This morning, we are bringing you a guest post from Emily Creswick of Zillow. Emily is here to give us some ideas of how to make a kitchen more family-friendly. I have long stressed the importance of eating meals together and cooking and working on kitchen chores together. Emily is giving us some ideas on how to keep it together in the the kitchen and make it an organized space ready for family time! Thank you, Emily:
The kitchen is the heart of the home; a bustling space for cooking, dining and family socializing. But for busy families, the kitchen commonly becomes an area of chaos. The clear surfaces become dumping grounds for random belongings and disorder and clutter take over – making preparing a meal an absolute nightmare.
A family-friendly kitchen benefits current homeowners and improves resale value by appealing to buyers. Functional kitchen spaces reduce stress for residents and are major selling points for home shoppers. Here are five steps to follow in order to update and organize the kitchen to create a space for everyone to enjoy.
1. Remove Clutter
Clutter is a common trait of a dysfunctional kitchen. It’s caused by excessive food, dishes, containers, appliances, etc. that flood cupboards and counter tops. Tackle clutter by throwing out items such as containers with missing lids, broken appliances and worn out utensils. Only keep appliances out or accessible if they’re used frequently. Otherwise, store the mixer or cake stand in the pantry or secondary storage area. Remove personal belongings such as school bags, car keys and mail. Create dedicated areas to store these non-kitchen items to avoid the after school or work offload. Great solutions include coat and key hooks, mail baskets or entry hall benches.
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The kitchen is the heart of the home; a bustling space for cooking, dining and family socializing. But for busy families, the kitchen commonly becomes an area of chaos. The clear surfaces become dumping grounds for random belongings and disorder and clutter take over – making preparing a meal an absolute nightmare.
A family-friendly kitchen benefits current homeowners and improves resale value by appealing to buyers. Functional kitchen spaces reduce stress for residents and are major selling points for home shoppers. Here are five steps to follow in order to update and organize the kitchen to create a space for everyone to enjoy.
1. Remove Clutter
Clutter is a common trait of a dysfunctional kitchen. It’s caused by excessive food, dishes, containers, appliances, etc. that flood cupboards and counter tops. Tackle clutter by throwing out items such as containers with missing lids, broken appliances and worn out utensils. Only keep appliances out or accessible if they’re used frequently. Otherwise, store the mixer or cake stand in the pantry or secondary storage area. Remove personal belongings such as school bags, car keys and mail. Create dedicated areas to store these non-kitchen items to avoid the after school or work offload. Great solutions include coat and key hooks, mail baskets or entry hall benches.