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Order in the House! by Pamela S. Kramer Are you tired of muffin tins clanging onto the floor whenever you open a cabinet? We asked expert Maria Gracia, owner of Get Organized Now!™ and author of Finally Organized, Finally Free who put order into other people's homes and offices, how she handles her own organizing problems. Her fast, easy tricks will help you take control of the trouble spots in your home. Cabinet capacity in Maria's small kitchen is limited, her refrigerator is small and counter space is at a premium. 'If I leave out too many items, there isn't room for food preparation,' says Maria, who loves to cook. She had to figure out how to store her kitchen supplies without sacrificing the workspace she needs to whip up her favorite recipes. To free up cabinet space, Maria hung her paper towel holder and favorite pots and pans above her sink, and put her spice rack, cutting board and colander on other walls. Her pasta bowls and extra pots and pans go on a shelf in her microwave cart; the cabinet below holds her baking pans. She uses a dish drainer in a base cabinet to organize her many cookware lids. Three-tier wire racks expand the space in her cabinets and allow her to store smaller plates and bowls above larger ones. 'I can grab the correct dish without moving the others underneath,' she says. She uses S-hooks inside her cabinets to hang teacups. The dishes and serving pieces she doesn't use often go on upper shelves, and everyday items go on lower ones so they're easy to reach. 'I try not to rush when taking things out or putting them away,' she says. 'Things that are handled in a rush or panic tend to get very disorganized.' By placing a three-tier shelf in her food cabinet, she can see every box, bottle and can. 'It's like stadium seating for food,' she says. Items for cooking are grouped together in one section, baking items in another. Pasta, rice and beans go in clear containers, with the tallest in back and shorter ones up front. A two-tier revolving organizer makes the most of the space in her fridge. 'When-ever I need to bake or cook, it's all right there,' she says. How she stays organized: 'I have a home for each item, which makes it easy to put things back where they belong,' she says. One of her favorite organizing tools: Her Under Sink Stretchable Shelf: A plastic two-shelf organizer, which fits around the plumbing under the kitchen sink and holds cleaning supplies, aluminum foil, paper wraps and lightbulbs. (c) Copyright February 2003 - Woman's Day Magazine Return to the Get Organized Now!™ About Us Page Return to the Get Organized Now!™ Home Page |