Your best kitchen organizing tip

[kristenk]

The contents of most of my cabinets are spread throughout my kitchen right now. The kitchen table, counters, island, etc. are covered while I clean out the cabinets and try to sort through and figure out what stays and what needs to go.

I have a decent amount of cabinet space, but not a ton. I also have a good chunk of space (basically one bottom cabinet and one upper cabinet) that's in a blind corner. I'm trying to figure out what to do with everything, and I'm sure that everyone here has a tip or two about kitchen storage and organization.

The only thing that will NOT be changing about my kitchen is a Sterilite 32 qt. container that I use to store special baking stuff (cake pans, themed cookie cutters) that is not used that often. My cabinets are about 23.5 inches deep and the lid of my container is 23.25 inches wide. It's an easy way to organize an assortment of things that go together *and* still be able to easily access everything in it - including the stuff that would be way in the back of the cabinet. I need to run to Target and pick up another one for another cabinet. With the lid on, there's also space to put some stuff on top, if absolutely necessary, but I'm really trying to organize so that nothing has to go on top. We'll see if that happens.

So, any tips that I should keep in mind while I try to clean up the mess I've made in my kitchen?

edited to correct oz. to qt. A 32 oz. container wouldn't do too much for me!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I have all those same baking items in a container like that too but I keep mine on top of my fridge. I don't have the cabinet space to store something that doesn't really need to be there; a storage bin can go anywhere.

Aside from that, I really like cabinet organization shelves. They are very handy for things like spices and canned goods- they sell dif't width ones:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=12180896&RN=205&

I just really try to prioritize. What really needs to be accessible? What can go out of reach? Sometimes in my desire to keep everything together that is similar I waste space by keeping unneeded items in prime real estate.

Beth

[KrisM]

I have small baskets from the Dollar Store on the top shelves of my cabinets. I'm 5'4", so can't reach much up there, but can snag the basket. I keep one for things like chocolate chips, one for sippy cups, one for sippy lids, etc. I also have the same baskets in another cabinet with OTC drugs in one and vitamins in another. A few more in the pantry for small boxed and bagged things.

Otherwise, I put everything I don't need often somewhere else. Coffee maker is in the basement, since I only use it a few times a year. Bread machine is in the pantry because I use it weekly.

[DebbieJ]

Put plates and cups near the dishwasher so it's easy to put them away when unloading. If possible, I like to keep cups near the refrigerator too.

Things should be easily accessible where you need them most. For example, my pots and pans are in the cabinet next to my stove.

For pantry items, group like things together.

[niccig]

Things should be easily accessible where you need them most. For example, my pots and pans are in the cabinet next to my stove.

For pantry items, group like things together.

:yeahthat: I do not have a lot of room by mu coffee maker, but I keep the sugar, tea bags above the counter and a couple of coffee mugs. The rest of the mugs are in a cabinet across the kitchen, and I only need them when have company.

[essnce629]

Yep, definately group like items together and keep them where you use them most. We have a kitchen chop block thing that is our "beverage station." We have the coffee maker, frappuccino machine, and electric tea kettle on it and in the cabinet next to it I have all my tea items on one shelf, coffee items on another shelf, and frappuccino stuff on the third shelf. Glasses, plates, bowls, and mugs are in the cabinets directly above the dishwasher and the silverware is in the drawer right next to the dishwasher. In my pantry, all like items are grouped together in plastic bins. I have a bin for dried beans/lentils, baking supplies, DS2 snacks, pasta, rice/grains, snack bars, dried fruit, and nuts. This makes it super easy to find anything and put it back in the right spot. I LOVE drawer organizers and have several. I also have organizers for organizing the dishes, spices, and canned goods. Oh, and I love, love, love my Oxo turntables that fit perfectly in my super narrow cabinets next to my stove. I have one for all my vinegars and one for all my oils-- they make it super easy to find exactly what I'm looking for. I can post pictures if you'd like.

Organizing Junkie has lots of great ideas on her blog in the kitchen section and I got most of my ideas from there:
http://orgjunkie.com/category/kitchen

[KrisM]

Oh, and I love, love, love my Oxo turntables that fit perfectly in my super narrow cabinets next to my stove. I have one for all my vinegars and one for all my oils-- they make it super easy to find exactly what I'm looking for. I can post pictures if you'd like.

