How to Organize Your Kitchen Pt.2

Last time we talked about clearing the extra, seldom used appliances and things off your counters. No doubt you have been wondering where you might put them. Well, if you look in your kitchen cabinets, what is taking up the most space? Aside from general clutter, probably pots and pans.

If you are like most people, you probably have two or three pots and pans you use frequently, and you generally know where these are. Then, when you need one that you only use very infrequently, you probably have to spend some time looking for it. In fact, you probably say something like “I could have sworn I had one of those somewhere...” while emptying the contents of various cabinets onto the kitchen floor. And then, you might give up and use an inappropriate pot or pan, only to stumble across the one you were looking for a week later.

Clearing your pots and pans out of your kitchen cabinets can clear an astonishing amount of room in which you can then store the appliances and things that have been cluttering your counter space. “And what can I do with the pots and pans,” you ask? Simple. You hang them within reach of your cooktop.

How you hang them depends on a few things. If you have a big, empty wall in your kitchen, you can hang them there with something as simple as hooks, or screws, or even nails. If you have a tall ceiling in your kitchen, you can hang them on a rack that, in turn, hangs from the ceiling via chains. If you have a large pass-through from the kitchen to the dining room, you can hang them there on racks that are designed to affix to a flat surface. The main thing is to have them within reach of your cooktop, or very nearly so.





Once you get all your pots and pans out of the cupboards, and within easy reach, you may find yourself inspired to try a new dish or technique. “Oh, look, a bain-marie! I forgot I had that...”

Next, we'll take a little break from organization, and talk about where to buy stuff for your kitchen. Chances are, once you organize, you may find a couple of pieces you want to replace, or that you always wanted and thought you just didn't have room. And the place to buy ain't your local Whatever-Mart mega-discount store.

Oh, and if you have a comment or a suggestion regarding making space in the kitchen, please post a comment, so others can benefit from your knowledge and experience.