Declutter Challenge: Organizing Your Kitchen Drawers

Declutter Challenge: Organizing Your Kitchen Drawers. Discover how to transform cluttered kitchen drawers into an organized, functional space with these step-by-step decluttering and organizing tips from the 9th Annual Declutter Challenge.

How to Organize Your Drawers: A Step-by-Step Guide

Welcome to the 9th Annual Declutter Challenge! This year, we’re tackling all areas of the home, and kitchen drawers are the focus for Day 3. If you’re following along with the challenge, check out the full schedule and tips at Declutter and Cleaning Challenge. Let’s dive into how to bring order to your kitchen drawers and create a more functional space.

9th annual declutter challenge: Day 3 -- Kitchen Drawers

Steps to Organize Your Drawers

1. Focus on One Drawer at a Time

(image via New York Times)

Start small by focusing on one drawer at a time. Remove everything to see what you’re working with.

2. Evaluate Each Item

Ask yourself the following questions for every item:

When was the last time I used this?
How often do I use this?
Is it damaged or broken?
Do I have another tool that serves the same purpose?

Donate or toss items that don’t make the cut.

3. Reassess Drawer Placement

Does the current drawer setup make sense?

Move frequently-used items to prime locations.
Relocate rarely-used items to less accessible drawers.

4. Add Organizational Containers

Decide if you need dividers or containers to make items more accessible. Clear containers or bamboo organizers are excellent for visibility and tidiness.

5. Organize with Purpose

Roll dishcloths to maximize space.
Create a spice drawer with a liner that holds the jars in place and uniform labels and containers look neat and tidy. Check spices and throw out expired ones.
Store long tools like rolling pins in diagonal organizers.
Consider a pegboard system for dishware.

6. Address the Junk Drawer

photo credit: Adam Albright

Organize your junk drawer by:

Start by emptying and cleaning the drawer.
Categorizing items.
Use containers to keep it organized.
Storing small objects like paper clips and nails in lidded containers.
Placing frequently-used items at the front.

7. Create a Family-Friendly Drawer

If you have young children, dedicate one drawer for children’s items like sippy cups and plastic plates to keep things accessible for them and out of other drawers.

8. Label Everything

Wireless Label Maker

Sometimes people in our family put items n the wrong place. Help your family maintain order by labeling each drawer with a label maker.

9. Install Specialty Organizers

Expandable Pot Organizer

Nesting pots and pans can damage their surfaces. Consider installing pull-out drawers, pot racks, or knife racks to protect your tools and save counter space.