How to Organize Your Kitchen

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!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

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

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

2. 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.

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

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

5. 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.

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

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

10. 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.

[callylilly]

on 3/27/2009 Good motivation article! I have already done a few of these suggestions. I stack all my plastic storage containers inside each other, makes them easier to get to. They serve double duty, also use as mixing bowls. I got rid of a lot of clutter and unecessary items by doing this. The lids are stored neatly in a basket placed inside a base cabinet.

[dzagotti]

on 3/5/2009 Great ideas and article!

[edenfairy]

on 3/5/2009 Great article, thanks!

[goldiec]

on 2/27/2009 great tips

[sjgdw]

on 1/14/2009 When we moved from a 4-bdrm house to a ONE bdrm apartment, space was LIMITED. We utilized every possible corner, nook, cranny, surface. A hanging book-rack on the pantry door. Attached metal racks to the insides of cabinet doors. Used "add-a-shelf" racks to pantry and cabinet shelves. Baskets, trays, dividers--all help in their place. Bought a stand-alone pantry, placed it just outside the kitchen; it holds cookie sheets & baking pans, large serving dishes, the crock-pot, mixer, waffle-maker, etc.--All those necessities that aren't used frequently. Once a week I clean and re-organize a different part of the kitchen. 1) pantry 2)drawers 3)under-counter cabinets 4)over-counter cabinets, 5)refrigerator, 6)extra pantry. Then I start the cycle again. Even the apartment maintenance man was impressed!