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The first step is to empty the room and get rid of any excess or unnecessary items, then assess the space.
- Empty all of your cabinets and drawers, taking everything out of the kitchen, even if it’s messy.
- Make sure you dispose of anything that has past its expiration date (you can use these pantry organization tips to stay on top of it in the future).
- If there are dishes or utensils in your kitchen that you don’t need anymore, donate them! You can also sell some items and make some extra money (which you could use to buy more organizational tools!).
- Clean all your cabinets and drawers so they are ready for sorting and organizing! (This tutorial will teach you how to clean every part of your kitchen.) This is also a good opportunity to check each appliance by running through all its functions before putting it back into place.
- When space planning, take notes about what items currently fit in each cabinet/drawer, where they will go when re-installed, what new storage solutions you might need for certain items, etc. There are free online tools like this space planner from IKEA that allow you to drag-and-drop elements into a plan view which will help visualize everything much easier than trying with pen and paper alone!
Sort all remaining items into categories.
The last step of your kitchen organization is to sort all remaining items into categories. This might include food and spices, pots and pans, tableware, cleaning supplies, etc. You should also have a separate category for items that belong in other rooms but have wound up in your kitchen (work papers, clothes, toys… you get the idea). If you’re feeling ambitious, consider keeping a donation box to sort items into as you go through the sorting process.
Keep like items together.
- Keep like items together. This is a golden rule when it comes to organizing, because it’s easy to find things if you know where they belong. In your kitchen, this means that all spices should be stored in the same place and all pots and pans should be stored together.
- Group items by use. For example: cutlery, mixing bowls, food storage containers can all go in one drawer or cabinet (depending on how much counter space you have), whereas baking ingredients, baking equipment and baking dishes can go in another area of your kitchen (like a pantry).
Use a label maker!
A label maker may seem like an unnecessary purchase at first, but trust us: it makes all the difference when you’re staying organized. It’s not just about looking cool, though—a label maker can help your future self find that cayenne pepper faster, as well as remind you what to do with your banana peels (hint: compost! don’t put them in the garbage).
Think about your lifestyle.
When you’re organizing your kitchen, it’s important to consider the ways that you and any other people who live with you use the space. Ask yourself what kind of lifestyle you want to cultivate in your home. Are you a family of four? Do you live alone? Do you have children? Are you a student or working part-time? Do you have any pets? How often do guests come over for dinner or drinks?
For example, if every night is family time at your house—because meals are an opportunity for parents and kids to connect—then maybe having a setup that allows everyone to help out in preparing food is a good idea. But if your schedule entails coming home late from work and then eating a quick meal by yourself before going to bed—or even eating in front of the TV while watching Netflix—then it might make sense to streamline the kitchen layout so meal prep can be as easy as possible.
Another example: If cooking has always been one of your favorite hobbies, but recently life has gotten busier because [insert reason], then investing in space-saving cookware might be better than buying every gizmo on the market right now. After all, it’s likely that those new gadgets will just gather dust on top of your fridge!
Consider your habits when it comes to food prep, cooking and storing leftovers.
- Do you regularly cook from scratch? If so, you’re probably going to need a good amount of counter space for meal prep as well as a wall for hanging cooking utensils.
- Do you use cookbooks or recipe cards? Plan a good spot for storing them where they wouldn’t interfere with everyday cooking.
- Do you tend to make leftovers frequently? Make sure the refrigerator is easy to access and well-stocked with airtight containers that fit your needs.
Don’t forget about vertical storage.
If you want to maximize your space in the kitchen, one of the easiest places to start is by using vertical storage. Find ways to keep things off the floor, off the counters and off the table. Use shelves for dishes. Hang cooking utensils on a wall. Add a rack for spices. Put ingredients in baskets or bins that can be hung out of sight. Things like knives and cutting boards can be stored vertically as well, which will free up drawer space and help you avoid stacking items on top of each other or having piles things everywhere.
Chefs will tell you that it’s important to have all your tools right at hand when working in a kitchen—so hanging hooks on an open wall is an easy way to ensure utensils are always close by while also keeping them clean and organized. Keep your drying rack or dish towels hung overhead, so they’re not cluttering up counter space when not in use. If you really want to go all out, consider installing a pegboard where you can hang gadgets of any shape and size from spatulas to pots and pans without compromising your work flow or taking up extra room with more shelves or drawers..
Use clear and open storage containers when possible.
- Open and clear containers are more visually appealing, making it easy for you to see what is in each container.
- You can easily find what you’re looking for rather than having to open up a bunch of containers.
- They are also easier to clean and less likely to get moldy.
Get everything off the countertop!
Get everything off the countertop!
It may seem obvious, but get all of your kitchen items off of your countertop. If you’re like most people, we bet your countertops are jam-packed with appliances and food products. The key to an organized kitchen is to find a place for those things in your cabinets and drawers. That way you won’t have to worry about cleaning and organizing when it’s time to cook or do dishes. Get everything off of your countertop by keeping items in their pantries or underneath the counters.
Proper organization can make life easier in many ways, including saving time and money!
Organizing your kitchen can have a surprising number of benefits. Like many others, you might be surprised by the amount of groceries you already had in your kitchen. After organizing, you will get a clear picture of what food and ingredients are stored and know exactly where to find them. This way, you will save time and energy when preparing meals and avoid overbuying when shopping for groceries.
On the other end of the spectrum, by knowing what you don’t have in your pantry anymore, you can plan ahead for shopping, thus saving money as well!
