6. Use vertical space. Place hooks under cabinets to hold mugs above countertop, or hang a stemware rack in same spot for wine glasses, which will free up a lot of space in cabinet above. Hang adhesive hooks on inside of cabinet doors or pantry doors to hold tools such as measuring cups, oven mitts, or other kitchen gadgets. Consider using wall space or a ceiling rack to hang functional items such as pots and pans. Remember that any space you can use to hang something will free up flat space inside a cabinet.

7. Use lazy susans (turntables) to hold things such as oils, vinegars, and other cooking ingredients, as well as spices, vitamins or medications. You can also use a few lazy susans in your refrigerator. One will keep beverages, so nothing ever hides in back to spoil or freeze, and use one on another shelf to keep leftovers or small jars of pickles, olives, or other small food items.

8. Get some drawer dividers for your cooking utensil drawers and your ?junk drawers?. Everyone needs a place to keep those little miscellaneous things, but they don?t have to be overflowing and junky. Drawer dividers will allow you to assign a little spot for each thing and you?ll be able to find things when you need them.

9. Get a magnetic sorter box to hang on side of fridge for coupons, takeout menus, a notepad and pen, and other papers that tend to accumulate on countertops. Each type of paper should have its own section in sorter.

10. Keep trash bags near trashcan and throw a stack of loose bags into bottom of can. That way, when you pull out one bag, there is already another one right below it waiting to be used. If you put your trash out at curb one night a week, use that time to clean out your refrigerator each week too. Peek in there and see what food needs to be pitched, throw it out, and then take trash out to curb immediately after. If you do cleaning out weekly, you?ll find that your refrigerator will stay current and you?ll never have a whole shelf being taken up by old moldy food.

Your personal work style will determine where you store and use items in your kitchen, but goal is to get that room and its contents to be serving your needs as smoothly and efficiently as possible. If you invest time and energy into decluttering and organizing your kitchen, it is an investment that will pay off in happiness for years to come.

Monica Ricci has been an organizing specialist since 1999, and her motivational presentations teach effective organizing and simplifying techniques for home and work. She also offers free email tips and ideas on how to make life simpler and more organized. Her topics include clutter control, paper management, time management, organizing space and procrastination.Contact Monica at 770-569-2642 or Monica@CatalystOrganizing.com.

A HOME FOR EVERYTHING Teach kids benefit of CONTAINERIZING items by category or by activity that required?for example, things you build, things you read, things to draw with/on, or toys with wheels. Teach them how organizing makes their things easier to find. So much of what we call clutter is just stuff that has no home, and even kids can ASSIGN homes to all their stuff and be taught how to put things away when they?re finished.

DRESSING IN A SNAP For kids clothing, install shelving in their closets that they can reach and use lots of hooks and HANGING SPACE. If kids clothes are in a folded pile or in a drawer, they are more likely to just wear what?s on top, rather than looking through pile, so hang as much as possible.

DISPLAYING THEIR ARTWORK Hang a clothesline along one wall of child?s room, a few feet down from ceiling level, and use CLOTHESPINS to display artwork that kids bring home from school. Once it?s been displayed, if child can?t part with it, use clear UNDERBED containers for longer-term storage.

Kids can be taught organizing concepts and tactics, which will serve them well through school and into their adult years. And who knows?with their creative little minds working, you might learn something new about organizing from them!

Monica Ricci has been an organizing specialist since 1999, and her motivational presentations teach effective organizing and simplifying techniques for home and work. She also offers free email tips and ideas on how to make life simpler and more organized. Her topics include clutter control, paper management, time management, organizing space and procrastination.Contact Monica at 770-569-2642 or Monica@CatalystOrganizing.com.