At the beginning of every year, I always feel extra motivated to get organized and reset our home. This happens again in the spring, but if you’re also taking advantage of a January home reset- this post is for you. Today, I wanted to share 15 aesthetically pleasing kitchen storage and organization ideas I’ve implemented here at home. Some of these, I’ve had in place since renovating our kitchen… and others I’ve added within the past week or two. I’m sharing my best designer tips with lots of good examples! Whether you have a small kitchen with a lack of storage space or plenty of room to spare, I can assure you- these are as functional as they are beautiful.
Perhaps it’s my love for design and spatial planning, but I consider myself to be a bit of an organization expert. It’s one of my favorite chores to tackle here at home. I love when everything has a designated place! That said, I do my best to bridge the gap between functionality and visually pleasing systems. I hope this list sparks some ideas in your own home… let’s get into it!
1. Source a Pretty Fruit Bowl
If you’re going to keep fruit on the counter (where it’s easy to access), source a vintage or aesthetically pleasing bowl. I actually have a couple… one stays on my kitchen island, and the other on the countertop. Not everything needs to be tucked away in a cabinet- especially the items we consistently grab for. Fruit is less likely to go bad if it’s in our line of vision, plus- it doubles as decor. Apples and citrus are staples in our house.
2. Create Cohesive Spice Drawers
Spice drawers are a great idea if you have the space. Often times, cabinet drawers can feel like wasted space in a kitchen- until you install an organizer. I love these expandable tiered organizers that hold a surprising amount of spices. Check out my spice rack organization DIY for my exact glass jars. Pro tip… if you’re worried about the expiration dates, use a sharpie on the bottom of each glass jar- it comes right off in the dishwasher.
3. Invest in Glass Pantry Jars
I use my glass pantry jars on the daily. I like that these are food-safe, dishwasher-safe, and seal to keep ingredients fresh. These can be kept out on the counter or open shelving (they look beautiful), and they’re ideal for multiple things around the house- not just in the kitchen (dog treats, laundry detergent, etc). These are the best way to keep dry goods sealed.
4. Corral Essentials Near The Range
Although the below image is a very pared back version of what normally sits atop my cooking pedestal, I like to corral the essentials near the range or my cooking space… salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, etc. Pedestals, lazy susans, or trays are perfect for well styled counter space, and are a great place to gather the basics.
5. Install Drawer Dividers
Drawer dividers are the best for compartmentalizing and making use of negative drawer space. I love the expandable ones (mine are linked here). Here’s an expert tip… grab the same color as your drawer interior for a custom, higher-end look. These are a great way to enhance kitchen drawers and offer a simple solution for organizing what often becomes a “junk drawer” with a sea of goods.
6. Use Lightweight Pantry Bins or Baskets
I recently updated our pantry organization because I needed our food items to be within easy reach. I opted for clear storage containers to house the items we’re consistently reaching for. Now they’re nicely labeled, are easy to grab, and are neatly kept behind closed doors. I’d recommend lightweight plastic bins or baskets to stack on your pantry shelves. My goal was to find an option that was better organized and easier to pull down from the cabinet. We also keep our small appliances in the shelf below our pantry items, out of view.
7. Hide Your Kitchen Trash
If there is one thing in the kitchen I always keep out of sight, it’s our trash and recycling bins. Check out this post on how to install a hidden kitchen trash can…. I promise it’s an easy and affordable upgrade. You’ll never go back once you’ve integrated a hidden trash bin.
8. Add Warmth with Basket Organizers
Not only do baskets add texture and warmth to kitchen vignettes, but they’re super functional for storage. I’m partial to the ones with organizers inside. I keep this woven tea box at our coffee station. It sits on open shelving next to the coffee mugs. If you’re looking for more of my favorite coffee bar solutions, check out this post… coffee bar finds & essentials.
9. Insert a Flatware Drawer Organizer
A flatware drawer organizer is a must in any kitchen. My best tips for this? Again, choose a color that matches your drawer interior, and select an expandable option that will perfectly maximize your drawer space. I love our bamboo flatware set neatly organized into this bamboo divider.
10. Install In-Drawer Knife Storage
When friends or family come to our house, this is the most asked about item in our kitchen… the knife pull-out. I’m here to tell you countertop knife blocks are a thing of the past and they’re not my favorite aesthetic option. I much prefer in-drawer knife storage. This is our exact cabinet, or you can find flat knife organizers that slide into drawers (an awesome affordable option). We also keep our kitchen utensils in that same cabinet.
11. Invest in Glass Food Storage Containers
I really appreciate having matching glass food storage containers that look nice and function beautifully. These are dishwasher safe, keep us from using plastic, take up little cabinet space (using our lazy susan corner kidney pullout), are ideal for leftovers, food prep, and packing lunches.
12. Use Refillable Water Bottles
Similarly, we use our refillable glass water bottles multiple times a day… it’s pretty much all I drink from. Again, we’re trying to avoid plastic for our food & beverages, so these water bottles are perfect. We fill them using our water filtration system (the small filter faucet at the sink), refrigerate them, and even run them through the dishwasher!
13. Keep Soap Sets Corralled At the Sink
No matter how much space you have on or near the kitchen sink, I like to keep soap sets in a tray for an organized and polished look. Sometimes I’ll also add my dish brush alongside the soaps, if space allows. Another smart addition? Hang a hand towel or dish towel nearby. This is my current favorite soap set (it comes with a tray)!
14. Display Cookbooks In a Designated Spot
Some functional kitchen items are perfect for styling as decor… one of my favorites being cookbooks. Find a designated spot for displaying your cookbooks. It could be a cabinet niche, in a kitchen corner, or even a seasonal cookbook on an easel. Check out my favorite cookbooks, here!
15. Get Out the Label Maker
Last, but not least… grab your label maker and put it to good use. I like to create cohesive labels that let me know where everything is. Sometimes keeping things consistent with a simple label is all it takes. Go through your kitchen items and see what could use some clarity. My test is this… if Emmett can find something, we’re golden. If your partner, roommate, friend, or family member doesn’t know where something is, chances are- your system will quickly become disorganized again. I have to *husband proof* in my house.
FAQ
You can find all of the swatch details here- color matching our kitchen cabinets, along with my painting tips.
Great question! I leave the pretty ones out- they’re ideal for styling… I lean or layer them against the backsplash, stack them on the counter, or even hang them from a cabinet (that sort of frames them). That way, they’re easy to access when I need to use one. The ones that are less visually appealing live upright in our new kitchen island in a cookie sheet slot. Check out this post for my favorite wood cutting & serving boards.
It’s on this mixer lift, hidden inside a cabinet… pictured below! Pretty neat, right? You can use it on the lift and everything.
Related
Looking for more kitchen or organization posts? I’m going to link some reader favorites for you below…
- Cabinetry Hardware Placement Guide (with Examples)
- Easy Smart Home Kitchen Cabinet Lighting Ideas
- The Best Apartment Size Refrigerators and Organization Tips
- My Top Paint Color Picks for Dark Kitchen Cabinets
- 50 Classic Kitchen Essentials from Amazon
- An Honest Review of the Big Chill Classic Range
- How to Replace & Upgrade Your Cabinet Doors
- Coffee Bar Finds & Essentials
- How to Select Different Countertop Edge Profiles
- Kitchen Shelving Update
I hope this post was helpful or inspires you to do some organizing in the kitchen… or fun styling, at a minimum. I also hope you enjoyed a glimpse at our most-used kitchen items. Every little change we implement over the years seems to make this room more enjoyable or easier to use, which is a win in my book! Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below. I hope you’re having a good week!
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