9 Practical Tips For A More Organized Kitchen

I have a newly expanded kitchen, but before it was redone, I organized all the shelves in the pantry to hold smaller things in themed bins. Baking supplies, pre made mixes, pastas, chips, breakfast snacks. Makes it much easier to grab and go as they are all stacked vertically inside the bin.

I love the kitchen drawer divider idea, but my drawers are only 12″ wide. Well I’m gonna try putting them in longways from side to side, maybe I can get more in there.

I have tall cupboards in my kitchen and I am 5’3″. Lazy Susan’s are great for accessing things that are on the higher shelves. The very fronts of the shelves I can reach and with the lazy Susan’s everything I need can easily come to the front.

I try to keep everything grouped together in my pantry that goes together, such as cans of soup and crackers. This defiantl makes it easier for my kids.

My rather small pantry has shelves starting about 3 or 4 feet off the floor. I bought a wire grid type rolling unit that has two pull-out drawers and a top on it to use for things like boxes of plastic bags, paper bags, foil, dishtowels, and anything else that I can’t find an easy place to store. I think I got it at the Container Store when I found it on sale (it’s been a number of years ago).

My kitchen is a small galley style but I have wall space because of our high ceilings. My husband hung shelves for me with a short frontage so I can store everything in 1/2 gallon sized Mason jars. I love them because no bugs or weird smells get in, everything stays fresh so much longer, I can see exactly what I have and what I’m running out of, and it’s a constantly changing array of prettiness! I will always use this storage system no matter how big my next kitchen is!

Systems for organizing the leftovers really help to save time and money. I am a big fan of rolling over items into new meals and if my kitchen pantry is organized I am much more creative while cooking. That motivates me!

I have hoarding tendencies so when I can’t find the ziploc bags or plastic wrap within seconds after searching a dark lower cabinet, I just assume I am out and buy more! Now, I have metal baskets (modified to be removable) attached to the back of the pantry door. Instead of having 6 rolls of aluminum foil and buying more, I can see and reach for exactly what I need. I use the same baskets to store travel water bottles/mugs/pouch which always seem to fall over in my cabinets.

I had an extra dish drainer, with slots that looks like this – http://www.walmart.com/ip/16408612 I repurposed it to keep all of my pot lids. The rack fits perfectly in the cabinet beneath the kitchen counter and it’s very easy to pull out any lid. I think that was a very useful idea. I am happy that I could bring that rack to organize the pot lids.

I am LOVING these organization posts! I have been telling myself and my significant other for quite some time now that we should hang stuff up on the kitchen walls, bathroom walls etc. to use up all of that extra/unused space! But he just looks at me like ‘It’s nice that you are being creative, but I don’t feel like it’ HA! Well, Even though I currently cannot afford to buy some things to accomplish this, I do have some pretty good ideas.. I really like the image in this post of the kitchen tools hanging up on a wall, and it made me think about it… I’m not exactly a thorough duster, and i certainly do not dust on a daily basis… so if I don’t use some things often, but will use them in the future, perhaps I could get/make a medicine cabinet type of deal with clear front to see what i’ve got hung up inside. hmmmm. that could be modified in so many ways! That way they are up and out of the way, organized and protected from the dust or people sneeze germs! Awhile back I realised I wasn’t going to have the space for all of my kitchen utensils, so i cut the top off of a couple of hawaiian punch containers and put them all in there. That helped ease up clutter quite a bit, but now i had decided that I don’t like it that way anymore. SO seeing this post has caused my mind to roll again :D YAY! haha.

Some other things that I found most interesting were the spice rack idea and baking dish/cookie sheet dividers… I may just have to find a way to make something because my cabinets are a terrible terrible mess! BUT with the spice racks, i wonder if you could fit extra unopened bottles underneath the shelves?

I was wondering, appliances such as toasters… When not in use, do you put them away? I used to do this, but then my significant other kept on nagging about it. -_-. ugh. It’s not like we use it daily, why not free up some space? weeeeellll. I may just have to find some shelves or soemthing. I’d really like to have a pot/pan rack above my island to hang up pots and pans items, bit that is for another day i guess. It would help if my other half would let me eliminate extra bowls/plates/silverware etc. It drives me crazy how many extra things we have that is taking up so much space. Anyone have any tips on how i can convince him otherwise? :P

I like the idea of hanging things on inside of cabinet doors, but if an item is bulky, doesn’t that cut into the space inside the cabinet? The photo with the measuring cups looks like the cups would be pushing into the items placed so near the front of the cabinet. Just wondering:)

What wonderful ideas!

I added tiered pull out drawers to the inside of my cabinets. Just having a second shelf on top increased my spaci inside two fold, and being able to pull out the drawer enables me to reach items in the back without taking everything in front out.

I use a lazy susan for my spices. I put them in alphabetical order and then I can easily rotate it around to find the spice I am looking for.

I have reduced the amount of space that plastic grocery bags take up by flattening them and rolling them up, layering them over each other and securing with elastics.

I definitely need to get a shoe organizer for my pantry. That would free up space and make it much neater to get rid of the little things everywhere. My kitchen is kind of a mess right now, but I do like to keep my bulk items in storage containers. It is so much easier to get flour out of there than from the bag. Thanks for all the tips!

I reorganized and added more shelves to my pantry last spring, best thing I ever did!

Then I got 3 gallon food grade buckets from my local bakery (for free) to put all my loose baking goodies in. I put the muffin papers, chocolate chips, bags of nuts, decorating sugars and sprinkles, etc… all the stuff that doesn’t stack well by itself into the buckets, labeled the side of the bucket and I’m able to find what I need quickly now. I ended up using 4 buckets and some other small boxes for gravy mixes, rice or noodle packets, etc. It has really helped me stay organized in the pantry!

My next projects are the office and our unfinished basement in the next couple of weeks. So this article and the upcoming ones came at the perfect time!

I use white plastic storage bins and containers but this article provided lords of great ideas. Just realized how unorganized I am.

These are some great ideas! My favorite organization tip is I installed a small wire basket on the inside of the door, under the kitchen sink. It is big enough to hold the scrub pads, brush for thin/long containers that need cleaning, rubber gloves, etc. It is so nice to have everything in one spot and it not taking up precious drawer space. Plus, since it is a wire basket, the wet items will dry quickly!

The best part of this is – this email came in on the day i was setting up plans to revamp the kitchen organization LOL. To keep the kitchen flowing now; i run hot soapy water while I’m cooking so I can wash the utensils and such used to assemble the meal prior to eating; which saves cleanup time and leave counter space available for further cooking/assembly

Instead of purchasing a vertical bakeware organizer, I picked up a file folder organizer at the thrift store for just $1. It holds my cutting boards and baking sheets just as well!

Kitchen size is not an issue in my house but the drawer space is limited. One of our drawers is designated as the junk drawer- any suggestions for paring that down/ storage?

I hang my aprons on the side of my fridge using the 3M hooks (does anyone else even use aprons anymore?). I also had some small shelves built into the door of my pantry where I store the smaller bottles/cans of spices. That really opened up a lot of space! Lastly, I have a three tiered lazy susan next to my stove for spatulas, whisks, wooden spoons, etc. It is wonderful, freed up a whole lotta space, is so handy when I’m cooking, and looks nice on the counter! I have a feeling I will be borrowing some of your ideas, too! Thanks so much.

Command hooks and baskets!!!!! (And lots of ’em!!)

I use canning jars to store opened, partially used boxes of pasta, rice, corn meal, oatmeal, etc. It stays fresher and neater.

Like Britta mentioned earlier, I have an over the door shoe holder on the door of my pantry. It is perfect for snacks, especially for my elementary school kids who make their lunches every night. Once I buy a box of granola bars, cereal bars, raisins, etc., I take them out of the box and place in one of the pouches. My kids can easily find them and the box doesn’t get pushed back to the back of pantry.

My husband put a sheet of metal on the inside of a cupboard door. I then got small metal spice containers with a magnet on the bottom. Labeled the containers with my handy dandy label maker and put them on the metal. Love it, freed up a whole shelf.

Wow. I read this and had a eureka moment. I am single and had a mug tree which took up counter space. Why did I have so many coffee mugs? I immediately threw down my phone and called a.girlfriend to come get all my extra stuff. What she didn’t take will end up at my office. I also got reduced of my glass cups (see of 16) to just 6. I went through my pantry and dumped everything expired (ie. Hamburger Helper) and packed up 2 large paper bags full of canned goods! I a good hoarder. Still loads to go through, however this was a small win. Ha is for the motivation.

5. Use heavy bookends to store: plates vertically! Cookie sheets and bakeware! Cutting mats and boards. To vertically store flattened Frozen ziploc items in freezer :-) (note, I do line bottom of cabinetry with non-slip rubber mat things so plates don’t roll out because of the vertical storage!)

6. I tape boxes of plastic bags to the tops and sides of cabinets to free up space as well.

Here’s an idea–attach a piece of sheet metal to the underneath side of your upper cabinets with wood glue and then short screws for reinforcement. Use epoxy to glue round magnets to the top of your spice jars and store them hanging underneath the cabinets. I came up with this idea, but I’m still trying to convince my husband to help me implement it.

