Indispensable Kitchen Organization Products
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There are a lot of “I’d like to have” products. You know, those products that would be a little luxury if money and space weren’t a concern. But the fact is, space and money is a limit most of us face when it comes to kitchen organization products. This list contains the items that almost all kitchen need if you want an organized kitchen that stays that way.
And the best part? Most are under $30!
The Best Kitchen Organization Products
1.) Food Storage Containers/Canisters
When I was growing up my mom had a traditional decorative canister set sitting on the counter that held flour, sugar, coffee and tea. I don’t want to be limited to the preset sizes that come with traditional canister sets.
I love the food storage containers by Progressive. They come in a few different sizes and you can order them individually so you have the number and sizes you need. Whether you want to store flour or flaxseed, there’s a container for you. My favorites are the flour keeper (for more than just flour), brown sugar keeper and powdered sugar keeper.
The flour keeper has a built-in leveler. The brown sugar keeper has a terracotta disk to keep the brown sugar fresh. The powdered sugar keep has two openings – one with a mesh shaker integrated and a traditional opening.
If the little bit of red on the container isn’t for you, Progressive also makes a set in gray.
2.) Silverware Organizer
So this is a pretty universal product. I imagine just about everyone owns a silverware organizer. Because they are used so frequently, they can get beat up pretty quickly.
If you’re looking to upgrade your silverware organizer, check out this clear silverware organizer. Most silverware organizers are just blah. They serve a purpose but aren’t much to look at. This one is stunning. This picture doesn’t do it justice. It looks clean and sleek in the drawer.
And if you wanted to add some personality to your drawer, you could put down a patterned drawer liner.
3.) Drawer Organizers
This is something many people think they don’t need. I went without for far too long and boy was that a mistake! There are two types of drawer organizers I use and they make the world of difference.
The Linus kitchen drawer organizers by InterDesign come in a variety of sizes so you can customize your drawers. It does take a little bit of work upfront to plan out which organizers you need based on the size of the drawers and utensils in them. But the end result is well worth it. You’ll have beautiful kitchen drawers and it will be a breeze to find what you need. And while these organizers aren’t an exact match to the silverware organizer listed above, they do go nicely together.
The bamboo kitchen drawer dividers are a really easy option to quickly organize your kitchen drawers. They are so simple to install and can easily be moved when needed. There is also less measuring involved, as you only need to measure the length or width of your drawers to make sure it’s within the guidelines of the drawer divider.
I found that these drawer dividers work best with longer items, like spatulas and tongs, because they go the full length (or width) of the drawer. There isn’t a way to make smaller compartments for things like measuring spoons.
I have select drawers I use the drawer dividers but most of my drawers use the InterDesign kitchen drawer organizers. Whether you use one system or the other or a mix of both, the important part is just getting your drawers organized.
Check out best way to organize kitchen drawers.
4.) Knife Organizer
Properly storing knives is so important for safety and for the longevity of the blade. Storing knives where they can jostle against other utensils can damage to your knives and cause them to dull quickly.
There are a lot of different options to organize knives. The traditional method is a knife block that typically sits on the kitchen counter. I’m a big proponent of clutter-free counters but I also know that space in the kitchen can be limited. A great space-saving alternative is a magnetic knife strip. Mount it on the backsplash or side of the fridge or cabinet to free up counter or drawer space.
If you prefer to keep your knives in a drawer, then an in-drawer knife organizer is what you need. The InterDesign knife drawer organizer is what I recommend, keeping with the clean look of clear organizers.
5.) Pantry Organization Containers
Whether you have a separate pantry in your kitchen or if you have dedicated kitchen cabinets to serve as a pantry, you can benefit from pantry organization containers. Most people buy the same categories of food each week and the best way to organize a pantry is by segmenting by categories – breads, chips, crackers, applesauce pouches, etc. I’ll get to canned goods and spices next.
I’ve found that it’s not usually enough to just have a designed spot in the pantry for each category. You actually need a bin or basket to contain the food.
If you’ve been following along with this article, then you know my obsession with clear organizers for their classic and clean look. And I’m going to continue that theme in the pantry. Clear storage containers are the best in the pantry because it makes it easy for the entire family to quickly locate the food they need.
InterDesign and mDesign both offer similar clear storage containers for the pantry (they are also perfect for fridge and freezer organization, too). The containers come in so many different sizes to fit a wide variety of spaces and food categories. Many of the bins are stackable.
6.) Pantry Organization for Cans
A lot of the traditional can rack organizers don’t work if you have wire shelves in your pantry. The base just wouldn’t sit properly on the shelf. But they also don’t always make it convenient to get to the right can because you might need to move multiple cans to get to the one you need. If you buy multiples of the exact same product, then it may work for you.
Instead, I like to use a tiered shelf organizer. It can expand to fit your space (to almost 26″). It works perfectly to hold canned goods and jars. The tiered organizer can also be used to store medicine, spices, other small pantry items such as vanilla extract, baking powder and corn starch.
7.) Storage Ideas for Spices
I’ve tried several methods for organizing spices and my favorite is a wall mounted spice rack. It can be mounted to the back of a door or cabinet or hung on a wall.
I have this four tier spice rack but it also comes in 2, 3 or 5 tiers. I love that it holds so many spice jars of various sizes. I used to move all my spices into matching jars. But now for the sake of my time and space (not all of the contents of the store bought bottle would fit into my jars, causing me to have 2 bottles of the same spice), I leave all spices in their original bottle.
8.) Under Sink Organizers
Under the sink can be pure chaos if you don’t have some type of organizer in place. These stacking bins from The Container Store are my favorite for under sinks. They are narrow so they fit better around the plumbing under the sink. The bins are also very sturdy. I’ve had these bins for quite a few years with no problems at all. They come in three sizes so there is a good chance one will work under your sink.
9.) Lazy Susan
Most kitchens and pantries have some little nook that is hard to reach but the space is much needed. For me, it’s one corner of a particular shelf in my pantry. Without a lazy susan, it would be really hard to reach the items I need. The lazy susan rotates so the items aren’t stuck in a dark corner. This lazy susan comes in 3 sizes and they even have a 2-tiered version.
10.) Adjustable Cabinet Organizer
Whether it’s baking dishes, cutting boards or cookie sheets, everyone can benefit from this adjustable bakeware organizer. The best feature is that the wires are adjustable to fit your needs. The same company also sells a cookware organizer for skillets, grill pans and other heavier items and a lid organizer for the lids of the pots and pans.
Which Kitchen Organization Products are a Must-Have for You?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on my list of essential kitchen products. Are there any you’d add to the list? Comment below.
