It’s already fall, and there are likely a few folks out there still thinking about starting to work on those New Year’s resolutions from the end of 2013. If one of your self-improvement vows was to be more organized, and you are looking at your kitchen clutter and realizing you’ve failed, don’t despair.

Kevin Fahy Kitchens and Baths has a few tips to get you back on track before the end of 2014. Your life is about to get a whole lot more organized, as you will suddenly be able to find those kitchen accoutrements you are searching for with a minimum of toil.

Take a look around your countertops, cabinets, shelves, and drawers. If you’ve got more stuff per square inch than should be allowed by law, that’s too much clutter. Things get misplaced, and right when you need something the most it will be lost. Eliminate that problem by eliminating that clutter. They say if you haven’t worn an item in your closet in over a year you should get rid of it, and the same is true in the kitchen.

Get rid of all of that one-time-use stuff that has already outlived its lifespan. Or, if you are pretty sure you’ll need it again sometime this millennium, store it somewhere else, like in the pantry. Unless the pantry is also a cluttered mess … then maybe you should stick to the original plan to get rid of it before you become one of the hoarders you see on TV.

Kitchens are often the catch-all for a junkyard full of odds and ends, like opened and unopened mail, purses, shoes and boots, notes from school, kids’ and adults’ homework, car keys, and all sorts of flotsam that hasn’t found a forever home yet. Find it a proper place in your house and get it out of the kitchen!

Next, find a location for every item that truly belongs in the kitchen. Utensils, cookware, plates, cups, appliances, and foodstuffs all should have a home within your home. Just think how great it will be when you need a certain kitchen necessity and have it right where it belongs when you look for it.

At Kevin Fahy Kitchens & Baths, our concern for your kitchen goes well beyond the installation. We want that room to be a functional and enjoyable place in your home with the least amount of turmoil as possible. And remember, it’s never too late to get organized — even if you didn’t keep that New Year’s resolution from last December, there’s always another new year soon to come.

Kevin Fahy Kitchens and Baths is located at 1908 Oriskany Street West in Utica, N.Y. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated. For more information, give us a call at (315) 735-8181.