Coming up with a kitchen organization system that works for you doesn’t have to take up a ton of mental energy, and you probably don’t need anything complex or custom-built. But that doesn’t mean you should skip thinking about kitchen storage entirely, especially if you want to maximize storage and efficiency in a tiny space. Although there may be no such thing as a perfectly organized kitchen, some smart storage solutions will save you precious time during meal time; free up pantries, cabinets, and other small spaces; and, most importantly, create a welcoming environment.
“I think people overthink organizing too much, and they think everything has to be exactly perfect,” says Laura Cattano, a professional organizer in New York City. “And that’s not the case at all.” Cattano recommends some fundamentals to get you started: Group like items or place them in zones within kitchen cabinets and drawers. A designated shelf for non-perishable breakfast items will make breakfast run that much smoother. And adding a spice caddy on the countertop could inspire you to try new culinary dishes. It’s all about finding what works for your space, whether it’s a small kitchen or not. Kitchen organization also comes with another benefit: not buying repeated cooking gadgets and that fifth jar of almond butter. Here are 47 storage ideas and tips to help get you there—along with products that will make opening kitchen cabinets a dream.
You are watching: 47 Kitchen Organization Ideas That Declutter Cabinets, Countertops, and More
Step 1: Declutter the kitchen
Many instruction manuals can be found online, and restaurant menus change too often to rely on a pamphlet from 2018. Recycle those papers after you’ve bookmarked the links or downloaded the files you actually need. If the menu is more nostalgic than useful—say, a menu from the pizza place you and your partner loved in college—it should be framed or otherwise displayed outside of a kitchen drawer anyway.
Working from home often becomes working from the kitchen table, but that isn’t where you should be storing any important paperwork, like bills, neighborhood notices, or critical forms. Store those in any other room that isn’t as prone to spills, liquids, and messes, and free up your kitchen counters or table.
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Every trip to Whole Foods Market is another opportunity to see a slew of Amazon-approved sauces, snacks, and spices. But condiments and other fun foods can become a nightmare for pantry organization if you end up with a bunch of unopened or half-used snacks that aren’t on your usual rotation (looking at you, last three handfuls of Veggie Straws). Designate a bowl for the counter top and decree that everything in it has to be eaten up ASAP before anything new is bought.
“I think most people have way too much food in their cabinets, but I do think that if you’re organized, and you have your foods organized in a way where you know what you have in each category, it’s easier to not overbuy,” Cattano says.
The pumpkin-shaped pancake molds are adorable in October, but don’t really deserve a place alongside your silverware the other 11 months of the year. That goes for any holiday-specific or seasonal goods, like hot cocoa mugs that only get used in the wintertime. So if you’re sparse on space, don’t make yourself navigate around them—store them instead with the rest of your holiday decor. Allocate several large storage containers to store your festive goodies. Better yet, label each with the holiday or theme.
Cookbooks are amazing sources of inspiration and guidance for amateur and experienced home cooks alike. But that doesn’t mean you need to keep them all in your kitchen if you’re short on space or otherwise can’t find a way to organize all 45 of them. Look at where you want to put them, whether that’s on a shelf or in a kitchen cabinet, then spend a cozy Sunday picking the most-used cookbooks that will fit that space. Implement book ends for a neat display.
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Seasonal cookbooks can be stored with decorations for that holiday. For the rest, digitize or write down the recipes you love or really think you’ll want to try, then donate them to a local library. You’ll always be able to borrow them if you need them. Same goes with recipes cut out of magazines, but recycle the leftover paper after the information has been digitized.
Having a reusable water bottle is great. Having fifteen reusable water bottles with the logos of every event you’ve attended? Not so much. Keep a handful that represent something you’re proud of and donate the rest to a homeless shelter, for example, as unhoused people need sturdy and portable drink containers. Group the ones you kept on a wall organizer.
Say goodbye to random scraps of paper that list three ingredients for something you baked last month. Keep a pad on the side of your fridge so you can jot down what you need, tear it off on the way to the market and recycle it at the store when you’re done.
If you could have a fridge that can make you a grocery list and tell you when food is expiring, why wouldn’t you? Plus, fridge organization can spill over to keeping the rest of your kitchen in order. What’s more, the energy efficiency and potential electricity bill savings are usually worth the upfront cost in the long run. And with the Inflation Reduction Act, your purchase could even qualify for a tax credit.
Maybe you use your waffle maker every weekend without fail, but you’re probably not regularly using most of those single-use appliances that take up counter and cabinet space. When you have a tiny kitchen, pare down your culinary gear to bring order to unruly cabinets.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens