There is really nothing like a good book to get you excited, inspired or motivated about something. Reading other peoples' tips and tricks for creating organizational bliss within the home only gets me more passionate about the topic than I already am! And although it may seem tedious to read entire books based on the topic, I promise you, each of this books is full of motivating ideas and inspiration for improving your home and your life, through organization. Check them out!

From decluttering drawers to finding the perfect dish rack, these are my top 5 tips for tidying up small kitchen spaces!

Happy early Independence Day!

The thing I’m most excited about this Fourth of July (besides having some great friends over) is that I plan to serve the BEST bloody mary in town. I found a small-batch, locally-made bloody mary mix a few years ago, and haven’t looked back since. This recipe is seriously "OMG" good, and the secret ingredient is MiddleBar Mary bloody mary mix. MiddleBar is a Los Angeles-based cocktail bar, restaurant and catering service with an amazing and eclectic line of food products, many of which can be found at Farmers’ Markets and at their brick-and-mortar location in Inglewood. Brunch and bloody's, anyone?

There’s a little bit of ‘neat’ in all of us... some just seem to have the bug more than others. My husband actually jokes that I am ‘diseased’– that’s how extreme I’ve got it. But to me, it's very therapeutic to clear out unused and unnecessary kitchen clutter and have a fresh, open, airy space to work and live in. Getting started on the road to  systemized, organized kitchen bliss may seem daunting – I get that! – but just give it a try. You may be surprised!

With Summer Solstice right around the corner (Thursday, June 21), I wanted to share some of my favorite recipes that you have to try this season:

Do you ever feel like your pantry doesn’t feel very big or you never seem to have enough space? Here are my top 5 tips to help you make your pantry feel bigger:

by Sarah Whitman-Salkin | Food52
For some people—those who might self-describe as Type A, OCD-ish, or neat freaks—a well-organized pantry is a thing of beauty. For others—those with small apartments or limited storage space, a tendency toward clutter, or calendars scheduled in 5-minute increments—a well-organized pantry is a necessity.

In a lot of ways in my kitchen, less is more. Having one gadget or appliance for every specific job may seem convenient, but things can pile up quickly, leaving you with little counter-, drawer- or cabinet-space left to actually work with! That is why I love these dual- and multi-purpose tools that can take on multiple jobs, just as they are.

I love The Container Store. I really can’t contain myself!
They carry so many products that are perfect for organizing pantries but my very favorite, ‘can’t-live-without’ items that I get from The Container Store are as follows:

There are several reasons why I don’t like to store my leftovers (or any food or drink items, for that matter), in plastic containers. Without going too in-depth, my main reasons for this have to do with aesthetic and, more importantly, health safety.