Your Kitchen: Highlights from The April Weekly Projects

This month’s Breathing Room x Sugar Paper planner projects (buy a planner here) focused on one of the most lived-in (and quickly overwhelmed) spaces in the home: the kitchen. Instead of trying to overhaul everything at once, we worked through it step by step—fridge, pantry, utensils, cookware, and finally, the counters.

Each weekly prompt followed the same simple, repeatable rhythm:

Take everything out → clean the surfaces → categorize → remove what’s no longer needed → put it back in a way that supports how your family actually lives.

This is the foundation of Breathing Room Home: not organizing for perfection, but creating systems that reduce friction and make daily life easier.

Here’s your recap—with practical tips to help you maintain each space moving forward.

Week 1: Clean & Organize Your Fridge

The fridge is where good intentions often go to waste—literally. A full reset helps you see what you have, use what you buy, and reduce food waste.

Start by removing everything, wiping down shelves and drawers, and grouping like items (dairy, condiments, produce, leftovers). Toss anything expired or unused, then return items in zones that make sense for your daily routines.

5 Tips for a Functional Fridge:

• Create zones (kid’s snacks, leftovers, treats, etc.)

• Place zones strategically: kids items low, treats high, dinner items at eye level

• Use stacking bins to create more space 

• Add a “use first” bin

• Do a monthly “do we use it?” audit

Week 2: Clean Out & Organize Your Pantry

A cluttered pantry leads to overbuying, forgotten ingredients, and decision fatigue at mealtime. Resetting your pantry brings clarity and simplicity back to cooking.

Remove everything, wipe shelves, and group items by category (snacks, grains, canned goods, baking). Let go of expired items and anything your family doesn’t actually eat, then re-stock in a way that makes everyday access easy.

5 Tips for a Streamlined Pantry:

• Group by use: school snacks, meal starters, treats (keep high, out of eye sight), etc. 

• Use open bins for easy access - especially for kids 

• Only decant what you use often

• Think “shallow” - anything layered the back will be forgotten. Instead, use that space for back-stock such as paper towels or food storage 

• Bonus: make a visual reminder of what’s in back and tape it to the inside of the cabinet door.

Week 3: Clean Out & Organize Your Cooking Utensils

Utensil drawers and containers tend to collect duplicates, rarely-used tools, and “just in case” items. Simplifying this space makes cooking faster and less frustrating.

Empty everything out, wipe down drawers or containers, and group utensils by function. Remove duplicates and tools you never reach for, then return only what you use regularly.

5 Tips for Tidy Drawers:

• Keep only go-to tools. Ask yourself: Would I reach for it this month? If not, it can be placed in a “specialty bin” with items that are rarely used - not prime real estate kitchen drawers.

• Separate cooking vs serving - and place it according to how you move in your space

• Use drawer dividers - layered ones, if more space is needed

• Limit countertop holders - they’re magnets for clutter

• Edit duplicates - You likely don’t need three of the same tool. Keep the best, let the rest go

Week 4: Clean Out & Organize Baking, Cookware & Food Storage

These areas often hold the most “just in case” items—extra containers, mismatched lids, or cookware we rarely use. A reset helps you keep what serves you and let go of what doesn’t.

Take everything out, clean shelves and cabinets, and sort by category (baking, pots/pans, food storage). Toss damaged, warped, or incomplete items, then return things in a way that supports how often you use them.

5 Tips Simplified Food Storage and Bakeware:

• Match lids to containers—let go of anything without a pair

• Store items by frequency of use (daily vs. occasional)

• Nest cookware to save space

• Limit food storage to what fits your lifestyle (not every size imaginable)

• Keep baking tools together for easier access

Week 5: Clear Counter Clutter

Clearing your counters is one of the fastest ways to create an immediate sense of calm in your home. This isn’t about having empty counters—it’s about intentional ones.

Remove everything, wipe surfaces, and decide what truly earns a spot. Group by function (coffee station, cooking zone, etc.), remove visual clutter, and return only what supports your daily flow.

5 Tips Continuously Clear Counters:

• Match lids to containers. No match or damaged? Order replacement lids.

• Store by frequency of use

• Nest items to save space

• Contain lids - don’t let them roam. Use a lid organizer or small bin so they’re easy to grab

• Limit to what you actually use. If it’s warped, mismatched, or never reached for—it’s just taking up space

The Bigger Picture

This month wasn’t just about cleaning your kitchen.

It was about creating systems that support your real life—so meals are easier, mornings are smoother, and your home feels like a place you can exhale.

You don’t need to maintain perfection.You just need small resets, simple systems, and a willingness to adjust as life changes.