I love spending time in the kitchen, but at the beginning of the year, I had to be honest with myself: there was a little too much clutter in my cabinets, and it was time for a change.
Since then, I've committed to a rather mammoth clearout – and after adopting Martha Stewart's system for reorganizing her cookware and baking pans, my kitchen has never felt so tidy.
In a blog post published in early January, Martha declared that she's 'using the long days of winter to clean, reorganize, and reset [her] home.' Many of her cookware is stored on warehouse-style units (like this wire shelving rack from Wayfair), and she delved into all the methods she relies upon to clean and itemize each piece.
Whether you're looking for kitchen organization ideas or you're tackling your pantry instead, Martha's tips are revolutionary. They even inspired me to invest in small kitchen storage saviors like sliding cabinet organizers and metal pantry baskets.
Recreate Martha Stewart's Ingenious Kitchen Organization
Martha's basement is kitted out with industrial shelving units just like this one. They're compact but sturdy, and they're easy to reorganize whenever you need to.
If you're short on space, try smaller racks like these. They're ideal for a pantry or laundry room, and this one is impressively affordable.
These handy racks can be stacked up on shelves or placed inside cabinets to create more storage space. I've even got a set in my spice cupboard.
If you want to reorganize smaller kitchen items like utensils, these wire baskets are a real life-saver. They keep everything on display so you can find it easily.
This sleek, sliding organizer is ideal for under-sink cabinets or taller cupboards in your pantry. I love that there's storage space on top of the unit, too.
These shelving units are collapsible, adjustable, and can be easily moved around for maximum convenience. They're great for basements or garages.
In the blog post, Martha explains that she uses a basement storage area to keep her 'stainless steel sheet pans; tube, tart, and bundt pans; chocolate and candy molds; giant bowls and cookers, and more'.
Just like any storage space, however, Martha's 'can get very disorganized'. She notes that 'items are mixed up, shelves are confused, and more pieces are added without thought as to where they should be placed' – so, recently, her housekeepers decided to clean and reorganize the shelves.
Small storage spaces can be particularly difficult to declutter, but Martha recommends a methodical approach – starting with a deep clean, of course.
'One by one the shelves are emptied and then wiped down thoroughly,' she writes. Her housekeeper, Enma, also cleaned each piece of cookware before stacking it back up on the racks.
Martha's biggest tip? Categorization is key. During the clearout, her housekeepers made sure that 'like items were grouped together' to create an efficient, logical system.
For instance, her enamelware pans are 'stacked appropriately next to other enamelware bowls and cups.' while her loaf pans are 'stacked neatly on a shelf' and her Thanksgiving candy molds 'are kept near other tart pans and springform pans'.
Martha emphasizes that, however you decide to organize your cookware, the trick is to ensure that each piece 'can be found and accessed easily when needed'. For a busy host like Martha, efficiency is paramount.
Martha finished by stacking up larger pieces, including serving bowls and cast iron pans. She recommends using 'industrial warehouse racks' in storage spaces like these – although they're also ideal for pantry organization, too. 'They come in various sizes and configurations to suit different storage needs,' she notes.
At the end of the process, 'the shelves look so much better after cleaning and organizing,' Martha declares. 'It may still be winter, but it can never be too early for some thorough spring cleaning.'
It can be tricky to bring your pantry storage ideas to life, but Martha proves that simply systems can make all the difference – and they'll set you up perfectly for the year ahead.
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