Racks. White wire racks are a great way to get started if you're looking for a quick solution. These can be found at most storage solution or home stores. Use the back of your cupboard doors for these useful tools.

Wire shelving. Add a couple of stand-alone wire shelving units to your counter for that extra moveable level. They also help to avoid excessive stacking in cupboards which is never useful when you need something from the bottom of the pile! These durable pieces are fast and simple solutions and offer you a bit more space.

Open shelving units. Having these installed under your cupboards for glasses, mugs, etc. are helpful as far as extra space goes, but remember they are open to the visual eye, so need to be kept organized regularly.

Pull-out baskets. Also made from vinyl-coated wire, these see-through basket shelves are great for everything from non-refrigerated vegetables to cleaning products and come in sizes that fit in cupboards or stand alone. You can also buy pantry organizers (kitchensource.com) such as wire baskets that slide on rails for your cupboards.

Carousel units. Used in corner cupboards, this favorite style of rack allows you to rotate your goodies around until you find what you need, rather than digging through dark corners.

Do it with drawers. If you have the opportunity to remodel, consider putting drawers in your lower level. It’s much easier to pull out a deep drawer and inspect your collection of pans, then try to find them all in a cupboard. Cans, boxes, and other products work well in larger drawers. As well, a shallow drawer near your cooking area housing all your spice bottles laid out flat rather than standing makes it easy to identify exactly what you are looking for. Drawers, like cupboards, still need to be kept clean and organized, however. There are a multitude of specialized drawer dividers to help in this solution. As well, designate your drawers – one for cans, one for plastic containers, etc. to make it easier.

Plan for a pantry. If possible, find a way to include a pantry in your design. This is an excellent solution to your storage needs with various units keeping your goods nice and organized.

Keep the beverages away. Wine, pop bottles – they all take up major space. Find a way to store them elsewhere, such as a pantry or a stand-alone wire rack. A basement storage unit is even better.

Mobile work trolleys. Sometimes a table in the kitchen takes up too much room. Consider a work trolley instead that will hold some of your goodies as well as act as a floating island.

Hooks. Wall panels with hooks make for great ways to hang everything from pans to brooms. Even better, if your pans are a problem, consider installing a pot rack. Hang mugs underneath cupboards rather than stacking them awkwardly. Hang your main cooking utensils too. Hooks definitely come in handy.

Prioritize. You know what you use frequently versus rarely. Keep the rare goods on higher levels or in other areas. Keep your heavy items on lower levels to avoid accidents. Keep ingredients used frequently within reach of your counter space for cooking.

Adjust your shelves. If you're in the market for new cupboards, finding ones with adjustable shelves allows you to make the cupboards work for your items, instead of packing them with whatever fits.

Vertical over horizontal. Creating vertical panel dividers in cupboards to store baking sheets, cutting boards, dish towel hanging rods etc. is much more effective than layering the items on horizontal shelves.

Keep the essentials. If you don't use it, lose it. Donate those excess unopened products or kitchen items that are rarely touched.

Storage containers. Clear, plastic air-tight storage containers that stack neatly are invaluable, affordable and a must for all organized kitchens. They are a great way to handle dried goods, baking ingredients, pastas, opened cereals and more. As well, they keep bugs and rodents at bay.

Bins and baskets. Bins are useful when storing tea bags, and other small packets rather than having layers of boxes stuffed on a shelf. Baskets with washable cotton lining are attractive, and a good place to store items that are frequently used. As well, they can work to help curb some of the "non-kitchen" clutter that inevitably migrates to your space such as mail. Just remember to sort it regularly.

Utilize all the space. You'd be surprised how much wasted space you can find when you start getting your area organized. For example, adding extra shelves to the end of a cabinet run makes for a great space for cookbooks.

Pick a theme. This isn’t your top priority, but if you want an attractive clutter-free kitchen, try to be consistent in the choice of storage containers. If you choose a stainless steel look, find racks, containers etc. that match this theme.

Get creative. With so many amazing storage solution stores and products to choose from, there's no excuse for not getting organized. The trick is to stay that way.