Kitchen Organizing

If there is one area in our home that I like to keep organized and tidy, it’s the kitchen. After all, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s also the most used space, which means it can easily get neglected.

If you’re like me and love to cook, you understand how important it is to have organization. I think equally those of you who don’t care for cooking appreciate an organized kitchen to be successful with your recipes.

My daughter was in the market to earn a little extra cash. With my help, I offered her the opportunity to organize a few important spaces in our kitchen. She gladly excepted! I purchased the supply’s off Amazon and they were here in two days! We did one section at a time, and in three days my lovely kitchen was back in order.

Before & After

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As you can see my refrigerator was in desperate need of help. The clutter made it difficult to find things, and there was never enough space to put anything. Having clear plastic bins has kept our refrigerator looking clean and it’s also easier to locate our items. The way we have it organized now provides a place for items to live suitably, and allows more room for our refrigerator to work properly.

Did you know –

Storing too much in your fridge can block vents making the appliance work harder to stay cool when you open the door? More tips here on safe refrigerator storage.

Tip:

Empty shelves one at a time. Organize your products in bins on the kitchen counter to avoid leaving your refrigerator open too long. This also feels less overwhelming during the process. Oh and don’t forget to give those shelves a good cleaning before you put your items back. 😉

Before & After

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The standard shelves in our pantry are wire which is nice on one hand because I rarely have to clean the top surface; but the challenge is products falling through the slats, and bottles not wanting to stay upright. Having items in individual bins and containers is not only helpful for this style of shelving, but it makes our pantry much more functional.

Did you know –

Food waste is at its highest. We can all do our part by taking time to organize and go through spaces like our pantry. You will avoid waste by not having to throw away expired products, and save money by not buying duplicate items. Organizing your pantry gives you the chance to rotate items toward the front so there’s less chance of it being forgotten in the back. Here you’ll find an easy step-by-step process for organizing your pantry.

Tip:

Before you pull everything out, take a long look at where you want your categories and products to sit. If you bake often, put those items on the middle shelf where it’s easily accessible. I decided to put all our snacks in the two bins on the bottom floor. Having these items in the least desirable space for accessibility has actually reduced our snacking habits.

Before & After

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Where’s Waldo?

Out of all the areas we organized, my spice cabinet has been the most appreciated. The best way I can describe the functionality of my previous spice cabinet is domino toppling. Not to mention, I had spices and herbs from 1985 I’m pretty sure. 😆

Most of the containers were replaced with the same size jars and labeled for locating easily. A spice rack was also a perfect addition to our smaller cabinet space. We actually have more room than we did before by simply adding a 3 tiered unit for storing. I found some of my inspiration here.

Did you know –

For best flavor, dried spices should be replaced after 3 months! Wow! I will be the first to admit that I do not throw out my spices after only 3 months. However, I do check to make sure the spices are still fragrant and potent. I also check to make sure the spices haven’t hardened. If I have to get out the knife and chisel away at my spice, it’s time for a new one. By the way… it’s still generally safe to consume spices that are past the expiration date.

Tip:

Many grocery stores carry bulk spices. If you know you don’t use a certain spice very often, try buying a smaller amount in bulk and use that to fill up a bottle. You can also find many spices in smaller packages for 1/2 the price in the international aisle of your local grocery store.

I hope you feel a bit inspired to clean out a space or two in your home or kitchen. Don’t feel pressured to get it all done in one day. It takes a little work, but it’s so rewarding once you see the end product. Try to have fun with it!

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AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER:

Please note that some of the links on my website are affiliate links. Meaning, I receive a commission if you decide to purchase through my links at no extra cost to you! The product links at the bottom of my posts are products I’ve used and/or recommend.

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Below are the products I used to help organize my space.