We’re celebrating our sale with a week of organization inspiration! Today we’re chatting with The Home Edit for tips on organizing in the kitchen!

We were initially drawn to The Home Edit, because their vision aligns with ours! Their mission statement states, “The goal in starting The Home Edit was to reinvent traditional organizing, and merge it with design and interior styling. While every project is rooted in functional systems that can be maintained for the long term, there is just as much emphasis placed on transforming the space visually and adding their signature stylized aesthetic.“

You know how we feel about combining form and function!

We always start with the editing process. In order to fully see the scale of what you need to organize, take out EVERYTHING and put it on a floor or table. The editing process for a pantry, for example, may take over the entire floor of a kitchen. From there, we decide what to keep, what to ditch, and what to repurpose. If you don’t purge items, you’ll end up shuffling clutter back and forth—and that should be avoided at all costs. From there, we group the remaining items into broad categories (flatware, wine glasses, etc.) and decide on a functional storage system.

Containers are a key part in creating a functional system. We believe that if things are free floating out in space, it’s just going to fall right back to where it was. Cutlery can be easily sorted with divided drawer inserts—same with most kitchen tools. Everyday dishes can be stacked neatly and stored in a space that’s easily accessible. Let’s put it this way: If you use something often, create a system that allows you to spot and return those items quickly. Don’t make the mistake of keeping your everyday plates on a top shelf and your nice dinnerware at eye level.

It depends. Our rule of thumb is you get the item or you get the space, but you don’t get both. Be honest with yourself and evaluate what should occupy this prime real estate. For instance, that juicer you haven’t used in years? Or that espresso machine collecting dust? It may be time to give those away and make room for what you do use.

Just say no to junk drawers! It’s a slippery slope. The clutter will likely spill out to other parts of the home. We use drawer inserts to make the space functional and give it a purpose. Even if the items are random, it makes a huge difference if everything is edited and categorized.

The key is to not overcrowd your counter. There should be plenty of space to prepare food. Plus, overcrowding a space creates clutter in itself. We suggest creating stations for your favorite things. This will allow you to access them more easily and at the same time, create a visually appealing space.

We’ve used a divided turntable to display olive oils and bottles of vinegar and have also repurposed a decorative tray to store coffee grounds in glass canisters.

Like counter space, don’t overcrowd. In order to keep things functional and visual, include your everyday items with the items you want on display (almost as decor), and try to stick to a similar color scheme. For example, stacks of ceramic plates, tall drinking glasses, a bright electric mixer, labeled canisters, and your favorite cookbooks.

Add a label! Labels act as a set of instructions to help you find what you need and guide you on how to maintain the space. Color-coordinating (ROYGBIV) is another form of labeling, especially for kids. If you ask them to grab something from the blue section, it is an intuitive system for them.