My rental kitchen is only 56 square feet, so counter space is limited and cabinet space is even more at a premium. I work from home and cook most of my meals, so a lot Spices, baking supplies, pantry items, etc. Needless to say, my cabinets are messy (to say the least).
After recently knocking a nearly full bag of flour off the shelf and onto the floor while searching for baking powder, I finally had enough. To help me sort out the mess lurking in the back of my kitchen cupboards, I reached out to Stephanie Trentos, professional organizer and founder of Lemonaid Solutions, for some expert advice. Honestly, I wish I'd done it sooner.
Read on to see how she revamped my kitchen cabinet storage, then steal her tips to create your own.
Edit, edit, edit. (Hint: edit ruthlessly.)
First, Trentos told me to organize my cupboards and throw away anything I don't use regularly. “For example, let's say I try making pad thai once and fail miserably. [then] “Peanut oil is no longer of any use,” she explains. I threw out a bottle of sunflower oil I'd only used once, and a bottle of fish oil I'd never even bought.
Also, throwing out “expired items” is another way to make space for new things. [purchases]”It's not just an issue of expiration, it's also an indication that you've had it in your kitchen for years and not used it,” says Trentos. I was surprised at how many (severely) expired spices were sitting in my cupboards, taking up valuable shelf space.
Create zones and categories.
Next, she explained that grouping similar items (like grains and pasta) can make a big difference in efficient kitchen organization. “Zones and categories are the foundation of any system that really lasts,” says Trentos. “Strict zoning eliminates waste and reduces the overall maintenance costs of your organization system.”
To create an organization system that works for you, “think about your routine, how you cook, how you shop, and what really makes sense for your day to flow smoothly when you're in this space,” she advises. Because I cook brown rice and quinoa regularly, I transferred them into the same storage container so I can see at a glance if I need to stock up on them next time I go shopping.
Rearrange based on category.
“Following the previous steps, move items to their new, appropriate location,” Treantos says. “If a category is too large for your current space, you may need to rearrange the category to accommodate quantities.” In my kitchen, this meant moving my spices and condiments (which there are many) to a larger cabinet and my grains and baking supplies to a smaller cabinet.
Keep things properly contained.
Once you've defined your categories and identified where you need to store them, it's time to buy the appropriate containers: “Order products that will make it easy to store items and easy to access,” Treantos advises.
I purchased two of these rolling containers to organize my spices and seasonings. I chose two of these containers to hold grains and baking ingredients. I chose the clear containers so I could easily see where items are and what I'm missing.
Labels make things easier to find.
Labeling your storage containers may seem silly, but it's a helpful step if you run out of a particular food item, Trentos told me.[Labels make] “That way it's easier for everyone to tidy things up, and if a box or cupboard is empty it lets everyone know what should be put there and what they need more of,” she explains.
Shop according to your space.
“Everyone's buying in bulk at Costco these days, but can your kitchen handle a big purchase?” asks Treantos. (Mine definitely can't.) If it can't but you'd still like to keep some extra stock on hand, Treantos suggests considering creating a storage area in your garage, basement, or a nearby closet.
I use a wheeled cart to store bread, pasta packets, and packaged snacks, but space is still limited. [back-stocking items isn’t] “If it's feasible for you and your home, consider shopping for something that fits your space so you can keep the system you're building in place without weighing it down with items that don't fit,” she says.
