24 Smart Organizing Ideas for Your Kitchen
Turn to a Lazy Susan
Contain messes by housing sticky or spillable food items on an easy-to-clean lazy Susan.
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Give Cookbooks Space
Cookbooks are fine on open shelves, so long as they're not exposed to humidity and grease from the fridge or stove.
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Start Hanging
Hang aprons, pot holders, and dish towels on pegs (mount them at least two feet away from the stove).
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Store Items by Use
Arrange your kitchenware by frequency of use, with everyday dishes on an easy-to-reach lower shelf and special-occasion pieces up above.
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Group Similar Objects
Group objects by purpose and assign them to specific cabinets, as with the bakeware centralized here.
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Designate a Cooking Zone
Create a cooking zone around the stove, storing pots and pans as close to the range as possible.
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Stash Like Items Together
Keep plastic bags, wrapping together, and kitchen utensils in a drawer near the refrigerator to make quick work of storing away leftovers.
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Stow Tools Efficiently
Stow essential tools together within easy reach of your cooking area for efficient food prep.
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File Plastic Containers
“File” plastic containers and their tops in orderly zones within the same drawer to keep them readily locatable.
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Contain Lids
Lid racks neatly collect the tops to various pots and pans.
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Install Shelf Organizers
Sliding shelf organizers make frequently used gear easy to access.
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Divide Drawers
Drawer organizers keep cutlery neatly separated, so you never have to rummage around for what you need.
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Think Double-Duty
For no-fuss buffet service, present cutlery to guests in mugs or small pitchers.
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Light it Right
Even under-the-cabinets space can be well utilized, whether for lighting, an appliance, or, in this case, a dish-towl rod.
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Color-Code Kitchenware
Pots and pans double as artwork when like-colored kitchenware is put on display.
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Put China on Display
Use glass-front cabinets to showcase your good china, antique bowls, or even canisters filled with pasta.
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Introduce Baskets
Keep open shelves uncluttered by stashing items in airy rattan baskets.
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Categorize Food
Organize your pantry shelves as you would a library, with food items grouped by category.
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Consider See-Through Storage
Make it a snap for kids to grab snacks on the go with see-through wire baskets.
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Stash Items Over-the-Door
Stash pantry items in the see-through pockets of an over-the-door organizer to virtually eliminate search time.
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Roll in a Cart
Invest in a cart that can transport heavy dishes from kitchen to dining and act as extra counter space for cooking and entertaining.
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Hang Pots and Pans
Another way to conserve precious storage space: Hang pots and pans, if your kitchen allows.
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Try a Retractable Book Stand
A retractable book stand keeps a recipe at eye level while you're working, then folds back under a cabinet when you're done.
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Declutter Counters
Declutter kitchen counters by mounting basics–calendar, phone, to-do lists–on the wall.