[outfit_details]Kitchen Organization
Yellow Blazer (similar here), White T-Shirt, Denim, Nude Heels (similar), Texas Ring[/outfit_details]

It’s been about two weeks since Johnny and I moved into our new Dallas apartment. Making sure the kitchen gets organized and ready to go is a huge priority for us. When you enter our apartment, the kitchen is one of the first spaces you see and we want it to be organized and clutter-free. Of course, there are days where it’s messy and items are strewn all over the island. That said, kitchen organization is very important to us so this was the first room we tackled as we unpacked. We are very blessed to have plenty of storage and space in this kitchen. My previous apartment in Norfolk had barely any storage space, so I understand. That said, we are still settling into the apartment, so I’m sure we’ll begin to accumulate some things as time passes. However, having a set guideline as far as kitchen organization goes will keep us on track and neat! This can be a daunting task, so I’m sharing the four products I use for kitchen organization.

Open Spaces

The biggest factor in how clean your kitchen will look. Open spaces or anything on the countertop will unfortunately vastly affect whether your kitchen looks clean or awfully messy. It’s pretty crazy how even just a set of keys, a handbag, laptop and receipts can make a space appear so out of order. I only keep things we use on a daily basis on the countertop to keep things streamlined. For us, that’s our Vitamix blender, hot water kettle, french press, water filter and cooking utensils. The first few items we actually put in a row next to our cookbooks, which looks aesthetically pleasing. Here’s to the very first item I use when it comes to kitchen organization.

1. Lazy Susan

Right now I have three lazy susans and they have changed my life! On my counters, I have this marble one (similar here), which I use to store olive oil, pepper, salt and honey. These are the items we use daily, so it’s nice to have them ready and at hand. Also falling into the lazy susan category is this clear lazy susan. We have two of these inside one of our cabinets. This is located right off the cooktop for easy access. One holds our lesser-used oils and sauces. The other holds our spices. I love how they are clear because we can read the labels, which is key! Before getting these, I would store my spices in alphabetical order and guess which one was the cumin vs coriander. Definitely not ideal and this makes everything so much easier.

In Cabinet Storage

It can be so tempting to just put everything in your cabinet, shut the door and pretend the mess isn’t as bad as it actually is. To me, kitchen organization is key because it makes everything else run smoother. I have a few products I use here to keep everything in its place and looking orderly. When everything has a place, you know exactly where you can go to find it and this makes things easier. Less frustration in the kitchen is ideal, right? Also, if you can see everything you’re less likely to buy accidental extras. I was guilty of this in my old apartment. I moved to Dallas with three bottles of rice wine vinegar, ha!

2. Plastic Storage Bins

Inside our cabinets and in our pantry, we have these clear plastic bins. Made in the USA, these are great quality and worth every penny. P.S. if you have a hard time getting the stickers off, use a blowdryer to heat up the adhesive. After about 10 to 15 seconds, the stickers should easily come off. These bins come in a variety of sizes, so I suggest measuring out your cabinets, what you need to store and decide accordingly. I use these to store our protein powders, smoothie cups, superfood powders and more inside our cabinets. There are deep versions too. I actually have a few of these in our pantry. These are great for keeping protein bars, packaged snacks and canned goods in order. If you’re really into kitchen organization, you can get these chalkboard labels. Also, another reason I love these because they are stackable! You can put lesser-used items on the bottom and stack what you really use on top. Plus, these will work in your fridge as well.

3. Plate Rack

I’m going to give credit where it’s due. This is all Johnny. His Mom has a plate rack and he absolutely hates storing plates flat, even if it’s on a shelf dividing them into four. He really believes they should be stacked vertically so he can grab them individually. Plus, this ensures you aren’t always using the top two plates, ha! I will say, this is a better way to store them since they take up so much less space. We can see every single type of plate we have and easily get to it without having to move some off the top.

4. Pop Containers

I remember not understanding the hype around these and now that I have them, I couldn’t love them more. I have the stainless steel ones and love these for storing dry ingredients. From flour to sugar to soba noodles and everything in between. I love how these airtight containers keep my ingredients fresh. Even if I don’t need something for a year, I can rely on it to be ready to go when I am ready to cook it. If you have a wider pantry, putting these side-by-side is ideal. However, I have these currently going more inward in my pantry to save space.