Kitchen organization is something that all of us could do a better job with. I don’t know about you, but it always seems to me that kitchen organization is a process that can never end, so long as you actually use your kitchen to, you know, make meals.

I’d have to say that, every six months or so, I go on an organizing binge. This happens when I can no longer take the chaos that entropy has brought to my cabinets and drawers since the last biannual kitchen organization-fest. This might surprise you—seeing as I work for a kitchen cabinet fabricator—but, being recent homebuyers, my wife and I (yes, the kitchen is my domain in this house), are still living with the cabinets that came as original equipment.

I recently happened upon a blog post in Outnumbered (a very well-written, day-in-the-life blog from Danelle) that invited readers to take a look insider her cupboards. She also admits:

“Obviously, I would never let you look inside my cupboards if I hadn’t just organized them.”

That having been said, I highly doubt that Danelle’s cupboards look much different when they’re “messy.”

One thing I’ve learned in my time at Vision is that sustainable kitchen organization starts with what I call “the infrastructure.” First, you start with custom cabinets that make the best possible use of the available space. (In our old house we found a quesadilla maker—not seen since our wedding—all the way in the back of one of those awkward corner spaces next to the range. I won’t lie to you, it was like Christmas. Quesadillas for everyone! ¡Sí Señor!”)

Needless to say, made-to-measure of kitchen cabinets avoid creating that sort of organizational black hole. You can incorporate thoughtful details like specialized spice drawers with an integral rack, and pull-out, sliding kitchen trash bins. That way, there’s more than just a place to put something because that’s we’re you decided to put it, but a place for something because it the place was made for it. No more having a stuck drawer because I put a spatula in the wrong place. (It went in. Why won’t it come out?)