7 Next-Level Kitchen Organization Tools You’re Not Using Yet

It’s still summer, but make no mistake: fall is right around the corner. Now’s a great time to get your kitchen in shipshape before school starts and life becomes crazy again. Here are seven simple, inexpensive tools and creative methods that’ll make your kitchen easy to use again, and next-level organized.

You thought you grabbed a spoon, but it isn’t until you got clear across the room that you realized it was a fork instead. If you want to make sure all your family members know the correct spot to store each utensil, an inexpensive label maker is your next-level way to keep consistent and organized.

Here’s a good method to avoid a bunch of mystery containers and storage bags in your freezer. When you label the outsides, not only do you know what’s inside, but you also know how to reheat your food, and just how long it’s been there. You can buy store-bought recipe labels to download, or create your own template then print using printable adhesive sheets.

Use free clip art to create stick-on labels to differentiate your trash cans from your recycling bins, or buy pre-made decals from places like Etsy. You’ll never throw another aluminum can away by mistake again, or have to sort gross recyclables the night before trash pick-up.

So many dried herbs look alike. With a little bit of chalkboard paint, and some liquid chalk markers, transform basic glass jars into a spice storage system that clearly spells out what’s what. You can either tuck them away in your kitchen cabinets, or leave them in plain view on your kitchen counters.

Closed bins and baskets keep loose items nicely tucked away out of sight. But, if those bins are put on a shelf, or placed up high (say on top of the fridge), it’s easy to forget what’s inside without pulling them down to see. Keep everything both tidy and crystal clear with quick, handwritten tags that spell out their contents. You can buy kraft paper tags in bulk on Amazon for about five bucks.

Skip a label altogether and just use a paint pen for dry goods in basic glass canisters. It doesn’t really matter if your handwriting looks this good, and it’s one of the quickest and easiest organizing projects out there.

If you preserve your own food, like jellies and pickles, elevate the insides with some fun and personal packaging on the exterior. Print your own custom design on clear labels, or try this image transfer method using packing tape. These make fantastic on-the-go gifts a little extra special.