If you feel like your kitchen is extremely crowded and in need of reorganization, it may be time for a redesign. With some time and a reasonable budget, you may have a chance of getting it in shape. Read on to see some of the ways in which you can redesign it to enjoy maximum efficiency.
Go Vertical
In order to get the most out of your kitchen in terms of organization, take advantage of both horizontal and vertical spacing. This means that rather than focus on adding more cabinets that line up along the counters, you can add shelving above and below existing storage if you don’t currently have any. For maximum efficiency with this hack, you should keep the items that you use most frequently closer than those that you don’t. This way, you won’t have to wade through countless shelves just to get to something that you need on a frequent basis.
Keep in mind that a homeowner can recoup around 59% of their total cost when they do a full renovation of the kitchen. Getting a new master suite generally returns 50% of its costs in comparison. This means that if you plan your renovation out well enough, you may improve the value of your home and get amazing returns if you sell it down the road.
Declutter the Counters
It’s no secret that if you have a lot of random clutter on your counters, you are missing out on space that you could use more efficiently. This leads to the second tip, which may not necessarily be a redesign. Take time to collect any items that you don’t use on a regular basis as well as those that don’t even belong to the kitchen in the first place. Put them where they belong or sell or donate those that you no longer have any use for.
If your kitchen is big enough, you can add an area for storing these items in an orderly manner. For the best outcome, close this space up so that when you keep the excess items away they are well out of sight. While at this, get rid of any appliances that are old and replace them with modern versions which will be more efficient even in terms of energy. This is reasonable when you consider that in the United States, the average household spends $1,945 every year on cooling, heating, lighting, electronics, and appliances.
Divide the Kitchen Into Stations
Finally, while you don’t have to actually add anything physically for this redesign, you will need to arrange the items in your kitchen in a certain order. This should take advantage of the triangle setup. The idea behind it is that the shape of the space between your sink, fridge, and stove should be a triangle. It shouldn’t be too tight or too large but should be efficiently covered in a few steps by people working in the kitchen. When you set up a triangle and you have stored everything in the right spot, you may have an easier time working in the kitchen and keeping it in order.
Remember that kitchens, on average, need to be renovated at least once every 10 to 15 years. During this time, color trends change while finishes undergo significant wear and tear. If this length of time has passed since you last renovated your kitchen, then you should do a renovation while keeping in mind the triangle setup in order to get the best effect.
Since the kitchen is one of your home’s most-used spaces, it makes sense to make it efficient and beautiful by addressing necessary changes. Try the redesigns suggested above and you may find that the kitchen becomes the favorite space in your home for your whole family.