We spent a good amount of time in our kitchens. Only in the bedroom is more time spent and that is mainly because we sleep there. The kitchen is usually the beating heart of the home.

Which means that it can get quite cluttered and disorganized. When you live a busy life it is inevitable that things will end up getting out of control as you treat the kitchen as a utility room and it can get untidy very quickly.

This is why kitchen organization is so crucial so you can have a clear mind and actually enjoy the cooking experience.

In this article, I will give you several ideas that you can use to keep your kitchen tidy and organized.

1 – Think like a pro chef

The first step in getting your kitchen organized is to change your mindset. This involves treating your kitchen the way a professional would. If you think like a chef then you will have your kitchen organized for efficiency and ease. A professional kitchen needs to be set up in a way that allows for a smooth flow and minimizes movements.

You should have the same mindset for your home kitchen. Granted, you aren’t cooking for hundreds per night, but if you have everything at hand then it makes it easier to cook and stay organized.

First, get an idea of how you work within the kitchen so you can have an idea of how the space actually works for you. Make a sort of heat map that shows the areas where you do most of your work. Break it down by the type of work. Where do you do your prep? Where do you need to get the things that it takes to cook?

Once you see where you spend time doing the most tasks then you will understand how to set things up.

2 – Reposition everything

Now that you understand how to use the space, take everything out of the cupboards and shelves and rearrange everything. Then, place the items you use most for a certain task near where you are going to be using it. This minimizes having to walk around and look for things. It will also free up space in certain areas as you will eliminate the things that are not used for that task.

3 – Keep it open

Often when you don’t see something you are less likely to use it. If you use a sort of open concept to your kitchen then it becomes easier to understand what you use and don’t. Once again, treat your kitchen like a professional and go for open shelves so you can see everything. Keep your pots and pans on open shelves and this way you can organize them according to what you use most.

Even ingredients for cooking can be put on an open shelf so you simply grab it when you need it. Hanging things from a rack will also free up space.