By nature, I suppose one could say I have a little bit of OCD in me. I do love organization, though I’m not perfect at it all of the time.
What I can say is that I definitely need to feel organized any time I am undertaking some “project” of sorts.
To me, cooking any meal is a bit of a project. Probably because good cooking doesn’t come naturally to me, yet good food is something I need in my life.
That being said, having an organized work space in my kitchen when preparing meals, is of top priority. Not only does an organized work space lend…well, more space, but is also promotes an overall, more relaxed mindset.
Having a kitchen that is functional and designed for max efficiency, makes the whole process much more enjoyable.
If you know where to find the tools you need, a way to clean up as you go, and plenty of space to spread out a bit, cooking any meal can be absolutely rewarding.
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Assessing Your Current Kitchen and Pantry Setup
The first step to making your kitchen setup work best for you, is to assess where it all stands currently.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve just moved into a new home or if you have been living in your home 20 years. If the current kitchen situation is making you feel claustrophobic, cluttered, or out of control, it’s time for a change up.
Grab your favorite drink (coffee, wine, tea, etc.), and take a moment to sit in your kitchen and really assess. Think about your frustrations on finding things vs. how you do have certain things placed in a convenient way for you while preparing your meals.
Take a good look around. What’s working and what’s not in terms of fluidity?
Is there a part of the kitchen that gets more traffic than others, causing traffic jams? Why and how might you alleviate some of that?
Where are the trash/recycle bins placed? Are these easily accessible from most areas of the kitchen when you need them most? Are they cumbersome and in the way?
Do you have crockpots, platters, or other miscellaneous accessories taking up larger amounts of space when you only use them a couple of times a year? That space may be used for other things you utilize more.
The point is to really take a good look at your work space to determine what could be arranged better for a more enjoyable cooking experience.
Clear, Labeled Containers Are Great For Organization!
Decluttering: Starting From Scratch
Now that you’ve done a basic assessment, it’s time to begin organizing your thoughts in a more cohesive way.
Think of your kitchen space in terms of different zones. Under the sink would be one zone. Your prep area would be another. Your pantry would be another zone, your cooking area (stove) would be another, and so on.
Tackle one zone at a time. Start by pulling everything out of the zone for a clean slate and clear idea of what you are dealing with.
Next… thoroughly wipe down the empty cabinet shelves, drawers, and counter top space within that area.
Then sort the contents you have removed from that zone, into 4 separate piles.
One pile would be for the kitchen accessories you wish to keep handy for normal use.
Another pile would be for things you rarely use and can be donated to clear space for more important items.
Another pile would be for items you wish to recycle, such as items with missing pieces, or that are broken.
Your fourth and final pile would be for items that only get used a couple of times a year (seasonal/special occasion items).
Repeat this process for each zone in your kitchen.
Categorizing and Grouping Items Effectively
Start with that pile of items that only get used once or twice a year and get them put away. Those items can be stored elsewhere like the attic, basement, closet, floor of the pantry, or on top of cabinetry, to free up space in your typical work area.
Now that those items are out of the way, it’s time to focus on those piles of items that will be going back into the cabinets and drawers.
Begin by grouping items with other like items. Also keep in mind which items should go into each zone, for maximum efficiency.
For instance, what items should you keep close to your stovetop, because they will used often for cooking?
Where is it more convenient to store serving bowls, casserole dishes, etc.?
Where should your baking sheets and cutting boards be, for easy access?
Grouping like items together in this fashion, makes it much easier to track down ingredients and tools you need for a meal or recipe.
All Of The Pesky Storage Containers…Contained!
Creating Fluidity
Right next to our stove, we have our olive oil, salt, pepper, cooking spray, and a few spices we use for many meals.
Over that area, we have a small rack attached to the wall for hanging the cooking utensils we use most, like spatulas, slotted spoons, can opener, etc.
Most of our baking sheets are stored in the bottom drawer of our stove. The bakeware that doesn’t fit in the drawer, is stored in a bottom cabinet near the stove.
Prep items like cutting boards, mixing bowls, whisks, and measuring cups, are all kept near our kitchen island or counter space we often use for prep work.
The interior side of one of our cabinet doors located near the stove, has a vertical spice rack attached, like this one. This way of storing spices not only puts them at eye level, but I can arrange them alphabetically or in any other way that groups them together sensibly.
Our dry goods are of course, stored in our pantry.
Cleaning supplies, sponges, dish soap, etc. is stored beneath our sink.
The point is… when you put everything back into your cabinets and drawers, try to make sure the items are kept near the spaces they are used in the most.
It just provide a smoother work experience all the way around.
Under The Sink Organization For Even Small Spaces
Organizing Your Pantry
Organizing your pantry doesn’t have to be difficult or overwhelming. As with every other zone in your kitchen, you will want to keep like items with one another in your pantry as well.
Breakfast items like cereal, pancake mix, syrup, breakfast bars, etc. can all be arranged in one area on a shelf.
