Kitchen and Pantry Organization: Your Ultimate Guide
Transform the busiest room in your house into a warm and functional space you’ll love to use.
The kitchen and pantry area is a top request from our Graceful Spaces Organizing clients– and we love the challenge! Of course, no space is the same, but the results speak for themselves— 90 percent of our clients keep up their organizational habits after one year of working with us.
To help you recreate that same magic in your kitchen, we've put our top tips and resources in one place. With the right strategy, you can create a space that is both functional and inspiring.
The secret to our success is building a foundation that makes keeping things clean a habit, not a hassle. We want to help you empower the entire family to do their part and build valuable organizational skills they'll use in the kitchen and beyond.
Start with a plan
Our approach to organization isn’t just about what goes where. Instead, we want to help you create a home that supports your goals and passions— and that starts with understanding just what those goals are.
Take some time to write down your priorities for the kitchen space. For example, are you trying to create a kid-friendly set-up so your family can be more independent in the kitchen? Do you want to avoid buying duplicate items on your weekly grocery store trips?
Jot down every goal, and then choose your top areas of focus. You’ll want to keep these in mind as you move on to the next steps!
Categorize your food and kitchen supplies
You might be tempted to skip this step, but trust us— it’s essential. Take out and categorize all the items in your fridge, pantry, and cupboards. Donate what you can, trash what you can’t, and appreciate the process.
Use bins or taped-off zones to organize everything that will go back in your kitchen. Separate tools or products you rarely use from daily go-to's so you know what needs to be readily available and what can be tucked away.
Did we mention this is the perfect time to give all those empty shelves a quick wipe down or vacuum? Let’s hear it for multitasking!
Do you feel like your fridge is a black hole where food goes to die? Organization is your friend here. Use bins and labels to keep track of all the food that moves in and out of your fridge.
For kitchen supplies, you’ll want to group items by how you use them. Try putting appliances near counter space with outlets. Cookware should be within easy reach of the stove.
When in doubt, consider a tool’s function to select the perfect location.
For more on this, check out the blog posts below:
Essentials for Building a Kitchen
Simple Solutions for an Organized Fridge
MAKE IT LAST
Every so often, do a sweep of your kitchen and pantry to identify and remove any expired items. Use the “one in, one out” method to avoid cluttering up your space with duplicates.
Set up a donation bin near your kitchen. When you identify a waffle iron you never use or a broken skillet, send it straight to the donate bin rather than continuing to look at it and letting it take up space.
Build your perfect pantry
The pantry is a crucial step in this process. It’s so important that we dedicated an entire course to pantry organization.
A carefully curated pantry saves you time and money. Ask yourself how you best use the space and make a list of any storage containers you need. Organizational tools like labels will help you keep track of ingredients, expiration dates, and more.
When building your pantry, arrange food items in levels based on how often you’ll need to use them. This will keep things looking tidy in even the smallest of spaces.
Pro tip: Turntables can go higher up as they allow you to spin to see what is in the back of that shelf. Reserve lower shelves for decanted items or bins you need to see into.
Want to see just how we do it?
MAKE IT LAST
Is your goal to empower your kids in the kitchen? Make it easy for them to grab an afternoon snack or help pack their lunch by keeping those items in easy reach. Avoid spills or stale food with the help of easy-open canisters and containers.
Pro tip: Keep the categories easy for kids— micro categorizing can make it hard for them to put things away, gets messier faster and requires more label changing when kids change their minds. For example, label “bars” vs. granola bars or blueberry bars or label “snacks” vs. Doritos or Chips.
Organization ideas for the dining area
You want to keep movement in mind when setting up the dining space in your kitchen. For example, can people quickly bring dishes from the cupboard to the table? Is everyone able to easily reach their seat?
Consider keeping everyday items like your salt and pepper shakers or napkins close by to make mealtime a breeze! Elevate the counter look with functional decor by placing a nice salt and pepper shaker on a pretty marble turntable and decant cooking oil into a glass jar.
MAKE IT LAST
Just like with the pantry, keep your everyday plates and silverware within reach to cut down on accidents and make it simple for the family to pitch in at dinnertime.
Never forget to label. It's the biggest key to keeping everyone on the same page!
Give your new layout a test run
Once you’ve done the hard work of arranging your things around how they’re used, feel it out over the next few weeks to see what’s working and what needs tweaking. For example, if you find yourself stretching to reach things while preparing food, consider moving items down lower.
This is all part of the process, so don’t worry about perfection. The point is to find what works for you and your family. So take a deep breath, give yourself grace, and dive in.
And remember, you don’t have to do it alone.
While we believe everyone can become organized, working with a professional on your initial strategy can be a huge timesaver. Whether you’re looking for DIY courses or a 1:1 experience, our professional home organizing team will work with you to create a plan tailored to your home and your family’s unique needs.
We’re behind you every step of the way.
— Rebecka, Christina & the Graceful Spaces Team
Psst— looking for inspiration? Follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. You can also check out Austin client home tours on our blog:
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