Cooking should always be a stress-free and enjoyable activity. An organised kitchen helps create a welcoming and functional environment that allows you to immerse in the delight of your culinary experience.
Below, we have listed 5 benefits of an organised kitchen that will start you on a Konmari journey.
1. Increased Efficiency and Productivity
Knowing where your items are specifically can increase your efficiency in the kitchen. It would be such a downer if you’re cooking halfway and can’t seem to find your utensils or ingredients.
Picture this: You’ve set the oil at the right temperature to sauté the garlic. But you can’t find your stainless-steel spatula. As you’re busy sifting through your drawers and cabinets, all you find are random items stuffed in there. By the time you’re ready to scoop up your golden-brown garlic, all that is left is some charred carbon bits.
Now, wouldn’t that be annoying?
That’s why having an organised kitchen will ensure that you spend less time searching for items and focus more on the joys of cooking.
2. Safety First
Besides being aesthetically pleasing, an organised kitchen will ensure that you are safe from potentially hurting yourself with falling objects and fire hazards.
A messy kitchen is a disaster waiting to happen. In kitchens where things are stacked haphazardly all over the countertop and racks, you may accidentally topple them while cleaning or simply cut yourself while trying to take an item from the pile.
Imagine while trying to grab a kitchen towel from the top shelf that is sandwiched between heavy pots and pans. Anything potentially heavy, fragile or sharp that falls off from the shelf could be a painful (if not deadly) projectile if it hits you or the people around you.
Also, flammable materials that are placed too close to any heat source may be a fire hazard. And that is equally dangerous.
3. Less Food Wastage
Organising your kitchen includes organising your food items.
Food that is stored properly will have a longer shelf life. There is a reason for different compartments in the fridge for fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat and dry items. Besides the difference in temperature, it prevents cross-contamination between fresh, raw and cooked food.
Labelling your food by expiry dates is a good idea to ensure that you use up your food systematically. Items that look similar should be labelled correctly. It can be pretty hard to tell the difference between fine sugar and salt, your various baking flours, and similar coloured spices when you are rushing.
Even if you don’t label them, at least put them into containers where you can differentiate them easily. Accidentally putting salt into your chocolate cake would make a funny story in future. But you’ll still have to acknowledge that it would be a waste of good ingredients when no one is rushing in for seconds.
4. Save Money
Besides saving time and having lesser confusion, an organised kitchen actually saves you’re a lot of money. Being able to see what you have and don’t have will allow you to avoid food wastage and buying duplicate items.
Every carton of expired milk that you throw away costs money. Every rotten piece of meat and vegetables is a waste of precious resource. When you are able to prolong the shelf life of your food and use it before it expires, you are saving yourself money in the long run.
This also applies to all the duplicate utensils that you have bought because you thought you have lost them. With a storage system that categorically itemises all your kitchen inventory, you will never have to have that extra utensil taking up more space in your kitchen.
5. Easy to Clean and Maintain
Cleaning an organised kitchen is a breeze. When there is minimal clutter in your kitchen, it is easier to wipe off the daily dust that settles on your surfaces. When things are stored neatly, there is less room for hidden dust traps.
No one likes cleaning a cluttered worktop because you will have to wade through the pile of mess just to clean. When you start procrastinating the cleaning, this is when dirt and dust will start accumulating. This doesn’t bode well for countertops that are high in maintenance.
An Organised Kitchen Benefits Everyone
That is why a spick and span kitchen makes a perfect cooking haven. When the beautiful glint of your polished quartz countertop beckons and everything you need is at your fingertips, you will be tempted to cook at every chance you get.
Always remember, a kitchen that sparks joy is the workshop of a happy cook. And when the chef of the home is happy, you can almost be certain that the food will always be tasty!
