Organizing
Kitchen Organization
By
Kate Van Pelt
Kate Van Pelt
Kate Van Pelt is a contributing writer for The Spruce, based in the PNW. Kate has been a full-time digital content creator for nearly a decade, covering everything from home decor to personal finance.
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Updated on 02/09/23
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Your kitchen is likely one of the most frequented and well-used rooms in your home. But when cabinets are cluttered and crowded, no one would blame you for dining out.
If your kitchen has become more stressful than useful, it's time to get organized. Simple additions like lazy Susans and tiered shelves can make ingredients accessible. Storing some cookware vertically and leaving extra space to grab appliances will make dinnertime more efficient. With some time and small tweaks, your kitchen will become the hub of the home.
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Invest in Pull Out Shelves
It's easy to misplace things like Tupperware lids in a deep cabinet. Instead of pulling items out one by one to find what you've lost, consider converting into your cabinet into a pull out shelf to save yourself some time and stress.
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Up Your Aesthetic
One way to beautify your kitchen is by adding a set of glass doors to a cabinet or two. This tip will also help you avoid overcrowding, since your cabinet storage will always be in plain view.
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Keep It Cohesive
Create a streamlined look in your kitchen cabinets with matching storage containers for everything from pasta to flour. When dinner rolls around, you'll have no trouble locating each ingredient.
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Buy a Spice Rack Organizer
To simplify your spice storage, purchase an organizer or two. For instance, the team at A Fresh Space selected these tiered shelves to make spices easier to spot.
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Make Appliances Accessible
Avoid the temptation to overcrowd your kitchen cabinets, especially when it comes to heavy appliances like slow cookers and griddles. Store items thoughtfully, so they'll be easy to pull out when you need them.
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Create a Coffee Cabinet
If you need a cup of java to get moving every morning, consider dedicating a single cabinet for all your supplies. Create space for everything from your coffee grinder to your mug collection. Tea drinkers, the same tip applies!
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Store Tupperware with Care
If you've ever struggled to find a matching Tupperware lid and container, design a storage system that simplifies the search. Stow these items in sets for easy access. You can collect lids in one location and bases in another, or keep lids and containers paired together.
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Add Vertical Dividers
Save yourself from the obnoxious clanging of cookie sheets on broiler pans by adding some vertical dividers to your kitchen cabinet. Be sure to leave some breathing room between dividers, so you won't have to squeeze items back into place.
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Try a Peg System
If you'd like to add a pull out drawer to your cabinet for bowls and plates, a peg system can help you stay organized. This will keep your kitchenware from sliding into one another and will make sure there's a specific spot for every item.
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Store Liquids on Lazy Susans
If you've ever stained your cabinet with an olive oil or soy sauce spill, purchase a set of plastic lazy Susans. Not only will this make for easy clean-up should you experience another surprise spill, but it'll make ingredients more accessible.
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Utilize a Window Arrangement
Another easy way to improve your spice storage is to try a window arrangement with your new spice shelves. Professional home organizer, Joanna Wirick, utilized this strategy in her own cabinet to store her collection of more than 40 spices.
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Use Some Baskets
If you're looking for a pretty storage solution, consider some woven baskets. Whether you're storing popcorn or pastas, just pull out the basket and grab what you need.
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Use Clear Cubbies for Kid's Snacks
Make lunch prep and after school snacks simple for your kids with a set of clear bins for storage. Also, if you're ever running low on goldfish or Oreos, you'll notice the shortage right away.
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Label Your Storage
Many home organizers advocate for some type of label system for kitchen storage. Clear cubbies and dry erase markers are a simple and pretty way to do so.
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Store Goods in Groups
If you have the cabinet space, consider stocking up on frequently used items liked canned goods and pasta sauces. Group these items together, so whenever you're running low on an ingredient, you'll notice. No more impromptu trips to the grocery store.
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Opt for a Minimal Design
To keep your kitchen looking neat and tidy, invest in simple, understated kitchenware. Clean out your mismatched cups and plates and replace them with new, more modern sets.
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Store Platters Vertically
Stacking your decorative platters may seem like a simple storage solution, but you'll risk chips and scratches when pulling them out to use. Instead, purchase a simple rack or two to keep your cookware organized and protected.
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Don't Overcrowd
As you reorganize your cabinets, remember to leave some breathing room wherever you can. Create some empty space between baskets and bins. Just because you have extra space, doesn't mean it should be filled.
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Make Ingredients Visible
Just as you did with spices, tiered kitchen shelves like the ones pictured above are a great storage solution for canned goods. Houston-based home organizer, Meg Markland of Neat by Meg, also uses storage bins with an open front to make foods easier to locate.
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Arrange Items by Use
When you're choosing where to store everything from plates to platters, think about their frequency of use. Place items like bowls and plates on a shelf that's easy to access. Decorative trays and such can occupy your out-of-reach top shelves.
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Make Kid's Kitchenware Accessible
If your kids love to help out in the kitchen or are in the "do it myself" stage, make their plates and bowls easier to grab. Leave lots of wiggle room for them to reach in and get what they need.
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Store Glassware Upside Down
Fans of wine and co*cktails, listen up. To avoid dust in your glasses as well as accidentally tipping over and breaking them, simply store glasses upside down.
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Use the Cabinet Over Your Refrigerator
If you have a cabinet above your refrigerator, perhaps you've forgotten it's there or stuffed it with paraphernalia you should probably just donate. Instead, clean out the cabinet and use it for decorative platters or cookware you only bring out on holidays and special occasions.
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Give Every Item a Home
Perhaps you received a decorative tray as a gift or purchased a new platter for Christmas dinner. No matter the reasons, it's easy for cabinets to become overstocked after some time. Take an afternoon to sort through your cookware and decide what should and shouldn't stay. Whatever you keep, make sure each item has a proper home.
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Face Labels Forward
Another simple way to keep your cupboards uncluttered is to always store ingredients facing out. When you're prepping a meal, you'll avoid the added step of turning canned goods and pulling pasta boxes to find what you need.
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Leave Space Over Bins and Baskets
If you like storing chip bags and granola bars in storage bins, make sure you leave some room above the top of the basket and the cabinet ceiling or shelf above. This will make your snacks easy to grab and go.
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Buy Matching Tupperware
The Tupperware cabinet may be the most overwhelming space in your kitchen. It's time to say goodbye to lost lids and cracked containers. Ditch your hectic collection and invest in a new, matching set. When you move everything into the cabinet, make sure pairs are easy to locate.
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Keep Pots and Pans Sideways
Just as you arranged your decorative platters vertically, do the same with your pots and pans. Not only will you save yourself unnecessary time spent pulling cookware out from a stack, but the dividers will make it easy to return every pair to its specific home.
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Play With Color
If your style is a little more eclectic, try spicing up your kitchen cabinets with a pop of color. For instance, this glassware cabinet by Neat Method NYC uses alternating clear and tinted glasses to achieve a balance of clean and cool.
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Create Clean Lines
As you place mugs and plates on your freshly cleaned kitchen shelf, be intentional and arrange items thoughtfully. For example, try creating clean lines in across the tops of your kitchenware. This simple trick is an easy way to give your cabinet a more cohesive and tidy look.
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