The Kitchen Organization Mistake That Could Leave You In A Pickle

We all love an organized kitchen, a clean and tidy space where everything is in its place and cooking comes easily. A well-sorted kitchen doesn't happen by accident, though; it takes strategic design and forethought to create a functional cooking space. And among the pitfalls on the way to a wonderfully organized kitchen is a temptation to organize things by where they fit best instead of where they're used.

It's easy to stash your cookie sheets in a random side cupboard across the kitchen from your oven, or your coffee cups far away from the coffee maker in a cabinet where they fit in a perfect row. For that matter, why not use a wine rack to store rolling pins on a wall far away from where you roll your dough? After all, that's an efficient use of space, and it declutters countertops, an essential step to a flawless kitchen, according to many experts. But just storing kitchen supplies anywhere they'll fit presents a big problem when cooking time comes around.

When you have to cross the kitchen every time you need a tool, ingredient, pot, or pan, all efficiency goes out the window. And it could be more than a minor inconvenience if you're making any gourmet dishes that require well-timed preparation or finesse while cooking. There's a better way to organize your kitchen, and it doesn't have anything to do with the size of your cabinets and what fits inside them. 

Efficient kitchen organization isn't about what fits where; it's about where you tend to use the items in your kitchen. The best kitchen cabinet organizers and clutter-free drawer tools in the world won't do you any good if you don't stock them the right way. Instead of first turning to storage gadgets and decluttering hacks, consider how you use your space and figure out a plan for organizing around your cooking habits.

Professional organizers often cite what's called a "work triangle" in kitchens, the zone between the sink, stove, and fridge where most people spend their time while cooking. Stage your kitchen tools, ingredients, and everything else you need in relation to that work triangle, and around things like the stovetop, where you also spend a lot of time. If you frequently cook with spices, for example, set up your spice rack relatively close to the stovetop rather than in a niche across the room where they happen to slide in perfectly.

To help visualize and organize according to how you use your space rather than the size of your kitchen gadgets, consider the zones of your kitchen: upper and lower storage, refrigerated and pantry sections, and so-on. That will help you store ingredients and tools in a way that is organized and efficient, creating a great foundation for seamless cooking every time.