Bungalow Kitchen Organization: Cleaning Ideas for a More Functional Space
When it comes to bungalow kitchen organization, homeowners have their work cut out for them. In the early to mid-1900’s, Chicago saw a building boom. During this time, Cook County developed approximately estimated 100,000 bungalows. They located roughly 80% of them within the Chicago city limits.
From the first quarter of the 20th century, bungalow-era kitchens took on the form of smallish rooms. Real estate developers separated them from the rest of the living space. From a design standpoint, bungalow kitchens embodied white tile and ivory enamel. Designers constructed plain cabinets, installed linoleum flooring, and provided mostly utilitarian lighting.
Working with such a space, requires accepting the space’s limitations while still bringing your own personality and vision as a homeowner to the forefront. Mise En Place Home Edits recently tackled a bungalow kitchen organization project. Here’s how.
Bungalow Kitchen Organization: Start with a Deep-Clean
When taking on a bungalow kitchen organization project, it is best to start with a deep-clean. Homeowners who clean their countertop space naturally earn the reward of more kitchen “real estate” to work with.
When Mise En Place Home Edits transformed a bungalow kitchen, we cleared loose materials from the countertops at the start of project. Then, we wiped down each counter to ensure grease and leftover food debris would not cling to any household appliances.
Not only did this strategy make the kitchen countertops look better, but they also quickly became more functional than ever!
Bungalow Kitchen Organization: Organize the Drawers & Appliances
Step two involved organizing the drawers and appliances. In a bungalow kitchen, cabinetry often does not feature as much storage space as 21st century kitchens do. Once again, making the most of the space was imperative.
Mise En Place Home Edits purchased and installed dividers and small bins for drawers. These especially tactful for drawers featuring plenty of loose items without natural sibling kitchenware. And if you have a kitchen with that dedicated “junk drawer,” this treatment is for you!
In addition, Mise En Place Home Edits provided matting to securely nestle objects in each drawer. This strategy protects the inside of the drawer against scratches and dents. Also, matting holds bins and dividers in place, cutting down on sliding as homeowners use drawers.
We ensured that knives received special treatment. Many top-rated chef’s knife brands easily run a few hundred dollars. Leaving knives to their own devices provides opportunity to dull or damage the blade over time. Thus, Mise En Place Home Edits instituted a special knife drawer unit for this bungalow kitchen organization project.
Finally, coffee and tea found themselves in a home of their own as well—right under the coffee pot. We instituted a coffee mug station directly above, creating a beverage zone. When organizing bungalow kitchens (or any other room, for that matter), we strive to follow practicality. How will the homeowner interact with their environment once the project is finished? For those waking up groggy in the morning, having easily accessible coffee and mugs adds just a little bit of extra comfort to their day.
Bungalow Kitchen Organization: Store for the Stovetop
For the bungalow kitchen organization project, Mise En Place Home Edits placed a lazy Susan turntable (also known as a rotating tray) directly to the right of the stovetop. When storing for the stovetop, homeowners must consider the key ingredients and spices that they will use for cooking on a daily basis. Therefore, we incorporated cooking oils, salt, and pepper as a starting point. For other homeowners, this repertoire of spices might be different, so always consider what you will be using the most.
Next, our team purchased a kitchen crock for storing those key kitchen utensils, such as spatulas, wooden spoons, and whisks. Lastly, we rounded up all of the baking sheets and cutting boards prior to stacking them vertically. Taking advantage of vertical space conserves room. It also offers easy access to homeowners.
A place for everything and everything in its place.
Summary
Whether tackling a bungalow kitchen organization project, or another room entirely, following principles of cleanliness and pragmaticism permits homeowners to maximize their living space. But sometimes it is challenging undertaking a big project like this on your own.
For those times, contact the judgment-free, Chicago organizational experts at Mise En Place Home Edits!