November 21, 2018 Leave a Comment
Is your kitchen overcrowded and spilling over with pots, pans and all sorts of cooking gadgets? Control the mess with these kitchen organization must haves!
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It is said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. Okay, Moms are the heart of a home, but the kitchen is where the family assembles most of the time, since that’s where the food is!
But if your kitchen is an unorganized mess of things and you can’t find what you want when you need it, it can become a nightmare to work in such a place. As a result, you’ll dread entering the kitchen, and even the smallest task can seem like a chore. Gradually, you’ll think, ‘why bother’ and end up eating out or ordering in.
As we all know, that isn’t the healthiest option for anyone in the family, or the most economical. But you don’t have to resign yourself to a life of slaving in a messy kitchen – you just need to organize it!
Benefits of an Organized Kitchen
- Everything is easily available when you need it
- Anyone can locate food or utensils and help out in the kitchen
- It’s much easier to keep clean
- You know exactly what you have and don’t waste money on duplicates
- Food gets used up and doesn’t go waste by being unseen till it’s spoilt
- Makes it a place to enjoy cooking
- Saves lots of time cooking for any meal
- Sets a good example for kids
So, saving time, money and effort – what more reason do you want to keep your kitchen organized? And it doesn’t have to be a huge project that costs a lot. With a few simple hacks and smart kitchen organizers, you can have a kitchen that is a dream to work in and a breeze to maintain. Here are 20 kitchen organization must haves that are ideal for an Indian kitchen – and within budget too!
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20 Kitchen Organization Must Haves
1. Pan Organizer
One of the biggest and most difficult things to organize are pots and pans. They’re essentials needed for everyday cooking which means they need to be accessible without being in the way or looking messy. This pan organizer is perfect for this, especially since the height is adjustable! I have one of these too and I have to admit, it’s saved a lot of space and stress!
2. Lid Organizer
Once you’ve got the pans out of the way, you have the next problem to deal with – their lids! This handy lid organizer is perfect for small kitchens since it can be mounted on the wall. Install one or two of these near your cooking station, so you can quickly grab a lid when you need one.
3. Cutting Board Organizer
It is recommended to have separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables, and some experts even recommend another one for fish! Some of us have larger cutting boards when prepping for full meals and little ones when you just want to make an omelet. Organize all the boards in one place, which also has space for large knives – safely and stylishly!
4. Fridge Bins
Your fridge is an important part of the kitchen and houses everything from milk and eggs to vegetables and leftovers. It’s easy for things to get lost in corners and when you eventually find them, they’re spoilt. Avoid situations like this by organizing the contents of your fridge in transparent fridge bins. You can use it for produce, snacks or to contain small packets which easily create clutter and get lost.
5. Fridge Side Organizing Rack
It’s not just the inside of your fridge that’s useful – the outside can also be used! This organizing rack is a boon for small kitchens, and makes use of all that empty space on the side of the fridge. You can use it to store all those items that you need immediate access too, like pot holders, for example. It doesn’t require any drilling, making it a renter-friendly idea too!
6. Space Saving Rack with Wheels
This is the perfect solution to make sure not a single bit of space in your kitchen goes to waste! The narrow shape makes it ideal for those gaps next to your fridge or cabinets. It can hold quite a bit too! And because it has wheels, it’s easy to move around and makes cleaning convenient.
7. Expandable Cutlery Tray
Cutlery trays are pretty commonplace these days, and you’ll find one in every color and size. But finding one that exactly fits your drawer without any empty space on the sides can be hard. Which is why this expandable tray is perfect, as it can be made to fit a drawer of any width. Now keep all those spoons, forks and sundry items organized!
8. Adjustable Drawer Dividers
Here’s another option for a custom drawer organizing solution. If you’d like to store bulkier objects like ladles or small kitchen gadgets, these dividers will help create exactly the kind of partitions you need. The length expands to fit your drawer, and you can make each partition as narrow or wide as you like.
9. Cabinet Shelf Organizer
Having overhead cabinets is useful – you can easily reach for items without having to bend over too much. However, all those little jars and bottles can easily get lost in a large space and create a mess. This step-style organizer maximizes your cabinet space while also making sure everything is easily visible and accessible.