I like having a curtain rod – the spring-loaded kind – under my sink to hang spray bottles of cleaning solutions on so that they don’t take up valuable floor space under my sink.

A tip to reduce the amount of bottles in your spice rack is to buy only the amount you need for a specific recipe. In Southern California we have Sprouts which sells spices by the ounce. I hate to buy a bottle of something when trying a new recipe, knowing I might never use it again. So I take my teaspoon with me to the store and only buy the small amount I need. Then it’s easy to just dump that directly into the bowl come cooking/baking time. I also take my cup measure when I buy rice, etc. That way I’m never left with a minuscule amount that isn’t enough for a meal.
Another organizational tip for me is storing chocolate chips and baking additions like that in one of those plastic shoebox containers. I stack that one on another that holds birthday candles and Wilton-type baking supplies, like lollipop sticks and cellophane bags.

Like Britta, I have lumped all my ‘like’ items together in spaces near where I would use them. Coffee/Tea together near the coffee maker, baking items near my mixer etc . . .

We recently built a new house. (It was a downsize from the house we lived in before, but we do what we must to live on one teacher’s income so I can stay home with our daughter.) The kitchen has a great layout, but has much less counter and cabinet space than I was used to. I am in the kitchen a lot so in addition to getting rid of a lot of unnecessary stuff, I had the builders put a pocket door in place if the regular door of my laundry room (which opens off of the kitchen/dining area) to save space and my husband built custom shelves all in one side of the laundry room so it can double as a pantry!

I was just going through some cupboards and decided I wanted my oatmeal easily accessible, so I pulled all the packets out of their boxes and put them in a bin. Then I put the tea in a basket on the counter so it gets used and not forgotten. I got a storage bench for the dining table and store the larger items like my breadmaker that I use often enough to keep nearby but is too big for the counter or the pantry. I think that’s all I have organized. The rest is a headache. :-)

Love the idea on vertical cookie sheet storage.
Have any good ideas for the cupboards above the refrigerator. So hard to get to. Almost like wasted space.
Thanks!!

Labels! They’re so useful for making sure everything goes back in the correct place. :)

I up cycled an old dish rack into a storage place for pot & pan lids. I also added a dresser in a corner of my dining room as a Tupperware holder & extra counter space.

Thanks for all the great tips. Can you please tell me were you got your Copco salad spinner? Mine broke recently after using it for 20 years and I can’t find one anywhere.

Love your blog <3

I have a kitchen that is 8×10 and I think it is more than enough for everything I have. one wall is a pantry closet, one has the fridge and sink, another the stove and some counter space and the last is a counter/bar opening into the living room. i have only 2 walls for cabinets and shelves. maybe it’s just that i don’t keep anything that i don’t use often enough to justify it’s place here. i go by “one thing in – one thing out”. i have everything i need here including a place for my dehydrater and my vacuum sealer. the floor space in the pantry is for my emergency water storage and cat food. with all of that, it isn’t cramped or crowded at all. of course maybe i feel this way because my apartment is 484 square feet and i moved here from an efficiency apartment that was 330 square feet.

being a neat freak your ideas for the fridge are great. my favorite thing in my kitchen is a magnetic knife rack that also holds other metal utensils.

This article came at the PERFECT time! We just moved from a large home with acreage in the country to a small condo in the city and although my kitchen has some storage, the unit itself doesn’t. Everything feels discombobulated and unorganized and it’s been bugging me for weeks!! We DO love to entertain, which is why we’ve kept more dishes and glass wear than only two of us need, but I feel we can go further. Your ideas have given me that boost I’ve needed to tackle this project! God is awesome on His timing (as always) and you guys are amazing! Thank you!! :)

I keep chocolate chips, raisins, and other dried fruits on the counter in large decorative glass jars. It makes a decorative statement on my counter, while at the same time creating more space in my cupboards and keeping things easily within reach that I use often in baking.

I agree with your comment about putting like items with like in larger containers. I put all of my baking related or smaller tools ((measuring spoons, graters, egg cutters, apple cutters, etc) together in a box in my lazy susan so that they stay contained and all in one place.

I use a tiered spice rack as well, but I’ve taken it a step further. Even tho the ones behind are up higher, I still can’t see what most of them are, so I took labels and cut them to size, then write the name of the spice on it and stick it across the cap. That way I can see at a glance what the spices are in the back without pulling out all the ones in the front.

If you don’t have much counter space for your good cooking knifes in a block, the best thing is to get a magnet bar to attach to the wall for hanging them on. Also works well if you have metal spatulas and spoons that you use a lot. Just remember to place the magnet away from any phones/chargers/etc. and out of reach from little hands!
Another handy thing is if you want more seating space at your kitchen table is to build/buy a bench seat. Also if it has space inside it or underneath it’s an awesome place to put the big cooking pots

I am always looking for easier and better ways to keep my kitchen clean and clutter free. Love these suggestions! I have a closet under my steps and it was mostly wasted space. I added shelves of various heights, to take advantage of the space under the stairs and have created a pantry.

I keep like things together. Everything is labeled. I also use a lazy susans. I store everything in labeled clear containers so everything is at easy to see.

I bought a dbl. swivel rack for refrigerator for all those small things and use it on top shelve. Made my second shelf wider for milk, nd taller bottles colder there. It is much neater.

I use baskets in the pantry to corral specifics items: the kids lunch stuff are in one, their snacks in a separate one and we have one for breakfast items too.

I got some strong magnets at Hobby Lobby to hang kitchen knives. I use two together for each knife and hang them from the inside of the range hood. It was much easier for me than trying to install a magnetic knife bar.

Great ideas! Having a organized kitchen/home makes your life so much easier,

Great article, I put things in the bottom drawer that I don’t use on a weekly basis

Keep like items together. Cereals in one place, cooking things in another, spices in another, etc.

I need to apply the let iylt go strategy to my kitchen! Over the years I’ve fallen into the “but what if I need it” trap! Thanks for the gentle reminder that letting go of stuff will make everyone happier!

I have 2 medium-sized ceramic crocks I keep on my counter. 1 is for large metal cooking utensils such as spoons, spatulas, whisks; the other is for plastic and wooden utensils and spoons. This reduces drawer clutter. I also have a tiny crock which holds 3 sets of measuring spoons.
These are some great ideas! I especially like the vertical bakeware organizer, Britta.

I’ve had vertical storage for baking pans in previous homes, but not in my current apartment. I discovered that I could use some of the “tall” space under my kitchen sink for cookie sheets and pizza pans. The sink pipes serve as the “holder” to keep them from falling over, so I didn’t even need to use a rack/holder for them.

My 11X7 foot kitchen has one 11-foot wall with cupboards, my stove, and a window above the sink. The opposite wall has a doorway, a “Hoosier” hutch and my frig. That doesn’t leave a ton of space! One of the 7-foot walls also has a doorway leading to the backyard. Each 7-foot wall has a 30-inch pegboard. I use it for everything from measuring-cups to cutting boards to aprons. It’s a HUGE asset! And having a pegboard at either end of the kitchen lets me divide and conquer what I use, andwhere I use it.

My kitchen is a good size but has no pantry. I turned the coat closet next to the kitchen into my pantry by adding some stackable plastic shelves I already had. I have reused some plastic and glass containers I already had to store rice, beans, flours, and brown sugar. I just tape the cooking instructions for the rice and beans to the containers so I don’t have to look every time. I keep all my baking spices, soda, powder and extracts together in a basket for easy access. My savory spice cabinet, which is very narrow next to my stove, has 4 shelves. I keep my frequently used ones on the bottom shelf, less used on second shelf and my vinegars and sauces on the third shelf. The first two shelves are alphabetized, not because of OCDness, but so I don’t have to pull out all my spices when looking for a specific one. ;). I also have a beverage cabinet which houses my coffee and tea stuff as well as my ice tea maker and pitchers, and my coffee maker. This is because these are 2 things we use frequently but not often enough to hog precious counter space.

I love organizational gadgets for any room!!

I use a clear over the door shoe holder to hold all of my cleaners. This keeps them handy to grab but out of children’s reach.

One year ago today, we moved/downsized. I have tripled the storage in my kitchen and still need more room. I have the adjustable spice racks from Meijers. Works great in the linen/cleaning closet so I can see the different products. I use a cardboard box to organize my plastic lids by shape and size. Extra crockpots, large roaster and dehydrator go downstairs on the shelves since with only use them occasionally.

I utilize the “Notes” application on my phone to keep track of my kitchen – pantry, freezer, refrigerator, etc. When I use up an item, I enter it on my “To Purchase” list and then delete it when I restock. This also allows me to shop the specials and/or buy in bulk when the price is right.

The other tip I find is essential is to keep my spices in alphabetical order. I buy in smaller quantities so they won’t go out of date but it saves me from searching for what I need at any given moment.

I keep a container in my refrigerator with everything to prepare sandwiches….lunchmeat, cheese, mayo, mustard, pickles, everything I would typically use. That way I can take it out and put it back all at once. Makes preparation much quicker. If I’m putting lettuce and tomato on the sandwich I first open the vegetable drawer and grab those, throw them in the sandwich container with everything else and take everything with me to the counter at once.

I have tall glass vases that I got at the Dollar Tree, I use them to hold my wooden spoons next to the stove. I also have one next to the sink for my long-handled dish scrubber.

