Do you often find yourself looking at kitchen organization boards on Pinterest? Then I bet you are always looking for ways to creatively organize your items for easy access.
This is important because a poorly organized kitchen can be a real headache, whether you’re preparing food for guests or your family.
Whatever you do, you should always keep your kitchen organized from the pantry to the fridge and cabinets. When it comes to kitchen storage, it’s best to organize it according to these three main areas:
A man's house is his castle. -James Otis
Refrigerator Center
This part of the kitchen is where you do most of the food preparation and also where you store most of the food. It is at the center of your kitchen and should preferably be positioned close to the entrance so that it’s easier to empty groceries into the appropriate places.
Considering the function of a kitchen section can help you better determine how to organize the space.
When coming back from the supermarket, you’ll need a countertop close to the fridge from which to unload groceries. This makes it easier to transfer items according to their storage areas, including cold items in the fridge, freezing items in the freezer, dry food items in the pantry, and so on.
Proper pantry organization makes it easier to access ingredients for food preparation. The pantry is where you keep most of your staples, so it should ideally hold all of your preparation utensils, such as:
- mixing bowls and mixers
- muffin tins
- cake tins
- salad molds
- pie plates
- graters
- sifters
The refrigerator center is also where you should place small appliances like the bread maker, coffee maker, food processor, blender, can opener etc.
Consider an appliance garage to keep your appliances out of sight and the refrigerator station clutter-free. You can keep your cookbooks in the refrigerator center as well since they’re required during the food preparation process. Just make sure your mini kitchen bookshelf is placed in a dry area as moisture can damage books over time.
As food cleaning utensils like mops, dustpans and brooms, they should be kept in a small closet or pantry not too far from the refrigerator center.
Sink Center
Next, you have the sink center which should be positioned between the range and refrigerator center. The sink is a high-traffic area of the kitchen which is why it should occupy a central position.
The area closest to your sink is probably where you’ll spend most of your time before and after food prep. As such, you should place recycling containers and beans strategically for easy access, as well as have enough counter space for food prep.
Sink storage often accommodates cleaning supplies and dish towels.
Knives and cutting boards should be placed in the middle between the refrigerator and the sink for easy access. Remember that you’ll need to cut and chop items that you’re getting from the fridge and dispose of waste items in the waste bin, so all of these items should be in relatively close proximity.
You might want to consider pull out shelves for your everyday dishes and glassware so that you have these items close by when it comes time to dish up.
Tip: During the organization process, be sure to keep items that serve a similar purpose next to each other, like your mugs close to the coffee station.
Range Center
Whether you have a wall oven cooktop or a range, this is the range center where you’ll do most of the food preparation and cooking. As such, this area should be closest to the dining room.
This area contains all the items and appliances you need to prepare food. This includes ovens with sprawling countertop space so that you have somewhere to place hot items and dishes.
Next to the range center is where your potholders and mitts should be because you’ll need them to grip hot cookware. This is also where you’ll dish up so it should be relatively close to your storage for bowls, platters, and other food receptacles.
If the space is available to you, then you should consider dedicating two cabinets to cookware. One for commonly used oven cookware and the other for frequently used stovetop cookware. The range center should also contain warming appliances, bread bins, and breadboards, as well as small appliances, such as:
- portable grills
- bread makers
- waffle irons
- toasters
While your pull out pantry is where you should place most of your dry food items and bulk spices, you need to look for a more accessible area for things like cooking equipment, utensils, pots, and pans as well as frequently used spices.
These items can be placed in a pantry cabinet or pantry shelving depending on your preferences. Some people opt for eye-level or upper cabinets and shelves based on their design aesthetic and personal needs.
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