The kitchen is where we come together to share meals, memories, and creative recipes. Chronic clutter can take the magic out of these moments. Read on to learn how to organize a kitchen – and keep it that way!

1. Declutter for a Fresh Start

Trying to organize a kitchen that’s full of clutter, unused appliances, and expired food can make this task feel completely overwhelming. Give yourself a fresh start by letting go of anything that you don’t want or need.

Let Go of Items That Don’t Serve You

Take a look at your countertop appliances, as well as the ones you stored away in a cabinet and completely forgot about. Is there anything you haven’t used in the past year? It may be time to part ways with that juicer, if all it’s doing is taking up precious counter or cabinet space. Perfectly good appliances can be donated so they don’t end up in a landfill. Clearing space now will allow you to reconsider what you may be missing once everything is organized and stored away. You might find that you finally have space for that ice cream maker you’ve been wanting for months or the air fryer you know you’ll use for weekly food prep!

Clear Out Expired Food

Those cans of baked beans you bought in 2020 definitely aren’t serving you, and they’re taking up precious pantry space, so toss them! If you have any nonperishable items that aren’t out of date but you know no one in your household will eat, consider donating them to a food pantry so they don’t go to waste. Go through your pantry, cabinets, and refrigerator and get rid of anything that’s expired. Here are some common food items that aren’t used as frequently and may be expired:

• Baking Supplies: If you don’t bake frequently you’ll want to check your sugar, flour, spices, extracts, baking powder, and baking soda. Extracts and spices have a longer shelf life of one to four years, while baking powder and baking soda should be used within six months of being opened. Check expiration dates on all baking supplies, including flour and sugar, which can also be susceptible to pantry weevils if not stored in an airtight container.
• Canned Goods: Canned vegetables, fruits, and soups have a way of getting lost in the back of your pantry – before you know it, they’re already two years past expiration. Check expiration dates on any canned foods and toss anything that’s expired.
• Frozen Foods: If you have a habit of freezing raw meats for later, make sure you know how long they’ve been in the freezer. Whole raw meats like steaks and chickens can stay frozen for anywhere between four months to a year, while you should be cautious of ground meats that have been in the freezer for more than four months. It’s also easy to forget about frozen vegetables and desserts in the freezer; toss anything that’s expired or freezer-burned to make space.
• Condiments: Some condiments last a long time, depending on how often you use them. It can be easy to forget how long they’ve been around. Check expiration dates and throw out anything that is expired to avoid getting sick. Remember to check both refrigerated and non-refrigerated condiments.

2. Map Out a Plan

The most successful projects start with a bit of careful planning. Give yourself a game plan before starting to organize so you don’t get sidetracked or overwhelmed.

Identify Your Pain Points

Think about your kitchen’s current setup. Is there anything that gets in the way while you’re cooking or trying to get the kids’ lunch together in the morning? Does it frequently take you over a minute to find the paprika? Identifying the aspects of your kitchen setting that don't serve you allows you to come up with a plan for an efficient kitchen setup that will make your life easier and your time in the kitchen more enjoyable.

Draw Up a Layout

Sketching a kitchen layout or coming up with lists can be a helpful way to record your plan before you start to organize. If you don’t love your kitchen layout, take some measurements and draw up a new layout before moving things around to make sure it’s going to work. Make a list of what spices, storage containers, and pantry items you want to go where so there’s no hesitation once you get started. Make a shopping list of organizational tools you need for your layout such as drawer organizers, spice racks, or kitchen shelving.

3. Get Organizing

Once you’re done decluttering and have a plan in place, it’s time to start organizing. Here are the key areas of the kitchen you should focus on to maximize your organizational impact:

Pantry

Your pantry is your hub for nonperishable items like baking supplies, pastas, canned goods, and condiments. Whether you have a walk-in pantry or freestanding one, organizing your pantry will make a big impact on your kitchen. You can use food storage canisters or dry food dispensers to keep dry goods like flour, cereals, and rice fresh once they're open. Make sure to label containers or choose clear ones so you can easily find what you’re looking for. Install pantry door and shelf organizers to give your pantry items designated spaces.

Spices

Nothing is worse than rifling through your spice cabinet in the middle of cooking a meal and not being able to find what you’re looking for. Easily find the right spices by organizing them with a spice rack on your countertop or in a designated cabinet or drawer. You can also find wall-mounted or magnetic spice racks to save countertop and cabinet space. Make your spice storage even more efficient with labeled spice jars.

Refrigerator

Organizing the inside of your refrigerator is essential to avoid forgetting about items and ending up with food waste. Rely on refrigerator bins to organize your refrigerated and frozen foods and put them on display, so no fruits and vegetables are left behind. Clear glass or plastic bins allow you to easily see what’s inside and how ripe produce is. If you go with an opaque container, make sure to label them so you always know what you have on hand.

Cabinets

Organize your kitchen cabinets to avoid broken dinnerware and easily get to dinnerware, glassware, and cookware as you need it. Make use of wall- or ceiling-mounted pot racks and kitchen shelving to store cabinet overflow or to clear up some cabinet space. Install cabinet drawer or shelf organizers in your existing cabinets to give dishes, bakeware, containers, and lids a designated home. Store special occasion serveware and drinkware in a china cabinet or in dinnerware storage cases to free up room in the kitchen.

Drawers

Keep flatware and plastic baggies separate with kitchen drawer organizers. Choose a wood or bamboo drawer organizer for a natural look that matches the drawer's interior, or choose metal or plastic for an easy-to-clean organizer. Don’t forget to organize your junk drawer – we all have one!

Countertops

Keeping countertops neat and organized is key to having a clutter-free kitchen. Use a bread box to store bread and keep it fresh and a fruit basket to store fruit and vegetables that don’t go in the fridge. Invest in other countertop storage like paper towel holders, utensil crocks, dish drying racks, and mug trees to keep your counters looking neat and put together.

4. Stay Organized

Follow these tips and tricks for keeping your kitchen organized so things stay neat and tidy with little effort from you!

• Take an Inventory: Once your kitchen is organized and in a good place, take an inventory of nonperishable and refrigerated items. You can keep a list of what you have or create a spreadsheet that can easily be updated when something is used up or replaced. This can make shopping easier and prevent overbuying and food waste, which will also cause clutter in your pantry and cabinets. Keep a whiteboard on your refrigerator and list all perishable items that need to be used up to remind you to use them when prepping meals or when you’re looking for a snack.
• Create an Easy-to-Follow System: If everyone in your household isn’t on the same page when it comes to kitchen organization, it can easily fall into disarray again. Make sure everything has a home, and everyone knows what that home is. Schedule a family or roommate meeting to go over the kitchen set up or use labels on shelves and inside cabinets and pantries so there’s no confusion on where things are supposed to go.
• Schedule Maintenance Days: Even the most organized kitchens need upkeep to stay on track. Schedule kitchen maintenance days two to four times per year to go through and get rid of broken or expired items. The more frequently you do this, the less work it will be each time. These maintenance days are also a great time to reevaluate your system and make any changes if something is no longer working.

Tip!

Obsessed with your organized space? Move on to the next room with these home organization ideas.

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