I have found getting rid of the stuff I don’t regularly use is the best way to feel less cluttered

The best investment I’ve made is a pot hanger. It frees up so much room in my cabinets and it’s so much easier to organize! It was also motivation to invest in some “nice” or “pretty” pots!

When cleaning up the kitchen after dinner,
I set up our morning coffee cups with sugar and creamer, and put measured ground coffee and water in the coffee maker. In the morning, all I have to do is turn on the coffee maker to enjoy my coffee! I make sure the coffee pot has been washed out (not just rinsed) to keep the coffee tasting delicious.

It seems like a ‘no-brainer,’ but when I suggested putting tableware in the silverware basket by like items, one friend was amazed when she tried this because unloading the silverware basket was her most despised task!

I like to store all of my baking gadgets together in the large mixing bowl, that way I can pull it out and have everything I need.

I’m fortunate to have a deep open cabinet (arched top), so I put a deep basket there to hold potatoes, onions, etc out of sight. Looks like the cabinet was just built for the basket – decorative! There is still some space in the back to “hide” some bulky, seldom used items.

Lazy Susans in the cupboards! I have one for all my teas and another for sprinkles and other cake decorating items. They work great for spices too.

I need to be more organized but I try to buy only what I need and label my containers. I only keep the appliances I use on the counter.

I put a jar on the counter next to the stove to hold all my spatulas and spoons. Frees up space in the drawers for other small things.

I keep all my savory spices on one shelf and the ones for baking on a different shelf. So much faster to find what I need. I also use more glass jars with plastic lids to store things so that we can see what is inside.

I reorganized my cupboards and draws to keep everything close to where I use it. (seldom used items are in the back of bottom cupboards)
I keep all my baking items together, my coffee/tea/cocoa together, etc. Also went through and eliminated duplicates of gadgets, and out of date foodstuffs.

I also like to create zones in my kitchen. Spices, oils, and hot pads are closest to the stove. I have a baking cabinet next to my prep area. And dishes, glasses, and silverware are next to the dishwasher.

i rotate on different areas to focus on. This way it’s a small project, rather than one large one.

I bought these red tubs to put in my pantry. I label them and set them on the floor or a shelf of the pantry. No more searching for bags of open beans, lentils, split peas in one tub. Chips and crackers in another. Then I put wax paper rolls of aluminum foil etc in another. Macaroni, noodles etc in another. These hold a lot a free up space. So much easier to find things.

How do I post a photo?

I use a metal magazine holder to hold my boxes of wraps (foil, wax paper, etc.). This idea is not mine originally but I did go a step further and chose a METAL magazine holder so it can hold a recipe for me when I’m cooking!

Thank you Jill these are all great ideas.I have a small kitchen to and ver little cabinet space!

I remodeled my kitchen last fall. The best thing I did was cull all the extras and nonessential items as it made putting things back in easier. I did a little organizing as I went but became overwhelmed as everything in the kitchen had a new space/shelf/cupboard. I can’t wait to try some of these ideas and pare down my belongings just a bit more.

I used a drawer divider to create a “spice drawer” next to the stove. It’s easy to find exactly what spice I need and it’s close to where I actually need them.

I love lazy susans to help keep any area organized, especially inside kitchen cabinets. I have found uses and spaces for every available size of those things! I have many more spices than the spice steps display so I use lazy susans in the spice cabinet to sort regular/most used spices on one, specialty spices on another and baking spices/ingredients on a third. I like to have my spices always at-the-ready so when I buy a full bottle to prepare for the one that is getting low, I place it behind the almost empty one so that I never run out in mid recipe. I use the center of the tray for taller items like salt and pepper mills or Worcestershire sauce. I use double decker lazy susans in the back of the pantry. They can hold 2 layers of regular sized canned food. I use a single tray l.s. in the back for tall bottles, including one for bottles of different types of cooking oils/sprays or to store any larger replacement-in-waiting items like ketchup, mayo, soy sauce,etc.. So, with two trays at the back corners, I put a third in the middle of the front of the cabinet so that all 3 lazy susans are reachable. Then any additional cans are lined/stacked along both sides of the inside cabinet walls….multiple items stored, multiple items equally accessible.
A very large lazy susan is in the bottom pantry cabinet with all my pots and pans stacked on it for easy access. There is one on each shelf back in the recesses of those pesky overlapping cabinets. Place a lazy susan back there and all that space is easily used again. Use them in the cabinets or on the shelves in the laundry room. Also use them in cabinets under the bathroom and kitchen sinks.
They stay put well and with the twirl of the tray, multiple items are easily available….no digging through stacks, rearranging everything to get to one item and no pulling out plastic trays or boxes. They even save space when moving because they are flat and can fit into very little box space compared to the irregularly sized spice steps or the plastic boxes.
I think I’ll go buy some stocks in Rubber Maid!
Thank you, Jillee, for all the wonderful information you freely share with us on your enjoyable site! I need all the help I can get(lol!) and yours is a primary go-to site for me! Blessings on you and yours always!!

I just love the OXO storage containers! I have so many of them put to use in my pantry.
I have found the best prices on them at Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Homegoods.

I have limited wall space in my kitchen but I put a pot rack against it which also holds my colander as well as pots and pans but backed it with clear lucite so it wouldn’t damage the wall. Under this is a good size corkboard which holds my calendar and other current events eg invitations, receipts, etc.

When we moved to our house, the pantry had very tall shelves. So I had my husband cut a few more shelves and now it can store a lot more! There is one really short shelf that holds all our canned vegetables. It’s great!

Perfect timing for this topic. Tomorrow the contractors come to start on a 2 month kitchen remodel – down to the studs and all new everything! All this information will be very useful when I put my new kitchen together!

A handy way I’ve found to store pot lids is to turn it upside down and nest it in the pot. That way I always have the lid I need when I pull the pot out and it is easier to stack them, keeping the cupboard tidy.

I organized my walk in pantry this summer since even though it’s large, things started piling up which made it hard to walk in! :(
My favorite things about this more organized space are: labels for food zones, such as “breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, baking, etc”, a basket to corral water bottles and a plastic drawer to hold the lids so they can dry completely and open space so I can finally walk in. Thankfully, the labels have made it much easier for my boys(11,15,45) to help keep the pantry organized which helps keep mama happy!

Getting rid of extras or unused items…..and using bins and tubs to contain and group together loose items on shelves!

I stay organized by keeping only what I use and not buying the latest and greatest gadget. It allows me to have more room for what I really use.

I am trying to get into the habit of removing food from its packaging and putting it into different containers. I also try to chop up fruits and veggies and store them right away.

One thing I do to organize: in my upright freezer all new meats go on the bottom as they are bought, older meats are rotated up to the top shelf. That way you don’t find a roast that’s been frostburned for two years. Frozen butter, cheese, cream, etc goes in the door shelves, and vegetables go in the bottom drawer. I plan my meals weekly, so on Sunday I move what I need out of the upright and into my super-tiny refrigerator freezer upstairs, which helps so I can actually use it without it overflowing. Plus, it makes it really easy to see what I need to buy.

One of the most “duh” moments for me when I first got my own place was that the cabinet shelves were moveable! No reason to have wasted space above cans plus not be able to fit a box of cereal. Evaluate your shelf placement. =)

I also have a small kitchen with very little workable area and storage is a minimum, so I have been creative also. I found a metal 3 shelf standing unit meant to be used in a bathroom that I bought and have standing on that small counter next to the stove. It is 21 inches tall by 8 inches wide by 10 inches length and I use the bottom shelf for my oils and sprays, the middle shelf for some measuring items and the top for onions. I keep potatoes elsewhere as I know they do not keep as long if stored next to onions. It has freed up some cabinet space and looks much nicer than having bottles sitting not corralled. While reading this post today, I am going to purchase some small S hooks and hang my measuring spoons and possibly put some bright clothespins that I use to close snack bags on the arms of the unit. It is much easier to lift one item to clean under than 20….love your ideas!

I also recycle spaghetti, condiment jars. In one small salsa jar, I poured my baking soda inside and put a label on it from my P-Touch. I always hated the opened box of baking soda in my cabinet. Now it stays fresh with a tight lid. In my spaghetti jars, I put steel cut oats, rice, and other snacks…

I have counterspace, but found it getting cluttered with small appliances (toaster, sandwich maker, crock post, etc.). I realized that by rearranging my cabinets below the counter I could fit those in and still have them be accessible. I looked at the flow of our kitchen and how we use it. Once I figured that out, I moved some things around and was able to get those appliances in place. It didn’t take very long and the extra space is SO worth it!

I like to go through my pantry and clean out expired food and boxes. This frees up space, and I know that the food I grab is healthy for my family!

We have a nice size kitchen, I’ve always thought, but not HUGE by any means. And we have zero storage space in the rest of our house. So there is no extra spot anywhere else to stash something that only gets used once every three years. I’ve been trying for the last year to slowly organize things better in the kitchen. This post certainly helped!

