Drawers

Most drawers are haphazard collections of things we need for cooking, for home improvement, and things that don’t have a home.

First, take a close look at every drawer. Are there things in there you never use? Mostly never use? Take those out. Give away, donate, or toss the never used things. The mostly never items go in a box, and if there is extra space, can come back. If not, they can go in a plastic bin with a lid in the bottom or top of a closet on the same floor.

Try and get the things you do use near where you use them. If possible, also try and categorize them by use. Everyone has a drawer for silverware, but what about one (or a section) for tongs, potholders, sandwich bags.

Start by taking everything out, then line the drawer with a grippy rubber liner like:

Con-Tact Brand Extra Thick Grip Premium Non-Adhesive and Non-Slip Shelf Drawer Liner, 18″ by 10′, Black

Then get some bamboo boxes and dividers, like these:

Lipper International 8896 Bamboo Kitchen Drawer Dividers, Set of 2

Seville Classics 5-Piece Bamboo Storage Box Drawer Organizer Set

Blank areas are fine because the liner makes them look finished. The boxes are great for dividing the drawer into sections, and the dividers also create spaces and, in conjunction with the liner, help to keep the boxes from shifting.

Cabinets

Start by doing the same organizing steps you used for the drawers. After you have things in categories, put in some pull-outs to make it easier to get things in and out. I recommend these, but measure your cabinets before ordering:

Lynk Professional Slide Out Cabinet Organizer – Pull Out Under Cabinet Sliding Shelf – 11 inch wide x 21 inch deep – Chrome – Multiple Sizes Available

Don’t put in the pull-outs until you are done organizing the cabinets, though. Not everything lends itself to a pull-out, and you don’t want to limit yourself or worse, have to move things around again.

Under the Sink

This is usually the biggest mess in the kitchen. If there is room for pull-outs, that will help, but plumbing tends to get in the way. Try a door organizer like this:

Rev-A-Shelf 4SBSU-18 4SBSU Series Sink Base Door Storage 2 Shelf Organizer, Natural Wood

Another clever trick is putting a tension bar under the sink and hanging spray bottles from it.

InterDesign Forma Ultra Shower Curtain Tension Rod, Split Finish, 26-42-Inch

Countertops

Countertops should have only things that are used frequently. Dress up anything that needs to stay with the extra bamboo boxes from the drawer organizing. Random things on a counter are clutter, but grouped things in shallow boxes look intentional and efficient.

Refrigerator

Again, this is much the same (at first) as the drawers and countertops. Instead of bamboo boxes, try using clear plastic ones that can be seen through and aren’t damaged by conditions inside a refrigerator. Labelling them helps keep things from drifting over time.

InterDesign Home Kitchen Organizer Bin for Pantry, Refrigerator, Freezer & Storage Cabinet, 10″ x 3″ x 6″, Clear

DYMO LabelManager 280 Rechargeable Hand-Held Label Maker (1815990)

3 x 2 Inch – ITEM DATE USE BY TIME AM PM Shelf Life Food Rotation Use By Food Preparation Prep Date Labels Stickers by Tuco Deals (Purple, 2 Rolls Per

Dress it Up

Now that everything has a home, try switching it up a bit with new cabinet and drawer knobs and handles. Lighting can also help punch up a room without having to repaint. Color changing strip lighting is fantastic for over and under cabinet, as well as under bars and counter overhangs. Note that the Hue lights also require a hub, but one hub supports up to 50 lights, so you will only need one.

Philips Hue Lightstrip (Old Model, 1st Generation), Single, Works with Amazon Alexa

Philips Hue Smart Bridge (Works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant)

The post Kitchen Organization Tips appeared first on Sean Logue.