Organize Your Kitchen Like a Pro

The best way to organize a kitchen is to start with an empty slate. This means clearing out cabinets, drawers, the pantry and refrigerator. Toss out expired food. Recycle plastic containers, jars, cups and other items that have mismatched lids, are stained or cracked or rarely used. Keep a list of items you need to replenish.

Next, clean everything. Wipe down the inside of the refrigerator and freezer, paying special attention to nooks and crannies where food can get lodged and stuck. Lay a new shelf liner in your pantry and cabinets. Note if anything is broken or if hardware is missing, so that you can get replacements.

While everything is still out, assess dinnerware, accessories, linens, cooking utensils and cookware and separate those items that you use frequently. For everything else, decide whether it should be kept and stored for later use, thrown away or donated.

Before putting kitchen equipment and food items away, think about how to organize your kitchen based on various work areas and what items you use most often. For example, if you bake, group all baking equipment together and within reach of your baking workspace. Store pots and pans underneath a range or on a pot rack near the stove to make it quick and easy to cook. Place glasses in a cabinet and flatware in a drawer near the dishwasher for convenient storage. Store items used frequently in bottom cabinets. Having the right equipment and tools in a convenient location makes cooking, baking and other kitchen activities more enjoyable.

The same goes for food. Store like items together so you can see what you have on hand. Line one pantry shelf with cereal and keep spices together in a drawer. Store snacks in refrigerator bins and on pantry shelves that are accessible to children. Organizing food makes your kitchen and pantry feel bigger and cleaner—and it helps you reduce waste because you can actually see what you have.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to stay organized in your kitchen, but it does pay to purchase a few items to keep cabinets, shelves and drawers tidy. Following are a few items to consider when arranging kitchen cabinets and drawers:

• Dividers to corral plastic containers and lids free up space for other items.
• Plastic bag dispensers can hold dozens of bags in very little space.
• Clear bins separate food and produce in the refrigerator without hiding it from sight.
• Wood, wire and plastic cabinet organizers group like items, create extra space on shelves and in cabinets and take the mystery out of how to arrange kitchen cabinets.
• Utensil holders and dividers keep flatware neat.
• Knife blocks puts knives within reach while providing safe storage.
• Consolidate cereal and grains in clear food storage bins.
• Pantry organizers maximize closet and shelf space in your pantry.
• Pot racks free up valuable cabinet space and add a utilitarian feel to your kitchen.
• Lazy Susans maximize dead space in cabinets that are out of reach.