The one good thing I feel I have implemented is our spice storage situation. We had a tiny spice cabinet beside the stove that was a living NIGHTMARE. Cooking every meal turned into some odd reality tv show where you had to cook with bottles flying at your head while having to substitute the spices you could find for the one you absolutely couldn’t!!! Years of frustration were pent up in that spice cabinet. I had to fix this somehow. We have a large, wide drawer under our oven that was always where we kept all of our spatulas and large spoons and meat forks, all haphazardly strewn about. I moved things around a bit, reassigning utensils to other drawers, and was able to clear the drawer. I then purged the spice cabinet of all out of date and unwanted spices. I bought a box of small canning drawers that were just the height of my drawer, filled them with the spices and labeled the lids with what the spice was. So now when I open the drawer I am looking down on all my spices, super easy to find, and thanks to the glass jar I know at a glance what I’m running low on!

Now the issue I need help with is Tupperware storage. This is a major issue that I can’t see a resolution too. Please help!!!

In my pantry everything is sorted out of shelves

Top shelf for all my baking, next are canned items(in rows), boxes items next (spaghetti’s, Mac n cheese, etc), snacks/crackers, and finally cereals on the bottom. What I wish I could organize better is my fridge and freezer space!!

I use lots of bins to carrel items that belong together. My husband built a metal hook rack suspended from ceiling to hang my pots and I use a plastic magazine rack to hold plastic wraps, foils and wax paper.

I also have a small kitchen. I only have appliances that can serve me in many ways. I have free standing furniture that I use for my pantry and that free’s up my small kitchen pantry for storage. I also use glass containers for storage in my pantry

I use the shoe bag on the back of my pantry door. I put all of my diet foods there. Much easier than having to open individual boxes to grab something to eat. We also use this in our main closet and put the kids hats and gloves in it for winter.

Great ideas. I use drawer organizers in all of my drawers. It helps keep things in their place.

We just did spring cleaning on our small kitchen. I took the spices out of the bottles they came in and put them into matching glass ones I got at the Container store. They are label and not only look nice they are all uniform and fit nicely in small pull down holder.

I’m in the midst of moving to a bigger place which gives me the opportunity to get rid of the excess items in my kitchen. If I’ve only used an item once or never used it at all it goes into the donation pile where family and friends can take whatever they want.

I recently put up two rails in my kitchen for hanging pots and I love it!

I definitely go through and get rid of things when I’m feeling the clutter. I also try to keep as much as I can in the pantry or in cabinets so my countertops stay clean. I keep sugar in a bin but need to get a few for the different flours I have!

I put a file organizer in narrow cabinet to store cutting boards and cookie sheets. Fits perfectly and makes it easy to find and put away

I’m currently planning a long overdue remodel of my 1950’s kitchen. Constantly looking for good storage ideas! One thing I do is try not to keep a lot of extra food around taking up precious space.

These are all great ideas and I use many of them. The best cabinet space saver and most user friendly thing we have done, is use a hanging pot rack. If you can find a little space to hang one, it will make your life much easier, especially if you are tall.

I bough cute baskets at a dollar store to keep miscellaneous items in, like snacks and instant oatmeal. Taking things out of the box has helped me save a lot of room. We don’t have a traditional pantry in our home, so I am always trying to come up with new ideas. Thanks!

Labels across the 3 shelves for my bowls and glassware have kept them in place and organized for me for years. A basket for the lids of plastic storage containers keeps them under control and organized too.

I store my casserole dishes with the lids still on but upside down so they stack on top of each other.

I bought 2 little wire baskets that attaches to the wire shelves in pantry. I put all my packages of gravy mixes and taco seasons in there.

My tip is to read One Good Thing by Jillee! :-) I have gotten so many good ideas, thanks!

I use the shoe holder trick for all our hats and mittens, bit never thought of using one for snacks in the pantry. Brilliant!

I use lots of clear storage bins to keep small things organized in kitchen drawers. I have some small shallow ones for storing all of my little kid forks and spoons. I also keep my flour in the freezer in a ziploc bag – keeps it fresher longer and frees up cabinet space!

Teeny tiny kitchens, what a challenge! I have very limited cabinet space. I put a shower curtain tension rod over my sink and bought “S” shower curtain hooks and used this as a pot rack. It doesn’t look like a shower curtain rod once my pots are hanging from them. Inexpensive and looks good.

i use a dish drying rack to hold my pan lids. I am totally going to use some of the ideas listed above because I need a better flow in my kitchen. Thanks for the inspiration!

I use the clear plastic containers to store small items together and gives easy access to them. My husband added pull out shelves to the lower cabinets so items are easily accessible.

I love vertical storage for cookie sheets and cooking pans, drawer dividers, and large containers for my different types of flour.

I have a peg board where I keep my measuring cups and spoons.

I saved small sturdy cardboard boxes to make my own drawer organizer for my cooking utensils.

I love all these ideas. I just recently put one of those short tension rods inside my spice cabinet. It sits above the tall bottles, and I use it for all those little spices that usually get lost behind the others. I also put plastic bins inside the freezer to hold like items and keep all the food from tumbling out every time I try to remove something from the freezer.

I put all my spices in tupperware modular mates (size rectangle 2) they hold the taller spice containers as well as all the other various containers from small tins to baggies; and I can stack them in my cupboard.

We installed a towel bar below the counter to hold our kitchen towels. That helps keep them off the counter and frees up a drawer.

Our kitchen dry erase board helps us to remember what we need and upcoming appointments.

I don’t have any suggestions but just wanted to say how much time you put into sharing this post with us and plan on using about all of your suggestions.

I use storage containers from rubbermaid or stearlight (sp?) – a pasta basket, a baking basket, a spice basket, a plastic lids & containers basket, and so on to make different kitchen area in my cabinets. I live in a apartment and it helps to have each type of cooking in a basket so I can just grab it and go!

I too have a super small kitchen. Having two gluten free, I have many cookbooks. I store my them in the small over the stove hood cabinets. Out of the way yet still accessible. I also turned a closet area right off the kitchen into a pantry and now store no food except coffee, tea and spices in the kitchen.

We also have a smallish kitchen and therefor we have to use every square inch effectively. I took a page from Alton Brown’s Good Eats episodes and switched a bunch of my spice bottles out for aluminum twist-top containers (in 4 and 8oz. sizes), then used industrial Velcro to adhere them to my cabinet doors. I labeled the tops of the containers two I knew what was in each one, and now, when I need a particular spice, I just take it down, measure out what I need, and stick it back up on the door. It cleared out an ENTIRE shelf of bottles, bags (I buy in bulk) and containers, and now I have more room for my Costco sized containers, without having to take everything out to get to them.
Also, I used a bakeware rack to store all of my pot and pan lids, use an old crock to hold all of my wooden spoons and long-handled utensils, and I keep my sugars, flours and bulk spices I use a lot of in 1/2 and 1 gal. mason jars on my counter (with chalkboard labels to identify the contents). Also, NO PILES. Not a single thing gets set on my counters during the day (because piles immediately result when we do!) All mail, things to be returned, dishes, produce from the garden, EVERYTHING goes where it belongs when we walk in the door. That way, we are ‘company ready’ at all times!

I like to use items I have in unique ways. I have little counter and cupboard space and live in a rental. So I re-did an old dresser and use that for storage and counter. There was a small space between my stove and the wall. I found a night stand that fit perfectly and I keep my coffees and teas and some other daily used items there. Sometimes it’s looking at ordinary things in new ways.

I bought 3 of the small 3 drawer Rubbermaid drawer sets for my spices and knives. I live in a mobile home and there isn’t enough drawers and cabinets in the right places. I am able to put 2 of those 3 drawer sets on a plastic or wire shelf and put my bread plastic keepers underneath. that way spices, knives, spreaders and bread all all right there close to the condiment lazy susan to make what ever.

I live in a tiny 170 sq. ft. studio while atrending graduate school. The kitchenette has no cupboard space, so I purchased a dresser from Ikea to organize all of my limited, but necessary cookware. I use clear plastic shoe box size storage bins to keep smaller items, such as utensils and spices, organized and easily accessible.

I have the very old, very outdated metal kitchen cabinets in my kitchen and so have a tremendous amount of space between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling. This space is my “pantry” and I arrange my boxed mixes and canned good in a pleasing pattern. I can see at a glance what I have and what I need to put on the grocery list. Another thing I do for my very small kitchen is utilize the “coffee station” idea but my station is on the top of my microwave. I have my little espresso maker and a small regular coffee maker there along with a sealed jar of dry milk poweder and a small container of ground coffee.

I am in the middle of a kitchen redo. Like Britta, I have little room in the kitchen for anything. One thing I have read was put a lazy susan in the cabinet for bottles of cooking things. I am planning on doing that first. I also bought a few plastic air tight boxes for storing less used items in the basement. All my holiday sprinkles, wrappers etc are going into special boxes that are labeled with the holiday and then stored in my basement on a bookcase. I am doing the same for my everyday items to free up the drawers for other things.
next I am going through all my appliances. I am a fanatic for little gadgets but they take up so much space. So I am installing a bookcase or rack in my hall closet and will use that for my small appliances and get them out of the kitchen and off the shelves.
I am already using plastic containers for my baking items. I have an awkward cabinet above the stove which houses my plug for the microwave. This is good for these bins and keeps them out of sight and out of mind.
Since I have plenty of storage space under some dining room furniture, the dry bar and the China closet, I will use that space and some shelves in the basement to store items I think I will use. Everything else is being donated.
Those are just a few things I do to save space in my kitchen.

