This is the time of year when baking, holiday meals and party preparations increase our time in the kitchen.  We typically have more ingredients in our pantry and larger quantities of ingredients that we normally stock. Holiday dishes join our regular dishes and suddenly we are out of space! With just a few quick steps, you can streamline your cabinets and pantry to get ready for the holiday rush.

Step 1: Quick Analysis - Do I use it? Do I love it?

If your cabinets are already packed full of dishes, take a few minutes to quickly weed out items you rarely use.  This is a good time to consider donating miscellaneous plates or glasses that don't match.  Ask yourself if you really love and use a particular item.  Now is the time to make space for extra holiday dishes and mugs.

Next, take a quick overview of your pantry.  If you have multiple containers of the same item, can you consolidate? Quickly toss expired food.  Remove items that do not belong in the pantry.

Step 2: Subdivide for Double the Storage

Many stores carry wire shelves that sit inside your cabinets and create another level of storage for each shelf.  These shelves make it so much easier to access dishes.  These shelves come in corner units, cup holders, and different heights to fit your particular space.  Measure your shelf depth and height before heading out to the store.

Step 3:  Make it Visible

If you can't see an item, you won't use it.  This applies to both dishes and food.  After you subdivide for more storage, be sure everything is visible.  Three tiered cabinet  shelves will elevate canned goods so nothing is lost at the back of the shelf.  Turntables will also make items visible.  Stacking bins and under shelf baskets also make items visible.

Does your pantry have a door? Consider using a wall and door rack on the door to add enormous amounts of storage to your pantry.  The backs of doors are often overlooked as great storage places.  The average interior door can hold almost 150 lbs!

My favorite tip for the pantry is to put food in clear containers.  When you can see the food, making your grocery list is a snap because you know when you are running low on an item! Set yourself up for success with just these few steps.

Happy organized holiday baking!

For all of the products mentioned above visit Target or The Container Store websites.