Time—there’s never enough. When you’re spending it searching for your small appliances, cutting boards, or that one integral spice (that you have now bought 15 jars of because you keep “losing” it), or you’re just trying to keep everyone happy, including the kids and the dog, you’re missing out on the moments that you wanted to experience in your kitchen. Check out these simple kitchen solutions to make everyday tasks easier, reclaim your time and build your joy.

Get Your Lazy (Susan) On…And a Pull-Down Shelf Or Two

You know the drill. You’re looking for the pineapple slicer and know that it’s somewhere on the third shelf in the fourth kitchen cabinet to the left. So you pull out the step ladder, climb onto the kitchen counter, and pull every last item out of the cabinet, balancing dishes, cups and small appliances like you’re the cat in the hat. Don’t even bother trying to locate the sauce pot you haven’t used since last Christmas. There’s a better way. Lazy Susan, pull down, and pull out custom cabinet shelving not only eliminate your part-time jobs as a kitchen detective and balancing artist, they’re helpful storage solutions that keep you organized. Not to mention, they help you reclaim your sanity and all the time you waste looking for not-so-lost items.

Keep Your Spices in Line

Much like the pineapple slicer, digging through your spice cabinet to find the cinnamon that may or may not be there is a hassle. A built-in spice rack can fill the awkward space between the refrigerator and the wall, or the oven. Custom kitchen cabinet options for your spice rack keep your spices handy, make them easily visible, and can be made to look exactly like the cabinetry you already love.

A Cut Above the Rest Installed Below the Counter…or in it

If you’ve never had a cutting board vanish right when you need it most, you have kitchen magic. Installing a pull-out cutting board in line with kitchen cabinets and drawers, or set in to the countertop as a part of your kitchen design, eliminates the need for “finding spells” every time you’ve got vegetables to cut.

Keep Kids in Mind

Got kids? If you’ve got kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, etc. running around your home, you spend almost as much time in the kitchen as a five-star restaurant chef. What if you could give those kids a little more autonomy and save yourself 15-20 minutes or more every day? All it takes is putting kid-friendly snacks, cups, and juice boxes within their reach. Designate one or two drawers or a kitchen cabinet specifically for kids.

Treat Your Kitchen Like You Treat Your Office

Create a manageable and meaningful workflow in your kitchen. Put the paper towels with the sponges and the cleaning supplies. Pair the beans and rice on the same shelf. Put all of your cereals (except for the kid snack ones!) in the same kitchen cupboard.

The kitchen may be where you spend most of your time, but it doesn’t have to be where you waste time. What other kitchen solutions do you use to regain your time and enjoy your kitchen?