Optimize Your Kitchen Layout with Work Zones

Having your kitchen and its contents organized in the right way can help make cooking go much more smoothly. Divide your kitchen into these five work zones to get the most out of its layout.

You can make using your kitchen flow more smoothly since you use these zones to place everything in convenient spots that match the cooking process. The zones include:

• Consumables: where you store the majority of your food.
• Non-consumables: dishes, glasses, and silverware.
• Cleaning area: where your sink and dishwasher are.
• Preparation space: counter space where you prep your ingredients.
• Cooking: where your stove, oven, and your microwave are.

Here are five things we learn from this diagram that you can apply to your kitchen — no matter its size or shape!

1. Divide your kitchen into five zones.

The basic work zones to think about in your kitchen are as follows:

Consumables zone: The area used to store most of your food. This may actually be split into two zones: one for your refrigerator (fresh food) and one for your pantry or food cabinets (dry goods, oils, etc.).

Non-consumables zone: The area used to store everyday dishes, including plates, bowls, glasses, and silverware.

Cleaning zone: The area that contains the sink and dishwasher (if you have one).

Preparation zone: The area where most of your kitchen prep happens. This may be a stretch of countertop, or a kitchen island.

Cooking zone: The area that contains the stovetop, oven, or range, and possibly the microwave.

Most kitchens can be divvied up into these areas. Even if you have a tiny apartment galley kitchen, you still probably have the essentials: a fridge (consumables zone), some cabinets (non-consumables zone), a sink (cleaning zone), a little countertop space (preparation zone), and a stove (cooking zone). Once you’ve mapped out your zones, you’re ready for the next step.

2. Store items as close to their related zone as possible.

The point of dividing your kitchen into zones is so you can store things in the right place to improve your cooking flow! For example, knives, mixing bowls, chopping boards, spices, and other prep utensils should be stored where you do most of your prep work, in the preparation zone. Cooking utensils, pots, pans, and bakeware should be stored as close to or near the stove or oven, in the cooking zone.

3. Store your everyday dishes in the cabinet closest to the sink or dishwasher.

Digging into the details on this a little more, this diagram notes you should store your everyday dishes (the non-consumables) right next to the cleaning area, or where your sink and dishwasher are.

This makes a lot of sense when you think about it. What are you normally unloading from the dishwasher? All your everyday plates, glasses, and silverware! So whatever cabinet is closest to your dish rack or dishwasher, that’s where you should store your dishes if possible.

4. Create prep space as close to the stove as possible.

Another thing we noticed in this diagram is how the prep area is situated next to the stove. We agree. In The Kitchn Cookbook, we note that one of the most important things in setting up a kitchen is to have adequate counter space close to the stove. Ideally you shouldn’t have to take more than a few steps to put your prepped food into a pot on your stovetop, or in the oven.

If you don’t have a lot of existing countertop space next to your stove, this is where you need to get creative! Whatever space you do have, clear it off and prioritize it as a prep space. Remove the microwave and move the fruit bowl! You need that space to chop vegetables or mix ingredients, so let it be just that.

When that’s still not enough, you might consider adding a small kitchen island, an over-the-sink cutting board, or a burner cover — all of which are great, accessible choices when you need more workspace.

5. Just do your best!

Of course, keeping items precisely within their zone isn’t always entirely possible if your kitchen is tiny and you need to, say, store your bakeware on top of the cabinets, or the only available pantry space is in a cabinet across the room from the fridge. But this idea of seeing your kitchen as a collection of zones and grouping things together by their purpose is something to work towards! There will always be exceptions unless you have a perfect kitchen. (Does anyone?)