How to Organize Everything in Your Kitchen

Hello friends!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  I got to sleep in on Saturday ’til 8am when my best friend, Karen called.  I was happy for the wakeup and happy to talk to her!  It was a weekend alone, which I used to get ahead on laundry, meal prepping and blog posts.  I even did a Saturday morning spin class- the hour one that feels like I’m gonna die, but, makes me feel so good later!  And I got to meet a couple of friends for Sunday brunch at Common Bond.  If you’re in Houston, you have to try it.

I’m super excited for today’s kitchen organization post because I don’t think I’ve ever showed you our entire kitchen behind the cabinets and inside all the drawers in one post.

Today, I’m sharing how I organize every.single.thing in my kitchen and how I’ve minimized so that there’s less to store and organize.  Over the years, I’ve come to realize that when I have too many things, I feel overwhelmed.

By letting go of so much stuff, I’ve been able to breathe easier.  I have more time for my kids, and less time to worry about having to clean, repair, store, organize and keep track of all that stuff.

I joke with Brian that I’m a MINIMALIST and he laughs, but I consider myself MINIMAL-ISH.  I like to have the things I use and I will also keep things for no other reason than that it gives me JOY to look at them.

I love decor and pretty things.  I like our home to feel cozy, warm and inviting.  But, I don’t want to be a slave to the things I have in my home, where I’m spending more time on them, than with the people in my life.  It’s been a slow process, but very freeing and rewarding.

Kitchen Organization

STEP 1 : EDIT/DECLUTTER

Before you can organize effectively, go through your kitchen and edit out the unnecessary, unused, and/or broken items.

It’s also important to remove things from the kitchen that don’t belong there.  I recommend starting one drawer at a time and taking everything out, starting with a clean slate.  Wipe the drawer clean, then go through each item and see if it’s something you need or can donate or recycle.

The less things you have, the easier it is to organize.  Aim for 80% capacity in your drawers and cabinets so there is room to breathe.

STEP 2 : ORGANIZE

Think of your kitchen in zones and keep like things together.  Each drawer or cabinet contains its own category of items. Store things where you’re most likely to use/look for them.  Make it intuitive so that it makes sense to you and your family.

For example, your pots and pans live near the stove, your coffee maker sits close to your coffee mugs.

Utilize drawer dividers to contain things.  You’ll want to measure your space to make sure the dividers fit properly.  I also use drawer liners to line my drawers.

STEP 3 : MAKE IT PRETTY 

After you’ve gotten things organized, take care to make it look good.  Have fun arranging things so that they are pleasing to your eye.  I bet that inspires you to keep things looking good!

There’s still some areas in my kitchen that I think could be prettier, but it’s good for now.

STEP 4 : KEEP IT TIDY

One thing I’ve done throughout my home, but especially in the kitchen and bathroom, is to experiment with removing EVERYTHING from the counters.  It feels so fresh and clean when you do that!  If nothing lives on the counters and there’s something on them, you know it’s out of place and needs to be put away.

I started with this principal and it was really interesting to see how wonderful it made me feel.

I realized that I don’t like things completely bare (a bit too cold and sterile for my taste), so I added back in some decor items and things I want easy access to, like the hand soap and the coffee maker.  I also enjoy keeping fresh fruit and vegetables out to remind us to eat well.

The toaster, however, I realized, I preferred to be stored out of sight.

Countertops are often the “clutter landing zone.” I have one counter I like to keep completely clear, except for a vase of flowers or currently a basket with faux apples.

In order to achieve this, everything needs to have a place.  Mail and papers like the kids school work is the first thing to accumulate here.  When I bring in the mail, I automatically recycle the junk, then put the bills or important things in my office.  I go through the kids school work with them, then either hang it on the fridge, move it to their memory box, or recycle.  I only keep a few special pieces now per year.

OUR KITCHEN

Marble Lazy SusanSimilar Marble Lazy SusanTea KettleS&P ShakersButter CrockGrinders • Fruit BasketBanana HookCuisinart Knife SetArtMini Faux PlantMacreme Plant Holder • Fruit Ring BrushScrubber Brush • Similar Wooden BowlLight Wooden Bowl

Welcome to my kitchen!  I wish I could have you over for a chat and cup of coffee!  I guess this is the next best thing!

Our home was a custom build and, coming from tiny apartments and a small townhouse, storage was on the top of my list of things I wanted in my new house.  Also, I really enjoy organizing and may or may not be a touch OCD, so I wanted ample storage space for everything so I could keep like items together.

