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  1. Real Simple
  2. Home Organizing
  3. Organizing
  4. Kitchen Organizing
  5. 24 Smart Organizing Ideas for Your Kitchen

24 Smart Organizing Ideas for Your Kitchen

By Real Simple
Updated April 24, 2018
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
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Credit: Bed Bath and Beyond
As these photos show, what makes a kitchen great is how you organize it.
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Turn to a Lazy Susan

Credit: Bed Bath and Beyond

Contain messes by housing sticky or spillable food items on an easy-to-clean lazy Susan.

1 of 24

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2 of 24

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Give Cookbooks Space

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Cookbooks are fine on open shelves, so long as they're not exposed to humidity and grease from the fridge or stove.

2 of 24

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Start Hanging

Credit: Brian Bumby/Getty Images

Hang aprons, pot holders, and dish towels on pegs (mount them at least two feet away from the stove).

3 of 24

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Store Items by Use

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Arrange your kitchenware by frequency of use, with everyday dishes on an easy-to-reach lower shelf and special-occasion pieces up above.

4 of 24

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Group Similar Objects

Credit: Getty Images/ ka2shka

Group objects by purpose and assign them to specific cabinets, as with the bakeware centralized here.

5 of 24

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Designate a Cooking Zone

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Create a cooking zone around the stove, storing pots and pans as close to the range as possible.

6 of 24

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Stash Like Items Together

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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

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Stow essential tools together within easy reach of your cooking area for efficient food prep.

8 of 24

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File Plastic Containers

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“File” plastic containers and their tops in orderly zones within the same drawer to keep them readily locatable.

9 of 24

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Contain Lids

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Lid racks neatly collect the tops to various pots and pans.

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Install Shelf Organizers

Credit: The Container Store

Sliding shelf organizers make frequently used gear easy to access.

11 of 24

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Divide Drawers

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Drawer organizers keep cutlery neatly separated, so you never have to rummage around for what you need.

12 of 24

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Think Double-Duty

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For no-fuss buffet service, present cutlery to guests in mugs or small pitchers.

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Light it Right

Credit: Jacek Kadaj/Getty Images

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

Credit: Chatuporn Sornlampoo / EyeEm/Getty Images

Pots and pans double as artwork when like-colored kitchenware is put on display.

15 of 24

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Put China on Display

Credit: Andersen Ross/Getty Images

Use glass-front cabinets to showcase your good china, antique bowls, or even canisters filled with pasta.

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Introduce Baskets

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Keep open shelves uncluttered by stashing items in airy rattan baskets.

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Categorize Food

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Organize your pantry shelves as you would a library, with food items grouped by category.

18 of 24

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Consider See-Through Storage

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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

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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

Credit: KatarzynaBialasiewicz/Getty Images

Invest in a cart that can transport heavy dishes from kitchen to dining and act as extra counter space for cooking and entertaining.

21 of 24

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Hang Pots and Pans

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Another way to conserve precious storage space: Hang pots and pans, if your kitchen allows.

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Try a Retractable Book Stand

Credit: Williams Sonoma

A retractable book stand keeps a recipe at eye level while you're working, then folds back under a cabinet when you're done.

23 of 24

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Declutter Counters

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Declutter kitchen counters by mounting basics–calendar, phone, to-do lists–on the wall.

24 of 24

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Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

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1 of 24 Turn to a Lazy Susan
2 of 24 Give Cookbooks Space
3 of 24 Start Hanging
4 of 24 Store Items by Use
5 of 24 Group Similar Objects
6 of 24 Designate a Cooking Zone
7 of 24 Stash Like Items Together
8 of 24 Stow Tools Efficiently
9 of 24 File Plastic Containers
10 of 24 Contain Lids
11 of 24 Install Shelf Organizers
12 of 24 Divide Drawers
13 of 24 Think Double-Duty
14 of 24 Light it Right
15 of 24 Color-Code Kitchenware
16 of 24 Put China on Display
17 of 24 Introduce Baskets
18 of 24 Categorize Food
19 of 24 Consider See-Through Storage
20 of 24 Stash Items Over-the-Door
21 of 24 Roll in a Cart
22 of 24 Hang Pots and Pans
23 of 24 Try a Retractable Book Stand
24 of 24 Declutter Counters

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24 Smart Organizing Ideas for Your Kitchen
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