10. Under the Sink Organizer
The area under the sink is one which many of us dread, since the pipe running under the sink makes it a little awkward to install a shelf. As a result this valuable space often goes waste, or becomes a dumping ground for unnecessary stuff. An adjustable shelf like this one helps you build it around those pipes, so you can make use of all the remaining space. You’ll be surprised at all the things that can fit in there!
11. Cabinet Door Organizer
Make use of your cabinet door to store things too! You can use this space to hold things you use frequently, or your kids need, like a snack box. You can hang it inside the door or outside, whatever suits your lifestyle. The bars on the side ensure that even tall bottles or packs stay put and don’t fall out.
12. Under Shelf Basket
If you’ve got cabinets or shelves with a good bit of height, you might find that a lot of it is going to waste when you place smaller or flatter objects in it. Make use of this space with an under shelf basket that can be easily removed and fixed anywhere you want. It’s perfect for smaller, light weight items and helps to keep them in a place of its own.
13. Stackable Shelf Organizer
Counter space is something very valuable in every kitchen; in fact, it’s also called ‘prime kitchen real estate’! Clutter-free counters are crucial for a kitchen that’s not just visually pleasing but easy to work in. However, sometimes you absolutely need a few things on the counter, and this stackable shelf helps keep it contained in one area. You can also use this to double up the storage inside a cabinet.
14. Hanging Hook Organizer
This hanging organizer is so versatile, you can use it for anything! You can use it inside your cabinet to hang measuring cups and spoons or ladles. You can hang it outside your cabinet or on a rod for pot holders, kitchen towels and the like. You can also use it to hang cleaning brushes and wipes! They’re made of stainless steel and can be moved anywhere you like.
15. Chakla Belan Stand
Very few homes in India don’t use a chakla belan, or a rolling pin with it’s board. Now these can be rather bulky and odd-shaped to store, and can take up quite a bit of space in a regular drawer. This stainless steel stand comes to the rescue, and since it can be mounted on the wall, it doesn’t take up valuable counter or drawer space. And you’re always ready to make fresh rotis!
16. Lazy Susan
Having trouble reaching into corners to get something? Or is it difficult to reach behind something in your fridge or cabinet to get something that’s way back? Solve all these problems with a turntable or Lazy Susan like this one, which has high borders so nothing falls out. Just turn it and whatever you want will immediately be within your reach!
17. Knife Organizer
When you have kids, you want to make sure that every room in the house is child-proofed, and that sharp things like knives are out of sight and reach. However, tossing them into a drawer isn’t ideal, since besides taking time to find the right one, there are chances you can cut yourself while rummaging around the drawer. So get this compact organizer that’ll keep all your knives neat and perfectly safe.
18. Cord Bundlers
Kitchen gadgets like mixers and toasters make our lives so much easier, but their cords and wires are a pain to deal with! These cord bundlers from Command are the perfect solution to keep them neat and prevent one gadget’s cords from getting tangled with another’s. The best part is that they can be removed and used elsewhere – that’s why I absolutely love Command hooks and have used them all around my home! Check out One Good Thing for more ideas to organize using Command hooks.
19. Chalkboard Labels
If you’d like other family members to help out more in the kitchen, make it easy for them to do so! You don’t want to spend your relaxation time constantly answering questions like ‘Which one’s kala chana?’ or ‘Is this basmati or regular rice?’. Label everything with chalkboard labels, which can be erased when you change the contents of the container.
20. Broom Holder
Okay, brooms aren’t technically part of the kitchen, but many Indian homes always have a broom and mop in the kitchen since it’s a place that needs frequent cleaning. If you have them too, install a broom holder – it’s sturdy enough to hold all your cleaning equipment and prevents them from collapsing into an unsightly mess on the floor or in the corner.
Most of the ideas mentioned here don’t require smashing your walls or constructing anything new – at most they’ll require a drill and some screws! Many of the options don’t need even that, so if you live in a rented space, you can easily implement them. Try to buy stainless steel – they’re durable and easy to clean. Go for neutral colors so they’ll blend in with your kitchen, making it a place you -and the rest of the family – look forward to working in!
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