I have said for years that I want to cook more, and once I got married (July 27, 2020), both my husband and I committed to doing that. But, you know, life is busy, and often it was easier logistically to stop at a restaurant while we were out doing other things, or maybe pickup takeout on the way home. And then COVID-19 happened, and there wasn’t a lot of “on the way home” for me anymore—plus, I did my best to avoid even those quick interactions. That made cooking at home a way of life—and it’s been wonderful!

Along the way, I’ve learned a few things that have made my life a lot easier in the kitchen, and I wanted to share in the hope that they make cooking easier and more fun for you. First is the principle of multiples. This is something I learned years ago. I spent way too much of my life looking for a pair of scissors or a hammer, because I had only one, and sometimes someone would use it and fail to put it back where it belongs—assuming it even has a “place.” The solution, I realized during college, was largely to buy several of each. I currently have maybe five pairs of scissors: positioned in pen cups, that one kitchen junk drawer, a small bedroom drawer for things like nail clippers and razors, and one in my toolbox for good measure. Even if one gets put somewhere weird or ends up covered by a stack of papers, I can always find another one. I also have three hammers, four or five tape measures, and a similar number of fingernail clippers. It’s awesome.

This year, I put that rule into action in my kitchen. I’ve been gradually buying extra measuring spoons, often at thrift stores, but I picked up more tablespoons on Amazon, since I didn’t have enough of those. Bonus kitchen hack: the biggest problem with my large array of measuring spoons was that I always had to dig through the kitchen tool drawer every time I needed one, and sometimes at a critical juncture when I really needed to add a spice to a sizzling or bubbling pot quickly, or when my hands were coated with food. So, I did what I’d often considered in the past, but rejected because I didn’t think I’d use them enough: I put every one into a coffee mug to keep on the counter. It’s seriously the best. When we eventually go back to normal and my cooking reduces in frequency—though hopefully never back to pre-COVID-19 levels—I will find a cover for the mug to keep the dust off of them. But in the meantime, they are getting used, almost daily.

Another item that used to cause me problems was dish towels. I often spent too much time digging through clean laundry piles (not mine, you understand) and the dryer looking for one of the few we had—some of which really weren’t very absorbent—and realized I needed to apply the principle of multiples to this situation too. So I hit Amazon and looked at reviews, and selected this 12-pack of dish towels. Now we always have several in the linen closet ready to go. If I spill water, like yesterday, I can just throw a couple on the floor to soak it up and go grab another. I can use a towel for baking and wipe my hands and mop up spills with it, and go grab another. Etcetera. It’s the best. They also help cut down on paper towel overuse, which makes me crazy.

I similarly realized that what the kitchen was missing was dishrags. We didn’t use them at home growing up, but my grandmother did, and now I appreciate their value. I also discovered that you can get them with a layer of plastic scrubby stuff on one side. They’re perfect for countertop cleanup, in particular when you don’t want to use the kind-of-gross scrubbing sponge you use to get food off of dishes. And, look, a 10-pack!

Other multiples that I appreciate are cutting boards, glass baking dishes (with lids!), silicone scrapers, spatulas, and mixing bowls. Most of these things are quite inexpensive, and they have more than earned their place in my kitchen. Best of luck to you in yours!