How to Organize Kitchen Drawers for Convenience & Efficiency
Simple storage solutions.
Kitchen drawers offer ample storage space, but they can quickly become overwhelming when they’re disorganized. Explore tips on how to organize kitchen drawers so you can easily find everything you need to simplify your cooking and cleanup processes.
1. Consider the Layout of Your Kitchen
Before you begin, consider the layout of your cabinets and appliances. You’ll want to organize the drawers in a way that makes sense for the workflow of your kitchen. Consider the following tips when deciding how to organize your kitchen drawers:
- Keep oven mitts next to the oven for accessible heat protection.
- Store extra dish towels near the sink for easy drying.
- Choose a flatware drawer near the dishwasher to make unloading more efficient.
- Spices and cooking utensils should be close to the stove for convenience when cooking.
- Knives, peelers, can openers, and other tools should be kept by your main food prep area.
- Place coffee beans and tea bags in a drawer near your coffee maker or kettle.
Drawer dividers are one of the easiest ways to organize your kitchen drawers. These adjustable dividers are used to create a completely customizable layout in any drawer. This makes them a great organization solution when you need to store oddly shaped kitchen gadgets, large utensils, and more.
Flatware organizers are a go-to organization tool for many kitchens. They are designed to divide your flatware by type and keep it organized in your drawer so it is readily available for everyday use. If you’re working with a narrow drawer, opt for a tiered flatware organizer to save space.
For customizable organization, opt for an adjustable drawer organizer that can expand to provide more storage or contract to fit smaller drawers. These organizers come in various configurations to fit flatware, cooking utensils, gadgets, and more – making these drawer organizers an especially versatile kitchen storage solution.
If you have an extra-deep kitchen drawer to work with, consider using it to organize your cookware. This can also help make your kitchen more accessible because you won’t have to kneel down to lift heavy cookware from low cabinets. If you stack your cookware in a drawer, make sure you use pot protectors between each one to prevent scratching. Use large drawer organizers or pegs to keep your cookware in place when opening and closing the drawer.
Many households fall victim to the chaotic container drawer – where food storage containers float around freely and it’s impossible to find their matching lids. Say goodbye to this struggle by placing a kitchenware divider in your drawers to neatly separate lids and containers by size.
Don’t have space for a countertop spice rack? Keep your favorite flavors close by with a spice drawer. A slightly tiered drawer organizer is perfect for displaying your collection of spices so it’s easy to locate what you’re looking for. Choose a drawer close to your stove so you can flavor to taste while you cook.
Some kitchen drawer organizers are designed to hold paper products and plastic bags to simplify your food storage. Roll dispensers can fit rolls of aluminum foil, parchment paper, and wax paper and usually include a built-in slicer to cut the perfect size piece.
Keeping loose knives in a drawer is dangerous and can damage or dull the blades, so add a drawer knife block to keep them organized, out of the way, and well protected. Drawer knife blocks offer a safer and more space-savvy storage solution than countertop models. If you have young children, add a childproof lock to the drawer to keep your knives safely out of reach.
If you’re a big coffee drinker or tea lover, having your favorites on hand is important. Use drawer organizers or coffee pod storage racks to make the most of your drawer space and keep your essentials close by the coffee maker or kettle for easy access. Add some coffee stirrers, creamers, and sugar packets to complete your at-home coffee station.
While organizing your kitchen drawers, you may be tempted to get rid of your junk drawer or organize it in a way that won’t last. Instead, lean into its utility and make sure that handy items, such as batteries, spare chargers, scissors, pens, and sticky notes, have their place. Use a spacious full-drawer organizer or opt for a smaller drawer insert to corral odds and ends in a way that works for you.
Tip!
Looking for more kitchen organization tips? Read our guides:
- Declutter Your Life: How to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets
- Must-See Under-Kitchen-Sink Storage Ideas
- 23 Ideas for Kitchen Countertop Organization
