9 Creative Kitchen Organization Ideas for a More Functional Space
Streamline your kitchen with these easy storage ideas.
If your kitchen clutter is starting to feel overwhelming, you’re far from alone. That’s why we’ve rounded up some of our favorite kitchen organization ideas to help you streamline your space, no matter how small or large your kitchen is.
These creative organizing ideas make the most of your drawers, shelves, and vertical space, turning a messy drawer of serving utensils or a cabinet jumbled with pots and pans into something more functional. Using items like drawer dividers, hooks, and extra shelving to store items can make your kitchen look and feel much better. Having an organized space can reduce stress when you’re rushing around trying to get breakfast ready or cleaning up after a dinner party with friends.
In addition to checking out the ideas below, you can also declutter your kitchen to create more storage space. Consider donating or tossing things like unused appliances, duplicate kitchen tools, and expired spices or pantry items. Once you’ve pared things down, it should be easier to find efficient storage solutions for your everyday items.
Ahead, check out a few of our favorite kitchen organization ideas. For more ideas on streamlining your space, check out the best pantry organization ideas and genius ways to organize your pots and pans.
Create a pegboard wall
Hanging a few utensils on a pegboard makes your kitchen more functional while also adding a dose of whimsy. Use it for the items you reach for constantly, like your cutting board, whisk, and cheese grater.
Hang your spices
There's no reason to have these jumbled in a cabinet when you can display them. Put a few rows of shelves on the wall and decant your spices into pretty, matching jars.
Install a plate rack
Free up a drawer or cabinet by putting your plates on the wall—especially if you have ones in interesting designs.
Build in mini drawers
Lean into a rustic aesthetic and carve out room on an open shelf for wooden mini drawers. It's the perfect spot to store spices, small measuring spoons, and more.
Give everything a place in the fridge
When everything in your fridge is visible, meal prep is way more efficient—plus, you'll waste less food when nothing is hiding in the back. Organize fresh fruits and vegetables on shelves and in the crisper drawers (leafy greens are best kept here, for instance). Place dairy products at the top of your fridge and use lower shelves or bottom drawers for meats.
Use inserts to maximize space
You lose a lot of space when you stack platters and casserole dishes on top of one another. Reclaim precious kitchen drawer space with a set of plastic or wood customizable drawer dividers.
Add a built-in storage block
Build a knife block into a narrow drawer to keep your knives sharp and secure—and your hands safe.
Install bracketed shelves
If there's an open space you haven't yet designed, install bracketed shelves for a practical look. They're not as bulky as cabinets, and they'll make great storage for your colorful and cute glassware.
Hang a towel bar
Nail a metal bar to the blank wall above your sink and use it to store whatever you need to keep within arm's reach: soup spoons, cheese graters, spices, and so much more.
Laura Millar (she/her) is a freelance lifestyle journalist for Good Housekeeping. She holds a degree in Film, TV & Media from the University of Michigan, and was previously the assistant lifestyle editor for GH, where she covered home design. Her byline has appeared in NBC's TODAY.com, PEOPLE, Real Simple, and Business Insider.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."
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