Is your kitchen overstuffed? Here are 10 ways you can maximize your space:
The kitchen is the hub of the home. It’s the most often used room in the house. We use it for eating, entertaining, homework, and mail sorting. We go there when we’re hungry, thirsty and stressed. As a result, the kitchen becomes the most difficult room in the house to keep tidy. Yet there’s a big payoff in getting (and keeping) it organized. A properly organized kitchen can save steps and leave you with more time to enjoy life. Here are some simple ideas to help you create a kitchen that works for you and your family.

1. Short on counter space? Add an island or a shelf that folds out from the wall.
2. Get rid of your space-gobbling mixing bowls and plastic food storage containers and replace them with new sets that nest.
3. Install a hanging rack or peg board for pots and pans to free up cabinet space.
4. Use the inside of the cabinet doors to hang a foil/plastic wrap dispenser and a storage container for lids.
5. Clear the counters and place your small appliances in cupboards. The kitchen will look less crowded and you’ll have more work space.
6. Hang knives on a wall-mounted magnetic strip (out of children’s reach) or store them in drawers with inserts.
7. Invest in kitchen cabinet organizing tools like double cabinet shelves, drawer dividers and lid organizers.
8. Install pull-out drawers for waste and recycling.
9. Eliminate clutter magnets. If you have an area in the kitchen that attracts clutter, install a shelf or add a container to keep things organized. For example, use an upright magazine holder to corral incoming mail.
10.  Buy fewer gadgets (are they really saving time or just taking up space?).

Kitchen utensil drawer full of clutter, but not sure what to keep? Try this simple one-month exercise. Take everything out of the drawer and put it into a box on your kitchen counter. For the next four weeks, each time you use something, put it back in the drawer. Whatever is left in the box at the end of the month you should consider getting rid of.