Getting the kitchen cabinets clean and organized doesn't have to be a hideous chore. It will just take some dedication and a few hours.

First of all, take care of all the normal cleaning routines, like getting the dishes into the dishwasher and putting away any clean ones. Then give the kitchen a good scrubbing. Grab some anti-bacterial cleaner and wash the counters, tables, cabinet faces and the walls. Take up the kitchen mats and shake them outside to remove dust and crumbs of food. The sweep and mop the floor.

Take the mats and shake them outside to remove crumbs and dust. Then wash them in the washer on a gentle cycle. Hang to dry. Hanging outside is best if possible; if not, over a bathroom shower rack will be fine.

Since the counters are clean now, you can safely take out glasses and mugs and put them on the countertop. Rearrange these by putting them in rows. Placing them upside down will keep dust out. If you decide to store them upside down, always make sure that they are completely dry before you put them away. If they are wet at all, moisture will get trapped and mold will form.

As for pots and pans: take them all out and clean those cabinets. Try to store these by stacking smaller ones into larger ones. Then place the lids nearby. The same can go for frying pans. The largest pan can go on the bottom and the others layered on top.

If possible, use a separate cabinet for baking pans and cake pans. Try to do as much stacking as possible here as well. The shapes will all be different so it won't be as easy as with the pans. But try different combinations until you are utilizing the space the best way.

Cookie sheets, roasting pans and pizza trays are big and bulky so they are best kept in the drawer underneath the stove. Unless you have absolutely no room elsewhere, don't keep them in the oven. If somebody isn't thinking one day, they may turn the over on to preheat and forget that there are items inside. Not to mention that it is annoying to always have to take them out whenever you want to cook.

Decide whether you wish to make any changes with the drawers. Spatulas and other cooking utensils are good in a drawer nearer the stove. So are pot holders. If you want to swap any drawer contents, now is the time to do it. Keep space efficiency in mind when choosing what goes where.

Once the cabinets are clean, keeping the kitchen clean and organized will be easier. Now you know where everything is. Make an effort to always put things back every time in the future. Then you won't have to do this task again!

Amy Stevens is an expert in home design. If you would like further information about types of kitchen or are looking for a reputable kitchen retailer please visit http://www.wrenkitchens.com