Tips and Tricks for Organizing Your Kitchen

• Keep your counters clean. Remove all but the most essential items to cabinets and drawers. Clean counters make nightly cleanup much easier.
• Never go to bed with a sink or counter full of dirty dishes. Not only will this invite insects and rodents to feast on your leftovers, it's nice to wake up in the morning to a clean kitchen. 
• After dinner cleanup should involve a quick light mopping of your kitchen floor.
• Store spices in the drawer to the left of your stove, and utensils to the right. Keep pots and pans, and bakeware in the cabinets below. Store aluminum foil and plastic wrap in the upper cabinets, along with mixing bowls, measuring cups and other cooking essentials.
• Make a master list of things you want for your kitchen including sizes. When you go to garage sales look for extra curtains, tablecloths, towels, placemats, napkin rings, lids to go with pots, matching silverware, pretty dishes, small appliances and gadgets. You can often find bread makers, ice cream machines, and electric skillets for pennies on the dollar.
• Keep an inventory list of things you own and keep a copy outside your home. In case of a burglary, a house fire or disaster, your insurance company will need descriptions, pictures, serial numbers, and date and cost of purchase to properly reimburse you for your loss.
• Keep a large drawer filled with dishtowels and facecloths. Use them instead of paper towels for kitchen tasks and messy cleanup.