How to organize your kitchen in a few simple steps

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Kitchens come in all shapes and sizes but they all have one thing in common; they’re the keeper of food, containers and random items that have nowhere else to go.

Over the past year, I’ve transformed my kitchen from a disparate melting pot to an organizational Eden that could double as a set on a cooking show. I tested many products and tried various approaches, but found the bulk of effective organization came down to three essential items: containers, shelves and jars.

To get to a Kardashian-level pantry, you’ll need to get more detailed in your organization, but I’m aiming for simplicity, effectiveness and ease of maintenance. With these products, I’ve easily maintained an organized, easy-to-navigate and clean kitchen.

1. Containers

“Containers” is a broad category. I like using three types of containers for optimal organization: pantry containers for dry ingredients, leftover containers and acrylic containers to group items. For the first two categories, the clear winner is the Rubbermaid Brilliance collection.

Pantry and leftover containers

I’d throw a Rubbermaid party not to sell the product, just to celebrate it. The collection is dishwasher safe, shatterproof, odour-and-stain-resistant, airtight and clear as freshly Windexed glass. They aren’t the least expensive containers on the market, but they have proven their value (we tried many containers to get to this result). I couldn’t find one mega Brilliance set to cover our pantry and leftover storage needs, so I ordered a few to best suit my containing needs.

Starter pack (good for a few flours, sugar and other pantry needs): Rubbermaid 10-Piece Brilliance Food Storage Containers ($123.27)
Extra flour/sugar containers:Rubbermaid 9-Piece Brilliance Food Storage Containers ($85.11)
Leftover/meal prep mega pack:Rubbermaid 44-Piece Brilliance Food Storage Containers ($189.61)
Meal prep heaven:Rubbermaid 12-Piece Brilliance Food Storage Containers with Dressing Container ($38.19)

Acrylic containers

As lovely as it would be to empty every store-bought item into a cute mason jar or container, it’s not a realistic undertaking for me. Enter acrylic containers.

In the fridge,  I use these containers for cans of soda and water bottles. I find these make a big difference when it comes to organizing and being able to locate things inside my fridge. These containers really show their potential in the pantry. You can take baking powders, seasonings (more on spices below), dried beans, cans and other pantry items and beautifully group them.

I use six of these containers in my food cabinets and they make all the difference.

This set of eight comes with four large and four small containers. Here’s another set of eight containers that are all the same medium-ish size. These are the sets I’ve tried, but here are other options that may better suit your kitchen needs.

2. Shelves

In order to get the most out of your kitchen storage, lean into additional shelves. You can get fancy with this, but I’m happy with these affordable $40 adjustable shelves. I credit these shelves with providing enough additional space to store six acrylic containers. Our team has also tested and loved this cabinet organizer that looks good enough to steal some permanent space on your countertop.

If you don’t require adjustable shelves, this bamboo option has a more natural and bolder look.

Adding additional storage space under your sink for cleaning supplies, garbage bags, extra hand soap and bits and bobs can also help to declutter and make things easier to find. This under-the-sink organizer with a pull-out drawer is my go-to.

3. Jars

Similar to containers, there are a couple of types of jars that could be worth investing in. Namely, spice and mason jars. As mentioned,  I’m not about constantly emptying store-bought packaging and re-homing ingredients. But for those dry ingredients like beans, seeds, table sugar and popcorn, mason jars make sense. These ingredients are often sold in flimsy bags or in bulk. Rather than using elastics and tossing them in the back of the cupboard for future kitchen spills, I now use mason jars.

The final step of ultimate kitchen organization is refining your spice drawer, box or wherever you keep your seasonings. Follow your nose. There are many options out there, in varying levels of fanciness; I went with these simple jars and dressed them up with these stylish pre-printed spice labels. There are 192 spices already printed, but if you find something exotic that’s not included, the set comes with eight blank ones.

When it comes to organizing your spice jars, that’s quite dependent on the layout of your space. You could see if this extendable spice rack tray fits, or try one of these: SimpleHouseware Countertop Spice Rack, Space Saving Spice Rack Organizer or SONGMICS Spice Rack, Set of two Cabinet Shelf Organizers.

It took me a few hours and some trial and error as to what goes where, but it’s totally worth it because it’s everlasting kitchen organization.

Bonus product you didn’t know you needed: Cabinet Door Pan Lid Organizer. Never again will your pan lids be thrown into the cupboard and constantly in your way. Life changing!

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rmann@postmedia.com

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