10 Easy, Cheap Ways to Get Your Kitchen Organized

10 Easy, Cheap Ways to Get Your Kitchen Organized

1) Get rid of the clutter.

That means dishes you don’t use often enough to justify keeping them (I’m looking at you, Christmas platters and fancy chargers, second gravy boat and the third set of shot glasses).

I’m personally not a big fan of single-use items, either, because they take up valuable space and can often be replaced with something else. Avocado slicer? That’s what a knife is for.

You’re not justifying them to others, either; you’re having this conversation with yourself. Do you use the things in front of you enough that YOU can justify keeping them? Cool. Then they can stay. If not, they can go.

Clearing out the clutter first will give you more room (mentally and physically) to organize and reorganize what’s left so you can make the most of your space and your stuff!

2) Store like things together in the most logical places.

Don’t spread your spices out in three cabinets or stash cooking utensils in four different drawers. That will just breed chaos.

Trust me; I just condensed my stash so it all fits in one bin for the first time in years, and I’m already LOVING it.

Consider where you look first for any given item, and keep it there.

Look for the permanent marker in the kitchen instead of the office? Make room for it in the kitchen.

If you have too many of one kind of thing (spatulas, food storage containers, spices) to fit in its designated place or container, try getting rid of some items before you go for a bigger container or space.

If you keep getting bigger bins for your stuff every time you have too much stuff, you’ll end up running out of space. If, instead, you use those moments as a reminder to pause and check your clutter, you’ll have less stress!

3) Go vertical.

Store things you don’t use often up high so they’re accessible with a step stool but out of normal reach and sight so you won’t be moving them out of the way to get to the ordinary things.

The things you use regularly will serve you best in convenient places, cupboards and shelves that are easily accessible for everyone.

The cupboards above the fridge, above the microwave, or in the corner are perfect for seasonal items, less-frequently used small appliances, or other things you don’t need as often.

4) Get creative with what you already have.

You can use a paper organizer to store cutting boards and cookie sheets.

You can use adhesive hooks to store measuring cups and spoons or lids for pots and pans inside your cupboard doors.

Wash out old jars (like peanut butter jars or salsa jars) to store things like dry beans, rice, popcorn, or chocolate chips. Use them anywhere you see mason jars being used!

5) Limit what you keep on the counters.

Counter space is prime real estate in the kitchen. No matter how much you have, it’s likely that you feel like it’s not enough.

I know what it’s like to have limited counter space, and the #1 thing I’ve learned is to be disciplined in keeping the counters (and even the dining room table) cleared of unnecessary things.

If you establish a regular habit of clearing off your counters AND designate a place for all your stuff to go so you don’t have a chaotic landing place for all the stuff that comes into your home, it will automatically feel more organized!

6) Use bins and baskets to corral small things.

From bags of nuts and sees to chocolate chips to spices to food storage container lids, small things can create chaos if they’re allowed to roam freely in your cabinets (‘cause they will roam if they’re not contained).

This is also helpful for high shelves because it makes it less likely for things to slide to the back of the shelf where you can’t see them. If you use bins or baskets, you can pull them out more easily and see everything.

You can also add them to blind corner cabinets, big drawers, or shelves on your wall.

7) Commit to a nightly reset.

Decide that it’s worth a little bit of your time to wash the dishes, put the food away, wipe out the sink, and wipe down the counters sometime before you go to sleep.

I promise you it’s worth it, and it will make your kitchen seem so much more organized and clean without actually having to reorganize your cupboards or sweep your floor!

It’s so refreshing to wake up with a clean slate in your home, and kitchens are often the worst culprit, so choosing to commit to a reset each night will help you start the next day off right and create a helpful habit to keep your home more peaceful.

8) Put things on the walls.

Whether you go with a magnetic strip for your knives or shelves for your dishes or dry goods, leveraging wall space for extra storage is a great way to organize your kitchen when you have limited cupboard and counter space!

9) USE LITTLE SHELVES TO ADD LAYERS.

You know those little wire shelves that you can add inside your cabinets to create a second surface to pile things on? It doubles your storage surface area!

I’ve used them in the freezer so I don’t create an avalanche of stacked food that can slide out when I open the door.

I’ve used them in my cupboard to elevate snack cups above other snack cups instead of tucking them behind so they’re all accessible.

I’ve used them upside down to keep things like pan lids and muffin tins from slipping and sliding inside the cupboard every time I took one out.

10) ORGANIZE BY USE-BY DATE.

When it comes to the food in your home, put the things you need to use first up front and store the duplicates or backups behind them. It makes it like your own personal grocery store, and you’ll waste less food because you’ll finish the older stuff first!

It also keeps more of your food closer to the front so it’s easier to reach, and it means you’re more likely to have duplicates or backups where you need them so you don’t run out of key ingredients and foods.

You can use a kitchen inventory to keep track of what you have and what you need, too, which is like a bonus tip!

Which tip was your favorite? What are you going to do this week to get a little more organized? Let me know in the comments or shoot me an email at jessie@notesfromjessie.com!

If you’re looking to get your home organized and more peaceful, check out my free secrets to a more peaceful home!