Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming and the ever-daunting spring cleaning checklist is looming. As you take on tasks this year, make the kitchen a top priority.

In addition to a little extra deep cleaning, it could be time to rethink its organization. With a few inspired solutions, counters can be freed from clutter, allowing more space for food preparation and cooking.

CAST OFF AND GET CREATIVE

The easiest way to make room in the kitchen is to clean out excess. Go through dishes, pots, pans, appliances and utensils. Consider giving away anything you haven’t touched in the past year or simply don’t like.

Find creative ways to clear the counter. Use a Lazy Susan to store supplies in hard-to-reach corners. Reimagine a cake stand as a shelf to elevate favorite spices, salt, pepper and olive oil, while leaving an area around the base for additional storage.

Rethink nooks and crannies, such as the top of the fridge, which could house a decorative display of cookbooks, bowls or baking canisters. Tops of kitchen cabinets can hold stainless steel or copper pots and pans, allowing for easy access when needed.

ARRANGE BY USE

When choosing appliances to occupy prime counter-top real estate, think about how often they are used. Everyday multi-tasking tools deserve a spot on the counter.

Save space with versatile appliances like the Vitamix S55, a personal blender with four convenient pre-programmed settings that can prepare everything from smoothies and whole-food juices to soups, sauces, vinaigrettes, frozen desserts and more. Plus, because of its compact size, it leaves plenty of room for other kitchen tasks. You can also arrange serving ware according to how often it reaches the table. Store items such as holiday dishes and platters in the back of cabinets or open shelving. Place everyday items like bowls and salad plates in easy-to-reach cabinets and drawers. Cooking utensils should be housed in a holder close to the stove.

WORK WITH YOUR WALLS

The usual kitchen organization employs drawers, cabinets, shelves and counter-tops. However, you can also work with your walls to make your kitchen more efficient. Apply hooks to hang pot holders and aprons, ensuring they are a safe distance from the stove. Install a pot rack, which will make room in cabinets for appliances that are not used often — just make sure your walls or ceiling are strong enough to support the extra weight.

To squeeze extra space out of your kitchen, hang magnetic strips for items like knives and kitchen scissors, freeing up drawers and removing the knife block from the counter. Spices can also be hung on the strips with the use of magnetic canisters.

If you simply minimize what’s kept on counter-tops and re-imagine everyday items, you can optimize the functionality of your kitchen.