Just because you have a small kitchen doesn’t necessarily mean you have to compromise on what you put in it. You just need to be smarter about organizing. Read on to find out how you can store your kitchen items to maximize space, and discover gadgets that will help you make the most of your kitchen.

Create a Work Flow
Before you start to organize, stop and think about how you use your kitchen. Do you tend to cook in a certain area? Do you use the counter to store bills? Is it a place where you socialize? You’ll want to set up your kitchen to meet all of your needs.

Create and organize areas according to how you use them. Store your cooking utensils and items where you chop, prep, and cook. If you use a separate area for baking, organize all of your baking items together in that area. Likewise if you need a coffee area or bar. If your counters become a catch-all for bills and other personal items, use baskets or shelving attached to the wall to keep things nice and tidy where you tend to dump them.

Once you’ve decided how your kitchen should be organized, it’s time to clean and sort. Use the following handy tips and tricks to help you.

Tips for Cleaning and Sorting Items

A good rule of thumb to follow is: if you haven’t used it in over a year, you’re likely to never use it again. Get rid of those items. Donate them to your local Goodwill, or a friend or family member who might need it.

Have multiples of several items, such as can openers, cheese graters, or spatulas? Narrow it down to one or two that you frequently use. Donate the others.

Small appliances, such as crock-pots, juicers, and bread machines, that you use infrequently, do not need to be stored in the kitchen. Keep them in a hall closet, utility room, or the garage.

Cookbooks can be stored anywhere in the house. If you don’t have room for them in the kitchen, move them to a bookshelf somewhere else.

Storage Tricks

Store baking pans, such as pie pans, cookie sheets, and glass baking pans, in the oven. Don’t forget to remove them before pre-heating!

Nest smaller items inside larger ones. This works especially well for bowls, pots, and pans.

Use walls and the inside of cabinets to install shelves or hooks for utensils and other small items.

Install holders under counters or cabinets to store paper towels, sponges, soap, spices, and the like.

Hanging baskets are a great solution for storing fruit, vegetables, and small kitchen items.

Appearances

Keep your counters clean. Uncluttered counters make your space appear larger.

Paint small spaces with a light color. It will create the illusion of space.

White ceilings will create the illusion of height.

Space Saving Products from UsefulThings.com

The UsefulThings.com shop is full of useful and unique gadgets for the kitchen. Below, you will find the most space-saving, functional, and well-designed products to free up space in your kitchen.

Hanging Baskets
Choose between the Copper 3 Tiered, 2 Tiered Chrome, and the 3 Tiered Nickel Hanging Baskets to free up space where you need it most. These handy baskets can store fruit, other food-stuffs such as potatoes, onions, bread, or granola bars, hand towels, or kitchen utensils.

Copper 3 Tiered Hanging Basket from UsefulThings.com. $17.95

2 Tiered Chrome Hanging Basket from UsefulThings.com. $21.95

3 Tiered Nickel Hanging Basket from UsefulThings.com. $17.95

Collapsible Silicone Funnel
Don’t waste precious space in your cabinets with bulky funnels. This Collapsible Silicone Funnel expands to 4″ diameter by 4″ tall with a 7/8″ spout. When you’re finished using, simply collapse the funnel and store it in even the smallest of drawers. Made entirely of silicone, the funnel is heat and cold resistant and dishwasher safe.

Collapsible Silicone Funnel from UsefulThings.com. $8.95

Cutting Mats
Cutting boards can take up a lot of space, especially if you have one for fruits and veggies, one for meat, one for fish, and one for bread. Try using these ultra slim and portable color-coded cutting mats instead. Use one color for each food group, and you won’t have to worry about contaminating your food. Plus, these flexible mats will fit nearly anywhere, and they are dishwasher safe.

Cutting Mats from UsefulThings.com. $9.95 for a set of 4

Folding Grater
Chunky box grater taking up precious space? The innovative design of this grater will save you time and space. The Folding Grater folds flat for easy storage, but expands into a V shape for quick and stable grating. The grater disassembles for easy cleaning and is dishwasher safe.

Folding Grater from UsefulThings.com. $10.95

Multi Opener
Why have three or four opening devices in your kitchen drawers? Replace them all with this 6-in-1 Multi Opener that can open jar lids, bottle caps, bottle tops, safety seals, and bags. The Multi Opener is dishwasher safe and has a comfortable grip for easy use.

Multi Opener from UsefulThings.com. $9.95

Retaining important documents and keeping them together in a safe place is important for a number of reasons. A few examples include:

1. If the IRS audits you, all of your tax records and receipts for the past 6 years will be readily available.

2. If you go to sell your automobile, RV, boat, or even your house, the titles or deeds will be easy to find.

3. In case of a medical emergency or death, your will, living will, power of attorney, and other important medical and legal information will be available to family members and health care providers.

