Have you ever wondered where to put things in kitchen cabinets? Maybe you’re not sure how to keep your kitchen organized or where all the stuff should go. This post goes into detail about how exactly to organize your kitchen cabinets.
As a professional organizer, I love organizing kitchens!
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A kitchen should be one of the most structured spaces in a home because it serves the specific purpose of providing meals for a family. It is also the center of household activities for most families so it’s important that you organize your kitchen for success before it’s inundated with other household clutter.
Keep on reading to learn how to map out every zone in your kitchen and where to put things in kitchen cabinets to maximize organization and efficiency.
If you prefer to watch my YouTube video on how to map out every zone in your kitchen and learn where to put things in your kitchen cabinets, click the video below. Otherwise, keep scrolling to read on!
First Things First: Identify Your Kitchen Work Triangle
The most frequently used space in your kitchen will be within the work triangle. According to the definition, a kitchen work triangle is a concept used to determine efficient kitchen layouts that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional.
The 3 points of the triangle are made up of the sink, stove, and refrigerator.
Start by identifying those three areas (sink, stove, and refrigerator) and draw imaginary lines connecting them to make a triangle. See the image below.
If you have a galley kitchen or if your stove/sink/fridge are next to each other, you will need to rely heavily on modifications like adding extra wall storage and working surfaces.
If you have a small kitchen, I recommend watching my YouTube video on how to maximize space in a kitchen or reading the blog post on the same topic.
Identify the 7 Most Common Zones in Your Kitchen
Read more : What to Do If Your Kitchen Sink Keeps Backing Up
Once you know what your workspace is like based on the kitchen triangle, the next step is to divide your kitchen into 7 zones. These zones include:
- Everyday Dishes and Utensils
- Tools for Preparing Meals
- Baking Supplies (non-food)
- Tools for Cooking
- Serving and Entertaining items
- Food Storage
- Cleaning Supplies
I recommend that you mark these zones with sticky notes while you are putting things in your kitchen cabinets. This will help you start organized and it will create a nice flow.
Now that we have the foundation established, let’s dive into where to put things in kitchen cabinets.
Check out my other posts on kitchen organization:
- How to Maximize Space in a Small Kitchen | Kitchen Organizing
- 5 Steps to Unpacking a Kitchen Like a Professional
- How to Organize a Pantry with Deep Shelves
Zone 1: Everyday Dishes and Utensils
You will want to put the everyday dishes and utensils to the right of the dishwasher or above the dishwasher. If you don’t have a dishwasher, use the sink instead.
The reason you do this is because it makes unloading the dishwasher or sink easy and practical.
Where to put everyday dishes and utensils:
- Where: near or to the right of the dishwasher or sink
- What: plates, bowls, silverware, glasses, and mugs
Zone 2: Tools for Cooking
I recommend that you put tools for cooking very close to the stove. This can be in a drawer that is right next to the stove. If you are right-handed, place them in a drawer on the right and if you are left-handed, place them in a drawer to the left.
If you have a small kitchen without a lot of drawer space, consider getting a pot rack (like the one below).
Where to put tools for cooking:
- Where: near or to the right of the stove
- What: Pots, pans, and tools used during cooking, like stirring spoons and spatulas
Zone 3: Baking Supplies (non-food)
Baking supplies should be close to the oven. Since the oven is the main source for those who bake, it works best to store those supplies as close to the oven as possible.
Baking Supplies (non-food):
- Where: near the oven
- What: baking sheets, muffin tins, pie plates, cooling racks
If you like organizing, you’ll love this article: The Best Way to Organize Clothes in a Small Closet
Zone 4: Tools for Preparing Meals
There are three stages in the food preparing process:
- Preparing the meal
- Cooking the meal
- Serving the meal
Read more : What do birds eat? Here’s what to fill feeders with to bring more birds to your yard.
Your prep area is going to have all the tools you need when preparing the meal. You will want the prep tools in the largest area within your kitchen work triangle.
Tools for preparing meals:
- Where: near the largest work surface within the work triangle
- What: Mixing bowls, measuring cups, whisks, and tools used to prepare meals
Zone 5: Serving and Entertaining Items
The next step for where to put things in the kitchen is establishing a place for serving items and entertaining items. This could be special trays or dishes for holidays or parties. Basically, you don’t use items these frequently and therefore they should not be in the main work triangle.
Serving and Entertaining Items:
- Where: close to the dining area
- What: serving platters, pitchers, cake stands, holiday-themed items, chip & dip trays
Zone 6: Food Storage
This area is for anything you use to store leftovers or to prepare lunches. Store those items near the refrigerator. Having it close to the fridge makes it easy to grab a container for leftovers and stick it directly in the fridge.
This stuff should not be in the main working zone.
Food Storage:
- Where: near the refrigerator but away from household cleaners
- What: Tupperware, ziplock bags, aluminum foils, plastic wrap
Recommended reading: What supplies are in my Professional Organizer’s Toolbag?
Zone 7: Cleaning Supplies
The last zone for where to put things in kitchen cabinets is cleaning supplies. Typically, this type of stuff goes underneath the sink. This is easy because it’s close to the water source.
Also, under the sink is not an area where you want to store dishes for cooking supplies because it is typically dirty down there with potential water leaks.
Cleaning Supplies:
- Where: Typically under the sink and additional cabinets around the sink
- What: Towels, rags, sponges, cleaning solutions
Do you need to maximize space in your SMALL KITCHEN? Check out the video below that talks about 10 ways to increase space in your kitchen. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this.
You can also read the detailed blog post on the same topic here -> 10 Products that Maximize Space in your Kitchen.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER?
If you’re someone who LOVES organizing, consider starting your own organizing business.
Get a copy of my free guide “Professional Organizer’s Launch Guide” HERE.
There are many things to consider when starting an organizing business including:
- When will I name my business?
- Where will I find clients?
- How do I become an organizer?
- Do I need to be certified to get started?
- How will I structure my business?
You have come to the right place!
When you are ready to start your own professional organizing business, check out all my courses on working as a home organizer. My course bundle has the best prices on courses so that you can create and market your organizing business and design a system of organization that will work with all your clients no matter how small or large their volume of clutter is! Check out the course bundle here: Online Boot-Camp for Organizing Bosses
You can also check out my other blogs on how to start a home organizing business:
- How to Start a Professional Organizing Business in 2021
- The Ultimate Reading List for (wannabe) Certified Professional Organizers
- How to Create a Name for your Organizing Business
- 7 Ways to Get Clients for your Professional Organizing Business
Happy Organizing!
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens
