As the heart of the home, where you cook, bake, and help with homework, it's no surprise kitchens are prone to mess and clutter. Make life easier by including some of these helpful kitchen organization ideas in your home, including solutions for cluttered cabinets, pantries, drawers, and more. Kitchen storage is a must-have on any home wishlist to keep your home functioning smoothly.
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Bring in a Kitchen Island
Add some extra counter space to your kitchen by including a portable island. It's a flexible kitchen organization idea that can be used wherever needed. Plus, it's perfect for smaller kitchens that can't accommodate the size of a built-in island. To maximize island function, apply storage add-ons, like a wine rack, hooks, or a towel rod.
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Hang Pots and Pans
Pots and pans are bulky and often hard to store efficienty. Hang them above a kitchen island or on a wall for easy access that won't mess up the flow of your kitchen. This kitchen organization idea will help streamline your space and free up cabinet space.
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Save Counter Space
Get rid of a clunky knife block and install a magnetic knife holder. Line up your cutlery from biggest to smallest, including everything from a butcher knife to a paring knife. Choose a wall with substantial open space, such as the area below cabinets, so you can easily access your cutlery when it's time to cook.
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Organize Your Refrigerator
Keep the space inside your refrigerator in order with a few easy kitchen organization ideas. Start by grouping foods by type, such as beverages, dairy products, leftovers, and produce. Consider add-ons, including clear bins, baskets, trays, and turntables, to organize items and allow easy access. Remember that you can adjust refrigerator shelves to accommodate different-sized items better.
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Take Advantage of Corner Storage
A lazy Susan is a great way to make the most of a snug corner cabinet. Here, homeowners removed the corner door to make it easy to see what's in the cabinet. Nestled next to the oven, it's a perfect spot for pots and pans. Or use a lazy Susan to store staple ingredients like sugar and flour for easy access when baking.
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Look for Bonus Storage
Turn unused space—like the roomy spot over your sink—into extra storage. These spots can be a great place to store items you don't need every day, like wine glasses and champagne flutes. A nearby beverage fridge completes this wet bar area.
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Add Open Shelves
Open shelving is a pretty and practical kitchen organization idea to utilize wall space. Line the shelves with cookbooks, displays of attractive serving bowls and dishes, or stemware. Here, grouping and stacking pieces by function and color on the open shelves keep items neat and easy to find.
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Fake a Pantry
When kitchen space is limited, unconventional storage solutions can ensure you don't have to sacrifice function. Outfitting cabinets with pullout shelves is a smart alternative to a full-size pantry. The raised edges on these shelves keep boxes and bags upright, organized, and accessible.
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Upgrade an Island
Boost kitchen storage by adding shelves or niches. The side of an island or cabinet is a prime spot for displaying kitchen collectibles or storing cookbooks. Adding onto an existing island will also extend your available prep space.
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Create Order Under the Sink
Freshen up the cabinet beneath your sink with some quick and easy kitchen organization ideas. Line the bottom of the cabinet with pretty contact paper, then use clear containers to hold cleaning supplies like sponges, brushes, and dishwasher tablets. Tension rods are a great way to hang bottles and sprays.
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Boost Storage with Freestanding Pieces
If your kitchen is short on cabinetry, consider a stand-alone piece as a kitchen organization idea to increase the room's storage capacity. This freestanding armoire houses delicate dishware in a transitional kitchen while lending warmth and charm. The piece fits into a corner niche, so it doesn't impede traffic flow.
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Store China in Drawers
Here, a drawer has been outfitted with pegboard inserts. The boards can be sized to fit existing drawers, and the pegs can be adjusted to secure stacks of bowls and plates. Store dishes in low drawers—near the sink or dishwasher—to minimize overhead lifting and to make putting them away a snap.
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Don't Forget Inside Cabinet Doors
Attach racks to the inside of cabinet doors to boost kitchen storage. Be sure to allow enough clearance to enable the doors to close completely. A narrow rack like this one is ideal for keeping small jars in order.
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Put Walls to Work
Turn a bare section of wall into a storage center. Pegboard provides an easy way to keep kitchen tools handy. Use a combination of hooks and pegs to hang cookware, cutting boards, utensils, and more.
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Use the Toe-Kick
GREG SCHEIDEMANN
This narrow strip between the cabinets and the floor is called a toe-kick. Typically, this spot amounts to wasted space. Put this area to work by installing a shallow drawer. Use this kitchen organization idea to house kids' craft supplies or serving dishes and baking pans.
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Build Storage into Seating
LAURA MOSS
Turn unused space below a built-in banquette into storage. Deep drawers are a convenient spot to store extra table linens, placemats, and napkins. For an open storage option, build cubbies or shelves into the area below the seat.
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Sort Your Freezer
JAY WILDE
Sort your freezer with ideas that make use of every inch of shelf space. Use plastic baskets (an affordable organization tool) to store foods by type and put a labeled tag on each. Keep small adhesive labels and a permanent marker on hand to label individual containers.
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Add a Kitchen Command Center
LAURA MOSS
Organize your family's paperwork, mail, reminders, and more in one convenient kitchen organization idea. Built-in bins, a bulletin board, and a clock turn one side of a refrigerator cabinet into a household command center. This simple DIY project creates instant organization and utilizes small, otherwise wasted spaces.
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Streamline a Coffee Station
JULIE SOEFER
Make mornings easier with an all-in-one coffee station. Dedicate a drawer next to your coffee maker to hold filters, coffee beans, and travel mugs, so brewing a fresh pot is a one-step task. If you don't have a drawer to spare, consider outfitting a cabinet with pullout shelves that function similarly.