Having good storage available definitely makes the organizing process easier, but you’ll see that I have empty cabinets and drawers because I’ve paired down.

Coffee Maker • 3-Tier StandCoffee Mugs (Similar)StrawsDiffuserHeart Stick Decor

SILVERWARE DRAWER

Silverware drawer - Amazon prime

Let’s start with the silverware drawer.  I have a bamboo silverware holder that neatly contains our silverware, soup/cereal spoons, chip clips, chopsticks and cute little spoons (gold, wooden) I like to use to stir my tea.  The chop sticks were a gift from my Mom, and while I don’t use them often, their delightful shape and pop of color makes me happy every time I open this drawer.

SNACK DRAWER

Snacker drawer - Amazon prime

To the left of the silverware drawer is our lunch snack drawer.  I have more snacks in the pantry and fridge, but there are things my son eats everyday, so it’s convenient to have them here for him to grab and pack his lunch box.

KID DRAWER

kitchen drawer organization

We have enough drawers in this kitchen so that James has his own “school drawer”.  I also keep my dry erase markers for my magnetic fridge planner here. Jordan’s iPad is hidden away when not in use so she’s less likely to see it out and start watching.

ELECTRONICS DRAWER

kitchen drawer

This drawer is mainly for electronics items. When my phone, computer, or camera isn’t charging, the cords live here.  I found these nifty cord keepers that corral the cords together and keep them from getting tangle.  Also, I labeled one cord with washi tape so I could remember what it was for.  My screen cleaners are also in here.

If I need a tape measure or piece of tape, I know exactly where to go.  That notepad usually lives in the next drawer, but I wanted to fill up the space for the photo!

MOM’S DRAWER

kitchen drawer

Here’s where I keep my daily necessities like pens, paper, scissors, lighter, nail file, hand lotion, letter opener and stamps and envelopes.  I also have a return address stamp.  I decided I only wanted to keep my very favorite pens here, so that’s what I have.  Any other pens I gave to my kids or donated.

BasketFaux Apples

This photos shows the open shelving we have above these drawers.  The top two shelves are mostly decorative, but we do use the bowls, plates and cups often.  You should see James unload the dishwasher.  I do use lots of different dishes often and they’re stored in different places, so it’s kind of a maze to put things away (his job).  But, he can’t quite reach yet, so he puts things on the counter below where they go, and I put them inside.

SMALL APPLIANCE STORAGE

small appliance storage

I keep my Kitchen Aid Mixer, Air Fryer, Slow Cooker, Food Processor, Blender and hand mixer here.  I should move that coffee cleaning cleaner to under the kitchen sink.

My mom confiscated my egg cooker, and sadly, my Ninja blender that I loved to use to make smoothies stopped working. 🙁

MIXING BOWLS

mixing bowls

To the right of this lower cabinet are my mixing bowls. I have three sets and use all of them for different things. A true minimalist would probably only have one set. My colander also lives here.

BAKEWARE & GLASS MIXING BOWLS

glass baking dishes

Next to that are our glass mixing bowls and baking dishes, along with white serving bowls and the deviled egg holder. We also use that when we decorate eggs for Christmas.

kitchen organization

Coffee Maker • 3-Tier StandCoffee Mugs (Similar)StrawsDiffuserHeart Stick Decor

This section of our kitchen is Morning Central, where I make my coffee daily and it holds our everyday dishes and glasses, along with our bread and toaster.  The wooden tray is where we keep our “cup of the day.”  That way, the kids aren’t using 15 different cups throughout the day.  They use one cup each day and then it goes in the dishwasher at night.

Valentine's decor three tier stand

3-Tier StandCoffee Mugs (Similar)

BREAD & VITAMIN DRAWER

bread drawer

I never could figure out where to keep the bread, then realized I could make room to store it in this drawer.  I also keep our multivitamins, sleep gummies, tea, my BCAA, and green veggie supplement powder here.

keep toaster in cabinet

I prefer to keep our counters mostly clear, so our toaster (and butter dish) lives here.  The toaster is sitting on a stiff placemat so it’s easy to pull out and doesn’t make a mess of crumbs on the counter everyday.  It takes mere seconds to pull it out and put away, and then I don’t have to see it out all day long.

BAKING DRAWER

baking drawer

Here are baking items we don’t use often, like cookie cutters, rolling pins, serving pieces.  I also have cupcake liners and treat bags.

