February is the month for getting our kitchens in order. I thought it only fair that I post some pictures of my kitchen and how I’ve got it organized. Please, as always, keep in mind that this what is working for me right now. I’m always changing things up because there are just so many options! Don’t let indecision or worry about doing it wrong stop you from getting your kitchens in order, just do it!
I have a couple of goals that I strive to achieve in my itsy bitsy teeny weeny thankfully not polka dot kitchen……an uncluttered countertop, all like items stored together, the things I use most often within easy access and as well stored where I’m most likely to need them and finally storing overstock in a separate location.
My kitchen ~ nothing fancy and pretty small
The other side is my pantry which, other than my baking cupboard, is the only place I store dry goods in the kitchen:
The top half of the pantry:
I love the pull out pantry drawers in the bottom half.
Shelf 1 ~ canned goods
Shelf 2 ~ my food allergic son’s shelf (it’s not as messy as it looks, I promise)
Shelf 3 ~ sippy cups, water bottles and small plastic containers
Shelf 4 ~ Smart Spin, Tupperware and Rubbermaid, etc
An uncluttered countertop:
I don’t have a lot of countertop so what I have I like to keep free for cooking. This means, for instance, that even though I use my slow cooker a couple of times a week I don’t want it sitting out on my countertop taking up valuable space. I also don’t have any piles of paper or anything else driving me crazy. You all know I’m not so handy in the kitchen, I don’t need the extra stress of a cluttered kitchen before I even get started that is for sure. Less stuff on my countertops also means it’s easier for me to keep the kitchen tidy and sanitized.
All like items are stored together:
I created zones in my kitchen…..a designated space for everything. For example, my lazy susan in the corner is my baking zone and everything to do with baking is stored there. My pots are all stored under the stove, all my big bowls together, all my sippy cups, etc… My food is all stored in the one pantry, no where else. This just makes it so much easier to know what I have and I am always amazed at how many people don’t do this.
The things I use most often within easy access and stored where I’m most likely to use them:
Here are a couple of examples:
~keep your dishes and cutlery in cupboards close to your dishwasher to make emptying the dishwasher quick and easy
~ keep spices near the stove
~store your knives near your cutting boards
~create a coffee/tea station near your coffee pot or tea kettle….in the picture above I have all our coffee/tea supplies in the cupboard directly above the coffee pot
~store kitchen utensils in one central location ~ I love my Pampered Chef utensil holder…it is big enough to hold all the big and little tools and contain them all in one spot close to everything
I use a lot of dollar store baskets to keep like items sorted together. Here are some examples from my pantry:
My baskets keep “like with like” with makes me happy and makes it easy for the kids to put the dishes away. I don’t so much care how they look in the basket just as long as they are in the right basket allowing us to find what we need when we need it.
If you don’t have pull out drawers you can alway store your food containers in baskets in a cupboard, I’d probably do one basket for the lids and one for the containers. The baskets serve to set some boundaries and when you need something you can just pull the whole basket out to find what you need. Easy, peasy.
Although I must tell you that I love my Smart Spin. I resisted buying one forever but then eventually caved in and gave it a try and I’m so glad I did. It is amazing how much space it saves!
Another thing I use are these handy shelves in my cupboards to create more space. Take a look, very helpful indeed for creating more space.
Keep overstock in another area:
I know I said I like to keep things together and this might seem like a bit of a contradiction but due to lack of space in my kitchen I only keep one of everything in the kitchen and all the overstock (extra items of something purchased when on sale) I keep downstairs in my storage room. I have some simple narrow shelving that works great for this purpose. It’s always fun to go “shopping” in the basement. It also means for the most part we can keep this from happening.
Please ignore the lovely paneling in behind.
If I had to find space for all that in my kitchen cupboards, I’d go mental 🙂
I didn’t have a basement in my old house so I used one of these cabinets below as a makeshift overstock pantry. I found a spot for it in the back hallway of all places. It just tucked in nicely. It wasn’t as convenient as it would have been if it had been in my actual kitchen but it was better than nothing. These go on sale for as low as $40.00 if you keep your eyes open.
So that’s it! Got any kitchen questions? Go ahead and ask in the comments and I’ll try and answer them there as well.
