January is prime organizing month, and after all of the holiday entertaining, my kitchen always needs a good dose of purging and organizing right after the first of the year. I start by watching an inspirational episode of "The Home Edit" on Nexflix for some inspiration, then start my annual purging of all things disorganized in my kitchen.
Not only do I get the satisfaction of a sparkling clean pantry and organized drawers, but I'm also often prompted to donate things to others - dishes, small appliances, and food.
Is this image giving you a little anxiety?
Good, then let's continue...
Below are our top six quick tips for organizing your kitchen in the new year!
1. But First - Purge
Kitchen or otherwise, getting rid of the things that you no longer want or need is always the first step in any organizing activity. Start by taking everything out of your pantry and put it on your counter, toss anything that's half used or stale, and donate items that you know that your family won't eat.
Do this with your other cabinets too; if you have a hyper-specialized kitchen appliance that you haven’t used in 3 years, donate it and let someone find some joy in it.
If it’s something that you’re not using regularly but can't bear to part with, make space in your pantry or basement to store the less frequently-used items.
2. See and Save
Taking your stuff out of it’s container to put it into another (clear and labeled) container is called "decanting." It might seem a little extravagant, but for the things that you use ALL the time, or the items that you hardly ever use (for me, that's baking staples like flour and sugar), it makes sense.
Looking at the box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch isn’t going tell you if you’ve got three-quarters of a box left, or 4 lonely squares in the bottom.
By storing these dry goods in clear storage containers, you not only protect them from pests, but can also clearly see how much of something you have. This prevents you from overbuying things that you don't need, or neglecting to add them to the grocery list when you do.
3. Channel Your Inner Spice Girl
There are two types of spice buying – one where you buy a hodgepodge of different sized bottles from different companies, or where you buy little bags of spices. Either way, this has the potential to quickly add up to a mess in your spice cabinet. Do yourself a favor and buy the uniform-sized jars, label them, and keep everything uniform and organized.
Bonus points if you order the bottles alphabetically, because, how else will you find the ground coriander when you need it?
4. Use the Vertical Space
Make the most of the space in your cabinets by using tiered cabinet racks. These let you maximize that space by essentially doubling your storage. Prime areas are for these are where you store your pots and pans, serving dishes, and even daily dishes.
5. Leverage the Backs of Doors
Over-the-door racks can be a lifesaver for all of the small bottles, packages, and containers that can clutter up a pantry. Invest in an over-the-door rack and give yourself instant organization. Add one in the space underneath your sinks and store your frequently used dish soap, sponges, and wipes so that they’re not on your countertops.
6. Super-Specific Storage
It’s ok to admit it – everyone has towers of disheveled Tupperware and five different sizes of Ziploc bags that are cluttering up their cabinets and drawers. Using storage solutions that are specific for a given purpose really does bring organization to your kitchen, because they're tailored to organizing a specific set of items.
This set is genius for corralling all of the different sizes of Ziploc bags:
And this set gives the bowls and lids in your tower of Tupperware a distinct place for each size:
Do you have any favorite products that you use for kitchen organization? Share them below in the comments section!
And happy organizing!