41 Kitchen Organizing Ideas You Won’t Believe You’ve Lived Without
Updated: Apr. 29, 2020A cluttered kitchen can be downright maddening. These tips will help you get the most-used, hardest-to-keep-clean room in your home organized for good.
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Functional décor
If you happen to have inherited Grandma’s rolling pins, wooden utensils, and well-worn cutting boards, you have primo décor at your fingertips. Store them out in the open on accessible wall space. Oh, and treat them well—vintage kitchen items are worth money these days.
Organize your fridge with a six-pack
Free shelf liner
Get a cooking caddy for convenience
Swing-out pantry
A swing-out pantry makes the most of any wall cabinet, and this one only looks sophisticated. Learn how to create custom rollouts, swing-out pantries, and more at Family Handyman’s DIY University.
Tension rod storage hack
Here’s an easy and inexpensive storage hack: Keep spray-bottle cleaning supplies organized using a short tension rod. Add another rod to hold your paper towel roll and you’ve got easy access when mopping up spills.
Spice up your life
Using same-size containers is an organization trick that definitely makes the most of your space. Decant spices in uniform jars—and even add printed labels if you want a professional touch. These 50 kitchen organizing tips from organization pros are so clever, you’ll wonder how you got by without for them so long.
Use a pool noodle inside a drawer
Add a display shelf
Add a strip of molding along the upper cabinets to create a space worthy of displaying your favorite pottery. Integrate it into your kitchen design, by matching it to other features in the kitchen. Try out these secret uses for ordinary kitchen gadgets.
Jars on jars
Pullout chopping board
Pullout solutions are perfect for small kitchens. A pull-out cutting board creates a food prep zone in even the smallest-footprint kitchen, where counter space is limited.
Photo: Courtesy of Dura Solutions
File folders kitchen organization hack
This kitchen organization hack is so easy and useful. Metal file folders can be used to corral kitchen cleaning supplies, and you can place most frequently used items towards the front. Find more money-saving ideas in our cheapskate’s guide to kitchen remodeling.
Kitchen window plant perch
Install a wire shelf between the upper cabinets flanking your kitchen window and your herb garden will get plenty of light without blocking the view. Watering is easy, and plants are readily available for snipping.
Expand the counter with a kitchen cart
When kitchen space is at a premium, a rolling kitchen cart is the next best thing to adding cabinets and countertop space. The top provides extra work space when you’re prepping food. The shelves below hold items that would otherwise take up countertop space. Choose one with a durable work surface, such as butcher block, stainless steel, or plastic laminate.
Instant kitchen cabinet organizer
Here’s another trick from your local office supply store: A metal file organizer is perfect for storing baking sheets, cutting boards, and pan lids. To keep the organizer from sliding around, use rubber shelf liner, or attach hook-and-loop tape to the cabinet base and the bottom of the organizer. Watch out for these common kitchen items that are crawling with germs.
Toss those takeout menus
Junk drawer overflowing with stuff? Toss takeout menus in the recycling bin. You’ll never miss them; you can always look up menus online. Here are more items in your kitchen you need to throw away pronto.
C-Clamp paper towel rack
Create an instant paper towel dispenser using two C-clamps. It’s a perfect solution for a rustic kitchen.
Wine stash
No wine rack; no problem! A deep kitchen drawer makes for great bottle storage—just alternate the direction of the bottles so they nest well together.
In-wall pantry
Even the smallest kitchen can get a little bigger if you make use of the space hidden between the studs in your walls. Avoid these ways you could be cleaning your kitchen wrong.
Space-saving nonstick stackable cookware set
Cookware takes up a ton of cabinet space, so don’t overlook creative solutions for storing pots and pans. There are also products designed to take up less space, such as these stackable cooking pans.
Decorative backsplash rack
Concealed message center
Better in a basket
Chalk it up
Install expandable shelves in cabinets
Stackable nesting kitchen caboodle
It’s way too easy to toss mismatched bowls and other kitchen gear in a drawer and forget about them. This stackable option is affordable, space-saving, and bound to make your life just a little easier.
Plastic bag dispenser
An empty rectangular tissue box makes a convenient plastic-bag dispenser; simply thumbtack it to the inside of a cabinet door. It’s one of our favorite thrifty kitchen storage ideas.
Embrace the openness
To optimize your storage space, embrace the open shelving trend. And don’t miss these other kitchen design upgrades that only look expensive.
Refrigerator/freezer stackable storage bins
Clear plastic bins are great for keeping pantry, refrigerator, and freezer tidy while ensuring everything remains in sight. These bins are BPA-free and feature built-in handles.
Prep station
Butcher block counters look amazing, but they do take care—and you still will need a cutting board.
Don’t let the junk drawer overflow
When you have a small kitchen, don’t waste space on junk. Go through your junk drawer quarterly, making sure everything in there is something you truly use.
Optimize pantry storage
Emergency cash stash
Everyone needs to stash a bit of emergency cash. Reuse an empty tin can and you can hide yours in plain view. Stash it in the back of your pantry and save it for a rainy day. Now, read up on these secrets a personal organizer would never tell you for free.
