Home Organizing & Storage How to Organize A Kitchen Baking Nook Making pie is a piece of cake with a nook that keeps essentials easy to see and grab. By Gary Thompson Gary Thompson Gary Thompson is senior staff writer at Midwest Living and Dotdash Meredith Travel, where he gets paid to play with words while writing about all sorts of interesting people, places and things in the Midwest and beyond. Not bad for a shy kid who was born in Kansas and grew up in Davenport, Iowa, reading his Dad's newspapers and his Mom's "women's" magazines. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in journalism from Drake University and been writing professionally for more than 30 years. When he's not wordsmithing, he's running or walking, watching sports or Jeopardy, and doing the New York Times crossword puzzle (or Spelling Bee). Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 2, 2021 Baking Nook. Photo: MARSHALL JOHNSON 1. JARRING DISPLAY Avoid dreaded mid-recipe store runs—jars let you eyeball dry-goods inventories from the get-go. Foodstuffs stay fresher (thanks to airtight lids) and look neater too. Choose jar sizes that maximize shelf heights and widths. 2. TRAY CHIC Protect cabinets by using a baking dish as a tray to catch any drips from sticky or oily containers. And let's call it an efficient Susan: A mini turntable helps you find spices or extracts fast. 3. COUNTER MEASURES We get it, counter space is precious, but it makes sense to store oft-used staples like flour and sugar right where all the action takes place. It's really handy when dusting your work surface before kneading and rolling dough. 4 WICKER IS QUICKER Stop stooping to play Jenga with the stack of pans and boards in your oven drawer or cabinet. A big basket holds cumbersome gear within easy reach. Baking Nook. JANNA LUFKIN 5. DIVIDE IN CONCERT Bet you a plastic spatula you've had (still have?) a drawer crammed with baking utensils. An organizer turns this mosh pit into an orchestra pit with a seat for every instrument. Leave perimeter space for longer items, like a roll of parchment. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit