Why Should I Strategically Organize My Kitchen?

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24

Today’s world moves so fast. There is never enough time, and we have a million and one responsibilities. Sometimes as homemakers, we think of dinner and a plague of guilt assails us. We don’t know what to make, what we have on hand, where our thing-a-ma-jig to peel, dice, whatever is. So we give up and let go. We pick up the phone and order take out (for the fourth night in a row!). Different family members may eat at the table, others in front of the tv, others in a bedroom. Meal times stagger, and far too often we don’t eat together as a family.

Remembering the Proverbs 31 woman, I look to her for encouragement. She does not disappoint. “She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.” She is the kind of woman who would tell me to eliminate deterrents and make family meals a priority. With this in mind, I have composed a list of six reasons why all homemakers should organize their kitchens.

1. It will save you money because you will no longer buy duplicates.
You’ll know what you have on hand and you’ll have an idea of how many items you have in storage. You’ll also know what you need to pick up.

“Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.” Proverbs 16:8

2. It will save time because you’ll have a better understanding where everything is.
You will no longer need to hunt through cabinets to find the hand mixer(s). You will be able to easily reach for the cutting board because you’ve taken the time to store it appropriately in the space you most often need it.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

3. Organized kitchen cabinets will make meal planning and grocery shopping easier.
When you know what you have on hand, it’s a lot easier to plan meals and shop for ingredients. You’ll also have a good idea what you use most often and what items you can move out of your prime real estate. You can apply the tenets of couponing here and watch for the good deals to build a stockpile of what you can actually use.

“If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” Luke 16:11

4. It will make cooking much easier.
Moving the right tools, measuring cups and mixing bowls into the most efficient spaces means less time wasted running around the kitchen trying to locate the right sized pot lid.

“Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Proverbs 16:3

5. Organized kitchen cabinets are easier for family members and guests.
It will make it easier for family members and guests to find what they need in the kitchen. As youth leaders, we often have kids in our home. One thing kids and teens love to do is make cookies. My kitchen is open to them any time.

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2

6. It will make cleaning easier.
When everyone in the household is used to items being in the same spot all the time, they will be more likely to put it back into it’s proper storage space. My husband used to get home before me. If I had started the dishwasher before I left for work, I knew he’d empty it. An organized, labeled kitchen meant I wouldn’t have to search for whatever, wherever he crammed it.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

What other benefits do you find to having an organized kitchen? What are other deterrents that are stopping you from eating together as a family?