Organization is not my strong point. In fact, after we move pretty often, and I find that I almost always re-arrange the kitchen and do not keep it the way I thought made sense when we first moved in! However, keeping my kitchen well-organized greatly increases my productivity and ability to keep up with daily tasks in the kitchen. This is especially true because in our home both myself and my husband cook on a frequent basis, and if I’m not home my husband needs to be able to find things in the kitchen. So if I’m forever moving the salt container to a new spot, I’m not going to encourage him to keep helping out in the kitchen.
Life is always easier when you can find what you need every time you open your cabinets. Keeping your kitchen cabinets organized makes cooking and kitchen clean-up a breeze. To keep your kitchen clean and clutter free, we’ve written up a sort of “best practice” when it comes to the best way to organize your kitchen cabinets – and we’ve got free printable pantry labels for you too!
Clean and Toss to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets
Start organizing your kitchen cabinets by removing everything from the shelves and take inventory of the items you had stored inside. First, throw away all expired food and unneeded paper items. Then, remove any dishes or appliances you don’t use any more. Consider donating items that can be used again and throw away everything else. Finish this step by cleaning the inside of each cabinet from top to bottom.
Make a Plan to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets
Before you start putting items back into your kitchen cabinets, take stock of what you need to store and make a plan for how you will organize everything. Consider how you use your kitchen and how often you use each item. Place items that don’t get used frequently in the back of lower cabinets to keep space near the easy to reach cabinets free. Then, organize the items you use frequently in a way that makes it simple for you to get to them right when you need them. For example, store coffee cups near your coffee maker, pots and pans next to your oven, and plates and bowls near the sink or dishwasher.
Designate a Food Cabinet to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets
Keeping food and spices separate from your dishes is a good idea for a variety of reasons. First, it will help keep your plates and appliances clean because you can avoid accidental messes caused by food spills inside the cabinet. Additionally, designating a separate cabinet especially for food can also make cooking easier, because all your supplies will be located in one specific space.
Use Organizers and Labels to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets
To make the most of the space inside your cabinets, consider purchasing different organizers for each space. Utensil organizers can help keep your silverware and kitchen utensils organized inside your drawers, while canisters can make storing dry goods, like flour or pasta, simpler. Adding labels to your dry goods will make it easier to find what you need, when you need it. Organizers for your cabinet shelves can also help reduce clutter and maintain organization after you’re finished cleaning. Spice shelves, can organizers, and plate racks are all great options for keeping your kitchen cabinets organized. I could not do without my three-tiered spice shelves with all of the spices my husband uses when he cooks! We’ve got some free pantry labels for you to print and use when you organize your kitchen! Click here to get our free printable pantry labels downloaded.
Keep Cleaning Supplies Separate to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets
Storing cleaning supplies in your kitchen is a handy way to centralize your cleaning necessities, but these potentially hazardous items can cause problems if they’re not safely organized. Keeping cleaning supplies in only the cabinet under the sink will help avoid cross-contamination between the cleaners and your food or dishes. To keep the space under your sink organized, consider using bins or shelves to store the various cleaning items you need, like cleaning solutions, soap and detergent, sponges, trash bags, and rubber gloves.
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