Kitchen & Bathroom Design Blog

The holidays are in full swing, which means special dinners, extra cooking and baking, hosting parties, and a steady stream of family and friends.  If your home is the center of holiday entertaining, this season can be fun but also stressful.  The kitchen is the hub of this holiday activity. If your kitchen design is well-organized, clutter-free, and efficient then entertaining is a breeze.  Follow our top tips for kitchen design storage or organization ideas to take the stress out of your holiday entertaining.

1.      Start with a deep clean.

A clean kitchen is essential if you plan to receive guests during the holidays.  Yes, you will only create new messes when you start preparing and serving food, but you want a clean, clutter free surface on which to create your holiday favorites.  Start with the refrigerator and pantry, removing everything, cleaning all surfaces, and only putting back those items that are still within date.  Donate usable, unopened items you do not need to a local food bank. 

Deep clean the rest of your kitchen, from the cobwebs on the ceiling to light fixtures, countertop, kitchen cabinet fronts, floor, and any other visible surface.

2.      Swap around your seasonal storage.

Check out your seasonal items like holiday cookie cutters, baking supplies, and roasting tins, as well as holiday linens, dishes, and serving platters. Move these into a prominent place in your kitchen pantry, drawers, or pull outs, and swap them with your out of season items. 

Review your stock of key items you will need during the holiday season.  Remove any items that are broken or stained beyond further use and figure out what you need to restock. If you only need to replace a few dishes or glasses, find a complementary pattern and color to create a stylish mix and match that will jazz up your holiday entertaining without having to invest in an entirely new set.

3.      Get your baking and cooking supplies in order.

The holidays are an especially busy time if you are the designated cook or baker in your family.  Take some time to assess, replenish, and re-organize your baking and cooking supplies before you get started.  There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through a recipe only to discover your flour is out of date or you don’t have enough vanilla.  A well-organized pantry, or kitchen cabinets fitted with pull outs or roll out shelves is the ideal way in any kitchen design to keep on top of supplies year-round.  If you find it difficult to locate everything you need in the deep recesses of your kitchen cabinets, consider incorporating customized storage accessories into your next kitchen remodel.

4.      Utilize customized storage to have everything at your fingertips.

Special storage accessories apply to more than just your baking supplies.  Kitchen designs can include inserts for everything from spices to cutlery to pots and pans.  Deep drawers with a peg system, dividers, and wide range of pull outs, swing outs, and roll outs keep everything in line.

5.      Clear your countertops and set up “zones”.

With the right kitchen design storage, you can have clean, clutter-free countertops, allowing space to roll out cookie dough, prepare appetizers, and serve food.  Once you’ve cleared off and cleaned all surfaces, determine your “zones” where you will prepare, cook, and serve food, as well as a clean-up area.  You could also establish areas for casual dining, as well as a place for guests to charge electronics.

6.      Set up a beverage center.

Whether you are serving coffee, eggnog, or festive cocktails, it helps to have a purpose-built beverage center to hold all your drink supplies. If space allows, include an undercounter refrigerator, extra dishwasher, and built-in coffee machine.  Keep your glassware, cups, and other drink supplies in this one location.  Position your beverage center away from the main cooking area, making it easier for guests to refill drinks without disturbing the chef.  If you do not have space for a separate beverage bar, simply designate an area of countertop for this purpose and consider incorporating a beverage bar into your next kitchen remodel.

7.      Review your clean up strategy.

Cleanup is a necessary part of every event, but you can make life easier by having a strategy.  If you are a fan of cooking programs, you know it’s important to clean as you go.  Make sure you’ve cleared away initial food prep messes before any guests arrive, and empty trash and recycling.  You don’t want to spend the whole party clearing up, so figure out where to put dirty dishes and glasses until you are ready to deal with them.  A second kitchen sink or a walk-in pantry with a countertop could serve as a mid-way point for your cleanup.  Enlist help from others to keep the cleanup running smoothly without dominating your time during the event. 

The holidays are a time for celebration, and to spend with family and friends.  If your home is the gathering place for everyone this holiday season, get your kitchen design organized so that entertaining will be a breeze and you can enjoy the festivities just as much as your guests.  Contact us today to start planning your 2020 kitchen remodel packed with storage solutions.