Cooking historians call it the heart of the home, a natural gathering place, a training ground for future cooks, a source of nourishment and relaxation…the list goes on. To food lovers, it’s truly the heart of the home.


So because of this importance, and the heavy demands holiday cooking, baking, and entertaining put on it, the kitchen ought to be especially user-friendly. If yours isn’t, here are some tips:

START WITH A METICULOUSLY ORGANIZED REFRIGERATOR. Divide your fridge contents into two main categories and then sub-categories. The two main categories that I recommend are OFTEN USED FOODS and LESSER USED FOODS. Then within those categories, organize by food groups (protein, dairy, produce, etc.). Avoid placing items that you know you should be eating, all the way in the back of your fridge. Put some rhyme and reason into how you arrange things—grouping and storing like items together is the rule of thumb here.


Besides placement, pay attention to how you store your items. Try to keep things visible—glass keepers serve well—you can see what’s in them and there’s no danger of polycarbs leaching into food (a concern with plastic keepers).

Finally, one of the best fridge-habits to practice: Clean the fridge before grocery shopping. It’s so inspiring to have shiny, beautiful spaces awaiting freshly purchased food. Also, avoid “science experiments.” To ensure no food goes AWOL, give leftovers their own shelf or section of a shelf and plan meals around these delectables.

THEN CREATE ORGANIZED CUPBOARDS. Take a couple hours this week and weed out all the old, out-dated herbs and spices. Then get rid of appliances and tools, dishes, pots and pans that you no longer like, use, need, want, or have room for. This cupboard-cleansing will save you MUCH time and energy when the heavy holiday cooking/baking demands hit, and you’ll be so glad you took the time to do this.


COLLECT/USE TOP NOTCH TOOLS. Most pros prefer stainless steel, clay, and cast iron pots and pans.  And you want a great knife. There’s no need to spend a lot on a full gourmet set—one good-quality knife will suffice.  It should be large, like a chef’s knife. Personal preference rules, but do your research and look to expert advice from the pros and online reviews.

Experts say you want one that has a good balance between the blade and the handle.  Go to a kitchen store where you can hold it in your hand. You’ll also want to buy a steel to go with a stainless steel or carbon knife. Pros say each time you use your knife, you should do a few hits on the steel just to keep a sharp edge on your knife. And if you cook a LOT, you should consider a once-a-month sharpening.


Great cooks also say a huge, thick wooden cutting board, one that won’t crack or warp and will allow plenty of room for ALL the chopping chores, is a must. The pros recommend either straight wood or bamboo—the biggest size available. (We really like our big bamboo board.)

I personally prefer more hand gadgets over electronics.  Some find them to be more primitive, but if you puree a soup in a blender or puree a soup in a food mill, you find two very different textures, and I love the texture that comes from hand-anything.  This idea leads me to also suggest you look into buying a food mill and a ricer.  Food mills puree soups cleaner and smoother and with a more velvety texture than any blender that I’ve used. Ricers are wonderful for making mashed potatoes.


When it is blender time, I use a Vita Mix, which doubles as a fiber-preserving juicer.  You’ve heard me blather about this tool before—I know it’s pricey, but as I’ve said, considering all the benefits and what a work horse this appliance it, I’d give up my car before I’d give up my Vita Mix. And then there are those that swear by their KitchenAid mixer. Finally, who can praise a good hand mixer enough?


Finally, another way to create a more user-friendly kitchen is to only keep and use beautiful wooden spoons and silicone spatulas.  I’ve streamlined hundreds of kitchens across the country, and in almost every one I’ve found cracked, split, unsightly wooden spoons and spatulas. Yuck. Who wants to use that junk? Beautiful items in good condition inspire and motivate!