Home Organizing Kitchen Organizing 24 Basic Organizing Ideas for Your Kitchen Putting items in designated zones can significantly improve the flow of your kitchen. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. 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Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 6, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Bed Bath and Beyond As these photos show, what makes a kitchen great is how you organize it. 01 of 24 Turn to a Lazy Susan Bed Bath and Beyond Contain messes by housing sticky or spillable food items on an easy-to-clean lazy Susan. 02 of 24 Give Cookbooks Space twomeows/Getty Images Cookbooks are fine on open shelves, so long as they're not exposed to humidity and grease from the fridge or stove. 03 of 24 Start Hanging Brian Bumby/Getty Images Hang aprons, pot holders, and dish towels on pegs (mount them at least two feet away from the stove). 04 of 24 Store Items by Use Hero Images/Getty Images Arrange your kitchenware by frequency of use, with everyday dishes on an easy-to-reach lower shelf and special-occasion pieces up above. 05 of 24 Group Similar Objects Getty Images/ ka2shka Group objects by purpose and assign them to specific cabinets, as with the bakeware centralized here. 06 of 24 Designate a Cooking Zone Felix Oberhage/Getty Images Create a cooking zone around the stove, storing pots and pans as close to the range as possible. 07 of 24 Stash Like Items Together Image Source/Getty Images Keep plastic bags, wrapping, and kitchen utensils in a drawer near the refrigerator to make quick work of storing leftovers. 08 of 24 Stow Tools Efficiently Pexels Stow essential tools together within easy reach of your cooking area for efficient food prep. 09 of 24 File Plastic Containers anand purohit/Getty Images "File" plastic containers and their tops in orderly zones within the same drawer to keep them readily locatable. 10 of 24 Contain Lids PhotoAlto/Laurence Mouton/Getty Images Use lid racks to neatly collect the tops of various pots and pans. 11 of 24 Install Shelf Organizers The Container Store Sliding shelf organizers make frequently used gear easy to access. 12 of 24 Divide Drawers Fancy/Veer/Corbis/Getty Images Drawer organizers keep cutlery neatly separated, so you never have to rummage around for what you need. 13 of 24 Think Double-Duty jin chu ferrer/Getty Images For no-fuss buffet service, present cutlery to guests in mugs or small pitchers. 14 of 24 Light It Right Jacek Kadaj/Getty Images Even under-the-cabinets space can be well utilized for lighting, an appliance, or, in this case, a dish-towel rod. 15 of 24 Color-Code Kitchenware Chatuporn Sornlampoo / EyeEm/Getty Images Pots and pans double as artwork when like-colored kitchenware is put on display. 16 of 24 Put China on Display Andersen Ross/Getty Images Use glass-front cabinets to showcase your good china, antique bowls, or even canisters filled with pasta. 17 of 24 Introduce Baskets Johner Images/Getty Images Keep open shelves uncluttered by stashing items in airy rattan baskets. 18 of 24 Categorize Food Stewart Waller/Getty Images Organize your pantry shelves as you would a library, with food items grouped by category. 19 of 24 Consider See-Through Storage The Container Store Make it a snap for kids to grab snacks on the go with see-through wire baskets. 20 of 24 Stash Items Over-the-Door Bed Bath & Beyond Stash pantry items in the see-through pockets of an over-the-door organizer to virtually eliminate search time. 21 of 24 Roll in a Cart 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. 22 of 24 Hang Pots and Pans Spaces Images/Getty Images Another way to conserve precious storage space: Hang pots and pans, if your kitchen allows. 23 of 24 Try a Retractable Book Stand 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. 24 of 24 Declutter Counters everydayplus/Getty Images Declutter kitchen counters by mounting basics–calendar, phone, to-do lists–on the wall. 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