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I believe in a more organic, rather than academic, view of organizing. As adults we've all been in enough kitchens in our lives to know where we instinctively want to reach for things. I don't believe anyone else can tell you where to keep the spices, the blender, or the cloth napkins. It will be different for everyone, depending on how often and when you use things, what is physically comfortable for you, and what (and where) is most convenient for you in your kitchen.

Don't overthink it.

(my non-professional opinion as a user of over half a dozen different kitchens over the last 50 years)

Hi Tononto Vet!

First, I didn’t think my post was live because I could never find it.. not even if I searched the title.. so thank you for letting me know it worked :)

My superpower is overthinking everything, but you have a good point!!!

I just know I tossed things in drawers when unpacking and then I got used to where they were! The good news is that some of is not in a good location, but I log some serious steps in here.. so disorganization winds up being health promoting :)

Any tips on where to look for a few drawer inserts. I don’t need many but not sure where to start.

" First, I didn’t think my post was live because I could never find it.. not even if I searched the title.. "

No new posts were visible for the last 3 days, and then suddenly today, they're all visible and people can actually start new threads again.

Bless you! I thought I was going MAD!!

FWIW, I even emailed support, and yesterday they told me there was nothing wrong and it was visible.. but of course I searched and they were wrong (you’d think support would have known about such a large issue).

Thank you again!

Anj-p, thank you!!!

Your spice drawer is a joy to behold!! That gives me a great idea for dividers. Currently I have a piece of sticky paper in there just to keep them all from sliding around..

And this is exactly the kind of help I needed.. Fresh eyes so I just don’t continue doing what I’m used to if it makes no sense.

Yes, I’m just used to having foil and baggies at the prep area and had never thought much of it. Now that you mentioned it, I can see that it’s not practical, at least for how we cook. I almost never even use plastic wrap/baggies/foil. I mostly use glass containers for storage. So it’s funny that I walk to the messy kitchen to get a container while I have plastic wrap at my fingertips!

I do use parchment paper for roasting veggies all the time, but yeah, that all needs a new home!

Would most people keep food storage containers in the island (maybe the right side of the island?) or would you keep only prep near you (baking dishes etc) and then storage elsewhere. I probably use storage containers more often then I reach for a baking dish (I mostly roast veggies on a sheet pan with parchment and those pans live above the oven)

Obviously plastic wrap is going to the messy kitchen!

And I do keep my measuring cups and spoons at the cooktop and then bring them over to the island.. EUREKA!

This was already very helpful, thx!

Sorry I am not going to read and reread the book but a kitchen is best when designed for how the cook cooks and stores things . I am a firm believer in bigger is not better . I dislike pullout drawers behind doors I much prefer true pullout pantry storage . I too have drawers for spices but double what is shown here plus one deep drawer for larger jars with spices I use almost daily All glass jars with stainless lids and labelled . I do not use any plastic storage stuff only glass so tupperware has not lived in my home for years. The back kitchen makes no sense to me but again this is your kitchen I run a actering biz clean up happens constantly , I have a Bosch DW with quick wash often 6-8 loads a day. The best chefs clean up as they go .I do not store pet food with people food ever. I do have all drawers but not behind doors . All my baking stuff in drawers, all my pots and pans except for really huge ones I use rarely . I always tell my clients who want huge kitchens to just count how manty steps to make a simple pasta dinner and salad then figure out how many times a week you do that . The few steps the better .Every inch of my kitchen was planned before Ieven chose cabinets For mw too much kitchen for n real reason but only you know how you use the space .

I too thought I was going absolutely crazy this weekend. No new posts. Just when I needed such a good Houzz distraction too.

Glad I wasn't going crazy, but I just might go nuts if I read your entire thread. I too just unpacked a kitchen. Do what you said - throw things in what seem like good locations to. Then, schedule a one hour appointment on your calendar six weeks from now to reorganize the things that are quite right.

