A lot of us have been going on organizational binges in quarantine – my kitchen has been the target of my wrath.
I have organized the absolute shit out of my kitchen. Like, we’re in tip top shape now thankyouverymuch.
What I’ve learned during this entire process is that kitchens should feel intuitive to work in. If you’re moving from one end of your kitchen to the other (lol or in a small apartment kitchen like mine, stepping two feet each direction), it could be an indicator you need to shake things up.
I’ve picked up a few tips & tricks along the way – so let’s dive in. And follow me on Instagram to see behind the scenes stories of all my recent quarantine kitchen (cough cough baking) adventures.
Clean out everything.
Step one of ultimate kitchen organization – clean out everything. And I mean everything. Every drawer, every cabinet, every single little nook and cranny items could be hiding. The goal here is to fully assess what items you own and where they’re being housed.
A total cabinet clean out can seem really daunting (especially if you have a lot of storage space), but my strategy was to do it in parts. I’d target 1-2 cabinets per day to fully unload, clean, and assess, rather than the entire kitchen. 1-2 cabinets felt achievable, while my entire kitchen felt daunting.
Have you ever noticed…fancy people have clear countertops.
Have you ever noticed, fancy people (aka RICH PEOPLE) tend to have clear AF countertops. I’m talking not an appliance in sight. This is because they have endless storage, closets, and pantries (unlike myself, a peasant). BUT I challenge you to try to find items you can move into drawers or cabinets to create a clean and clear space.
I managed to get a few appliances into cabinets (or tossed ’em, more on that in a second) and the clear countertops have been absolutely freeing. I’ve got more space to work – and our kitchen looks neat.
Out with the old.
Toss items that no longer serve you.
It’s Marie Kondo time – be very strict in tossing items out as you go that no longer serve you. Got a collection of old mugs that, realistically, you’ll never use? Toss ’em. Old plates you took with you to college that have been sitting lonely in an obscure top shelf? Toss ’em.
Be strict – if you don’t use an item and it doesn’t hold any sentimental value, it actually might be costing you more to keep it than let it go (aka SPACE).
Ditch the random specialized kitchen gadgets.
Strawberry slicers. Apple corers. Hot take: these are useless hyper-specialized kitchen gadgets. The exact same result can be achieved with a knife.
I totally understand sometimes it’s easier to whip out a strawberry slicer and cut those babies in bulk, but real talk you’re probably not saving a ton of time and you’re actually taking up valuable drawer space with said item.
I hate wasting space. Probably because I don’t have much of it.
My tip: ditch those specialized kitchen gadgets and build yourself a good base of basics (like nice knives) to help you get the jobs done.
Understand the items worth paying for – and those you can save on.
There are absolutely items worth investing in when organizing and building out your dream kitchen – and absolutely items not worth the cash.
I like to put my money in staple, long term appliances and cookware that cost a bit up front, but have a long lifespan. Think high quality dutch ovens, stand mixers, knives, and non-stick cookware. Other smaller decorative/organizational items like canisters or measuring cups – not so much the place to spend the cash.
A great example – we upgraded to a Smeg tea kettle because we drink tea daily (…and it’s so pretty it makes me happy), but opted for a lower cost toaster and microwave as we know those won’t have the same longevity for us.
Canisters bins, and baskets are your new best friends.
Canisters have been my holy grail discovery during quarantine – especially now that I’m baking a lot more.
I found during my bakes I was reaching for the same items over and over – flours, yeast, and sugars. I found beautiful canisters at both Target and Urban Outfitters to store these dry goods in. I have an overflow supply in a cabinet, but now I don’t have to reach up high for those items when I need them so regularly. Plus, they look super cute as decor sitting out on the kitchen counter.
Got kitchen organization tips & tricks to share? Drop ’em in the comments below!
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