DIY organization ideas for your home and life.
Gadget Tamer: Conquering Kitchen Drawer Chaos
Whether your kitchen is huge or quite small, it should be organized and set up like any other room in the house. Every cabinet and drawer should have practical storage and good organization, so you enjoy spending time in this space. Before you start, open all the cabinets and drawers and see what needs to be organized: dishes, cleaning products, canned goods, spices, kitchen utensils, pots and pans, condiments, food supplies, etc. Take a moment to ask yourself: Is the current setup practical, or does it need improvement? What surfaces or corners are not optimized or being used? Remember, everything should be organized so that each item is close to its area of use and within easy reach. The ultimate goal is to save you time, optimize your storage space, and give you some ideas to better organize your home! Here are some tips:
Dishes
- Sort out anything that is chipped or that you no longer use, then place the items you’re discarding in bags to leave on the curb or near the trash bins—it might bring joy to someone else.
- Add accessories to organize your dishes based on where you store them: glass racks, vertical organizers for plates, hooks for mugs, hanging shelves, corner shelves, or stackable shelves. The goal is to make use of all the vertical space available.
Cleaning Products
- Identify products that are unnecessary or ones you don’t like, and use them up quickly to free up space!
- Add accessories depending on the height and number of products to store: an expandable shelf under the sink, a protective mat, or plastic bins and baskets. Everything should be easy to reach.
- Utilize the cabinet doors by hanging baskets on them.
- Consider using a bucket or basket with a handle so you can easily move your cleaning products around when tidying up!
REALINN Under Sink Organizer,
ClearSpace Clear Plastic Storage Bins
Utensils and Cutlery
- In the drawers, add organizers based on the size and depth of the drawers.
- Group cutlery and utensils by type and size.
- Also, place kitchen paper or aluminum foil in a dispenser that fits into the drawer.
- If you don’t have a drawer, another tip is to group utensils or cutlery in vertical pots, bins, or baskets.
Luxury Bamboo Kitchen Drawer Organizer
Pots and Pans
- Use lid racks that attach to the inside of cabinet doors. This allows you to utilize an often-overlooked space and save a lot of room in your cabinets.
- For pots, pans, and even Tupperware, use dedicated expandable racks. These organizers can be adjusted to fit drawers or cabinets.
Groceries
- Sort through your pantry and place items with the longest expiration dates at the back.
- Transfer open bags or bulk items from the market into transparent boxes or labeled glass jars so you can easily see your stock at a glance.
- Add a lazy Susan to corner spaces, countertops, or inside cabinets, along with tiered shelves (spice racks). This makes it easy to see and grab items stored at the back of cupboards.
All these accessories and tips will help you save space and keep things clear in small kitchens, while also decluttering larger ones. If you have too many dishes or serving ware and lack cabinet space, consider adding shelves to the walls for extra storage.