I did a storage map for the kitchen and mapped out areas - prep, clean, serve, cook, drink, store - and then tried to match them to logical areas in the new kitchen where I had my cabinets all in a line drawing.

(at the advice here, I had also calculated the number of square inches I had now and made sure I had enough in the future...)

Then I was also able to place the square inches of need with the new space available (by each cabinet box)

So - cook will be near the cooktop. Prep items in prep space...

I am currently laying out the new kitchen and this is SO FREAKING HELPFUL.

(And I also just ordered the simple plastic drawer dividers for my spices - that thing is awesome - thanks anj_p )

Here's my top prep drawer.

I also use a lot of prep bowls. Those live in the upper cabinets behind my prep space.

Kendrah

”I just might go nuts if I read your entire thread. ” HA!

Ooops, I thought I had remembered from GW many years ago to be as thorough as possible to save people from having to ask questions.. next time I will shorten it!!

Just Janni

And another vote for those drawer dividers, excellent! Glad you are finding the tips and tricks from this place so useful!

Anj P

Super helpful to see the visual, thanks!

Patricia PC

Thanks, and I agree big kitchens are in no way better.. I just happened to have the space so made the most of it. The back kitchen works well for how I live but I realize a real chef would hate it! I do make all my meals from scratch, even if they aren’t great, but still, I have never had the disciplline to wash as I go, so my hat is off to you!

Sheet pans live over the oven but do you prep veggies next to the oven? Or on the island?

I like vertical storage for my sheet pans and cutting boards.

My food storage containers are in between the range and sink--so wherever you are doing cleanup.

For dividers I have a couple of nice wooden insert things but not a ton. I have some spring tension deep drawer dividers that are really great for making the most of your drawers. I think mine are from neat method.

Your kitchen is bonkers (complimentary)

"The back kitchen is so I can clean up the mess once a day."

You made a kitchen big enough to make the real issue a bigger problem.

You "just threw it in drawers when unpacking"

What will happen here? An awful lot of stuff will remain in the back kitchen for days......

A kitchen is no different than any other room when it comes to habits of the owner. Adding space is usually not the answer, as it just gives the owner more space and storage to control, which is the real issue. More ISN'T more except more confusion.

Dividers ? ! One can usually find a home, any room, where the bins and basket and organizers, compartments, dividers, and labels approach the number in a brick and mortar container store? Does it help them? No. It does not help them at all. It's more than they can manage.

Get a pro in there. Prune what you own in kitchen gadgets and gee gaws to what you use daily , weekly, and let someone help you , then put that person on a routine check up on you schedule.

You can all scream. Bet me lunch : ))!!

Jan, ha, well it’s not getting any smaller, but yeah, less incentive to pare down when there is ample storage. I do constantly edit! And yes, I’m not trying to over organize with dividers and bins $$$ etc, but I do need a few things.. for example, all my medicines and supplments are hard to get to on the shelf in my linen closet, so I want some storage solutions that I can slide out so I can see them and they don’t all topple over into a pile, and my utensils and spice jars are lose and slide around a 33 inch wide drawer every time I open them, it would be nice if my socks were not getting tangled up in my bras because they are just in there together, so just some practical basics .. not taking a custom cutout to hold my veggie pealer, but ahhh, I drool when I see those displays :) (but I do want cute spice jars, that is for no other reason than to make me smile)

Rebasheba,

I do veggie prep on the island, but I do store my pans above the oven (there are slots that will hold the dividers so they don’t fall over on themselves.. can’t wait).

Actually, your words about where to keep the storage containers got me thinking about my routine and how to make the most of it. My containers, once filled, wind up in the fridge after I fill them up, so it make sense to keep those either right of the cooktop (which is next to the fridge) or in the island. I”m filling the containers when I’m at the cooktop (when i take things out of the oven, they usually wind up there) or on the island and putting away prepped veggies.

Neat Method looks like they have some beautiful things! I’ll have to look closer to see if they have some sizes that work for me. THX!

RE Bonkers.. thank you very much!!! I look forward to the finished project.