Easy Kitchen Organization in Under 30 Minutes

Whether you’re pouring Cheerios or hosting 20 people for Thanksgiving - to have a kitchen full of love, it first needs to be FUNCTIONAL (i.e. organized).

To get you there I’m sharing my favourite simple organizing tips.

Goal: Spend less time time sorting through pots and pans you never use - more time showing little hands how to measure flour and sipping your coffee slow.

Best Part: You can implement these ideas in under 30 minutes (and probably without buying anything new).

Ready??!

Let’s do it!

#1: The “Infrequently-Used-Tools” Bin

Sorry, I couldn't think of a cooler name - buttt it’s prob my favourite concept so stay with me.

Essentially, I store all our large kitchen utensils that I only use every couple of weeks - or twice a year - in a bin in an upper cupboard out of the way. Things like cookie scoop, ladle, garlic press, that spongy thing that helps me open jars - etc.

This means that my MAIN kitchen utensil drawer - that I open 789 times per day - is veryyy easy to maintain. Because it only houses our cutlery and items we use almost daily - i.e. knives, can opener, spatula and scissors.

This works wonders in small kitchens.

If you have a lot of drawers, then just separating items by how often you use them, would also do the trick.

This goes for all kitchen storage - when deciding where to put what, keep in mind the most valuable real estate (easy to reach spots) and keep your most-commonly-used items there.

Sounds simple because it is - but often overlooked!

I loveeee bins - BECAUSE....

a) They separate items into categories which means less thinking for my tired brain.

Having baking supplies, for example, in a designated bin means that when you need baking soda, you just grab the bin without having to think twice.

This is especially helpful for small items that often get scattered, untidy and lost: spices, baking supplies, packaged foods, bread, tea & coffee, and small kitchen utensils.

Bins are also perfect for anyone who is sensitive to visual clutter (hiiii!).

Check out Tip #5 to see what categories of bins we use in our kitchen.

b) Bins create a natural limit on how MUCH to keep of a certain category.

For example I have a bin for “grains” which includes pasta, rice, etc. If that bin starts to overflow then I know (without having to even think about it) that I need to stop buying pasta - and start cooking some!

Also applies to things like snacks, spices, food containers, party supplies - and everythingggg.

In terms of different types of bins, I could go on all day - but here are a few of my favourite styles:

White Standard: I love white bins because they hide what’s inside, can be easily labelled and create a clean and simple look in busy kitchens.

Black Wired: These baskets don’t hide items as well however they add a lovely design feature which is always a bonus. Perfect for: bread, produce, coffee/tea, jars, cloths/table linens and packaged snacks.

Clear Acrylic: Clear is also handy for when you want to see what’s inside - this makes taking stock before making your grocery list fast and easy.

Baskets: Baskets are my absolute favourite! I love the look of wicker in a pantry or cupboard, it hides the contents nicely and they are SO easy to find second-hand. If you’re buying used also keep an eye out for vintage wood boxes, tins, etc. Sooo many cute used options!

*NOTE: The products linked here are just examples - my first choice is anything you already own, my second choice is buying second-hand and my third choice is buying new.

*Most of the bins in our home are from the Dollar Store. I added them when we were living on a shoestring budget and desperately wanted to get organized without spending a ton. They work completely fine - HOWEVER if you have the budget, higher quality bins are definitely stronger and more durable.

#3: Kid Bin

It took me way too long to start this one!

A few months ago I realized my kids were officially too old for me to do every single chore for them all. day. long.

Enter the Kid Bin.

I added a bucket JUST for kid items: bowls, their cutlery, their vitamins, cups - anything that wasn’t breakable - and put it within their reach. This means they can now set the table, grab a bowl for snack and get themselves a cup of water.

This can be used for all sorts of categories of kid stuff - bathroom & bedtime items are both super handy.

I also love this idea for kid snacks - whether it’s snacks they can choose for at-home or for packing their own school lunches.

If your older kids (college) are still living at home, perhaps even a shelf or cupboard of their own would be helpful.

Our kids are 3 & 5 and I wish I’d done this 1000 months ago!

#4: Taking Stock Before Grocery Shopping

The easiest way to keep your fridge, freezer and pantry tidy, is to keep your inventory at a manageable amount.

And to keep it manageable means buying only what you need.

