How to Organize Every Space in Your Kitchen
Posted by OXO Australia on 16th Jun 2022
Wondering where to store this and stash that? We've got you covered with these clever hacks for keeping order in the kitchen.
An organised kitchen allows you to store things more easily, cook more efficiently and even save you the money and hassle of trying to find ingredients and appliances buried beneath the mess.
Before you launch into kitchen reorganising, keep in mind these two fundamental tips: High rotation essentials (like your favourite grill pan and the seasonings, you love the most) need to be easily accessible; meanwhile, storage of less-used items must be orderly or you'll lose track of what you have.
If you're wondering exactly how to put these principles to work, these suggestions will help you organise your kitchen so that it's ultra-functional and seriously stylish.
Arranging Your Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinets are great for both items you use daily as well as those that aren't needed as often. But in order to determine where to store everything, it's important to curate your inventory and prep the space.
Step 1: Take everything out:That's right. Everything! This is the moment to weed out items and ingredients that you don't use. Sure, they might have sounded enticing when your purchased them. But if you haven't used a cooking-or baking-related ingredient in 6 months, toss it to make space for things you really need. While everything is on the countertop, clean your cabinets thoroughly. Scrub deeply, because crumbs and residue accumulate in cabinet corners and on the surfaces of shelves and can attract pests.
Step 2:Size up your storage needs: Take stock of what you have and what needs to be transferred to a better container. Now is the time to move dry foods like pasta, beans and rice, and baking staples like flour into air-tight, transparent, stackable containers. Small condiments like coconut flakes or dried chili peppers can go into tightly-sealed mini containers to keep them fresh and make them easy to identify. (Put removable labels on your containers to avoid grabbing the ground cumin instead of coriander while seasoning your meal.)
Good to note: Spices don't stay fresh forever. That's why preserving them and keeping them easily accessible is so important. Store your dried herbs and spices in an air tight mini container that you can stack in a cabinet or place on a turntable for easy access. If you've got a shallow drawer, you can place them in a compact drawer organiser.
Step 3: Group similar items together: When placing your containers back into the cabinets, put the items you use least often on the highest shelf. Group comparable foods together to make them easier to locate. Pasta, rice and other grains get to be shelf buddies, as do cereals and oats.
Step 4: Use your space wisely: Cabinets with tall shelves can easily accommodate large rectangular and square containers. Corner cabinets are perfect for a turntable, which can display spices or other small ingredients, and round canisters that are an awkward fit in traditional cabinet spaces
Organising Kitchen Drawers
Start with drawers that aren't super deep. These are best for flat items. Think cutlery, plus speciality gadgets like reusable straws, egg slicers and pie servers. Shallow drawers can also accommodate small tools such as measuring spoons and cups.
Too many utensils jostling around in a drawer can cause it to get jammed and damage your kitchen tools. Keep things tidy by using a tray organiser wherever you can. Another strategy: Relocate bulkier items to an upright container adn try hanging lighter items that could impede the drawers movement.
Deeper drawers are ideal for storing pts and pans (more on that below), as well as bakeware, mixing bowls, food storage containers and equipment such as streamers and colanders even appliances. And consider dedicating one drawer to snacks like potato chips and crackers, holding bags closed with a clips
Keeping Kitchen Counters Tidy
When it comes to countertops, the key is deciding how many times to leave out in the open versus storing them away. Placing too much on your counters will rob you of valuable prep space and create a cluttered vibe. On the other hand, nothing is more annoying than having to dig out items you use daily. Consider keeping these frequently used favourites on your counter:
- A Cooking utensils, so that you're not rooting around for them in a drawer while cooking.
- A paper towel holder and a Compost Bin.
- A Spoon rest to place down utensils and pot tops to keep your food prep area clean while cooking.
- A set of matching cannisters to store any items that you might need easy access to.
Organising Your Kitchen Pantry
A little organisation can go a long way in any pantry space. Just like cabinets, your pantry works best when less-used items are placed on high shelves or towards the back of deeper shelves. Items you use regularly should be at eye level.
Above all, well-sealed, air-tight containers are crucial in the pantry to keep staples fresher longer and keep out pests.
