How to zone your kitchen layout efficiently

 

When renovating or redesigning a kitchen it is important to remember that the kitchen is the heart of the home. It's where we cook, make meals, and spend time with family. If cooking is your responsibility then you should be able to move around the kitchen with ease and have easy access to everything you need when you need it, otherwise, the stress of cooking may infect all those other moments you spend in the kitchen. A few simple zones will help you organize your space so that cooking becomes more efficient and enjoyable. Let's have a look at some kitchen zones you should think about setting up.

Different zones you need in your kitchen

Assigning different zones in your kitchen to different tasks will help you organize your kitchen much more efficiently.

Everyday zone

Your everyday zone should be one of the first things you zone in your kitchen. This zone is where you will stack any dishes that need washing. It should be as close to your dishwasher, sink and fridge as possible so that you can unload dirty dishes without walking all over your kitchen. Having a zone like this in your kitchen will free up the rest of your kitchen and give you somewhere to focus should you have lots of guests and have too many dirty dishes to clear up at once.

Ideally, we'd clean all our dirty plates and dishes straight away but this zone helps you keep on top of things when the everyday reality kicks in.

Cooking zone

The cooking zone is what most people think of when they picture a zoned kitchen. This is where everything related to cooking is kept, from kitchen knives and pots and pans to herbs and spices. Importantly though, the cooking zone should feel open and free of clutter as it is where you will do your cooking and you want this to be a stress free place. The cooking zone should be a clearly defined space that has easy access to your everyday zone and pantry.

Pantry

The pantry will hold all of your dry goods such as sugar, rice, pasta, etc., it can also include canned food if you don't have enough room in the kitchen cupboards. You can opt for a freestanding pantry that sits next to the kitchen or you could have one built into your cupboards that extends all the way down to waist height. Pull-out pantries are very popular now too, and offer a great way to maximise your storage space as they make even the darkest recesses of your kitchen units more easily accessible.

Under the sink

A lot of people neglect this zone because it's not very glamorous but if it is neglected, then no matter how great your other zones are, you will always have a cluttered kitchen. The under the sink zone is where all your cleaning products go and it should be easily accessible so that every time you need something for washing up or mopping your floor, it's there waiting for you.

If this area is neglected then things quickly get out of hand as half used bottles of bleach and washing up liquid start to expire, leaving you with a dangerous mess that is neither clean nor organised.

Conclusion

The kitchen is an essential zone in any home and should be set up carefully to accommodate the needs of its users. With all these zones, you'll have everything at your fingertips when it's time to cook or clean up afterwards. We hope this article has given you some ideas about how best to organize your kitchen for greater efficiency!