Easy Ideas To Declutter & Organize Your Kitchen Drawers

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Are you tired of your kitchen utensils jamming the kitchen drawer? Do you have to hunt for the roll of aluminum foil everytime you need it? If you are ready to live with a well-organized kitchen it is time to organize your kitchen drawers!

If your kitchen clutter is driving you crazy you're not alone! When I visit my best friends gorgeous home I avoid the kitchen drawers whenever possible because I know something is going to jam drawer when I close it.

Organizing kitchen drawers can transform your daily cooking tasks from chaotic to blissful. Well maybe not blissful, at best my well organized kitchen makes cooking manageable for me. Then again I do not enjoy cooking. I enjoy eating which is the only reason I cook, Occasionally.

Imagine reaching effortlessly for that elusive potato peeler or finding your favorite spatula without digging through a cluttered mess. With a bit of organization, your kitchen can work for you not against you.

Organize Your Kitchen Drawers

Start with a good old-fashioned assessment of your kitchen drawers. Are your utensils mingling with the flashlights? Are your spices scattered here and there? Identifying these problem areas is the first step to order and efficiency.

Empty and Clean Each Drawer

It might seem like a overkill, but emptying and cleaning each drawer is essential. Only by clearing everything out can you see what's been lurking in the back for far too long. Once emptied, give those drawers a little cleaning. A guide to tidy and organized kitchen drawers can help you get started.

Photo byMarj Bates

Sort, sort, sort

With a clean slate, it's time to categorize and sort. Group similar items together—spoons with spoons, wooden spoons with wooden spoons, spatulas with spatulas. This step will set the foundation for streamlined organization and you’ll never have to frantically search for your garlic press again.

Decluttering Strategies to Organize Your Kitchen Drawers

Ready to make some decisions? Decluttering is about choosing what's truly needed in your daily kitchen routine and here's how to do it.

One Drawer at a Time Approach

Taking on one drawer at a time prevents that overwhelming feeling of "I can't do this!" and helps maintain focus.

Pick a drawer, any drawer, it does not matter where you start, starting is the important piece. Empty the drawer, declutter it, and move on to the next. This bite-sized approach makes a big project more manageable.

The 'One-Year Rule'

If you haven't used that turkey baster in over a year, it's time to reconsider its place in your kitchen drawer.

If you need to keep the turkey baster and seldom use it, store it in a more remote place in the kitchen. Use the kitchen drawers for frequently used items only whether you have smaller or large drawers because this is valuable real estate, at least it is in my small kitchen with only three drawers.

If you would like help to declutter more spaces in your home after you organize your kitchen drawers- check out this free easy to follow method I designed.

My free Scavenger Hunt Challenge will get you started decluttering your entire home or whatever you you want to organize. This challenge is for you if:

• You want to declutter your home and your life
• You've been talking about it for ages
• You feel overwhelmed by the obstacles in your path
• You feel completely alone and helpless

Photo byMarj Bates

The benefits include:

• Live efficiently and have time to do the things you love.
• Live without frustration and more peace.
• Be the organized person you dream of being.

The Scavenger Hunt Challenge is free and you can follow along at your own pace when your time permits.

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Donate or Dispose of Unused Items

If you have gently used items and new things you have not used yet donate them! Your local charities will be thrilled to accept your kitchen supplies.

Recycling is another option for items past their prime. This is a win-win for you and the environment.

Get started using this list of 24 Things to Toss & Organize in your kitchen!

Tools and Systems to Organize Your Kitchen Drawers

Say good bye to messy drawers. From now you will have easy access to the items in your kitchen drawer. Get your family on board too!

Now comes the fun part—choosing the right organizational tools to give each item its own home, if you need them!

Some folks love to keep their commonly used kitchen tools in a container on their kitchen counters. I have seen pretty vases or cool containers used to hold frequently used utensils.

I have also seen counter top containers holding things the cook in the home hasn't used in 10 years taking up space! Organize according to your specific needs

• consider a dedicated space for your pot holders,
• Find something to gather up your small items. Baskets and containers can keep little items together. Grouping similar items makes grabbing that spice a breeze. Remember sort, sort, sort!

Drawer Organizers

If you have a lot of dish towels consider a dedicated drawer for dish towels only if your drawer space affords you this luxury.

Drawer dividers keep everything neatly separated, preventing that dreaded utensil jumble.

Photo byMarj Bates

Baskets and Containers

Baskets and containers are great if you have limited drawer space or deep drawers where things get lost.

If you have the space and can use dedicated spaces as organizational solutions that is great! Some of us though have a small kitchen and when the flatware drawer is occupied there are few drawers left.

Magnetic Strips for Utensils

A good idea is to get rid of your wood, space-robbing knife block and this will save some space on your kitchen counters.

Eliminate the need for a knife drawer by hanging a magnetic strip near where you generally cut stuff. Plus this frees up precious drawer space. I find it safer than reaching into a jumbled drawer full of utensils.

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How to Maintain After You Organized Your Kitchen Drawers

You've done the hard work. Now, how do you maintain it? The best way is to not let the amount of items you bring into your home outweigh the amount of items you have painstakingly organized.

Implement the one-in-one-out rule. When you bring something into your home discard an item. Most people will not do this every time. Doing so occasionally though will make a big difference too.

Regular Check-ins

Schedule regular check-ins every few months to assess and straighten out your drawers. It’s like a spring cleaning, but mini—and far less dreadful.

Organizing kitchen drawers isn't just about making space; it's about creating a kitchen that works for you. You'll save time, reduce stress, and maybe even find joy in your cooking process. Although do not hold me to that last part.

Like I said, for me a person that does not like to cook, being decluttered and organized can make all the difference! It allows me to get in and out of the kitchen in a reasonable amount of time!

Photo byMarj Bates

Marj Bates is a life long ridiculously organized declutter-er and artist. Less is more are words Marj lives by in everything she does except collecting dogs. “Dogs are like potato chips! Can’t have just one.” says Marj. Marj wonders if growing up with a fanatically clean Jewish mom means her decluttering and organizational skills are in her blood.

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