How To Organize Your Kitchen Utensils

Our kitchens are the probably the most used rooms in our homes, and keeping them neat and tidy just makes them function better for us! Organizing your kitchen utensils can be quick and easy, and I’m going to share some great tools and tips on how to organize your kitchen utensils, for both countertop and drawer storage.

Hello & welcome to day 8 of the Weekly Cleaning and Organizing Challenge! If you haven’t joined the challenge with Jess at Mom4Real and I yet, you can jump in at any time. You can start here to follow along — each day of the challenge will be listed. Plus you can print, download or take a screen shot of the Free printable checklist too!

I’m going to be sharing some pretty, practical and simple ways to corral the chaos that can happen in our kitchens all too easily.  I don’t know about you, but my utensil drawers had gotten pretty tangled up and definitely out of hand. Thankfully it only took a few smart organizing tools, and a few minutes of my time to straighten them up. 

As with most projects, when you are organizing, a little pre-planning is going to save you time and potential trouble. 

MY SUGGESTIONS: 

• For this project, I’m going to suggest you start by purging. You don’t want to plan for or store utensils you don’t need or use.

Example: I got rid of an old pair of chopsticks, a wooden crab cracking mallet, some oddball utensils I never use, and a bowl scraper that had seen better days! 

• Decide what you want to keep where, so you can plan for exactly what type of organizer will work best. Like the configuration, and layout of the dividers. This is the perfect time to plan for relocation.

• Measure your drawers. Length, Width and Depth. You’ll want to consult those measurements when you are shopping for organizing options to make sure they will fit in your desired space. And to plan for the layout in your drawers if you use use more than one organizational item.

• TIP: Don’t forget to measure your longest utensil or tool, to make sure it’ll fit in the organizers you are looking at. 

• KEEP IN MIND: To best utilize your space, you may need to use different types of organizers if your drawers aren’t an easy to fit size. 

To keep my project budget friendly, I used a variety or organizers. I was more concerned with how well they fit my drawers and needs, than how perfectly they matched. Mixing in some Dollar Store bins maximized my storage, and it helped keep my costs down. 

This first utensil drawer wasn’t horrible, but I was constantly straightening it. Every time I got something out, and every time I put something away I would adjust things. I don’t know if I thought it was magically going to stay in place somehow… and I don’t know why I didn’t get some organizing tools in place for it sooner!

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The first two drawers I’m sharing are on the slim side. The drawer above is a perfect example of using a Dollar Store bin. After much searching, I was unable to find anything that fit my needs, and my long slender drawer. This worked just fine.

NOTE: I was so excited to start this project, that I dove right in and got things arranged right away. I left the sticker tags on so I would not forget the brands to share with you, and even took pictures… before I washed my new organizers! Then I had to wash everything.

So, don’t do that. Wash it all before you use it.

This next drawer is a twin to the first, and also very skinny. I couldn’t find a long divided organizer that would fit my space, so I opted to use adjustable bamboo drawer divider organizers. The length expands, and between the tension and the grippy bit on the ends they stay put pretty well! Plus, with these, you can customize each section and make it as wide or narrow as you like! 

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That works well in this drawer, where I’ve got our two extra super sharp knives tucked to one side all by themselves. I always had to be so careful when reaching into this drawer and it’s so much safer now! We’ve got a wood knife block as well, with a large assortment of knives (not pictured).

My eating utensil drawer isn’t anything earth shattering, but it’s neat, clean and tidy. And that works for me! I actually upgraded my flatware holder a couple years ago when I happened across this large one, with a layout I liked. I keep my kitchen scissors slipped along the side because I’m just so used to them being there, I hate to move them. 

I’ll tell you what though, I would love to know where all my little forks have run off to? Especially considering I’ve got service for 12! It’s a real mystery. 

Now this next drawer isn’t holding utensils, but the part of me that craves order is crazy for it! I immediately favored the madesmart organizers I picked up at my local Fred Meyer, and decided to grab two more for my plastic bag drawer. Admittedly it’s kind of overkill. But it was so worth it. They have little silicone feet, and silicone liners. Everything stays super snug and right where you put it! I can slam that drawer shut if I want to, and they barley budge.

NOTE: After buying all my madesmart products in the only color in stock locally (the dark grey), I found them on Amazon and they come in white, which I absolutely would have preferred.

For a modest sized kitchen I’ve got a fair amount of counter space, and I choose to keep all my bamboo kitchen utensils gathered together in a crock on my countertop. I’ve done this for years and I find it practical, and a little bit pretty too. 

The small white crock is holding some baking utensils for now, but I’ll be working on a new situation for all my baking supplies soon, and I think that will change. 

I’ve got a mix of crocks, both new & vintage. Some have color, and I’ve got a pretty Lemon one I love to use in the Summertime. They vary in size, and the weight keeps them steady so they never get tippy. A true classic and hardworking too. 

Just for fun I popped my black and white crock into a round basket that’s filled with a bunch of kitchen towels. I kind of liked it. So that’s an option that is slightly decorative, but still very functional. 

These are my favorite ways to organize my kitchen utensils. I know there are hanging options as well, but I’ve always preferred to have mine mostly tucked away. Though hanging your kitchen utensils can be a great option if you are pressed for space and need to utilize vertical storage as well.

I hope me sharing my messy drawers inspires you to tackle yours if they need it. It sure feels good to have my kitchen one step closer to as good as I can make it! xo Shan

SHOPPING SOURCES:

• My local Fred Meyer, Bi Mart & Walmart all had a selection of the madesmart products.

• You can also find what I used to organize my drawers in today’s post in my Amazon store.  

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