How to organise your kitchen from cupboards to chopping boards
Clever kitchen organising ideas that just make sense
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Make sure the heart of your home is in good shape by keeping your kitchen beating in an orderly rhythm. This can mean upping your storage style with hidden gems that keep surfaces and cupboards clutter-free. Or, picking up practical ideas that transform you into a domestic god or goddess when it comes to cooking dinner and household chores.
Click or scroll through to learn our kitchen organising ideas for a perfectly ordered kitchen that will make life a whole lot easier...
Group dry goods
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There is no doubt that decanting dry foods will ensure longevity but to ensure an orderly and efficient kitchen it's wise to zone your pantry and cupboards into food groups. This will also help you to know what you have and what needs replenishing.
How you arrange shelves is a personal choice, but we suggest starting with pasta and rice, cereals and nuts, baking goods, oils and condiments and finally liquids and cans.
Store knives sensibly
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A good knife set is a sign of a functional and productive kitchen. But as a possible hidden hazard lurking in your home, storage must also be considered for safety and durability. If you have plenty of surface space a knife block can make a neat and stylish investment.
However, mismatched knives will benefit from a magnetic knife bar or holder strip which will also ensure quick access and keep sharp objects out of reach.
Make use of the kitchen windowsill
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Don't let your windowsill become a useless space. There are many kitchen organising ideas that will transform the surface into a practical mini oasis. Plant a fragrant herb garden, group washing-up utensils on a tray that is close to the kitchen sink, or store recipe books with bookends.
Store less used items up high
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Cake stands, summer serving bowls and extra-large cooking pots are all useful kitchen items, but not needed every day. So, it makes sense to store seasonal and special event items up and out of the way, like Everyday Organize has done here. This will clear space to ensure essential items are uncluttered and easily accessible every day.
Round up your wraps
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Keep your rolls of food wrap together in one place with a handy and dedicated cupboard store. This clever organiser is designed to fit neatly under the shelf of a cupboard or worktop making use of unused space. Once neatly tucked away there is less chance of rolls becoming crumpled or torn.
Create a larder
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Whether it's a budget-friendly freestanding or built-in luxury that you can walk right into, brimming larders are proving popular in the kitchen stakes once again for good reason.
Shelving, cupboards, drawers and spice racks become a pantry paradise when organised like a boss.
Label everything
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What makes a larder even more swoon-worthy? Rows and rows of perfectly placed air-tight containers, of course. How you label your containers is a personal choice. The joy that is Cricut will let you create personal designs at home or why not get super fancy and order sticky custom made versions online?
Blackboard-style labels made from vinyl let you rewrite on the jar or even colourful washi tape works and looks quirky. Whichever labelling style you choose, add an expiry date on the goods and put the longer-life products to the back.
Maintain recipe books and tech
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Never get splashes or spills on your tablet or lose your recipe book page as you are adding ingredients whilst cooking. This recipe book or tablet holder is a genius gadget that hooks under a shelf, keeping you hands-free and in the zone. Once the pie is in the oven it folds up for compact storage, too.
Hang chopping boards from peg rails
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The humble peg rail works in so many spaces and the kitchen is no exception. Here, the natural colour and grain of wooden chopping boards is super attractive and so the tools have become a textured feature in this tidy and tonal kitchen.
You may need to join several lengths of peg board together end to end, alternatively have a go at DIYing your own bespoke rail, using a length of wood and screw-in pegs.
Use clear containers in the fridge
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Clear containers don't please everyone. However, in the refrigerator, having food visible is a practical option for many reasons. You can store food groups together to maintain hygiene and have similar ingredients to hand. This also makes life easier when it comes to shopping – knowing at a glance what needs restocking means you won't overspend or double up.
Top tip: label one container and use for food that is close to the use-by date, so everyone knows to use up those items first.
Bring in a kitchen island
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If kitchen work surfaces are at a premium gauge whether you can squeeze in a moveable kitchen island with storage. Creating that extra workspace for food prep whilst keeping crockery and utensils neatly stored underneath will, in fact, make the room feel larger and more organised as other surfaces will be less busy, too.
Plus, they are especially useful during holiday periods when there's more food to prepare.
Have a hot drinks station
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Whether it's for guests to use or an indulgent corner just for you, everyone can enjoy the cafe experience in their own kitchen. Caffeine addicts' social media feeds are filling up with build-your-own barista bars that are easy to recreate.
