Countertop & Cabinet Organization: 6 Tips to Free Up Kitchen Space

Few things in life are more stress-inducing than a disorganized kitchen. Desperately searching for oven mitts when your dinner needs to come out may lead to a desperate — and even painful — last resort. Fortunately, getting a firm grasp on kitchen and countertop organization is far easier than grabbing a hot pan with bare hands.

A disorganized kitchen breeds stress. An organized kitchen, on the other hand, makes cooking more fun and relaxing. Tailoring the space to your organizational preferences will give you a happy and healthy kitchen.

Here’s how you can make your kitchen a low-stress, organized paradise!

Devise a Cabinet & Countertop Organization Plan

Before beginning any project, it’s important to come up with a plan. Organizing your kitchen is no different. To build a strong plan, consider the following.

• Kitchen staples. Which food items and tools do you use the most, and which are often used together?
• Organizational past. Which aspects of organization have worked well for you in the past?
• Specific preferences. How do you like your space to be set up?

At the end of the day, this organizational plan is to make your life easier. Kitchen and countertop organization should be done in a way that feels natural to you.

Keep Staples Convenient & Counters Clutter-Free

In any kitchen, there are some foods that get used nearly every day. Keeping these staples easily accessible comes naturally, but sometimes results in a cluttered mess. For foods you use often, storing them on the counter in homogenous containers keeps everything arranged neatly and conveniently.

The same is true for your favorite tools! Storing them in a countertop jar or easily-accessible drawer ensures that you have your favorite spatula precisely when you need it.

Let It All Hang Out

Sometimes, the best way to achieve cabinet and countertop organization is to take things out of the cabinets and off the counters. Hanging pots, pans, knives, cutting boards, and more frees up tons of cabinet and counter space.

The possibilities for hanging kitchen items are endless! Hooks are the obvious option, but magnets offer more versatility. Magnetic knife racks can easily be mounted to the wall and hold metal tools with ease. Additionally, magnetic strips on the underside of cabinets can hold metal-topped spice jars with ease!

Make the Most of Turntables & Drawer Dividers

Once you’ve freed up some space, you can get your cabinets and drawers in order. Drawer dividers come in all shapes and sizes: long bamboo strips, wooden pegs, and plastic trays are just a few. However, all of them ensure you have what you need when you need it.

Furthermore, turntables — or lazy susans — maximize storage space in deep cabinets by making them easily accessible. Whenever you need something in the back of the cabinet, you only have to give the turntable a spin to retrieve it.

Get Your Junk Drawer Under Control

The pinnacle of countertop organization: the junk drawer. The home of things that don’t have a home. Taking everything out of the drawer lets you evaluate each item on its own. Purging items that belong in other rooms or that you can get rid of entirely makes room for tidying up.

Moreover, drawer organizers give each item a home and remove any unnecessary clutter. These organizers transform your junk drawer from an eruption of clutter to organizational bliss in no time at all.

Adjust Your System as Necessary

If you’re anything like my mom, you continuously rearrange different parts of your kitchen, and that’s okay. The space has to work for you, so if any part of it feels clunky or confusing, change it!

In fact, taking some time every few months to evaluate your kitchen and countertop organization allows you to make any necessary changes. After all, organization is a journey rather than a destination.

Mastering Kitchen & Countertop Organization

Taking control of your kitchen is tough. Luckily, you have plenty of options for organizing the tastiest room in the house. Turntables, magnetic strips, and countertop containers make organization simple and easy.

Discovering your ideal organizational system starts by trying new things and rearranging as necessary. With every reorganization, you’ll be one step closer to having your optimal space.

What are your top tips for kitchen organization? Leave a comment and help someone else achieve organizational bliss!