A custom cabinet maker can install space-saving units like this to help organize your kitchen.

Regardless of whether you have a large kitchen or a small kitchen, it is probably the center of your home. Families tend to gather there, and we all know the kitchen is the place where people congregate at parties. That’s why it’s so important to have an organized, clutter-free kitchen where everything has its place and you have room to maneuver.

Drawer inserts reduce clutter and make cooking easier.

If you are building a new kitchen or remodeling an existing kitchen, it is imperative that you talk with a kitchen designer about how to best maximize your space. Since kitchens can be expensive, you want to make sure you get the most for your money. A designer will ask you questions about how you use your kitchen and then design the space around your preferences. For example, if you cook a lot of pasta, it makes sense for you to have a pot-filler over your cooktop. Or if you love to bake, the designer will create a baking area for you in your kitchen that holds your electric mixer, baking sheets and other supplies.

A kitchen designer will also suggest conveniences such as a Lazy Susan (rotating shelves) in a corner cabinet or pull-out drawers for larger items. Cabinetmakers can fashion custom additions such as wine glass drawers, knife drawers and, yes, even a special bin for dog food.

One of the spaces we tend to overlook actually overlooks us in our kitchen: the ceiling. If you have room, a pot rack can be tremendously space saving because it frees up two or three cabinets. But “pot racks” don’t necessarily need to hold pots—I recently saw a Plexiglass version of a pot rack over an island that held beautiful, colorful dishes. Not only was it useful but it created a work of art too.

Home improvement stores sell pull-out racks you can easily add to your cabinets.

If you aren’t remodeling but simply want to take full advantage of your kitchen, visit the Container Store or Home Depot for ideas. Sometimes just adding drawer inserts (organizing food, silverware or cookie sheets, for example) can make a big difference in reducing clutter. If you need to free up a drawer, consider placing a pretty ceramic jar on the counter and storing utensils in it.

Perhaps the easiest way to streamline your kitchen is to remove what you aren’t using. If you only pull out that fondue pot twice a year, move it to a garage shelf where you can retrieve it when you want it. Or maybe you are over your dried food phase and can place your giant food dehydrator in the giveaway pile. Whatever your situation, just eliminating a few larger items makes room for what you use every day, making your life in the kitchen a whole lot easier.

If we can help you remodel or organize your kitchen in San Diego, please contact us.