Behind every successful man, there is a woman. And behind every happy home is a happy kitchen. In our home, the kitchen is the center of activity. It is the one place where everyone gravitates sooner or later. It is the crisis center in hard times, and the place where happy memories are built. Some of my fondest memories of home were created in the kitchen – helping my mom ice a cake, rolling laddus for Diwali with my granny, lingering at the dining table, chattering long after a meal is over – home and hearth are of supreme importance in our life.

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, cooking for this blog. And of course we cook at least three meals a day. The kitchen needs to be spick and span and in perfect order for me to function well. After all, a kitchen has to produce lots of food, good and delicious food for folks to feel happy in it.

Here are some things that I absolutely need in my kitchen. These are truly the secret to my happy kitchen.

A Place for Everything

My kitchen has to be meticulously designed and everything needs to be in the right place. I have lived in many different places, and hence in many different kitchens. Every place has its pros and cons and you have to make the best of them. When I designed my current kitchen, I gave a lot of thought to the kind of items I needed on a regular basis. So I knew I needed designated places for knives, cutting boards and cutlery, appliances, knick knacks, plates, spices, daily items like tea, sugar etc. And of course I needed a big pantry!

I arranged everything based on the frequency I needed them. Stuff like salt or sugar which is needed multiple times a day was placed close at hand. Stuff I would use maybe once a week like beans were stowed away in a dark corner. I should probably write a whole post on this.

Imagine searching for mustard seeds for a tadka when the oil is smoking on the stove. No, you need that Spice Box in a fixed place, close to the stove so you can reach it when you need it.

Keeping all the kitchen stuff in its right place definitely makes my kitchen happy.

Light and Color

I love East facing kitchens because they are flooded with light in the mornings. Having ample natural light in the kitchen is one of the basic principles of civil engineering. But that is not always possible in an urban setting, or at higher latitudes where bad weather is common.

I like my kitchen to be brightly lit. Wall color is also a big factor here. A sunny yellow kitchen has a charm and easily makes us feel cheerful. The Tuscan Blue is another popular color but it can create a dark atmosphere in a poorly lit place. Flowered wallpaper is another design element I like in a kitchen.

Fixtures such as your cabinet colors or your appliances go a long way in creating a certain atmosphere for the kitchen. Maple or pine open up the space in areas prone to rain and clouds.

The lighting in your kitchen should complement the rest of the design elements. So if you have chosen dark cabinets, you need to balance them with lots of lights.

A bright and cheerful aspect is definitely one secret to my happy kitchen.

Clean and Germ Free

A well stocked, well designed, bright and airy kitchen will turn into a living hell for any cook if it is not clean. Cleanliness means so much more than what meets the eye. I believe in multiple levels of cleaning. An anti-bacterial soap is a must at the kitchen sink. The floors and surfaces are also sanitized and scrubbed daily with cleaning solution. And I have the best solution for getting rid of pests like roaches.

Menaces like cockroaches carry disease spreading bacteria that is left behind on clean utensils or storage spaces. These are not visible to the naked eye and very harmful. I depend on Lal Hit with its Deep Reach Nozzle to take care of these roaches in my kitchen.

Protecting my kitchen against such pests is an essential secret to a happy kitchen.

What are the things that are must have in your kitchen? And what makes it happy?

* This post is written in collaboration with Lal Hit.