How to Organize Your Kitchen

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (4 Ratings)

You've got three half-full bottles of vinegar in your cupboard and your utensil drawer is a minefield of knife tips and mangled wire whisks. Time to get organized!

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Appliance Barns
Drawer Liners
Drawer Organizers
Airtight Containers
Kitchen Organizers
Knife Racks
Plastic Storage Containers
Silverware Holders
Spice Racks

Step1

Go through your kitchen and discard anything you don't use, along with any food, spices or medicines that are beyond their expiration dates.

Step2

Take everything out of your cupboards and drawers, and wash the insides with warm soapy water. Rinse, let dry and replace cupboard and drawer liners.

Step3

Store pots, pans and cooking utensils near the stove, nesting the pots and pans together to conserve space.

Step4

Store dishes and silverware near your eating area and/or dishwasher. Use racks and silverware holders to maximize use of space.

Step5

Be sure that children are able to reach items they use. Put things they should not use - such as sharp tools, alcohol and cleaning chemicals - well out of reach.

Step6

Alphabetize your spices and keep them near the stove on a spice rack or in a nearby cupboard on a revolving rack.

Step7

Remove large and seldom-used items from countertops and store them in a cupboard. For appliances that you use often, consider adding an 'appliance barn,' which can store toasters, blenders, juicers and other appliances on the countertop without clutter.

Step8

Store food items that you use on a daily basis in accessible spots, and store all like food items together - for example, tea and sugar.

Step9

Put food that may become infested with insects into sturdy plastic containers and seal them.

Step10

Use drawer dividers to organize utensils.

Tips & Warnings

Hiring a professional kitchen organizer may be helpful. Contact one through the National Association of Professional Organizers.
If children are part of your family, be sure they are able to reach items they use.
Do not store sharp knives, household cleaning products or medicines within the reach of children.

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Comments

Anonymous said

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on 8/7/2006 Place spices lying down in a drawer near the stove. This will free up cupboard space and let you read labels easily. If you have doubles, you may want to lay the same spice on top or toss it all together.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Clear out everything from under your kitchen sink. Throw away empty containers, etc. Buy a plastic organizer with a handle to put your cleaning products in. Only allow that organizer and your dish drainer under the sink.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Want tidy string in the kitchen? Here's a great dispenser. Just nail a funnel to the wall, place string in the bowl then pull end through from spout as needed.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 You should be able to reach your flour, sugar, mixer, spatulas, etc. without taking a step. Use stackable Tupperware and pull-out shelves. Store your mixer, already assembled, in an appliance garage. All this needs to be right next to the oven.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 When returning spatulas to the utensil drawer, place them in handle first so the business end of the spatula is toward you. This helps me find the right one without pulling the drawer out and creating a mess.

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