Organizing Kitchen Utensils
There's no time like the present to start a new organizing project.
Here at my busy Bedford, New York farm, I try very hard to keep things clean and well-organized - in my kitchens, my offices, my craft room, my large Equipment Barn, my greenhouses, etc. Staying organized saves time, boosts productivity, and helps minimize stress. Recently, I decided the prep kitchen in my studio/guest house needed cleaning and re-organizing from top to bottom. It's a big task, but it can be done in stages. On day-one my housekeepers tackled all the many cooking utensils.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Ever walk into the kitchen, see all those kitchen tools and supplies on the counter or in the drawers, and wonder whether they’re all necessary?
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- Does one need all these sifters, colanders, and strainers? And how can they be better organized?
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- And what about all the wooden spoons and spatulas? Which ones are the most important?
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- Or all those rubber kitchen scrapers? These rubber spatula scrapers are used for scraping the sides and bottom of bowls, folding ingredients together, or moving foods from one vessel to another. They are typically made from flexible rubber or silicone that is gentle on surfaces and can withstand high temperatures.
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- When organizing kitchen utensils, the first thing to do is place everything on a table and group like items together, discarding any that are broken or too worn.
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- I do a lot of cooking for television and photo shoots, so I have multiples of everything, Here, Enma puts together all my soup ladles – round, square, those that are slotted, and those that are not, etc. You can find my useful kitchen tool sets @marthastewartshop on Instagram.
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- She goes through every piece, assessing condition and usefulness.
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- These are fish spatulas. A good one should be sturdy enough to lift and flip fish, meat, and other foods, easily.
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- These are whisks. I have all kinds of whisks – big, small, classic, balloon, and flat whisks. Each kind is designed for a different function, but all are generally used for blending, beating, and whipping ingredients together.
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- I also have a large assortment of basting brushes – some made with animal hair, some synthetic. I have wide ones and narrow ones. I also have silicone bristle brushes that are easier to clean and suitable for basic basting tasks.
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- The process of organizing kitchen tools is a good way to declutter and condense one’s collection and make room for other necessary items.
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- And these small organizing chores can be done in batches, whenever a busy schedule allows. Enma also makes sure every piece is clean and ready to use.
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- Vintage and antique crocks can be used to hold utensils on the counter. These strong, large jars are durable and easy to keep clean. They can be found at tag sales and consignment shops, or new in stores and online.
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- Metal spatulas first. Enma returns them in size order, so everything is easy to see.
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- This crock is filled with tongs of all sizes – again in size order.
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- The wooden spoons are arranged in a nesting display to save space.
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- And all like tools are kept together, so there’s no question where to find what.
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- Here is a vessel of nesting sifters and strainers, now within arm’s reach.
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- And here are all the whisks. Any unused pieces in good condition can be given away or donated.
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- In my Winter House, I keep frequently used utensils on a movable cart, but crocks of tools on the counter is also very helpful. In just a few minutes, all these supplies are neatly organized in clean, containers close at hand. What’s next?
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