The kitchen is one of the most-used rooms in a house. From early morning until late in the afternoon, there’s always something going on in the central hub of the home. That, and the rush of the everyday routine, can make it hard to keep the kitchen as tidy as we wish it could be (yes, sadly it’s probably not magazine cover material!). And even worse than this, is that it seems like the more space you have, the more things (and mess) you end up with! However, worry no more. All you have to do is follow these 20 hacks to organise your kitchen.
1. Utilise see-through cabinets
Decluttering your kitchen doesn’t require having more space. You can give the feel that your kitchen is more open by using your existing space. Just like mirrors give the illusion of a bigger space in any room, see-through cabinets will do the same for your kitchen. More light will be able to come in and your kitchen area will feel less cluttered. This works best for feature cabinets, preferably for the top row of shelving.
2. Get creative with pots & pans
A drawer made specifically for pots and pans is recommended for every kitchen, but if you’re an avid cook and find yourself in the situation that you have too many of them, consider using them as a cool decoration feature and hang them from the ceiling. It could be above the island table or even above the stove.
3. Undershelf baskets are a must
Forget about stacking items, just get a handy undershelf basket and voila! You’ve got yourself double the space on every cupboard! This can also help to utilise empty space and make it easier to access the things you need.
4. Specifically-designed drawers
Sometimes, kitchen drawers are not very efficient. Usually too big for the cutlery or too small for plates and pans, they can often work out to be an inefficient use of space. Why not design the kitchen drawers with a preconceived idea of what’s going to be stored in them? For example, if you know you’re going to be storing the cutlery in the first drawer, consider making it shallower but with an appropriate width, with the width roughly correlating to the amount of cutlery that you have. The same can be said for the design of just about all draws, whether it’s storing plastic container, pots and pans or otherwise.
5. Lazy susans innovate corner fittings
Corner storage and fittings can be tricky in a kitchen, and because it’s often a difficult spot to reach, it’s not the preferred area to store items and all that space gets lost. Why not install a lazy susan instead? Lazy susans are 360° turntable fittings, which makes it so easy to find and grab anything tucked away in the corner. It’s possible to find lazy susans that are designed to fit inside corner cabinets, which makes the storage area far more practical.
6. Use tins to store cooking tools
Do you have too many wooden spoons and mixers? Not a problem, simply consider showcasing them as decoration! Get a couple of tins you like the look of and keep the utensils there. That way your drawers will feel much more spacious. Not to mention that you’ll be doing the planet favour by reusing those tins.
7. Designate an easy access storing space for everyday appliances
The toaster, the kettle, the small blender and the coffee machine can take up a lot of bench space and give your kitchen a cluttered look. However, because they are the appliances you use frequently, consider creating a storage space for these that is easy to reach and convenient.
8. Narrow spaces
Don’t dismiss the small spaces of your kitchen. Things like trays, large dishes, jars and bottles can be easily stored in areas like this. By utilising these smaller spaces you won’t be tempted to leave items lying around your counter or in the wrong spot.
9. Use the space above cabinets
If your kitchen has cabinets that don’t reach the ceiling, then you’re in luck! Use that space to store items that you need in the kitchen but which you don’t use regularly, such as some appliances, containers or seasonal items. You could even buy baskets to fit perfectly in that space and make a decorative focal point while you’re at it.
10. Over-the-sink shelf
Maximise the use of the counter space and declutter it with a simple over-the-sink shelf! It not only looks good, but becomes a convenient place to leave the dishwasher liquid, soap, dish sponges, small plants and more.
11. Use the end of cabinets wisely
The end of a cabinet is just… the end of a cabinet, right? Well, not anymore. It could actually be a trendy feature and storage space to your kitchen. Re-face the end of the cabinet with a custom shelving system designed specifically for thin items like trays or plates, so they can be placed almost vertically within the new storage space.
12. Add a corner shelf on top of the counter
Just a simple and small corner shelf on your benchtop will do wonders when it comes to storing plates, jars, or even decorations. Usually corner spaces are not used to their full potential, so this is good way to get the most out of your kitchen’s square metres.
13. Start hanging
We’ve already mentioned hanging your pots and pans, but there are few other ways to maximise your use of kitchen space using this method. If you’d like to consider freeing up some space from the drawers, employing adhesive hooks is very useful to hang all the aprons, kitchen gloves and teatowels. Attach the hooks to the inside of pantry and cupboard doors for easy access. If you’re feeling more ambitious, position hooks on the walls or on the splashback.
14. Be smart about knives
Keeping knives in drawers might not be the smartest decision, as friction with other cutlery might cause the knives to become blunt. Having knives in drawers also poses a safety concern if you try grab them in a rush. Avoid this by installing a magnetic strip for knives on a kitchen wall, and be sure they’re out of reach from young children. It’s also more space efficient than a knife block which takes up valuable counter space.
15. Lid racks
Pot and container lids going wild? For lids that are all over the place and are taking up infinite space in your drawers, get one or two lid racks to put them in place. It will be easy to find them when you need to.
16. Baskets to store baking trays
If you’re a keen baker then you’ll love this idea! Baskets are perfect way to put away your baking essentials, such as baking trays and tins. While some people enjoy baking more than others, baking is usually done less frequently in a kitchen, in comparison to cooking savoury meals. Store baking trays in baskets and make better use of less frequently used vertical space!
17. Slide-out pantry
Condiments and spices…we can’t live with them, can’t live without them. There are infinite types of delicious herbs and condiments and there’s probably quite a few in your own kitchen, taking up too much pantry space. There are some racks you can get to place on your counters, but that also takes space from the benchtop. So why not install a slide-out one? You can even create one yourself for the space that lies between the fridge and the wall.
18. Use a cork board to hang items
You thought cork boards where only useful to pin polaroids? Well think again, as you can use them as a clever way to hang cooking utensils! Simply install the board on the inside of the cupboard doors and add some hooks.
19. Say bye-bye to paper reminders
Post-it notes? Paper reminders a thousand years old on your fridge? Declutter and minimise junk with a chalk board! You can actually buy chalkboard paint and use it on the inside of a cupboard door or an empty wall to leave recipes, reminders, ideas or notes to other members of your family.
20. Dividing tray
Need an extra level on your cupboards for all the glasses you’ve got? Think about placing a simple tray on an even group of glasses, and store more glasses on top. That way, you’ll be able to store double the glasses on the same space!
