1. Think about how and where you use things so you can eliminate wasted steps. Store breakfast foods and bowls near the breakfast table. Duplicate frequently used spices and utensils so they are ready wherever you work. Keep wraps and plastic containers in one handy spot near a work surface for wrapping leftovers.

2. A second microwave oven and a mini refrigerator positioned at the edge of the kitchen work center can keep snackers out of the cook’s way. Add a snack bar with stools for an after-school spot for the kids.

3. Make recycling easy. Equip a cupboard with separate containers for glass, plastic, and metal. A spare drawer could hold old newspapers.

4. Think short. Placing the microwave oven at a height where kids can use it safely will ease not just your mind, but also your workload. Also, put kids’ favorite dishes and snack foods on shelves they can reach.

5. Place a shelf beside or behind the range to keep cookbooks, cooking oils, a pot for utensils, and spice jars handy. Place S-hooks on the side of the range hood to hold frequently used pots and pans.

6. Tired of lugging water-filled pots from the sink to the cooktop? A swing-out tap installed near the cooktop fills pots where you heat them. Or install an extra-long hose on your sink’s spray attachment.

7. Establish a message center near the kitchen telephone. Put a bulletin board, chalkboard, or whiteboard on the wall, and store a calendar, notebook, and writing utensils in a nearby drawer.

8. Careful choices cut cleaning time. Glass refrigerator shelves catch spills that wire shelves let through. Flush-set or undermount sinks don’t have a crumb-catching rim to worry about. Matte finishes don’t show dirt as much as glossy ones do.

9. Hang knives on a magnetic strip tacked to the backsplash. This makes it easy to spot the right knife for a job and keeps dangerous items out of children’s reach.

10. Install power strips with multiple outlets along the backsplash so you’ll have electricity wherever you need it.