Apps & Accessories to Shape Up Your Kitchen

By Kate Pruitt (from Design Sponge) on January 17, 2012

At the beginning of every year, I like to take a weekend to address the state of my kitchen. We entertain, cook, make messes, stock and re-stock the shelves, and the kitchen inevitably suffers a bit of wear and tear from all this activity. Clutter slowly builds, and if I don't take time to reassess the situation every once in a while, my kitchen can become a real disaster. Today I'm sharing some of my tips for shaping up your own kitchen, including a roundup of apps, gadgets, and accessories that should help you with the tasks at hand. A well organized and well prepped food area can make a huge impact on your whole year of eating, cooking, and budgeting, so hopefully some of these ideas will help you maximize the efficiency and enjoyment of your kitchen. Enjoy!

Do you have any favorite apps for cooking or meal planning? I'd love to hear them!

{Clockwise from top left: Fifi Cheek, Desire to Inspire, Design*Sponge, Apartment Therapy}
One great way to minimize clutter is to put things out in the open. You're far less likely to hoard useless items or pile miscellaneous bits and pieces if you have to stare them in the face. Open shelving is not only a great way to organize cleanly, but it can make great use of the odd spaces in your kitchen--up high, over counters, above the fridge--these can be great places for storage. Find some baskets and air-tight jars you love and buy a bunch--including a few extras--for a unified look. When planning out your shelves, keep everything you use frequently within easy reach, and the lesser used items up above or down below.

1. Braided storage, $19 - $59
2. Round glass storage, $3 - $8
3. Paxton Wall Shelf, $29 - $69
4. Stenstorp plate shelf, $60
5. Oxo Pop square container, $12
6. Maple ceiling pot rack, $130
7. Celeber jar with lid, $8
8. Komplement baskets, $40 for 3
9. Recycled glass jars with cork lid, $14 - $24
10. Slat bamboo dish rack, $30
11. Bristol wall shelf, $199
12. Wire basket, $16

{Clockwise from top left: Joule iPad stand, Design*Sponge, In the Raw, Martha Moments}
After years of using cheap, flimsy kitchen tools and accessories, I've finally decided to replace them with more durable goods that are environmentally friendly, more reusable, and safer for cooking and eating. I'm not saying that everything in your kitchen should be top-dollar, but I can say from personal experience that when I've invested in a slightly better quality steel pan, bamboo cutting board, or reusable fabric shopping bags, I've saved money and never looked back. Once you have the tools you need, then the fun can begin--the cooking and eating! There are some really fun new apps that can help with grocery shopping, meal planning, and cooking. If you are new to cooking, or interested in experimenting with new dishes, these apps will become your best friend, giving you tips, measurements, and tutorials along the way. With the right tools and a few well chosen apps to guide you through the process, you can quickly become an expert at shopping, cooking and saving money.

1. Reclaimed oak sandwich board, $48 for two
2. Stella Arianna stovetop espresso maker, $139
3. Belkin fridge mount for iPad 2, $30
4. KitchenMath app, $1
5. Produce bags, $11 for set of 5
6. Perfect Portions nutrition scale, $45
7. Cuisinart 14" stainless steel fry pan, $29
8. West Bend multi-use power tower, $32
9. Reusable food storage wraps, $11 - $15
10. Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything app, $10
11. All-Clad stainless steel measuring cups & spoons, $18- $50
12. Appetites video recipe app, $5
13. Weck 1 liter canning jars, $34 for 6
14. Dirty Dozen produce shopping guide app, free

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