Related posts:
Organizing your lazy susan – part one
Organizing your lazy susan – part two
Becky says
Can you come over and organize my kitchen? 😉
Proverbs31 says
Wow, you’ve got all your ducks in a row. Or should I say, tupperware? 🙂 I’m in awe and envy of all your storage space. 😛
Bonnie says
Have I told you a hundred times how much I love this site ?!?! It’s sooo great. I love the handy shelves and baskets ! I have to stay out of container/organizing type shops unless I have money to spend. I just can’t resist ! But dollar store baskets are the best. I use them too ! Your kitchen looks fantastic and I love the way you store your overstock in a different location !
Laura says
Becky, I would love too! Bonnie you are so right, dollar store baskets are fantastic!!
Jenny says
Good ideas Laura! I, personally, don’t like the pampered chef utensil holder. For me it looks too cluttered sitting on the countertop. The overstock pantry idea doesn’t make sense to me as well. I need my food items to be in one location. If it’s full then that means I don’t buy more!(which means saving me some money!!LOL)
Thanks for sharing. I’d like to get one of those lid holders for containers. That’s one of my pet peeves. Trying to get a container and it not having a proper lid!!
Now my container drawer…ugh…ly!! I should be working on that!! It’s dreadful!!
Hope you’re enjoying this beautiful day today!
🙂
Laura says
Hey Jenny, I do remember you saying that before about the turnaround. I just found it so frustrating digging through a drawer. But that is what I mean about options, what works for one isn’t necessarily going to work for another. It’s all about finding what works for you and going with it. Thanks for sharing!
momrn2 says
I also have a storage area in my basement where I keep my overstock. It allows me to “shop in my basement” as well. 🙂
Great tips here!
Cindy says
I love your website & hope that some of your organizing will rub off on me! I only have 1 or 2 things from Pampered Chef, but I am going to HAVE to get one of those utensil holders! I also debated on the Smart Spin. Does it only hold the containers that come with it or will it hold other brands like Glad & Ziplock? Thanks!!
Laura says
I believe it only holds the containers it comes with. I was hesitant that the sizes wouldn’t work for me but they do. I’ve had it for about two years now and I’m pretty pleased with it. I especially love that all the lids are the same size!
GiBee says
I also use those shelves in my cabinets and LOVE them! I feel like I have more space… even though technically I don’t… weird.
Mrs. Wilson says
I’ll have to come back to this post after we move. We’re only in our house for 4 (ish) more months, so I don’t see a point right now … even though I really enjoy organizing things, I don’t like doing it in vain!
I love that smart spin thing!
DebiP says
SERIOUSLY I need to clear out all my dern tupperware…it is the devils work IMHO…It drives me insane…and DH well, he was over it about 20 years ago…I have to get me that spin storage thing…love the site Laura…I have referred so many here it is the best thing on the net…
Scratchin' the Surfa says
Laura, I think maybe, just maybe I could put a few $ store baskets in my tupperware cupboard, so when my grandson leaves I could toss them back in. Better than the way it is now.
Ronnie says
I love how your kitchen is so organized!! I just cleaned out underneath my cabinet, and pitched ALOT, and I thought I was doing good…but now that I look at your kitchen, I am hanging my head in shame…LOL
But if you have any free time, you are more than welcome to come over and clean out the rest of the cupboards. And I will wish you good luck on that one…because being a mom of three boys, is a riot!! They throw anything anywhere!!..urgh!!
And one thing that I do miss in this older house, is the corner lazy susan!! I miss my lazy susan in my old house sooooooo much!!!
Blessings,
Ronnie!!
Susanne says
I miss a lazy susan too! They held sooo much! I need something to hold the lids to my pots and pans. Any ideas?
Oh and I love that smart spin too! Our sits on top of the fridge because I have nowhere else but because it stays neat I really don’t mind so much and it’s awful handy right there.
Jenny says
^^^^^^
Susanne, you can get a pot lid holder that mounts to the inside of your kitchen cabinets.
