For those of you that know me, I am your typical A-Type personality….with a twist.  I am extremely organized (daily to-do lists, weekly menus, etc), but if I don’t have the means to display that organization the way I visualize it, I will put off doing it.  I used to call myself a procrastinating perfectionist, however, now  use the label “Paralysis by Analysis!”  Essentially, I over analyze things to the point that some of them never get done.  My intentions are good, but the reality is if I can’t decide on how I want it, I won’t do it.  Take my kitchen for example.  We live in a modest, humble 1970′s brick ranch home.  You see them everywhere in the South; same layout, same design.  And my kitchen is the one that was originally put in ~ floor and all!  Yep, my appliances are over 40 years old, but they work fine and that is all I need.  I’d love a kitchen makeover, but right now I can’t justify the time or expense when the issue is just cosmetic in nature.  It may not be the prettiest kitchen, but it functions.  So for me, the real problem is that I am extremely limited in counter and cabinet space, which makes being organized a necessity. However, I have yet to do it.  Why, you ask?  Well, here is where my “paralysis by analysis” syndrome mentioned above comes in ~ I know I need to organize my cabinets for better functionality, but I keep telling myself why would I spend the time and money now, when one day (hopefully soon) the stove or oven will go out and I will be “forced” to tackle the kitchen makeover and I can redesign and organize my kitchen the way I really want it.

This leads me to today’s post ~ Organizing Your Kitchen.  I believe the kitchen is the heartbeat of the home, because without physical nourishment, our bodies will die.  So if we (meaning “I”) can just focus on getting this room organized first, and get it to a point of complete functionality, I believe it will overflow to other areas of our home.  Regardless of how updated (or not updated) our kitchens are, we can all use a little more organization to increase its functionality.  So, here it goes…maybe this will inspire both of us to get started today! (The pictures link to the websites)

This website is the brainchild of this post.  I just LOVE her organized pantry!

Check out this pantry!  I like the concept, but this one wouldn’t work for me because I need to have all my items separated (like snacks, chips, etc).  And she puts her canned goods in the baskets… I would rather see the labels than dig for them…but it’s very organized!  :)

IHeart Organizing has great pictures of a very well-organized kitchen.  Here is her spice cabinet.  The magnetic tins are such a great idea! (love this website too!!)

Check out her refrigerator…If only, right?

This next one makes me drool….it’s so ME!  And it’s fully customizable from the Pottery Barn.

Oh, I could go on and on and on with great examples of how to organize your kitchen.  But, the bottom line is this…we can ALL use a little more organization in our lives, and it doesn’t have to take a complicated, expensive kitchen makeover to get us there. Getting out from under the burden of clutter and chaos is a completely freeing feeling (that’s a tongue twister) and I hope this post inspires you to tackle your kitchen once and for all.  Do it today, and if your limited on time, start with one drawer or cabinet each day.  Before you know it, you’ll be done!  Good luck and I’d love to see your before and after pictures!  Blessings!

Here is a great LINK from Lowe’s on tips to better organize your kitchen.