Organizing Kitchen Cabinets: Your How-To Guide to Decluttering

Organizing kitchen cabinets is a time-consuming job, but it provides a major payoff, saving you energy, frustration and eventually, time.

It’s hard to think about pulling all your items out, only to put them all back in again, but with this helpful guide, you can be sure to do the job so you don’t have to tackle this project again anytime soon.

organizing kitchen cabinets

These tips for organizing kitchen cabinets help you create a smart, functional kitchen.

Start with Ruthless Emptying and Discarding

First, empty all your kitchen cabinets. You probably have way too much stuff. The first step to successfully organizing kitchen cabinets is to toss all the items you’ve never used or maybe used once and don’t plan on using again.

Don’t get nostalgic about your old cookware — you don’t have the space! Be ruthless and throw away or donate duplicate or broken items, or any that you suspect are taking up more real estate than they’re worth.

Sort Items by Season and Activity

Next, place items together in piles according to how or when they’re used. Seasonal trays can go in one spot, baking supplies in another. This will help you make better decisions on which groups should go in which cabinets.

The dishes you barely use can go in your hard-to-reach cabinets instead of the bakeware you use all of the time.

Assign Like Duties to Specific Drawers and Cabinets

If you’re using the cabinet right above your coffee pot for cereal bowls instead of mugs, it’s time to start thinking more like a functional organizer. Store items directly next to where you use them. Keep your drinking glasses near the refrigerator. Move your utensils so they’re close to the food preparation area.

Use the Backs of Cabinet Doors

The backs of your cabinet doors can hold hooks — it’s a wealth of opportunity for storage. Hang measuring cups or utensils within easy reach. You can also mount corkboard on the backs of the cabinets and use the space to pin recipes and reminders. Or use chalkboard paint inside your cabinets or pantry door to keep a running shopping list going.

Install Pullout Cabinets to Use All Available Space

When you have deep kitchen cabinets, you may tend to only use the front part because once you put something way in the back, it’s so hard to reach again. Pullout drawers solve this issue. Use all the space you have by installing racks and baskets that slide out — it’s one of the best ways to stay organized.

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