Maximizing Space: How to Best Organize Kitchen Cabinets

The key to finding pleasure in cooking is having a well-organized kitchen. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if it’s big or small, keeping your kitchen organized can still be a challenge. Utensils, glassware and pantry items are just a few of the things that need to be stored away, but again be easily within reach. An organized kitchen will help you waste less food and cook more efficiently. So, read through our tips to learn how to organise your kitchen’s space and use its potential to the maximum.

Take a brave step: Declutter

You must start from scratch: take everything out, look at what you have, what you need and what you don’t need. This means that it’s time to ditch those chipped plates and glasses or that broken veggie peeler you didn’t know was still around.

• If you only use a few plates and bowls, and have three times as much in your cabinet, you should pack the extras and store them in your basement or attic.

• Check the expiration date on those spices you haven’t used in a while and get rid of the expired ones. The same goes with all the food stored in the fridge.

• Match pots, pans and containers with their lids. This means you should probably throw out any container that doesn’t have a matching lid, since there is  little chance you would use it in future.

It’s time to get some cleaning done!

Now that you’ve taken out everything from the cabinets and drawers, clean them. Remove all the dust, leftovers and crumbs. Then finish off by wiping the inside of the cabinets. Use a clean cloth and a household cleaner to make those surfaces shine!

Use the kitchen work triangle to create zones.

The triangular layout between the sink, oven and fridge makes it convenient for a person to move around in the kitchen. Even if your kitchen doesn’t follow this triangle, it is helpful to see it as a scheme of work zones: prep and cooking zone, dishware storage, cleanup zone, food storage. Once you figure it out, store kitchen items according to their related zone.

• Prep and cooking zone

Items like baking sheets, pots and pans, as well as spices should be placed near the cooking area. You can go one step further to save space, and hang them with a pot rack. Place cutting boards, utensils and small appliances like mixers and juicers, near the prep area.

• Dishwasher storage

Keeping kitchen utensils, dishes and glasses close to the sink or dishwasher is a real time-saver. Just imagine how much time you would save on washing and unloading.

Tip 1: All the items that you rarely use, like platters and serving bowls should should be placed on higher shelves.

Tip 2: Separate holiday items in different containers and put them aside in the basement, because you don’t want them to occupy valuable cabinet space.

• Cleanup zone

Cleaning products are usually placed under the sink. However, keep in mind that they should be stored in a safe place, out of children’s and pet’s reach.

• Food storage

Believe it or not, there is an art in properly storing our food in and out of the fridge. You might have already known this, but there are ideal spots for different types of foods. For example, meat should be at the bottom of the fridge. If you are wondering why, it is because the bottom is the coldest and to make sure that no contamination occurs if it starts to leak.  

Organise the rest.

You’re almost done organizing. Use baskets and transparent containers to place food, and make sure that all baking ingredients, as well as soap, napkins and towels are placed in their related groups. If it makes it easier, you can even label the containers.

Voila, you have a perfectly-organised kitchen!

Now that your kitchen is as good as new, you need to make sure you keep maintaining it. You want it to shine as long as possible, so make sure you declutter from time to time.

Take one step further in organizing your kitchen.

What makes a kitchen great is the way you decide to organize it. What makes it even greater is having items which would help you use its potential to the fullest. Here are a few life-changing kitchen items that will definitely change the way you organize the “heart” of your home:

• Kitchen drawer organisers: even though it is mostly used for storing utensils, this organiser can be put in drawers to hold scissors, wine and can openers, measuring cuts and etc. If you are following the zero-waste trend, bamboo drawer organisers might be an option worth considering.

• Wine rack: convenient and decorative at the same time. If you often enjoy a glass of wine, this rack might be a very useful solution. You can choose between various shapes of wine racks. Just think about how much space you will provide for other items in your cabinet now that your wine glasses are kept on a wine rack.

• Coffee station: You shouldn’t have to run around different “zones” in the morning to get all you need for a cup of coffee. You can create a coffee station where you store all you need to make your perfect cup of coffee. Place petite jars of coffee beans, creamer, sugar and your favourite mug next to the coffee maker. You can go one step further to save the environment and use bamboo cups. Both cute and environmentally-friendly at the same time.

• Invest in Lazy Susan: this revolving tray or stand makes organizing sticky and spillable foods very easy and convenient. You can place medications, spices and vitamins.

• 8-Tier cookware stand: If you have extra space at your disposal, try this layered cookware tower.  Now you have more than enough room to place your favourite cookbooks, pans and pots. Be creative and add a pinch of personality on it.

• Magnetic kitchen organisation rack: You can use this kitchen item to keep all your essentials in one place. Besides, the fact that it is attachable with a magnet just makes it more convenient.

• Sink caddy: This kitchen item is a real life-saver. You can use it as a storage for your sink area, or put it under the sink and keep all cleaning products together.

• Spice rack: You shouldn’t let spice jars take up too much cupboard space. Instead, you can use a spice rack and place them on the wall or the cupboard door. It looks tidy, yet accessible.

• Stackable salad bowls:  Put them one inside the other to save on kitchen space. Besides, they are great for everyday use and can last a lifetime. You can choose between bowls in different sizes, and serve not only salads, but soup and pasta as well.

Condiment  corner rack: Place packets, spices, bottles and jars on this rack to keep them both organised and accessible. Bonus points for being durable and rustproof.

• Dish drying rack: It is very practical and functional. This rack has enough space for freshly washed plates, cutlery and fruit. It comes with a dip tray which catches draining water.

• Corner plate rack holder: Increase storage space with this corner plate rack. The best thing is that it maximizes vertical space and you can place it in cupboards, counters or under sink areas of almost every size. It is suitable for other kitchen essentials as well.

• Food storage container: These containers will save you a lot of space in your pantry, cupboards and countertop. They come in different sizes, so they allow for a variety of storage options, even tall spaghetti noodles! The best thing about them is that they are created in such a way, that you can be sure your food will stay fresh for a long time.

• Kitchen trolley: it’s super convenient, and the amount of storage inside and in the drawer is great. It is a real life-saver, especially because it moves around easily on wheels, and it comes with brakes, which means that there is no way it would roll off unexpectedly.

Add plants: they bring beauty to your home and are a perfect decoration for each room. Plus, not only do they purify the air we breathe, but they also improve the quality of our lives in general.

Enjoy cooking in your perfectly-organised kitchen!

Even though keeping the kitchen organized can feel like a real challenge, it might not always be as difficult as it seems. Functional storage, proper shelving and a few hours of your time can do miracles! Follow your thought-out declutter plan and watch your kitchen get transformed into the gorgeous, shiny and convenient cooking area you have always wanted.