Kitchens may be the heart of the home, but they're the place we meal prep, dump school bags, stack bills and receipts, chill wine, the list goes on.
They're also quick to become disorganised chaos, especially when there are kids and working parents involved.
To help Australian families, Westinghouse has teamed up with expert declutterer Amy Revell.
"We spend so much time in the kitchen that we need it to be simple, organised and decluttered, otherwise it's a nightmare to use - and clean," said Amy, who is one half of the duo behind The Art of Decluttering. "From Tupperware falling out of cupboards every time you open them, to plates and bowls mixed up together, there are so many common but easily solved problems in Australian kitchens messing with our productivity. And there's nothing I love more than transforming a cluttered kitchen with practical systems that make life easier."
Here are Amy's decluttering tips to follow in your home:
Get clear on purpose. Before decluttering, consider what works in your kitchen and what are the pain points in need of solutions. Ask yourself questions such as, "What do you love about your current kitchen setup? Do you have clear storage spaces? What appliances do you need on your bench?" as a starting point.
Follow the everyday rule. Remember that the kitchen benchtop is designed as a surface to prepare food, not as a purveyor of the blender, toaster, sandwich press, coffee machine, microwave, and so on. Be selective about what appliances get that precious benchtop space, reserving it only for items that get used every day. Otherwise store them in dedicated appliance cupboards or invest in hybrid appliances.
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Create zones. Before your next grocery run, empty your fridge of expired items and organise everything into zones, grouping similar items together. For example, fruits and vegetables can be stored in the crispers, ready to eat foods such as cheese and yoghurt on the top shelf and raw meat and fish in sealed containers on the bottom shelf.
You could also get the kids help create a healthy snack tub, filled with easy access options for when they chorus that they're hungry. So the whole family can follow, you may also consider labelling your zones or using storage containers and fridge bins, which will save you time and food waste in the long run.
Make over your pantry. There are a few rules to follow: group like with like, use labelled clear storage containers for raw ingredients, and open containers for spreads, oils, sauces, and meal bases.
Also, don't let any space go to waste and store small items such as spices on the back of the door.
Do an audit. Knowing what to keep and what items you'd like to find a new home for is as simple as this: if you haven't used it in 12 months and there are no plans of using it in the next six months, it's time to go.
Declutter double ups as well. For example, you don't need a water jug if your fridge has an inbuilt water filter.
Clean on the go. Easy-to-clean appliances will save on the cleaning products you'll need to store under the kitchen sink and on the time and elbow grease you'll need to use.
I absolutely adore the self-cleaning PyroClean function that comes with selected Westinghouse ovens.
