Lifehacks and tips to solve 6 common kitchen organization problems
How to organize your kitchen (photo: Freepik)
Despite efforts to maintain order in the kitchen, some organizational problems are extremely difficult to deal with. However, there are practical and simple solutions that can help keep the kitchen functional.
Martha Stewart discusses the most common problems in organizing kitchen space and how to deal with them.
Too many pot lids
Pot lids are not the easiest thing to sort. They are rarely stackable, come in different sizes, and sometimes have slightly different shapes, and they never seem to match their bottoms.
If you haven't created an organization system yet, chances are your cabinet or drawer is overflowing with lids that can fall out every time you try to get one.
Where to store pot lids
The solution to the problem of having too many lids can be vertical (for example, for doors) or overhead lid holders for pots, depending on the available space, as you can even choose a pull-out lid organizer for drawers.
Choosing something like a vertical lid organizer for pots can also help with other storage problems. It takes up less space and is universal - you can also store pots, pans, trays, and more in it.
Too many cutting boards
Cutting boards are usually not sized for easy storage. In most cases, they are large and bulky, making it difficult to find a suitable place for them - both in drawers and on walls.
What to do with a large number of cutting boards
The best solution for organizing space in the kitchen with a large number of cutting boards is to hang them on the walls on special hooks. This method is especially helpful if there is no space in the cabinets.
However, if you still want to keep the cutting boards in a drawer, you can use a vertical organizer - similar to those used for papers. This will not only free up space and keep everything in one place but also make it easy to access what you need.
A pile of various spices
Disorganized storage of spices often leads to expired herbs and spices losing their aroma.
In many cases, most kitchen spices are not used daily, making it difficult to keep them fresh for a long time - and the excessive number of packets and jars complicates freshness control.
Where is the best place to store spices
The best method for storing spices is to package them in appropriate jars, labeling them. Identical jars for spices make it easier to organize the space - they can be neatly arranged without a special organizer.
In addition, jars are more airtight than neatly wrapped open spice packets.
A plethora of kitchen towels
Kitchen towels have a way of accumulating - they're a necessary item in the kitchen - so if you don't have enough space in the cabinet, towels can end up scattered around the kitchen, creating clutter.
Where to store kitchen towels
Firstly, get rid of all kitchen towels that have expired. Torn, hopelessly soiled, or those you simply don't use have no place in the kitchen.
For the rest of the towels, there are several storage options: if you have free drawers, you can use them, adding a divider to keep stacks of towels upright.
Alternatively, if you're short on drawer space, you can use a plastic basket - which can be placed on any shelf or windowsill, keeping all towels in one place.
Disorder in the pull-out trash drawer
Quite often, there's a pull-out drawer under the kitchen sink for the trash bin.
However, these drawers are often like magic boxes - they become filled with various useful small items, jars from preserves, trash bags, spare sponges and dishwashing detergents, creating clutter.
What to store in the pull-out drawer
Don't postpone cleaning this area for later - it's better to look through the items as soon as possible, setting aside what will definitely be needed and throwing away what no one has used for a long time.
In the future, it's recommended to place plastic organizer baskets inside the drawer - this will allow you to categorize items and maintain order.
Various lids for food containers
Sometimes it seems impossible to find a lid that fits a food container. Whether it's because all the containers are different sizes and not neatly stacked, or because the lids are damaged.
How to store food containers
The first thing to do is to go through all the containers, throwing away any that are broken or discolored. Then, organize the containers by size and shape, but in a separate compartment from the lids - this will make it easy to check the dishes for damage.
Earlier, we talked about what things clutter up space in the kitchen.
Also, read about why the refrigerator can have an unpleasant odor.