CUPS & DISHWARE CABINET

kitchen organization

We don’t have that many regular cups – a few broke recently, so I am currently looking for a good set on Amazon.  James usually prefers to drink out of a plastic Astros cup and I’m usually drinking from a big tumbler, so this small collection has worked for us.

coffee mug storage

I do have several coffee mugs I really enjoy. And the set of Calvin Klein plates and bowls were one of my first “adult” purchases I made.  I’ve had them for probably 20 years or more and I still love them and use them often!

I also have more dinnerware in the cabinet in the breakfast room.  I use these plates and bowls often too, depending on my mood.  I like them displayed here because they look so pretty.  Cloth napkins are in the baskets and we use those instead of paper napkins most of the time.

It drives my mom and Brian crazy that I rarely use paper towels!  I will keep a roll on hand in the mudroom, but I generally use my microfiber cloths or kitchen towels instead of paper.

kitchen counter organization

Over by the stove, you’ll find cooking utensils and our pots and pans.

Similar Cutting BoardsBasketGlass Jar

I’m currently keeping our cutting boards out and have my wooden spoons in a jar and the kids’ pancake mix in a glass container for easy access.  Plus, I think it looks cute in the basket.

CEREAL CABINET

kitchen organization

Cereal ContainersOXO Container

I really love the cereal containers I found on Amazon last year.  They keep the cereal fresher with the air tight seal, and I like being able to quickly see how much is left.

BAKING CABINET

kitchen organization

Expandable Shelving

On the left side of the stove are things I typically use for baking.

KITCHEN UTENSILS DRAWER

kitchen tools drawer

In the top drawer are spatulas, the kids’ knives, scissors, and cooking tools.

LIDS & STRAINERS DRAWER

kitchen drawer organization

Mesh StrainersFry Strainer

My pan lids and strainers are in the middle drawer.

BAKING TRAYS DRAWER

kitchen drawer organization

And two cookie sheets and silicone baking mats are in the bottom drawer.

POTS & PANS

kitchen drawer organization

Always Pan

Pots and pans live beneath the stove.

Marble Lazy SusanSimilar Marble Lazy SusanSalt and Pepper ShakersButter CrockGrinders

SPICE CABINET

kitchen organization

On the opposite side are the larger spices I use for cooking.

SPICE DRAWER

spice drawer

Similar Storage ContainerSimilar Spoon Rest

In the top right-hand drawer are small jars of spices.  I’ve seen these gorgeous, minimalist labels and have been tempted to decant.  That may be a future project!

TOWELS & POT HOLDERS DRAWER

kitchen towel drawer

Below that are my kitchen towels and oven mitts. I just got these new towels from Amazon and they’re great!

kitchen organization

The drawer below that is empty.

KITCHEN UTENSILS DRAWER

White/Wooden Cooking UtensilsRae Dunn SpatulasLemon SqueezerPeelerCan OpenerPizza Wheel

There are more cooking tools in this top drawer.  I like to keep all the rubber spatuals here and the more black/silver pieces in that other drawer.  I don’t keep too many kitchen gadgets, but I find the lemon squeezer very handy, the can opener is a necessity, and the pizza roller works great to cut up pancakes.

Corn cob and taco holders are nice to have.  And aren’t those feather cheese knives gorgeous?  Rhonda gave me those for Christmas along with this personalized cheese board.

JORDAN’S DRAWER

kitchen organization - kids things

Jordan’s drawer is next and I’ve been so happy with the set of plates, bowls, trays, and utensils from Target.  They hold up well and are super inexpensive- just 59 cents each!  She takes these cups to school.

BAKING DRAWER

kitchen organization

In the bottom drawer are all of my baking pans.

KITCHEN ISLAND STORAGE

I love having a big island to prepare food on.  We have three large drawers in the island and they are so handy!

kitchen organization

Similar Storage ContainerReusable Lunch Snack BagsSimilar Metal Measuring CupsGold Soup SpoonsSimilar Coffee ScoopSimilar Straws

The top drawer gets used daily, and is where I keep plastic baggies, measuring cups and spoons and straws.

kitchen organization

Glass ContainersReusable Sandwich ContainersSimilar Food Scale

The middle drawer holds my Tupperware and lids.  I stack the containers largest to smallest and keep the lids in a large bin.

kitchen organization

Reusable Food ContainersCheese Board

The bottom drawer holds my meal prep containers and another cheese board.

