Granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances are enticing. But a really workable kitchen needs only one thing: organization.
Putting things in their place in the hub of the home sounds easy enough. Food goes in the refrigerator. Silverware goes in a drawer. But many kitchens -- as familiar as Mom's meatloaf or as cutting edge as a new knife -- are plagued by haphazard storage and piles of clutter.
Top-Drawer Advice
1. Everyday dishes, silverware and glasses by the dishwasher.
2. Plastic food-storage containers between sink and refrigerator.
3. Vertical dividers in cabinet above wall oven or refrigerator for baking pans, cookie sheets, cooling racks, pot lids.
4. Baskets and other lightweight items used less frequently in the highest cabinets.
5. Paper towel holder mounted inside the cabinet door under the sink. A hook for the dish towel works well here, too, along with trash bags, sponges and dish soap. (Keep a refillable soap pump on the counter next to the sink.)
6. Potholders near the range.
7. Pull-out cabinet for garbage and recycling next to the sink (or store recyclables near back door or in the garage).
8. Spices, salts, oils and vinegars by the range/cook top.
9. Cutting boards in a cabinet underneath or near the cooktop; vertical dividers are handy.
10. Keep a crock for a few essential spoons, spatulas and whisks on the counter near the stove. Other tools and gadgets go in shallow drawers with dividers near the stove/cooktop.
11. Pots and pans near the range/cooktop or in the island. Deep drawers work well for these.
12. Coffeepot on counter near sink, with filters, sugar and mugs stored nearby.
13. Small appliances (hand blender, juicer, mixer) are best stored in a cabinet, not out on the counter.
14. Cleaning supplies are best kept in pantry, broom closet or basement, not near food-prep areas.
15. Keep foodstuffs together, if possible, with cans and boxes in one cupboard, cleaning supplies, paper goods, etc., in another.
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"You would be amazed," said Jennifer Gilmer, a kitchen designer in Chevy Chase. "Even the most logical thinkers have trouble with it. You would think this wouldn't be so difficult."
Organizing can help, whether the room is big or small, sparkles with newness or has seen better days, according to a slew of kitchen planners and organizers surveyed for this article and the accompanying list of recommendations.
The basic idea is to make room for items near where they're going to be used. So where to begin?
First, figure out what you want to accomplish. Think about your cooking routines and focus on what has functioned well (and what hasn't) in kitchens past and present.
"Ask yourself, what is working? What do you hate about your kitchen," said Scott Roewer, a professional organizer who opened Solutions-by-Scott on Capitol Hill last year. If you have to walk across the room to get a spoon when it's time to stir the pot, move the utensils closer to the stove.
Then, before you even start to reorganize, survey your belongings. What you don't need, purge, or at least put somewhere else.
"Take everything out and assess what you have," said Joan Kohn, host of cable network HGTV's "Kitchen Design" and author of "It's Your Kitchen." "It's just like in your closet."
If you are the only person in your house who cooks, you don't need more than two or three potholders. Throw out duplicate can openers and gadgets you never reach for. Nearly everyone, Kohn said, has too much stuff.
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