There are lots of kitchen organization products on the market, from pull-out cabinet drawers, to canisters, to shelving—but what should you buy? The answer depends on several factors.
Don’t buy what you don’t need!
Before you buy something to help organize your kitchen, ask yourself these questions:
How much will you really use it? If you have a dishwasher, do you need an over-the-sink drying rack? If you dine out more often than you cook, do you need a hanging pot rack? There are lots of fad gadgets that serve a very specific purpose—and if it takes up more space than it saves, it’s not worth your money!
Does it make it easier to get things? Slide-out drawers can be a great solution for deep cabinets, letting you easily get to items at the back. Storage racks and stacking shelves can also help you access kitchen items better, unless you have so many racks and shelves that they become part of the clutter!
Does it solve a persistent problem? Kitchen organization products are marketed to solve problems, but sometimes those problems aren’t worth solving! If you’ve been struggling to reach items in the back of your pantry since you moved in a year ago, check out those slide-out drawers. But if the problem a gadget solves only comes up once a year, is it worth having? Make sure you’re buying organizational tools for persistent problems, otherwise the gadgets can overwhelm and create their own problems.
Investing in the right kitchen organization products can minimize clutter and solve problems, and if you ask yourself these questions, you’ll have a much better idea of what to buy, and where to save your money.
I’m with you 100% on this one. There is no need to buy more organizing products or gadgets if they aren’t useful and don’t solve a challenge. As an organizer, I love great organizing products, and especially when they are helping and not just taking up more space. My favorite source is The Container Store. They are pretty consistent with their stock and are always updating with newer items.
Thank you, Linda!
A lot of what I find in people’s kitchens are what I call “aspirational” clutter; people want to be the kinds of people who say, “I am a bread baker” or “I am the kind of person who uses sous-vide gadgets” but they don’t actually want to bake or sous-vide. (Can you use it as a verb?) So many kitchens are filled with excess items that won’t get used, that don’t make kitchens (or cooking) easier, and that don’t solve any problem other than, “I have money burning a hole in my pocket.” Your advice is straight to the point!
Absolutely Julie, “aspirational clutter” is a great phrase!
You make great points and I completely agree. Sometimes the latest, greatest gadget looks so wonderful in the ads but when you get it home it is rarely used.
Exactly, Diane! Thanks for reading : )
Excellent advice! So often people think a new bin or gadget will solve all their problems, but without proper planning, they just add more problems.
For sure, Phaedra! It’s important to really think about purchases before making them. Thanks for commenting!