Monday, February 19, 2018

11 Things You Can Do RIGHT NOW To Make a Basic Kitchen Look Better



One day I'll have state-of- the art kitchen with all stainless steel appliances, a commercial-grade stove with a modern range over it, a porcelain sink and a no-touch faucet all set in a backdrop of some beautiful tile, in maybe a herringbone pattern or something elaborate and labor intensive like that. I want one of those dream kitchens where I can "casually" place  a huge bundle of freshly-cut peonies in the sink, LOL. You know what I'm talking about, right?! That pic that we see aaaaalllll over Instagram!

...Maybe one day... or maybe not, who knows...

For now, I'm happily enjoying my ho-hum, builder-grade kitchen that works just fine for our family and we make the best of it. I might not have a peony-ready sink, but whatever, it washes dishes so it's fine. 
Hey, not everyone can afford to have a top of the line kitchen and even if we could, most of us have to save up our hard-earned moola in order to tackle on a kitchen remodel. Until that day comes, there are small things we can do to make our kitchens look just a bit better. 

If your kitchen is looking like a "basic bitch" here are 11 things that you can do RIGHT NOW (and a couple that you can plan to do on a weekend) that cost very little money and will help your boring-ass kitchen look it's best!

11 Things You Can Do RIGHT NOW To Make a Basic Kitchen Look Better


1. CLEAR YOUR COUNTERS
Take it all off! Find homes for most of the clutter on your counters. Things like mail, keys, pots and pans can all be put away in drawers and cabinets. Only leave the necessities out on the counter. Clearing the clutter from your counters immediately makes a HUGE difference!

2. CLEAN THE HELL OUT OF YOUR KITCHEN
An obvious one, I know but what I mean is to REALLY deep clean that kitchen. Get into all the nooks and crannies, scrub down every part of the stove, paint the kitchen baseboards, really make the place shine!


3. DISPLAY YOUR PRODUCE IN BOWLS AND BASKETS
Style them apples and bananas and make them look like accessories!





4. DITCH THE NEON SPONGE AND DORKY BOTTLE OF PALMOLIVE
Instead of leaving those ghastly-colored items out, replace them with a bio-degradable sponge in a nice, neutral color and store your dish soap in a soap dispenser. I don't know why everybody doesn't opt for this as it doesn't cost a lot to do and doesn't take a whole lot of effort. I mean, I used a cheap dollar store dispenser and even THAT looks better than a bottle of orange dish soap! 



5. ADD A VASE OF FLOWERS
Nothing says "I care about this space" more than a fresh bouquet of flowers

6. DISPLAY ART IN YOUR KITCHEN
Having decorative items that usually don't belong in a kitchen will add style to that otherwise boring kitchen



7. ORGANIZE YOUR CABINETS
I know...I know... just thinking about it causes anxiety



(My cabinets didn't always look like this. To see the "before" click HERE.)


8. ADD OR SWITCH UP YOUR HARDWARE
This is pretty simple to do and can really upgrade the look of your existing cabinets.



9. INSTALL A PENDANT LIGHT
A simple project that can totally be done in a few hours. I used an existing recessed light fixture to install an inexpensive pendant. More on that HERE.



10. TAKE EVERYTHING OFF YOUR REFRIGERATOR DOOR
Trust me, you don't need all that crap on there. There's an abundance of apps available that will remind you of every important date. Clearing all the clutter from off of your fridge IMMEDIATELY makes your kitchen look so much better. If you absolutely must put stuff on the fridge, like your kids' artwork then I have a great solution: A DIY Refrigerator Gallery Wall! Check it out HERE.



11. LIGHT A CANDLE
Neutralize the kitchen odors with your favorite candle. Me, I like a clean, citrus scent.


I encourage us to NEVER wait until we have the "perfect" anything to enjoy our lives. Life is too short! We have to enjoy every day! We gotta make the best of what we have. If your'e renting, if you have a tiny house, if you have an outdated kitchen, if you need new furniture, whatever it is, make the BEST of it! Clean it up, paint it, rearrange it, add to it, take away from it, change it! It's better for you to be comfortable in your home than it is to uncomfortably wait and wait until you find the "perfect couch" or the "perfect house" because every day is valuable. My kitchen is far from my dream kitchen but I still respect it and I still take ownership of it. Lots of good times are spent in there and lots of memorable and delicious meals have come from it ❤


In case you have any questions on the items in this post, I have them linked below




Take care!
Oscar

7 comments:

  1. I so enjoyed this post! I too, keep dreaming of the perfect white kitchen that I see all over IG land! We built our home 23 years ago and although we have custom built cabinetry, oak of course, I feel like it is extremely outdated. I do have clutter free counter tops, the clean frig with nothing hanging on it and I do keep fresh flowers in pretty little vases to enjoy. They make me smile every time I look at them! This post made me stop to think so why am I so dissatisfied? Thank you for helping me realize it is okay that my kitchen does not look like the white farmhouse sinks with the beautiful peonies flowing out of them. It's my kitchen, it's clean, functional & pretty with memories of good food, good friends, family and lots of laughter & love! Thanks Oscar!!!

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  2. Very uplifting and encouraging post. Being grateful and enjoying our kitchen/home is inspiring! I have incorporated many of your ideas in our kitchen. Fresh flowers not only have a beautiful scent they also uplift each time I see them. Great ideas and thanks for all the inspiration! :)

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    1. nothing like fresh flowers to really elevate a space. Im happy to hear that you practice a lot of the things that I mentioned.I have mad respect for people that strive to enjoy their surroundings and make the best of everything :)

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  3. Great post Oscar! My kitchen is also a basic bitch and it is like putting lipstick on a pig I tell ya! I have the clean counter debate with hubby all the time..he likes everything we use regularly to be visible and accessible (toaster, tea kettle, coffee maker, blender, knives...etc) and I like it to look like no one lives here! LOL! We finally agree to make it look like no one lives here only when we entertain. HA ha!! So don't ever come unannounced or you have to see my Vitamix out in the open (gasp!)

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    1. hahaha! Laura you have me cracking up! I totally get what you're saying about the appliances LOL. Happy to hear you won the battle LOL. I hate my stupid ugly toaster and unfortunately it has to be out. (My kids like their eggo waffles in the morning). Gotta look for a good looking toaster!

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  4. Great tips Oscar! I think the first two are the most overlooked yet have such a huge impact and don't cost any money :) Lucky for me I managed to marry someone who is just as OCD as I am so these two are easy ones!

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  5. Kitchen is the most essential part of the house. To have a healthy environment in the house, it's essential to have a clean kitchen. This post is best to highlight theses essential things thanks for this. Well, in today's time. we really can't get proper time to clean home and take care of sanitation, No worries, house cleaning services jersey city provides all the essential facilities like home cleaning, window cleaning and maid services etc.

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