The first step is to empty the room and get rid of any excess or unnecessary items, then assess the space.
The first step is to empty the room and get rid of any excess or unnecessary items, then assess the space.
- Empty all of your cabinets and drawers, taking everything out of the kitchen, even if it’s messy.
- Make sure you dispose of anything that has past its expiration date (you can use these pantry organization tips to stay on top of it in the future).
- If there are dishes or utensils in your kitchen that you don’t need anymore, donate them! You can also sell some items and make some extra money (which you could use to buy more organizational tools!).
- Clean all your cabinets and drawers so they are ready for sorting and organizing! (This tutorial will teach you how to clean every part of your kitchen.) This is also a good opportunity to check each appliance by running through all its functions before putting it back into place.
- When space planning, take notes about what items currently fit in each cabinet/drawer, where they will go when re-installed, what new storage solutions you might need for certain items, etc. There are free online tools like this space planner from IKEA that allow you to drag-and-drop elements into a plan view which will help visualize everything much easier than trying with pen and paper alone!
Sort all remaining items into categories.
The last step of your kitchen organization is to sort all remaining items into categories. This might include food and spices, pots and pans, tableware, cleaning supplies, etc. You should also have a separate category for items that belong in other rooms but have wound up in your kitchen (work papers, clothes, toys… you get the idea). If you’re feeling ambitious, consider keeping a donation box to sort items into as you go through the sorting process.
Keep like items together.
- Keep like items together. This is a golden rule when it comes to organizing, because it’s easy to find things if you know where they belong. In your kitchen, this means that all spices should be stored in the same place and all pots and pans should be stored together.
- Group items by use. For example: cutlery, mixing bowls, food storage containers can all go in one drawer or cabinet (depending on how much counter space you have), whereas baking ingredients, baking equipment and baking dishes can go in another area of your kitchen (like a pantry).
Use a label maker!
A label maker may seem like an unnecessary purchase at first, but trust us: it makes all the difference when you’re staying organized. It’s not just about looking cool, though—a label maker can help your future self find that cayenne pepper faster, as well as remind you what to do with your banana peels (hint: compost! don’t put them in the garbage).
Think about your lifestyle.
When you’re organizing your kitchen, it’s important to consider the ways that you and any other people who live with you use the space. Ask yourself what kind of lifestyle you want to cultivate in your home. Are you a family of four? Do you live alone? Do you have children? Are you a student or working part-time? Do you have any pets? How often do guests come over for dinner or drinks?
For example, if every night is family time at your house—because meals are an opportunity for parents and kids to connect—then maybe having a setup that allows everyone to help out in preparing food is a good idea. But if your schedule entails coming home late from work and then eating a quick meal by yourself before going to bed—or even eating in front of the TV while watching Netflix—then it might make sense to streamline the kitchen layout so meal prep can be as easy as possible.
Another example: If cooking has always been one of your favorite hobbies, but recently life has gotten busier because [insert reason], then investing in space-saving cookware might be better than buying every gizmo on the market right now. After all, it’s likely that those new gadgets will just gather dust on top of your fridge!
Consider your habits when it comes to food prep, cooking and storing leftovers.
- Do you regularly cook from scratch? If so, you’re probably going to need a good amount of counter space for meal prep as well as a wall for hanging cooking utensils.
- Do you use cookbooks or recipe cards? Plan a good spot for storing them where they wouldn’t interfere with everyday cooking.
- Do you tend to make leftovers frequently? Make sure the refrigerator is easy to access and well-stocked with airtight containers that fit your needs.
Don’t forget about vertical storage.
If you want to maximize your space in the kitchen, one of the easiest places to start is by using vertical storage. Find ways to keep things off the floor, off the counters and off the table. Use shelves for dishes. Hang cooking utensils on a wall. Add a rack for spices. Put ingredients in baskets or bins that can be hung out of sight. Things like knives and cutting boards can be stored vertically as well, which will free up drawer space and help you avoid stacking items on top of each other or having piles things everywhere.
Chefs will tell you that it’s important to have all your tools right at hand when working in a kitchen—so hanging hooks on an open wall is an easy way to ensure utensils are always close by while also keeping them clean and organized. Keep your drying rack or dish towels hung overhead, so they’re not cluttering up counter space when not in use. If you really want to go all out, consider installing a pegboard where you can hang gadgets of any shape and size from spatulas to pots and pans without compromising your work flow or taking up extra room with more shelves or drawers..
Use clear and open storage containers when possible.
- Open and clear containers are more visually appealing, making it easy for you to see what is in each container.
- You can easily find what you’re looking for rather than having to open up a bunch of containers.
- They are also easier to clean and less likely to get moldy.
Get everything off the countertop!
Get everything off the countertop!
It may seem obvious, but get all of your kitchen items off of your countertop. If you’re like most people, we bet your countertops are jam-packed with appliances and food products. The key to an organized kitchen is to find a place for those things in your cabinets and drawers. That way you won’t have to worry about cleaning and organizing when it’s time to cook or do dishes. Get everything off of your countertop by keeping items in their pantries or underneath the counters.
Proper organization can make life easier in many ways, including saving time and money!
Organizing your kitchen can have a surprising number of benefits. Like many others, you might be surprised by the amount of groceries you already had in your kitchen. After organizing, you will get a clear picture of what food and ingredients are stored and know exactly where to find them. This way, you will save time and energy when preparing meals and avoid overbuying when shopping for groceries.
On the other end of the spectrum, by knowing what you don’t have in your pantry anymore, you can plan ahead for shopping, thus saving money as well!