#kitchen-organization

#kitchen-organization

Figuring out what deserves counter space versus cabinet real estate in your kitchen can feel like a constant puzzle, especially when you are dealing with limited space and wanting aesthetic storage solutions. That's why being thoughtful in how you get things organized matters, like choosing to store copper cookware or baskets from a curtain rod. The latest organizing solution I can't stop thinking about? Using a vintage magazine rack as kitchen storage.

These bins are soft and flexible yet sturdy and durable, and they're spacious, too, at 11 by 10 ½ by 10 ½ inches. Plus, they only cost just over a buck each and come in plenty of neutral hues, meaning it's easy to stock up and create a clean, classic, coordinating look in your kitchen. These are often used in other rooms like in your bedroom closet, or in your bathroom linen closet or laundry room.

For many of us, organization is the final boss in getting our kitchen set up the way we want. Creating a harmonious flow and ensuring easy access in a clean, organized space can be difficult. Luckily, there are solutions, and one of the best comes from Costco. The iDesign kitchen bins sold by the retailer can be used in the fridge or the pantry. They don't have any bells or whistles. They offer simple, clean organization, and the results are hard to beat.

But for most of us, we're just trying to enjoy wine and have it on hand, and we're forever looking for ways to keep it organized within the tight space of our kitchens, dining rooms, or home bars. It would be especially appreciated if we could do so in a way that's aesthetically pleasing, but is that too much to ask?

The Bulevina Stainless Steel Sponge Holder is an over-the-sink caddy that slides over your double-sink divider to corral sponges, brushes, and cloths while keeping everything lifted, dry, and organized. It features two roomy compartments and a minimalist stainless steel frame. It measures 3.11 inches deep, 6.77 inches wide, and 3.11 inches tall, and it fits most standard double-sink dividers. It currently retails for $12.99 on Amazon.

Whether they are margarine containers, ice cream tubs, or even takeout containers, anything with a lid can do the job. In the fridge they can hold leftovers and in the pantry you might find anything from dried rice and cereal to cookies, lentils, or even piping bag tips. Plenty of kids grew up peeling the lids off with no idea what was inside until they checked. If it could fit in the container, it was fair game.

We're always on the hunt for ways to upgrade our kitchens, whether that's picking out a new paint for the backsplash, changing the countertops, or sleuthing the best hacks for making organization a breeze. Shoving all the unsightly stuff in a drawer might make the space feel more organized and less cluttered, but it can be hard to remember where you put those cookie cutters once you finally get the homemade cookie dough rolled out.

This gorgeous red marble tray from Westbourne is the latest addition to my setup. Made in collaboration with Montana Labelle, it's crafted in hand-honed Rosso Alicante marble that's quarried in Spain and features beautiful striations that are unique to each piece. I'm using mine to hold my everyday cooking oils (the Westbourne avocado oil and whichever extra virgin olive oil I'm currently working my way through), and thinking of ordering a second to gift to a lucky someone this holiday season.

Chances are, we've all lived the nightmare of trying to cram and stack a bunch of heavy stainless steel, nonstick, and cast-iron pans into a dark kitchen cabinet. Not only is storing pans in a small cabinet frustrating, but stacking pans isn't recommended since it risks damaging them. Luckily, there are home and kitchen pros like Martha Stewart to make organizing easier. For instance, a clutter-free storage method that makes pots and pans accessible, organized, and within reach, Stewart uses a hanging kitchen rack.

The Songmics Cabinet Organizer Shelf acts as a riser, so it maximizes vertical space within your kitchen cupboards or countertops. They're available in 12 colorways, including natural wood and solid color finishes, and measure 11.7 inches wide by 6.2 inches high (a larger width is also available). Pair them side-by-side or stack them on top of each other; they're great for plates, drinkware, spices, cans, and more.

Kitchen appliances are supposed to save you time, but when the cords trail across the counter they can become an impediment to efficiency. They get caught on drawer pulls, dangle dangerously close to burners, or just sit in a tangled nest behind the toaster. Still, for the sake of your sanity and safety, it's important to unplug your appliances. A cheap fix comes from self-adhesive plastic hooks.

We love creative ways to upcycle kitchenware. Our cooking and baking essentials have served us well for years, but eventually, every item reaches a point where it's no longer efficient. We upgrade to new versions, but to simply toss the old ones seems like a waste. It's a win-win, then, when you find a clever DIY project to do with them instead you get the new kitchen staple, plus a creative activity that yields a new piece of decor or organization.

