10 Expert Kitchen Organization Ideas for a More Beautiful, Functional Cook Space (2024)

"A lot of what we've seen is with everyone stuck at home is a focus on function and order, which means getting rid of the clutter and getting organized in ways we over look on a normal schedule," says Memphis-based designer Sean Anderson. "Part of that is seeing a lot of double islands now, especially in family homes where your island needs to be equipped as a prep, eating, and working area."

Regardless if you're able to add that second island, Birmingham-based designer Dana Wolter says she's doing a lot more islands with outlets inside of drawers so you can store—and charge—your electronics while keeping them out of your baking, cooking, or playing area. Adding just a few drawers can make all the difference when it comes to keeping your cooking utensils or favorite serving pieces more organized and accessible.

"It's all about creating lots of hidden drawers and storage for things to be tucked away in more subtle ways," Wolter says. "Creating hidden drawers in the apron of an island that will hold just enough for outlets to charge your things will be fun without inviting clutter."

If your home has a walk-in pantry—or even a pantry closet—taking an afternoon to reassess your household's needs to reconfigure this space can do wonders. And if it's large enough, a pantry could be a great place to sneak in an extra workspace away from the daily commotion.

"When it comes to pantry design, think about what works for your family in a day-to-day scenario," says Cary, North Carolina-based designer Vicky Serany. "Consider your family’s top priorities and then determine how you can work them into the overall design. Think about options such as open shelving, an extra dishwasher or sink, and an 'organization station' for notes and to-do lists to keep the family centered. Also, an efficiently organized pantry allows a dedicated space for small appliances, which in-turn creates more counter space."

When it comes to organizing our spices, we all have our preferred methods—but which is best? We asked Chef and co-founder of The Culinistas Jill Donenfeld. Aspiring Barefoot Contessas, listen up!

"I like everything put away so no spice rack for me, but I do label each jar on the top and the side of it and prefer to store them in a pull-out drawer rather than a shelf where the guys in the back could be forgotten," Donenfeld says. "When I want the sumac (often), it’s always just there."

Thinking through your most commonly used spices, and grouping them together in a thoughtful way, will ensure they are easily accessible and will help you remember which ones need to be added to your next grocery list.

"Second kitchens" are popping up everywhere, and while a fully equipped second kitchen would be a dream, we're thinking a tad smaller—butler's pantries, sculleries, well-equipped walk-in pantries, and other various extensions of the main kitchen area.

This not only gives more room to store and display your glassware and entertaining essentials, it also creates space for an extra dishwasher, an out-of-the-way spot to keep your cooking essentials that you'd prefer not to display, and keep your morning ritual necessities all in one place.

"This space is often an extension of the kitchen and may be through a cased opening but can often have the same cabinets and counter tops to tie it to the rest of the kitchen," says Nashville-based designer Carolyn Kendall. "Items such as the toaster, blender, or even a coffee bar in this area are very handy and functional. When these items are needed, our clients do not like to continuously have to pull these small appliances in and out of cabinets—like mixers and such.”

While we never want to encourage wasting perfectly good items, there's a fair chance your endless drawers or cabinets of purchased—and acquired—food storage containers could use some editing. Put some away in a less coveted storage area for your next holiday cookie exchange or the next time you make a meal for a loved one. Then, get rid of unusable items, assess what's left, and consider opting for a minimal set of glass storage containers for a more eco-friendly alternative to plastic.

"Glass containers go such a long way with regards to prep as well as storage," Donenfeld says. "Other than that, less is more. You don’t need that many tools to actually cook."

Hostesses, this one's for you. If you don't have a butler's pantry off the kitchen, using a nearby wall to either display your beautiful glassware and favorite apértifs—or go all out with a small wet bar—can save you an entertaining headache.

"Incorporate a dedicated area for a bar and beverages outside of the main working space in the kitchen," Serany says. "It allows family and guests the ability to socialize without interrupting the cook!"

If you have a common area closet that's haphazardly filled with items the family rarely touches, put those items in deeper storage and maximize the space by creating extra kitchen—or entertaining—storage.

Here, Houston-based designer Marie Flanigan turns this guest house closet into the ultimate mini bar:an espresso machine, a few bottles of vino, some favorite varieties of sparkling water, and a few other items in need of a home feel oh-so-hospitable and make for a satisfying organizational project.

The refrigerator oftentimes ends up being one of the most cluttered places in the kitchen that no one does anything about. Use your intuition and think of what you'd want to see when you first open your fridge: keep those fresh fruits and veggies at eye-level—and grabbable for little hands—and store likeminded items together in the door's inserts. Fresh produce that need to stay safe in the crisper can be stored down below, while items that get lesser daily use can go at the very top. Donenfeld says while you're at it after a grocery run, you might as well start prepping some basics before finding the perfect home for them at a cooler temperature.

"Mise everything before it goes in the fridge," Donenfeld says. "That means washing, drying, and processing in whatever way that will be easiest to use the product—peel those carrots, chop the kale, and seed the pomegranate. When you want to cook, the barrier will be low and you’ll effortlessly pull together an A+ dinner."