How To Create An Organized, Functional Kitchen Space
Let’s chat about all things kitchen! My kitchen is often the heart of the home as my family loves to spend time baking together, doing crafts on the kitchen island, and eating our meals.
I love kitchen organization because it saves me so much time! From cooking a quick dinner, to my kids having access to filling their own water cups, everything having it's own spot makes all the difference.
Kitchen's are one of our top requested projects, and we are here for them 💪 In fact - after organizing sooo many kitchens - we have created a system and designated product selection that works time after time. We are going to share our top tips with you!
Bonus: kitchen organization doesn't take a lot of product - making it a low budget organization project! Just get ready to put in some ⏲️.
1) Start with Decluttering Your Kitchen
As with any good organizing project, a thorough declutter is the best way to start. I like to set a twenty minute timer and search through common clutter collecting areas for items I can quickly toss or get ready to donate.
Remember - the less clutter you have, the easier it is to organize and clean your space. Organizing is NOT about moving clutter from one spot to the other, but rather eliminating it by only keeping what you use and love.
I recommend starting with oils, spices, and any other kitchen food items. Throw away anything expired and donate unopened food that you won’t eat to your local food bank or homeless shelter.
Next, take the time to get rid of any food storage containers that are damaged, stained, or don’t have all the pieces. Personally, I like to stick with a matching set so they are easier to store and stack.
Finally, check out that utensil drawer! How often are we gifted random kitchen gadgets that will NEVER get used? Here’s your permission to donate them to someone who will! Kitchen gadgets and utensils take up way to much space if we aren’t going to use them.
You know your space best - spend time decluttering YOUR problem areas!
2) Think About Flow For Organizing Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers
For the next step, grab your sticky notes and a pen. Walk around your kitchen and label places for all your items. Each item’s placement should make sense - ideally near the area where you would use the item. This will help save your time in getting items out, remembering where everything is, and putting them away.
Here are some common ‘flow’ goals we try to meet in each kitchen:
Place cups near a water source - either the sink or the fridge
Have a designated drawer or bin for towels near the sink
Keep all everyday cleaning products together - avoid spreading them out into multiple spaces
Designate a food prep and storage area with tupperware, ziplocks, and Saran Wrap - preferably near the fridge!
3) Stick with Minimal Kitchen Organizing Product
Did you see this one coming? The kitchen is one area in the home where I DON’T use a ton of organizing products! That is because many kitchen items are bulky and don’t necessarily need to be contained. In fact, I tend to use the same SIX products in almost every kitchen I organize and think you can do that same.
Do you have a kitchen junk drawer? No matter how small - you need bamboo drawer organizers to divide items into categories and make them easy to find.
I like to keep most food in the pantry, but everyday essentials like oils and vinegars belong in a cabinet close to the stove or on the countertop. Small turntables perfectly store your everyday oils and make them super easy to access.
Although everyday spatulas and wooden spoons look great in a utensil crock, I reserve a drawer for extra kitchen gadgets and specialty utensils. Drawer dividers keep these items in place and separated into categories. You can also use drawer dividers for separating kitchen towels or water bottles!
Cleaning sprays, trash bags, and extra kitchen cleaning tools often get tossed under the sink - making them messy and impossible to find. Deep bins utilize the whole space and keep items neatly categorized. They also help contain spills as they are easy to wipe out!
In order to save space and create a cohesive look, I love to decant spices into matching spice jars. These are my go-to as they fit a reasonable amount of each spice that can be used up before expiration.
A silverware organizer is essential for keeping spoons, knives, and forks separated along with storing serving utensils. This adjustable organizer looks like a built-in and fits different widths of drawers.
Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. That means I get a small commission if you purchase through the link. However, I make it a point to only share tools and resources I truly love and use.
