Kitchen organization tips: featuring everything but the kitchen sink!

Today’s kitchen is much more than just a place to cook; it is the new family room.  It has become a place for friends and family to gather, where some of the most memorable family moments happen… but still, the preparation of food remains central to the kitchen.

Since the modern kitchen is the area of the home that gets used the most, implementing kitchen organization tips can be vital to the efficiency, functionality, beauty and hospitality of your kitchen.  Here are some simple, helpful tips that can be applied to kitchens everywhere.

Useful Kitchen Organization Tips:

1)  Clear the Counter!  Kitchen counters always seem to become a magnet for the daily mail and newspapers, homework assignments, arts and crafts projects, and various other clutter and knick knacks that really don’t belong in the kitchen at all.  The kitchen counter needs frequent cleaning as it is your primary work space. 

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2)  Consider Safety First.  Every kitchen should have a fire extinguisher.  Also, pay particular attention to where you store dangerous materials such as sharp knives and cleaning chemicals.  Put these items in a latched cabinet or on high shelves where children can’t reach them.  Mounted magnetic knife strips are a great way to display knives, while keeping them out of reach of children.  These magnetic strips certainly beat the alternative of large knife blocks that take up counter space. 

3)  Store Items Where You Use Them.  Ease and functionality are key when it comes to kitchen organization tips.  For example, store your plates in the cabinet nearest the kitchen table, store your glasses near the fridge, pots near the stove, pans near the oven, coffee items near the coffee machine, etc. Find the right storage and holders for your kitchen and use them!

4)  Use Lazy Susans (turntables) and Tiered Shelves to help keep things visible.  Visibility is one of the critical kitchen organization tips.  Don’t let your kitchen products get lost in the back of dark cabinets and cupboards!  Lazy susans are ideal for storing things such as oils, vinegars and other cooking ingredients.  Tiered shelf inserts make it easier to locate items that are stored in the back of each shelf.

5)  No Room?  No Problem.  Create Extra Storage Space.  Insert an additional shelf in a cabinet so you do not waste space.  If you have a pantry door, use over-the-door hangers to keep items arranged.  These storage hangers are great for storing canned foods, snack, or cooking ingredients.  You can also add adhesive hooks to the inside of cabinet or pantry doors to hold measuring cups, pot holders, or other kitchen gadgets. Want to free up an entire cupboard?  Install a hanging pot rack and store your pots and pans overhead.

6)  Use Vertical Space.  Place hooks under cabinets to hold mugs, or hang a stem ware rack above the shelf for wine glasses. 

7)  Keep the Refrigerator Clean.  If you put out the trash at the curb one night a week, make a point of cleaning out your refrigerator on that night too.  If you make the cleaning a weekly task, you will keep up with it, and you will never be faced with a shelf full of moldy mystery foods. 

8)  Use a Spice Rack.  A wall mounted, or even a countertop spice rack can save a tremendous amount of cabinet space.  A spice rack is also a great way to keep your spices close at hand and should be located adjacent to your cook top or cooking area.

Although this list certainly includes everything but the kitchen sink, it doesn’t mean you have to tackle every project at once.  The best way to get control of your kitchen is to start with one task at a time.  With a small amount of time, energy and effort, you can transform your kitchen into a welcoming, organized, attractive and enjoyable space.