How to transform any chaotic kitchen

If there's any room in the house that must be orderly, it's the kitchen. Between preparing meals, eating, and even simply socializing, it is the one room in the house that gets the most foot traffic.

"When you're organized in the kitchen, it means you take less time preparing meals and you save money because you don't buy things that are already in your pantry. Entertaining and everyday meal planning becomes not only simple but enjoyable," says Monica Ricci, Atlanta-based professional organizer and founder of Catalyst Organizing Solutions, LLC. She and other experts say arranging the kitchen is not only easy to do, but can make a world of difference for the whole family.

To decide what to keep, ask yourself if you love it, use it or need it, but then eliminate extras, says Lea Schneider, owner of Organize Right Now LLC, Pensacola, Fla. "For instance, when was the last time you needed 40 coffee mugs or 15 water bottles?"

Many kitchens also have unnecessary amounts of Tupperware. When attempting to organize, Ricci says less is more. "Get rid of any that are damaged or missing lids. Then stack containers inside each other and keep lids nearby by using a sliding lid organizer," she says. She also warns against keeping take-out containers that tend to multiply and add to clutter.

In addition, Ricci says the best way to reduce overcrowding and maximize counter space is to reserve that area for the items used most frequently.

"Any appliance you use less than weekly should be stored either in a cabinet or a nearby room," she says.

It's important to keep staples visible when arranging things. "Putting dry ingredients into glass jars works for me as you can quickly see what's inside," says Tarek Malouf, owner of the Hummingbird Bakery in London and author of "The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook."

Another helpful way to add some order in the kitchen is to designate cooking areas.

"I have parts of my kitchen that are specifically for cooking, the rest of the kitchen is open for a myriad of other things like craft projects and a computer station," says Dina Guillen, co-author of "Cooking Club: Great Ideas and Delicious Recipes for Fabulous Get-Togethers."

Schneider suggests applying the "next-to" rule to both organize the room and save time. "Each time you need to decide where something should be stored, ask yourself what it should be next-to," she says. "For example, dishwasher soap goes next to the dishwasher and coffee goes next to the coffee maker."