By Ah, the kitchen. It has so much potential as the central zone of the home, for the ease of everyday cooking and stress-free catering for entertaining. But sometimes the kitchen can become cluttered and unproductive, and make cooking more complicated than it needs to be. Maybe your kitchen is smaller than you’d like. Maybe you have kitchen envy when you see how organised and clutter-free your friends’ kitchens are. Maybe you have so much stuff in the kitchen, you just don’t know what to do with it. Whatever the cause of your less-than-satisfactory kitchen, have no fear. There are so many amazing products on the market today to help you achieve the kitchen of your dreams. With just a few additions and a little bit of care, your kitchen can look like that of a display home. Here are a few easy places to start to make the most of your kitchen storage organisers:
Drawer Dividers
These are especially helpful if you find yourself guilty of the dreaded ‘stuff’ drawer, a dumping ground for cooking utensils, boxes of matches, elastic bands, and maybe a few appliance instruction manuals. Drawer dividers are super easy to use, and they are beautiful in their simplicity. Empty out the drawer of all the ‘stuff’, fit the dividers, and then place back in the drawer the things that actually need to be there. Drawer dividers are super adjustable, so that you can get the right fit for your drawer, knowing they will stay in place even when you open and close it.
If you find you have too many ‘things’ here and don’t want to put them all back in the drawer, pop them aside for now. You’ll probably be able to find a solution for them as we go on.
Use a Spice Rack
Behold, the spice rack. One of the greatest little inventions to use to up your kitchen storage game. They are so versatile – by no means limited to just storing spices. There are different types, so you can choose the one that will best suit your needs and your aesthetic. Tiered bamboo spice racks will create extra room for storing your spices or cans in the pantry, and will make it simple for you to spot what you need while cooking. Alternatively, grab a tiered wire corner rack, and pop it in your kitchen cupboards, using it to store your mugs. These are designed to slot perfectly into the previously unused corners of your kitchen, and create more space. The opportunities for use of these handy racks truly is only limited by your imagination – so get creative!
Clear Containers For Your Pantry
The pantry can be one of the greatest kitchen storage zones, when used correctly – but it can also easily become the most cluttered part of the room, so it deserves some extra care. You really can’t go wrong with good quality, food-grade containers. Fill them up with flour, sugar or cereals, and have peace of mind knowing your ingredients will stay fresher for longer. Putting your food into uniformly shaped containers will help free up extra space, rather than trying to make everything fit in their original packaging. Extra points if the containers are stackable, so that you can further save room by stacking the items you use least on the bottom. Organise them in a tier formation, so that you can see the large containers at the back, and the smaller ones at the front.
Make sure you label them, though. You wouldn’t want to accidentally add salt when you thought it was sugar!
Plate And Chopping Board Rack
You won’t recognise your kitchen cupboards once you have a few of these in place. Use these racks to helpfully stand and store your plates, chopping boards, pot lids or cutlery trays. They’re usually a stylish bamboo design or similar, so they are pretty enough to have on display on your kitchen counters, if preferred. The rack will keep your plates and dishes in a neat row so that you can effortlessly grab whatever you need, and not have to worry about shifting stuff out of the way or digging to the bottom of a pile for a particular serving plate.
Install A Utensil Hook
Once you’ve realised how overfilled your drawers were, don’t worry! Save the space in your drawers for other things like cling wrap and measuring cups, and take your cooking utensils and display them conveniently close to the cooktop, so they’re on hand when you need them. Wall-mounted utensil hooks are an elegant way of storing the items which can get in the way in drawers, or constantly get caught as you try to open the drawer. With the added bonus of using up otherwise neglected wall space, these handy little inventions add a level of convenience you didn’t realise you were missing – but soon, won’t be able to go without. A terrific space saver, these nifty strips with hooks are super easy to install, and will effortlessly hold your cooking spoons, spatulas, and even small frypans. Yes, please!
Your kitchen absolutely doesn’t need to feel cluttered, too small, or unproductive. The path to a functional, stylish kitchen is a lot easier than you may think – it just takes a little bit of organisation, and sometimes, a little bit of thinking outside the box. Give these five simple steps a try, and see what a big difference they can make to your kitchen – and enjoy having a kitchen you’re excited to show off!
