need a fruit bowl? If the answer is not really, then consider storing your fruit in a container in a cupboard, or in the fridge instead. This removes something from the worktop and creates additional space for you.
Knives
Instead of a knife block, could your knives instead go on a magnetic rack on the wall? And also think: do you actually need all those knives? We have XX of knives and I find that is plenty for our cooking needs.
Utensils
If your utensils live in a pot on the side, could they instead go in a drawer? Or hung up on hooks underneath your kitchen units?
Bread bin
Instead of using a bread bin, could your bread live in a box in your cupboards?
Go from single purpose to multi-purpose appliances
If you have a slicer, food mixer and blender, why not swap it for a food processor instead? You could sell your single use appliances and put that money towards a food processor. In our current place we have installed a boiling/filtered water tap which meant we could get rid of our kettle and our water filter jug. Pricey, but I love it.
And, if you have a filtered water jug, could it live in the fridge rather than on the work surface?
Chopping boards
Could your breadboards and cutting boards be stored in a cupboard, instead of being leant up against the back of the worktop?
Cookbooks
If you have any cookbooks stored on the worktop, consider if they could be stored on a shelf or in a cupboard (or even in a different room)?
Microwave
If you have a microwave, could it be moved to the utility room, or place in a cupboard or on top of the fridge freezer?
Move things to another room?
Finally, think about this – is there anything taking up precious space on your work tops that would actually be better off in another room? This happens a surprising amount! Here are some examples:
- large water filter systems being put into utility rooms
- fish tanks moved into kids’ bedrooms
- kids toys and craft things moved to the living area or their bedroom
- bulk food items like long life milk or flour being re-homed in storage boxes with lids under the stairs or even under the sofa
- house plants re-homed in the bathroom or hallway
My pot of wooden spoons makes me very happy so it stays out – don’t forget to make this list work for you. Joy is important too.
How to up the JOY in your kitchen
The kitchen is the beating heart of our homes. But it is often a bit neglected when it comes to smaller decor jobs. If you own your space then Yes- you probably considered units, flooring and paint colours. But I’m talking about the joyful decorative finishes that really lift the space- the details are everything.
EVERYDAY ON DISPLAY… so make it beautiful
My kitchen styling philosophy is to have the things you need, but don’t look great, in cupboards. Display the more beautiful but practical objects. Over the last few years I have slowly curated a selection of everyday items that bring me joy. *Years* is the most important word there. Take time to collect items you actually need. Don’t rush or spend unnecessarily. Some of my favourite things: My shoe cleaning kit complete with brushes (all vintage), the surface spray I use (homemade using recycled bottles and nozzles), the handmade mugs, recycled dish cloths and linen tea towels. The broom, mop bucket, and candle holders. These items bring a small measure of joy to my daily living, MICRO JOYS if you will. And these micro joys add UP. Handling them helps me to be mindful, to focus on the small pleasures. Rather than having items on display that look nice but don’t serve a purpose (this can lead to lots of clutter if you’re not careful) I prefer to have beautiful versions of the things I use and interact with everyday.
Add beauty
Add art. A beautiful bit of art can be transformative in a kitchen, and unexpected too. Choose something that compliments the existing colours - something that makes you smile! This can be a small piece propped on a shelf or a larger piece on a wall. Or maybe its a beautifully painted plate, huge or bit of sculpture. It could be a big old shell, a couple of gorgeous trailing plants.
Put things that make you smile in there. That lift you up.
Add layered lighting.
Hopefully your ambient or big lights are passable in your space. But add in some lighting layers. Some lamps or fairy lights or a statement pendant or wall sconce (if you’re not renting)
Add ritual
Set the scene for what you want to happen. For us, I want our meal times to be candle lit, and to start our day in a calm way. This means candles, essential oil diffuser and matches to hand, flowers and natural items to honour the season we’re in. How do you want to use your space? What memories do you want to make there? How could you set up your space to provide more of that? Candle light is always magical, by the way!
Add colour
And yes you can do this even in a rental. Could your kitchen do with a fresh lick of wall paint? If you rent, you can always paint it back to white before you move out. Don’t forget your ceilings! Could you paint the ceiling?!
If you don’t want to paint the walls, could you repaint the cabinets? Even laminate cabinets can be painted (they just need to be primed with Zinsser first). Or could you paint a small wall unit? Or put some temporarily self-adhesive ‘tiles’ in? Alternatively, add some brightly coloured tea towels, cookbooks, or a beautiful art print.
Free styling workshop!
If you’ve loved the styling tips in this episode, and enjoy creating magical spaces, I have just released a free workshop “ turning your interior from Meh to Magical”. I ran it as a live webinar and people absolutely loved it, so I decided to bring it back. Click on the image below to register.
