Kitchens and Pantries: Drawers

De-clutter in 15 minutes (per drawer)

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Few things are as frustrating as frantically searching through an overcrowded drawer for something you know is in there somewhere. That's why the hard-and-fast rule of the organized kitchen is: no "junk" drawers. Keeping your kitchen drawers organized is simple but essential to making the kitchen as efficient as possible.

The key to keeping drawers neat and tidy is to limit them to storage by type. If you are using a drawer for phone-station storage, don't keep wine openers and serving spoons with the notepad, pencils, and takeout menus there. Keep flatware drawers free of the large utensils that belong in a dedicated drawer or should be hung up. By segregating drawer storage this way, it becomes clear to anyone in the kitchen where items go. This makes it more likely that every item will be put back where it belongs after use.

Although some islands and undercounter cabinet sets feature deep drawers suitable for appliances or larger equipment such as mixing bowls, most of your kitchen drawers are shallow. This makes them appropriate for storing flat items such as linens, napkins, flatware, and cutlery. But you can adapt your drawers for many other types of storage with a little help from a drawer organizer.

  • Spice inserts: These one-piece units have slots that hold the spice jars at an angle, making it easy to see and grab the spice you need.
  • Flatware caddies: They're still the best way to keep your everyday knives, forks, and spoons in order. Choose from wire, plastic, or fancier wood types. Just make sure you get a caddy that will hold all your flatware and still fit neatly within the dimensions of your drawer.
  • Expandable cutlery organizers: Flexibility is the key selling point of these units. They are used for the same purpose as flatware caddies, but expand to the size of the drawer and provide more varied storage slots. This gives you spaces for steak knives, other cutlery, and utensils such as can openers, in addition to the space you need for your day-to-day flatware.
  • Knife racks: If you don't want to hang knives and don't have counter space for a knife block, keep knives sharp and in order with a knife-tray drawer insert. These keep the knife blades from rubbing against other surfaces and going dull.
  • Expandable compartment organizers: For more general drawer storage, turn to these cousins of expandable flatware organizers. Adjustable in length and width, they come with odd-sized compartments to store everything from wine openers to twist ties to straws.
  • Interlocking organizers: Individual clear or white plastic compartments can be assembled in any number of combinations to create a custom storage drawer. Mix and match the compartments to accommodate changing storage needs.
  • Rolling tray inserts: An unusual drawer option, these essentially provide two levels of storage for deep drawers. So, for instance, you could put accessories such as straws, birthday candles, and balloons on the bottom, and themed party utensils in the rolling tray.
  • Kitchenware organizers: If finding a good place to store your dishes is a problem, a kitchenware organizer may be the answer. You'll need a large, sturdy, deep drawer. The organizer features a baseplate with holes, and pegs that can be moved to accommodate different-sized plates.


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