Top 6 Kitchen Organization Mistakes (And Practical Ways to Solve Them!)
It has happened to almost everyone. Your kitchen has been in need of reorganizing for a while so that you can use the space more effectively. One day you make the decision to reorganize part or all of your large or small kitchen (including the dreaded “junk drawer”), and you get it to the point where everything is in a logical place, the clutter is gone, and you can finally access the paper towel roll. You have regained your counter space. Not one kitchen cabinet door is stuck ajar, the cutting boards are in the drawer rather than on the countertop, and even the dedicated kitchen storage space is organized. Success!
Maybe a week or two goes by, and you still see most of the organization that you had achieved through such painstaking work is still visible. The open shelving still has room, each kitchen cabinet door can even close, food storage containers still have all of their lids, and your large or small kitchen remains functional. Usually, though, a short time after that, the organization is only a distant memory, and things have returned to the way they once were. The junk drawer is full of, well, junk again, the counters are covered in mail and old shopping lists, and nothing seems to be in any logical order. Where did your organized kitchen go? It almost seems like a futile activity to try and reorganize, right? Well, there is still hope for your kitchen!
Almost every home has room for improvement in the kitchen organization department. This is totally natural— in a space as busy as the kitchen, it is common for some clutter to accumulate.
Other times, it’s just the way the area is laid out. Maybe the drawers are not big enough to hold all the tools and utensils inside. The cabinets may be too small to hide away all appliances or have extra kitchen storage space for upper cabinets.
No matter the reason behind these kitchen storage hiccups, it is possible to have a kitchen where every utensil, appliance, and tool is in the right place. Each kitchen cabinet is organized properly, open shelving space looks neat, your baking sheets are easily accessible without having to move a hundred other things on top of them, the paper towel roll is in a logical location, and you have easy access to everything you need throughout the space. Read on to learn about some of the most common kitchen organization mistakes that homeowners make and how to correct these issues.
6 Kitchen Organization Mistakes You’re Probably Doing
For many people, reorganizing pretty much any space can be quite a challenge. Whether it is a matter of finding the time to do it, having the motivation to work on it, or simply knowing where to start, figuring out an organization’s ins and outs can seem like a job for an expert. However, there is no need to spend a fortune or hire a professional to have a clean, organized kitchen you are happy with. It comes down to two simple steps to get your kitchen (or any other space) back in tip-top condition. Step one, identify mistakes you might be making. Step two, solve them with our helpful kitchen organization tips. That is the heart of it!
Mistake #1: You Have Too Many Appliances on the Kitchen Counter
Counter space in your kitchen is most definitely at a premium. Without enough room, you will not be able to prepare a meal or enjoy the kitchen. Too much clutter on the counter is a major issue, and many times it is because you have too many appliances on the counter that are not being utilized. If you have not used an appliance in the recent month, it does not have to be displayed on the counter. Consider every inch of that surface as valuable real estate. The only appliances that you should keep on the counter are the ones you use all the time.
If your rice cooker is not frequently used, for instance, stash it in a base kitchen cabinet along with extra dry goods. The same goes for your KitchenAid mixer if you only use it for occasional baking or the holidays or the fourth cutting board you have found because you thought you lost the others and kept purchasing new ones. If you have a kitchen island, feel free to relocate and keep things there, so they do not clutter up your workspace. Proper kitchen storage is essential when it comes to these big appliances that do not need to be out all the time.
In the mood to downsize? Think if you actually need to keep that appliance at all. Can you get rid of it? There may be someone out there looking for a gently used appliance that is taking up space in your kitchen. For example, it may be time to donate or resell that juicer you bought when the juice trend was popular. Recovering precious counter space is worth losing an appliance or two that is just gathering dust in your kitchen. Plus, you will end up with easy access to all of the important items that you actually need to have within reach on your countertop.
Mistake #2: You’re Not Taking Advantage of Vertical Storage
It is a common complaint: “I wish my kitchen had more cabinet space.” The question is, are you actually maximizing the one you already have?
Too many people have no idea how to use upper cabinets. Perhaps they find it hard to reach. In some cases, you may not have any higher cabinets at all. This is a major kitchen organization mistake that has to do with the concept of vertical storage.
One, you are not maximizing the vertical storage available on your walls. Second, these types of cabinets are the perfect place to keep rarely-used items such as fancy dishware, serving platters, and appliances that only come out for special cooking or baking occasions. You can also stash extra cleaning supplies and other items such as extra aluminum foil or parchment paper in there.
To further take advantage of that upper cabinet space, add a shelf divider to separate the contents. You can also put some storage bins in there. These accessories make it easy to group objects for storage and pull out the bin category you need instead of ruffling through the entire cabinet.
Mistake #3: You Don’t Factor in How You Cook
One of the most common kitchen organization mistakes that home cooks make is arranging their equipment and tools according to appearance. While this may look appealing, it is not helpful when you need to use your appliances. Take a cue from professional chefs— start organizing your appliances in their storage areas according to functionality and use.
Here is one exercise to get you started: Imagine that you are about to make one of your family’s weekly favorite and most beloved dinners. Without actually preparing the food, you need to walk through the steps literally you take when cooking. What items do you reach for first? What supplies do you usually need? If you find yourself walking back and forth to get everything ready for meal prep, it is time to reorganize. The fewer steps you have to take to prepare the meal, the less time it will take you to finish and sit down to eat. Having a logical order for the storage of all of your appliances and other necessary items for meal preparation is a great way to save time and frustration when you are in the kitchen.
