This chapter has dealt primarily with the nuts and bolts of organizing your kitchen, but sheer organization won't make you love the space (although it can certainly help!). But there are a few things you can do that are inexpensive and go a long way toward making your kitchen a place where you'll want to be. American people tend to eat out almost 50 percent of the time. This high rate is related to many different factors — demanding work schedules, general fatigue, and a desire to have somebody else wash up at the end of a long day.

This high number of meals eaten out of the home tends to harm our bodies and possibly even our souls. At a restaurant, you might be tempted to overeat because of the large portion sizes. Also, meals out are often noisy and busy. They don't tend to give people the downtime they might really need at the end of the day. If you can learn to love being in your kitchen, you might find that you are less inclined to want to eat elsewhere.

Buy Your Groceries in a Store You Love

Victoria Moran, in her book Shelter for the Spirit, recommends that you shop for your groceries in a store you would want to go to even if you didn't need to buy food. If you bring home foods that you love from a store that you love, you will be more likely to want to stay home and consume them. Victoria Moran writes, “Wherever you choose to shop, remember that every time you bring a bag of groceries into your house or apartment, you are bringing something of the store in with them. How do you want your house to feel? Shop in places that feel that way, too.”

Many cities have wonderful farmers' markets that provide local, seasonal fare. By supporting local farmers, you're able to eat food that you can trust. Because the produce is so fresh, it often looks like edible art. You can make the most of your fresh items from the farmers' market by displaying veggies in a large bowl on your table — this functional centerpiece can be as lovely as it is useful.

When you organize your refrigerator, don't just think in terms of making it functional. Think in terms of beauty as well. Fresh produce can be placed in attractive bowls in your refrigerator. If you encounter beauty each time you open your refrigerator door, you will have a natural incentive to keep it clean and to eat the foods that your body needs most.

Warm Lighting

Another factor that can greatly influence the ambiance and functionality of your kitchen is lighting. Often homes have harsh overhead lights that glare on all who enter. Ideally, you'll have a few different types of lighting so that you can alternate them depending on your needs and the time of day. Invest in lighting that you love — lamps can work in a kitchen, as can beam or spot lights that will give you soft, steady light in exactly the place where you need it.

The way that you light your kitchen will have a dramatic effect on how you work and feel in that space. A change in the lighting situation can encourage you to get in there and start cooking. Soft, ample light can increase your efficiency, improve your mood, and transform your kitchen into a place of peace and hospitality.