{"id":3211,"date":"2016-05-10T13:03:00","date_gmt":"2016-05-10T19:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bemorewithless.com\/?p=3211"},"modified":"2020-01-09T16:15:56","modified_gmt":"2020-01-09T23:15:56","slug":"simple-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bemorewithless.com\/simple-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Easy Ways to Simplify the Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"simplify<\/p>\n

When we moved a few years ago from a 2000 square foot house to a 750 square foot apartment, we expected to lose some cabinet space in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

This weekend, we moved again. We didn’t move far though, only across the hall. We like the layout even better than our last\u00a0apartment and it\u2019s a little bigger, just over 900 square feet. We didn’t move for more space, but for different space. Our last apartment sat over the building’s garage, so we could hear the door open and close from our bedroom. It wasn’t terrible, but a little annoying.<\/p>\n

For those of you who are familiar with minimalist fashion challenge Project 333<\/a>, this next part will make you smile. Most of the square footage we gained is in the closets.<\/p>\n

We lost about \u2153 of our kitchen cabinet space, which inspired this article about how to simplify the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\"10<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Hide things you don’t use often, but still enjoy using occasionally.<\/strong>
\nNow that we have extra closet space, I hide things like our mixer, wok, muffin tins, and toaster that we don’t use very often. If I don’t use any of these things by the end of the year, I’ll be donating them.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Turn food into a work of art.<\/strong>
\nIn our last kitchen, I had a drawer just for spices, but in the new place, there wasn’t a drawer left. Instead of hiding the spices in the back of the pantry or in a cabinet where we’d forget what we had, we made this:<\/p>\n

\"simplify<\/p>\n

I wanted to have fun with it, so there is an Italian board, Indian board, and spicy and sweet boards. These are the spices I use most often.<\/p>\n

\"life<\/p>\n

3. Dump the duplicates.<\/strong>
\nI used to have several whisks, now I have one. Kitchen gadgets and utensils seem to multiply overnight, but in most cases, you can only use one thing at a time. Assess what you have and decide if you really need more than one set of measuring cups, slotted spoons, or salt and pepper shakers.<\/p>\n

4. Use\u00a0the counters for\u00a0making things, not storing things.<\/strong>
\nLast night I made this delicious gnocchi dish<\/a>\u00a0(with added spinach and asparagus). I used all of our\u00a0counter space. I clean up when I’m done, but cooking is like an art project for me. My husband often jokingly applauds my creativity when I am making soups and sauces, because\u00a0the stove and counter tops (and sometimes the floor and nearby cabinets) become my canvas.<\/p>\n

Our new kitchen is the first thing I see when I walk in the door so I keep the counters clear of odds and ends.\u00a0I want this to be a place to cook, and enjoy food and my family, not a place to sort mail or store stuff.<\/p>\n

5. Lean on the experts.<\/strong>
\nThank goodness my good friend Heidi is a professional foodie. I call her from the grocery store and my kitchen about recipes and cooking techniques and she calls me for decluttering tips. We were made for each other.<\/p>\n

If you aren’t friends with a someone who knows their way around the kitchen, visit Foodie Crush<\/a> and Heidi will come to your rescue.<\/p>\n

6. Put things where they belong.<\/strong>
\nThis is the easiest thing of all, but one we often overlook. Designate a space for each thing and always return it to it’s home. I have eggs and hash browns a few mornings a week and if I don’t put the potato peeler away, I have to open every cabinet before I find it.<\/p>\n

7. Simplify all\u00a0recipes.<\/strong>
\nJules Clancy from the Stone Soup\u00a0blog<\/a> recommends simplifying all recipes.\u00a0Check out her\u00a0recommendations:<\/p>\n