Clutter-Free Cooking: 6 Tips for Keeping Your Kitchen Organised

You may be armed with the best non-toxic pots and pans and an arsenal of high-tech kitchen gadgets. But if your kitchen is a disorganized mess, you’re not going to have a good time when you’re in there. By contrast, an organized kitchen is a perfect foundation for efficient meal preparation and stress-free cooking experiences.

Thankfully, it’s not that hard to draw order out of chaos in the kitchen. With a few organization strategies – six, to be precise – you can get your kitchen under control. Once you’ve worked through these steps, you’ll have far less clutter to contend with, saving you time and enhancing the functionality of your space.

1. Declutter daily

To maintain an organized kitchen, it’s important to make decluttering a part of your daily routine. This may sound like a massive chore to add to your daily to-do list, but we promise it’s not. Once you’ve tackled the first big decluttering project, you’ll find the little bits and bobs that accumulate over the course of a day only take a minute or two to tidy away.

All you’ll likely have to do is wipe up any messes and put away any items that are no longer in use. Once a week or so, it’s also a good idea to check your fridge and cupboards for expired food and broken utensils. Doing so will help you avoid food wastage and streamline your kitchen.

2. Keep your countertops clear

Clear countertops make your kitchen feel cleaner and more spacious, so it’s worth finding an alternative home for any appliances or kitchen gadgets you rarely use. Save your countertops for things that get daily use, and store as much as you can in cabinets and designated storage areas.

3. Maximize your storage space

There are plenty of accessories that can help you optimize your storage space, giving you more mileage from your drawers, cabinets, and shelves. Invest in tools like spice racks, drawer dividers, hooks, and stackable containers to optimize your storage capacity. Consider vertical storage options such as wall-mounted spice racks or pot hangers to free up valuable countertop or cabinet space.

4. Categorize your kitchen

Categorize your kitchen items, group similar items together, and arrange them in a logical format to ensure easy access. You can take this to the next level by labeling containers, shelves, and drawers accordingly. This will make it easier for you to locate items quickly and maintain organization over time. Head to your local stationery or arts and crafts store and look for clear labels or color-coded tags. These are ideal for easy identification.

5. Break your space into functional zones

If you want to maintain order in your kitchen, designate specific zones for different purposes. For example, you can designate one counter for food preparation, one zone for cooking, and one cupboard for cleaning supplies. Organize your tools, utensils, and ingredients according to their respective zones, making it easier to navigate and work in your kitchen.

6. Make cleaning fun

Cleaning and decluttering don’t have to be chores. You can make them fun in a number of ways, depending on your personality. Some people like to play music or listen to podcasts. Others use cleaning and decluttering time as a chance to catch up with their family or housemates. If you’re into meditation, these tasks offer a wonderful opportunity for mindfulness practice. The key is to find what makes you smile and incorporate it into your decluttering routine.

Follow these tips for keeping your kitchen organized, and you can create a functional space that enhances your culinary pursuits.