20 Unique Kitchen Organizing Tips to Speed up Your Prep Time

Lack of kitchen organization (Affiliate Link) will have a toll on you and your family. But it doesn't have to be that way. All you need to do is make some small changes. Go through these 20 kitchen organizing tips and try at least a few. Then, come back and try a bit more. Eventually, you will have increased the speed of your prep time and may even improve your morning routine (Affiliate Link) with these 20 simple kitchen organizing tips.

Jump to:

• 1. Use freestanding cabinet shelves.
• 2. Each Kitchen section should be a zone.
• 3. Have a baking zone area.
• 4. Your cooking and prep area needs to be organized.
• 5. Remove items completely from cabinets.
• 6. Measure the inside of your cabinets.
• 7. Get a kitchen knife organizer
• 8. Install pull-out drawers in lower cabinets.
• 9. Store small recycling bins in the kitchen.
• 10. Designate a Small, Organized Junk Drawer
• 11. Always buy expandable drawers.
• 12. Customize your drawers with divider strips.
• 13. Organize your refrigerator with bins
• 14. Hang things on the available wall to save counter space.
• 15. Create a beverage station
• 16. Install undercabinet lighting for more task lights.
• 17. Create a Mom's Command Center in the Kitchen. 
• 18. Get kids involved with Meal Planning
• 19. Keep baby bottles in a large bin
• 20. Purchase portion control size snacks.

Full disclosure: The links in this post are from Amazon. If you click through and buy the item on their site, I receive an affiliate fee. There is no additional cost to you. Enjoy.

1. Use freestanding cabinet shelves.

When there is a fixed shelf, use cabinet shelf organizers to give you another level. This tip will maximize the wasted space between each shelf. 

2. Each Kitchen section should be a zone.

Create zones in your kitchen and put all the items you use in the different zones.

Be sure to include bowls and other tools (Affiliate Link) in the different zones as well. Read this post about how to make zones in a kitchen.

3. Have a baking zone area.

Whether you bake often or not very frequently, you should have a baking zone area to store all your ingredients for baking. Most likely, you will only be using some of these ingredients for your daily meal prep, so it is OK to go to these areas to get them. Below are the items to include in your baking zone the following items:

Measuring cups (Affiliate Link)
Spoons
Icing
Baking Mixes
Flour
Sugars
Confectioners
Yeast packets
Extracts

Please visit the "Baking Supplies Checklist and Tips" post, which gives you a free baking supplies checklist (Affiliate Link).

But don't forget the baking tools (Affiliate Link).  These items can be stored in or near this area.

Below are some of the tools that you may not use often. They can easily be stored somewhere else.

• Assorted cookie cutters
• Pie plates.
• Ramekins/soufflé dish.
• Oven mitts
• Aluminum foil
• Parchment baking paper
• Waxed paper
• Plastic cling wrap
• Flavorings and extracts
• Whisks
• Rubber Spatula
• A kitchen timer
• Dry ingredients measuring cups (Affiliate Link)
• Wet ingredients measuring cups (Affiliate Link)
• Measuring spoons (Affiliate Link)
• Mixing bowls: Sizes: small to large
• Metal cake testers
• Cooling Racks
• Rolling pins
• Wood or marble pastry board
• Pastry bags
• Flour sifter
  

Visit HOW TO CREATE A BAKING ZONE WITH A BAKING TOOLS LIST post to help you get your baking tools (Affiliate Link) in one place.

4. Your cooking and prep area needs to be organized.

This area is usually near the range. Depending on if you are right or left-handed, you could be on the left or the right of the range. In your cooking/prep area zone, have the following items: 

• Pots and Pans
• Lids
• Wooden Spoons
• Spatulas
• And, other tools (Affiliate Link) you use when cooking.

Placing these items on the left or right side of the range works nicely because we tend to need them when we are cooking our meals.

5. Remove items completely from cabinets.

When clearing the clutter in your kitchen, make sure to take out everything from the kitchen cabinet when you organize it.

This task will allow you to clean the shelves (Affiliate Link) and put in cabinet liners.

While some of these kitchen organizing tips are actually about organizing areas, others are about specifics that will improve the organized space and save you time.

6. Measure the inside of your cabinets.

If you need extra cabinet storage bins or shelves (Affiliate Link), you must do this before buying anything. Measure your cabinets' height, depth, and width opening BEFORE buying any bins or other cabinet organizing items. If you don't, you must return the items you bought. Each kitchen cabinet is a little different depending on how your door closes and the shelves (Affiliate Link) inside the door. Sometimes, the shelves (Affiliate Link) have a lip around the edges, resulting in a smaller shelf than you may think.

7. Get a kitchen knife organizer

For protection, keep all your knives in a knife organizer in your drawer or use a magnet strip to hold them.

Place all the knives in the same direction. I had both of these organizers over the years. The magnet organizer was helpful when I had little ones that tended to go into the cabinets to explore. But when the kids got bigger, I used the drawer knife organizer to stash the knives away easily.

8. Install pull-out drawers in lower cabinets.

If you have cabinets without pull-out drawers, install them to save yourself from having to sit on the floor to get the pot you need.

Rev-A-Shelf 11" Pull Out Single Draw Organizer

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Rev-A-Shelf 2-Tier Kitchen Cabinet Pull Out Shelf and Drawer Organizer Slide Out Pantry Storage Basket in Multiple Sizes, 15 x 22 In,

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(Affiliate Link)

9. Store small recycling bins in the kitchen.

If you want to start recycling in your kitchen to reduce waste, you can do this easy task. Have a smaller bin for recycling cans in your kitchen for easy access. A small bin can be stored in a corner or under a cabinet and be emptied frequently.

