 |
||||
Can the Chaos Savor the flavor and protect your workspace. Good food comes from smart kitchens and strategic chefs  Image courtesy GE When prepping to make a feast, don't forget to order organization. Success in the kitchen comes from strategic storage. Here's how to sort though the spatulas and structure the silverware to keep your culinary-creation space smart. Toss the Tupperware Confront that junk drawer and create efficiency in the kitchen through brutal honesty, suggests Amy Albert, senior associate editor for "Bon Appétit" magazine. Also covering kitchen design, Albert advises, "You must be ruthless about what you do and don't need." Unless you are a pastry chef, you don't need a cookie press. Catherine Gentile, spokeswoman for organizational superstore Bed Bath & Beyond found herself in a similar position when she renovated her kitchen. "You have to think about what works for you. You need to personalize the space to function in a way that suits your style." If you live to cook, opt for a 10-piece cookware set. But for those who cook as a means to eat, one non-stick saucepan does the job. A general rule, if you haven't used it in a month toss it or store it, but keep it out of your main drawer or cupboard. "Gather with friends to give away what you don't use," Albert suggests. One chef's toss-able tongs, quickly becomes another chef's treasure. Make Room for the Must Haves To maximize space, think double duty for your kitchen tools. "Anything that can be used for more than one use is an essential," says Albert. For her, a micro-plane grater earns its keep by making Parmesan and chocolate shavings. Another space saver? "My favorite piece for all my spices is a tiered expandable cabinet organizer," raves Gentile. Recently, a dual-purpose drying/storage rack caught Albert' eye. "This rack sits above the faucet and wet dishes literally drip into the sink." Look for pieces that open up counter space. But Albert warns, "Using too much of your overhead space can make a room feel heavy. I love utilizing open space under cabinets as storage. It's not at eye level and is out of the way, and if you have pretty pieces, it adds to the room." To Box or Not to Box As families grow so does dishware. From everyday to holiday, finding a home for each set of dishes can throw a hiccup into your space-saving plans. When Los Angeles-based event planner and lifestyle expert Mindy Weiss advises her clients, she says, "If you use it everyday, keep it convenient. If you don't, store it. In my own kitchen, I use plastic storage bins and put labels on them. I store holiday items out of the way at the top of my pantry cabinet, and just pull out the bin when needed." When it comes to more precious pieces like fine china, add an extra layer of TLC. "China is much thinner than regular dinnerware and that makes it much more fragile," says Weiss. Storing safely is as important as saving space. And to feed a litter of little ones? Keep everything accessible to free up space and demands on parents. Albert loves the new designs of refrigerators with a bottom drawer. "Kids can get to fruits and vegetable snacks on their own." For Weiss, "If you have one cabinet that is lower, make it the kid cabinet so kids learn to take what they need out on their own. And keep everything plastic so there is no way they can get hurt if they drop something." A smart kitchen keeps the chef moving around the least. Everything that you use regularly should be at an arm's length or just a step away. And perhaps the biggest misconception to a great kitchen? "The organizational elements that make a kitchen's operations smooth are one size fits all. Other than storage space, a large kitchen offers no advantages over a small kitchen to creating a chef-like work space," shares Albert. Her inside scoop also reveals, "From my years working in and covering restaurants, most chef's work in really tiny spaces." When your space gets crowded, forget expanding, try downsizing your inventory. |
||||
|
||||
