Kitchen cupboard doors and drawers can hide many sins. On the other hand, it’s a real treat to open them up and see beautiful, neat shelves with everything inside easily accessible when and where you need them.
Is it time to declutter your kitchen cabinets? This can be a lot of work, so don’t try to do it all at once. Tidy up one kitchen cabinet at a time and spend an hour a day or a weekend completing this task.
How to Clean and Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets
Start with something simple, like your everyday dishes. Follow these basic steps, and then you can apply it to all your kitchen cabinets and drawers.
1. Gather some tools. Prepare cleaning supplies and donation boxes. Collect bubble wrap paper or paper to wrap the fragile items you want to donate.
2. Evaluate your cabinets. Check how everything is organized (or not) right now. Is the desired dish easy to buy?Will random items be hidden here and get in the way?If so, vow to find a better home for them.
Is it easy to keep all your dishes away from the dishwasher? If not, you may need to move your dishes to a cupboard that is within reach of unloading.
3. Clean. Take out everything in the cupboard. Scrub the shelves with soap and water. If you’re a shelf liner person, tear off the old paper and scrub the inside of the cabinet before replacing the liner. There are a variety of cool patterns to choose from.
4. Edit. Determine what you use and what you don’t. Put all the items you don’t need or like into the donation box.
5. Check the height of the shelves. Assess the height of the shelves in your cupboard and how they affect the way you organize your belongings. Are you storing tall items too high because this is the only shelf that can accommodate their height?Find an arrangement that is easy to use and maintain, and then adjust the shelves accordingly.
6. Get inspired. Peruse photos of beautifully furnished open shelves and glass-front kitchen cabinets. Pretend that your dish won’t be hidden behind closed doors and that you’ll be watching it all the time. Even if your cabinets are well organized and the doors are sturdy, it is indeed a pleasure to open them when everything is nice and tidy.
7. Loading. Put all the custodians back in their place and put the plate you got first in the most accessible place.
8. Think about a little whimsy. I have white everyday china, and people tend to give me an interesting set of salt and pepper shakers. When I open the everyday china cabinet, I have a pair of yellow-green kissing fish in front of my cereal bowl that makes me smile every time. My sister-in-law gave me a cute little blue and white vase to put in front of my wooden salad bowl.
9. Be proud. Take a step back and admire your work. Show others – your efforts are commendable, and that motivates you to keep going.
10. Repeat. Follow the same steps when you’re working on the rest of your kitchen cabinets and drawers.
How to Organize Your Everyday Glassware Cabinets
If you have a cabinet close to the dishwasher and fridge, then this is the glassware cabinet you want – easy to grab a fresh drink and easy to put away. If you don’t have a cabinet that can easily reach both, choose the one that is more convenient for you. Organize your glasses by purpose and color, and if there are patterns on them, align them and face outwards neatly.
Where Should Porcelain and Glassware Be Placed
Basically, unless you’re throwing dinner all the time,”good” means “rarely used.” This is an heirloom set or beautiful porcelain and crystals that you receive as a wedding gift and is only used on special occasions. If that’s the case, it’s not as important to store these dishes close to the dishwasher. You can follow the steps you follow to organize your day-to-day affairs.
If you have a glass case or a special porcelain cabinet, be sure to display your beautiful dishes. You can prioritize how easy it is to arrange rather than grab things – after all, it’s important to be able to enjoy these favorite pieces. Give them more space if you want, whether you want to enjoy plates on a plate rack or teacups and saucers lined up.
Organize Your Bar Supplies
You may want to set up a separate bar supply cabinet close to where wine, beer, and cocktails are served, whether it’s a counter space, buffet counter, or bar cart.
Use the skills you’ve honed to set up everyday glassware storage. Other items include: bottle opener, cocktail napkins, wine labels, toothpicks, stirring sticks, ramins of olives, lemons, limes and cherries, cocktail umbrellas, and any other bar items you like.
You may also want to create a designated wine cooler (if you have children, this could be high above the fridge or locked in the cabinet). Start planning a get-together when you do that so that you have the opportunity to share and enjoy your wonderful new arrangements.
Vases and Jugs
Just like your exquisite dishes, these items are worth showcasing. If you don’t have a visually open place to place them, dedicate a single shelf or an entire cabinet. When you come home with a bouquet of fresh flowers from the grocery store or plucked from the garden, it’s great to turn the kitchen sink and adjacent counter into your own little flower studio.
It’s also nice to open the cabinet and find a hand-picked favorite container to store your handmade bouquet. Other items include frogs, barbed wire, scissors, scissors, and twine. Place these all in a large square vase. If your vase cabinet has a door, you can use a simple shoebox to store your bouquet-making tools.
When You’re Done
Put everything you plan to donate or recycle in your car and throw it away, or arrange for your favorite charity to pick it up. Who knows? You might be so proud of your new cabinetry that you feel ready for glass doors or open shelves.