Seven Steps to Organizing Kitchen Drawers

Organizing the kitchen drawers are usually on the lower end of your to-do list when it comes to making your kitchen as efficient as possible. It's much easier to shove everything into its own 'miscellaneous' space rather than organize each drawer individually, and if you've already got most of your tools displayed on the counter top or along the wall, you probably don't even use your kitchen drawers all that much.

Still, organizing the kitchen drawers just right can maximize your available space, and keep everything organized- you'll never have a 'where's my spatula?' moment again! Here's how to do it in just seven steps:

1. Empty all the contents of the kitchen drawer onto the counter top. Start with your potpourri of kitchen utensils, oven mitts, and random objects spread out on the counter top for easy viewing. This limits the chances of simply reorganizing the mess inside each kitchen drawer so you can start re-arranging the kitchen drawer items into their appropriate places instead.

2. Begin with the drawer closet to your stove. This drawer needs to contain only the following items; oven mitt, coasters, and hot plates. Anything that you may be using for baking and holding hot pans belongs in this drawer.

3. Fill the silverware drawer. This usually goes directly below the cupboard storing your dinnerware, so fill up this drawer next. A silverware organizing tray helps to keep this kitchen drawer even more orderly. Make sure you don't put anything else besides silverware and serving spoons in this drawer. Chopsticks also belong here.

4. Fill the drawer next to the stove with cooking tools. This drawer needs to be within easy reach of the stove so you can cook up a storm without leaving the main work station. Fill this with wooden spoons, slotted spoons, soup ladles, and other larger serving spoons you use while cooking. A small chopping board also has a place in this drawer.

5. Create a baking tools drawer. This needs to include items you often use for baking; rolling pin, muffin cups, small sifter, basting brush, wire whisks, and any other tools used during your baking process. The best drawer for this is one that's close to your kitchen island (if you have one), or in proximity to your workspace.

6. Fill the drawer below your glassware with coasters and serving spoons. This is usually the last area you will reach for when you're setting the table. Fill this with coasters, table serving sets, and wine service items that you can pick up easily as you put the finishing touches on the dinner or kitchen table. Bar towels/cloths and small kitchen towels can also be stored in this drawer.

7. Designate only one drawer for miscellaneous items. This needs to be the last drawer out of the kitchen, or the one closest to the doorway. Use this to keep recipe cards, grocery lists, pens/pencils, notepads, and grocery coupons you collect for the week. It's important that these items don't find their way into any of the other drawers, and that this doesn't become your 'clutter drawer' with items that belong elsewhere in the house.

Seven steps and seven drawers is all it really takes to optimize the efficiency of your kitchen space. The average kitchen includes at least 4-5 large drawers, in which case you can 'share' space for baking and cooking tools. Just remember to designate only one drawer for miscellaneous items to keep clutter under control.