Organizing Your Kitchen

How to Organize Your Kitchen

Betsy Fein is a professional organizer and has made this fantastic video series that walks you through the step-by-step process of how to organize your kitchen. Be sure to watch the related videos for more helpful hints and next steps to get your kitchen organized and keep it that way.

Organizing Kitchen Gadgets

I love to cook and I love gadgets; therefore my kitchen drawers are overflowing with so many things that I can't find what I am looking for. For organizing your most used items, you must first take out all seasonal items and put those in plastic shoe boxes with lids and label them for holiday baking, summer fun, etc.

The Summer Fun box is for my kids Popsicle makers and snow cone making items. The Holiday Baking box is for all the cookie cutters, the turkey baster, etc. These boxes are for specialty items that you don't use regularly but need to come out seasonally. These are things that you don't want to get rid of.

The next step is to take the rest of the gadget drawer and empty it into a box. This box remains on the counter for one month. Every time you use something out of the box, wash it, and then put it back into the drawer. After one month, anything left in the box gets donated or sold in a garage sale. The things that are in the gadget drawer after the month are the things that you use most regularly. The others you can live without.

By KimberDnTX from Corinth, TX

Use A Clipboard To Store Placemats

I get an e-letter from Real Simple magazine from time to time. Today they had a tip which I love! Use a clipboard for storing place mats. It will hold several and if you mount it to the wall, it could be a decorative item.

By Marty from Houston, TX

Make a Microwave Shelf

I don't have much counter space, so when I knocked off the umpteenth cup of coffee while trying to open the microwave, I said "that's enough"!

I had four cans of fruit juice that I transferred to other containers. After the tops were off, and cleaned, I hot glued on some fabric to match my kitchen. Contact paper, wallpaper, scrapbooking paper, or paint will also work.

I found a great board just the right size, and lifted everything up. Underneath, I place a basket that is perfect for my teas, cocoas, and ciders. If you need more counter space, you can do something similar. Hope this helps!

By Sandra from Salem, OR

Organizing Flat Kitchenware

To organize cookie sheets and other flat kitchen items, use spring tension curtain rods in the cabinet. Insert them vertically and place the items in between. I buy the rods at the dollar store. This also works for cutting boards, etc.

By GramCracker from GA

Use a Bookshelf On Your Kitchen Counter

To make good use of a kitchen countertop that has no cupboard above it, place a 2-3 shelf bookcase on top of it and use it as a hutch. You can paint one that you already have around the house to match your decor, or buy one very inexpensively at Target.

<p>By Jan from Champaign, IL

Hanging Pots and Kitchen Utensils

I am organizing my kitchen. I was tired of digging for my pots and utensils I use most. So I bought hooks at the dollar store, screwed them in, and hung my pots, egg flipper, etc. They are so much easier to find.

By coville123 from Brockville, Ontario

Teresa's Kitchen Tip - Handy Garbage Bag

Attach a plastic Walmart (or grocery) bag to the door of the oven. Just slide one side on door. Then put garbage in it while your cooking in kitchen. When I open can of food, dog food etc... I just rinse the cans out and put it in my garbage bag.

Then at the end of the day, tie it up and throw it in large garbage bag or can. It's always nearby when I need to throw something out.

School Locker Caddies For The Fridge

Now is the time to buy those neat little locker caddies they sell for use at school! I got some and I love them to use on my refrigerator! Things that tend to get lost in my junk drawer find their new home very comfy! These were $1 each and well worth it!

Storing Placemats Under Seat Cushions

A neat and easy way to store placemats is to lift up your chair and sofa cushions and put them under the cushions. This will keep them flat and out of the way thus freeing up valuable storage space.

By Carole

Saving Steps in the Kitchen

I always hang an empty plastic grocery bag on the top cabinet drawer handle below the sink, which is next to the stove. That way, as I empty packages or cans of food, I put the empty containers into it. I don't have to take extra steps walking to where my large kitchen trash container is located. At the end of the night I take the bag off, tie the handles and drop it in the larger trash container. Saves many extra steps and time.

By Gladys Hill

Grocery List Chalkboard

I have a grocery list board on my kitchen cupboard. I don't always have a pen and paper handy when I think of something I need at the grocery store. So I decided to use chalkboard paint to create a surface that I will always have handy. I prepared the surface of the cupboard as directed on the can and painted the cupboard. I also framed it with a 11 x 14 inch wooden painted picture frame (nailed on with small brads) I hot glued a small strip of wood to the frame to hold the chalk. The picture frame is decorated with miniature roosters. Which is the theme of my kitchen. When it is time to do the shopping I just copy the list off the board.

By Debbie Z

Use Drawers for Frequently Used Kitchen Items

I am about 4 ft. 12 in. tall, so in other words, I am pretty short. Standard cupboard shelves present a real problem for me. Then I thought "why do I have to use them for things I use everyday?" And the answer was, I don't!

I have these wonderful gliding drawers that are so easy to use, and deep to boot. So, I started putting things I use every day in them, to keep me from stretching and climbing! Works like a charm!

By Sandra from Salem, OR

Where to Store Unused Garbage Bags

When I buy a box of garbage bags, I put the whole roll or box of bags in the bottom of my garbage can. Then each time the garbage needs to be emptied, the bags are right there and no need for anyone to go looking for a clean bag!

By Debbie Pilsudski