Comedian Bob Hope once joked of fellow comedian Phyllis Diller: "Her kitchen is so disorganized she keeps a mouse on a leash just so she can find the cheese."
Even if our kitchens aren't that bad, a few "recipes" from Patty Kreamer could help us unleash some clutter.
Recipes
Throw out recipes you have saved but never tried. Be brutally honest: Are you ever going to make this recipe? This question usually gets a lot of snickers, but if you truly need a recipe, you can usually find it online.
Cut out the recipes you like from magazines and save only the recipe. But, if you're one of the many people who wouldn't consider cutting up a favorite magazine, then adapt your habits to what will work for you. If you want to keep an entire collection of magazines in mint condition, buy metal or plastic magazine files. Store the files backward, so that the solid front faces the front of the cabinet. Label each file by magazine title and year. Stick a Post-it note on the cover of each magazine that indicates your favorite recipe and the page number.
Make a photo album recipe book. These can be dressed up to look like a family album with pictures and scrapbook decorations. This one is great for people who say, "But I get recipes written on the back of napkins." This is a great place for recipes cut out of the newspaper, too. Use a photo album with a spiral binding and plastic covered pages, so the book will lie flat, and your recipes will be protected. (The Post-Gazette's recipes are boxed so they can be easily clipped and pasted onto recipe cards.)
Kitchen cabinets
Use the vertical space that often goes wasted. Purchase stackable shelves, such as the ones made by Martha Stewart, so that you can store dishes on top of each other, without having a need for three hands when you need a plate.
Keep only what you need. You wouldn't believe how many people have four or five duplicates of spices.
Put stuff near where you will use it. Think about how a kindergarten classroom is set up, with separate areas for music, reading or art. Sometimes kitchen stuff ends up where it is just because that's where it got plunked down when you moved in. Store items close to where they will be used. Dishes, silverware and placemats need to be near the table. Baking supplies should be kept together in one spot.
Eliminate unnecessary tools. If tools fall out of their counter top holder, place the ones you seldom use in a plastic bag. Place the bag in a drawer. If three months go by and you haven't used the tool, place it in the basement. If a year goes by and you still haven't used it? Get rid of it.
Keep in mind that your kitchen needs may differ drastically from another cook's. If you don't use all that many spices, get rid of them. If you use a lot of spices, keep them. Just make sure you are able to view them all.
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