The kitchen has been described as the heart of the home. It is where we carry out food preparation and cooking, dishwashing and bill paying. Central to all of these activities is eating, of course. Family and friends gather together formally or informally to relax and break a little bread at least once a day. With such a beehive of activity in one space, the probability of your kitchen "turning to pot" is highly likely. How, then, do we keep our kitchen a refuge without yielding to chaos? We've asked the experts (parents with busy families) and have come up with the perfect recipe. So read on and learn how to organize your kitchen cabinets in under an hour…or two.

Why begin with the cabinets? While our grandmothers taught us the ruse of keeping our counters clean and clutter free before company comes, we all know where the clutter goes. Kitchen cabinets have to contain our dishes, glasses, cutlery, pots and pans, kitchen gadgets and tools, canned goods, spices and other provisions. They also act as a dumping ground for bills, pens and other items. By following a few easy steps and investing in some reasonably priced cabinet organizing tools, you can eliminate frustrating searches for kitchen items, keep your dishes and foodstuff clean and orderly and enjoy the freedom organized kitchen cabinets bequeath.

Clear the Clutter

Take everything out of your kitchen cabinets and wipe them down. Organize your belongings into two categories. 1) Items that you are going to keep. 2) Items you are going to dispose of. Is a dish chipped or broken? Throw it out. Is your Tupperware missing a lid? Get rid of it. Has it been two years since you last used a handy kitchen tool or gadget? Live by the following rule and you won't regret it: “When in doubt, donate.”

Strategic Storing

Make your life easier by strategically storing dishes, glassware and silverware close to the sink and dishwasher for easy clean up. If your children are designated to set and clear the table, perhaps consider storing dishes closer to your kitchen table. Don't store items that are used daily too high or too low. By storing these items accessibly, you'll reduce wear and tear on your back. Instead, save hard-to-reach space for items you use less often and invest in a small stool.

Live, Learn and Label

Although it may sound slightly compulsive, labeling your cabinets, particularly those kitchen cabinets where you store foodstuff, is a huge time saver. First, designate the best spot in your cabinet for a particular item and ensure that you continue to set your item there. You will never have to look farther than your label again.

Rev-A-Shelf Three Tier Lazy Susan

Lazy Susan Lives On A thing of genius, the Lazy Susan is the perfect solution for those hard to reach storage areas, traditionally the bottom corner cabinets on either end of your counter. Usually large, deep and awkward for storing, these kitchen cabinets are a big red flag for disorder. The Lazy Susan makes it easy for you to access items in this hard-to-reach area. A good quality Lazy Susan will be easy to spin and will keep your stuff neatly contained. Lazy Susan's come in a variety of sizes and can be one, two and three tiered. Don't relegate your Lazy Susan to canned goods only, as it's a great place to store small pots, pans and kitchen appliances. Spice Up Your Racks The cabinets usually designated for spices is traditionally one of the messiest places in the kitchen; spices consigned to an upper kitchen cabinet shelf end up spilling, not to mention making it hard to find the desired spice. The spice rack is the simplest and most practical solution for your spice woes. An adjustable inside cabinet spice rack keep spices hidden but orderly, clean and easy to retrieve.

Basket It Away Kitchens are filled with a surplus of small kitchen tools, bills and papers, art supplies and writing implements. Use decorative baskets as an attractive option for organizing small, miscellaneous items. Rattan baskets with liners that are sized to fit a particular kitchen cabinet space are both eye catching and an excellent way to sort your possessions.

Rev-A-Shelf Wicker Basket