A well-organized kitchen is key to a smooth, stress-free cooking experience – especially at the end of a long work day. From clever storage solutions to essential organizers, the right tools can make all the difference.
However, it can be hard to sort the tools that work from the dust-collecting clutter, which is why real-world experience is invaluable to picking the right kitchen organizers for the job.
To help you make the right decisions, we asked our in-house editors for their thoughts on the kitchen organizing products they can’t live without, and why they're essential for when organizing a kitchen.
Kitchen organizing products our editors can’t live without
Whether you’re tackling a full kitchen overhaul or want a few quick fixes, our teams' suggestions, along with the kitchen organizers that professionals always buy, are must-haves for any good cook space.
1. Turntable organizers
From organizing a pantry or organizing a refrigerator, you can never go wrong with a turntable, begins Zara Stacey, managing editor for Homes & Gardens.
‘I have a lot of condiments in my cupboards and fridge – I’m one of those people who has to have about four different sauces with every meal. However, my kitchen is pretty small, so in order to help utilize the space better I purchased this Lazy Susan Rotating Turntable Organizer from Amazon to use in both my fridge and in one of my kitchen cupboards. It helps keep both spaces looking neat and tidy by zoning all the products in one area, and makes it much easier when you're trying to rummage around to find a particular favorite sauce. I'm now tempted to buy one for my bathroom to help organize my make-up and toiletries, too.'
2. Baskets
It wouldn’t be a perfect organizing roundup without mentioning the best storage baskets. They are invaluable to organizing a kitchen and keeping clutter contained, says Punteha Van Terhayden, head of Solved.
‘I bought a set of matching sage green baskets for the shelves to add storage without visual clutter. I love them because they increase my storage, look nice and match the colors of my kitchen appliances to help everything look more strategic. Plus, they fit perfectly in the space I was working with.’
It is always a good idea to measure your storage space before you invest in your organziers. This way, you know you will make the most out of the space available and you don't over – or under–spend.
Storage baskets with holes means items can breathe, making these baskets perfect for fresh produce in both fridges and pantries
A plain acrylic bin is easy to clean while keeping your kitchen storage visible so nothing gets lost or forgotten
For a more decorative approach to organizing a kitchen, these wooden baskets are ideal. They are not as easy to clean, however so keep open food packets away to make cleaning a kitchen simple.
3. Drawer dividers
Utensils can quickly descend into chaos without organizing kitchen drawers. That is why Otillie Blackhall, a Solved news writer for H&G, swears by her drawer organizers.
‘One kitchen organizing product I can't live without is drawer dividers. I use them to keep my cutlery, utensils, and miscellaneous kitchen items neat and tidy – like bottle openers and chopsticks. That way I know where everything is! For my deeper kitchen drawers, I use acrylic drawer dividers and stack them one on top of the other, so I can see what's beneath without having to pull everything out.'
A good utensils organiser will instantly elevate your kitchen drawers and make cooking 10 times more manageable
If you need a very specific layout for your utensil drawer, opt for an adjustable organizer instead for full customisation for your needs
We are all guilty of housing a junk drawer in our kitchens. These lift-out storage trays will keep this space neat and organized without a battle through clutter
4. Glass food jars
If you are going to invest in anything for your kitchen, make sure it is food storage to reduce food waste.
For Dan Fauzi, H&G’s home tech editor, this means investing in good-quality glass jars and containers. ‘A good set of jars is a simple game-changer when it comes to kitchen organization. If you're making stocks, sauces, pickles, jams or anything that might be kept in the fridge for a while, jars don't take up much space compared with food containers. They also don't use plastic, so any liquids are safe from chemical cross contamination – as the chemicals in plastic can leach into liquids if stored for a long time.’
Smaller food jars are ideal for keeping leftovers fresh and ready to use the next day without taking up too much space in your fridge
These food storage containers are highly rated by shoppers on Amazon. They love how secure the lids are and the variation in sizes
Air tight food storage is ideal for keeping dried food goods fresh. These bamboo lid jars are also stylish, meaning your storage can double up as decor
5. Cabinet pull-outs
Organizing kitchen cabinets is my least favorite part of organizing a kitchen. Things always get lost at the back, or topple over– not to mention trying to stack baking sheets that slide and bang around, giving me a headache. To end this constant battle and save my back, I finally invested in some cabinet pull-outs.
These adhesive drawer-like shelves allow me to pull everything out so I can see precisely where everything is and pluck out what I need without having to empty the whole cabinet. This saves time, frustration, and backache while elevating my renter kitchen at the same time.
These drawer pull-outs use an adhesive, so there is no need to drill. This makes them ideal for renters like me, or people who don't want to risk damaging their cabinetry.
6. Food clips
Alex David, head of eCommerce, shares, 'I bought a set of these packet clips the other month and I can't believe I lived without them for so long. They're great for sealing and storing food – I've used them on everything from ground coffee to tortilla chips to cheese. They tidy up loose bags and are the perfect food storage trick to extend the life of your groceries. Best of all, they're cheap, usually costing a few dollars.'
'All plastic clips out there are basically the same, but I recommend a set like this with lots of different sizes – this makes it easier to deal with different bags,' Alex adds.
7. Shelf risers
If, like me, you are tired of digging through your pantry to find the right bottle or can, then I highly recommend investing in some shelf risers. Adding some height to my shelves helps me to organize canned goods so I can actually find them, and stops me having to take everything out to reach the one big bottle at the back.
I always stack items so that the shorter items are on the front shelves with the taller items at the back. This way, nothing is hidden and I can easily reach over items to pick out what I need.
I like plastic shelf risers as they are easy to wipe down and keep clean.
If you like to prioritize aesthetics as well as practicality, this bamboo shelf riser is ideal
Shelf risers aren't just for cans and bottles. I also use them to help separate dishes to make the most of my shelf height
Enhancing your kitchen storage ideas with our selection of kitchen organizers will only help to make your kitchen space more functional and easy to use. Remember that organization is a process of trial and error. Try out a few variations of storage solutions around your kitchen until you find a system that flows effortlessly for you and your household.
