Not too long ago one of my friends tried to convince me to blog about my kitchen hutch. I really hesitated since in my opinion, there’s nothing really special about it! I’ve shared it before when it was all dressed for the holidays, but I never thought of its every day appearance as being all that exciting. Not that I don’t love it, but it humbly holds a hodgepodge of serving pieces and party supplies, snacks and baking utensils…just about anything really! I’ve always liked to organize and store my supplies in a way that I don’t have to go digging when I need them…but that means that they need to be out in the open. And even though it can look cluttered, having these things at my fingertips is much less stressful for me and visually helps me remember what I’ve got on hand so I don’t unnecessarily purchase something I don’t really need! So I have this odd, little nook in my kitchen that really isn’t big enough for an eating area or much else for that matter! Our side door is also located there which makes it almost impossible for that space to be functional! Without having custom cabinetry built my only option was to find something that would actually fit…which ended up being an old hutch that had been in my son’s room displaying outgrown Lego creations & stuffed animals! My nook now had a purpose…a place to store all those extra kitchen items that I previously didn’t have room for! I love this hutch for hiding extra linens and grocery items in the deep drawers and the open shelving can show off all the cute stuff…even if it is utilitarian! I can’t take any decorative credit for its appearance…the things I store here are nice looking all on their own! I just display my prettiest serving pieces, and use glass containers to hold colorful baking cups, straws, and other fun party products! But at the urging of my friend, I decided to go ahead and share how I organize in this tiny space…it’s simple, it’s fun, it’s useful, and I hope you can find some inspiration for your home!
time to organize…
honestly, i love to decorate in a small spaces…to pack in as much as possible in close quarters and still make it look decent! i’m sure a professional organizer would cringe at my attempt…but i really try to use what i have, even if it’s not the most effective system! i guess i really try not to worry much about how i think it SHOULD look, and focus on what i can actually do! so one thing i did to make this small space more functional was paint the wall in chalk! many of the walls in our house are plaster on top of brick so it makes hanging anything like memo boards much more difficult. now i can utilize the entire space for helpful messages, fun art, or in the current case, my weekly menu!
i sure hope it helps me plan out my meals each week…something that i’m only occasionally successful at!
the hutch is stocked with things i use frequently or just look cute! like the chalk wall, this is constantly changing too…as i use things up i need to keep shifting and rearranging, but that makes it fun and fresh. like when i used up the whoopie pie mixes…
the paper ice cream bowls took their place!
i love the way the sprinkles look in these tiny jars that are really too small to use for much else. now when i serve ice cream (like tomorrow for our first after school treat) the sprinkles can go from shelf to table!
it’s great to find things that you don’t really use to make unique containers! i really like the two sewing machine drawers to keep all my smaller trays and serving dishes at easy reach…
and storing them this way keeps them pretty compact too!
this adorable box i found at Michael’s will make an fun pedestal for a pie (or a sweet way to bring one to a party)…but it can also hide some extra supplies that aren’t as pretty!
i rarely use the aluminum condiment holder for condiments…but it sure looks lovely organizing my mini baking cups!
and clear containers like vases & storage jars are my favorites for displaying my party products…it makes me happy to keep them in view!
on the wall opposite the hutch i hung a little garage sale shelf to organize some more of my baking supplies. again, i just picked out the cutest stuff and the rest is behind closed doors!
i do have an abundance of paper straws…but they look so cute, cost very little, and since we love smoothies we REALLY use them everyday! plus they look cute on a buffet and you can craft with them too…but that’s an idea for another post!
and i figure the same treatment should apply to all the pretty sprinkles and toppings…why hide them when they look so festive?
they look just as cute sitting on the shelf as they do on a treat…well, almost!
this style of storage also gives me an opportunity to display some of my favorite little containers…
and things in cute packages!
so that’s a peek at my little kitchen nook and my whimsical organizing style!