Eight Weird Ways to Organize Your Kitchen

In this post:  Follow these tips and tricks for unexpected ways to organize your kitchen

The kitchen has to be one of the highest functioning rooms in the house. You need to have room to store everything you need, and be able to get to it easily when you need it again.

One of my most popular posts is my article on Eight Clever Ways to Cook Up Extra Kitchen Storage. And now I’m bringing you eight more great tips to help you create an organized kitchen.

Be sure to check out these space saving dish drying racks, too, if countertop clutter is a problem for you.

EIGHT WEIRD WAYS TO ORGANIZE YOUR KITCHEN

Getting organized doesn’t mean you have to run out and buy a bunch of containers, and other organizing tools. For these kitchen organizing tips, you can use what you already have around the house.

1. Binder Clips

• 

• 

Binder clips, or any sort of big clip that you have handy, is perfect for keeping bags neatly closed. This helps contain messes, and also keeps your food fresh a little longer.

I use them for everything – chips, crackers, even my bags of frozen veggies. Keep a stash of clips handy in a kitchen drawer.

2. Creative Containers

• 

• 

Sometimes, it’s not possible, or convenient to store items in their original packaging. That doesn’t mean you have to buy a bunch of fancy containers. Get creative in repurposing containers you may already have.

For example, I store tea bags in a small plastic basket. They’re really easy to grab when I want one, and it takes up very little space in my cupboard.

I use a dog-treat container from the dollar store for small snacks. Repurposed plastic salsa jugs are perfect for pasta and other dry goods.

Baking supplies, such as flour and sugar need bigger containers. I repurposed a Costco-size biscotti container, and a plastic jar that used to hold a massive amount of mustard. (I got it from my days of working in the concession stand for a baseball team.)

Look around and see what you can repurpose, rather than buy for what you need. It’s better for your wallet, and better for the environment.

3. Cellophane Tape

As you may have noticed in the previous pictures, I happen to own a label maker. I love labeling stuff. But there’s another really simple way to keep track of what’s in those repurposed containers.

Cellophane tape.

I’ve saved a bunch of containers that are all the same. They’re perfect for storing nuts and dried fruits. But, you can’t see what’s in them, so they need labels.

A really easy way to make your own labels is to write on a piece of clear tape with a marker, and stick the tape to the container. That way, it’s removable, and easily changed when you want to use the container for something different.

4. An Empty Box in a Drawer

• 

• 

I have this drawer in my kitchen where I keep my binder clips and pen, as well as the aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and sandwich bags. But stuff tends to shift to the back of the drawer where I can’t see it, and I end up having to dig for it.

To solve this problem, I stuck an empty box in the back of the drawer.

It’s tucked in the back behind the drawer organizer that holds my kitchen shears, lighter, and other miscellaneous things. The empty box fills up the back part of the drawer that you can’t see, and keeps everything in front of it perfectly in place.

No more digging for stuff in the back of the drawer.

5. Clean Meat Tray

• 

• 

It doesn’t have to be a meat tray. Any styrofoam or other type of tray you might get in food packaging will work. Clean it well, and use the tray under your bottles of oil.

No matter how careful you are (or aren’t – no judgement), oil always tends to dribble down the side of the container. Protect your cabinet shelves with a free repurposed tray.

You can use a tray under anything that might be messy. Bonus, using a tray establishes the “spot” in the cabinet where the containers belong. You always know where to find them, and where to put them away again.

6. Store Things in the Dishwasher

If you have a tiny kitchen like mine, there never seems to be a good spot to store the bigger items. Things like the salad spinner, colander, and juice pitcher don’t fit anywhere.

I keep mine in the dishwasher. It might be the perfect hidden storage spot you need.

This trick works for me, because I live alone and never use my dishwasher. I understand that it won’t work for everyone.

7. Store Things in Other Rooms

I don’t have a pantry, but I do have a cabinet in my laundry room that doesn’t get used much. I also built some great storage shelves above the washer and dryer.

If you don’t have enough room in your kitchen, look to other parts of your house. Extra supplies, and things you don’t use often, could easily be stored somewhere else.

This will help you make better use of your kitchen, if it’s not cluttered up with stuff you don’t need to have right on hand.

8. Keep the Fridge Front Clear of Clutter

This tip is more about feeling more organized, rather than actually doing much organizing. It’s all about clearing visual clutter.

If your fridge is cluttered with notes, papers, kid’s artwork, and who knows what else, try cleaning it off. This could have an immediate impact on how tidy your space feels, even if you do nothing else.

Having a blank space is much more restful to your eyes. If you do need to keep a few things on the fridge, stick them on the side. They’re still right where you need them, but a little more hidden from view.

It may seem silly, but I challenge you to try this. I bet you’ll become a believer.

For more help dealing with clutter, be sure to pick up your free copy of our popular Clutter Control Checklist.