When discussing kitchens with our home owners, sometimes the topic of organization comes up, specifically kitchen organization. I have had people ask me where they should put different items in the drawers and cabinets, in an effort to streamline cooking and storage items. I am happy to advise them, recommending they take note of how they move around the kitchen in their current home to get an idea of how they use the space. Everyday items need to be on lower shelves, holiday dishes can be stored on upper shelves or even in a storage area in another part of the house.
One of the areas that always seems to come up is that bit of counter space near the phone or near the back door where you come into the house most often. This is where the basket ends up, gathering loose papers and odds and ends that need a home. In our new home plan designs, we are incorporating a Drop Zone in the homes, typically near the entrance from the garage and near the kitchen. This area serves as a place to recharge the phones, stash your handbag or briefcase, house the family calendar and put items for easy retrieval the next morning.
With a counter area at a convenient height, wall cabinet above and base cabinet below, this can serve as a mini command center for your home. Instead of just tossing items into the cabinet above, consider organizing your cabinet like the photo above. I found this photo here and thought they did a great job with their organization.
The family notebook that she refers to has become quite popular in recent years as it holds information for each member of the family, including medical information, insurance cards, pertinent phone numbers and emergency information. This book would be quite handy in an emergency as you can grab it and go.
The magnetic panel on the back of the door is a great place to display a lunch menu or class schedule. I keep a list of my neighbors phone numbers as well in there. Magnetic hooks hold spare keys or those customer courtesy cards for your favorite stores.
The charging station is great if you come home and want to plug your phone in to charge while cooking dinner and find it easily accessible when you are out the door for sports practice or dance lessons.
At Atlantic Builders, we want to help keep you organized and able to find items at a moment’s notice.
~Melanie Edwards, Atlantic Builders' Design Director
