Space Saving Kitchen Organization

Kitchen Organization

Space saving kitchen organization is where I’m at right now.  It’s a fresh new year and I’m feeling like I want to rejuvenate and reorganize the areas in my home where I spend the most time. I have always found that the kitchen is the space where being organized makes the most sense, but is usually also the space that is found to be somewhat lacking in that department. Think tupperware without lids, cupboards of miscellaneous clutter, items under the sink (which seemed like a good idea at the time) that haven’t really seen the light of day in, I don’t know…years? Let’s be real – organized home, organized brain.  So, let’s get started. For more tips on organization you can also check out my office organizational post Functional Pretty Office.

I picked my kitchen to organize first because it’s new to me, and I  still feel giddy every time I come downstairs in the morning.  Not to mention that I put a lot of thought into how I wanted this space laid out.  I mean, the kind of thought where you sleep with a notebook beside the bed so you can wake up (from dreaming about planning)  to jot down your ideas and then go back to sleep. I would wake up some mornings snuggling that notebook.

Being empty nesters and downsizing our home was tough, but creating a new home that suits our needs has been an incredible adventure that I didn’t know I needed. When I was looking at what I wanted to do in this school house to make it our home, the kitchen was one of the most important things to me. Our last kitchen was the heart of the home and we wanted this one to feel the same.

Here is our last kitchen.

I wanted a bright and organized space that flowed according to our cooking and family needs. It was a necessity for me.

This is what we came up with for this old school house.  We still need to finish the corner shelves and the backsplash.

Storage is key…next to function, that is.  My cooktop is an induction with a downdraft, so I was able to place it under the window and out of the way of the primary work zone, which left anyone doing prep work plenty of room. And I have to say, the cooktop is by far one of my favourite cooktops that I have owned.  It is a Frigadaire Professional  and I couldn’t be happier with it.  Of course, the storage around this cooktop had to be functional, as well.  I cook with spices, so a spice drawer was designed to the immediate left of the cooktop providing easy access.

Tip #1 – Organize your Cooktop/Stove Cooking Zone So Everything You Need is Within Reach

When laying out your kitchen, take some time to see how you use the space.  Look at your different work zones and plan your storage around them.  For my cooktop cook zone, I have spices immediately to my left and positioned so I can open the drawer and read every single label.  My pots and pans are situated right below the cooktop and my large utensils are in the drawer to my right and in a container on the counter to the left.  I have a pullout in the lower cabinets to my left with all of my cooking oils, larger spices and such, and a lazysusan to my right with pantry items I would normally use in this cook zone.

Not the prettiest picture but it gives you an idea of how I organized the zone to work with how I use the space.  Keep reading, below I give you a closer look into my drawers 🙂 and the products I used to organize them.

Here is my spice drawer BEFORE I organized it:

Here is My Spice Drawer AFTER I Organized it:

With these super appealing bamboo trays (that I’ll link here American and here for Canadian) everything is now easy to find and read.  No more time spent shuffling through spices searching for the right one, — everything is now accessible at a glance.

The large deep drawer right below my cooktop keeps my pots and pans organized. My handy, space saving lid organizer (which is actually a file holder), is in there, too.  Here are some actual US –lid organizers   CND lid organizers and here is a file holder similar to what I’m using, as well.

En route to an organized, functional kitchen, I also wanted a sort of command centre, if you will. This drawer is wonderful: it has a charging station for our phones, and holds those things that don’t always have a specific place to go right away.  I picked up these bamboo dividers   and had planned to use them in one of the other drawers, but they just fit and worked so perfectly right here, so they stayed.

To organize my large utensil drawer, and save some space, I found these great Rubbermaid trays. Rubbermaid trays this is the white one.  They fit the larger utensils and keep like items together.

Tip #2 – Keep like items together.

I, in all honesty, do not do a lot of baking.  But, when I do, I want everything easy to find.  I have a drawer dedicated to baking utensils and a cabinet to the supplies.

For my baking drawer, I wanted something that would hold the larger items but in much smaller drawers.  These bamboo storage boxes fit the bill, and they also work wonderfully for storing your everyday cleaning products.

My mixer is stored in the cabinet across from this drawer and my baking cupboard is to the right, making everything accessible.

Tip #3 – Organize Your Cleaning Supplies According to How and Where You Use Them

I have a drawer with the cleaning products I use to the right of my sink.  These are the items I use daily.  Below my sink in a pull out, I have the items I use when I do a complete kitchen clean and not just a tidy up after our meals.  This avoids clutter and leaves the everyday stuff organized but also right on hand.

Tip #4 – Create Your Garbage and Recycling Zone

I had always wanted a garbage pull-out, so when I had the opportunity to incorporate one in this kitchen, I ran wth it. At the end of the island we have our garbage and recycling pull-outs US  garbage and recycling pull-outs CND  and the convenience is everything(10/10, would recommend).  I have them beside my prep sink which makes prep work a breeze!  Your compost bucket can easily fit underneath a prep sink beside your garbage zone.

Tip #5 – Create a Prep Zone

I like to prepare  food while looking out into my home ( I mean, who wants their back to their family as they cook?).  For this reason, I love an island or a peninsula.  I always design my space to have a prep sink.  In this house I have the Sinkology  Bradstreet in a 30” in my island and I love it!  I do all of my prep work there.

To organize my primary drawer – situated in my Prep zone,  with all of my main silverware and most-used items – I went with the bamboo trays once again.  Honestly, I just love the look of them, and they come in so many different forms. Oh, and that knife block US and knife block CND has got to be a favourite, too.

Tip #6 – Don’t Be Afraid To Think Outside Of The Box When It Comes to Organizing.

One of the things I didn’t really have room for in this space was a large pantry, but I needed something to hold my dry and canned goods.  This pull-out pantry was the perfect space saving solution. You can shop similar ones here for US and here for Canada.

And I know this is not pretty.  I’ve tried the plastic containers in the past and the pretty baskets, but that is not a reality for me.  I’m no nonsense and like to see my packaging.  But, as I said earlier…your kitchen, your space.  You do you and what works for how you use the space!

Tip #7 – Add Dividers!

Another huge space saver:  baking sheet dividers.  I’m telling you, I will never go back to storing these babes under the stove.  Not happening.  These dividers keep things in their place and make everything so easy to find!

In Closing….

These are some things that I have found so useful for keeping my kitchen organized and saving on the space that, to be honest, I don’t always have. Stuff takes up space, especially in the kitchen where counter space is limited and cupboards are not bottomless. Hopefully, some of these tips and ideas are things you also find handy and can use in your own home.

If I’ve missed something, drop a question below.

Here are the details on the kitchen itself:

Cabinets are designed by me, but made and installed by Carver Cabinets.  Cabinet colour is Soaker Tub by Para Paints.

Handles and knobs are all wrought iron and you can tap each highlighted text to shop.

 

 

 

Sinks are from Sinkology and are the best sinks ever!

The prep sink is their 30″ Bradstreet in White.

 

The double sink is their 33” Brooks in Crisp White

Faucets are also from Sinkology. They are Pfister brand, and are part of Sinkology’s new kits. Which you can order from Home Depot!

Counters are quartz and are from GTA Stone Counter tops. They are Lucent in LQ3005.

Bar stools come in sets of two, and are from Wayfair.  You can shop  shop the bar stools here for US and shop bar stools here for Canada.

If I’ve missed anything, drop me a comment below and I’ll be happy to answer and add it to the post.

Now back to organizing!  I’m thinking the bedroom might be next, although, it is really the basement that needs my attention!

Karan

xxox