In the third and final installment of our Get Organized Early series with CBS (the last segment airs this morning), I tackled a cluttered kitchen in Maplewood, NJ. Besides the all-too-common problem of simply holding on to far too much stuff, Amy faced the challenge of limited space (this kitchen was quite small for a family of 5, about 8x10 feet total), along with the need to use the kitchen as her "command center." When she gets a break from chasing her 3 little ones (all under the age of 7) around, she's got a few spare moments to fire off emails, arrange playdates and PTA meetings, schedule after school activities, plan meals, return phone calls, and pay the bills. This proved quite difficult with her current kitchen systems (or lack thereof).

The Before: these photos give you a good idea of the problems we set out to solve...

a dingy facade, and crowded countertops

visual clutter and piles of paperwork

a sad, old microwave cart that acted as her mini home office (laptop on top), but also stored linens, the trash (yes, there was a tiny trash can inside the cabinet, for a family of five - no idea how they got by on that), and coloring books

cookbooks and items to be taken out for recycling ate up counterspace

the ubiquitous junk drawer!

under the sink scary-ness

pots and pans and bakeware, oh my -the topple effect

utensils fighting for space

tupperware mayhem - an entire cabinet-full

Aside from the clutter, the look of the kitchen was outdated, and the buttery wall color only added to the dreary feeling.

The Plan:

We made some easy DIY (and affordable) cosmetic changes: painted the walls a cheery robin's egg blue, painted all the wood trim white, and added a colorful rug (made for indoor/outdoor use so it stands up in a high traffic area), updated the worn beyond belief small appliances, and added pops of colorful accessories where possible. We removed a few of the cabinet doors and painted the insides of those cabinets white, to give the kitchen a more airy feeling and let some items breath.

Aside from that, it was all about my old mantra: purge, edit, systems. We streamlined Amy's kitchen supplies to the essentials that she actually uses, placed things in the most accessible area according to their function, and designed and implemented smart storage solutions for maximizing space.

In the end, the kitchen has a more open, welcoming feeling, and funcitons not only as an efficient workspace for preparing and serving meals, but also as the true hub of family life and Amy's command central.

The After:

I love this wall color, and the white trim made all the difference. Re-painting is a whole lot more affordable than renovating.

Opening up a few of the cabinets gave a more airy feel

Command central - and it all tucks away in this discreet wall unit when not in use...

...then folds open when it's time to get to work. A shelf above holds files and books.

The phone/message/coffee station completes command central, and the fridge gets a fresher look with helpful magnetic reminder pads (grocery list, children's chore pad, pocket for coupons)

Cabinets that don't threaten to spill out on you when opened.

the kids went nuts for these clever cereal dispensers

the cleaner countertop, all white cabinets, and bright green striped rug made a huge difference visually - sometimes pure "visual clutter" is the most unsettling kind.

Deal With the Small Stuff:

utensils find a home in expandable drawer organizers

under the sink cleaning products go green and are corraled in a caddy; plastic grocery bags are contained for re-use in a stick-up holder

the "junk drawer" is a neccessary evil, but now it isn't so junky anymore

tupperware, pots and pans, and mixing bowls all in one cabinet? yes, thanks to smart stacking products

a properly-sized trash can, ecopod for recycling materials (it compacts cans and bottles with a foot lever - way cool), and a hand vac that mounts to the wall, for quick clean up

now this would definitely make me want to cook more.

Got questions about the products seen here? Check out our corresponding web feature: 3 Women, 3 Home Makeovers, for To Buy info and more streamlining tips.

So, what do you think? Inspired? Does this seem do-able to you?

Would it help to know that (with a few handy helpers) we accomplished each makeover in this series in under 2 days? We're not bragging - just hoping you'll realize these are easy-to-implement solutions that you can certainly implement in your own home (without spending a fortune or taking a month off from work).

Love to hear your thoughts, and happy to answer any questions you may have.