Get organized: It's a New Year's resolution we seem to make year after year, BUT as life gets busy, it's easy to let clutter take over again, unless you manage it the right way. Get our advice, tips, and tricks to make 2014 the year you get organized once and for all.....In The Kitchen!
Create Zones ~ Group items in your kitchen by their function. In this kitchen, a stand mixer tucks in the corner by the refrigerator and shelves above house mixing bowls and baking necessities. On the opposite side of the refrigerator, a breakfast prep zone has all morning must-haves: shelves with bowls and glasses, coffee mugs, and canisters of cereal.
Roll in a Cart ~ Invest in a cart that can transport heavy dishes from kitchen to dining and act as extra counter space for cooking and entertaining.
Stash Items Over-the-Door ~ Stash pantry items in the see-through pockets of an over-the-door organizer to virtually eliminate search time.
Swing-Out Storage ~ A clever option for those cavernous corner shelves, swing-out shelves make storage easy. Rails on the shelves keep items from falling off, and the tiers of shelves accommodate a pantry's worth of dry goods. Plus, the swing-out function brings every item front and center.
Categorize Food ~ Organize your pantry shelves as you would a library, with food items grouped by category.
Install Shelf Organizers ~ Sliding shelf organizers make frequently used gear easy to access.
Rethink Drawers ~ Typically kitchen drawers are shallow and narrow, ideal for utensils and linens. But larger drawers can be a clever addition to a kitchen's storage plan, and work well in spaces with open shelves or limited upper cabinet storage. These dresserlike drawers can house stacks of dishes or bulky pots and pans. Because they pull out, all of the contents are easily accessible, and the drawers limit overhead reaching. A peg board and tall, sturdy pegs keep items in place and can be reconfigured to accommodate different sized and shaped items.
Store Items by Use ~ Arrange your kitchenware by frequency of use, with everyday dishes on an easy-to-reach lower shelf and special-occasion pieces up above.
Stash Like Items Together ~ Keep plastic bags and wrapping together in a drawer near the refrigerator to make quick work of storing away leftovers.
Wraparound Shelving ~ Make the most of kitchen corners with L-shape shelves, which provide a continuous stretch of storage. Be sure the shelves are reinforced in the corners so that they can bear the weight of heavy objects, such as serving bowls, placed in the corners.
Wall of Storage ~ Turn an open wall into storage central. In this kitchen, custom built-ins along a wall in the breakfast area store kitchen items that aren't used every day, such as special cookware and cookbooks. A buffet in the center functions as a bar or serving station. If built-ins aren't in your budget, but you still have a blank wall to fill, consider freestanding options that will achieve the same function.
Introduce Baskets ~ Keep open shelves uncluttered by stashing items in airy rattan baskets.
Think Double-Duty ~ For no-fuss buffet service, present cutlery to guests in mugs or small pitchers.
Light it Right ~ Even under-the-cabinets space can be well utilized, whether for lighting, an appliance, or, in this case, a dish-towel rod.
Color-Code Kitchenware ~ Pots and pans double as artwork when like-colored kitchenware is put on display.
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