5 Kitchen Drawer Organization Tips
As homeowners continue to invest in materials and storage solutions that make daily life run smoother, we’ve found an increasing interest in kitchen drawer banks. The basic builder grade base cabinets with a half depth shelf and a single drawer above it don’t offer the best storage capacity or access. More drawers mean more organization, if you have the right systems in place to support you. Here are five of our favorite kitchen drawer organization tips to prevent “junk drawer plague” – where every drawer becomes a mess – no one has time for that nonsense.
1. Kitchen Drawer Organization Tip: Flatware and Knife Storage
This one is a no-brainer, as there is nothing worse than a drawer full of loose forks. At a minimum, most people have some sort of flatware organization. Removable maple flatware organizers blend in with the drawer box, providing a Pinterest worthy look, but more importantly they’re typically more generous than aftermarket plastic trays that can’t comfortably hold twelve place settings. The best part is that they’re made specifically to fit your cabinet, so there’s no wasted space, and no sliding around.
To reduce visual clutter and keep sharp blades out of reach from little hands, knives should be kept in drawers (with a child lock if necessary). There are many different configurations available for keeping your knives in line, but we find simpler wooden inserts offer the most flexibility for knives of various shapes and sizes.
2. Kitchen Drawer Organization Tip: Kitchen Utensil Storage
Keeping kitchen utensils in a drawer keeps them clean and your counters clutter-free. Wider slots are optimal for utensils since they come in so many different shapes and sizes. Try grouping like items together (such as bamboo utensils and silicone spatulas) and alternate the direction of clunky items like whisks or ladles so they lay flat in the drawer. Eliminate anything plastic as plastic breaks down when exposed to oils and acids and becomes toxic when heated – not something you want near your food (even if it’s BPA or BPS free).
3. Kitchen Drawer Organization Tip: Peg Drawer Systems
Since storing pots, pans and mixing bowls in large drawers is most common, adjustable peg systems are a great way to keep them from shifting around inside the drawers. They’re also helpful for dividing wider drawers into separate sections when a single drawer houses more than one category (for instance, mixing bowls on one side and casserole dishes on the other).
4. Kitchen Drawer Organization Tip: Spice Drawers
Storing herbs and spices away from heat is ideal to ensure long-lasting freshness, optimal flavor and to maximize health benefits. Designating a spice drawer next to the range keeps them away from rising heat sources (such as burners or under-cabinet lights) and makes sure they’re easily accessible during meal prep. Glass bottles fit well in these stacked spice drawer organizers. If a whole drawer dedicated to spices seems excessive, or your buy spices in bulk, a pull-out cabinet next to the range may be a more appropriate solution.
Keep spices neat and tidy by alphabetizing or organizing them by group. We’re partial to our local Savory Spice Shop in South End and highly recommend you stop by after one of
our design meetings at our studio.
5. Kitchen Drawer Organization Tip: Custom Drawer Organization
The beauty of working with custom cabinetry is the ability to create solutions to your specific storage needs that may not otherwise be available as standard offerings. Custom paper towel drawers, charging stations, spice drawers and utensil organizers are just a few of the ways we’ve helped our clients maintain order in their kitchen drawers, saving them time and frustration.
Whether you choose to have us order your kitchen drawer organizational features as part of your cabinetry, or you decide to attack them on your own with aftermarket solutions, having your kitchen drawers organized from the start is the best way to prevent drawer clutter.
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