EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA

THE DAILY COOK

For you, an efficient setup is all about access and speed - quick in, quick out.

Strategies:

* Keep necessities within easy reach.

Make a place in the hot zone (around the stove and the sink) for the essentials: oil, vinegar, knives, cutting board. Move special-occasion cookware, like a fondue pot, out of cabinets in the zone. And ask not where ingredients and tools fit; ask where you will be using them. Keep the basket of potatoes near the cutting board, sugar and flour near the stand mixer, and your best-loved pan on the front burner.

* Use under-cabinet space.

Under-cabinet lighting strips (attached with screws or double-stick Velcro) keep the focus on the onions at hand. A battery-operated version won't dangle a cord or steal an outlet from the microwave. An under-shelf cookbook holder pulls down when you need it and folds back up when you don't.

* Put the walls to work.

Put up racks or pegs to keep favorite utensils, the dinner recipe, pot holders and dish towels in plain sight.

Products to consider:

* Under-cabinet cookbook holder that flips up out of the way when not in use.

* Pull-out recycler with two bins on a sliding rack.

* Wood cookware rack storage stand to keep pot lids tidy in cupboards.

* Under-the-cabinet light fixture.

THE SUNDAY COOK

When you're too busy on most nights to cook, one weekend session - making dinners in bulk and freezing portions for weekdays - reduces daily stress.

Strategies:

* Keep essentials front and center.

In this case, essentials means stackable storage containers, large plastic mixing bowls and other tools of the bulk cook's trade.

* Invest in equipment.

Where others might station the toaster, the Sunday cook has a food sealer - just the thing for turning blanched green beans, fish fillets and muffins into future instant meals. A scale is useful for weighing ingredients, which some cooks consider a faster and more reliable way to measure for bulk recipes. A calculator speeds the doubling and tripling of recipes.

* Organize the freezer.

Make designated sections (prepared meals, vegetables, desserts). Use dividers, baskets or multilayer ice caddies to keep containers neat and accessible. Same-size holders take up less space overall. And be sure to label everything.

Products to consider:

* An apron with a pocket for the timer, the calculator or your cell phone.

* Erasable labels that won't come off in the freezer, microwave or dishwasher.

* Freezer storage baskets - one deep, one shallow.

* Food sealer.

THE ENTERTAINER

If you're a cook who enjoys performing before an audience, all the kitchen's a stage. Create an illusion of effortlessness that belies a tightly organized support system behind the scenes.

Strategies:

* Set a mood.

Using clear vases for a theatrical display of fresh herbs or beautiful bowls for picture-perfect produce will whet guests' appetites while signaling that this is an occasion. Install a dimmer to bring the lighting down to party mode, and if you entertain regularly, consider built-in speakers to keep the music flowing through the kitchen.

* Use glass cupboard doors for display.

Glass-front cabinets can showcase what you love most, whether it's your best china or a ceramic-cow collection.

* Keep party gear handy.

Create a place for platters and trays - with dividers to maintain order - so you don't have to hunt for them while the bruschetta turns soggy. Give candles, place mats, and other table toppers a dedicated drawer. Use an index-card box to store recipes, past menus, friends' food preferences or wine labels.

Products to consider:

* 18-inch tray dividers in chrome with clips and screws to fix them in place.

* Spring-loaded dividers for drawers.

* Nesting boxes

* 60-minute kitchen timer, which can be useful for pacing the evening. For example, when it rings, it's time to warm the rolls.