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Add Function to an Island
ED GOHLICH
Would a smidge of extra work space be helpful? Here, a roll-out cart—tucked into the island to stay out of sight yet remain easily accessible—maximizes this kitchen's prep space. Its base was painted the same color as the island, and the top was outfitted with matching marble to allow the cart to blend perfectly with the island,
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Divide Drawer Space
HELEN NORMAN
Dividers are great kitchen organization ideas that make flatware and other items inside your drawers orderly and user-friendly. Choose adjustable inserts for added flexibility, or create custom organizers that fit your drawer's exact dimensions. Consider a two-tiered system to double the storage capacity.
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Put Staple Ingredients in Clear Jars
HELEN NORMAN
Store regularly used items like flour and sugar in coordinating clear glass containers, then put the containers on open shelves near the cooking area for easy access. Keep small baking supplies like cookie cutters, cupcake liners, and sprinkles in baskets or nearby drawers.
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Make Storage for Baking Sheets
WERNER STRAUBE
If you do a lot of baking, keep all your supplies in one spot with this kitchen organization idea. Here, cookie sheets, muffin tins, and serving trays are stored in a cabinet over a wall oven. Retrofit an existing cabinet with inexpensive dividers to keep everything organized.
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Organize with Baskets
ADAM ALBRIGHT
Lower cabinets can be dark and hard to access, but with baskets, it's easy to sort small items and bring them into view. Organize a collection of nesting mixing bowls or small appliances with a system of cubbies. Add baskets or bins to hold items and create a streamlined look. Tuck in the necessary attachments and manuals for each appliance so everything is on hand.
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Use Labels
ADAM ALBRIGHT
For at-a-glance organizations, rely on clear containers and easy-to-read labels. Store dry goods in clear containers so it's easy to see what you have. Put similar items, like packaged snacks and bread, together and keep them in baskets with labels.
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Divide a Drawer Just for Pots
JOHN GRANEN
Fill the space under a cooktop with rollout trays for pots and pans. A two-tier system works well for storing lids near their corresponding pots. Alternatively, slide in a movable cart with shelves to accommodate cooking equipment.
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Design Built-In Storage for Serveware
PAUL DYER
A built-in hutch is a convenient spot to store extra dishes, large platters, and linens. Shallow drawers keep tablecloths, placemats, and napkins organized. Keep these items out of the way until your next big gathering or family holiday.
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Round Up Your Recycling
TRIA GIOVAN
A two-bin unit lets you sort recyclables and trash, then conceal them behind doors. The most convenient location for this unit is next to the sink, so cans and bottles can go straight from a rinse into the appropriate bin. Or, choose an area near the door you use to exit the house to limit how far you have to carry the bins.
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Panel Kitchen Appliances
KIM CORNELISON
Paneled kitchen appliances are making a comeback, and this trend is all about camouflaged storage. Blending cabinetry with a surrounding fridge or dishwasher allows you to hide your appliances in plain sight. Utilize open shelves to display your favorite dishware or kitchen decor.
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Maximize Shallow Pantry Shelves
JANET MESIC-MACKIE
Store all your pantry staples in one convenient location for a cook-friendly kitchen organization idea. A floor-to-ceiling cabinet is divided into shelves so nothing gets lost in the back of the cupboard. Consider attaching a tack board to the door or side of the pantry for posting notes, a calendar, and shopping lists.
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Set Up an Appliance Garage
PHILIP HARVEY
Move an outlet inside a cabinet to create the perfect appliance garage for small gadgets. Consider venting and heat when placing a microwave or toaster oven inside a cabinet, or add extra counter space or a pull-out shelf.
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Keep Dish Towels Nearby
BETH SINGER
Keep dish towels in a cabinet close to the cleanup zone. Use a pullout rack with multiple bars to air-dry and store towels. Add another removable bar to load and reload with paper towel rolls.
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Try a Pull-Out Pantry
ANTHONY MASTERSON
Make the most of the snug space between studs with a pull-out storage unit. At just over 6 inches wide, this slim pantry is perfect for storing dry goods, canned items, and other things you need to have within reach.
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Keep Your Pantry Within Reach
MICHAEL PARTENIO
Use a cabinet next to the cooktop to store frequently used cooking spices and oils, so they're always handy during prep. To keep counter space free from clutter, hang spoons, spatulas, and strainers on a bar under the cabinet. Add undercabinet lighting to help with cooking and cleanup.
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Label Drawers
MICHAEL PARTENIO
Never rummage through your kitchen drawers again. Save time looking for cooking utensils with this kitchen organization idea. Start by finding a storage insert that fits the space, then label each compartment to make it easy for anyone on dish duty to put things where they belong.
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Consider a Prep Station
TINEKE TRIGGS
With a dedicated cutting board, chopping fruits, vegetables, and bread is easier than ever. This custom pullout cutting board features built-in knife storage below. Locate one near your prep area for easy cleanup.
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Create a Spice Drawer
MICHAEL PARTENIO
Bottles of spices can often lead to chaos and clutter. Avoid wasting time searching for spices by organizing them in a drawer. Lay them with their labels facing upward. You can even arrange the containers alphabetically, so it's easy to find what you want.
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Install Magnetic Storage
SCOTT LITTLE
Stick a metal shelf to the side and use it to store frequently used items like spices, measuring spoons, and conversion charts. Otherwise, take advantage of a metal island or refrigerator door by turning the outside into instant storage.