Organize your life

kitchen clutter - solutions made simple

Nicole Cooke Organized by Design

The kitchen is one of the most critical rooms in our home. It has the most traffic, the most “moving parts” and typically collects the most “clutter”. It is the area that people find the most frustrating and yet it’s usually the last one they tackle on the organizing project list because it is such a big job! But guess what? There is hope! Below are a few easy and inexpensive ways to declutter and organize your cupboards that will help you to enjoy cooking again!

KEEP STORAGE BAGS HANDY Generally I find people have their disposable storage bags (i.e. Ziploc bags) in a drawer or a lower cupboard. Instead of tying up valuable drawer space, poke 2 small holes in the back of each box and hang them inside a pantry cupboard on hooks (I like the swivel-wire Command Hooks the best for this purpose). This leaves drawers for utensils and cooking gadgets.

PEEK-A-BOO PACKETS Have you ever tried to whip up some gravy to go with those fluffy mashed potatoes but you cannot find that little packet of gravy mix if your life depended on it? Small packets of gravy; dressings get lost in the shuffle in the cupboard among larger boxes and you usually find them after they have expired! The solution? Use Command Hooks on the inside of your cupboard doors and hang packets using binder clips. This also works very well for snacks that come in bags and not boxes.

KEEP CRISPER DRAWERS TIDY Fresh produce is one of the most costly items on our grocery list. Unfortunately, we often throw much of it out because it gets buried under other items in our refrigerator crisper drawers. The easier way to see everything is to make compartments within the drawer. Use the plastic storage containers from berries, tomatoes, etc. to line the drawers. Each compartment can contain a difference fruit or vegetable so it’s easy to see what you have and doesn’t cost an extra penny to design!

UN-NEST IS BEST If you’re like me, whenever you get a casserole or serving dish from the cupboard, you always seem to need the one on the bottom of the stack! Make your life easier by adding additional shelving so that each bowl has its own shelf. Simply take the measurements of the existing shelves to the home improvement store and they will usually cut them to size for you.

USE OFFICE SUPPLIES - IN YOUR DRAWERS! Plastic pencil holders, paper clips cups and other office supplies found at the dollar store work very well in kitchen drawers to separate items so they aren’t a chaotic mess!.

By thinking outside of the box, you can design many creative ways to keep your kitchen tidy and organized using items not normally found in the kitchen. Let your imagination flow!

Happy Organizing!

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