Place your go-to pots, pans, and cooking tools that you use most frequently as near to the stove as possible. Put food storage containers in a shelf or cabinet near the fridge so you can stow away leftovers without making your way through the entire kitchen. For spices and ingredients, you frequently use, install a Lazy Susan in a base cabinet nearest your workspace so you can retrieve and return them easily. Not only will this cut your meal prep time, but it also makes it easier to clean up and keep the kitchen well-arranged. You would not want to do all of the organization work and then have it thrown out the window during your first meal prep, right?
Mistake #4: You Don’t Use Organizing Accessories
Kitchen cabinets, drawers, and organizers are critical to an efficient kitchen, especially when they are in proper order. You are aware of the location for all of your essential kitchen items and cookware. You always want to make sure that you do not have too much extra space or wasted space in a cabinet or drawer, but you also want to ensure that these areas are not overloaded. That is where organization accessories come into play.
You can essentially double your space by adding some simple accessories such as towel bars, hooks, and magnetic knife racks to your walls so that everything does not need to go in a drawer or cabinet. Not only does this free up drawer and shelf space, but it also makes it easy to grab what you need without having to look for them all over the kitchen.
Mistake #5: You’re Keeping Organizers You Don’t Need
Having useful organizing accessories can boost kitchen efficiency and make your space more functional, but make sure they do not turn into clutter. It is very easy to see an advertisement for a new type of accessory that looks extremely useful; imagine how it could work in your kitchen, order it, and then realize you do not have any room to store it. Consider these questions: are your containers and tubs overflowing? Do you have more bins than you need? Perhaps you have a divider stashed somewhere, which cannot be used because it is the wrong size.
Before buying more organizers:
- Take stock of what you have first.
- Throw out, donate, or sell what you do not use. When you are sure you do not have extras, you can now start getting organizers you do need.
- For dividers and shelves, make sure you measure carefully so that they fit inside the cabinets. If you decide that you need more organization items, a good buying method is to make sure you already have a place in your kitchen ready for that item.
- Clear out space ahead of time so that when you buy your new kitchen item, you can quickly place it in the drawers or cabinets, refill the area, and know that the new purchase will not be a hindrance to future organizing efforts.
Everything should have a dedicated place in your organization plan before you commit to buying it.
Mistake #6: You’re Stockpiling Supplies Inside One Cabinet
A well-organized kitchen is one where there is very little waste. Not time, not space, not effort, and certainly not ingredients and supplies you bought with your hard-earned money. However, it is quite easy to forget what you already have and end up purchasing more. Then you bring it home and realize that you do not have any extra room. What is taking up all the space in your cabinets already? If you do not know, you must remedy that as soon as possible. You should always be aware of the items you have in stock already so that you do not mistakenly go out and purchase more.
Unfortunately, that usually happens when you have got no idea what is inside your cupboards. It is easy to forget what you have when everything is confined in one space or pushed back in the deepest recesses of your kitchen cabinets. It happens so often that people begin to clean their cupboards and have the “I’ve been looking for that” or “Oh, that’s where that ended up” moment. From cookbooks to extra food, storage containers without lids, to forgotten appliances, the cabinet’s back is a great hiding place, especially when the kitchen is not optimized for storage.
Again, cabinet organizers are the solution. Lazy Susans, dividers, roll-out trays, and base pantry pull-outs give you a clear visual of your supplies. Since you can reach them easily, there is less chance of having a cabinet full of expired items just cluttering up that precious space. And it will prevent you from wasting your hard-earned money thinking you need to buy these items again. Make sure you know what you have before you go shopping.
Choice Cabinet: Smart Storage Solutions for Every Kitchen
Installing beautiful, sturdy Kitchen Cabinets is just one way to keep your kitchen organized. Storage Accessories play an equally important part in achieving optimum kitchen efficiency. Here at Choice Cabinet, we’d love to help you choose the perfect cabinets and space savers to bring your dream kitchen to life. Contact Us today to get started!
At Choice Cabinet, we are your go-to factory wholesale cabinet suppliers, and we love to help homeowners like you get your kitchen organized with beautiful, custom kitchen cabinets. We understand the needs of a busy family when it comes to the kitchen, and our staff is here to help you decide what cabinets and accessories would be most useful for you. Our team is knowledgeable and friendly, and we have the experience in the cabinet industry to ensure you get the best possible cabinet choice for your home.
The cabinets we offer at Choice Cabinet are made of only the finest materials to guarantee customer satisfaction. That means you will not find any substandard materials in our cabinet options. We never use particleboard, glue, or staples in our cabinet construction. This is why we are considered an industry leader in the stock and ready-to-assemble cabinetry market. Additionally, when you want to invest in our cabinets, we are proud to offer more than 150 different sizes, and we have over 50,000 cabinets on hand in our warehouse at any given time. This means that we can meet any delivery deadline – even ones with a short lead time.
If you are considering a kitchen remodel or have invested in new home construction, contact Choice Cabinet to discuss our kitchen cabinet options. The choices can be overwhelming if you do not have a good guide to help you make your decision, so that is why our team is trained and knowledgeable about all of the cabinets we offer. We can also help you with ideas for organizers and other cabinet accessories to ensure you are taking full advantage of the space you have in your kitchen. Contact us today to learn more about our cabinet options or to find a Choice Cabinet dealer in your area!