Instagrammer @decorinthedesert has colour coordinated a coffee machine, kettle, coffee carafe and containers for supplies. There's even syrup flavours for a cheeky sugar shot or two.
Put small appliances in the pantry
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A pantry is a sure-fire kitchen trend that won't go out of style. If you are lucky enough to own one make use of the whole space. As well as filling shelves with food why not make the nook multipurpose by adding a small appliance?
Get an electrician to wire sockets and then plug in a microwave or coffee machine to create an out-of-sight breakfast station. Just make sure the space is properly ventilated and doors are left open when appliances are in use.
Use a leaflet holder for drink sachets
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Here's a clever trick from Instagrammer @mrs.ds.cleaning.reviews that will be a hit with coffee lovers. Attach a leaflet holder to the inside of a cupboard nearest the kettle or coffee machine with sticky hooks. Then, fill the container with your favourite coffee flavours.
What's more, there's a handy link in her bio to an Amazon shop with all the storage items in one place.
Grow a kitchen garden on the wall
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Growing fresh herbs in the kitchen is rewarding and will ensure you always have a garnish to hand, to make food delicious. Create an impressive and practical living herb wall with mounted horizontal rails and hooked herb pots. Choose a wall that is away from any through traffic but gets plenty of natural light.
Chalk up a meal planner
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Always have an answer for the dreaded question: "What's for dinner?" Drawing up a weekly menu saves money by stopping you from buying unnecessary ingredients. Plus, you could save even more money and become healthier by staying away from quick-fix takeaways, by planning ahead and enjoying more creative meal ideas, too.
Slot in a can dispenser
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Fed up with drinks cans filling up or falling out for the fridge? Make shelf space in the fridge work like a charm with a handy beverage can store. When you take one can out another rolls forward – genius.
Put a wire rack by the oven
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Keen chef? Mount a wire rack with pockets to the wall by your cooker. Then, fill the compartments with oils and sauces, herbs and spices and utensils. Not only does it look stylish, but you won't have to move from your spot whilst cooking up a storm.
Other handy items to include are kitchen roll on a stand and a large pretty pot for wooden spoons and spatulas.
Whirl in a Lazy Susan
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If your idea of a Lazy Susan is a 70s-style, sunshine yellow, rotating tray, filled with guacamole dip or cheese fondue, think again. These practical gadgets have come a long way and had a compact revamp that will rid your fridge door or cupboard of all those bottles and jars cluttering up the place.
Plus, when it comes to dinner time you get to become condiment queen by offering all the sauces in one hand.
Store cookbooks in nooks
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Take inspiration from @yvestown by turning unused gaps into a recipe library. Not only will it keep your worktop clear, but it will also add a pop of interesting rainbow colour elsewhere.
If you're not lucky enough to have a shapely but non-working fireplace in your kitchen, try above kitchen cabinets, on top of the fridge or underneath a kitchen island.
Store vegetables in bags
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Struggling for storage space? Fruit and vegetables stored in jute bags not only look farmhouse chic but it is practical too. The natural woven fabric allows the free passage of air. This prevents condensation and keeps produce cool and dry.
They can also be hung up easily so worktops are kept free.
Stack and store pan lids
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Keep pan lids orderly and stop them clattering out of the cupboard with a simple pan stacker. The additional metal or plastic frame sits inside your cupboard, allowing you to stack pot and saucepan lids neatly when not in use.
And what to do with your large saucepans? Organisational queen @mrshinchhome stacks her saucepans with the lids facing down and the pans sitting on top of each other – a top tip she actually picked up from one of her savvy followers!
Make mid-way shelving
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A kitchen tile splashback can be so much more than a colourful feature. Utilise the space between worktops and cabinets with additional shelving. A made-to-measure unit will look streamlined stocked with mugs, egg cups or espresso cups.
On a budget? Upturned wooden cutlery organisers will work just as well and will create a more rustic look.
Style up a useful corner
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Use a worktop corner wisely by storing everyday items in an accessible yet manufactured fashion. These attractive but useful kitchen tools, including chopping boards and storage jars have been carefully curated in colour and height to look relaxed yet stylish.
The fact that they are on constant display also means you are forced to always keep them looking Insta-worthy and tidy.
Install wall-mounted rails
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Clean and clutter-free work surfaces are a must if you want to keep an orderly kitchen. Wall-mounted rails positioned below upper cabinets and shelves opens up a host of hooked storage options that then leave you with plenty of space and better flow for food preparation.
