Organizing, Stocking, & Styling The Kitchenette
Just over a year ago, I shared our finished kitchenette remodel at our Tuesday Made office. We took a chance and decided to pull together a budget-friendly makeover before we even launched, in an effort to make our office feel a bit happier. While the little space looks pretty charming (if I do say so myself), I never took the time to properly stock our kitchenette. One year later, I decided it was time to put down some roots (aka- commit to buying flatware and actual plates) and create a better functioning work environment. Click through for some of my favorite kitchen organizational tools, budget-friendly small appliances, and to see how the updated shelf styling turned out. If you haven’t peeked into our Tuesday Made space in a bit, I hope you enjoy this scrolling kitchen tour!
*This post is sponsored by Walmart. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow us to create unique content while featuring products we actually use & enjoy!
Why did it take me a year to put our work kitchen to good use? Maybe it was out of fear, or wondering if our little shop could survive its first year in business (and during a pandemic, at that), but I’m proud to say we did it! Over the course of a year, Emmett & I have increasingly spent more & more time at our office. I’m usually there at least 4-5 days a week. I’d bring a couple forks from home for my lunch, steal a plate from our basement kitchen and toss it into my work bag, and honestly- I just didn’t put much effort into the functionality of the kitchenette. Once Jordan (our first team member) came on board with us, I realized our haphazard break space wasn’t cutting it. Though pretty on the outside, I finally realized the need to invest in things like eating utensils to fill the drawers. I slowly started buying & thrifting things that would make our work life more enjoyable, but knew I had to stick to a tight budget.
During my holiday break, I took advantage of some Walmart deals (you can see their current deals & promos here), knowing I wanted to kick off the year feeling organized and finally tackle my goal of finishing the kitchenette for good. Stocking our tiny kitchen felt like a natural place to start, in regards to organization and practicality… a wise move (and easy win) for the first work week of the year. I wanted a quick project I could feel accomplished and happy about. I started by filling our flatware drawer…
This stainless steel set felt timeless to me, and I bought my favorite drawer organizer insert to go with our new silverware. We actually have this same organizer in our kitchen at home, and it has travelled with us during three moves! It’s adjustable to fit any drawer size…
It has plenty of room for our spoons, forks, knives, and more importantly the fun things- a bottle opener and cheese knife set, because we’re a fun small business. Ha! In all fairness, we do appreciate a Friday happy hour or spontaneous charcuterie board.
I also bought another set of my favorite knives. We have this same set at home in our kitchen drawer– they work well and they’re much better than others, from an aesthetic point-of-view.
The thing we needed most? Actual plates and bowls to use for our lunch break. Jordan and I were tired of recycling paper plates or grabbing for the plastic items we had saved from past carryout orders.
You already know I typically gravitate toward classic white dishes for a timeless look. If I was going to invest in a set, I wanted to make sure they are durable and will withstand the test of time. I opted for this heavy stoneware set. This collection came with dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, and coffee mugs- everything we needed! I also really love the subtle pattern and texture these pieces have.
Since we only have lower cabinets, I really had to maximize our floating shelves. Sure, they need to look balanced and styled, but they’re also functional and provide open storage. I carefully placed our new dishes on the lowest shelf, for easy reaching.
We already had an espresso maker (which is used often), but I thought adding another small appliance would be a nice amenity. I landed on this basic toaster that is surprisingly sleek & modern- for making a quick, hot breakfast or lunch. Bagels or avocado toast, anyone? I usually run out the door and wait to have my breakfast at the office, so I know this is going to come in handy!
I’ll link some of the organizational and kitchen items I found at Walmart for you below.
Click directly on my finds to be redirected to the source, or use the numbered links below the collage to shop…
01: knife set // 02: beverage can holder // 03: fridge organizer bins // 04: flatware set // 05: nespresso machine // 06: poly basket // 07: glass water bottles // 08: dinnerware set // 09: toaster // 10: food storage containers // 11: lazy susan for fridge // 12: expandable cutlery drawer // 13: storage bins with handles
I used some baskets to keep things organized in our cabinet drawers and beneath the sink. Clearly I need to refill our snack basket with new treats, as it’s looking sad & low right now.
I really should have photographed the inside of our adorable Smeg refrigerator (pictured below), but I forgot. I added some organizational elements in there as well. I repeated many of the items found in our fridge at home (take a peek at that post here)… a can dispenser, my beloved glass bottles, a lazy susan for condiments, etc. Since it’s such a small fridge, I like using organizers to stack items and make the most of the space.
To wrap up my styling and organization session, I incorporated some favorite items from our shop and recent vintage finds to add character & personality. I’m really pleased with how things came together and am glad I took the time to truly finish this space and make it more functional! I feel like our tiny team can kick off the year on the right foot now. Sometimes it’s the little changes that make the biggest impact when it comes to design.
Does anyone else get the urge to clean, organize, and tackle easy projects each January (if not, I also embrace relaxing post holiday)? So far, I’ve cleaned and organized our pantry, updated our spice drawer, and deep cleaned. Now I can cross stocking the office kitchen off my list. I feel pretty accomplished lately. Ha! If you’re looking for budget-friendly organizational items, be sure to keep Walmart in mind. I saved some money and was able to stretch my budget by scrolling their deals. They’re always being updated. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead! We’re getting back into our Pizza Friday routine tonight, so cheers to that!
