How to Organize Your Kitchen Like a Semi-Sane Adult

Hey y’all! Pull up a bar stool, grab a coffee (or let’s be honest, a glass of wine), and let’s chat about how to organize your kitchen so it actually works for you.

Quick side note if you’re following along on my home journey: I found a rug! (Do I know if it works yet? Nope. Will I return it in three weeks after staring at it too long? Also maybe. Stay tuned for that thrilling conclusion.)

Why Kitchen Organization Matters

Confession: I am one of those people who cannot go to bed unless my kitchen is 100% clean. Sink empty, counters wiped, dishwasher humming—otherwise, I’m up at 2 a.m. staring at the ceiling thinking about dirty spoons.

Kids have slightly cured me of this (I’ve accepted that puzzle pieces will forever be sprinkled across my floors like confetti), but organization still feeds my Type A soul. And moving into a new house? That’s like Christmas morning.

Every time we move, I play a little game called Where Should the Plates Live? I put everything where I think it makes sense… and then 4 months later, I’m muttering “WHO put the cups here?!” (spoiler: it was me).

This time, I decided—there has to be a better way, right?

Step One: Empty It All Out

If you’re reorganizing, start by taking everything out of your cabinets. Yes, everything. Dump it all on your table and marvel at how you somehow own 36 mismatched coffee mugs.

Pro tip: wipe those cabinets down before refilling. Be honest—when’s the last time you actually cleaned inside your cabinets? If your answer is "when I moved in," you’re not alone. (Okay, guilty confession: I do try to clean mine quarterly, but let’s be real—it’s because I’m slightly unhinged about cleaning)

Also—this is your official permission slip to break up with that sad, tomato-stained Tupperware. You know, the one whose lid smacks you in the head every time you open the cabinet. BYE.

Step Two: Shelf Liners Are Your Friend

Shelf liners save your cabinets from scratches, and they make it easier to clean. BUT—don’t cheap out here. The dollar-store ones slide around like a Slip ’N Slide and will drive you bananas. Ask me how I know.

Here’s the one I’m using for the new house: Amazon Gorilla Grip Liner. And for the pantry shelves, I’m testing out this one. Jury’s still out, but I’ll report back.

Step Three: Think in Zones

Here’s where it gets fun: break your kitchen into zones. (Don’t panic, zones can overlap—it’s not Tetris.)

• Cooking Zone: Pots, pans, utensils, spices, oven mitts—basically, anything you grab while channeling your inner Gordon Ramsay. Keep it close to the stove so you’re not sprinting across the kitchen mid-sauté.

  • Hot tips:

    • Lids in a basket = less swearing at dinner time. No more lid avalanches that make you question your life choices. These are great!

    • Organize your pots by function so you’re not on a full-blown archaeological dig every night. Heavy ones should also live down low—because nobody wants to risk a concussion pulling a Dutch oven off the top shelf.

    • Label your spices (on the top!) or get a cute organizer so you’re not playing “mystery powder roulette.” (Spoiler: it’s never cinnamon when you think it is.)

• Prepping Zone: Cutting boards, knives, silverware, mixing bowls. Ideally between the fridge and stove so you can grab and chop without running a marathon.

  • Smaller prep tools? Pop them in a drawer with trays for separation. Like these. (Bonus: when guests open it, they’ll think you’re way more put-together than you are.) Baking tools can live here too—you don’t need 47 drawers just for spatulas. Just pop them in their own tray within the drawer.

• Baking Zone: Baking sheets, baking pans, cooling racks, measuring cups. (Also, an excellent hiding spot for your “secret chocolate stash.”) Keep this near your sink and oven so you aren’t performing a balancing act just to toss a dirty bowl in the sink.

• Serving Zone: Plates, bowls, cups. Keep them near the dishwasher—because nobody wants to trek across the kitchen with a stack of plates.

• Cleaning Zone: Usually under the sink. We’re going to be rebels this time and ours is going to live in an upper cabinet so no baby locks are required.

  • Only store whats used regularly. Six half-empty bottles of the same cleaner? Time to pick a favorite. (I’m guilty).

    
    

Store Smart (aka Don’t Hoard Peelers)

Keep everyday stuff within reach, and banish the once-a-year appliances (looking at you, quesadilla maker) to the back or high shelves. Get rid of the clutter! Nothing is worse than opening a drawer and a hundred things rolling around. Less is more – you don’t need 5 peelers.

Cool Storage Gadgets I Swear By

• Under-shelf baskets - Free shelf space you didn’t know you had.

• Stackable shelves - Vertical space deserves love too.

• Cookware organizer – We use ours for our charcuterie boards!

• Stick-on paper towel holder – Keeps those counters clear. 

• Knife drawer organizer - Because a jumbled knife drawer is just asking for trouble. (Also, can we retire the giant wood knife blocks? Thanks.)

• Over-the-sink drying rack - Space-saving MVP.

• Shoe rack in a cabinet - Weird but genius: use a shoe rack in your cabinet if you don’t have pull-out drawers. Suddenly your pans have VIP seating.

• Organizer trays - My personal obsession. Works in the kitchen, bathroom, junk drawer… basically everywhere you want a smidge of sanity. Have I bought about 10 for the new house to use wherever they are needed? Yep. They come in different sizes!

  
  

Hot Take: Those Clear Plastic Fridge Containers

Yes, I know every influencer fridge looks like a rainbow-sorted dream. But I cannot with those bins. I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’ve ended up with sticky plastic boxes that just made me mad.If someone has cracked the fridge-bin code, please tell me. Until then, I’ll stick with my little fridge “zones” and call it good.

And that’s my semi-sane approach to kitchen organization! Next time you look at your junk drawer and sigh, just remember: zones, liners, baskets, and permission to toss the spaghetti-stained Tupperware.

(Also: still crossing fingers about the rug. Updates coming soon.)

Designing with a little faith, a lot of coffee, and the occasional DIY fail—see you in the next post!

Here is a sneak peak of our new kitchen! Be on the lookout for lots of new updates to come!