I have a newly expanded kitchen, but before it was redone, I organized all the shelves in the pantry to hold smaller things in themed bins. Baking supplies, pre made mixes, pastas, chips, breakfast snacks. Makes it much easier to grab and go as they are all stacked vertically inside the bin.

I love the kitchen drawer divider idea, but my drawers are only 12″ wide. Well I’m gonna try putting them in longways from side to side, maybe I can get more in there.

I have tall cupboards in my kitchen and I am 5’3″. Lazy Susan’s are great for accessing things that are on the higher shelves. The very fronts of the shelves I can reach and with the lazy Susan’s everything I need can easily come to the front.

I try to keep everything grouped together in my pantry that goes together, such as cans of soup and crackers. This defiantl makes it easier for my kids.

My rather small pantry has shelves starting about 3 or 4 feet off the floor. I bought a wire grid type rolling unit that has two pull-out drawers and a top on it to use for things like boxes of plastic bags, paper bags, foil, dishtowels, and anything else that I can’t find an easy place to store. I think I got it at the Container Store when I found it on sale (it’s been a number of years ago).

My kitchen is a small galley style but I have wall space because of our high ceilings. My husband hung shelves for me with a short frontage so I can store everything in 1/2 gallon sized Mason jars. I love them because no bugs or weird smells get in, everything stays fresh so much longer, I can see exactly what I have and what I’m running out of, and it’s a constantly changing array of prettiness! I will always use this storage system no matter how big my next kitchen is!

Systems for organizing the leftovers really help to save time and money. I am a big fan of rolling over items into new meals and if my kitchen pantry is organized I am much more creative while cooking. That motivates me!

I have hoarding tendencies so when I can’t find the ziploc bags or plastic wrap within seconds after searching a dark lower cabinet, I just assume I am out and buy more! Now, I have metal baskets (modified to be removable) attached to the back of the pantry door. Instead of having 6 rolls of aluminum foil and buying more, I can see and reach for exactly what I need. I use the same baskets to store travel water bottles/mugs/pouch which always seem to fall over in my cabinets.

I had an extra dish drainer, with slots that looks like this – http://www.walmart.com/ip/16408612 I repurposed it to keep all of my pot lids. The rack fits perfectly in the cabinet beneath the kitchen counter and it’s very easy to pull out any lid. I think that was a very useful idea. I am happy that I could bring that rack to organize the pot lids.

I am LOVING these organization posts! I have been telling myself and my significant other for quite some time now that we should hang stuff up on the kitchen walls, bathroom walls etc. to use up all of that extra/unused space! But he just looks at me like ‘It’s nice that you are being creative, but I don’t feel like it’ HA! Well, Even though I currently cannot afford to buy some things to accomplish this, I do have some pretty good ideas.. I really like the image in this post of the kitchen tools hanging up on a wall, and it made me think about it… I’m not exactly a thorough duster, and i certainly do not dust on a daily basis… so if I don’t use some things often, but will use them in the future, perhaps I could get/make a medicine cabinet type of deal with clear front to see what i’ve got hung up inside. hmmmm. that could be modified in so many ways! That way they are up and out of the way, organized and protected from the dust or people sneeze germs! Awhile back I realised I wasn’t going to have the space for all of my kitchen utensils, so i cut the top off of a couple of hawaiian punch containers and put them all in there. That helped ease up clutter quite a bit, but now i had decided that I don’t like it that way anymore. SO seeing this post has caused my mind to roll again :D YAY! haha.

Some other things that I found most interesting were the spice rack idea and baking dish/cookie sheet dividers… I may just have to find a way to make something because my cabinets are a terrible terrible mess! BUT with the spice racks, i wonder if you could fit extra unopened bottles underneath the shelves?

I was wondering, appliances such as toasters… When not in use, do you put them away? I used to do this, but then my significant other kept on nagging about it. -_-. ugh. It’s not like we use it daily, why not free up some space? weeeeellll. I may just have to find some shelves or soemthing. I’d really like to have a pot/pan rack above my island to hang up pots and pans items, bit that is for another day i guess. It would help if my other half would let me eliminate extra bowls/plates/silverware etc. It drives me crazy how many extra things we have that is taking up so much space. Anyone have any tips on how i can convince him otherwise? :P

I like the idea of hanging things on inside of cabinet doors, but if an item is bulky, doesn’t that cut into the space inside the cabinet? The photo with the measuring cups looks like the cups would be pushing into the items placed so near the front of the cabinet. Just wondering:)

What wonderful ideas!

I added tiered pull out drawers to the inside of my cabinets. Just having a second shelf on top increased my spaci inside two fold, and being able to pull out the drawer enables me to reach items in the back without taking everything in front out.

I use a lazy susan for my spices. I put them in alphabetical order and then I can easily rotate it around to find the spice I am looking for.

I have reduced the amount of space that plastic grocery bags take up by flattening them and rolling them up, layering them over each other and securing with elastics.

I definitely need to get a shoe organizer for my pantry. That would free up space and make it much neater to get rid of the little things everywhere. My kitchen is kind of a mess right now, but I do like to keep my bulk items in storage containers. It is so much easier to get flour out of there than from the bag. Thanks for all the tips!

I reorganized and added more shelves to my pantry last spring, best thing I ever did!

Then I got 3 gallon food grade buckets from my local bakery (for free) to put all my loose baking goodies in. I put the muffin papers, chocolate chips, bags of nuts, decorating sugars and sprinkles, etc… all the stuff that doesn’t stack well by itself into the buckets, labeled the side of the bucket and I’m able to find what I need quickly now. I ended up using 4 buckets and some other small boxes for gravy mixes, rice or noodle packets, etc. It has really helped me stay organized in the pantry!

My next projects are the office and our unfinished basement in the next couple of weeks. So this article and the upcoming ones came at the perfect time!

I use white plastic storage bins and containers but this article provided lords of great ideas. Just realized how unorganized I am.

These are some great ideas! My favorite organization tip is I installed a small wire basket on the inside of the door, under the kitchen sink. It is big enough to hold the scrub pads, brush for thin/long containers that need cleaning, rubber gloves, etc. It is so nice to have everything in one spot and it not taking up precious drawer space. Plus, since it is a wire basket, the wet items will dry quickly!

The best part of this is – this email came in on the day i was setting up plans to revamp the kitchen organization LOL. To keep the kitchen flowing now; i run hot soapy water while I’m cooking so I can wash the utensils and such used to assemble the meal prior to eating; which saves cleanup time and leave counter space available for further cooking/assembly

Instead of purchasing a vertical bakeware organizer, I picked up a file folder organizer at the thrift store for just $1. It holds my cutting boards and baking sheets just as well!

Kitchen size is not an issue in my house but the drawer space is limited. One of our drawers is designated as the junk drawer- any suggestions for paring that down/ storage?

I hang my aprons on the side of my fridge using the 3M hooks (does anyone else even use aprons anymore?). I also had some small shelves built into the door of my pantry where I store the smaller bottles/cans of spices. That really opened up a lot of space! Lastly, I have a three tiered lazy susan next to my stove for spatulas, whisks, wooden spoons, etc. It is wonderful, freed up a whole lotta space, is so handy when I’m cooking, and looks nice on the counter! I have a feeling I will be borrowing some of your ideas, too! Thanks so much.

Command hooks and baskets!!!!! (And lots of ’em!!)

I use canning jars to store opened, partially used boxes of pasta, rice, corn meal, oatmeal, etc. It stays fresher and neater.

Like Britta mentioned earlier, I have an over the door shoe holder on the door of my pantry. It is perfect for snacks, especially for my elementary school kids who make their lunches every night. Once I buy a box of granola bars, cereal bars, raisins, etc., I take them out of the box and place in one of the pouches. My kids can easily find them and the box doesn’t get pushed back to the back of pantry.

My husband put a sheet of metal on the inside of a cupboard door. I then got small metal spice containers with a magnet on the bottom. Labeled the containers with my handy dandy label maker and put them on the metal. Love it, freed up a whole shelf.

Wow. I read this and had a eureka moment. I am single and had a mug tree which took up counter space. Why did I have so many coffee mugs? I immediately threw down my phone and called a.girlfriend to come get all my extra stuff. What she didn’t take will end up at my office. I also got reduced of my glass cups (see of 16) to just 6. I went through my pantry and dumped everything expired (ie. Hamburger Helper) and packed up 2 large paper bags full of canned goods! I a good hoarder. Still loads to go through, however this was a small win. Ha is for the motivation.

5. Use heavy bookends to store: plates vertically! Cookie sheets and bakeware! Cutting mats and boards. To vertically store flattened Frozen ziploc items in freezer :-) (note, I do line bottom of cabinetry with non-slip rubber mat things so plates don’t roll out because of the vertical storage!)

6. I tape boxes of plastic bags to the tops and sides of cabinets to free up space as well.

Here’s an idea–attach a piece of sheet metal to the underneath side of your upper cabinets with wood glue and then short screws for reinforcement. Use epoxy to glue round magnets to the top of your spice jars and store them hanging underneath the cabinets. I came up with this idea, but I’m still trying to convince my husband to help me implement it.

I like having a curtain rod – the spring-loaded kind – under my sink to hang spray bottles of cleaning solutions on so that they don’t take up valuable floor space under my sink.

