Do you ever feel disappointed by your kitchen? You’re not alone. Millions of people across the country sometimes get a bad vibe from the space where they cook every day.
It can feel like a logistical nightmare, and it can also feel dank and dingy, making you not want to cook there at all. So, why might your kitchen be disappointing you, and what can you do about it?
Let’s take a look.
Countertop creep
One of the main reasons kitchens can be disappointing is that they often lack continuous countertop space. Think about it: your kitchen counter looks much smaller than it did when you first moved in, because it’s filled with the things you’ve accumulated over time, like your toaster, blender, and decorative bowls of lemons.
The problem is that all those items reduce the real space you have to work in, which means you’re constantly fighting “countertop creep.” The best way to solve this is to adopt the 80/20 rule: if you don’t use an appliance every single day, put it in a cupboard or remove it from your kitchen entirely. It doesn’t get to live on the counter, including the toaster, even if you use it on weekends. Your countertop space is too valuable to be cluttered. You need it to chop and prepare food quickly so you can create delicious, healthy meals.
Friction in the work triangle
Another issue is the friction in the work triangle between the stove, sink, and fridge. Ideally, you want these locations as close together as possible, which is why even large kitchens place them near each other. The best way to do this is to put the fridge and sink on one side and the stove on an island on the other. That way, you can simply turn around to access everything you need.
If you go to a showroom and look at Deelux Kitchens, you can see this principle in action yourself. Everything is arranged sensibly, with things like cutting boards right next to the sink that shave off additional steps, allowing you to prepare meals more easily.
Poor lighting
Poor lighting is one of the most obvious reasons your kitchen might be disappointing you. If your overhead lights are dim, you can’t see the ingredients you’re chopping, which makes meal prep harder and can be dangerous.
On the other hand, if the lights are too bright, the kitchen can feel like an operating room. You may not want to spend much time there, especially at night, because the brightness can keep you up.
The fix is to layer your lighting. The best way to do this is to add LED strips under your cabinets and sconces around the rest of the room. You can also use spotlights, but make sure they’re not too bright.
Unitaskers everywhere
Finally, your kitchen might be letting you down if you have uni-taskers everywhere. These are tools that only do one thing, like apple corers or slicers for avocados. The fix is to ruthlessly purge them. You really only need:
- a solid set of hands
- a chef’s knife
- a chopping board
- some measuring cups
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