If you have an extremely large family, live in a remote location or have an entire room dedicated to food storage then your needs will be different. Butttt for the average home and family, keeping only what you have room for is KEY.

Taking Stock means:

less accidental repeat purchases
less food going bad
less food getting lost in the black holes of your kitchen
less aggravation when reaching for a can of tuna in an overflowing pantry

Most important point about managing kitchen stock: practice makes perfect! Once you find a system that works for your current season of life, do it over and over again - and watch as you master it.

After tons of practice I can now take stock, meal plan and make our grocery list in a few short minutes and without much thought at all. I also know that we have the perfect amount of space for 2 weeks worth of groceries. Check out our meal planning system in a nutshell.

Remember, you are not Wal Mart - you are not set-up to manage large amounts of inventory at all times.

Bonus: Not only will this keep your kitchen more organized, but it will save you $ too:))

#5: Labels

I put labels in the “Level 2” category of organizing (I don’t know how many levels there are, I just made this up) - they aren’t necessary but once you have things exactly how you like them, labels take things to the next level.

No more guessing what goes where or using brain power to remember which shelf you like the sea salt.

Labels don’t need to be fussy or perfect - anything that lets you know what goes where will do the trick.

And use categories/labels that work for YOUR family.

Here are some that we use:

Snacks & Spreads (crackers, peanut butter, honey)
Breakfast & Baking (ingredients like oats, raisins, cinnamons and seeds)
Spices
Grains
Sweet (baking supplies)
Savoury (cooking seasonings)

Labels are also important if more than one or two people are utilizing your kitchen - when there are labels your 13 year old has no excuse for not putting the crackers back where they belong :)

*Keep an eye out for an entire blog post on labels coming soon.

#6: Using Everyday Items as Storage

When I’m storing produce on the counter or in the fridge I love to utilize dishes and bowls that we already own.

Instead of stressing about getting custom bins for each type of produce, I just focus on whatever makes it look the most appetizing - and that way, it gets eaten long before anything goes bad.

Think about utilizing serving platters or bowls that you only pull out for company. Fill them with produce or bread or snacks or whatever! It makes things prettier and requires less bins and bowls in your kitchen.

And it’s the perfect way to take advantage of your grandmother’s pretty dishes that are collecting dust.

I also love doing this for seasonal produce as centrepieces: a bowl full of apples on the dining table in September, mini pumpkins in October and berries in the summer.

So easy, so fun!

p.s. if you are looking for more inspiration on fridge organization this video is perfect for you.

#7: Turntable

Ok, this tip is definitely extra - and more like a Level 9 on the organizational scale…BUT my organizing heart just loves these.

Turntables (or lazy susans) add a whole new level to your kitchen organization.

Don’t buy anything that you don't have the budget for, however if your kitchen is tip-top and you’re ready to take things up a notch, turntables are amazing for easy-to-grab snacks, coffee/tea and cooking liquids (olive oil, vinegar, etc.).

*turntables also work wonders in bathrooms, craft corners and office spaces.

Here’s a pantry organization video for some super simple tips.

#8: Drawer Dividers

Drawer Dividers are the bins of drawers.

They separate categories and manage contents of a drawer so that you don’t accidentally grab a tea towel every time you reach for the salad tongs - know what I’m saying?!

Dividers can be: store-bought seperators, small containers, trays, pieces of wood, shoe boxes - anything!

Here is one of my favourite store bought style - for inspiration only.

#9: Jars

Jars fall very closely to the “use everyday items as storage”.

Benefits of Jars:

Pretty (like, so pretty)
Affordable (or free!)
Better for your Health (no nasty plastic bits leeching into your food)
Durable (and no staining)
Better for the Planet
Easy to find (probably already in your house)
Did I mention pretty?

If you want to watch a video about just HOW much I love jars here you are :))

#10: Decluttering

Last but not least - eliminate the clutter.

The less items you have to manage, the easier life is! Period. End of story.

Here are some of my go-to decluttering tips to get you started.

And if you’re in my area, reach out anytime for my in-home packages - having a decluttering/organizing buddy is a game changer.

Ok, friends, those are my tips for today (more to come in the future).

Most important take-away: kitchens don’t need to be large, open concept or “up-to-date” to be organized, functional and a pleasure to be in.

Don’t wait until you paint or update the countertops or get new flooring. Organizing your space is the quickest and cheapest way to a kitchen you adore.