Clever Organizing Solutions for Your Crowded Kitchen Drawers

Do your kitchen drawers need a makeover? We’ve all got a junk drawer (okay, maybe two), so that’s okay. But if you’ve got more than one drawer that sometimes get stuck because it’s overfilled, or if it takes you too much time to find something in a drawer, then it may be time to do a little decluttering and reorganizing in those areas. Set aside a few hours to pare down your problem drawers’ contents, and then place the remaining contents back into the drawers. To help them stay neat and well laid out, we’ve got some clever drawer organizing solutions.

Divide and conquer.

There are so many drawer dividers and organizers out there. Take your pick of materials and looks—clear or opaque plastic, bamboo, and mesh, just to name a few. Whichever you choose, make sure it’s right for your kitchen drawers.

  • Measure the drawer interiors precisely: height, length, width.
  • Once you’ve decluttered the drawer, you can see what’s left that needs to be stored. This will help you buy the appropriately sized storage containers.
  • Use up all the available space in your drawers. Flex your old Tetris skills to maximize the space; don’t leave weird gaps and channels. Use Museum Gel to keep them from sliding around.
  • Don’t be afraid to combine different bins or dividers in a drawer.

       

     

 

Expand your horizons.

You’ll be wowed by the many excellent expandable drawer trays—because of course, your flatware goes beyond just forks, knives, and spoons!

       

       

If you’ve got limited room in your drawer, this expandable tray with stacked storage slots for utensils gives you more space.

     

A cut above the rest.

Create a bit more counter space by keeping your knives in a drawer, preferably right under where you do your chopping. Knife blocks are huge counter hogs, and loose knives in a drawer are not only unsafe—they also nick up the blades. High-quality knives are not cheap; take care of these investments and they’ll last forever.

     

     

 

Sip happens.

A well-organized coffee and/or tea station, located near your coffee machine, kettle, and cups, is a fantastic setup. No more digging into boxes for tea bags and coffee capsules. It’s also so very welcoming and simple to let guests help themselves to a warm beverage.

       

      

 

Spice things up.

Keep your spices organized and easy to find with a drawer insert specifically made to hold spice jars. If you just need a drawer insert, click on the left photo. If you want to revamp your entire spice storage system with a drawer insert, jars, and labels, then click on the right one. Either way, you’re ready for Ina Garten to come visit!

      

 

Bags for days.

We’re all trying to use less plastic and foil these days, but it’s a challenge to forego them completely. Hence, they still need to stay neat and organized.

     

Or…you could do what I do and Tetris my boxes to fit just right!

 

Go deep.

If you’ve got some large, deep drawers, there are several ways to keep items organized. That extra depth gives you more flexibility, so don’t let it be wasted air space!

   

   

 

Always:

  • Declutter before organizing. Don’t buy storage solutions to store expired, unnecessary, or broken items. The more junk you clear out, the less you’ll need to store and the more neat and organized your kitchen drawers will be.
  • Measure, measure, and measure again! Nothing worse than bringing home containers that don’t quite fit. Even 1/16 of an inch will make a difference.
  • Put that label maker to use where you can. It brings your organization up to an A+ level and makes it so easy to stash and find everything.
  • Keep items close to where they are most used. For instance, don’t keep your cooking utensils and spices far from the stove, or your knives across the room from where you do your chopping.
  • These links to products are meant to inspire you—feel free to explore other options!

Good luck and happy organizing! Of course, if you need some extra support for this project, don’t hesitate to contact us. We got you!

SHARE THIS:

Get a FREE In-home or Office Consultation

Need help from our professional organizers in the Seattle and Eastside areas? Schedule your FREE consultation with one of our experts today!