The kitchen is your space to get creative with cooking and make precious memories with your loved ones – this can be hard to do if you’re always surrounded by clutter. Kitchen organization is key for a stress-free cooking environment. Follow our step-by-step guide to learn how to organize your kitchen cabinets to maximize your kitchen’s space and potential.

1. Start From Scratch

(Shop this image: Green Mugs, glass drinkware, white dinnerware set, green dinnerware set)

First, empty out your cabinets completely and sort through your dinnerware, serveware, cups, and utensils. If there are items you no longer use, donate them, and dispose of anything that’s chipped or broken. If you have more pieces than you can use, or special seasonal ones, consider packing them up and storing them away somewhere else until you need them.

2. Clean Your Cabinets

This is the perfect opportunity to give your cabinets a deep clean for a fresh start! Remove any crumbs or dust. Wipe down the inside of the cabinets by spraying a household cleaner onto a clean cloth and wiping all hard surfaces.

3. Come Up With a Plan

Store items closest to where you will use them.We recommend keeping everyday items like plates, bowls, and glasses on bottom cabinet shelves so they are within easy reach. Consider these categories when coming up with your organization strategy.

• Cookware & Bakeware: Pots, pans, and baking sheets should be placed near your oven or cooktop. If you want to conserve cabinet space, hang pots and pans on a pot rack. Pot racks can also be used to store lids upright and in an orderly fashion. Many ovens come with an additional drawer that is the perfect size for storing large baking sheets and pans.

• Utensils & Prep Items: Keep utensils, cutting boards, and small appliances (i.e., hand mixers, blenders, and juicers) near your prep area.

• Drinkware: Dishes, glasses, and silverware should be placed close to the sink or dishwasher for easy washing and unloading.

• Spices: It makes sense to store spices in a cabinet that’s close to your oven, since this is where most food prep and cooking takes place. Spice cabinets can easily become a jumbled mess, so use a spice storage system to keep things neat and easy to find.

• Cleaning Supplies: Kitchen and household cleaning supplies are typically kept in the cabinet below the kitchen sink. Place a lazy susan under the sink to make it easy to reach the products you need. You can also add cabinet door organizers for extra storage space for things like trash bags or rubber gloves for cleaning or cooking.

4. Choose Your Organization Tools

Kitchen organizers like pull-out cabinet organizers, glass racks, and utensil crocks can help you make the most of your cabinet space, making it easier to fit more items and still be able to get to them. Consider adding these organization tools to your arsenal.

• Pantry Organization: If you have a small pantry, add a pantry door organizer to a spare cabinet to provide more storage space without taking up any floor space. If you find that your pantry overflow is contributing to cabinet clutter, check out our helpful guides on How to Organize a Pantry, along with these Pantry Organization Ideas.

• Pullout Cabinet Organizers:If you have deep cabinets, consider pullout cabinet organizers so you can easily reach items in the back, and maximize storage capacity. These organizers are helpful for storing pots and pans, lids, food, trash cans, or cleaning supplies. A blind corner cabinet organizer can help you store and access items in hard to reach cabinet spaces, like corner cabinets.

• Utensil Storage: Regular utensils used for eating are best kept in a drawer with a drawer organizer, so you can always find what you need! Drawer organizers are also great for keeping your junk drawer organized and can store things like scissors and pens. Bigger utensils used for cooking or serving can be stored in a decorative utensil crock.

• Drinkware Storage: Keep your frequently used drinking glasses in a kitchen cabinet near the sink. Keep your morning coffee or tea time simple by displaying your favorite mugs on a mug tree. You can keep them next to your coffee maker or kettle, and use decorative kitchen canisters to hold your coffee beans, sugar, and other essentials.
  If you’re a wine drinker, consider a decorative wine glass rack to free up some cabinet space.

You May Also Like:

Ready to Shop? Check These Out!