DIY - Kitchen Organization Ideas

One of my goals this year is to bring organization to most of the rooms in our house. I used to be organized, but lately, with all the projects I get myself into, that organization has been less than desired.

The kitchen is one of the spaces that quickly gets out of whack. Since it's the place we love to spend our time in, it gets messy quickly.

This is how the kitchen looked when I presented it to you. This picture below was taken during the holidays.

It looks like the perfect kitchen, but you know, it's a small kitchen, well, a very small kitchen, and of course, it is not perfect. The biggest trouble I have is storage space.

I have to store all of my utensils in only three drawers, and as you can see in the picture below, those drawers needed organization to make them look better. 

Drawer No. 2 is my biggest embarrassment. :/

That drawer in the kitchen island stores most of the silverware we use daily. It's somewhat organized, but it can be improved. I already hate those plastic dividers. Can you see all that wasted space on the left?

UPDATE: The drawer in the kitchen island is done! I love how it looks now, and it stores way more items than with this configuration below. You can check that update right HERE.

However, the space that keeps on bugging me is the cabinet above the fridge. It's always been this big mess and wasted space all at the same time. I need to fix this soon!

ONE MORE UPDATE: This cabinet -above the fridge- was also organized. :)  

You can check how it looks now right HERE.

Oh well, now that that secret's out, I feel much better. :)  I promise I'm going to work on that.

On another note, not everything is a big jumble mess. I feel happy and proud of some other projects I've tackled around the kitchen, and I know you might also like to incorporate those storage solutions in your kitchen.

Let's check them out!

1. Install pull-out shelves in the pantry. 

This project was done a year ago, and it was a pretty straightforward project to tackle. I can find any goods in there, and it has always stayed organized.

2. Install a plate rack inside a cabinet. 

Getting rid of a cabinet door and installing a plate rack inside that cabinet was all the work done here.

Let me tell you that by removing a couple of those cabinet doors, the entire kitchen was opened up tremendously. 

Building and installing a plate rack is a simple and very economical project that not only keeps those plates organized and very accessible but also adds lots of charm to the kitchen.

3. I haven't done this, but while editing this picture, I proved I need to add an extra shelf to store more small glasses in this cabinet.

4. Build display racks 

Display racks are excellent for having regular plates handy on your countertop where young kids can grab them easily, but you can also place these racks inside cabinets to store the bakeware (see the above picture).

5. A utensil canister 

Having a utensil canister is a necessity in small kitchens like mine. Wooden spoons, whisks, spatulas, they all have to go there.

6. A knife block 

Talk about decluttering those drawers! I got my knife block at a thrift store for only a few bucks.

7. Food canisters 

They are super functional in your kitchen, freeing space from your pantry and simply looking good whenever you store them.

8. Add a shelf extension to your kitchen island. 

Storage space is always welcome, and more even so in a small kitchen.

9. Install kitchen sink tip-outs. 

At first, I thought about keeping the dreaded sponge out of sight in this space, but I didn't like it there. 

Instead, the two little pull-out trays store the can opener, vegetable peeler, and brushes. The other tray stores eyeglass cleaning supplies.

The sponge got its nice drying rack right there inside the sink. ;)

10. On the Cabinet Door, Measuring cups and Spoons Storage

The measuring cups and spoons were the first items I took out of the kitchen cabinets when the decluttering started. A big wooden ruler was cut into three pieces and painted...

Eye hooks were then attached.

And here I'm installing them on the cabinet door. My daughter laughed at me when she snapped this pic; according to her, I was ready to burn my butt. :D

The On the Cabinet Door Measuring cups and Spoons Storage is done!

I can't wait to tackle those drawers! No. 1 got half empty now. ;)

How about you? What's the biggest messy spot in your kitchen?