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How to: Clear The Clutter In Your Cabinets Once and for All

by on Jan 8, 2016

photo: Inside Out Mar/Apr 09

I don’t know if I can speak for everyone when I say that cabinets (especially closed ones) are hard to keep organized. The dishes stack up and can get put in the wrong place. Random knick knacks from around the house can be placed in that one cabinet in your home. And before you know it, the clutter overwhelms you. Here are a few tips to help you get rid of that clutter once and for all!      

1. Take Inventory – In order for you to be able to place everything in its rightful spot, you need to take stock of what you have! For example, I use dishes for all sorts of styling gigs and, therefore, have an insane amount of bowls, plates, utensils, and mismatched cups. Designate a cabinet or two to hold all of your dishes. And organize them! While open cabinets are my ultimate #kitchengoal, they just won’t work if you can’t keep your dishes organized. Also, if you have a ton of mismatched dishes, a closed cabinet will keep that a secret! Counting your amount of plates, bowls, cups, and serving utensils will help you decide how many cabinets in your kitchen you need to store everything. 

2. Go Through The Paper Pile – Almost everyone has a stack of paper in the kitchen. Whether it’s on the counter for all to see, or tucked into cupboard on a shelf to go through later, my friends, later is NOW. It may take some time, but go through those papers and get rid of anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. With a new year, you don’t need to hold onto last year’s monthly statements for phone, cable, utilities, etc.  Major things you want to hold onto are any documents used for tax purposes. The stack of expired coupons you forgot to go through in October? That can all go. 

3. What To Keep – Hang onto plates, bowls, tupperware, baking items, cups, and any items you use frequently. If you have a set of plates you use every night for dinner, don’t get rid of those! It’s a good idea to keep one set of everyday plates, and one set of plates that you would use for entertaining purposes. If you use the same plates for both, that’s great! You’re already saving space. The same rule applies to bowls, glasses, dishes, and utensils. One set for daily use, and one set that is used for nicer occasions. 

4. What To Toss – Get rid of broken items, duplicates, and/or mismatched plasticware. Show no mercy! Kitchen space is usually limited so the goal here is to only keep what you love and use often. While you might want to hang onto that plastic holiday plate you picked up on clearance, it’s taking up precious storage space. Take into consideration how much you plan to use special items throughout the next year. If you can’t bear the idea of parting with them, consider putting them into storage until they’re seasonally appropriate. 

5. Group Like Items – Put your baking items together. Put your tupperware together. Put all the cleaning items in the cabinet under the sink. When placing things in the cabinets, make sure there is a rhyme and reason to everything. Stack your tupperware in nesting fashion and place all of the matching lids stacked underneath. 

6. Add To Your Cabinets – Use drawer dividers to help keep the utensils in order. Consider placing a lazy susan in those deep cabinets so your spices can rotate. Use a stacked mini shelf to utilize any and all vertical storage in your kitchen. In tall cabinets that came sans shelf, consider placing a board mid-way through the cabinet to create a shelf and add more space for dishes. 

7. Use Counter Space – Use smart storage solutions for the odds and ends that are still necessary. Keep a small magazine rack to hold onto recipe books. Place small hooks under cabinets to hang mugs. Place a tall spinning spice rack holder in the corner if you cook regularly. Items can definitely be placed on the counters and it works if you keep things organized. 

8. Add Hooks And Racks To The Insides Of Cabinet Doors – Use small adhesive hooks on the insides of cabinet doors to hang oven mitts, tea towels, measuring cups, etc. Mounted magazine racks are a great way to hold onto cutting boards and/or large lids. 

9. Stick To Your Resolution – Every time you grocery shop, or unload the dishwasher, or clean up dinner, take a look at your counters and cabinets. Spend a few minutes each night tidying up and making sure everything is in its rightful place. This will save you from spending hours reorganizing in the future! 

What are some of your kitchen organization hacks? 

 

 

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