More Than a House: A Restaurant

This is the third in a series of blogs from Lifestyles Building that will explore how family dynamics and the ways we use our homes are changing in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Follow along on our blog page for upcoming posts. 

Whether you started the summer with healthy intentions, learning new recipes and cooking at home, or relied more on local takeout, your kitchen has likely taken on a much larger role in the last few months. 

This makes organizing and cleaning this space vital for each member of the family to ensure snacks are easily accessible and food preparation goes smoothly. The Symphony Farms team put together these simple tips to help guide your efforts in the kitchen and pantry. 

Get the family involved

This recipe for success includes input from everyone. Take an evening to discuss each person’s needs, abilities and interest as it pertains to grab-and-go options, putting together lunch bags and more complex cooking throughout the week. After this, you can start to organize by height or even theme.

Consider a communal basket of healthy snacks that are available throughout the day and out of dog’s reach. This will help limit Zoom call disruptions and give kids some autonomy.

Also, consider alternate locations. If only a few people are eating, they could sit at the cook island. Or, if someone is grilling, the family could eat outside. Just because you’re still eating at home, you don’t have to stare at the same wall ahead of you.

Make the most of your built-in pantry

The standard built-in pantry included in your home is a great location for backups of your favorite foods and storage for the small appliances you seldomly use like crockpots or quesadilla makers. 

Keep a small supply of staples like noodles, pasta sauce, peanut butter and spices in your cabinets with any reserves in the pantry. Think of your cabinets as a customized shopping cart within reach of the stove. It should have almost everything you need for dinner unless you are feeling extra creative.

Be flexible as the seasons change

Just because you are planning on a warm day does not mean you won’t want soup tomorrow. Make sure to leave space for more seasonal ingredients as we shift. Then, keep the rest of the house updated on the changes.

Think of this like a closet. When you are ready to back up your shorts, you may still want access into November. And you may need sweatshirts in July. Organization is never truly perfect, but it goes a long way in improving your day-to-day life.

Once you start planning, your current setup may not be working. If that is the case, Symphony Farms can help you find the right floor plan for your family. Schedule an appointment today to tour move-in-ready homes or meet with our team to start designing your dream home.