UNDER SINK STORAGE

The under sink storage never looks that good with all the plumping under there.  I have a couple of bins to keep things tidy, and that’s been working well.

kitchen under sink organization

under kitchen sink organization

This basket holds cleaning supplies, bug spray and disinfectant.  I’m really liking the spray dish detergent. I feel like less goes to waste and the spray bottle is nice and easy to use.

kitchen organization microfiber towels

Microfiber cloths are in daily use here.  I bought a large set and keep them together with rubber gloves.  I cannot wash dishes or wipe down counters without them!

kitchen organization

I’ve also come to rely heavily on Magic Erasers.  They clean so well!  The steel “soap” will eliminate any cooking odors from your hands, like onion or garlic.  Just rub your hands with it under water and the smell vanishes!

CLICK THE IMAGES TO SHOP

If you’re reading this post in your email, click through to my blog to see the shoppable pictures

AMAZON KITCHEN ESSENTIALS

And so you can have most of the links in one place, I’m including a few collages that share most of my Amazon kitchen essentials.

Kitchen Aid MixerKids Kitchen KnifeToaster • Stainless Steel WhisksBamboo Cutting BoardPeelerCan OpenerPizza WheelCereal Storage ContainersButter CrockMeasuring Cups

 

Amazon Kitchen Essentials.2

 

Dish TowelsSponge HolderMason Jar Soap DispenserLe Creuset Dutch OvenCookware Set20-Piece SilverwareMicrofiber Dish Mat • Stainless Steel StrainersMarble Serving Board

 

Amazon Kitchen Essentials.3

Microfiber Cleaning Towels • Rubber GlovesCoffee MugsMicrowave CoverNutribulletOXO Food ContainersSalad Dressing MakerKitchen MatFood Storage with Lids

 

Amazon Kitchen Essentials.4

Mini Waffle MakerNespresso MachineCuisinart Knife SetSilIcone Baking MatAir FryerCooking UtensilsMixing BowlsMeal Prep Containers

Wow, that was a lot!  As I got going, I wanted to make sure I had a comprehensive list of tools and gadgets for you and I think this pretty much covers it!  I’ll do a live kitchen tour on Stories this week too.  Make sure you’re following me on Instagram so you can join!

If you have any questions about my kitchen or about organizing in general, drop it in the comments.  I read every one and love chatting with y’all there!

How to organize everything in your kitchen (1)

Now let’s go kick Monday’s booty!

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Meet Megan

Hi! I’m Megan, mom to a thoughtful teenager and spunky young girl. We call Houston home and recently moved into our dream home. I traded my lawyer hat to become a full-time blogger in 2010. I love sharing my passion for affordable fashion, home decor, organization, & fitness to help inspire you to take care of you!

20 Comments

  1. Great post! You are always so good about lots of content and links. Excellent job! I’ll definitely be cross referencing my kitchen with this. ?

  2. Megan, I totally feel you on the term, minimal-ish! I’ve paired down so many of our belongings and have gotten my husband and daughter on board too. Although most people wouldn’t walk into my home and think this is a minimalist home but we’ve all experienced the joy and benefit of owning so much less and it is glorious! Thanks for sharing your entire kitchen, this post gave me so many organizing ideas!

  3. Great post, thank-you for all the sharing. I need to edit my spice drawer and cabinet for sure. Why do I keep things I haven’t used in years?! I have pared down so much in my house and I love just opening a cabinet or walking into a closet and admiring it and being able to “breathe”. I love that our son who is in University and has his own studio apartment only wants items he will use, and prefers not to keep anything of no value/or just for show. I could take a page from his notebook. Priority where it matters.
    Thanks again!

  4. Thanks so much for sharing this! I am in the process of painting and decluttering my kitchen. This is so helpful. I love your blog and your posts. Always look forward to them!

  5. This is super helpful abd will be bookmarked for future reference! We’re building a home and I will DEFINITELY be incorporating some of these ideas

  6. I loved all the pictures. You are so organized! I reward myself for getting my mammogram by having a cleaning service some and do a deep clean of my kitchen and it just feels so fresh!

  7. Ahh yes I LOVED this post! Your organizing posts are what drew me in about 9(!?) years ago. Love seeing posts like this! I think you started a trend with minimalish instead of minimalist, I think that’s what a lot of us are!

  8. Love your kitchen! You have so much storage space ?. I was looking for were you got your utensil holder….looking to get rid of our bulky pampered chef one.

  9. I love this blog. The way you explained the organizational tips is very helpful. I will definitely be using these ideas. You are right about feeling better not having too many things. You can’t find what you need with clutter.
    Thank you again pretty girl.
    Jan

  10. Yes, I use microfiber instead of paper towels too! People look at me crazy when I say I only use about half a roll of paper towels per month!!

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