A tip to reduce the amount of bottles in your spice rack is to buy only the amount you need for a specific recipe. In Southern California we have Sprouts which sells spices by the ounce. I hate to buy a bottle of something when trying a new recipe, knowing I might never use it again. So I take my teaspoon with me to the store and only buy the small amount I need. Then it’s easy to just dump that directly into the bowl come cooking/baking time. I also take my cup measure when I buy rice, etc. That way I’m never left with a minuscule amount that isn’t enough for a meal.
Another organizational tip for me is storing chocolate chips and baking additions like that in one of those plastic shoebox containers. I stack that one on another that holds birthday candles and Wilton-type baking supplies, like lollipop sticks and cellophane bags.

Like Britta, I have lumped all my ‘like’ items together in spaces near where I would use them. Coffee/Tea together near the coffee maker, baking items near my mixer etc . . .

We recently built a new house. (It was a downsize from the house we lived in before, but we do what we must to live on one teacher’s income so I can stay home with our daughter.) The kitchen has a great layout, but has much less counter and cabinet space than I was used to. I am in the kitchen a lot so in addition to getting rid of a lot of unnecessary stuff, I had the builders put a pocket door in place if the regular door of my laundry room (which opens off of the kitchen/dining area) to save space and my husband built custom shelves all in one side of the laundry room so it can double as a pantry!

I was just going through some cupboards and decided I wanted my oatmeal easily accessible, so I pulled all the packets out of their boxes and put them in a bin. Then I put the tea in a basket on the counter so it gets used and not forgotten. I got a storage bench for the dining table and store the larger items like my breadmaker that I use often enough to keep nearby but is too big for the counter or the pantry. I think that’s all I have organized. The rest is a headache. :-)

Love the idea on vertical cookie sheet storage.
Have any good ideas for the cupboards above the refrigerator. So hard to get to. Almost like wasted space.
Thanks!!

Labels! They’re so useful for making sure everything goes back in the correct place. :)

I up cycled an old dish rack into a storage place for pot & pan lids. I also added a dresser in a corner of my dining room as a Tupperware holder & extra counter space.

Thanks for all the great tips. Can you please tell me were you got your Copco salad spinner? Mine broke recently after using it for 20 years and I can’t find one anywhere.

Love your blog <3

I have a kitchen that is 8×10 and I think it is more than enough for everything I have. one wall is a pantry closet, one has the fridge and sink, another the stove and some counter space and the last is a counter/bar opening into the living room. i have only 2 walls for cabinets and shelves. maybe it’s just that i don’t keep anything that i don’t use often enough to justify it’s place here. i go by “one thing in – one thing out”. i have everything i need here including a place for my dehydrater and my vacuum sealer. the floor space in the pantry is for my emergency water storage and cat food. with all of that, it isn’t cramped or crowded at all. of course maybe i feel this way because my apartment is 484 square feet and i moved here from an efficiency apartment that was 330 square feet.

being a neat freak your ideas for the fridge are great. my favorite thing in my kitchen is a magnetic knife rack that also holds other metal utensils.

This article came at the PERFECT time! We just moved from a large home with acreage in the country to a small condo in the city and although my kitchen has some storage, the unit itself doesn’t. Everything feels discombobulated and unorganized and it’s been bugging me for weeks!! We DO love to entertain, which is why we’ve kept more dishes and glass wear than only two of us need, but I feel we can go further. Your ideas have given me that boost I’ve needed to tackle this project! God is awesome on His timing (as always) and you guys are amazing! Thank you!! :)

I keep chocolate chips, raisins, and other dried fruits on the counter in large decorative glass jars. It makes a decorative statement on my counter, while at the same time creating more space in my cupboards and keeping things easily within reach that I use often in baking.

I agree with your comment about putting like items with like in larger containers. I put all of my baking related or smaller tools ((measuring spoons, graters, egg cutters, apple cutters, etc) together in a box in my lazy susan so that they stay contained and all in one place.

I use a tiered spice rack as well, but I’ve taken it a step further. Even tho the ones behind are up higher, I still can’t see what most of them are, so I took labels and cut them to size, then write the name of the spice on it and stick it across the cap. That way I can see at a glance what the spices are in the back without pulling out all the ones in the front.

If you don’t have much counter space for your good cooking knifes in a block, the best thing is to get a magnet bar to attach to the wall for hanging them on. Also works well if you have metal spatulas and spoons that you use a lot. Just remember to place the magnet away from any phones/chargers/etc. and out of reach from little hands!
Another handy thing is if you want more seating space at your kitchen table is to build/buy a bench seat. Also if it has space inside it or underneath it’s an awesome place to put the big cooking pots

I am always looking for easier and better ways to keep my kitchen clean and clutter free. Love these suggestions! I have a closet under my steps and it was mostly wasted space. I added shelves of various heights, to take advantage of the space under the stairs and have created a pantry.

I keep like things together. Everything is labeled. I also use a lazy susans. I store everything in labeled clear containers so everything is at easy to see.

I bought a dbl. swivel rack for refrigerator for all those small things and use it on top shelve. Made my second shelf wider for milk, nd taller bottles colder there. It is much neater.

I use baskets in the pantry to corral specifics items: the kids lunch stuff are in one, their snacks in a separate one and we have one for breakfast items too.

I got some strong magnets at Hobby Lobby to hang kitchen knives. I use two together for each knife and hang them from the inside of the range hood. It was much easier for me than trying to install a magnetic knife bar.

Great ideas! Having a organized kitchen/home makes your life so much easier,

Great article, I put things in the bottom drawer that I don’t use on a weekly basis

Keep like items together. Cereals in one place, cooking things in another, spices in another, etc.

I need to apply the let iylt go strategy to my kitchen! Over the years I’ve fallen into the “but what if I need it” trap! Thanks for the gentle reminder that letting go of stuff will make everyone happier!

I have 2 medium-sized ceramic crocks I keep on my counter. 1 is for large metal cooking utensils such as spoons, spatulas, whisks; the other is for plastic and wooden utensils and spoons. This reduces drawer clutter. I also have a tiny crock which holds 3 sets of measuring spoons.
These are some great ideas! I especially like the vertical bakeware organizer, Britta.

I’ve had vertical storage for baking pans in previous homes, but not in my current apartment. I discovered that I could use some of the “tall” space under my kitchen sink for cookie sheets and pizza pans. The sink pipes serve as the “holder” to keep them from falling over, so I didn’t even need to use a rack/holder for them.

My 11X7 foot kitchen has one 11-foot wall with cupboards, my stove, and a window above the sink. The opposite wall has a doorway, a “Hoosier” hutch and my frig. That doesn’t leave a ton of space! One of the 7-foot walls also has a doorway leading to the backyard. Each 7-foot wall has a 30-inch pegboard. I use it for everything from measuring-cups to cutting boards to aprons. It’s a HUGE asset! And having a pegboard at either end of the kitchen lets me divide and conquer what I use, andwhere I use it.

My kitchen is a good size but has no pantry. I turned the coat closet next to the kitchen into my pantry by adding some stackable plastic shelves I already had. I have reused some plastic and glass containers I already had to store rice, beans, flours, and brown sugar. I just tape the cooking instructions for the rice and beans to the containers so I don’t have to look every time. I keep all my baking spices, soda, powder and extracts together in a basket for easy access. My savory spice cabinet, which is very narrow next to my stove, has 4 shelves. I keep my frequently used ones on the bottom shelf, less used on second shelf and my vinegars and sauces on the third shelf. The first two shelves are alphabetized, not because of OCDness, but so I don’t have to pull out all my spices when looking for a specific one. ;). I also have a beverage cabinet which houses my coffee and tea stuff as well as my ice tea maker and pitchers, and my coffee maker. This is because these are 2 things we use frequently but not often enough to hog precious counter space.

I love organizational gadgets for any room!!

I use a clear over the door shoe holder to hold all of my cleaners. This keeps them handy to grab but out of children’s reach.

One year ago today, we moved/downsized. I have tripled the storage in my kitchen and still need more room. I have the adjustable spice racks from Meijers. Works great in the linen/cleaning closet so I can see the different products. I use a cardboard box to organize my plastic lids by shape and size. Extra crockpots, large roaster and dehydrator go downstairs on the shelves since with only use them occasionally.

I utilize the “Notes” application on my phone to keep track of my kitchen – pantry, freezer, refrigerator, etc. When I use up an item, I enter it on my “To Purchase” list and then delete it when I restock. This also allows me to shop the specials and/or buy in bulk when the price is right.

The other tip I find is essential is to keep my spices in alphabetical order. I buy in smaller quantities so they won’t go out of date but it saves me from searching for what I need at any given moment.

I keep a container in my refrigerator with everything to prepare sandwiches….lunchmeat, cheese, mayo, mustard, pickles, everything I would typically use. That way I can take it out and put it back all at once. Makes preparation much quicker. If I’m putting lettuce and tomato on the sandwich I first open the vegetable drawer and grab those, throw them in the sandwich container with everything else and take everything with me to the counter at once.

I have tall glass vases that I got at the Dollar Tree, I use them to hold my wooden spoons next to the stove. I also have one next to the sink for my long-handled dish scrubber.