Even without a pantry, it's still possible to have a dedicated and organised zone for your staples. Do this by using a freestanding shelving unit or a moveable cart, both of which can make setting up your mise en place easier because everything is within reach.
Cleaning Out Your Refrigerator and Freezer
There's an art to organising your well-sealed, air-tight refrigerator and freezer. To preserve freshness and reduce waste, store herbs, fruits and vegetables in special containers that control humidity and airflow: They'll last longer. Meanwhile, empty your refrigerator and toss any expired condiments.
For leftovers made with sauces, glass containers are ideal because they don't retain odors and plastic. They can also go into the oven and microwave, which eliminates the hassle of transferring food. stack containers of the same shape on top of each other in your refrigerator, keeping in mind that often two smaller containers can fit on top of one larger container.
Keeping the Kitchen Sink Tidy
Part of staying organised is keeping things clean, and that means tackling your kitchens sink. There are several sink organisation hacks that can help you with this mission, but first, you'll need to give the actual basin a good scrubbing.
Your kitchen sink is one of the dirtiest zones in the house, but the good news is you probably already have everything you need to clean it naturally, like baking soda and the juice from a lemon. Start by gently scrubbing the surface with a brush and getting into crevices with a smaller tool. Once you rinse everything off, consider placing a silicone mat in the basin to prevent scratches on the sink surface and minimise the risk of chipping plates and glasses. Using a drain strainer edge with silicone can also help.
To keep the sink organised, you only need a few fundamentals, like a brush with a handle or one you can hold in the palm of your hand. Next to the sink, your basics should include a caddy for speciality brushes, a sponge holder and a dispensing dish brush. If you prefer to stash your sponge in the sink or have limited space,a sponge holder hat attaches to the side of the sink wall will ensure that it dries out.
Every kitchen needs a rack to dry dishes and everyday glassware.. If you don't have a lot of space, a foldaway drying rack is a good alternative.
That's it - you've conquered the kitchen! The only thing left to do now is kick back with a killer iced coffee and start planning which areas on your home you'll declutter or clean next.
Wondering where to store this and stash that? We've got you covered with these clever hacks for keeping order in the kitchen.
An organised kitchen allows you to store things more easily, cook more efficiently and even save you the money and hassle of trying to find ingredients and appliances buried beneath the mess.
Before you launch into kitchen reorganising, keep in mind these two fundamental tips: High rotation essentials (like your favourite grill pan and the seasonings, you love the most) need to be easily accessible; meanwhile, storage of less-used items must be orderly or you'll lose track of what you have.
If you're wondering exactly how to put these principles to work, these suggestions will help you organise your kitchen so that it's ultra-functional and seriously stylish.
Arranging Your Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinets are great for both items you use daily as well as those that aren't needed as often. But in order to determine where to store everything, it's important to curate your inventory and prep the space.
Step 1: Take everything out:That's right. Everything! This is the moment to weed out items and ingredients that you don't use. Sure, they might have sounded enticing when your purchased them. But if you haven't used a cooking-or baking-related ingredient in 6 months, toss it to make space for things you really need. While everything is on the countertop, clean your cabinets thoroughly. Scrub deeply, because crumbs and residue accumulate in cabinet corners and on the surfaces of shelves and can attract pests.
Step 2:Size up your storage needs: Take stock of what you have and what needs to be transferred to a better container. Now is the time to move dry foods like pasta, beans and rice, and baking staples like flour into air-tight, transparent, stackable containers. Small condiments like coconut flakes or dried chili peppers can go into tightly-sealed mini containers to keep them fresh and make them easy to identify. (Put removable labels on your containers to avoid grabbing the ground cumin instead of coriander while seasoning your meal.)
Good to note: Spices don't stay fresh forever. That's why preserving them and keeping them easily accessible is so important. Store your dried herbs and spices in an air tight mini container that you can stack in a cabinet or place on a turntable for easy access. If you've got a shallow drawer, you can place them in a compact drawer organiser.
