Have you ever tried to grab a spatula in the middle of a delicate egg operation and ended with a jammed kitchen drawer that won’t budge? Who hasn’t, right?! Seems kitchen drawers are magnets for household junk besides just cooking utensils. They fill up with pens and pencils, nuts and bolts, old keys, cords and wires, and dozens of other miscellaneous items. But it doesn’t need to be that way! Whether you cook for enjoyment or out of desperate necessity, an organized kitchen makes the task easier and more enjoyable. So what can be done with the drawers?
Cold weather and rainy days are the perfect time to tackle the task of organizing kitchen drawers. The first part is the hardest, taking stock and digging deep to pull out kitchen items you use once a year—or less. The second part is more fun, getting organized, putting away clean and useful items, and—best of all—enjoying your handiwork for months to come.
Assess the Mess
Start by pulling open all the drawers and shooting some “before” photos. You’ll appreciate these pictures when you are finished. Then take an inventory of the items in the drawers. Do you really need five spatulas when you only use one or two? How many corkscrews and can openers do you need? Are you ever going to use those cookie cutters tangled up with table linens?
Toss Out Unnecessary Items
Clear a space on the kitchen table or countertop and empty out the entire contents of all the drawers. While you might be tempted to only do one drawer at a time, tackle them all at once. You’ll be glad you did. Once everything is exposed to the light of day, start tossing. Anything that hasn’t been used in a year, clean and carry out to the garage. Better yet, donate them to charity. Broken items should be where they belong, in the garbage.
Restore the Drawer
Vacuum and thoroughly clean each drawer. Consider applying new drawer liners. There are many inexpensive options available which freshen up the space.
Get Organized
While you’re shopping for drawer liners consider picking up some space-saving organizers like trays, stackables, storage containers, magnetic knife holders, and spice racks. A wrap and bag holder which screws onto the back of a cabinet drawer to hold aluminum foil, baggies, and the like. Other items, like grocery bag holders, keep bags organized for recycling or dog walking.
Put it Back
Organize like items that you use the most, such as spatulas and stirring spoons and put them closest to the stove. Put peelers with other peelers and group the tongs together. When you’re finished, take some “after” pictures and then take yourself out to dinner!