I can't take any credit for this entry today.  I found it on one of my favorite websites www.lime.com and wanted to share the information.  

With everyone trying to eat at home more to save money and be more healthy - getting the kitchen in order can be the first step to making it a reality.

Enjoy!



You probably think that that, as a professional chef and food writer, my kitchen is immaculate and orderly, with a place for everything and everything in its place. But I have a confession to make: My kitchen has gotten out of control. It's a Herculean effort to drag a baking sheet out from the cabinet, where it's wedged in place by plastic containers that are missing their tops. My knives are on the opposite side of the kitchen from my cutting boards, and I need to completely empty a kitchen cabinet to get out my canisters of flour and sugar. I could use the excuse that I have a small, poorly designed kitchen, but the truth is that I'm a bit of a slob.



But I'm reading a book right now that just might help me turn my kitchen into an organized, efficient space. Organizing From the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern is designed to help you organize your space in a system that she likens to a kindergarten classroom, in which there are zones for different activities, and everything you need for those activities is neatly arranged in that place, in easy-to-use containers.



Organizing your kitchen can help you save money (by not having to buy duplicates of what you already have but can't find), can make cooking easier and less stressful, and can make your space safer. I'm definitely incorporating some of Morgenstern's techniques into my kitchen. Here are what Morgenstern and other organizing gurus are saying about getting your kitchen in order:



Julie Morgenstern, Organizing From the Inside Out

Divide your kitchen into zones, such as food preparation, dishes, food storage and food serving, and locate everything you need in the cabinets, drawers and on counters within that area. Increase your space by adding open shelving for cookbooks or serveware, hang pots from a ceiling rack, and add a freestanding pantry or shelving unit under a window or in a corner.



Alicia Rockmore and Sarah Welch, Everything (Almost) in its Place

Determine what area of the kitchen will be reserved for clutter like keys, mail, phones and purses. Give each family an inbox for their stuff and hang pegs for coats, purses and backpacks. Make sure you can see everything in your pantry, and everything is within reach of the entire family. Buy risers for the cabinet so you can see even the stuff in the back, and place snacks for the kids on the lower shelves so they can reach them on their own.



Eileen Roth and Elizabeth Miles, Organizing for Dummies

Figure out what appliances you use the most: those should go on the counter where they're easily accessible. Look for under-counter versions of items like paper towel holders or clock/radios. Place coffee makers and can openers near the sink where it's easy to fill the coffee carafe or drain a can of beans. Post a list of cabinet contents on the inside of each door, so you know at a glance what's in it.



Ellen Phillips, Kick the Clutter

There are some quick fixes you can do in your kitchen to make it more organized. Take down five things from the refrigerator. Throw out (or preferably recycle) all the stuff that comes with take-out, such as plastic utensils. Throw out expired coupons. Gather up twist ties and rubber bands, save a few and throw the rest away.



HGTV and Amy Tincher-Durik, Mission: Organization

Get rid of cookbooks, gadgets and ingredients you haven't used in a year. Recycle or donate food storage containers that are damaged or that are missing their lids. Save recipes clipped from magazines in a binder, organized by type. Adjust shelf heights to maximize space so that there is the least amount of space between your tallest item and the next shelf.