Hosting the 4th of July can be great fun, especially when you have your closest friends and family gathered around in one spot.
However, all of these people combined with both indoor and outdoor cooking can quickly make this one of the more stressful holidays to host at home.
Luckily, professional home organizers have perfected the art of organizing a kitchen for the 4th of July to prepare any cooking space for the perfect summer cookout.
How to organize a kitchen for the 4th of July
Before you get a start on hanging July 4th decorations or setting up your cook spaces for a cookout, it is important to communicate with your guests to learn their preferences, begins Christina Lee, professional home organizer and founder of Graceful Spaces Organizing:
‘Just like organizing, the key to hosting is to be proactive rather than reactive,’ she shares. ‘Communicate with your guests before the event to ensure all dietary restrictions and special requests are made known before they arrive.’
With their preferences and needs in mind, you can better set up your home for their arrival.
1. Declutter first
It should go without saying, but working through a kitchen decluttering checklist before you start setting up for hosting should be the first port of call
‘First, clear out all the junk. Clean up and get rid of clutter so your kitchen is ready to go,’ urges Tina Priestly, professional home organizer and owner of Ready, Set, Refresh. ‘Clear countertops give you more space to prepare and serve food. Pick serveware that looks good and works well. Nice platters, bowls, and trays can make your kitchen look pretty and be useful too.’
2. Designate zones in the kitchen
When planning your 4th of July party ideas, it is helpful to split your home up into designated areas for socializing, eating, drinking, etc., suggests Meaghan Kessman, professional home organizer and owner of the eponymous organizing company:
‘I love creating specific zones in the kitchen to keep everything flowing smoothly. Set up a snack station, a beverage area, and a prep and cooking zone. This way, guests can easily help themselves without crowding one spot.
‘For instance, place snacks and drinks in accessible areas where guests can serve themselves while keeping the prep and cooking zones closer to the stove and sink. This not only makes hosting easier but also keeps the party lively and interactive.’
3. Control a central cooking zone
As you establish your zones, put the most emphasis on your cooking spaces. For the 4th of July, this is usually spread over your indoor kitchen and your outdoor kitchen or grilling area, making hosting a little more complicated.
Christina Lee, a professional home organizer suggests setting up one primary area, and keeping the other as the auxiliary: ‘Creating a central space for cooking supplies and ingredients in easy reach of your oven and using recipes to guide your inventory will go a long way when ensuring you have everything you need. It also helps to minimize mess.’
4. Spill cooking outside to make space in the kitchen
With the primary cooking space designated and set up with all the essential tools and food at hand, you can then work out what purpose your outdoor space will serve, continues Meaghan Kessman, professional organizer.
‘Make the most of your outdoor space to reduce congestion inside the kitchen,’ she urges. ‘Set up a grilling area outside and place a portable cooler or outdoor fridge for drinks. This frees up kitchen space and keeps the party atmosphere vibrant.
‘I always set up a small table or cart outside stocked with grilling essentials like utensils, marinades, and seasonings, so I’m not constantly running back and forth.’
If you are hosting alongside someone else, assign one cooking space per person to make them easier to manage.
5. Prepare food ahead of time
Organizing a kitchen for the 4th of July doesn't just mean setting up the tools and food ready to be cooked on the day. Preparing food ahead and organizing food storage efficiently will save you a lot of time and stress on the day, reminds Christina Lee, professional home organizer:
‘Preparing foods ahead of time that can be kept in the fridge is a great way to get ahead of the Holiday party! We can also prepare an “outdoor cooking tray” and an “indoor cooking tray”. This way you can easily grab whichever tray is needed without fumbling around your refrigerator to find the items you need.’
6. Label everything
When preparing items ahead of time, or catering to a range of diets and preferences, labeling will be your best friend, says Meaghan Kessman, professional organizer.
‘Using clear, labeled containers for food storage is a game-changer,’ she shares. ‘It keeps everything organized and visible, making it easy to grab and replenish items. Store perishable items in a way that’s easy to access, and keep a separate cooler or fridge space for drinks to avoid constantly opening the main fridge.
‘Utilizing the best kitchen organizers such as tiered shelves, lazy Susans, and drawer organizers helps maximize space and keeps everything in order.’
You can make labels by hand, but a label maker is essential for a professionally organized home.
7. Tablescape a few days prior
‘And lastly, a few days prior to the 4th of July celebration, begin to lay out all the dishes, serving plates, glasses, utensils, and tablescape,’ suggests Barbara Brock, professional home organizer and stager, founder of Barbara Brock Inc. ‘Place these somewhere all together. This gives you less to do on the day of festivities.’
FAQs
What makes a great 4th of July party?
A great 4th of July party is one that is down to earth and puts celebrating with your friends and family at the forefront. Good decorations, music, and home-cooked food on a grill are essential, with everything prepared and organized in advance so that you can spend time with your guests without feeling stressed.
Setting up the for party is just one of the ways to beat stress when hosting on the 4th of July. considering the post-party clean up during the prep stage will also save you time and stress, reminds Meaghan Kessman, professional organizer:
‘Set up a cleaning station with plenty of trash bags, recycling bins, and compost containers. Having extra dish towels, sponges, and cleaning sprays ready helps tackle spills and messes quickly. Planning for cleaning a kitchen in advance keeps your home tidy throughout the event and minimizes the post-party mess, so you can enjoy the celebration without worrying about the aftermath.’
