Smart Organizing Ideas for Your Kitchen

When folks re-do their kitchens, one of the primary decisions often comes down to more counter space versus more storage. But you can have oodles of both and still have a frustrating experience in the kitchen if things are not organized. To get the most out of your kitchen, it pays – sometimes quite literally – to have things in order. Here are some ideas that may help.

1. Look up

One of the most overlooked areas for storage is the walls. Hooks, pegs, and shelves can be mounted to the wall easily for storage. Rows of pegs are nice for aprons, hot pads, and so forth. A couple of shelf brackets and a nice wooden board make a quick shelf for seasonings or dishes. A row of hooks is good for hanging measuring cups and spoons. Screw eyes can be mounted to the bottom of wooden shelves, providing a place to hang pots and pans.

2. Magnetism

The refrigerator is about more than juvenile artwork displays and grocery lists. Use the magnetic surface of your fridge to mount inexpensive plastic file boxes. Look in the office supply section of your favorite store for these – they are made to mount to the side of a metal filing cabinet. They can really be a help on the front of your refrigerator.

While you are going for magnetic storage, look for magnetized hot pads and other kitchen items. (You can also make your own magnetic hot pad by cutting open a small slit on a hot pad, slipping in a magnet, and sewing the slit shut.) The hot pads can be stored on the fridge, or on the front of the dishwasher or oven door. Other items do nicely with a small magnet glued to them.

3. Lazy Susan

While rounded storage shelves are not necessarily the most efficient use of space, they do prevent waste because you can easily see what you have; forgotten food items do not deteriorate out of sight (while you buy new ones because you forgot you had them). Items that require some wiping up – molasses, honey, and other condiments – do well on a Lazy Susan, because you can reach all the shelving to wipe it.

4. Easy to reach

Not every bit of storage in a kitchen can be easily reached; it’s understood that some storage areas just won’t be that accessible. Into these, put the dishes you use only at holidays or other special occasions. Keep your everyday dishes and cookware on lower shelves.