Since clearing out my kitchen cupboards recently, I’ve been able to move many of the items I used to keep on the countertop into that newly freed up cupboard space. What a difference it made — my kitchen looks bigger and brighter than ever now!
That got me thinking about other ways I could streamline and achieve my goal of an organized kitchen while making my kitchen both easier to use and nicer to look at. After some research and brainstorming, I came up with 9 practical kitchen organization tips to share with you today.
Check them out and see what you might be able to use in your own kitchen!
9 Practical Tips for a More Organized Kitchen
1. Get Rid of Unnecessary Items
Every good organizing effort should start with an effort to identify and get rid of any unnecessary clutter in the area. Go through your stuff and figure out what you can sell, donate, or give away, which will both reduce the amount of items you have to organize later, and make it easier to do so by freeing up some additional storage space.
(Drawing a blank? This list of kitchen items to get rid of should give you some ideas.)
2. Consider Your Countertops
In many kitchens, countertop space is extremely valuable real estate, so be mindful of how you’re using yours. Avoid cluttering them up with too much stuff — a good rule of thumb is to limit your countertop to items you use every day, and keep everything else in a cupboard, drawer, etc.
For more tips that can help you tidy up your countertops, check out my list of what should be kept on the counter.
3. Store Ingredients in Space-Saving Containers
Store bulk ingredients like flour and sugar in neat, stackable containers and label them so you can easily find what you need. These storage containers have saved me a lot of shelf space in my pantry!
Plus, you can refill your containers by shopping in the bulk section at the store. These items are often quite a bit cheaper than their packaged counterparts, so it’s a smart way to save money.
4. Keep Fruit in a Fruit Basket
Corral produce that doesn’t need to be kept in the refrigerator in a wire fruit basket. Fruit baskets not only allow you to easily see what you have on hand, but they also allow for airflow that will keep your fruit fresh longer — a win-win!
5. Hang Things up on Adhesive Hooks
Use adhesive Command hooks to hang your oven mitts or pot holders somewhere near your oven. This will free up space in your drawers and keep your oven mitts closer to the area where you use them most.
You can also use Command hooks to hang measuring spoons and other small items on the inside of a cupboard door or wherever they’d be handiest. It’s a lot easier than digging for them in a drawer!
6. Use Your Cupboard Doors
Speaking of the insides of your cupboard doors, another way to use that space is to hang the lids to your pots there. You can do this with Command hooks by using two hooks at the bottom to support the lid, along with one at the top to hold it in place.
Cookware lids can be one of those things that take up a lot of space when stored elsewhere, so this could free up some very valuable storage space in your kitchen. (And check out other ways to use Command hooks here.)
More Ideas You'll Love
7. Keep Necessities Close
Set up an area somewhere near your stove to store your most-used cooking items. For instance, I keep cooking oils, a ramekin of salt, and a pepper grinder next to my stove, since I use those all the time when I’m cooking.
You can do the same thing with your coffee-making supplies or other often used items. Arranging them on a nice platter (there are some pretty cute ones at Home Goods!) will help keep them neat and organized.
8. Find the Right Organizers
If there’s something in your kitchen that has become an organizational pain point, do a search on Amazon or Google, looking for “[item name] organizer.” You’ll be amazed at the types of organizers you can find for coffee and tea, underneath your sink, and spices and seasonings.
Finding the right organizer can be a game-changer. For instance, this adjustable rack for pots and pans can be configured in a dizzying number of different ways, making it easy to find the ideal setup for your unique collection of cookware.
9. Think Creatively
There are plenty of items that can help you get organized that aren’t considered “kitchen items,” like pegboard, mason jars, and magnets. Pegboard is highly versatile and can provide additional storage space for all sorts of things.
You can use mason jars to corral and store things, and you can use magnets to turn any metal surface (and some non-metal ones!) into more storage space.
Want Even More Kitchen Organizing Hacks?
- For even more tips and tricks that can help you keep your kitchen organized, check out these posts:
- 9 Simple Hacks That Will Help You Get Organized In The Kitchen
- 7 Clever Hacks To Organize Your Kitchen On The Cheap
How do you keep your kitchen organized?
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!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.These are great ideas. My biggest problem is papers stacking up on my counter. I try to write anything important on my calendar right away then recycle the paper. I have a small trash can in my pantry that holds my recyclables until i take them out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.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.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love my lazy Susan in the small cupboard above my oven for oil, honey, vinegar, vanilla extract. I know where it is, and I just twist it to easily get what I need.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I store my casserole dishes with the lids still on but upside down so they stack on top of each other.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for getting me motivated to organize. I always find it easier to get rid of things if I know they are going to a good cause. I have some pots I never use that I will send down to the homeless that my mom works with. That way she can give them to someone when they get a new place. (I mean really, why do I keep my old ones? I can only use four at a time).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.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.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was able to build floor to ceiling shelves in a small back hall adjacent to my tiny kitchen. One sheet of MDF and 1×4″ boards. I store little used and seasonal items and paper goods on the top shelf, two shelves for my small appliances and pantry items and room on the floor below for totes ( I have no basement or attic storage). Recently found a track system on Amazon for a curtain to cover it all up and still be easily accessible.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My tip is to read One Good Thing by Jillee! :-) I have gotten so many good ideas, thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We have an outdated kitchen with awkward cupboards. I was constantly losing my spice bottles as they would get knocked to the back of the very deep pantry shelf. So, I got some command hooks and narrow wire baskets from the dollar store. I hung the baskets inside the pantry cupboard door and they are the perfect size to lineup all my spices. I currently have 4 hanging baskets, but it’s a tall door, so I’m sure I could think of more things to hang. Thanks for all the great tips!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use the shoe holder trick for all our hats and mittens, bit never thought of using one for snacks in the pantry. Brilliant!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We use mason jars for everything! Spices,cupcake liners, snacks,granola,measuring spoons even lunches for the week. You don’t have to go out a purchase specific jars. We just wash out sauce,pickle or salsa glass jars.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.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!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am blessed to be married to a talented cabinet maker. We have a drawer under our kitchen sink instead of a cabinet. It keeps all those cleaning supplies and trash bags handy and we don’t have to get down in that dark hole to find things.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.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.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Our pantry was a cave. Shelves were 24″ deep and even with risers for cans, I could never see what I had. My husband ordered online and installed sliding shelves on top of my existing shelves. I have a baking shelf, a can shelf, etc. It is so easy to see what I have and I do not buy 5 bottles of mustard. Hint, these are easy to buy online and install yourself. About a third of the amount the companies you see advertising them and great quality!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.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!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a tiny kitchen with too much “stuff” in it. I really needed this post. Thanks for the great ideas. The gift card would help me on my way to getting organized ;-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.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.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I organize in little bits, a cabinet here and a drawer there when I have an extra moment. And I always donate anything I come across that I don’t use anymore..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love vertical storage for cookie sheets and cooking pans, drawer dividers, and large containers for my different types of flour.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We have different small baskets for snacks like chips, cookies, lunchbox stuff, etc. That way, when I’m looking for something, I can just grab and go!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a peg board where I keep my measuring cups and spoons.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I reorganized my utensil drawer, it helped to put all “spoon” type things together, then all “spatula” things together, then the rest together. I am finding I can usually grab the one I want much quicker now.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I saved small sturdy cardboard boxes to make my own drawer organizer for my cooking utensils.
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