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Say goodbye to clutter! These DIY storage solutions will transform your small kitchen. Bamboo Chopping Board Vs Wood
We've all heard that the kitchen is the heart of the home, but it's also the most likely space to accumulate clutter — utensils thrown haphazardly in a drawer, small appliances taking up valuable counter space, pots and pans overflowing in cabinets. Not only is a disorganized kitchen less appealing, it makes daily cooking and cleaning more of a challenge. If you're looking for smart and efficient ways to store your essentials, these kitchen organization ideas will inspire you to tackle the mess.
Whether you've got a small kitchen layout, spacious setup or an entire butler's pantry at your disposal, these organizing tips will motivate you to reconsider your current storage. We've included genius spice rack designs, ideas for your kitchen island, pantry organization hacks and clever ways to stow food storage containers. You'll also want to take a look in those untidy cabinets and drawers (hint: kitchen organizers can be your best friend, and we've included a ton of product recommendations).
As for any home organization project, always start by paring down to only what you actually use. Jen Nash, senior design lead of Magnet Kitchens, says: "If you find yourself unsure on whether to get rid of a kitchen item or appliance, try the box method. Put it in a box and store it out of sight. If in a month or two you need the appliance, keep it. If you never think about it then it’s probably time to donate, recycle or sell it."
Ample storage is key in the kitchen. For a minimal look like this shelving system by design-and-build firm Forge & Bow Dwellings, display similar dishware in cabinets with glass fronts, allowing space between the items.
For most, upper shelves can be hard to access. Pull-down shelves, like this setup from Malka Helft of Think Chic Interiors, is a great fix.
Spatulas, utensils and kitchen tools quickly accumulate in the kitchen. "While it’s tempting to invest in the latest kitchen gadgets, such as bagel cutters or egg slicers, it’s more efficient to get into the habit of investing in kitchen items that have more than one use," says Jen Nash, senior design lead at Magnet Kitchens.
Read more at Magnet Kitchens »
Fill your shelves with food staples to minimize shopping trips. Hint: Place the newest boxes, containers and cans behind the older stuff, so you’ll use the older food first.
Transferring your dry ingredients into air-tight canisters is a genius idea, until you forget what's inside. To avoid any confusion, label each jar with a paint marker.
Read more at A Beautiful Mess »
Extra shelving will double your storage space. Jen Nash, senior design lead at Magnet, suggests: "Measure the existing shelf, find some new ones of the same size and insert them into cabinetry with mounting hooks. This hack also enables you to customize your shelving."
Read more at Magnet Kitchens »
Open shelving is making its way into kitchen islands. Here, custom shelves make it possible to stow away ingredients — while still keeping them within reach as you prep.
See more at Style by Emily Henderson »
When everything in your fridge is visible, it makes meal prep way more efficient — plus, you'll waste less food when nothing is hiding in the back. Organize fresh fruits and vegetables on shelves and in the crisper drawers (leafy greens are best kept here, for instance). Place dairy products at the top of your fridge and use lower shelves or bottom drawers for meats.
Anastasia Casey of The Identité Collective likes corralling essentials in baskets, even in the kitchen: "You need to be able to see what is inside the organizational pieces if you’re ever going to use them," she says.
Say goodbye to messy cords. In this professional organizer’s Tribeca kitchen, designed by Ellen Schott of Bakes & Kropp, devices stay concealed and charged.
Take note from interior designer Kate Marker and mount a storage shelf from the ceiling. Full of a mix of glassware, kitchen essentials and decor, this tiered shelving system clears up counter space.
Customize a pegboard organizer to fit your dishes, bowls and plates — a great way to ensure everything stays in place and doesn't break.
Read more at Magnet Kitchens »
If you've got an impressive knife collection, why not turn it into decor? Hang a magnetic strip and put your knives on display right above your prep station.
Read more at Style by Emily Henderson »
You may have intentions of a well-organized pantry, but that may not always be a reality. If that's the case, add a coat of frosted glass spray paint to your doors and don't worry about your kitchen storage being on constant display.
It's no secret that glassware can double as decor, so they're likely the best fit for cabinets with glass doors. Here, interior designer Caitlin Kah carefully arranges clear and colorful glassware.
Pack a deep drawer full of removable bins (like in this custom cabinet from Watchtower Interiors). If you use them to sort produce that doesn't need to be refrigerated, you'll never lose precious counter space to a fruit or veggie bowl again.
Pot racks are great for hanging pots and pans that can't fit in your drawers or oven. Use racks to hang them in an empty space on your wall or inside your pantry, where they'll be hidden yet secure for grabbing.
Fill that empty corner with functional accents. Designer Kate Lester upgraded this kitchen with reclaimed barn wood shelves — perfect for a farmhouse flair.
Keep your condiments away from your counter space with a well-organized spice rack. Attach the rack to one part of your kitchen wall or use a hanging rack on your pantry's door.
If you can't fit your pots and pans into your square cabinet, consider installing a corner pull-out cabinet system. It'll easily open and close, while making your pots accessible.
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things home and interior design. Prior to joining GH in 2022, she wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, Chairish, BobVila.com, Unique Homes Magazine and LODGING Magazine, in addition to crafting product copy for home brands like BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries.
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
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