Six solutions to optimise your kitchen storage!

Likewise, if you have old, beat up utensils or cooking supplies that you haven’t touched in ages, toss them out. This part can be tough because we can all think of some reason or other why hanging onto that defunct toaster is still worth saving. 

Don’t get trapped in this common pitfall. You will thank yourself for it once you discover how much space is left behind in the room when we toss out those things that we know deep down are never going to get used.

Keep inventory of your devices as you add new electronics to your repertoire of cooking tools. For example, if you got a new food processor as a wedding gift, assess whether you still need to hang onto your blender and other non-electronic items you have that essentially accomplish the same tasks as the food processor. 

The same goes for your various coffee gadgets. Upgraded from a conventional coffee maker to a chemex or espresso machine? Get rid of the old one to free up some space!

Just as there is no good reason to keep multiple appliances that do the same task, holding onto multiple utensils—especially those more obscure ones that rarely get used in the first place—is a waste of space. In fact, these small items tend to add up without us noticing, and can ultimately be one of the biggest contributors of clutter in the kitchen. 

Lay out all of your utensils and when matches appear, choose which one is more effective at doing its job. Give the rest to friends and family members who will actually use it!

Now, let’s talk about the pantry. While food items should only be temporarily occupying the kitchen before they are used, many of us wind up accumulating tones of items to the point where we forget what it is that we have! 

It’s a good idea to periodically clean out the pantry, fridge, or cabinet. Check for expiration dates, and honestly consider whether that half eaten bag of chips you bought, tried, and didn’t like, is worth saving. Of course, you can donate unopened items that haven't perished to someone who could use it.

Once you’ve cleared out some of the excess, it’s time to think about ways to store what you do have more effectively. For your cupboard, install a spice rack, or a few as we can see in this example by Maple & Gray, for more efficient storage of smaller items. Add inserts to the kitchen drawers to help categorise various utensils there. 

Basically, storage areas with more compartments are generally more useful. If you have a modular kitchen, a corner cupboard works wonders for storing bulky pots and pans.

Finally, now that you’ve done the work to get your kitchen where you want it, it’s time to practice good habits. This might not come naturally at first, but the important thing is to stick with it. Label your food items, and set reminders in your calendar so you remember to clean routinely. 

The little efforts you put forth here and there will ultimately reap great rewards as you enjoy a cleaner, more functional kitchen.

For more advice about keeping the kitchen organised, check out this guide to storing pots and pans.