First, understand what you have to work with, so start by unpacking all those cabinets. This will take some time, but you need to start with a clean slate to do it right. Stack-like items together. At first, this will make a big mess, but it will make it much easier once you start putting things back. You will find things you never knew you had, so sometimes this can be fun.
Step 2
Go through your items and discard the ones you know you don’t or will not use again. Give these to friends, or family, or donate to someplace like Goodwill. Get rid of excessive duplicates. Sometimes you need several of one item, but you will know what item you never use. Consider keeping your overflow items in a storage area away from the kitchen. Those extra party plates and glasses don’t need to be stored in the kitchen. This is a good time to create a list of items that you may need to replace or that you want to add. This process alone can create more space than you would think.
Step 3
Clean your cabinets and drawers. Give them a good scrub. After this process, you may want to put some liner or matting down to protect your cabinets and drawers. I would then take some measurements, and measure each space. This will help you when looking for organizational products or trying to figure out what will fit where. Here are a few recommended products to get you started in your search.
Step 4
Keep functionality in mind; it’s the priority. Find the spot your items are going to go and keep similar things together. Avoid keeping too many of your items out on the counter, and do your best to put them back once you use them. Think about your kitchen areas like under the sink, dish area, miscellaneous utensils, coffee area, pots and pans, junk drawer, food items, ETC. Consider how you move around your space.
Here are a few helpful tips:
- Put your knives in a drawer, cabinet, or a block by the area you usually do your cutting.
- Put your sugar by the coffee machine.
- Stack dishes and glasses in a cabinet by the dishwasher, so it’s faster to unload.
- Put your spices by the oven, so they are handy when cooking; also, consider a spice rack to keep them organized.
- Use a see-thru container under the sink to store your dishwasher cleaning pods. Get rid of that box or container they come in.
- Use a utensil holder by the oven so it’s quick to grab your favorite spatula.
Step 5
In each area, focus on space-saving. Can you utilize the inside of the door with a rack? Or can you put up a vertical divider or add hooks? Can you stack your plates on a rack so you can fit cups under them? Stack like items and keep things visible; make sure you remove all packaging and put your most used items in front. Plastic storage containers are helpful, but always try to get clear ones so you can quickly see what’s inside and use the many dividers available today. We have compiled a list to get you started. Once you go thru this process, I’m confident you will enjoy your new kitchen. After a few days, you will know what works and what needs to be moved around so that it fits your specific needs. Enjoy your newly organized kitchen.
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