Lisa says
I have been doing some kitchen organizing, including buying some storage bins and throwing out packaging. I have found it to be a good diet aid. I don’t want to take anything out of it’s nice new container, and I don’t want to mess up the organization. 🙂
Ann at mommysecrets says
You’ve done a really good job maximizing your space – good for you! I’ve never used the term before, but I’m a ‘zone’ girl just like you. Zones lead to efficiency and make it easy for others to navigate your kitchen (thus being hospitable!). Thanks for sharing your pictures and tips!
lylah ledner says
Hey Laura – Great job! Love the post and how to help.
blessings! lylah
Marni says
It’s totally perfect I found this – I was up till past midnight last night working on my kitchen. I have a horrible cluttered counter issue and this gave me some ideas. One question – we don’t use the toaster much but I hate to put it away and move it back out because it’s so messy! Any ideas??
Queen B says
I’m so gonna tackle my pantry this weekend. It is a disaster. I’ve got way too many boxes of things and bags of 47 different kinds of pasta. My shelves are very shallow and I have a hard time finding containers that work. I’ve considered the Smart Spin…I could finally throw away the Cool Whip bowls. I’m glad to get your recommendation!
Laura says
I don’t know if you can tell in the picture or not but I actually have TWO toasters on my counter. I have to have a separate one that is strictly gluten free for my son. I keep that one covered with a toaster cover that works perfectly to keep it hidden but for the life of me I cannot find another one to match. Now if only I were crafty…sigh.
Heather says
That’s it, I’m going to get the Smart Spin and then I can use all the expensive now-lidless Tupperware I’ve accumulated over the years (thankfully some of it has been gifts) as pricey “dollar store baskets!” See, I’m recycling!
P.S. Hey, I’m gluten free too!
The Organizing Muse says
Great kitchen! Don’t you find it’s sometimes even MORE important to be better organized in a small space?! I think people too often think they need more space, when they actually just need to make better use of it.
Thanks for sharing your kitchen…I’ve even found some ideas I want to use in my own tiny kitchen! I think I got you beat…mine’s about half that size!
Erin K says
“The Organizing Muse” took the words right out of my mouth! For several years now I’ve lamented that my kitchen is too small and I can’t possibly be organized until we move to a bigger house. And then I realized that if I don’t learn to be organized where I am and with the space I have, I’ll probably have space issues no matter where I live.
So last night I tackled my kitchen, and I feel sooooooo good about it! I’m giving several boxes of stuff away and by simply rearranging and rethinking my space I’ve created several **EMPTY** cupboards! I am amazed!!!
Marcia Francois says
I LOVE IT!
I also have a very small kitchen so I’m on your wavelength totally!!!
And we call that Smart Spin thing “The Clutter Buster Rotation Station” here in SA. I have one too and I love it!
Laura says
Oh Erin that is so great, I love hearing about when it clicks for someone. Just awesome!
Tammi says
OH, if only I wasn’t at work right now! Reading your suggestions makes me want to go straight home and put some of your suggestions to work. As I was reading all of your helpful information I was making notes like crazy! Like you, I do not have much counter space and have been in the process of clearing things off of my countertops that I do not use everyday. I love the pictures. Thanks so much for sharing.
(Why didn’t I think to put my knives next to my cuttingboard?) Duh!
I use a Pampered Chef utensil holder on my countertop also. I don’t like having to dig thru a drawer for things I need.
Organizing, ah, good for the soul. lol
H... says
i use a bread box to store my spices. it is right next to the stove. it works well for me. it beats searching and digging in the cupboard for spices.
Jacqueline says
Great post, as usual. Like you, I love pull out drawers–I think they are a great invention (which must have been designed by a woman, no doubt!). I have a few tips that I’d like to share: I REALLY like using non-kitcheny items in my kitchen–things that were designed for use elsewhere in the house, to give it a more sophisticated feel:)! I have the round, wrought iron and glass tray from Southern Living at Home that is on the counter next to my coffee maker–this is my coffee/tea “station”–I store coffee in one of their glass canisters and tea, spoons, etc., on the tray–it looks awesome! Then, for the utensils, I bought a very pretty ceramic, “old world” type vase from JoAnns and store all my utensils in it. I used to have the turnabout but gave it up so I could use it in my stamp room (another great organizing idea) because I wanted something more decorative in my kitchen. Let’s see, what else–oh yes, a few month ago, I tossed ALL my tupperware–I was SO tired of all the mismatched, different sized containers. Now I only use glad and ziplock disposable containers–after a few uses or if they get stained, I have no qualms about tossing them! And I keep all the lids in a nice basket in the same cabinet as they’re stored, so it’s “one stop shopping”! And one final thing–(I love to shop to Home Goods)I found a really great tray there (that would typically be used to serve drinks and such), and I keep it next to the stove and on it, a bowl of garlic cloves, a big glass, covered container of salt and pepper and still have room to store a few onions. I’m sure there’s more I could tell you about, but I think this post is long enough! Enjoy your day, girls!
