Kitchen Organizing - Storage Optimization

3.9 min Read Time

If you haven’t read my first kitchen organizing post: kitchen clutter clearing, please go read that one first. The first post explains how to reduce kitchen clutter and set up work zones. This post picks up where that one left off: where and how to store the remaining kitchen items.

Now that you have purged the unnecessary items and determined what area you would like to keep each category of kitchen items in, we are ready to do everyone’s favorite part. It’s time to put all that gear into kitchen organizing containers!

There are several goals for containerizing categories: Keep like items together, make finding items easier, make clean up easier, make small items visible, make items accessible.

Drawers and roll-out shelves are the most accessible type of storage in the kitchen. If you have an abundance of these, you may not need many storage devices and containers. If you do not have lots of these, as most of you likely do not, then here’s the low-down on kitchen organizing product options.

When shopping for containers (either from your vast pile of now empty containers or from a store), remember that square and rectangle containers are the most space-efficient. Not sure what are the best types of things to put in containers? Read on! You should keep the categories that you created during the sorting process containerized in some way.

Spices
Vitamins, medicine, and supplements
Tea bags or coffee pods
Snack cups or packets
Granola bars
Oatmeal packets
Plastic drink cups or baby bottles
Container or pot lids
Cooking gadgets
Candy
Flour, sugars
Cleaning supplies
Homework supplies
Mail and paper tasks that you prefer to do in the kitchen
Baking supplies (chocolate chips, sprinkles, icing tubes, cupcake liners, cookie cutters)
Water bottles (They are so top-heavy that having them in a container keeps them from tipping)

Place short spices on lower-tier

Kitchen Organizing – Best Containers

Take a look at all these options to get ideas of what container is best for your items. Oftentimes, a simple basket is the best option. I love that there are many sizes and materials available.

Bars and oatmeal packages are stored in simple containers. Snacks are stored in rectangular containers that the kids can open and CLOSE easily!

Kitchen paperwork is contained!

Custom drawer divider for this awesome deep drawer!

Inexpensive Drawer Dividers

If you need more space in your kitchen still, go vertical! The walls, backsplash and doors all make excellent options for finding additional storage space. You can also stack baskets, use wire shelves to add space above a cabinet shelf or use vertical storage devices on shelves to make use of the vertical space.

Pan divider makes access easy. No lifting required! No installation required

Easy-to-install over-the-door organizer

Stackable baskets from Sterilite add a second layer of storage

Simple wire accessories to double the storage

Custom & Retrofits

There are many ways to make the items in your kitchen more accessible. And the more accessible they are, the more likely you are to use them and return them to where they belong! Take a look at these custom and retrofit options.