Organizing Junkie has lots of great ideas on her blog in the kitchen section and I got most of my ideas from there:
http://orgjunkie.com/category/kitchen

First, I LOVE orgjunkie. I think I've read nearly all her pages :).

Second, I didn't think about a turn table when I did my pantry this week. I should pick one up and try it. I wonder how big they come. Maybe I can get a big enough one that solves my problem!

[niccig]

Second, I didn't think about a turn table when I did my pantry this week. I should pick one up and try it. I wonder how big they come. Maybe I can get a big enough one that solves my problem!

The turntables are great - I go two after reading about them on another thread here. I have narrow upper cabinets by my stove and I use on turntable for different oils, and another for vinegars etc. So much easier to find what you want than before when they were all piled in.

[DietCokeLover]

Second, I didn't think about a turn table when I did my pantry this week. I should pick one up and try it. I wonder how big they come. Maybe I can get a big enough one that solves my problem!

If you go somewhere like Bed, Bath and Beyond, they have them in so many different sizes. You should be able to find just the size you need.

[kristenk]

Thank you for the organizing junkie link! I'm going to be doing a lot of browsing!

So, how do you use a turntable? I can see the benefit of using it to store oils, etc., but how big is it and where do you keep it?

[happymom]

Thank you for the organizing junkie link! I'm going to be doing a lot of browsing!

So, how do you use a turntable? I can see the benefit of using it to store oils, etc., but how big is it and where do you keep it?

Personally, I use them for my spices and vinegars. I have a deep and wide corner cabinet over my corner sink- the kind that has a lot of space that is not easily accessible through the cabinet door. Until I got turntables, everything just got lost in there. Now, I have 2 turntables side by side on the bottom 2 shelves- so 4 turntables in total. I keep spices on the bottom 2, and vinegars and oils on the top 2. It works really well!

[goldenpig]

1. I labeled my pantry shelves so that everything has a place: oatmeal, hot drinks, snacks, granola bars, popcorn in one cabinet; baking supplies in another, and the pantry has rice, pasta, couscous/pilafs, nuts, soup, beans, tomatoes, corn, canned fruit, Asian, Tex-Mex, etc. Helps a lot for putting things away and seeing what we have.
2. I have 4 different kinds of cereal on the counter in Oxo Pop containers (I think it's the 2.5 qt rectangular one), which is nice because it has an airtight seal, the cereal stays fresh and we can see when it's time to buy more.
http://www.amazon.com/1071397-Rectangle-Storage-Container-2-5-Quart/dp/B0018O3BEO
3. We have 2 cabinets with turntables for our pots and pans and appliances/serving bowls.
4. I tried to purge a lot of the accumulated plastic clutter (got rid of random plastic cups from restaurants, replaced our Ziploc/Glad plastic containers with Pyrex).
I got these:
http://www.hsn.com/?rdr=1&sourceid=958792-10793522-01_2803274667_110327233147_210543169_T&cm_mmc=cj*Other*958792*NA
I love them because they're dishwasher safe, the lids don't leak (and have a vent for microwave steaming), and you can heat things up in the microwave without worrying about plastic. And they're nice enough to serve in!
5. I got a Kik-Step step stool, which is really handy because now I can reach the top shelves of our cabinets, so now I have a lot more accessible shelf space.
http://www.thenerds.net/CRAMER.Cramer_Stainless_Steel_Kik_step_Stool.10020 0.html?affid=8

[DebbieJ]

Ooh, yes, I also have a step stool. It's a small folding one that slides into the space between my lower cabinets and my stove.

It's this one, but I picked it up at CVS. They have them at a lot of different stores.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1378227

[niccig]

Ooh, yes, I also have a step stool. It's a small folding one that slides into the space between my lower cabinets and my stove.

It's this one, but I picked it up at CVS. They have them at a lot of different stores.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1378227

I have several of these. I'm short and can never reach the top shelves. So I have one of these in the kitchen, one in my closet, one in DS's closet and one in the family room closet. Sometimes I need to go get the 2 step stool, but this is mostly high enough. I hate being so short.