I have found getting rid of the stuff I don’t regularly use is the best way to feel less cluttered

The best investment I’ve made is a pot hanger. It frees up so much room in my cabinets and it’s so much easier to organize! It was also motivation to invest in some “nice” or “pretty” pots!

When cleaning up the kitchen after dinner,
I set up our morning coffee cups with sugar and creamer, and put measured ground coffee and water in the coffee maker. In the morning, all I have to do is turn on the coffee maker to enjoy my coffee! I make sure the coffee pot has been washed out (not just rinsed) to keep the coffee tasting delicious.

It seems like a ‘no-brainer,’ but when I suggested putting tableware in the silverware basket by like items, one friend was amazed when she tried this because unloading the silverware basket was her most despised task!

I like to store all of my baking gadgets together in the large mixing bowl, that way I can pull it out and have everything I need.

I’m fortunate to have a deep open cabinet (arched top), so I put a deep basket there to hold potatoes, onions, etc out of sight. Looks like the cabinet was just built for the basket – decorative! There is still some space in the back to “hide” some bulky, seldom used items.

Lazy Susans in the cupboards! I have one for all my teas and another for sprinkles and other cake decorating items. They work great for spices too.

I need to be more organized but I try to buy only what I need and label my containers. I only keep the appliances I use on the counter.

I put a jar on the counter next to the stove to hold all my spatulas and spoons. Frees up space in the drawers for other small things.

I keep all my savory spices on one shelf and the ones for baking on a different shelf. So much faster to find what I need. I also use more glass jars with plastic lids to store things so that we can see what is inside.

I reorganized my cupboards and draws to keep everything close to where I use it. (seldom used items are in the back of bottom cupboards)
I keep all my baking items together, my coffee/tea/cocoa together, etc. Also went through and eliminated duplicates of gadgets, and out of date foodstuffs.

I also like to create zones in my kitchen. Spices, oils, and hot pads are closest to the stove. I have a baking cabinet next to my prep area. And dishes, glasses, and silverware are next to the dishwasher.

i rotate on different areas to focus on. This way it’s a small project, rather than one large one.

I bought these red tubs to put in my pantry. I label them and set them on the floor or a shelf of the pantry. No more searching for bags of open beans, lentils, split peas in one tub. Chips and crackers in another. Then I put wax paper rolls of aluminum foil etc in another. Macaroni, noodles etc in another. These hold a lot a free up space. So much easier to find things.

How do I post a photo?

I use a metal magazine holder to hold my boxes of wraps (foil, wax paper, etc.). This idea is not mine originally but I did go a step further and chose a METAL magazine holder so it can hold a recipe for me when I’m cooking!

Thank you Jill these are all great ideas.I have a small kitchen to and ver little cabinet space!

I remodeled my kitchen last fall. The best thing I did was cull all the extras and nonessential items as it made putting things back in easier. I did a little organizing as I went but became overwhelmed as everything in the kitchen had a new space/shelf/cupboard. I can’t wait to try some of these ideas and pare down my belongings just a bit more.

I used a drawer divider to create a “spice drawer” next to the stove. It’s easy to find exactly what spice I need and it’s close to where I actually need them.

I love lazy susans to help keep any area organized, especially inside kitchen cabinets. I have found uses and spaces for every available size of those things! I have many more spices than the spice steps display so I use lazy susans in the spice cabinet to sort regular/most used spices on one, specialty spices on another and baking spices/ingredients on a third. I like to have my spices always at-the-ready so when I buy a full bottle to prepare for the one that is getting low, I place it behind the almost empty one so that I never run out in mid recipe. I use the center of the tray for taller items like salt and pepper mills or Worcestershire sauce. I use double decker lazy susans in the back of the pantry. They can hold 2 layers of regular sized canned food. I use a single tray l.s. in the back for tall bottles, including one for bottles of different types of cooking oils/sprays or to store any larger replacement-in-waiting items like ketchup, mayo, soy sauce,etc.. So, with two trays at the back corners, I put a third in the middle of the front of the cabinet so that all 3 lazy susans are reachable. Then any additional cans are lined/stacked along both sides of the inside cabinet walls….multiple items stored, multiple items equally accessible.
A very large lazy susan is in the bottom pantry cabinet with all my pots and pans stacked on it for easy access. There is one on each shelf back in the recesses of those pesky overlapping cabinets. Place a lazy susan back there and all that space is easily used again. Use them in the cabinets or on the shelves in the laundry room. Also use them in cabinets under the bathroom and kitchen sinks.
They stay put well and with the twirl of the tray, multiple items are easily available….no digging through stacks, rearranging everything to get to one item and no pulling out plastic trays or boxes. They even save space when moving because they are flat and can fit into very little box space compared to the irregularly sized spice steps or the plastic boxes.
I think I’ll go buy some stocks in Rubber Maid!
Thank you, Jillee, for all the wonderful information you freely share with us on your enjoyable site! I need all the help I can get(lol!) and yours is a primary go-to site for me! Blessings on you and yours always!!

I just love the OXO storage containers! I have so many of them put to use in my pantry.
I have found the best prices on them at Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Homegoods.

I have limited wall space in my kitchen but I put a pot rack against it which also holds my colander as well as pots and pans but backed it with clear lucite so it wouldn’t damage the wall. Under this is a good size corkboard which holds my calendar and other current events eg invitations, receipts, etc.

When we moved to our house, the pantry had very tall shelves. So I had my husband cut a few more shelves and now it can store a lot more! There is one really short shelf that holds all our canned vegetables. It’s great!

Perfect timing for this topic. Tomorrow the contractors come to start on a 2 month kitchen remodel – down to the studs and all new everything! All this information will be very useful when I put my new kitchen together!

A handy way I’ve found to store pot lids is to turn it upside down and nest it in the pot. That way I always have the lid I need when I pull the pot out and it is easier to stack them, keeping the cupboard tidy.

I organized my walk in pantry this summer since even though it’s large, things started piling up which made it hard to walk in! :(
My favorite things about this more organized space are: labels for food zones, such as “breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, baking, etc”, a basket to corral water bottles and a plastic drawer to hold the lids so they can dry completely and open space so I can finally walk in. Thankfully, the labels have made it much easier for my boys(11,15,45) to help keep the pantry organized which helps keep mama happy!

Getting rid of extras or unused items…..and using bins and tubs to contain and group together loose items on shelves!

I stay organized by keeping only what I use and not buying the latest and greatest gadget. It allows me to have more room for what I really use.

I am trying to get into the habit of removing food from its packaging and putting it into different containers. I also try to chop up fruits and veggies and store them right away.

One thing I do to organize: in my upright freezer all new meats go on the bottom as they are bought, older meats are rotated up to the top shelf. That way you don’t find a roast that’s been frostburned for two years. Frozen butter, cheese, cream, etc goes in the door shelves, and vegetables go in the bottom drawer. I plan my meals weekly, so on Sunday I move what I need out of the upright and into my super-tiny refrigerator freezer upstairs, which helps so I can actually use it without it overflowing. Plus, it makes it really easy to see what I need to buy.

One of the most “duh” moments for me when I first got my own place was that the cabinet shelves were moveable! No reason to have wasted space above cans plus not be able to fit a box of cereal. Evaluate your shelf placement. =)

I also have a small kitchen with very little workable area and storage is a minimum, so I have been creative also. I found a metal 3 shelf standing unit meant to be used in a bathroom that I bought and have standing on that small counter next to the stove. It is 21 inches tall by 8 inches wide by 10 inches length and I use the bottom shelf for my oils and sprays, the middle shelf for some measuring items and the top for onions. I keep potatoes elsewhere as I know they do not keep as long if stored next to onions. It has freed up some cabinet space and looks much nicer than having bottles sitting not corralled. While reading this post today, I am going to purchase some small S hooks and hang my measuring spoons and possibly put some bright clothespins that I use to close snack bags on the arms of the unit. It is much easier to lift one item to clean under than 20….love your ideas!

I also recycle spaghetti, condiment jars. In one small salsa jar, I poured my baking soda inside and put a label on it from my P-Touch. I always hated the opened box of baking soda in my cabinet. Now it stays fresh with a tight lid. In my spaghetti jars, I put steel cut oats, rice, and other snacks…

I have counterspace, but found it getting cluttered with small appliances (toaster, sandwich maker, crock post, etc.). I realized that by rearranging my cabinets below the counter I could fit those in and still have them be accessible. I looked at the flow of our kitchen and how we use it. Once I figured that out, I moved some things around and was able to get those appliances in place. It didn’t take very long and the extra space is SO worth it!

I like to go through my pantry and clean out expired food and boxes. This frees up space, and I know that the food I grab is healthy for my family!

We have a nice size kitchen, I’ve always thought, but not HUGE by any means. And we have zero storage space in the rest of our house. So there is no extra spot anywhere else to stash something that only gets used once every three years. I’ve been trying for the last year to slowly organize things better in the kitchen. This post certainly helped!

