Clear the clutter
Start by getting rid of what you don’t use. That mandoline slicer that takes longer to clean than it does to use? The pasta maker that’s been collecting dust? If it’s taking up valuable space and not earning its keep, it might be time to say goodbye.
And yes, the junk drawer can stay – just tidy it up a bit so it’s more “useful catch-all” and less “what even is this?”
Keep your benches as clear as possible
- Benchtops love to collect stuff – keys, mail, snack wrappers, random Lego pieces. But the clearer your surfaces are, the easier it is to cook and clean.
- Choose a few everyday items to live on the bench (like your kettle, bread bin or a fruit bowl) and give everything else a proper home.
- Group oils and seasonings on a tray to make them look tidy, not scattered. Put appliances you use less often into cupboards or drawers so they’re still close, but not in the way.
Even a small clear space can make your whole kitchen feel calmer.
Rethink your storage
Good storage doesn’t have to be fancy – it just needs to make sense.
- Use drawer dividers to stop the utensil jumble.
- Pop hooks or magnetic strips inside cupboard doors for measuring spoons or pan lids.
- Use baskets in the pantry to group snacks, baking ingredients or cans, and label them if you’re feeling fancy.
- Deep drawers? Use containers inside them so things don’t disappear to the bottom. Shallow shelves? Perfect for jars or tins.
Store things where you use them
Sounds obvious – but so many kitchens are set up by where things fit rather than where they’re used. Keep tea and mugs near the kettle, knives and chopping boards close to your prep space, and cleaning products under the sink. The less you have to criss-cross the kitchen just to make a sandwich, the more it starts to feel like your space is working with you – not against you.
Stay on top of the daily mess
Wipe benches as you go. Give the sink a rinse after dinner. Do a quick drawer tidy every now and then (especially the one with the batteries, random string, and at least three pens that don’t work).
If you’ve done all the tidying, decluttering and clever organising you can think of and your kitchen still isn’t working for you, a well-planned kitchen renovation could be the fresh start your kitchen needs.
.jpg)
