Stress Free Kitchen Organization

Your family's hungry, and looking at you with big eyes.  You walk into your kitchen to whip something together like you usually do. And as soon as you step in your kitchen, you are lost — you don't know what you have, what's expired or where anything is you might need to complete a meal. If this sounds familiar, then your kitchen is in need of a makeover. Keep reading for ideas on how to organize and tame your kitchen.

One Step at a Time

Depending on the size and level of disorganization in your kitchen, the thought of taking on the task of organizing could be a daunting one. It is important to just take things one step at a time by breaking down your kitchen in to sections, the task will seem quicker and less painful. For example, start with the cabinets and drawers, next the refrigerator, then move to the pantry, and finish off with the counter tops. The project will seem far less overwhelming this way.

Step Back, Analyze, Plan of Attack

After deciding which section of the kitchen you will start with; step back, analyze, and create a plan of attack. This process will be a domino effect, one step correlates with the next. Stepping back allows you to take it all in; you need to see what is there at the current moment to form an idea in your mind of how you want to attack and what you want the final outcome to be. Analyzing what you have and what you don't need to have will make the plan of attack smoother. It will help you zero in on all the clutter in the area.

Break Your Bad Habits

Chip Cordelli is in the business of organization, in a question and answer session with Nicole Sforza from RealSimple.com he mentioned that the worst and most harmful habit people have when it comes to their kitchens is keeping things they don't regularly use, which creates more clutter and less usable space for you. As Chip puts it, "You don't have to throw them out, but for goodness' sake, don't let them take up valuable real estate."

Junk Drawer

Believe it or not most organization gurus approve of a junk drawer in your home. However, there are rules; there should only be one, so you don't get carried away with the hoarding. If you have not used it in the last 6 months-don't keep it in the junk drawer; Keep the drawer organized at all times (a drawer divider is an inexpensive way to achieve this).

The Cathartic Pantry

Where do you keep your stored food: Pantry, Kitchen Cabinets, Freestanding Cupboard? Whatever the case may be it will be beneficial to reassess what needs to stay and what can go. First things first, all expired foods must go. Do you have an excess of canned food? Donate the extras to your local food bank.

A great way to gain space in your area, is incorporating a lazy Susan. If you are a person that loves to cook with spices, and they are consuming your counter space, using a lazy Susan, wire racks, jars, containers, and baskets to hold your spices and sauces could give you necessary additional space. Check out The Container Store, they have a wide array of inexpensive cabinet organizers.

Knitty Gritty

You've broken your kitchen into sections, stepped back, analyzed, and now are ready to attack. It's time to go drawer by drawer and cabinet by cabinet and empty everything out. Yes, everything, just dump it out. Separate those things you use the most from the ones you don't use at all.

The items you use the most you want to keep in the forefront, items you don't use, you might want to store in a different section, donate or keep in a junk drawer. Making the distinction is going to be the key, and creating new areas for those items that hardly get used, will keep your space organized.

• Break your kitchen into sections
• Drawers/Cabinets
• Refrigerator
• Pantry
• Counter Tops
• Step Back, Analyze, and Plan Attack
• Toss/Donate/Create a single space for items you don't regularly use
• Toss Expired items
• Clean
• Lazy Susan/Wire Rack/Jar/Container/Basket to create neat space
• Enjoy your kitchen

There are so many ways to get creative and to have fun with your kitchen organization projects. And the outcome of a cleaner more efficient space will make you glad you made the decision ten times over.

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