Evening star., 1941-01-25
Handy Storage Space
In Kitchen Subject
OF New Publication
Convenient Locations
For Work Equipment
Tighten Tasks

A new publication called Closets
and Storage Spaces" with illustra-
tive plans and clear-cut description,
has been issued by the Agriculture
Department In it the authors show
how to make a house more livable
with well-planned, strategically 10
Gated closets and cupboards.
One of the most helpful sections in
the bulletin is that on Kitchen
Storage" The average homemaker
spends more working time in the
kitchen than she does in any other
room in the house. And she can
work lot more easily and quickly
If tools and supplies are at her
fingertips.
"One of the goals of kitchen
planning is to reduce the number
of steps necessary in performing
routine tasks" according to the
Bureau of Home Economics of the
Agriculture Department. ITO ac-
complish this modern kitchens are
divided into work centers.' That is,
all the supplies and all the equip
ment for one kind of kitchen work
are grouped together"
In general there are four work
centers in the kitchen-one for food
preparation, one for serving, one
for cooking and one for dishwash-
ing. Storage spaces should be ar
ranged with reference to the work
done at each center.
Sink Center of Work.
In a very compact kitchen all OF
these work centers-except the one
for cooking-may be located near
the sink. Such an arrangement is
illustrated in Closets and Storage
Spaces" 1t consists of a sink,
flanked by drainboards that are
really smooth-surface work tops.
On each side, above and below the
work surface are storage cabinets.
The natural way for a right
handed person to wash dishes is
from right to left-stacking the
dishes on the right and putting
them to drain at the left. So the
logical place to store dishes used
most often is near the place where
they are dried, in this case above
the left drainboard. Such dishes
include cereal and sauce dishes, cups,
saucers, plates and platters. The
logical place to store everyday
silverWare and dish towels is in
drawers below this drainboard.
In the arrangement illustrated in
the bulletin this left drainboard is
planned so that it can serve also as
a serving center. Here the cook puts
the food into serving dishes and adds
any final touches before they go to
the table. AS mentioned already,
the dishes used most often on the
table are in easy reach in the cab
met above. In the cabinet below
the working surface there is room
for napkins, serving utensils, bread
and cake. Also below the work
surface there is cutting board
which pulls out.
Food Preparation Center.
Dual purpose, tou, is the right
drainboard. Not only are dishes
stacked here before they are washed,
but it is also the food preparation
center. Here vegetables are pre-
pared for cooking, cakes mixed up,
pastry rolled and similar operations
carried out. Within easy reach in
the cabinet below are cutlery, recipe
books, cooking utensils, large sup
plies of -four and sugar. And in
the cabinet above there is room for
spices, baking powder, soda and all
other staple groceries.
AS for the cooking center, that
naturally revolves around the stove.
Here there needs to be storage space
for articles used only at the stove,
such as frying pans, heavy kettles
and pan lids.
Cabinets. built-in or readymade,
are the most satisfactory for storing
kitchen things. Shelves are best in
cabinets above the work surface.
Drawers are usually preferred below.
But because shelves are less ex-
pensive to build, many save on cab
met construction by using shelves
throughout. All shelves should be
made adjustable If possible, to avoid
waste.
Corner Cupboard Handy.
Dining room storage is necessarily
planned in relation to kitchen stor-
age. Many articles can be stored
with equal convenience in either
place. One Of the least expensive
types Of dining room cupboard to
build is the corner cupboard. Two
such cupboards, placed in adjacent
corners of the dining room, are dec
orative as we'll as useful.
Especially of interest to women
who put up" much food will be the
part of the new bulletin devoted to
food storage rooms-for storing
canned goods, small supplies of GER
tain fresh fruits and vegetables,
cured meat and lard. With the help
of the information given her here
any woman can figure out the
amount of shelving and the distance
between shelves needed for such
articles that she ordinarily has on
hand
In the plans for the kitchen,
dining room and food storage ar
rangements given in the bulletin,
basic dimensions are marked on the
plans. And for each plan an ar
rangement of fittings is suggested
However, both dimensions and ar
rangement of fittings may easily be
adapted to fit individual needs.
A free copy of CLOSETS and Stor-
age Spaces" Farmers Bulletin 1865,
may be obtained from the Agricul-
ture Department here.