kitchen wiz

Take Inventory

The first step to organizing your kitchen is to get everything out of the cabinets. Everything. Now sort it all into groups according to where it is used. While you are sorting, ask yourself, "Have I used this in the past 2 years?" If you have not used the item in a while, then move it out of your way. You do not have to toss it in the trash. Give it to someone; store it in a less accessible area or in a different room.

Pots and Pans

Pots and pans can take up a lot of your storage space, but they can be stored so they are organized and convenient. Build your own pot rack, and suspend it from the ceiling. Aside from being handy, it will make your kitchen look professional.

If you don't have enough overhead room, a kitchen utility shelf with hooks will also allow you to store pots and pans. Organizer racks can be added to cabinets to store cookie trays and lids. Store pot lids by adding shallow bins to the backs of the cabinet doors.

Cabinet Storage

Two keys to cabinet storage are avoiding stacking and making everything accessible. There are several specialty organizers available for cabinets:

Under-the-sink organizers help arrange chemicals that most people keep under their sinks.


Lazy Susans provide easy access to items in corner spaces.


Step-shelving in cabinets help organize canned goods, different-sized dishes, and small appliances and their accessories.


Wire baskets on slides make deep cabinets easily accessible.


Work Area

There are three basic work areas in a kitchen: the preparation area, cook and serve area, and sink area. The kitchen triangle connects the three work areas in your kitchen. The distance between the areas should be no less than 4 feet and no larger than 9 feet. Do not let the three sides of the triangle total more than 26 feet.

Try not to let any traffic patterns violate the triangle. If two people are going to be working in the kitchen at the same time, allow more than the usual 4 feet between opposite work centers.

Locate the preparation area between the refrigerator and the sink. Make sure basic cooking ingredients, mixing equipment, bowls and measuring cups are here.


When organizing pots, pans and cooking utensils, place them near the cooking area (range, cooktop) so they will be handy when you are cooking. Use your wall space more effectively.


Organize your pots, pans and cooking utensils with a wall-mounted shelf kit. Store spices, utensils, jars, salt-and-pepper mills, paper towels, etc., on a kitchen rail system.


Are you tired of rummaging through the cabinet to find the garlic or the cinnamon? A spice rack will get all your spices in one place and make them easily accessible.


Store silverware and tableware near the sink area for easy accessibility when putting away dishes.
Storage Containers

Food storage containers are their own special problem when it comes to organizing the kitchen. For some unknown cosmic reason, lids and containers are constantly being separated. Organizer racks are a good way to start solving this mystery of the universe


source: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=pg&p=Organize/homeorg_kitchen.html&ln=ho