An organized kitchen is a stress-free one, and when you have the right tools to keep you on track — it's an absolute game-changer. The kitchen is not only your cooking station. It's a space to host guests, an extension of the home, and a place where you'll find yourself quite often, which is why keeping it organized is a must.
Knowing how to organize a kitchen also means having the right items to keep your space looking its best. After all, pristine kitchen surfaces with organization in mind will ease your hosting hazards.
So, what exactly do you need to keep your kitchen organized and perfectly prepped for hosting season? Here's what professional organizers recommend.
1. A Lazy Susan
Lazy Susans were originally designed for serving food, but now they're probably more commonly used as an organizer to make things easy to reach. "These are best used in upper cabinets for sauces, oils, and vinegar," says professional organizer Di Ter Avest. "They go side to side with the spice organizer (more on this later)."
As Di mentions, when it comes to knowing how to organize kitchen cabinets, Lazy Susans are the perfect tool for just that. They make it possible to reach all those tins, bottles, and sauces that typically get lost at the back because they're hard to reach — a problem Califonia-based organizer Melissa Gugni frequently encounters in her job.
"So many of my clients love to cook and have many different oils and vinegars that they use frequently, but in a regular cabinet, only the ones in the front seem to get used," she says. "My trick is to use small lazy susans (usually a 10" is perfect). It may seem counterintuitive but while an extra large one will hold more, it means there's more opportunity for things to get lost in the middle."
Price: $255
This is the perfect little tool to help you stay organized. Coated with a plant-based wax finish, this handy organizer can hold your jars and much-loved condiments. Made from pine wood and handcrafted to perfection, this piece will certainly elevate your kitchen.
Price: $29.99
This wooden pedestal lazy susan from Target is easy to use and care for. Crafted from fine-grain wood, it has a rotating tray and a raised rim to prevent items from falling off. If you're looking to organize your kitchen counters, this handy lazy susan is the best solution.
Price: $19.98
Was: $23.72
Available in six different colors, this oak wood lazy Susan will organize your space and give your home a decorative feel. You can place your plants or even cleaning tools onto it, and your space will become instantly elevated.
2. A Spice Rack
No kitchen is complete without a spice rack, especially if you're an avid cooker. But, according to Melissa, not just any one will do — you have to find one that's suitable for your space. And yet, with so many on offer, from freestanding carousel spice storage to wall-mounted racks — that's a job easier said than done.
"The 'right' spice jar holder for your space is a must," she says. "Whether you store them on risers in a cabinet, horizontally in a drawer, or on a rack inside a cabinet door, organized people pick the right solution based on the number of spices they have and where they use them most often. Remember to not store them above your stove, though, as the heat will damage them."
The best way to store spices really depends on your individual situation, but we prefer space-saving options that help maximize the utility of your kitchen. You should also consider proximity to your stove and the main countertop for preparing food. "Depending on the kitchen configurations, my two preferred ways to organize spices are in cabinets next to the stove or a drawer near the stove," says Di. "I love and use the spice rack by YouCopia, available at Amazon. It's easy to assemble and saves so much space."
3. Paper Towel Holder
We all start using kitchen paper towels with the intention of being more organized and keeping on top of mess, but all too often, it becomes more of a hindrance. When you don't have a designated holder for your kitchen roll, not only will you not be able to find it when you need it, but it's bound to start unraveling across your worktop and leading to unnecessary waste.
It comes as no surprise, then, that another kitchen organizer you'll find in every organized person's home is a kitchen towel holder, and Melissa is a big advocate. "Many homes that I work in have a roll of paper towels that roam around the kitchen without a clear home," she notes. "Whether it's concealed inside a cabinet door or on a pretty countertop holder, consider giving yours a place where everyone knows where to find it."
Price: $95
Color: Natural
Timeless and classy, this Farmhouse Pottery Paper Towel Holder from West Elm is a great little holder for paper towels. Finished with milk paint, this holder adds a nice traditional charm to the kitchen and will certainly keep your paper towels (and your space) organized.
Price: $57.99
Was: $65.99
Who said organizing can't be chic? Sleek and dripped in gold, this stylish marble napkin holder will spruce up your space in no time and bring style into your kitchen.
Price: $15
Crafted from black iron and wood, this sleek paper towel holder will neatly display your towels and wow your guests. This piece will look great for kitchen worktops and dining tables.
4. An Under-Sink Organizer
Most of us are guilty of not using our space to its full potential, and one particular place that frequently goes unused — or not used efficiently — is the cupboard under the sink. If you want to organize kitchen cabinets properly, including this oft-overlooked one, an under-the-sink caddy is a great investment and a go-to tool for many professionals.
"The problem with this space is it can become very messy quickly," Di explains. "Use containers, bag organizers, dish pods, and trash bag dispensers to keep your cleaning supplies easy to reach." As Di alludes to, this spot is best reserved for cleaning products and detergents.
5. Drawer Dividers
Most kitchens have a drawer of some kind, but organizing your kitchen drawers can be a real challenge. Too many of us adopt an "out of sight, out of mind" approach and shove miscellaneous things into our drawers until they become a disordered mess. Organized people, on the other hand, will always use drawer dividers to make this shallow space more useful.
"Depending on what you keep in the drawers, you should use the best drawer dividers for those items," says Di. "Acrylic dividers are easy to clean and are best used for utensils and other small items while bamboo dividers are great for cooking utensils, "junk drawers", and to contain other larger items." We recommend purchasing adjustable dividers over modular ones so that you can configure the space to suit your needs.
Price: $32.99
Was: $49.99
Made from bamboo, this expandable flatware is easy to use and will help you stay organized even in the smallest of spaces. This drawer divider is durable and functional and will ease your daily tasks in the kitchen.
Price: $31.76
Was: $47.98
This drawer divider from Wayfair includes a set of four expandable dividers, nine mini inserts, and label stickers. It's been designed to keep your kitchen organized and neat. Made from high-quality bamboo, these dividers have an elegant finish and texture that blends in well within a home.
Price: $37.99
Created from bamboo with up to five compartments, this piece is easy to use and is a clever little utensil holder that can expand to fit your desired space within the kitchen.
6. A Plastic Bag Organizer
You might not be aware of them, but these nifty innovations are an absolute must for anyone who suffers with the dreaded "bag of bags". We all hang on to plastic grocery bags in a bid to reuse them and do our bit for the planet, but they quickly take over an entire cabinet to the point where you avoid opening the door in fear of them tumbling out into a tidal wave of polyethylene.
"I appreciate that folks like to reuse their grocery bags, but the downside is that I see tangled messes of bags in many of my client's homes," explains Melissa. "Keeping bags contained in a dispenser takes up less room and also designates a specific place that everyone knows where to put them and where to get one."
Stay organized with these reads
Price: $18.09
Written by Nikki Boyd, this book explores organizing a home and looks at the steps you need to take to bring you and your space clarity.
