How to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets

The post gives you a plan to organize your kitchen cabinets to create a good workspace.

This article will help you organize your kitchen cabinets so that you can work efficiently in your kitchen. It’s important to note that kitchens come in all different sizes, so please determine which suggestions work for your kitchen and which do not.

Step 1: Establish the main zones in your kitchen

The kitchen is not only the heart of every home, but it is essential in everyday living. Keeping this space organized, simply put, just makes life easier. There are 3 essential zones that most homes have.

3 Essential Kitchen Zones

1. Food preparation
2. Cooking
3. Everyday plates/Glasses (otherwise known as the dishwasher zone)

Zone 1: Food Preparation

Every kitchen should have a space where you can prepare your meals. Whether it’s cutting vegetables for dinner or assembling school lunches for your kids, having a zone where you can get your chores done, makes all of it easier. If it can be, this space should be clear: no countertop appliances to fill the space that you then have to move or shift every time you want to work there.

Zone 2: Cooking

This is where your stove area is. To make sure that you don’t have to search for a spatula or pan in the middle of your cooking, keep everything close by. 

To one side, I keep my spatulas, wooden and metal spoons, tongs, and any other little helper that I can grab quickly if something on the stove is boiling over. Keeping pots, colanders, and pans in this zone also makes the cooking experience run smoothly. 

I also keep my knives and seasonings right in this zone as well. Again, if I need to add a dash of paprika, I want it close by.

While this makes cooking on the stovetop much easier, it also keeps the craziness confined so that I don’t interrupt or bump into others who may be in the kitchen.

Zone 3: Everyday Plates and Glasses

The perfect spot for this is right near the dishwasher and kitchen sink. Since this is where you load and unload the dishwasher from, it’s ideal to keep everything within your reach. The bulk of what you put into the dishwasher are dishes, forks, knives, and cups, so it makes emptying the dishwasher a breeze.

Keeping all of your glasses in the same spot will make your life much easier. I know some people who like to keep mugs separate from glasses, but keeping each one in its own space in your cabinet can achieve the same organized result.

Bonus Zones

You should still establish other zones if you have extra space in your kitchen. 

Some other zone options you can add to your kitchen:

1. Baking
2. Entertaining
3. Wine and cocktail
4. Appliances
5. Holiday 
6. Pack up (containers, plastic wrap, etc)
7. Snacks
8. Food

For example, I have a baking zone where I keep most of my baking ingredients and utensils. 

Close to this area, I also have an entertainment zone. I love hosting, and I want to make it easy. From the appetizers I put out every time, to the flow of where everything can be found, hosting should be as seamless as possible. Enter, the entertainment zone. Here, I keep more serving forks, spoons, etc. I also like to keep my smaller ramekins and bowls that I will use when hosting. They’re perfect for charcuterie boards or appetizer displays. 

Appliance Zones

I’ve purchased way too many gizmos and appliances over the past 20 years, but that’s in real conflict with the fact that I like things as neat and organized as I can get them. There is no need for clutter if it can be avoided. Now, I feel strongly that I don’t buy every gadget under the sun. If I think it’s essential to my cooking or entertaining, I keep it. Bonus if it is multifunctional. 

The real estate in my kitchen is important, and I can easily get swept up in buying all of the pretty products as they come out. With that said, I try to have a place for appliances that are not used on a regular basis.

*A note on Zones*  Sometimes you have more zones than you have cabinets, or you have more space in a cabinet than you have materials for that zone. You can always split a cabinet into two zones. For example, I split one cabinet to hold some of my baking materials, and, the upper portion holds entertaining bowls, etc.

All in all, you want to do what works for you and your family. The best tip I can give you on organizing your kitchen cabinets is to visualize HOW you are going to use your space. Close your eyes and walk your way through your kitchen. What do you plan on doing the most? Prioritize that space and make it as functional as possible to fit your needs. Keep in mind that the flow of the space not only include what you will be doing in there, but who will be in there, too. I always have my kids and dog underfoot, so I want to make sure that I’m not stepping too far when I’m in the middle of meal prep.

Step 2: Clear Out All of Your Cabinets and Refill Accordingly

Now it’s time to get organized. Discard things that you don’t need anymore. At one point, I had three vegetable peelers! There is no reason for redundancy. You can also donate any mismatched items that you don’t like. 

This is a great opportunity to add cabinet liners or organizational insets (like those in the picture below). I absolutely love mine. 

I’m not a big fan of clutter, but sometimes, it happens! Just take time to place things in spaces that work for you. I also find it useful to put all similar items close to each other. All my wooden spoons are together, my spatulas stay in the same space, etc. It allows me to take inventory fast and ensure that I’m prepared.

Step 3: Enjoy Your Success and How Smoothly You Move Through Your Kitchen

Maybe this is the best step because you reap the benefits of taking a little time to set everything up. 

Do you have any helpful suggestions on how to organize your kitchen? I’d love to hear them. Please comment below with any questions or suggestions. 

This post was all about how to organize your kitchen cabinets.