Slim Recycling Station 2-Stream Landfill/Mixed Recycling by Rubbermaid

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(Affiliate Link)

10. Designate a Small, Organized Junk Drawer

Use a junk drawer organizer with many compartments to help you manage the little items in your junk drawer.

Check out the items that should be in a well-organized "junk drawer." Let's call it something else, like a "frequently used supplies" drawer. It shouldn't be used as a catch-all drawer or for things that don't have a home.

11. Always buy expandable drawers.

If you are storing silverware or serving utensils (Affiliate Link), use expandable drawer organizers to help maximize each drawer space. If they don't have your size, make one that is perfect for you.

If you have wider drawers, consider making a DIY utensil organizer as I did recently.  Here's how to make yours today.

12. Customize your drawers with divider strips.

Sometimes, we only need a divider to organize the large and small things in bigger or deeper drawers. To organize these areas, you can buy divider strips that are the length of your drawer and you can easily split the area into two or three sections. Custom Drawer Organizer Strips can be cut, and design your own layout.

Another Kitchen Organizing tip is to visit this post about making your other drawers exactly how you want them. CUSTOM DRAWER DIVIDERS – THE BEST WAY TO MAKE DRAWERS MORE FUNCTIONAL

13. Organize your refrigerator with bins

Instead of having several small items around the kitchen, try using deep or shallow drawer bins inside your fridge to organize items into categories.

The deep acrylic bins (Affiliate Link) work nicely in the freezer drawer to maximize and subdivide the space.  But, if you have a shallow drawer and are having issues organizing it, Visit this post that shows you an easy way to organize these thin drawers. Below are some refrigerator bins I found on Amazon (affiliate).

Refrigerator 8 PACK Stackable Bins (3 sizes)

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Refrigerator Organizer Bins - 8pcs Clear Plastic Bins 12.5 inch deep

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(Affiliate Link)

14. Hang things on the available wall to save counter space.

If you like to have music or video streaming in your kitchen while you are prepping for dinner, hang these items on the wall or under a cabinet to save counter space or remove the TV or tablets (Affiliate Link) altogether. This works particularly well for smaller kitchens.

Wall Mount Tablet Holder with Anti Theft Security Lock and Key

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Wall Mount Tablet Holder,360°Rotating Flexibly

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(Affiliate Link)

15. Create a beverage station

If you love coffee, place all your supplies and mugs above your coffee maker in the upper cabinet to save time in the morning. A well-organized beverage station will make a peaceful morning routine (Affiliate Link) more satisfying.

If you want to hold all your beverages, read more on the How to Make a Beverage Station post. In this post, you can see a list of everything that can be organized in this area.

16. Install undercabinet lighting for more task lights.

If your kitchen doesn't have many task lights, install undercabinet lighting (Affiliate Link) to help with tasks and cleaning counters. It will help you see the very back area of your counter. The more light an area is, the more likely it will stay clean and decluttered. Below are some options I found on Amazon (affiliate).

Undercabinet LED Lighting kit, 6 PCS LED Strip Lights with Remote Control Dimmer

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Undercabinet Lights, 63 LED Rechargeable Battery Operated Motion Sensor Light

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(Affiliate Link)

17. Create a Mom's Command Center in the Kitchen. 

Whether you call it a place where everyone organizes their papers or Mom or Dad's command center (Affiliate Link), this area is super helpful for everyone in the family. This area should hold your family’s calendar and all the home and kids' school paperwork. Read more about tips on making a command station.

You will need a calendar, a place to keep papers, and a place to store keys and supplies (pens, paper, scissors, etc.) in this area.

mDesign Arrow Woven Hyacinth Hanging Wall Mount Storage Organizer Basket

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Wall Mount Board Combo Set with Rustic Burnt Solid Wood Frame

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Wall Mount Key and Mail Holder

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(Affiliate Link)

18. Get kids involved with Meal Planning

Whether your kids help decide on dinner meals or if they help in the kitchen, getting kids involved really helps save you time. It will also teach them how to cook for themselves when they get older.

Meal planning is a major time suck for one person to do, especially if you are like our family and me, where we love to have different meals each week. 

19. Keep baby bottles in a large bin

Put the lids in a smaller covered bin. Buy the same bottles so the lids can be reused for any bottle. Read more about how to organize your kitchen to maximize your morning routine.

20. Purchase portion control size snacks.

If your family is like mine, we love our snacks. To help save time during lunch packing time, buy healthy portion-controlled snacks and store them in a bin for the kids to snack on and pack their lunch. If they don't see those unhealthy snacks, they won't want them.

We didn't mention anything about the dreaded pantry (Affiliate Link). But if you want to organize that area, please visit the posts below. I have written a fair few.

TOP 20 PANTRY ORGANIZING TIPS YOUR FAMILY WILL LOVE

7 WAYS TO TRANSFORM A HALL CLOSET INTO A PANTRY

ORGANIZING KITCHEN TIPS FOR BACK TO SCHOOL

The pantry (Affiliate Link) can be quite a frustrating place to keep organized. Changing a few of the messiest areas will make it more manageable.

Well, there you have it. I hope these kitchen organizing tips help you organize your kitchen.

Please note that the links above are affiliate links through Amazon. At no additional cost to you, I will receive affiliate fees if you click through and decide to make a purchase.

Visit our other kitchen organization tips and DIY projects!