January focus area - the Kitchen

The kitchen is where I spend the majority of my waking hours at home. There is breakfast to prepare (usually microwaved oatmeal), dinner to cook and of course, dishes to wash. I am not a gourmet cook or really enjoy cooking, but it is important to me that my family have healthy meals, so I try to make dinner with fresh vegetables part of my routine.

I have chosen to focus on three areas in the kitchen that are currently pet peeves of mine.
1. The Fridge
2. Under the sink
3. The counters

The other cabinets and drawers have some room for 5S and de-cluttering, but these areas are my top 3 pain points, mainly because of the frequency of use and visibility.

As I delve into the 5S process for each area, I will share ideas that I have picked up from different sources. The process is about simplifying and reducing waste in a sustainable way. It is up to you to define what is most sustainable for you and your family.

One of the keys of 5S is to have the right tools at the right location. Because the kitchen is so functional, it is an ideal place to setup zones for different functions. I have seen several ideas of using caddies or baskets for certain specific functions.
Examples:
- Near the stove should be your "cooking station" with the oils, spices and implements you use daily.
- Create caddy for cookie baking. It would include cookie cutters, sheets, recipes, etc.
- Tea and/or coffee station/caddy (depending how often you used them).

5s all year long

My goal for 2013?
To develop an Annual 5s/Lean plan for my household.

Action plan
- identify monthly focus areas (each month will cover different area of the house)
- 5S each area
- Sort - eliminate clutter and un-needed items
- Scrub - deep clean and identify regular cleaning schedule
- Set - investigate storage solutions for difficult areas
- Standardize - label zones and min/max so entire family involved
- Sustain - develop cleaning checklists and revisit quarterly for effectiveness
- identify time savers and opportunities for family time (in the focus area)
- identify Green alternatives, re-use opportunities and sustainable waste reduction in the focus area

There are already a lot of organizing resources out there. I recently found an app by Real Simple magazine that has checklists for cleaning and organizing, which I plan to reference. I also just discovered Pinterest, which is rocking my world.
I am not the most anal or aesthetic person, so my attempts will not be as visually pleasing. I am an engineer, so functional and effective are my priorities. I am also a full-time working mom, so I do not have a lot of time to label everything.
But I do have a methodical and systematic approach to problems.
What I will try to present is a process for organization (5S) that can be repeated in any area of the house.


So stay tuned to see how a real mom is able to keep up with Creating and Sustaining a lean home.

Clean, inspect, replace

One of the tools of Sustainment of a lean/5s environment is a Clean and Inspect schedule. It lists activities to be done daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually, to keep an area organized.
It can be made into a checklist and posted in the room. Family members that are assigned tasks can sign off on items that they complete. Daily lists can be put on a whiteboard or laminated, to be updated daily.

Example:
Kitchen

Daily
Cook
Clean dishes
Clear counters
Wipe counters
Set table
Clear table

Weekly
Inspect fridge (throw out old items and add needed items to list)
Inspect pantry (add needed items to shopping list)
Scrub countertops
Sweep floor
Wash high chair
Make shopping list
Plan meals
Grocery shopping
Refresh table (table cloth, new flowers)
Clean stove top
Wash hand towels
Wash sink
Take out garbage
Take out recycling

Monthly
Clean microwave
Mop floors
wash/replace table cloth
Check expiration dates
Wash windows

Quarterly
Inspect pantry for non used items (donate or plan meal to use).
Inspect/clean stove
Clean fridge

Annual
5s -this can be staggered for different cupboards and locations throughout the year
Clear cupboards
Evaluate unused pots/appliances/utensils
Clean cupboards
Replace items in locations of easy access

I will be evaluating styles of checklists as I organize my own house.