kitchen efficiency

How efficient do you think your kitchen is?  It seems like every home owner has their vision of a dream kitchen, but it can cost a lot of money to make their dreams a reality.

HGTV did a survey on the average cost of kitchen remodeling projects on homes in the United States, and they found that remodeling a 12×12 kitchen space can cost people anywhere from $15,000 to $35,000.  If that sounds a little out of your price range, you don’t have to worry.  You may think that your kitchen needs to be redone so that you can work more efficiently in it, but it may be your cooking and cleaning methods that need to be changed.  If you want to make your kitchen more efficient, follow these simple tips.

Are you planning on cooking dinner?  Are you ready to take on a big cleaning project in your kitchen. Before you start to do any work your kitchen, gather everything together that you’re going to need.  This will make sure that you won’t waste time digging through your fridge, spice cabinet, or cleaning supply closet to find what you need.  It also makes sure that you’ll have everything

you need on hand in case you end up making a mess during your project.

Do you ever wonder how some people can keep their kitchen looking organized right after they cook a large meal?  Do you want to know their secret?  They don’t wait until they finish cooking to start cleaning up, they start cleaning as soon as they start cooking.

Instead of leaving certain ingredients out after you use them, put them away as soon as you’re done.  When something is steaming, frying, baking or sautéing, take some time to start scrubbing your mixing bowls and other cooking utensils.  You’ll save a considerable amount of time cleaning up at the end, and you won’t have to dread cleaning mountains of dishes when you’re done.

Some people like to plan out their menu for the week, and others will plan their meals for an entire month.  Regardless of how you want to space out the time, make sure that plan a menu.  Planning what you’re going to eat ahead of time makes cooking so much easier.  You’ll know exactly what you need to have, and you won’t have to spend time thinking about what you’re going to cook.

Organization skills don’t just help you at work, they can help you make your kitchen much more efficient.  If you want to improve the efficiency of your kitchen without having to spend a lot of money, you’ll notice a big difference if you place common kitchen appliances and tools around the areas where they’re the most likely to be used.  Instead of keeping your pots and pans in separate cabinet across the room, move them to the cabinets around your stove and oven.  Move your spice cabinet closer to your food preparation area so that you’ll have everything you need close by when you start cooking.

This may sound like a no-brainer, but some people will use their ovens, microwaves, and blenders until they start to fall apart.  If you feel like your kitchen could be more efficient, it’s possible that you could need newer appliances.  Once you have to double your usual microwave cooking times, look for a new microwave.  Stop using the oven that came with your house, and look the best double wallovens your money can buy.  Since you’re going to be buying new appliances, try to see if you can find environmentally friendly models to use.  Your kitchen will be more efficient, and you’ll be able to use electricity and gas efficiently as well.

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