If you, like us, have been inspired by internet videos of organized kitchens, then you may be wondering which organizational pieces are worth buying to achieve the practical space of your dreams.
Organizing a kitchen can be a big task, and with so many organizing products and solutions out there, it can be hard to know where to start, and what will work best for your space. Luckily, professional home organizers have been making kitchens practically perfect for years before it was trendy and know what works, and what you should avoid.
Here are the nine items professionals always buy for a kitchen that they think are worth the investment.
The kitchen organizers professionals always buy
When picking out kitchen organizers, experts suggest thinking about the layout of your kitchen items first to ensure you select the right products for the right areas of your space. Use your kitchen logically, begins Amanda Biggs, APDO member and founder of Professionally Organized. ‘Store your cups, tea, and coffee near the kettle and pans near the cooker. If it is arranged badly it will be more difficult to use and you are less likely to tidy things away.’
Once you have worked out your kitchen layout, be sure to avoid the kitchen storage buys professionals hate and invest in the best kitchen organizers with these expert tips.
1. Drawer bins for deep cabinets
Arguably, organizing kitchen cabinets is the hardest part of kitchen organization, especially if you have deep shelves. ‘Deep drawer bins really help to make sure you’re utilizing the depth of your cabinet fully,’ says Ryen Toft, professional organizer and founder of Simply Luxe.
'I always swear by these transparent drawer containers from The Container Store for organizing pantries,’ adds Lucy Wahl, founder of LMW edits. ‘They ensure you can see everything so that you don’t waste food.’
Reyn Toft is the founder of professional home organizers, Simply Luxe. Based in San Diego, she has over 20 years of experience in hands-on home organization.
Two clear slide-out drawers include removable dividers so you can organize contents for quick access.
This catchall drawer attaches to the edge of a kitchen shelf, turning unused space into functional storage.
Linus Kitchen Bins are a great way to organize storage space in a pantry, cabinet or deep kitchen drawer.
2. Clear bins and containers for pantries
By far one of the most popular home organizers, clear bins such as those available on The Container Store or Amazon are a firm favorite in the kitchen according to professional organizers.
‘Decanting dry foods into see-through containers helps you to write the shopping list as you can see what you’ve used up easily,’ explains Kathryn Lord, founder of More to Organizing. ‘This also helps to prevent food waste.’
You don't have to just opt for practical vacuum-sealed containers either, with a range of beautiful glass storage options becoming more widely available with the rise in organizing trends on social media, making your kitchen as pretty as it is practical.
Katherine helps busy parents organize their homes and routines with their children in mind. Not only an organizational expert, but Katherine is also a childcare expert too and has published a book, More To Organizing [available on Amazon], on organizing with children too.
These highly-rated containers from Rubbermaid are an extremely functional pick with airtight seals.
This large glass jar has an airtight wooden lid, making it a stylish storage alrerniture for dried food goods.
These smaller glass storage boxes are an eco-alternative for leftovers that keep food fresher for longer.
3. Over-the-door organizers for cabinets
Over-the-door organizers are not just for organizing a hall closet or closet organization, says Raquel Kehler, or home blog Room Crush. ‘I also like to use over-the-door organizers to put inside the cabinets under the kitchen sink to store cleaning items like sponges or steel wool pads.’
Organizers with air holes can help these items dry properly too, preventing bad kitchen smells.
4. Turntable organizers for cabinets
‘Turntables are a go-to item, especially in corners, to always maximize that space,’ advises Juliana Meidl founder of Detroit home organizers, Serenity at Home. ‘They are perfect for keeping all the condiments and bottles organized.’
Turntables are not just perfect pantry organizers but work wonders in larger refrigerators too to help store jars when your door shelves may be full or cluttered.
‘Bamboo turntables can help you organize your kitchen and stay sustainable while doing so,’ adds Ryen Toft of Simply Luxe.
Juliana Meidl has been a professional home organizer for many years, having found that they key to a serene home was perfect organization that works for the family.
Implementing a rotating section to your pantry cabinet will change the way you can view your foodstuffs.
The durable and sectioned design is perfect for keeping bottles, packets or spice jars neat, orderly and easily accessible
Unlike conventional turntables, there's no center support so both tiers give you unobstructed space for a range of items.
5. Baskets for containing smaller items out of view
‘Baskets and opaque containers are great for keeping like items together,’ says Juliana Meidl of Serenity at Home. ‘We also use baskets for snack bags and those items you don't want to necessarily see on display.’
Stackable or hangable baskets and containers are also good options for organizing a small kitchen where storage space is limited. They can contain a multitude of items neatly and prevent visual or surface clutter.
We have rounded up some of the best luxury storage baskets to invest in to make tidying a work of art.
6. A label maker
Decanting foods into new containers and baskets is all well and good so long as you can remember exactly what is in them and when they expire. Given this is difficult for anyone, a label maker has become one of the storage products professional organizers can’t live without.
‘Labels on containers clearly identify ingredients that would otherwise be confused like flour, corn starch, and baking powder,’ recommends Susan Santoro, founder of Organized 31. ‘Labels encourage other family members to put things back where they belong because the labels make it clear where things belong.’
A veteran, parent educator, and mother of three, Susan is also a certified organizational specialist helping people to declutter and downsize, and organize homes in tough times.
7. Expandable utensil trays for drawers
Leaving utensils and silverware loose in a drawer is a one-way ticket to damaged pieces or scratched kitchen drawers. Adding organizers such as extendable trays or adaptable dividers can help to prevent this and keep your drawers in order.
‘Drawer dividers of all kinds are my secret weapon for taming kitchen drawer clutter. I love this bamboo silverware tray from The Container Store for kitchen drawers because it's a sustainable material that looks nice too,’ says Lucy Wahl, LMW edits
‘Use drawer dividers for drawers containing cutlery, utensils or miscellaneous items like batteries and pens,’ adds Amanda Biggs, founder of Professionally Organized.
Lucy Milligan Wahl originally created LMW Edits for her successful friends to help them get their homes as organized as her own. She has since developed her company to help busy high achievers living in smaller urban spaces achieve the organized home of their dreams alongside their demanding careers.
8. Tiered organizers for shelves and cabinets
Tiered organizers are an excellent alternative to cabinet drawer bins if you don't have many items that need sorting or your cabinet shelves are spaced further apart. ‘Cupboard steps for tins are great as it enables you to see everything you have. I love the extendable bamboo ones,’ says Kathryn Lord, founder of More to Organizing.
‘These tiers can also help you see what you have on hand at all times, helping to eliminate overbuying,’ adds Ryen Toft, of Simply Luxe.
Using these organizers incorrectly, however, is a common kitchen storage mistake. When using tiered organizers, make sure to place taller items at the back of the riser and smaller items at the front to keep everything easily accessible. Using these organizers to store like-sized items like spice jars will make it difficult to reach over to reach items at the back, ultimately making kitchens less practical.
9. Counter trays to catch clutter
While most kitchen organization focuses on sorting the inside of cabinets and drawers, using attractive organizers to organize kitchen countertops will help to catch clutter, and keep commonly-used essentials neat and in easy reach.
‘In the kitchen, store your most used oils, sauces, and vinegar on a tray or in a dish on your worktop,’ suggests Amanda Briggs, founder of Professionally Organized. ‘It keeps everything together, makes it easy to wipe under, and can contain any spills or drips.’
Amanda specializes in helping people declutter and organize their homes when they are overwhelmed, helping clients to reclaim their home and their time.
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