Key Takeaways
- Pet gear, charging cords, and paperwork don’t belong on kitchen counters—give them homes closer to where they’re actually used.
- Skip the junk drawer and move tools, lightbulbs, and hardware to a utility space or toolbox.
- Store only what you truly use for cooking in the kitchen, and decant bulk cleaners to save cabinet space.
Everyone wants kitchen cabinets that don't send a chill up the spine when a guest opens one in search of a spoon, and drawers where finding the right measuring cup is easy. We asked three professional organizers who work in homes all across the South which items they see taking up valuable real estate in the kitchen most often. Finding a better home for these things lurking in your cabinets will set you on the path to a more organized kitchen.
Meet the Experts
- Martha-Carol Stewart is the owner and CEO of Chaos Organizing based in of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She is also the co-author of Southern Chaos: Organizing the Southern Home.
- Mindy Godding is a Certified Professional Organizer based in Richmond, Virginia and the owner of Abundance Organizing. She is also the president of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals.
- Amy Bergman is a professional organizer and owner of Amyzing Spaces in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Dog Leashes and Waste Bags
After a long walk with your dog, heading straight to the couch always sounds more enjoyable than putting things away. That's why professional organizer Amy Bergman often sees kitchen counters become not-so-temporary homes for dog leashes and waste bags.In reality, tossing the leash on the counter requires just as much mental and physical energy as hanging it on a hook (preferably one that's not in your kitchen).
Charging Stations
Charging stations are a necessary evil, but that doesn't mean they belong in the kitchen. Still, organizer Mindy Godding sees them taking up a decent fraction of counter space with phones, tablets, and smart watches all too often."Charging stations are rarely tidy," She says. "Usually, the cords are a tangled mess, and old and abandoned devices or mismatched cables tend to linger for months."
She recommends that her clients relocate their charging stations to a place where they are still in a communal, often used space, such as a mudroom entry.
Bathroom Cleaning Supplies
Your home's cleaning supplies should be conveniently located in the spaces they correspond with. That's why organizer Martha-Carol Stewart isn't opposed to keeping kitchen cleaners in the kitchen. Bathroom cleaners, however, belong elsewhere.Additionally, she suggests buying small versions of kitchen cleaners. If you want to buy in bulk, consider decanting your counter sprays and dish soap into more modest-sized bottles.
"Bulk cleaning will take up precious space if stored in the kitchen," she says. "Non-kitchen cleaning supplies belong in the utility room or in the cabinets of the areas where they are used."
Paperwork
Despite the fact that we're living in a digital era, papers are still one of the biggest offenders when it comes to kitchen clutter. School permission slips, bills, coupon mailers, and appliance manuals multiply quickly.Instead of letting papers take up residence on your kitchen counters, Stewart says to take care of them immediately. Recycle the junk mail and put bills and other forms that require attention in your home office or desk area.
Tools (and Everything Else in Your Junk Drawer)
All three professional organizers cited tools and hardware supplies as one category of items that they frequently see in kitchens.Stewart puts it best. "You don't need a hammer and screwdriver to meal prep," she says. "A more logical place for tools is the utility room or in the outside storage room."
Along with wrenches and drills, tape measures, lightbulbs, rubber bands, picture hangers, and other just-in-case items in your junk drawers crowd out the kitchen tools you use daily.
In fact, Godding has a hot take on junk drawers, and it is that you shouldn't have one in your kitchen at all. "The main problem with junk drawers is that stuff goes in, but nothing ever comes out," she says. "Because the kitchen is a high-value space, we want to avoid items landing and becoming stagnant."
Bergman offers an easy solution. Relocate tools and junk drawer items to a utility drawer in the garage or a dedicated household toolbox. If you want a small kit inside for quick fixes, limit it to just the essentials and label the container clearly.
Read the original article on Southern Living
