The 10 Things the Most Organized People I Know Always Have in Their Kitchens

published now

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

Cozy kitchen with white cabinets, a green pot on the stove, and various kitchen tools displayed on the wall. — Credit: Leela Cyd

If there’s an organization gene, I’m pretty confident that I don’t have it. I know because all of the women in my family are tidy to a T without even trying, while it doesn’t come as easily to me (I’m a Sagittarius, what can I say). In my defense, this doesn’t mean I’m not clean; I follow a regular cleaning routine to keep my apartment in tip-top shape. But despite my best efforts, clutter always has a way of taking over — particularly in my small apartment kitchen.

Fortunately, I’m surrounded by organized people who have witnessed my struggle and are happy to volunteer their advice (hi, Mom!). So I jumped into the family group chat to ask for everyone’s go-to kitchen organization tips.

The Most Organized People I Know Keep These 10 Items in Their Kitchens

From clear bins to lazy Susans, consider these family-recommended finds the start of my kitchen reorganizing journey — and hopefully the start of yours, too.

StorageWorks Water Hyacinth Storage Baskets

$50$3628% off

“You know I don’t like things on my counter, but I do keep a basket out for bread,” my mom texted. “Something shallow and rectangular is best so you can always see what you have before it goes bad.” These Hyacinth baskets by StorageWorks fit the bill exactly. They come in multiple sizes, and they bring natural texture to your kitchen, too.

$36 at Amazon

YouCopia StoreMore Expandable Pan + Lid Rack

$31

One glaringly obvious thing I was missing, according to my mom and aunts: a rack for all my pans and lids. Instead of piling them on top of each other in a noisy heap (which also risks scratching the pans’ nonstick surface), this YouCopia organizer keeps pans filed neatly between adjustable dividers. And the entire thing expands from 12.6 inches up to 21.5 inches, so it’ll fit inside most cabinets.

$31 at Amazon

Vtopmart Clear Storage Bins with Lids, 8-Pack

$30$2517% off

While I normally have to remove every single medicine bottle to find what I’m looking for in my cabinet (annoying), my mom uses these trusty clear plastic bins to ensure everything is easy to find. “I use one for pain and cold medications, and another for vitamins and supplements, and so on,” she told me. They’re also useful in your pantry to divide sauces, snacks, and other dry foods.

$25 at Amazon

YouCopia DrawerFit Sliding Drawer Bin

$20

If you have deep kitchen drawers that are basically a no-man’s-land for smaller items, then you’ll need this drawer insert. It keeps easily misplaced items front and center and can be easily slid back and forth to access larger items below.

$20 at Amazon

SONGMICS Cabinet Organizer Shelf

$24$1729% off

My aunt (whose kitchen looks straight out of a catalog) uses shelf risers to “merchandise” the items in her pantry and divide items. These SONGMICS ones have sleek metal legs and bamboo shelves that look good enough to keep out on your counter to streamline a cluttered coffee corner or spice rack.

$17 at Amazon

REALINN Under Sink Organizer

$44

Organized people aren’t letting the cabinet space under their sink sit vacant; they have systems that maximize their storage space — like this organizer from Amazon. My mom uses something similar to keep her dish soap, extra sponges, kitchen cleaners, and stovetop degreasers within reach. The pull-out drawers are key, she told me, so you can reach items at the very back without straining.

$44 at Amazon

APTITLIG Lazy Susan

$20

My mother-in-law keeps a clutter-free kitchen, and she swears that a lazy Susan helps her do it. “It keeps everything I could need when I’m cooking together in one place instead of scattered in cabinets or on the counter,” she explained. She keeps cooking oils, a utensil crock, and spices on hers.

$20 at IKEA

VARIERA Plastic Bag Dispenser

I never know what to do with all the reusable grocery bags I accumulate from shopping trips, so they usually end up stuffed between the empty gaps on the side of my fridge. My mother-in-law has one of these IKEA bag dispensers mounted inside her cabinet door, so they’re always easily accessible and don’t create messes elsewhere in the kitchen.

$5 at IKEA

Caraway Home Glass Airtight Container Set

$375$275

My mom insists that glass storage containers go a long way in keeping her pantry tidy: “You can clearly see what’s inside, they’re stackable, and they just look nicer than having a bunch of random packaging,” she told me (goodbye, visual clutter!). This set from Caraway is pricey but worth it due to its heavy-duty glass construction, colorful airtight lids, and the included metal scoops that make portioning easy.

$275 at Caraway

OXO Good Grips Expandable Utensil Organizer

$25

Another thing all my mom and aunts would never go without? A utensil organizer. I actually took their advice and got one for my kitchen’s most offensive drawer, and it’s made a massive difference. This option by OXO Good Grips is expandable so it’ll fit drawers of all sizes, and includes removable trays for added organization.

Filed in:

The 10 Things the Most Organized People I Know Always Have in Their Kitchens

The Most Organized People I Know Keep These 10 Items in Their Kitchens

More to Love from Apartment Therapy