10 tips for organizing your kitchen like Marie Kondo

The goal is to fill your home with joy and why not start with the kitchen? January is the month of renovations and that is why we can’t start 2020 without introducing you some tips on how you can organize your kitchen. It’s more appropriate to do this during the weekend, when you have more time, so you won’t let things even more messy than they already are. This is the number zero tip, finish what you start.
If you’re currently moving and have a whole kitchen to organize, note the following tips:

Tip Number 1 - Tidy up by category, not by place. The ideal is to gather everything that belongs to the same category in one place. The 3 main categories are the eating utensils, cooking equipment and food. Put everything separately outside the cupboards to have a perception of the space that will be used and also to see if there’s anything that you want to undo.

Extra tip: start tidying up by order of what you use and need the most. This way, you can finish and maybe realize that, after all, there are things that aren’t so useful and end up getting rid of them.

Tip Number 2 - The crockery should be separated into two categories: food (plates) and drink (cups). These two should be on different shelves. Plates and bowls should pile each other according to their size. The cups should be divided one by one by type - tumblers, wine glasses, flute, etc.

Extra tip: never pile the cups, they can cling to each other and it can be difficult or maybe dangerous to drop them.

Tip Number 3 - The cutlery should be stored in a drawer with compartments for each type of cutlery - knives, forks, soup spoons, dessert spoons, fish cutlery, etc. During the purchase time, you should pay attention to the number of compartments considering the types of cutlery you have at home. In&Out Cooking suggests this cutlery, utensils and gadget organiser, from Joseph Joseph, allowing you to store, not only cutlery, but also the bulkiest kitchen utensils - wooden spoons, spaghetti ladles, bottle openers, tweezers, peelers, etc.

Tip Number 4 - The kitchen utensils can be stored in two different ways. Vertically, hung by hooks on the wall or in a pot for utensils. Or, more traditionally, lying in a drawer. In this case there are no rules, you can organize the items the way that best fits your daily routine. For a vertical storage, In&Out Cooking suggests these two knives and utensils carousels, from Joseph Joseph, that brings an innovative and elegant touch to your kitchen.

Extra tip: if you choose the drawer organization please note that it’s essential that it has partitions (similar to the cutlery drawers). This way, you’ll prevent utensils from being lost in the drawer. Store them by category and then you will always have an organized drawer.

Tip Number 5 - The cooking containers and the food storage containers should be piled similarly inside each other, like pots with pots and bowls with bowls, in order to make the most of the height of the cupboard or drawer used to place them. For container lids, you should store them upright in a separate container. In this category, we can also include baking moulds for cakes or cookies and candy cooking items. Since it's not a kind of everyday cooking, you should store all of these items in a higher shelf or even in a large box in the pantry. In&Out Cooking suggests the 9-piece nesting bowl set, from Joseph Joseph, so you can have everything you need, in an organized way.

Tip Number 6 - Small kitchen appliances, such as toasters, blenders or mixers should be stored inside the cupboard and not in the workbench. Unused items should be on the back of the cupboard or in the highest shelf. This way, you’ll gain space that you need to cook, and when you need them, you will always know where to find them.

Tip Number 7 - Food should be stored in a cool place, like shelves (away from the stove or oven) or in the pantry. Fresh food should always be stored in the fridge. Get rid of everything that has already expired date and use your best judgement to decide what is good and what you should get rid of. Canned goods are stackable, so you can store them in that way, to make space for other products. If you don’t have a lot of space in the kitchen or in the pantry, choose to make less bulky purchases. To create a more harmonious place, you can put dry goods such as pasta, rice and nuts in transparent boxes. In&Out Cooking suggests this practical and intelligent solution: 5 storage container set with stand, from Joseph Joseph, allowing you to store neatly and can easily access each airtight container regardless of its position. For a shelf storage, In&Out Cooking suggests this compact tiered cupboard organiser with drawer, from Joseph Joseph, that will help you to immediately find what you’re looking for.

Tip Number 8 - Proportion. How many people live in your home? Only 2? So why do you have 10 plates and 50 items of cutlery? This tip can be applied to every place in your kitchen to minimize space and give priority to what is actually used. The same applies to the other divisions of the house. Sometimes we fall into temptation and buy in large quantities because we’re afraid of damaging or breaking the few pieces we have, but sometimes it’s better to buy less and appreciate what we have, rather than buying too much and take up more space that could be used for other things. Be realistic and have/buy everything in proportion.

Tip Number 9 - Get rid of the disposable. It’s true, you hardly use these items in your daily life. And if you do, we warn you not to do it. You’ll help the environment and reduce a large quantity of garbage. If you still have a large stock at home, you can store them in a box in the pantry, and you can use them in the next birthday party organized at home. When finished, we suggest you to replace with reusable hardwood or bamboo fiber items, such as this set, from Biobu. These products are always useful for a picnic or a beach day, so always keep them in your kitchen. 

You can read our article on 5 tips to reduce your plastic waste.

Tip Number 10 - Use and abuse of organizing accessories. They will help you make better use of the space and consequently have more space to tidy up. Baskets, hooks, shelves, boxes and even level organizers to use the vertical space inside the cupboards. This tip can help you to find a great ally in the organization of your cupboards.

And don’t forget: Keep everything that gives you Joy. If it doesn’t, get rid of it.

Live a happy In&Out Year.