You should keep your important papers in a central place, preferably a fireproof, tamper-resistant, and bolted down safe. A safety deposit box at a bank is also an option. What papers should you have? Read on to find out.

Insurance
• Home owner’s insurance
• Renter’s insurance
• Life insurance
• Health benefits insurance
• Other insurance, such as flood and automobile

Having your insurance policies in a safe place is beneficial in case you need to make a claim. Don’t rely on the insurance company to keep track of your policy. Protect yourself by keeping your own records and knowing what your policies say.

Medical & Legal
• Will
• Living Will
• Power of attorney
• Master list of your physicians and their phone numbers
• List of medications you’re allergic to
• In case of emergency numbers
• Marriage certificate; divorce papers
• Adoption paperwork
• Citizenship proof
• Important contracts
• Any lawsuit settlement papers

Your Living Will should be readily accessible, especially if it contains a Do-Not-Resuscitate order. Keep a copy in your safe, but also have one near your front door, on the fridge, or in another easy to find place. A master list of your health care providers, along with their phone numbers, and your emergency numbers, should be placed together with your Living Will.

Financial
• Tax returns
• Stock certificates or brokerage statements
• 401, IRA, and other retirement info
• Credit report
• Bankruptcy records
• A list of all bank accounts, credit card accounts, and other financial assets or debts
• Net worth statement
• Check stubs

Tax returns for the past 7 years should be retained in case of IRS audits. A list of all bank accounts, credit card statements, and all other assets and debts is helpful if you need to borrow money from a bank or other party, as they will want to know if you are a good risk. It is also helpful for whomever inherits your estate. Keeping check stubs is a good idea if your retirement benefits are calculated via the number of hours you’ve worked in a lifetime.

Real Estate
• Property deeds
• Mortgage agreements
• Personal property inventory sheet and receipts

A record of your personal property is helpful in case a fire, flood, theft, or other disaster ruins your belongings. Keep all receipts, and if possible, photo documentation.

Misc.
• Social security card
• Birth certificate
• Other forms of identification?
• Titles to automobiles, RVS, boats, etc.

Is cleaning your entire house in one hour really possible, you ask? It is. But you have to be willing to move fast and work hard. It won’t be a deep down nook and cranny cleaning, however. Save those types of cleaning for spring and fall, or when you’re preparing for special occasions.

Disclaimer: The 1 Hour Guide to Cleaning Your Entire House is for an average size home in a moderate state of untidiness.

First Steps
Gather all dirty laundry and dishes and start loads in the washer and dishwasher. Set a timer for your laundry, so you know when it’s time to switch loads.

Grab a garbage bag, and pick up all the garbage around the house. Empty all the wastebaskets at the same time.
You should have 54 minutes remaining.

Where to Start?
Start at one end of the house and move towards the other. If you’re constantly jumping from room to room, you will be less efficient, and adjoining rooms could suffer from tracking dirt in and out. For this example, let’s imagine you’re starting in the living room.

Helpful Tip: Keep all of your cleaning supplies in a bucket or other type of carrier for quick and easy transfer and management.

The Pile and Sort Method
Many people use the pile and sort method with luck. It’s especially useful in very cluttered rooms, such as children’s room.

Gather everything in the room and put it in large pile. At this point, you can either start sorting and cleaning the pile, or cleaning everything else around it. Don’t get bogged down in the pile, however, and remember to move quickly!

Since we’re starting in the living room, many of the items will probably belong in other rooms. Create two piles—one for those items that belong in the living room, and another for items that belong in other rooms. Move those items to the next room, and so on and so on, until everything is in its place.

Living Room

Time allotted: 8 minutes.

Your piles are sorted, and you’ve put everything that belongs in the living room in its rightful place. Everything else you’ve moved to the next room. What else do you need to do?

• Dust.
• Vacuum or sweep floor.

Kitchen

Time allotted: 10 minutes.

Sort your piles, and move the pile that doesn’t belong in the kitchen to the next room.

• Spray all the counters and appliances with all-purpose cleaner.
• Scrub the sink.
• Sweep floor.

Bedrooms

Time allotted: 5 minutes per bedroom. This examples is based on a 3 bedroom home.

Use this general formula for all of the bedrooms in your house.

• Make the bed.
• Sort the pile.
• Dust.
• Vacuum or sweep floors.

Bathrooms

Time allotted: 20 minutes for both.

• Squirt toilet bowl cleaner in the toilet. Let sit, as you move on to the tub and shower.
• Spray the tub and shower with cleanser. Scrub and rinse clean.
• Finish the toilet.
• Clean the mirrors.
• Clean the sink and counters.
• Sweep floor.

Other Rooms and Chores
You should have 1 minute left. If your home includes the following rooms, take 5 extra minutes per room to straighten up.

If you have other rooms in your house, such as a family room or laundry room, use one of the above rooms as a guideline.

