Effective Organization for Cooking

They say that the triangle is the best way to have a kitchen...your stove, sink and refridgerator. some of us rent and we can't exactly move things, they're there, deal with it and find a way to work around it. As it happens my kitchen is set up pretty well, but as many of you probably know, cabinet space and counter space is at a serious premium. This is not to mention the fact that it's highly inconvienent to have to get each ingredient out of the cabinent. I like to have things at my finger tips.
If your kitchen is easy to work in you'll cook more. Keep your favorite pots, utensils and ingredients readily accessible. I keep a spice rack with my favorite spices and a holder with my favorite utensils on the counter. My favorite pots and pans are easily reached from the stove. Take the time to organize your kitchen, review what you have, what's expired and what you will need to buy. You don't need every spice and gadget known to man, but it's always a good idea to have the basics handy. The fridge and freezer are often left to the wayside when it comes to cleaning and organizing. Make sure you clean them out every few weeks and come up with a system that works for you. I have plastic baskets in my freezer to seperate fruits and veggies from meats and so forth. I put all of my ready to eat items in the freezer door for easy access for my boyfriend.
Tips for Making Your Kitchen Easier to Cook In

• Buy drawer dividers, they'll make it a lot easier to find things and keep you from cutting yourself
• Keep salt, pepper and other often used spices on a rack in a cabinet near the stove or a spice rack near the stove.
• Keep pots, pans and utensils easily accessible.
• When you cook gather all your ingredients and hardware together on the counter before you begin.
• Make a grocery list and put it somewhere you'll use it. This will insure that you'll never run out of milk.