How to Organize Your Kitchen

As the heart of the home, a well-organized kitchen can make or break the experience of cooking and eating and doing homework and paying bills and all the other things that go down on the bar stools. There is a lot that happens in the kitchen, and let’s face it, it’s easy to get unorganized quickly with a clean-up, but without the right tools and systems in place, the mess is likely to come back again. Even with them, it’s key to maintain.

Although we’re not organizing experts, we have learned a few helpful interior design tips and tricks over the years. Here, we’re not just sharing interior design tips on how to organize your kitchen cabinets, but other spaces of utility in the kitchen, like open shelving, pantries, and more. Here are some of the best organizational practices and essentials for creating a kitchen space that’s just as beautiful as it is functional.

How to organize your kitchen starts with finding the right jars and canisters to contain it all. We suggest displaying everyday ingredients or seasonal treats that have a unique hue or shape. The key here is choosing items that are pleasing to look at and a glass or see-through jar. You can style them anywhere from the pantry to your kitchen countertop to open shelving. Bonus: they’ll keep your dry ingredients fresher longer and eliminate the use of plastic.

Shop McGee & Co.

Canisters and Jars

Strafford Glass Canister

McGee & Co.

Seeded Glass Canister

McGee & Co.

Leather Pull Lidded Jars

McGee & Co

The workhorse of a small kitchen design has got to be a rolling cart. The key word is “rolling” as it’s essential that you can push it out of the way or to the corner of the kitchen (or to a whole new room if you’re entertaining) when it isn’t being utilized.

Baskets are a great way to organize your kitchen when they’re utilized like they’re a drawer. Choose ones with handles so you can easily slide them in and out and place them together in sets across the bottom row of open shelving for a more uniform storage look. Or, in the case of our Water’s Edge project, have baskets built into your custom cabinetry that are on gliders.

Shop McGee & Co.

Storage Baskets

Salter Woven Basket

McGee & Co.

Jacinta Woven Basket

McGee & Co.

Madara Rattan Basket

McGee & Co.

How to organize your kitchen is easily done with easy access to your cooking utensils. We love the look of a crock on a kitchen countertop. Vintage ones bring an element of time-worn tradition to your space, while ceramic or stoneware ones feel natural and organic. Inside your crock, store the utensils you use most often (not every single tool you’ve ever bought) for easy everyday access.

Shop McGee & Co.

Kitchen Crocks

Aleph Striped Crock

McGee & Co.

Whitmore Stoneware Crock

McGee & Co.

Dashed Ceramic Crock

McGee & Co.

Another interior design tip for organizing your kitchen is to bring form and function by corralling your most-used kitchen objects on a tray or large and shallow bowl. We love having olive oil, balsamic, honey, or sea salt next to the sink or stovetop. Styling fruit, garlic bulbs, or fresh herbs alongside them is a great way to add some color.

This interior design tip is all about choosing intentionality. On open shelves, pick your prettiest platters and bowls and arrange them artfully to let useful kitchen objects become art. If you’re short on storage options, think about ways you can display the rarely used china or dinnerware you use only alfresco. One of the most important keys to a well-organized kitchen is knowing what to keep out and tuck away. It’s all about finding a balance between things that you both often use and want to display.

Shop McGee & Co.

Display-Worthy Bowls

Spongeware Bowl

McGee & Co.

Mattia Hand Painted Bowl

McGee & Co.

If you’re taking on a kitchen remodel, think about ways to incorporate a shelf above your stove or sink in the design, this allows for easy access to everyday products when you’re in the middle of a meal. If you’re just wanting a refresh, hang a beautiful shelf between your stove and vent to store salt and pepper and oils.

How to organize your kitchen starts with thinking of clever ways to display and access. Consider going vertical for items that are capable of being hung—aprons, pots and pans, measuring cups, brooms and dustpans, etc. A pot rack can be beautiful if styled right and a cute set of hooks can make an empty kitchen wall feel designed.