From the outside, my kitchen looks well-organized. My countertops are edited so only my prettiest essentials are on show, and my shelves are carefully styled. But it's when you open the cabinet doors and drawers that the problems really start to arise.
Feeble attempts at organization using mismatched plastic containers have left my kitchen storage looking rather chaotic, so I've decided it's time for a redo. And where better to source reorganizing essentials than IKEA?
With designs that feel far more aesthetic than your average plastic trays, and offered at an affordable price point, I've managed to completely reorganize my small kitchen storage with these nine key pieces. Now, my cabinets and drawers are not only more efficient, but they look just as pretty as the rest of my scheme.
First, I started with utensil storage. I don't know about you, but my flatware drawer quickly descends into chaos, especially with my current organizer being too full and sliding across the drawer every time I open and close it.
But I found a few IKEA pieces that solved all of my disorganization and created enough storage space for everything from silverware to knives and ladles. I chose items from the UPPDATERA range as they are made to be used together, and I love how custom the wood finish looks and feels.
This flatware organizer is more versatile than you might think. The bamboo finish adds warmth and a more elevated look while helping to prevent your cutlery from getting scratched or damaged. I love that you can customize the compartments to your needs, with easy-to-remove dividers, something I've already utilized. A smaller 12x19.5" UPPDATERA Flatware tray is also available.
I prefer to keep my sharp knives separate, both for safety reasons and to keep them in good condition. I chose this tray to match the flatware organizer, and it's been a really pivotal piece in my drawer. With a size of 6 x 19 1/2", it holds four knives securely, and it slots in perfectly with the other trays. It's already made such a difference to meal prep and cooking – finding the knife is so much easier.
To complete my utensil drawer organization, I've added one of these 6 x 12" utensil trays from the same collection, purely because they look so cohesive and have been made to sit together. This single-compartment tray has been far more useful than I expected, creating a perfectly-sized place to store things like wooden spoons, spatulas, and zesters, for example.
Next, it was time to tackle my kitchen cabinets. While having deep shelves means I can store more, I'm forever losing things at the back, where I can't reach. I focused on zoning my cabinet storage and using organizers that could hold lots of items and make grabbing things quickly much easier. Now, I feel like my cabinets hold a closer resemblance to Khloe Kardashian's pantry than a jumble sale!
This holder has completely transformed my plate cabinet. I used to have all of my plates stacked on top of each other, making it a risky task to grab one from lower down, but this rack has utilized the tall space in a more functional way. I went for the bamboo option, again, just because I think it looks a little bit more sophisticated than plain white.
If you have lots of dead space where your cabinet shelves sit a bit too far away from each other, this clip-on basket is the perfect solution. I have two side-by-side in my pantry cabinet, and it has become the home for small items like garlic, stock cubes, and even wraps. I love how the white looks with my wooden cabinets, but it's also available in black.
I've smashed more than a few jars and bottles over the years rummaging in my cabinets for something shoved to the back, but this Lazy Susan has been a game-changer. It really works hard in my cabinets, housing everything from olive oil and soy sauce to almond butter and chilli paste. It's so much easier to find the right ingredients with a quick spin.
Finally, I really needed to organize my deeper drawers, which hold things like pots, pans, and small appliances. If I'm honest, I've always ignored them, which means they have become a source of embarrassment every time I open them around company.
However, IKEA has some easily customizable solutions. Since I've reorganized mine with pot and pan organizers, I've been showing what was once the drawer of shame to literally everyone who comes round.
I have a set of stainless steel pots and pans that were all just thrown into a deep drawer, and needless to say, finding a matching lid was always a scramble. I finally got around to buying this pot lid organizer, and I will never go back to anything else. I love that the stainless steel matches my cookware – the whole space feels so cohesive, and I no longer have pan handles preventing the drawer from closing.
We all have a junk drawer, and mine just so happened to be in my kitchen. It's a long storage space, so to make sure it was more usable, I added these dividers. The white blends in with the inside of my drawers, so it felt really cohesive. They've created a dedicated space for spices, holiday hosting accessories, and baking bits without becoming a jumbled mess.
These dividers don't look like much, but they are gamechangers. I chose this silver color because they blend in, keeping everything looking streamlined, plus they are super hardwearing. I bought these specifically for my baking trays and chopping boards. They screw into the base of your cabinet and are surprisingly sturdy. I have four, and it's the perfect amount.
If you're looking for a way to organize your kitchen drawers and cabinets, these affordable pieces are exactly what you need. You see the inside of your kitchen cabinets just as much as the outside, so it seems only right that you ensure they look pretty and organized.
