How to Organize Your Kitchen for Maximum Efficiency

It’s nearly impossible to keep a kitchen perfectly tidy at all times. But that doesn’t mean you have to live with clutter.

Start by going through cabinets, drawers, and pantries and tossing anything that’s broken, outdated, or unnecessary. Then, follow these kitchen organization tips for maximum efficiency: 1. Keep Similar Items Together.

Invest in Drawer Organizers

A well-organized kitchen will make it much easier for you and your family to access items quickly and easily, and this is especially important when preparing food. Investing in drawer organizers that hold utensils, cooking tools, or other essentials will help to keep your kitchen tidier and more organized.

When deciding how to organize your cabinets and drawers, think about how you use the space. You can often make better use of your storage space by storing similar items together, such as putting all baking dishes and cookie sheets in one cabinet and all cooking pots and pans in another.

You should also try to store frequently used items near the areas you use them. For example, storing a coffee station in the cabinet closest to your coffee maker will make it easy for you to grab and go when you need to make a cup of joe. You can find a wide variety of specialty organizers to fit many different types of drawers.

Get Rid of Clutter

Clutter is the enemy of organization, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. Adding a few tweaks to the kitchen is all it takes to make a big difference in the space’s function and flow, says professional organizer Monica Ricci. She suggests putting out items that are easy to access for everyone in the household, such as a tray or bin to hold everyday clutter like mail, in-progress projects and remotes.

It’s also important to empty out cabinets and drawers completely, assessing which items you use and don’t use. If you find yourself reaching for a certain item, such as a water bottle or plastic to-go container, and never using it, consider donating it. Another tip that helps to get rid of clutter is making piles—one for items to keep, one for things to sell or donate, and one for garbage. Then go through each pile, getting rid of anything you don’t need or want anymore.

Create a Drop Zone Area

In order to keep your kitchen organized, you need to designate a specific area for items that don’t have a home. This will help reduce the amount of clutter that accumulates on your countertops and table tops. To create a drop zone, consider installing wall hooks for coats and bags and a bench or console table with cubbies to hold keys, wallets, and cell phones. You can also add a bulletin board and calendar for family notes and reminders.

Having an organized kitchen is one of the best ways to make cooking and entertaining easier and more enjoyable. By following these tips, you can eliminate the clutter and find a place for all of your kitchen essentials.

Carly Waters is an interior designer and expert organizer who specializes in kitchens. She helps her clients create functional and stylish spaces that are a reflection of their aesthetic and lifestyle. Waters believes that there is a right and wrong way to organize your kitchen and that the key to success is efficiency.

Get Organized

Carly Waters, an interior designer and expert organizer, says that when it comes to organizing kitchens, the key is efficiency. You should be able to easily find the items you use on a daily basis and be able to get them back when they are done being used.

If you are struggling with this, take a look at your cabinets and drawers. Purge any items that you haven’t used in a while and consider donating them to charity. This will free up space in your kitchen for items that you actually use on a regular basis.

Next, arrange cabinet contents in ‘families’ according to use. This will make the process of gathering ingredients or putting away food much quicker as you won’t have to search through a whole cabinet for something specific. Organizing your kitchen in this way also makes it easier to spot when things are out of place, so you can return them to their proper home.