Laura says
Great suggestions, I would love to see pictures!
Cynthia says
I just want you to know that I enjoy reading your blog very much. I have enjoyed participating in Menu Plan Monday.
I left something for you on my blog. Check it out when you get a chance.
Sister Brenda says
Hi first time here I like it..I’m new to all this. I have lots to learn..About your clipart on the side Am I allowed to use it on my blog? U did a great job getting things grouped together.. You will be seeing alot of me here..
Blessing Sister Brenda
Sister Brenda says
Thank you! What about the one that is Monday menu ?It has food and a cash register? Would that be anything that I could and paste? thanks
Blessings Sister Brenda
Anita says
I like the drawers in your cabinets. I’m going to have my kitchen remodel in a year or two and I think I will have to have some of those.
[email protected] says
I made your SPAGHETTI PIE the other night – YUMMO!! Loved it – Thanks!
Andy says
I went to the $ store and got some baskets. One for each of the family and as I’m organizing I’m putting their stuff in their basket and they are in charge of putting it away. I think I’m gonna like this! I also organized my computer desk which is ALWAYS a mess. I put pics on my blog. I love that you put pics and links on your blog. You are an inspiration and I enjoy looking at others blogs and how they are organizing. Thank you soooo much!
Andy
sandy says
Hi Laura. First I get to see your log house (kidding!) and now your kitchen. I must say, before we moved into this houes (tiny, yukky, unorganized kitchen), my last kitchen remodel was roomy and I did have my act together. Now I’m crying, “Laura, Come and Help ME!” LOL. Want to take a trip to Oregon?
Happy late V-Day and Weekend!
Sandy
Forgetfulone says
Wow! And I thought I was organized! Seriously, though, your kitchen is amazingly neat and tidy… everything in its place. How do you get your husband and kids to put things in the right location? I swear, if it weren’t for my husband and the kids, I would be the most organized person on the planet, next to you, of course.
Amiyrah says
I love your blog! And you’ve definitely inspired me to organize my kitchen. I just posted my favorite accomplishment so far, my junk drawer, on my blog. Thank you so much for the inspiration!
Marilyn says
I love those wire shelves you showed. My kitchen is half the size of yours and they have been my life savor! I had never seen a spart spin. They look nifty, but I don’t think Ihave any room in my tiny kitchen, but I am going to check it out.
Thak you
Q&Q says
I’m having the same epiphany as Erin. We are actually in the process of looking for a new home and I decided years ago our current kitchen was too small so why try and organize it. Well the last few months, even in the midst of gearing up to move I’ve been organizing the kitchen. If I don’t get it together now I won’t in our new home either!
Love the dollar store. I also keep excess elsewhere. I’ve lived overseas with constant blackouts, no power, empty grocery stores etc. so keeping a stash of food is in my blood.
Cindy says
I am so going to have to send you a picture of my pan cabinet. It is the one cabinet that I have not figured out how to organize in my “new” kitchen. I do have to agree with you about the Pampered Chef utensil holder. I LOVE mine. It spins and holds all kinds of things. 🙂
Megan@Disorder2Order says
Awesome! Thanks for sharing. What I love about your kitchen is that it’s so REALISTIC. Doesn’t look small by the way either.
renie says
We need a functional method to organize spices. Right now, I have a wall spice rack which is visible and works well, however, I now have more spices than the rack can hold!! We will be renovating our kitchen, so we are open to any great idea. Also,we have friends that visit and like to cook, so everything needs to be easy to find. Thank you.
Edwina says
Gosh just looking at your cabinets makes me want to go thru all my cabinets and rearrange everything. Great Job!
Leicestershire Plumber says
I never thought of putting draws inside a cupboard, it looks neater and can store more. Thanks for sharing your storage ideas with us, very helpful information.