Maybe you don't have the energy for a full Marie Kondo-style purging of your household, but if the novelty of home cooking has worn thin as the pandemic continues, consider a kitchen overhaul. Here's a roundup of cheap — mostly free — tips. If they sound like no-brainers, well, maybe they are. But these minor adjustments have made life better — and easier.
1. Do a deep cleaning. It may sound like a drag, but put on some dance music and see how much pent-up aggression you can work out. Do all the crummy jobs: Get in the corners; clean the grease off the tops of the cupboards; pull out the stove and the refrigerator. Getting rid of that blanket of dust on the fridge motor will make it function more effectively too.
2. Rearrange your refrigerator. Yes, clean it and throw out the long-expired condiments. But then, take a look at the shelves. Are you always struggling to find a spot for the milk? Reconfigure them to eliminate minor daily hassles.
3. Rethink your drawers and cabinets. What other annoyances could you eliminate with a bit of rejiggering? Where else could you put the tongs that make the drawer jam every time you open it? Could you streamline your movements around the kitchen if you shuffled what you have in your cabinets? I'm not sure how I chose the cupboard for my plates when we moved in; I suspect it was the one closest to the box where the dishes were packed. Moving the plates made my prep area more efficient.
4. Engage in some gentle KonMari. As you reorganize, think about what you have and whether you really need it; if you can shed it, get rid of it. Note what's worn out and needs to be replaced. If you can afford to replace that dull can opener, do it.
5. Invest in a few organizers for convenience. A small, cardboard box (free). Back when I tested meal kits, one of the companies sent its produce in a small cardboard box, which I saved to keep onions, potatoes and other root vegetables in a dry cupboard. Should something rot it can easily be discarded and replaced.
Hooks (about $3-$20). Consider magnetic ones, 3M Command hooks that stick on with double-sided tape, or racks of hooks. I installed a large rack in our wastebasket closet for grocery tote bags, and a smaller utensil rack over a countertop.
A bin for pot lids ($6.99). I tried a few different options for organizing pot lids and settled on a plastic file bin. The lids that used to spill all over two shelves, regularly crashing onto the floor, are now neatly contained in less than a quarter of the space.
