Kitchens can become cluttered quite quickly. They hold the most appliances, have the most use, and nowadays, attract the most people. If your kitchen is serving as a family center, the need to organize it becomes even more important. You will want to keep a kitchen that organized your pantry goods, your tableware, your cooking utensils, and appliances. A good kitchen design is well worth the investment.
Pantries
To organize your foodstuff, you will want at least one good-sized pantry. If this is not enough, you may end up getting some additional cupboard space by buying a stand-alone pantry. Instead of just piling the cans in, you need to organize the pantry to find things when you need them and to understand when you are low on something.
A good way to divvy up the space is thus: canned vegetables, canned fruits, pastas, rice, and grains, sweeteners (sugar, honey, molasses, artificial sweeteners), jams, canned meats and tuna, dried foods, legumes, condiments, snacks. Imagine that your pantry is a miniature grocery store. The same way they categorize their foods is the same way you should categorize your pantry. Put the newest additions in the back and push older foodstuff forward. If you can't see everything, there are rectangular steps you can add to store at different heights.
Tableware
Hopefully, you have enough cabinet space to store your day-to-day dishes. If you have special festive plates or china, think about storing those outside your kitchen or hanging them on a wall for display. They shouldn't be crowding your kitchen cabinets. Store like with like. All glasses should be in one cupboard. All cups should be on another shelf in the same area. Silverware should always be stored in a wide drawer with a silverware caddy. It should be easy to reach from the counter or stove.
Cooking Utensils
Many people make the mistake of putting these in junk drawers. Kitchen utensils, like pots, can make a very decorative statement while being functional. Store them next to the stove in decorative cups or vases. If your cookware is very pretty or prestigious, think about hanging it from hooks along a wire mesh wall. Another way to display that cookware is on a hanging pot and pan rack.
Appliances
The key to storing appliances is not to have to many useless appliances in the first place. Not that many people are gourmet cooks who need a fondue pot or an espresso maker. Store the rest under your kitchen cabinets, in the spots that are hard to reach. That way you can make use of these places without having to reach into them everyday. Organizing your kitchen can be as traditional or as quirky as you want it to be. You can get magnetic borders and store your silverware in plain view, if that appeals to your sense of taste. You can install lazy Susans for ease of access. You can hide it all away, or you can bring it all out and make it a decorative feature. There are no rules for organizing your kitchen as long as it works for you and your family.
