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How to Organize All the Random Stuff in Your Kitchen

A person opens a kitchen drawer that's well organized.
Kostikova Natalia/Shutterstock.com

The kitchen is often considered the heart of the home. It’s bustling with activity and essential supplies, but over time, it’s easy for random items to accumulate. This creates clutter in drawers, cabinets, and countertops.

Take-out menus, leftover condiment packets, obscure utensils, and rarely-used sauces can quickly overwhelm your kitchen space.

It’s time to tackle the paraphernalia and master some creative ways to organize your kitchen. These kitchen organization ideas will turn your cooking haven into an efficient and pleasant place to be.

Put Take-out Menus in Binders

A heavy-duty Avery binder.
Avery

Take-out menus tend to multiply and clutter your kitchen drawers. Instead of letting them run amok, pick up a menu binder or folder that you can keep on a shelf.

Organize the menus by cuisine type and label each section for easy access. This way, you can quickly find your favorite pizza joint or Thai restaurant without sifting through a massive pile of random menus.

Avery Heavy-Duty View 3 Ring Binder

Get all your random menus and papers organized in a binder.

Leftover Condiment Packets Belong in a Tea Bag Box

A Vtopmart tea bag organizer with tea bags inside.
Vtopmart

Those extra ketchup, soy sauce, and hot sauce packets that come with takeout orders can quickly pile up. If you’re looking for creative ways to organize your kitchen, consider using a makeshift condiment caddy. Snag a tea bag organizer and organize your sauce packets instead.

You can sort these packets by type and use them when you need an extra dash of flavor. Just make sure to check their expiration dates periodically so your sauces stay fresh.

2 Pack Stackable Tea Bag Organizer

This tea bag organizer will keep all your condiment packets organized.

Organize Obscure Utensils with Drawer Dividers

SpaceAid Bamboo Drawer Dividers with utensils in each section.
SpaceAid

Chopsticks, cheese knives, and other specialty kitchen tools often end up buried in random drawers. When things don’t have a home, it’s easier to get disorganized.

Use adjustable drawer dividers to create separate compartments for all your utensils, ensuring they’re always easily accessible.

SpaceAid Bamboo Drawer Dividers with Inserts and Labels

These drawer dividers will transform your kitchen drawers.

Place Random Sauces in Fridge Door Bins

A person organizes their small fridge door with small bins.
Colel

We all have those sauces and condiments that we rarely use but can’t seem to part with. We all usually put them in the fridge door. Unfortunately, they like to tip over, get lost, and otherwise make a mess. To keep your fridge clean and tidy, use small door bins that are easy to wash and organize.

These bins allow you to store those infrequently used items neatly so they don’t get lost behind other items or fall over and spill everywhere. As always, be sure to check the expiration dates on all your sauces and toss anything that’s past its prime.

Set of 6 Refrigerator Organizer Bins

Keep your fridge door clean and tidy with these small bins.

Put Plastic Food Container Lids in a Lid Organizer

SWOMMOLY lid organizer with different sized lids.
SWOMMOLY

We’ve all been there. You open up your food container cupboard and…it’s a wreck. Food containers are essential in the kitchen, but they can quickly become a chaotic jumble. Invest in an organization method to help you manage the mess, making it easier to find matching lids.

This simple solution saves you from rummaging through a messy pile every time you need to store your leftovers.

SWOMMOLY Expandable Food Storage Container Lid Organizer

Keep your food storage cabinet tidy with this organizer.

Miscellaneous Kitchen Gadgets Belong on a Wall-Mounted Pegboard

A Wall Control kitchen pegboard organizer with pots, pans, utensils, and mugs on it.
Wall Control

If you have kitchen gadgets like can openers, vegetable peelers, whisks, and bulky pots that don’t easily fit in your drawers and cupboards, consider installing a wall-mounted pegboard. This can help keep your kitchen organized and prevent obnoxious items from jamming in your drawers.

Pegboards provide a versatile way to hang and organize various kitchen tools, keeping them within arm’s reach while freeing up drawer space for more frequently used items.

Wall Control Kitchen Pegboard Organizer

This kitchen organizer is a lifesaver for your awkward items.

Place Baking Sheets and Pans on Cutting Board Organizers

A woman pulls a cutting board out of the Fikoksol cutting board organizer.
Fikoksol

Baking sheets, pans, and cutting boards can be awkward to store efficiently. A vertical pan organizer, which slots between the sheets and pans, keeps them upright and easy to access.

This not only saves cabinet space but also prevents the clattering of pans every time you need one.

Fikoksol Cutting Board Organizer

There's no reason to settle for messy pans when a cutting board organizer will keep them neat.

Plastic Bags Need a Bag Holder and Dispenser

A person pulls a plastic bag from the Utopia dispenser on the wall.
Utopia

Plastic grocery bags are handy for many purposes, but they can accumulate quickly and create a huge mess. Use a bag holder or dispenser to keep them tidy and accessible.

These devices often allow you to pull out one bag at a time, preventing a tangled mess in your cabinets or drawers.

Utopia Kitchen Grocery Plastic Bag Holder and Dispenser

Keep all your plastic bags contained and easily-accessible with this dispenser.


By implementing these kitchen organization ideas, you’ll not only declutter your space but also make your cooking and meal preparation more efficient. A well-organized kitchen doesn’t just look nicer. It also enhances your overall cooking experience, inspiring you to try new recipes with confidence.

Abbey Ryan Abbey Ryan
Abbey Ryan is a storyteller, preferably of stories in written form. Across the 5 years of her professional writing career, her work has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, Amazon, The Medical News Today, and more. When she's not writing (which is rare), she's likely traveling, painting, or on the hunt for a good snack. Read Full Bio »
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