Are you looking for tips for organizing containers in the kitchen? There are many different ways to organize food storage containers in your kitchen cabinets, drawers or pantry. No matter how you decide to approach this challenging task, the time that you spend straightening out messy containers and devising a system to keep them in order will help you save time and lower your stress level as you go about your daily chores.
Eight Steps for Organizing Containers in the Kitchen
- Start Fresh - Remove your kitchen containers from the cabinets or drawers where they are currently stored so that you can start the organizing process with empty storage space. Clean the cabinet, drawer or shelf thoroughly. If desired, line with fresh Contact paper.
- Sort the Containers - Separate your stockpile of kitchen containers by size, being sure to match each container with the appropriate lid.
- Get Rid of Odd Pieces - When you have finished separating your containers and matching them up with lids, there will probably be some mismatches pieces left over. Do not put these back in the designated storage space. Instead, if you end up with odds and ends (containers with no lids or tops with no bottoms), throw them away or place them in a box to donate to charity.
- Throw Away Damaged Pieces - This is a great time to get rid of storage containers that are stained, scratched, or in otherwise poor condition. Look closely at each container that you have and decide if it is in good enough condition to keep. If you have a surplus of kitchen containers, there's no reason to keep ones that aren't in good condition and that you are not likely to use.
- Assess Remaining Containers - Take stock of the containers that you are keeping so that you are aware of the quantity and variety of items that need to be placed back into the storage area.
- Determine Optimal Container Placement - Don't randomly place the containers in their permanent storage spots. Instead, think about how the containers are used before deciding how to place them in the drawers or on the shelves where they will be stored. Regardless of size, you'll want to place the items that you use the most frequently where they can be accessed easily. Place the ones that you use infrequently in the most out of the way places. Doing so will help you stay organized since it will reduce the need to move containers around to access the ones you need.
- Pair Containers with Lids - Pair each container with a matching lid before storing it. Doing this will keep you from having to rummage around to find both pieces when you need to store something.
- Commit to Staying Organized - Don't allow your kitchen containers to deteriorate into a jumbled mess again. Once you have them stored in a proper, organized manner, take care to keep them that way. Look at the storage area periodically and intervene when you see a mess starting to form. Taking the time to straighten out the containers on a regular basis will help you stay organized and avoid having to pull everything out and start over in the near future.
Home Organization Starts in the Kitchen
The kitchen is a great place to start when you are ready to put your home in order. After all, you and the other members of your family probably spend more time in the kitchen than in any other part of your house. Organizing containers in the kitchen is an important step in the process of getting your home organized. Once you've taken care of straightening out your food storage containers, you can move on to organizing your pots and pans, cabinets, pantry and more.
