5 smart tips for a tidy kitchen
A kitchen that’s always tidy? Yesssss please! But let’s be real — that’s easier said than done… Especially if you love cooking (and love collecting alllll the gadgets), your kitchen can sometimes look like a cooking contest just wrapped up – and you won everything… except the clean-up!
But no stress – with a few good habits and some clever tools, you can keep the chaos under control. I’m sharing my 5 favourite tips to really keep your kitchen in check.
1. Work with transparent storage boxes
Glass jars or transparent pots are a real game changer. You can see at a glance how much pasta, rice or oatmeal you have left. It also looks much calmer than all those colorful packages with half-torn seals (you know what I mean ).
This way you can see everything at a glance, and it is super handy to say the following to my daughter:
“Grace, quickly hand me the chicken” or “Get the spinach out of the freezer for me.”
Stick a label on it with the name and expiration date, and you're good to go. Extra tip: group your ingredients. All types of flour together, all types of sugar in one place (I have ten different ones: from coconut blossom sugar to date powder). Clarity = peace.
2. Go for smart stackers
Well, the biggest space hogs in the kitchen? That's undoubtedly your pans and pots. You know the drill: that wobbly tower of frying pans that always tips over right when you need that one from the bottom. Everyone has experienced that, right?
But seriously: the solution? Those are the Tefal Ingenio pans. Truly, that's pure kitchen magic. Thanks to their detachable handle, you can stack them effortlessly – no more pan Tetris in your cupboard!
And what I love about them: they're not only convenient to store, but also super versatile. You can put them on the stove, then slide them into the oven, store leftovers directly in the fridge, and voila – everything goes in the dishwasher afterwards. No hassle, no extra washing up.
I use them every single day. Without exception. They come in various sizes and shapes, with matching lids. So you need less kitchenware and have more space left. Try them once, and you'll be sold.
"GOOD TOOLS IN THE KITCHEN ARE REALLY WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD"
3. Give everything a fixed place
It may sound simple, but it really makes a world of difference. When everything has its fixed place, tidying up becomes a breeze and you no longer waste time searching.
At my home, it works like this: all spices are neatly together in a rack on the inside of the cupboard door. Knives are kept together – and yes, I always wash them by hand (never in the dishwasher!). My food processor and other tools disappear neatly into pull-out drawers.
And I divide my kitchen into zones: a place for cooking, one for cutting, for storing, washing up… everything is where you need it.
"Your kitchen almost becomes your own mise-en-place: organized, practical, and zen."
4. Use the vertical space
Our cabinets are often deeper and higher than we think… but we usually only use the bottom shelf. That's such a waste, isn't it?
Use that space smartly: with drawer dividers or extra shelves on legs you suddenly create a lot more overview. Hang baskets or racks on the inside of your cupboard doors – ideal for spices, bouillon cubes, or small bags.
Spice racks, hanging hooks, smart mini-storage solutions… that's all valuable square centimeters that you can utilize better!
"Once you have that system, you really don't want to go back, it makes cooking so much easier!"
I have a small pantry at home: neatly organized with everything in categories – canned goods, canned tomatoes, legumes… And occasionally I do a quick check: what's running low, what needs to be restocked?
5. Plan a mini-reset weekly
I usually do this on Sunday evening:
- Empty the dishwasher
- Clear the countertop
- Clean & store cutting boards
- Check the fridge for leftovers and expiration dates
- Organize the fridge neatly (cheese, dairy, vegetables, toppings – all together)
- Prepare the weekly menu for the next week. No inspiration? I got you!
Lovely feeling to start the week with a fresh, tidy kitchen. That's often already half the work!
EXTRA TIPS FROM MY KITCHEN:
- Invest in quality. Better to have one good pan than five useless ones that you never use.
- Fridge & freezer? Once a month, empty everything, sort it out, and make a list of what’s still in there. This way, you prevent waste.
- Tools? Go for decent kitchen utensils that you use daily. It just makes cooking a lot more enjoyable.
Do you have any good hacks or organizing tips for your kitchen?
Feel free to share – sharing is caring!
POTS & PANS
Discover my favorite pots & pans here
