There is no single right way to order a kitchen; the trick lies in finding the way that works most efficiently for you. Employing the basic organizing concepts below can help you tailor a system to suit your needs and practices. A well-organized kitchen will make meal preparation -- and planning -- easier and more enjoyable. If your cupboards are filled to overflowing or you frequently have to rummage through drawers to find things, it's time to impose order. Here's how:
1 Store things where you use them. Pots and pans are best kept near the range or cooktop; mixing bowls near the countertop you use for food preparation; plates, glasses and flatware near the dishwasher.
2 Group like items together -- store all bakeware in the same cupboard, all wooden spoons in the same ceramic crock, all spices in the same drawer.
3 Store your most frequently used items in the most accessible places. Keep things you use most often at eye level; store heavy items below waist level and infrequently used items on high shelves (keep a step stool within easy reach for such items) or in another area of the house. For example, if you use your oversized turkey platter only once a year, you don't need to store it in the kitchen at all. Instead, stow it on a high shelf in the garage or basement.
4 Declutter yearly. Take an inventory of all utensils, cookware and dishware annually. Get rid of unnecessary duplicates, items that are damaged beyond repair, or things no longer used.
5 Keep small kitchen items in containers, see-through bins if possible, with neat, easy-to-read labels.
| Excerpted from Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook by Martha Stewart. Copyright 2006 by Martha Stewart. Excerpted with permission by Clarkson Potter. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced without permission in writing from the publisher. |
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