Don’t forget to clean pet areas, including the litter box.

If you have extra time, sweep the area leading into and out of your home so dirt doesn’t get tracked in as easily.

Tips for Keeping Your Home Clean

• Put things away after you use them.
• Do the dishes every night after dinner. It’s always nice to wake-up to a clean sink.
• Remove your shoes upon entering your home. You’ll be amazed at how much less dirt will get tracked through the house.
•Make your bed every morning.

You bring a plant home from the nursery, lovingly replant it, place it in a sunny spot, and water it, but a week later, it dies. Sound like you? Or maybe you have a green thumb, but you don’t want plants that require a lot of time and effort. These easy to care for plants for both indoors and outdoors will help you green up your house or garden without too much effort.

Indoor Plants

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Spider plants are among the easiest house plants to grow. They are hardy, tolerate light to full sun, and can withstand neglect. The leaves of a spider plant grow up to 15 inches long and an inch or two wide. Some leaves are variegated in color while others are solid green. Mature spider plants will produce “babies”—smaller plants that grow off a shoot and produce flowers. They can be cut off and planted in their own containers.

Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginata)
The Dragon Tree, also known as a Red Edged Dracaena, resembles a small palm tree. It can grow up to 15 feet tall, and its long, slender trunk can be trained to bend. It can also be pruned to control growth. The leaves of a dragon tree are dark green with red to purplish stripes along the outer edge. New leaves grow out of the top of the leaf mass, while mature leaves on the bottom drop away. The dragon tree is best grown in bright light, but it will tolerate low light. It likes to dry out between waterings, and if allowed to wilt, it will recover. Dracaenas have been shown to help remove formaldehyde from the air.

Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron scandens oxycardium)
One of the toughest houseplants to kill, the heartleaf philodendron can take much abuse. The one thing it cannot tolerate, however, is cold temperatures. Its light requirements are low, and it is a very profuse spreader. The heartleaf is perfect for hanging baskets, as it has long trailing stems. It’s also attractive as a climber. Prune if you wish to control its growth.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum floribundum)
The beautiful glossy green leaves and graceful, white blooms make the peace lily a popular yet easy to care for houseplant. Peace lilies grow in little to bright light. For best results, place within 8 feet of a window, but keep out of direct sun. They do like water, but will let you know when it’s time to give them a drink by drooping. Peace lilies also look and work great in fish bowls. Let the roots dangle in the water, but keep the plant stalks dry.

Impatiens
While many people grow impatiens as annuals outdoors, they also make wonderful indoor plants. They are small, container plants, and add a splash of color to your home. Impatiens like well-drained soil, so add a few pebbles to your pot. Keep the plant moderately watered, and near a sunny window. In the winter, make sure the window doesn’t get too cold for your impatiens, or it will die off. With those few, simple rules, you’ll be able to enjoy beautiful blooms in a variety of colors all year round.

Outdoor Plants

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)
Bleeding hearts are an attractive perennial that grow 2-4 feet in height, and with a similar spread. In April or May, they bloom pink or white flowers that resemble hearts. They work well in shade gardens, but can also withstand full sun if it is morning sun. In late summer or early fall, the foliage dies completely back, so don’t be afraid to plant other shade loving plants close by to fill in the gaps. Bleeding hearts require little care, and will often survive uprooting and transplanting.

Creeping Phlox [Plox subulata]
Phlox is a semi-evergreen flowering perennial that makes an ideal ground cover for sunny spots, edgings, and rock gardens. It grows 3-6 inches in height, and spreads 2-3 feet. Its flowers are available in pink, lavender, and white hues that bloom in April or May. It prefers well-drained soil and full sun, but will tolerate other conditions if not too drastic. Phlox is hardy, will survive cold, frost, and snow, and has little to no pest problems.

Shasta Daisy [Leucanthemum x superbum]
An all-time favorite for gardeners, Shasta daisies are hardy, low-maintenance plants that provide numerous blooms that bloom for an extended period of time. Plant in full sun to partial shade, and provide rich, moist soil for best results. Deadheading is advised, so the plant has amble nutrients to survive the winter. Cutting the flowers regularly will not harm, but encourage them to grow. Shasta daisies multiply rapidly, and grow 2-3 feet tall.

Rhododendrons
For mild, damp, and humid climates, you can’t find plants much easier to care for than the rhododendron. These plants grow as shrubs and small trees, so provide them with adequate room to spread. They prefer light shade to partial, filtered sun, and like well-drained soil. The evergreen version of the rhododendron keeps its large, leathery leaves all year, and flowers large, showy blooms in spring. The blooms come in a variety of colors, including red, pink, and white.

