When it comes to organizing your kitchen, the key to creating a functional space isn’t about spending a fortune on fancy gadgets—it’s about zoning. And all you need to get started are some Post-it notes and a pen.
The Importance of Kitchen Zoning
Zoning your kitchen is the secret weapon of professional organizers. It ensures that everything you use daily is stored where it makes the most sense, minimizing steps and making cooking, cleaning, and meal prep much faster.
Here’s how I recently helped Krista transform her newly renovated kitchen. (If you love a good room makeover, earlier we did an EPIC makeover in Krista’s bedroom – click here to see the transformation 🤩)
Step 1: Identify Your Valuable Real Estate
Start by understanding that your kitchen’s most valuable real estate is between waist and eye level. This is where you should store the items you use daily. Reserve those top drawers, lower shelves, and easily accessible cabinets for the essentials like:
- Plates and glasses
- Utensils
- Spices
- Pots and pans
For example, Krista had spices stored above the sink, which required a daily trek across the kitchen while cooking. It made sense to relocated them to a cabinet right next to the stove for easy access.
Step 2: Kitchen Organizing Using Post-it Notes
Write down the names of items you use most frequently on Post-it notes and place them where they should ideally go and where it would make your life the easiest. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect right away—this process is flexible and allows you to tweak as needed.
For instance:
- Everyday dishes and glasses went in the cabinet above the dishwasher for easy unloading.
- Utensils like spatulas and potato mashers were relocated to drawers beside the stove.
- Tupperware and food storage were moved to the island, where meal prep typically happens.
Step 3: The “Stuff Shuffle”
Once your zones are planned, it’s time to reshuffle. This process can feel overwhelming, so there are two approaches:
- One cabinet at a time: Move items from a single cabinet into their new zones, filling the empty space with relocated items.
- All at once: Empty out multiple cabinets and redistribute everything to its new home in one go.
We opted to tackle Krista’s entire kitchen in a day, but if you’re short on time, breaking it into smaller steps works just as well. Start with just a drawer, a cabinet and then continue when you’ve got more time.
Step 4: Declutter as You Go
This is the perfect opportunity to declutter. Use Dana K. White’s “container concept”—keep only what fits comfortably in each drawer or cabinet. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t stay. Think about the things lurking in your cabinets and drawers that you no longer need or want and get rid of it!
For example, we downsized Krista’s utensil drawer from 50 spatulas to a manageable selection of her most-used tools.
Step 5: Create Activity Zones
Think beyond daily essentials and consider how you use your kitchen for specific activities. For example: Instead of just “plates” or “canned goods” here’s the activity zones we created for Krista. By setting it up this way, we helped make her kitchen organization more functional:
- A coffee station at the bar with teas, coffees, and drink prep essentials.
- A baking zone with mixing bowls, measuring cups, and bakeware.
- A lunch prep zone with sandwich bags and food storage in the island.
By simply zoning your kitchen, you can transform it into a space that saves you time and energy. Remember, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s functionality.
