My Favorite Kitchen Organizers
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In a moment of cosmic synergy last Saturday, my fridge, pantry, and spice cabinet became organized at the exact same moment. It was nothing short of a miracle, and I ducked underneath the kitchen table just in case an asteroid simultaneously descended upon our fair city. It could happen, you know.
Seeing as how the kitchen is rarely this shiny, I pulled out the camera and snapped a few pictures just in case it never again returned to such a state.
While I hardly find myself a super saavy organizer (see proof here), I have found a few things that totally work and work well when it comes to cleaning the kitch in a fabby fabu way. Here’s a quick list of those little wonders…
1. Inexpensive clear pantry organizers. The round white organizers you see up top there were a Martha Stewart line of organizers from Kmart, purchased in 1893 before Martha chummed it up in the slammer. They were needlessly expensive and oddly shaped, so I hunted around this year for containers that better fit the space. I found three boxes of those pretty rectangular organizers from HomeGoods. They cost $19.00 for six containers (one tall and fat, one tall and thin, two short and squat, two short and skinny) that all fit nicely together and utilize more of my pantry cupboard space that the circular containers did. If you don’t have a HomeGoods store, check Ross or TJMaxx and keep your eye open for affordable OXO containers, or try these Kinetic Go Green organizers from Amazon. When ordering or shopping for pantry organizers, always get one extra set of containers. You never know what you’ll need to pour into a little clear box for safekeeping, or when one of your well-used containers will break, so it’s nice having a few on back-up.
2. Clear Baskets. I found the clear containers (see pic above, near the bottom of the pantry) in the bathroom section of Target. They come with a little metal handle, which can be quickly lifted off, and make the perfect storage space for school lunch snacks, bags of popcorn, and your secret stash of chocolate hidden under a can of cashews. Speaking from experience here.
3. Deli Containers for Spices. After my post on Spice Cabinet Makeovering, a few of you suggested that writing the types of spices on the sides of each container (as well as the tops) might make finding each spice twenty-nine times easier. Duh. It totally does. I still can’t get over how entirely I love those spices all stacked up and looking purty as can be.
4. Ample Free Space. Okay, so you can’t go and buy it, but I wanted to show how nice it is to have an entire portion of your cabinet available for clutter-free storage. With all of my teeny-tiny spice bottles nixed in favor of the stacks of deli containers, I can keep some of my larger bottles on the shelf and grab them without maneuvering through a teetering mess.
5. See-through containers with prepped veggies. I know there’s two little drawers for storage at the bottom of the fridge, but things always get lost in there. It’s like the black hole of produce. Not to mention the fact that things start looking all used-up and unappetizing in a matter of minutes, and don’t make you feel particularly excited about grabbing an orange when a bottle of butter and jam are staring you in the face from two shelves above. To make our veggies more accessible (and to encourage the family actually consider the healthy stuff a viable snack option), I spent 9 bucks on a few extra-large reuseable storage containers whose purpose was to hold veggies, sit in the fridge, and look fabulous. They are terrifically successful in fulfilling their duties. The twins came home yesterday, grabbed the box of peas, the carton of pomegranate arils, and crunched away while doing homework. Oh, and they made Top Ramen, too, but that’s entirely beside the point.
What are your secrets to organizing your kitchen corners? Do share!
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Stasha on November 15, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Okay, you’re freaking me out. The inside of your fridge looks just like the inside of MY fridge. Not the food inside it, mind you, because my fridge is almost always empty, just ask Dave.
I always put my eggs in a plastic container in the fridge. I feel like I can store more eggs that way and I always know when I’m running low.
I also read somewhere that you should buy all the same shape plastic containers so they are easier to stack whether in use or not.
Susie on November 15, 2011 at 5:58 pm
I could never keep that many chocolate covered pretzels in my pantry- they would be gone likely split! I love the pomegranate aril idea for snacks (I’m assuming they came that way, and you didn’t spend all day removing the arils from all that messy white stuff). Ah, clear containers. Why didn’t I think of that?
Kendra on November 15, 2011 at 8:37 pm
I can’t even start to think of an organizing tip with those chocolate covered pretzels staring at me! I LOVE those. My pantry and cupboards need a makeover. Love this post! Thanks for the ideas Brooke!
Becki Madsen on November 15, 2011 at 9:18 pm
I am drooling at the sight of your pantry, won’t you come and transform mine? Well done my angel organizer friend!
Katrina on November 16, 2011 at 6:57 am
I need your kitchen.
Kolette on November 16, 2011 at 11:43 am
I’m with Becki – but I don’t necessarily need your kitchen, I just need you in MY kitchen! It has granite counter tops instead of tile ones…about 70 square feet of it. Am I making you want to come live with me and feed me on a daily basis yet? Please??????
Connie on November 16, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Your kitchen organization looks great! I think I will borrow some of your wonderful and functional ideas. Thank you :-)
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl on November 16, 2011 at 3:24 pm
I just wanted to tell you that I totally stole your deli container idea for my spice cabinet earlier this year, and it changed my life (in a good way!). Now, if only I could get my pantry and fridge to look like yours! Do you make house-calls? :-)
Becky on November 18, 2011 at 6:40 am
I just celebrated conquering our pantry too! I definitely want to hit up Crate and Barrel or Home Goods for some glass containers to replace the plastic ones. Great job with your spaces!
Nancy @ Rivertreekitchen on November 21, 2011 at 9:29 am
I especially love the clear baskets. I try to keep a logical breakdown to my pantry shelves, but that would make it so much easier. I’m googling them right now.
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kitchen pantry cabinet on February 12, 2012 at 3:23 am
I am drooling at the sight of your pantry, won’t you come and transform mine? Well done my angel organizer friend!