Coordinate open shelves
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Kitchen trendsetters have loved open-shelving options for some time. It opens up the space, is more cost-effective and the music to an orderly kitchen owner's ears is they make organising easier too.
A spokesperson for Apollo Kitchens suggests: "Keep like with like. Place bowls, plates and other dishes together, and then cups and glasses and so on. This keeps your shelves looking uniform and neat."
Create a washing-up tool kit
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Let's face it, washing up is an unloved chore that's a vital part of our home life. So, getting the job done as efficiently and effortlessly as possible is the aim of the game. A washing-up tool kit is key: invest in the following and you'll thank us. You'll need – a sink organiser, plug hole strainer, dish brush and cloth, washing-up liquid, a drying rack or mat and more than one tea towel. Plus, some banging tunes make light work of the chore!
Of course, if you want to avoid washing up altogether a compact dishwasher can fit in the smallest of kitchens, and can be economical if you only use it when it's full.
Tuck in tension rods
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Keeping under the sink orderly will also help keep cleaning chores in line too. One Good Thing uses plenty of tricks to keep cupboards clear, but one, in particular, stands out.
"Put up an inexpensive tension rod near the top of the cupboard" Jill Nystul explains. "It's the perfect place to hang cleaning products, spray bottles and scrub brushes. This then leaves more room underneath for other items." Clever!
Wheel out a skinny trolley
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Use corners to your advantage with narrow pullout trolleys. The IKEA VESKEN trolley is just 18cm wide so will squeeze in at the end of cabinets, next to the washing machine or fridge. It can then whizz out like magic to take your necessities wherever you need them.
Put recycling bins in a deep drawer
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If you don't want your recycling bins on display, a deep drawer will house one or more bins for cardboard, tins and plastic.
Most kitchen manufacturers offer drawers and cupboards with dual sections for this purpose as a design option, so if you're getting a new kitchen fitted this is one feature you definitely won't regret.
Allocate a pet food stop
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Keep your pets happy with a kitchen food area just for them. Dispense dry food and treats into pretty clear or coloured containers with easy-to-use scoops. Store them neatly together in one place where you feed your pets, so the whole family knows where everything is kept and can lend a hand.
Waypoint Living Spaces has allocated a zoned feeding shelf with slots for bowls. Why not do the same with a low kitchen drawer or upcycle a piece of furniture by removing the bottom drawers for feeding space?
Hide the food waste bin
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With recycling now very much part of our lives, more of us are required to dispose of food waste from our homes through collection services. But, it's no surprise these caddies can get a bit stinky, as well as encourage pests.
Ensure your caddy is lined with a compostable bag and keep it out of direct sunlight. We love this stainless steel version that's designed to hook over a cupboard door – it's ideal to store out of sight under the sink.
Install an island tea towel rail
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Make your kitchen island work harder by installing an extra pole or hooks at one end. It then creates a sensible spot to hang and dry off kitchen linens.
Here's an extra tip; stick a small square of Velcro to either side of the tea towel fabric to stop them from sliding off the rail.
Make use of the ceiling
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It's no secret in the homemaking industry that expert, Martha Stewart, is a firm believer that a kitchen is a workplace. If you look at her kitchens, they all have racks hanging from the ceiling. The obvious reason is to fill them with pans so you always have cooking utensils close to hand, which is essential in a busy kitchen.
But why not think out of the box too? We love this floating herb shelf pendant light that's both attractive and functional. After all, task lighting is crucial in the kitchen.
Keep shopping bags tidy
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Instagrammer @mrs.ds.cleaning.reviews doesn't stop at coffee storage. Check out her handy shopping bag hack that turns crumpled plastic bags into neat little triangles.
Store them together in batches in a small box under the sink and pop one in your handbag and car glove compartment, too.
Have an ugly mug box
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Keep attractive mugs out on display but off worktops by screwing hooks underneath open shelving. While it makes sense to take mugs you don't often use to the charity shop, there's no need to lose all of your favourite but well-used mugs.
Take a leaf out of Stacey Solomon's book, Tap to Tidy. The Sort Your Life Out presenter and craft queen explains: "I put all my posh white mugs in the glass-fronted cupboard. Then I put the other mugs in a white plastic box (in a cupboard) from IKEA. Really they are my sentimental mugs."
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