Baking supplies can be grouped together in another area of the shelf. Pasta in another group, canned vegetables in another, snacks, and so on.
You can use clear, stackable containers with labels for pastas or other dry ingredients, to make things easier to find and further utilize every inch of your pantry space.
Dry goods such as garlic, onions, potatoes can be stored in a pantry bin for easy access.
Regardless of how small your pantry space or dry storage cabinets are, there is a way to organize those areas so that it makes sense for your work flow.
Other Miscellaneous Storage Tips
No two kitchens are alike in terms of their storage spaces, location of stove, fridge, prep area, sink, etc. Thus, it requires a bit of creativity to arrange your kitchen to accommodate all of your groceries and accessories, without any one item taking up unnecessary space.
If there is space between the top of your cabinetry and the ceiling, by all means… use it to store one of those items you use infrequently. It will free up valuable real estate for more frequently used items.
Items you frequently use, should be kept at hip or eye level for easier access.
Keep your counter tops organized with as few small appliances as necessary, to maximize your work space.
Perhaps you can set up a small coffee area at one end of your counter with cups, coffee, and sweeteners all nearby. Maybe it makes sense to have your toaster on the counter as well, for frequent use.
Appliances you don’t use often like the Kitchenaid, bread maker, slow cooker, etc. are best stored on top of cabinets, on the pantry floor, or in another cabinet space not occupied for frequently used items.
Shopping bags, to-go cups, and other on-the-go types of items can be kept in one area of your kitchen that doesn’t directly impact your cooking experience.
Try to keep trash/recycle bins near where they are used most for scraping plates, tossing wrappers, etc. Also try to remember to keep a new trash bag at bottom of the can for easier replacement when taking out the trash.
Smart Storage Solutions for Every Space
If you happen to have a little extra space in your kitchen or dining room area, maybe consider investing in a hutch if you don’t naturally have much cabinet and drawer storage.
If that is not possible, there are numerous storage options available on the market for even the smallest kitchen imaginable.
Some of the more popular organization products can be found right on Amazon at very affordable prices.
Lazy Susans work nicely when positioned inside or outside a cabinet for holding oils, spices, vinegars, etc.
Dividers in kitchen drawers are always useful for organizing flatware, cooking utensils, or knives.
Open top containers like these, are quite convenient for storing lunchmeats, kid snacks, and other fridge inventory.
Having storage containers in your cabinets for holding smaller containers and lids, is another way of utilizing your cabinet space effectively. This remains the same for storing pots, pans, and their lids.
Best Organization For Pots Ad Pans In The Cabinet
Convenient Racks & Sliders
Hanging racks are also good ways of storing pots and pans, without using valuable cabinet space.
Magnetic knife racks are ideal storage solutions for sharp knives, as they also keep the knives out of reach for small children.
Under the cabinet racks for stemware, are great ways of freeing up valuable cabinet space.
Wall mounted rack for parchment paper, foils, saran wrap, baggies, etc. are nifty storage solutions.
Can racks for holding canned goods in the pantry or soda cans in the fridge, are great ways of organizing those areas of your kitchen.
Pull out trash can bin sliders are useful for keeping your trash and recycling organized and out of the way.
Pull out shelving with tracks inside of deeper cabinets, can be very useful. Also, don’t forget most cabinet shelves are adjustable, making them versatile when it comes to soring certain ingredients or cookware.
Any type of sliding basket. stackable containers, nesting bowls, or cabinet risers are effective means of storing kitchen necessities while taking up less space.
Depending on your specific space requirements, any of these storage solutions will work beautifully for keeping your kitchen organized.
Maintaining Long Term Organization
Once you have organized your kitchen for maximum productivity, there are really only a few rules of thumb for maintaining your system of fluidity.
Try to reassess your kitchen space a couple of times a year, so you can accommodate any new ingredients or cooking accessories you might add along the way.
If necessary, choose a day seasonally to take inventory and declutter any area of your kitchen that may need it.
Clean out the fridge once a week (preferably the day before trash pickup), so you can keep the fridge free of outdated food.
Clean up as you go, with a more thorough cleaning routine once a week for bigger jobs, if needs be. Whenever I clean up after a meal, I not only take care of the dishes, but I also wipe down counters and the stove top. It keeps the filth at bay, and I don’t have much to do in terms of heavy cleaning on the weekends.
Easy Peasy.
Final Thoughts
Life is hectic. Yet we all eat, and some of us pack kids lunches, entertain, and maybe even enjoy cooking from time to time.
Even if you are not the main cook in the house, it’s still nice to be able to find the things you need when you need them, easily and without running from one end of the room to the other in the process.
Having an organized kitchen space naturally makes one of the most important rooms in your house, feel a little more relaxed and less stressful. Wouldn’t you agree?
Do you have any tips or hacks you’d like to share when it comes to organizing your kitchen space? We would love to hear them! Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!
