Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets in 11 Easy Steps

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Do you live in fear of something falling on your head when you open your cupboards? Do you find yourself having to take out half the shelf and reorganizing everything every single time you need something? To help you solve all of your cabinet woes, check out these tips from Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook.

Photography: ERIC PIASECKI

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Storage capacity can be significantly increased in any cabinet with the use of simple accessories. Housewares stores are teeming with racks, bins, and baskets designed to use every square inch of space. Keep reading to find out what you need.
Photography: Annie Schlechter

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Baskets and Bins

Use them to contain small items that might otherwise create clutter, such as spices, dish towels, or cleaning supplies.
Photography: Ditte Isager

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Drawer organizers

Divide flatware or utensils within drawers. Arrange separate components to fill a drawer or look for expandable one-piece units.

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Lazy Susans

These multitier turntables are handy for organizing condiments, spices, or vitamins and can make the most of corner base cabinets and storage spaces. They also work great in a fridge!
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Spice Racks

Contain spice bottles on wire racks that sit in wall cabinets, fit into drawers, or are mounted on walls.

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Stacking shelves

Utilize cabinets top to bottom by placing plastic-coated wire shelves in between shelves to double storage capacity.
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Bowls, Pots, and Pans

Nest them to conserve space. Place paper plates or sheets of paper towels in between layers to prevent scratching (use nonabsorbent coated paper plates between cast-iron pans, which tend to retain traces of oil).
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Nonbreakable Flat Items

Store cutting boards and baking pans upright, by installing tension rods between shelves.

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Glassware, Dinnerware, and Serving Pieces

Group by pattern, collection, or function -- for example, all transferware in one group and Fiesta ware in another, or everyday glasses on one shelf with special-occasion stemware on another. Stack no more than four to six plates together (anything that has been repaired should always be kept on the top, or not stacked at all) and store glasses upright to protect rims.

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Utensils

Group wooden utensils in one crock, stainless-steel ones in another. Line up crocks next to the cooktop, for easy access.

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