Everything Has Its Home: Part II

Organizing Your Kitchen

Having an organized kitchen can be very refreshing. Here are a few tips that have helped us since we moved from a large kitchen with ample storage to a smaller kitchen with hardly any storage.

Keep it Handy

If you use it, make it easily accessible. We took off the cabinet doors in one section of our kitchen and have all of our glasses and dishes displayed; they are easy to get to and put away. Plus, if you see it you will use it, and if it's displayed you're more likely to keep it organized.

You can customize your drawers with this modular organizer

Buy Drawer Organizers

There is nothing worse than a drawer crammed with utensils. You can't find anything and often items get caught in the drawer making it hard to open. You can find drawer organizers at Target inexpensively or at The Container Store. You should have an organizer for your everyday silverware as well as your other utensils (can opener, garlic press, etc.) We have a large canister next to the stovetop for spatulas, spoons and other necessities for cooking. If you have a "junk" drawer, it should also have a drawer organizer. Try to keep only essentials in this drawer (pens, pencils, tape, scissors).

If you don't have a knive block, you can store your knives on the wall

MIU Stainless-Steel 15-Inch Magnetic Knife Storage Bar

Price: $17.99
List Price: $29.99

All-Clad 6-Piece Stainless Steel Tool Set

Price: $99.85
List Price: $120.00

Clean it Out

Go through all of your utensils and gadgets. If you don't use it or if you have duplicates, give it away. If you have mismatched silverware, donate it. You can buy all new silverware inexpensively at Ikea. The same goes for everyday glasses.

Dividers for platters, cookie sheets, etc

Four-Section Bakeware Holder 10" x 10" x 8"H

Price:

Organize the Cupboards

Buy tiered shelves for your canned goods. Your more likely to use your canned food if you can see it and it's easy to get to, plus you save a bunch of space. You can also get stacking shelves, undershelf baskets and glassware racks if cupboard space is limited. In our last house we had built-in platter/cookie sheet dividers. In our current house I had to buy the dividers, but it's worth it.

Pot Racks are a great way to save space

Old Dutch 36-by-18-Inch Oval Pot Rack, Chrome

Price: $142.00

The Refrigerator

Try to clean out your refrigerator on trash days. Soda can dispensers are a great way to save space. Most new refrigerators come with egg trays. I don't know what the purpose of these are, your eggs don't stay as fresh and they don't save room.