Kitchen Organization for Easy Holiday Baking

4 Ways To Arrange Your Kitchen For Baker Friendly Fun

If you happen to be someone who has always wanted to take on the latest made-from-scratch pie recipe but does not know where to begin, start simply with your kitchen. Possibly one of the reasons you never felt brave enough to tackle that triple berry tart was because you felt overwhelmed thinking about how much work goes into baking. The bright side is that it truly is not that complicated. Most recipes have a step by step plan already with the proper measurements done for you. All you need to do is be able to put everything together and pop it all into the oven.

Here is 4 ways to help set up and organize your kitchen so you can be sure your baking adventure wraps up in a snap.

Keep ingredients close by

Before whipping out the cookbook or opening the recipe on your tablet, make sure you have the ingredients you need exactly where you need them. Avoid rushing to the pantry for a forgotten piece to your baking puzzle and invest in some tight seal spice jars and containers. Not only do they look appealing but they also keep flour, sugar and other ingredients fresh and within reach. By using containers with a plastic or acrylic vessel, you can easily see inside to avoid any confusion as to whether you may be reaching for the flour or brown sugar. Measure beforehand if possible to gain quick access to mixing each ingredient as required.

Not so nitty gritty

Cleanliness is key when baking for someone special. Just as you would sooner avoid eating something made in a dirty kitchen, the rules still apply even when at home. Aside from disinfecting surfaces and cabinets, you can also make sure your sink area is stocked and laid out neatly so that running to wash your hands after cracking an egg does not have to be a chore. A good mild hand soap in a bottle with a pump and clean towels for drying help make your kitchen fuss free. With your hands clean and out of the way, equally make sure each utensil and bakeware you will need to use is also washed and ready to go. Nothing can put a damper in your rhythm quite like having to stop in order to clean a dirty pan or dish.

Clear counter space

A bit more goes into a successful baking endeavor than just a clean kitchen and gathering up all of your ingredients. Utilize your space to make sure you have enough room to go from prepping to serving in a remarkable style. Although it may sound as simple as just clearing off countertops, you can take it a step further and use shelving with cabinets to hold cutting boards and pans, or installing small hooks to hold utensils like measuring cups and appliance attachments. Not only does this save space on your counter so you can get started on the classic sugar cookie recipe you got from your grandmother, but it also saves you extra drawer and cabinet space where you would normally just throw these items in. There is no more rummaging through cluttered drawers to find what you need because now, these items are put up and in a place where you know they can always remain organized and within plain sight.

Down to the details

Be sure to label your containers of baking essentials like flour and sugar. Handwrite with a permanent marker, or use printable labels to jazz it all up a little bit. Safely secure your labels to ensure that they remain dry and visible. Do it once and you can forget about it from there on out until you decide to change containers. Another great method to add to your label is adding dates of purchase or when the ingredients expire over a tape that can be peeled off. That way you are aware of how long the item has been stored, and then you can change out the tape as items are restocked with new goods. Another way to stay better organized is to combine all of your recipes into one large folder or portfolio so that they are all together and organized. Separate them by categories like pie and cheesecake and give yourself easier access without having to leaf through pages of chaos.

Now that you are all organized, you will have plenty of time to spend the holiday season baking up some joy!