It's been said that the kitchen is the "heart of the home," and we definitely agree! So, if the kitchen is the heart, organizing it to work properly for you is vital! There are many ways to approach organization, but we've found our favorite method is by zone.
We've establish five zones in the kitchen, and they are:
- Perishable Zone – Where your food and ingredients are stored.
- Prep Zone – Chopping, dicing, measuring – it all goes down here!
- Cook Zone – Think of your stove and oven, where the food goes from raw to masterpiece!
- Cleaning Zone – Where the dirty dishes and utensils go to soak and renew.
- Storage Zone – This is where your dishes, glasses and cookware get tucked away.
Every kitchen has these areas, so the goal is to make sure they're arranged for efficiency. In order to accomplish this, it is a great idea to put on your apron and walk through a full cooking session.
Are you exhausted just thinking about it? Would you have to walk to three or more areas to get your ingredients? Would you find yourself carrying prepped food from across the kitchen to put into the pot? Would clean dishes get dragged across the way to be put in their place?
Let's work through the zones and see how we can make cooking a much more pleasurable experience!
The Breakdown
Your perishable zone can be the most remote, however make sure that all of your ingredients and food items are stored here. An exception may be olive oil or salt that you stash by the stove for quick access.
Next, your prep zone would ideally be on a durable granite or butcher block counter located between your cooktop and sink. This way, you can easily brush the scraps into the sink for disposal. Speaking of sinks, aim for a deep basin at counter-level so you can quickly scrape into it. We love farmhouse apron sinks but there are many styles that serve similar benefits.
Your cook zone is best between the refrigerator and sink, think of the famous "Kitchen Triangle" that designers always recommend. This layout keeps everything within easy reach while you cook. We also prefer to keep our most-used utensils in an attractive container next to the stove so we can grab what we need without having to rifle through a drawer.
Moving to our cleaning zone, keep in mind that this part doesn't have to be a chore! Invest in a powerful kitchen faucet that removes leftovers with one spray! One of our bestsellers is our Italian kitchen faucet which pairs beautifully with the Italian vessel sink.
This is where the storage zone comes in. After dishes are clean, it's time to put them away for tomorrow. Arrange your cupboards so that your dishes and glasses are close to your sink and dishwasher, cutting out extra steps.
There you have it! By designating these five zones in your kitchen, the heart of your home can work efficiently so you aren't wasting valuable time that could be better spent with family.
Make sure to check back soon for more tips on making your house work for YOU!