The one good thing I feel I have implemented is our spice storage situation. We had a tiny spice cabinet beside the stove that was a living NIGHTMARE. Cooking every meal turned into some odd reality tv show where you had to cook with bottles flying at your head while having to substitute the spices you could find for the one you absolutely couldn’t!!! Years of frustration were pent up in that spice cabinet. I had to fix this somehow. We have a large, wide drawer under our oven that was always where we kept all of our spatulas and large spoons and meat forks, all haphazardly strewn about. I moved things around a bit, reassigning utensils to other drawers, and was able to clear the drawer. I then purged the spice cabinet of all out of date and unwanted spices. I bought a box of small canning drawers that were just the height of my drawer, filled them with the spices and labeled the lids with what the spice was. So now when I open the drawer I am looking down on all my spices, super easy to find, and thanks to the glass jar I know at a glance what I’m running low on!

Now the issue I need help with is Tupperware storage. This is a major issue that I can’t see a resolution too. Please help!!!

In my pantry everything is sorted out of shelves

Top shelf for all my baking, next are canned items(in rows), boxes items next (spaghetti’s, Mac n cheese, etc), snacks/crackers, and finally cereals on the bottom. What I wish I could organize better is my fridge and freezer space!!

I use lots of bins to carrel items that belong together. My husband built a metal hook rack suspended from ceiling to hang my pots and I use a plastic magazine rack to hold plastic wraps, foils and wax paper.

I also have a small kitchen. I only have appliances that can serve me in many ways. I have free standing furniture that I use for my pantry and that free’s up my small kitchen pantry for storage. I also use glass containers for storage in my pantry

I use the shoe bag on the back of my pantry door. I put all of my diet foods there. Much easier than having to open individual boxes to grab something to eat. We also use this in our main closet and put the kids hats and gloves in it for winter.

Great ideas. I use drawer organizers in all of my drawers. It helps keep things in their place.

We just did spring cleaning on our small kitchen. I took the spices out of the bottles they came in and put them into matching glass ones I got at the Container store. They are label and not only look nice they are all uniform and fit nicely in small pull down holder.

I’m in the midst of moving to a bigger place which gives me the opportunity to get rid of the excess items in my kitchen. If I’ve only used an item once or never used it at all it goes into the donation pile where family and friends can take whatever they want.

I recently put up two rails in my kitchen for hanging pots and I love it!

I definitely go through and get rid of things when I’m feeling the clutter. I also try to keep as much as I can in the pantry or in cabinets so my countertops stay clean. I keep sugar in a bin but need to get a few for the different flours I have!

I put a file organizer in narrow cabinet to store cutting boards and cookie sheets. Fits perfectly and makes it easy to find and put away

I’m currently planning a long overdue remodel of my 1950’s kitchen. Constantly looking for good storage ideas! One thing I do is try not to keep a lot of extra food around taking up precious space.

These are all great ideas and I use many of them. The best cabinet space saver and most user friendly thing we have done, is use a hanging pot rack. If you can find a little space to hang one, it will make your life much easier, especially if you are tall.

I bough cute baskets at a dollar store to keep miscellaneous items in, like snacks and instant oatmeal. Taking things out of the box has helped me save a lot of room. We don’t have a traditional pantry in our home, so I am always trying to come up with new ideas. Thanks!

Labels across the 3 shelves for my bowls and glassware have kept them in place and organized for me for years. A basket for the lids of plastic storage containers keeps them under control and organized too.

I store my casserole dishes with the lids still on but upside down so they stack on top of each other.

I bought 2 little wire baskets that attaches to the wire shelves in pantry. I put all my packages of gravy mixes and taco seasons in there.

My tip is to read One Good Thing by Jillee! :-) I have gotten so many good ideas, thanks!

I use the shoe holder trick for all our hats and mittens, bit never thought of using one for snacks in the pantry. Brilliant!

I use lots of clear storage bins to keep small things organized in kitchen drawers. I have some small shallow ones for storing all of my little kid forks and spoons. I also keep my flour in the freezer in a ziploc bag – keeps it fresher longer and frees up cabinet space!

Teeny tiny kitchens, what a challenge! I have very limited cabinet space. I put a shower curtain tension rod over my sink and bought “S” shower curtain hooks and used this as a pot rack. It doesn’t look like a shower curtain rod once my pots are hanging from them. Inexpensive and looks good.

i use a dish drying rack to hold my pan lids. I am totally going to use some of the ideas listed above because I need a better flow in my kitchen. Thanks for the inspiration!

I use the clear plastic containers to store small items together and gives easy access to them. My husband added pull out shelves to the lower cabinets so items are easily accessible.

I love vertical storage for cookie sheets and cooking pans, drawer dividers, and large containers for my different types of flour.

I have a peg board where I keep my measuring cups and spoons.

I saved small sturdy cardboard boxes to make my own drawer organizer for my cooking utensils.

I love all these ideas. I just recently put one of those short tension rods inside my spice cabinet. It sits above the tall bottles, and I use it for all those little spices that usually get lost behind the others. I also put plastic bins inside the freezer to hold like items and keep all the food from tumbling out every time I try to remove something from the freezer.

I put all my spices in tupperware modular mates (size rectangle 2) they hold the taller spice containers as well as all the other various containers from small tins to baggies; and I can stack them in my cupboard.

We installed a towel bar below the counter to hold our kitchen towels. That helps keep them off the counter and frees up a drawer.

Our kitchen dry erase board helps us to remember what we need and upcoming appointments.

I don’t have any suggestions but just wanted to say how much time you put into sharing this post with us and plan on using about all of your suggestions.

I use storage containers from rubbermaid or stearlight (sp?) – a pasta basket, a baking basket, a spice basket, a plastic lids & containers basket, and so on to make different kitchen area in my cabinets. I live in a apartment and it helps to have each type of cooking in a basket so I can just grab it and go!

I too have a super small kitchen. Having two gluten free, I have many cookbooks. I store my them in the small over the stove hood cabinets. Out of the way yet still accessible. I also turned a closet area right off the kitchen into a pantry and now store no food except coffee, tea and spices in the kitchen.

We also have a smallish kitchen and therefor we have to use every square inch effectively. I took a page from Alton Brown’s Good Eats episodes and switched a bunch of my spice bottles out for aluminum twist-top containers (in 4 and 8oz. sizes), then used industrial Velcro to adhere them to my cabinet doors. I labeled the tops of the containers two I knew what was in each one, and now, when I need a particular spice, I just take it down, measure out what I need, and stick it back up on the door. It cleared out an ENTIRE shelf of bottles, bags (I buy in bulk) and containers, and now I have more room for my Costco sized containers, without having to take everything out to get to them.
Also, I used a bakeware rack to store all of my pot and pan lids, use an old crock to hold all of my wooden spoons and long-handled utensils, and I keep my sugars, flours and bulk spices I use a lot of in 1/2 and 1 gal. mason jars on my counter (with chalkboard labels to identify the contents). Also, NO PILES. Not a single thing gets set on my counters during the day (because piles immediately result when we do!) All mail, things to be returned, dishes, produce from the garden, EVERYTHING goes where it belongs when we walk in the door. That way, we are ‘company ready’ at all times!

I like to use items I have in unique ways. I have little counter and cupboard space and live in a rental. So I re-did an old dresser and use that for storage and counter. There was a small space between my stove and the wall. I found a night stand that fit perfectly and I keep my coffees and teas and some other daily used items there. Sometimes it’s looking at ordinary things in new ways.

I bought 3 of the small 3 drawer Rubbermaid drawer sets for my spices and knives. I live in a mobile home and there isn’t enough drawers and cabinets in the right places. I am able to put 2 of those 3 drawer sets on a plastic or wire shelf and put my bread plastic keepers underneath. that way spices, knives, spreaders and bread all all right there close to the condiment lazy susan to make what ever.

I live in a tiny 170 sq. ft. studio while atrending graduate school. The kitchenette has no cupboard space, so I purchased a dresser from Ikea to organize all of my limited, but necessary cookware. I use clear plastic shoe box size storage bins to keep smaller items, such as utensils and spices, organized and easily accessible.

I have the very old, very outdated metal kitchen cabinets in my kitchen and so have a tremendous amount of space between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling. This space is my “pantry” and I arrange my boxed mixes and canned good in a pleasing pattern. I can see at a glance what I have and what I need to put on the grocery list. Another thing I do for my very small kitchen is utilize the “coffee station” idea but my station is on the top of my microwave. I have my little espresso maker and a small regular coffee maker there along with a sealed jar of dry milk poweder and a small container of ground coffee.

I am in the middle of a kitchen redo. Like Britta, I have little room in the kitchen for anything. One thing I have read was put a lazy susan in the cabinet for bottles of cooking things. I am planning on doing that first. I also bought a few plastic air tight boxes for storing less used items in the basement. All my holiday sprinkles, wrappers etc are going into special boxes that are labeled with the holiday and then stored in my basement on a bookcase. I am doing the same for my everyday items to free up the drawers for other things.
next I am going through all my appliances. I am a fanatic for little gadgets but they take up so much space. So I am installing a bookcase or rack in my hall closet and will use that for my small appliances and get them out of the kitchen and off the shelves.
I am already using plastic containers for my baking items. I have an awkward cabinet above the stove which houses my plug for the microwave. This is good for these bins and keeps them out of sight and out of mind.
Since I have plenty of storage space under some dining room furniture, the dry bar and the China closet, I will use that space and some shelves in the basement to store items I think I will use. Everything else is being donated.
Those are just a few things I do to save space in my kitchen.