If you always find yourself stuffing dinnerware and packaged foods into your kitchen cabinets, there's a better way to keep the room organized, especially if you have some open wall space that you're not using. As with many other clever storage spaces you may be ignoring in your kitchen, you can transform that forgotten free wall into DIY gold with an ingenious hack: Install Ikea ENHET cabinets for storing mugs, spices, loose Tupperware, and more.

Aldi has really stepped up its kitchen game of late, offering cookware and kitchen gadgets that are near perfect dupes of high-end (and much more expensive) favorites. Its classic, streamlined new wooden kitchen organizer proves that the store is going to continue this streak. The Crofton Rotating Kitchen Caddy looks like something you would find at Williams Sonoma or Crate & Barrel for five times the price. Luckily, Aldi's version is only $14.99.

As she set out to make adjustments to her own home, Gaines settled on the idea of a butler's pantry. "I knew I wanted it to look like a natural extension of the farmhouse, while also feeling cozy and moody and filled with the things that inspire creativity in me, from the honey-filled jars that line shelves to old family recipes I had framed and put on display," she wrote on Mongolia.

In fact, losing items to deep storage space in pantries is a pantry storage mistake you need to stop making, like yesterday. Plus, it turns out that pantry drawers are more efficient for storage than shelves. The reason is because drawers make it easy for us to see and access items like pots, pans, and serveware. Nothing gets lost or forgotten in the back.

If you spend a decent amount of your time in the kitchen - whether you're cooking or simply reheating the leftovers you brought home last night - there's a good chance that you struggle with kitchen organization from time to time. For many of us, the kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house, and being disorganized can come at a cost: It can leave you with food that's spoiling simply because you forgot to use it in time, or may cause you to over-buy groceries you already have on hand but are hidden in the back of the pantry.

TISKEN baskets are a cheap Ikea product that instantly upgrades pantry storage. They come in different sizes and shapes, and the cost ranges from $6.99 to $8.99, making them a super budget-conscious storage option for small kitchens. Each white plastic basket uses two suction cups that allow them to stick to hard surfaces like tile and glass. However, some shoppers note that the suction cups are strong enough to support attaching them to the inside of your kitchen cabinet doors as well.

But we also have to be careful of how we store our sugar. A preservative in and of itself, sugar doesn't expire on its own. But if it's exposed to air, it meets moisture, and that moisture can turn its fine granules into hard clumps and also introduce bacteria - two deal-breakers for using that sugar again. Plus, exposed sugar is basically a cordial invitation to pests.

For many of us, the kitchen is the place where most of our everyday activity takes place, and therefore, the room that tends to get more crowded and disorganized than any other. Those of us who love to cook often like to keep a well-stocked pantry, with plenty of spices and condiment jars for every adventurous recipe we want to try.

There are actually several genius ways to organize your Nespresso pods or coffee capsules. But few are both cheaper and easier than the DIY Dollar Tree organizer created by Gail's Designs on TikTok. All you need are some zip ties, one Cooking Concepts paper towel holder, and four Cooking Concepts wire napkin holders - the latter two are just further examples of the many kitchen organization must-haves at Dollar Tree.

Pots and pans themselves are easy and versatile: Stack them or hang them from hooks. But unhelpfully, these pots and pans don't let us in on the secret of what we're supposed to do with their covers, which have nothing to hang them by and can't be stacked because of their top handles. The result is often a messy, sliding pile in a large drawer, cabinet, or pantry shelf, and lids can suffer damage from all that clanging around.

Among the many ways to better organize your kitchen is one common, yet potentially flawed hack: Hanging measuring cups inside cabinet doors. The method involves installing hooks to the back of cabinet doors to keep measuring cups and spoons within easy access and eye's reach, so they don't get lost in a sea of cooking spoons, vegetable peelers, and chopsticks in the anything-goes drawer (ie. the Wild West of the kitchen).

Items that would fit include rolls of plastic wrap, foil, wax paper, parchment, and freezer paper; boxes of wipes, food storage bags, and trash bags; and even large scrub brushes and oven mitts. You can pick up many of these affordable baking tools and supplies at Dollar Tree to boot. On the other hand, smaller items likely can't sit in the rack on their own, but with some extra tweaks, your holder can be used for many more supplies.