Hosta
The genus Hosta consists of about 45 species of plants native to Asia. Hostas are well-known shade lovers, but some species can handle sun. While some species produce flowers, most hostas are grown for their foliage, which comes in a wide range of shapes, colors, and sizes. Some are also variegated, with the leaves containing different combinations of whites, greens, golds, and blues. Most hostas grow 1-3 feet tall with a similar spread. Slugs and deer like to feed on hostas, so you may have to take action to keep your plants safe.

This is the time of year when home heating bills start their upward rise. If you’re tired of paying exorbitant amounts of money to heat you’re home, perhaps a new heating system is in your future. Or, maybe you’re building a new home or remodeling an existing home and want to know your options. Whatever your circumstances, this article will guide you through the world of heating, and cooling, so your home is as comfortable, efficient, and affordable, as it can be.

Air-Source Heat Pumps
Heat pumps have been the preferred method of high efficiency heating and cooling in mild climates for decades. Recent improvements in technology, however, now enable air-source heat pumps to work in below zero temperatures, so if you live in such a climate, don’t count them out!

Heat pumps consist of an indoor and outdoor unit. When you’re in heating mode, the system pulls heat from the outside air and compresses it to make it warmer for indoors. Because there is always heat in the air, even in negative temperatures, the system works. When you’re in cooling mode, the unit pulls heat out of your home and sends the air through the refrigeration system to cool down the temperature. As you can see, heat pumps simply move air around. They don’t actually generate heat, which means they can provide up to four times the amount of energy they consume, making them highly efficient and cost effective. In fact, a heat pump uses 30-40% less electricity than your standard furnace.

The initial cost of installing a heat pump can be high. If your home currently uses a forced-air furnace, however, you may be able to use the current ductwork and just purchase and install the indoor and outdoor units. Air-source heat pumps are also available in a ductless version, as well as radiant floor system.

Hint: When purchasing the outdoor unit, buy a brand that uses a scroll compressor instead of a piston compressor. The scroll compressors last longer and are more efficient.

Water or Ground-Source Heat Pumps/Geothermal
If you want to take efficiency and monthly energy savings to a higher level, opt for a geothermal system. In a geothermal system, you’re using a water or ground-source heat pump to transfer heat between your home and the ground, or your home and a nearby water source. Because the ground, a few feet below the surface, is a constant, mild temperature, the temperature going into the heat exchanger is typically higher, or cooler on a hot day, than it would be in an air-source heat pump. Likewise, water temperatures below the surface of the water remain relatively stable and mild. This amounts to higher efficiency ratings, and very little month-to month-costs.

The initial cost to install a geothermal system is high, often several times that of an air-source heat pump. However, experts say you can recoup these extra costs in as little as 5-10 years in month-to-month savings. Many homeowners have seen their heating bills cut in half, or quartered, after installing a geothermal system!

Geothermal systems often work best for large areas of land, as they require hundreds of feet of pipe to be ran underground, or in a nearby water-source, such as a pond or lake. If you don’t have a large lot or acreage, drilling is an option. Be sure to hire experts when drilling, as they will know the geography of the land.

Active Solar Heating
Heating your home with solar energy can be cost effective when designed properly and used in climates with high solar resources. The initial cost of the system is high, however, and the system is more complicated than air, water, or ground-source heat pumps.

For more information in how active solar heating works, consult the following articles:

“Active Solar Heating” via U.S. Department of Energy

“Active Solar” via Wikipedia

Furnaces and Boilers
Most homes use a furnace or boiler system to make heat and distribute it throughout the house via vents, radiators, baseboards, or radiant floor heating. These types of systems are less efficient than heat pumps, because they consume energy to make the heat they heat your home with, and they can also experience substantial heat loss through vents and flues. On average, furnaces and boilers only have an efficiency rating of 60-70%. In recent years, however, new higher efficiency units have come onto the market. These units can have an efficiency rating around 95%; however, they are still consuming energy to make the heat needed to heat your home.

The cost of equipment is less in a furnace or boiler system than it is for air-source heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, and solar. However, the month-to-month cost of operating the system is usually substantially higher. In addition, you cannot cool your home with a furnace or boiler system, while most heat pumps are available with that option.

Wood Burning Stoves and Pellet Heating
Though wood and pellet burning stoves often receive high marks for ambience, they don’t provide for uniform heating, and the amount of indoor air pollutants they put out is high. It’s often hard to size a wood or pellet burning stove appropriately, so homeowners often end up with overheating certain rooms while the rest of the house remains cold. If you opt for this heating method, make sure to have a reputable dealer and installer size the stove specifically to the square footage and layout of your home.

Wood and pellet burning stoves typically run, on average, about $3,000, not including fuel and maintenance. Pellet stoves only require refueling once a day, and the pellets are cleaner and lighter than wood fuel. However, pellet stoves require electricity to run fans and other equipment. The cost of electricity to run a pellet stove is low, however. But if you live in a rural area has an unreliable electricity source, a wood burning stove would be the safer bet for you.