Step 3: Group similar items together: When placing your containers back into the cabinets, put the items you use least often on the highest shelf. Group comparable foods together to make them easier to locate. Pasta, rice and other grains get to be shelf buddies, as do cereals and oats.
Step 4: Use your space wisely: Cabinets with tall shelves can easily accommodate large rectangular and square containers. Corner cabinets are perfect for a turntable, which can display spices or other small ingredients, and round canisters that are an awkward fit in traditional cabinet spaces
Organising Kitchen Drawers
Start with drawers that aren't super deep. These are best for flat items. Think cutlery, plus speciality gadgets like reusable straws, egg slicers and pie servers. Shallow drawers can also accommodate small tools such as measuring spoons and cups.
Too many utensils jostling around in a drawer can cause it to get jammed and damage your kitchen tools. Keep things tidy by using a tray organiser wherever you can. Another strategy: Relocate bulkier items to an upright container adn try hanging lighter items that could impede the drawers movement.
Deeper drawers are ideal for storing pts and pans (more on that below), as well as bakeware, mixing bowls, food storage containers and equipment such as streamers and colanders even appliances. And consider dedicating one drawer to snacks like potato chips and crackers, holding bags closed with a clips
Keeping Kitchen Counters Tidy
When it comes to countertops, the key is deciding how many times to leave out in the open versus storing them away. Placing too much on your counters will rob you of valuable prep space and create a cluttered vibe. On the other hand, nothing is more annoying than having to dig out items you use daily. Consider keeping these frequently used favourites on your counter:
- A Cooking utensils, so that you're not rooting around for them in a drawer while cooking.
- A paper towel holder and a Compost Bin.
- A Spoon rest to place down utensils and pot tops to keep your food prep area clean while cooking.
- A set of matching cannisters to store any items that you might need easy access to.
Organising Your Kitchen Pantry
A little organisation can go a long way in any pantry space. Just like cabinets, your pantry works best when less-used items are placed on high shelves or towards the back of deeper shelves. Items you use regularly should be at eye level.
Above all, well-sealed, air-tight containers are crucial in the pantry to keep staples fresher longer and keep out pests.
Even without a pantry, it's still possible to have a dedicated and organised zone for your staples. Do this by using a freestanding shelving unit or a moveable cart, both of which can make setting up your mise en place easier because everything is within reach.
Cleaning Out Your Refrigerator and Freezer
There's an art to organising your well-sealed, air-tight refrigerator and freezer. To preserve freshness and reduce waste, store herbs, fruits and vegetables in special containers that control humidity and airflow: They'll last longer. Meanwhile, empty your refrigerator and toss any expired condiments.
For leftovers made with sauces, glass containers are ideal because they don't retain odors and plastic. They can also go into the oven and microwave, which eliminates the hassle of transferring food. stack containers of the same shape on top of each other in your refrigerator, keeping in mind that often two smaller containers can fit on top of one larger container.
Keeping the Kitchen Sink Tidy
Part of staying organised is keeping things clean, and that means tackling your kitchens sink. There are several sink organisation hacks that can help you with this mission, but first, you'll need to give the actual basin a good scrubbing.
Your kitchen sink is one of the dirtiest zones in the house, but the good news is you probably already have everything you need to clean it naturally, like baking soda and the juice from a lemon. Start by gently scrubbing the surface with a brush and getting into crevices with a smaller tool. Once you rinse everything off, consider placing a silicone mat in the basin to prevent scratches on the sink surface and minimise the risk of chipping plates and glasses. Using a drain strainer edge with silicone can also help.
To keep the sink organised, you only need a few fundamentals, like a brush with a handle or one you can hold in the palm of your hand. Next to the sink, your basics should include a caddy for speciality brushes, a sponge holder and a dispensing dish brush. If you prefer to stash your sponge in the sink or have limited space,a sponge holder hat attaches to the side of the sink wall will ensure that it dries out.
Every kitchen needs a rack to dry dishes and everyday glassware.. If you don't have a lot of space, a foldaway drying rack is a good alternative.
That's it - you've conquered the kitchen! The only thing left to do now is kick back with a killer iced coffee and start planning which areas on your home you'll declutter or clean next.