organizing kitchen cabinets Archives

I use the back of cabinets doors for so many things! It’s one of my favorite storage ideas and an easy opportunity to overlook. Today I am partnering with Wayfair to share with you some of my favorites. The ones that left me thinking “Why Didn’t I Think of This Sooner?”

Using the back of cabinet doors in The Kitchen –

There are so many uses in the kitchen for back of the cabinet organization! I use these awesome adhesive bins that come in all shapes and sizes to customize my space. I store sponges, storage bags, a set of spoons designated for coffee…so many options.

I use the back of the cabinet for my coffee station. I love having spoons, honey and sugar packets accessible while I prepare my morning coffee or tea. I do try to store items that are not too heavy, so that I don’t have to worry about them coming off the wall.

I also use the back of the cabinet door in my smoothie station to hold up a clipboard with clippings of recipes. This clipboard is from the dollar, store which is great because it isn’t heavy at all. I didn’t want some great quality, substantial board for this. I love being able to place clippings from magazines or recipes that I want to try. If they were in a drawer, I would surely forget about them.

Using the back of cabinet doors in the bathroom –

Similar to the kitchen, the bathroom usually has cabinets that offer an opportunity for great storage. The area under the sink can be tricky because you always have to work around the plumbing. The back of the cabinet can be a great opportunity to make up for that lost space.

I love this little cabinet in my bathroom. Honestly, I am not even sure what it was designed to be used for, but I use it to store my makeup. It already had built-in storage which is fantastic and I added some extra bins to the back of the cabinet to make it even more useful. Since the back of the door is magnetic, I also added a magnet to the back of my hair brush. This slender cabinet is beside the bathroom door and barely visible when closed.

These are just a few ideas that have worked for me! The more cabinets that you have, the more options you have. I wouldn’t want to fill up all my cabinet doors with storage but I do think that in a select few, it can be a really great solution.

I hope these ideas inspired you to look at your own home and especially your cabinets, as an opportunity for more smart storage. Be sure to measure your space so that you purchase the right size bins. Also, make sure that the new bins won’t crash with what is already inside the cabinet when you close it. As I mentioned above, I recommend storing items that are not heavy so that you don’t have to worry about anything tumbling down. Follow the instructions on the adhesive bins and allow them to dry and adhere before adding anything to the bin.

I promise when you find a the perfect cabinet to transform, you will wonder – Why Didn’t I Think of This Sooner?

Last week, we organized a spot that is in dire need after the holiday season: the refrigerator. How is your refrigerator looking this week? Sparkling and organized? Did the kids already gulp down all your perfectly aligned juice boxes? I know mine did. 🙂

I want to spend the next two weeks in the kitchen (maybe I will venture to the bedroom if I get sleepy) because the kitchen can be a big task. This week let’s concentrate on organizing kitchen cabinets and drawers, and next week we will move on to the pantry. I told ya…big challenges but totally doable.

The first step to any organizing project is to de-clutter.

1. De-Clutter your cabinets and drawers.

Clear your kitchen table or counters to make space for the items that you will be removing from the cabinets. You may also want to bring in a laundry bin or large box so that you can place items that you want to give away. There are so many appliances, gadgets and plates that we meant to use but didn’t. These items should not be cluttering up your kitchen. Let’s only keep the items that we love and know to be useful. Just because you spent a lot of money on an appliance does not mean that you should keep it. Consider whether you will ever use that bread machine that takes up half a cabinet. Will you ever use that place setting that is incomplete? Always keep the end result that you want for your space in mind when deciding what to keep.

2. Organize your cabinets and drawers by choosing the best placement for your kitchen items.

After you have sorted all your cabinets and drawers, re-think whether the items should remain in their current spot. We can become so accustomed to having items in one spot that we don’t even consider moving them. For example, maybe dishes and utensils could be stored by the dishwasher to make putting them away easier; maybe you prefer them by the dinner table. Maybe the cutting board should be close to the garbage can or to the sink. Placing pots and pans by the stove is another idea. Also, consider placing heavier items in lower cabinets, keeping frequently used items easily accessible and rarely used items in upper shelves.

3. Add organizers and dividers to your cabinets, if necessary.

If you have a lot of plates or limited cabinet space, consider adding dividers and/or organizers. Here is one divider that expands but there are many others that you can choose from to customize your space. Sometimes I change the position of the cabinet shelf, since many are adjustable.

4. Add liners to the drawers.

Adding liners to the bottom of the drawer helps items stay in place and it makes the drawer pretty – those two reasons are equally as good in my book.

5. Organize under the kitchen sink.

Don’t forget the kitchen sink cabinet. This area gets messy pretty fast and can always use some tidying up. You can find a detailed post on mine here.

6. Tame the Junk Drawer.

Lastly, the junk drawer. This one needed it’s own mention as it can be the messiest drawer in the kitchen. You can find a detailed post here.

I think this is enough work to last all week, don’t you think? On a related note, I totally want a breadmaker machine but after writing this post, I am reconsidering.

Happy Organizing!

Maria

If you missed it:

Organized Home Week 1 – The Refrigerator