Pass your unused items along to a friend or donate them to a local charity. If you have a lot of items you don’t want or need, consider having a garage sale. You may have items like holiday dishes that you don’t use often but still want to keep. If you don’t have enough cabinet space to keep them in the kitchen, it’s a good idea to store them elsewhere. [3] X Research source
You want to start with a clean slate! Since you’re removing everything from your kitchen cabinets and drawers, this is the best time to clean them. Additionally, you don’t want to put your dishes and appliances on top of a layer of dust or grime!
Coffee or Tea Spot: Place your coffee pot or tea pot in an easy-to-reach location. Store your mugs and coffee or tea nearby. Food Prep Station: Provide space to prepare your dishes. Place your cutting board, knives, measuring cups, and related items near this space. Cooking Station: You’ll likely center this area around your stove. Keep your cooking utensils nearby, as well as your oven mitt. Serving Station: If you have space, you might include a spot for serving your food. Choose an empty countertop, and keep your serving spoons nearby.
For example, you might put the dishes you use daily in an eye-level cabinet close to the stove.
After you have your items sorted into similar groups, check that you don’t have too many of one item. If you have more than you need, it’s a good idea to let some go.
For example, you might keep your microwave on the counter if you use it daily, but put away your toaster if you only use it once a week. If you’re short on cabinet space, place any decorative items you’d like to display in your kitchen in an out-of-the-way location, such as on top of your cabinets. Don’t clutter your cabinets and countertops with decorations.
Make sure you know where your power sockets are before you decide where to place your items. You’ll need to put your appliances in a place where they can be plugged in.
A large jar or canister works great for storing your utensils. As another option, you can use a clean vase.
If you have knives you use occasionally, store them in a drawer. Donate your unused knives and knife block.
You can find an over the sink shelf for your kitchen. Alternatively, get creative and use a cake stand as a shelf!
Put your fruit where you can easily grab them for a snack. If space is an issue, you might place your vegetables farther back on the counter until you need them to prepare your meals.
For example, you might designate a large cabinet for your dishware, a small cabinet for mugs, a bottom cabinet for pots and pans, etc. You might have one drawer for towels and pot holders, one drawer for utensils, and one drawer for extra cooking tools.
If you need more storage space, install a shelf or decorative baskets under your sink.
You can use a tray with multiple compartments or several small trays with just one compartment. Choose the solution that works best for you.
For instance, you might use trays in your top cabinets so that the items you’ve stored in the back of your cabinets are still accessible.
Group your foods into categories. For example, stack your cereals together, your pasta noodles together, and your baking supplies together.
Choose a sturdy metal file sorter so it’ll stay upright. Both plastic and metal magazine holders will work well for your kitchen storage.
A small lazy susan works great for spices, while a larger lazy susan might be a great option for canned goods.
Go through your drawer regularly and get rid of the items you aren’t using.
Store drinks that are too tall for the top shelf on the middle shelf of your refrigerator. Avoid storing them on the door, where it’s warmer.
Protect your crisper by placing your meats in a plastic container that fits on your lower shelf. If the meat leaks, it’ll leak into the container, not onto your produce.
If you use the crisper, make sure you don’t overfill the drawers, which makes it harder to find what you need.
For example, put jams and jellies together, group marinades together, and put all of your sandwich dressings in one spot.
Store your rarely used items, such as holiday dishes, in an out-of-the-way location like the back of a cabinet or even a garage or basement. Arrange your favorite cookbooks for a stylish storage solution. Keep your wine rack on top of your cabinets. Put your decorative items on top of cabinets or in out-of-reach locations to safely display them and dress up the space. If you have a lot of unused space at the top of your cabinets, install a shelf to allow for extra storage.
You can find a cart at your local department store, home goods store, or online.
A bookshelf is a great way to create functional decor!
For an inexpensive option, use collapsible plastic shelves. You can find these at a department store, home store, or online.
You can use Command hooks for an easy option that won’t damage your wall or cabinet doors. If you’re going to be hanging a heavy item, like a pot, you might install a sturdier hook.
This can be a great solution for people who have kids. You might place your child-friendly snacks in the shoe organizer so your child can easily grab them.
Mobile kitchen islands come in different sizes and can range in price from affordable to expensive. They’re available at many department stores, as well as home improvement stores. You can also find them online.
If you aren’t handy around the house, you might hire a contractor or handyman to install your drawers.
