Is kitchen chaos bringing you down? These simple kitchen-organizing ideas will lift you back up and help banish the chaos for good.
Kitchen cupboards and drawers
Organize your dishes by frequency of use. Keep daily-use items, such as drinking glasses and plates, close at hand on easy-to-reach shelves, while serving ware or other less-used items can be stored above, below or in a separate place in the kitchen. Tuck heavy appliances on bottom shelves to make them easier to retrieve.
Image source: Practically Functional
Keep spices and dried herbs at the ready with a magnetic spice rack. It’s as decorative as it is practical and can be hung almost anywhere for easy access.
Image source: A Night Owl
Create a designated coffee station to help you start your day efficiently. Find a small nook or space in your kitchen, and tuck all your coffee- and tea-making supplies into one place. Make sure to add coffee cups and a handy Keurig cup holder like this one.
Image source: Practically Functional
Organize your liquor bottles by setting up your own version of a mini-bar using a rustic shelf. A smaller version mounted in the kitchen would also work well for storing bottles of oil and vinegar while keeping them close at hand.
Pantry
Image source: Sunny Side Up
Keep similar products — such as grains and pastas, snacks and cookies and your jarred and canned goods — together. This will help make finding what you need a breeze. Use a shelf riser to elevate cans so you can see what you have at first glance.
Image source: The Social Home
Recycle the bags and boxes used for packaging, and use clear containers to store your pantry staples instead. Not only will this help keep your pantry mess free, but your food will likely stay fresher for longer. Place any cooking instructions inside the container with your dry goods, and be sure to add labels so you can find what you need effortlessly.
Image source: Ask Anna
Keep boxes of plastic wrap and aluminum foil accessible by stashing them upright in a mesh magazine rack attached to a cupboard door, or mount the boxes to a wall or inside the pantry door for a functional way to keep them handy.
Learn more about pantry organization >>
Refrigerator and freezer
Image source: First Home Love Life
Clear acrylic trays or plastic baskets are perfect for storing condiments, beverages and other foods in the fridge. Not only are they a convenient way to store similar products together and to keep them easy to find, but they are also a great solution for bottles that can easily be knocked over. Take it a step further, and incorporate them into your freezer to help organize your bags, boxes and containers.
Image source: Lia Griffith
Always label your leftovers in the fridge and freezer with the date and name of the recipe. Get in the habit of bringing older leftovers to the front of your freezer so you’ll be more likely use them before they expire.
Image source: A Mom Less Ordinary
Chalkboard labels and chalkboard contact paper are fun and practical ways to help keep track of the products in your fridge. Label baskets, trays, containers and the inside of the door. And for a handy way to post a menu plan or to jot down a grocery list, use chalkboard paper on the front of the door to make an easy notepad.
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