ORGANIZE YOUR KITCHEN IN TEN MINUTES A DAY
You never know what’s lurking behind these white kitchen doors! They look innocent enough from the outside… but yikes when they are open there is a monster of a mess inside! It’s been way, way too long since I last cleaned out and organized the cupboards in my kitchen that hold my dishes and other kitchen items! It’s amazing what I collect inside them. And I’m shocked at how untidy they can get! Today I’m taming the monster mess in my kitchen cupboards and whipping it into organized shape! Here’s how to organize your kitchen in ten minutes a day!
It’s 10 MINUTE DECORATING… THE ORGANIZING EDITION! Nine other amazing bloggers are sharing their organizing secrets today!
Here’s my kitchen…
And here is the messiest cabinet in my kitchen and in my home. It really was a “dumping” ground.
Here’s all the clutter from the cupboard! A real mish-mosh of vitamins, flour, suntan lotion, canned food, baking needs and tupperware!
I cleaned this cupboard up in just a little over 10 minutes! I have a fast and easy solution for these kinds of messes!
Do any of you have cabinets that look sorta like that? Are you asking yourselves, “Where do I even begin to organize it”? Here’s a way to organize your kitchen 10 minutes at a time! Even in our busy lives we can spare just 10 minutes a day!!!! And probably more!
To begin get out 3 boxes, bags or dollar store dishpans (my favorite)! One will be your GIVE AWAY bin. One will be your PUT AWAY bin. And one will be your THROW AWAY bin. I have used the give away, put away, throw away system for decades and have not found anything better!
Now start one shelf or drawer at a time!!! Set a timer for 10 minutes and WORK FAST! Very fast and effective!
Take everything off of the shelf and put it on the counter.
Sort things into the 3 bins. Anything that does not fit in any of the bins can go back into the cupboard (but not yet). You may want to shift things around so set anything aside that is going to be place somewhere new.
Work fast and be ruthless! Don’t put one thing back that does not belong on the shelf you are working on. Don’t have anything in your kitchen cupboards you don’t use or like or that is worn or tired.
I keep nothing sentimental in my kitchen. I have a dish closet for that. My kitchen is simple and utilitarian!
Next, wash the shelf down and put down shelf paper if you use it. I’ve had my shelf paper for years. It’s still in amazing shape. I just washed it down and put it back in the cupboard.
Did you notice the white wire shelves? I love to use them in my cupboards. These shelves add lots of extra room to a cupboard. They make stacking dishes so so much easier!
Stop when the timer goes off. I put the GIVE AWAY bin directly into the back of my car to go to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. The content of the THROW AWAY bin goes right to the trash. And the PUT AWAY bin goes on my washer in the laundry room to be put away when I get a few minutes. MAKE SURE TO PUT THE THINGS IN THE PUT AWAY BIN AWAY! If you don’t… you have just made another mess!
You can feel very very good about yourself as you conquer your kitchen 10 minutes at a time ! Soon all your cabinets will look neat, organized and clean!
Good for you!
I’ve been working little by little since just after Christmas and most of my kitchen cabinets are organized! YEA!
During the 10 Minute cleaning process…
Done! I got rid of lots of clutter!
I used the same 10 Minute organization technique on other drawers and cupboards in my kitchen!
Here’s my go-to knives and things I need while I am cooking.
So now my kitchen is not only organized on the outside but behind the cupboard doors too!
Let’s get started! Set those timers and take 10 minutes a day to organize! Where will you begin? Please share!
Make sure to check out these other organizing tips! Click the image to visit!
You might want to follow me on Pinterest and see what I’m pinning daily. I have lots and lots of organizing tips HERE.
Hi Yvonne! I love your blog and sense of style. What kind of wreath do you hang on your front door now that Christmas is over?
Here’s one of my favorites: https://www.stonegableblog.com/the-scoop-204/
I’ll be posting my most recent winter door wreath next week.
I like the handled bowl or mug bin, keeps them from getting cally wonker. . I don’t understnd how the wire bin for bowls works(bottom left in cabinet)- not enough space at top or bottom to pull out bowl. If you hve a moment to post, please show so i can consider getting one.
I can pull out the bowls and plates. It’s a little tight but they fit!
Love the organizing ideas! I also use the system of boxes or bins with things to keep, things to toss, things to donate/give away! It’s the best system ever. It’s just a matter of doing it. My bathroom drawer is a mess, and I’m planning to tackle that and my daughter’s closet this weekend. That’s one thing I love about January, I get in the mood to clean and start the new year organized. I love tips like these. Your kitchen is my favorite!
Where in your kitchen, do you keep your toaster or small appliances you use frequently as well as food processor, toaster oven, crock pot that are only occasionally used?
My toaster is in a bottom cabinet, my slow cooker is in a cabinet above the frig and I have a big Amish cupboard in my garage that holds many of my small appliances and bakeware.
I’m glad you showed the mess before the organized. Gives me hope. Lol. I need to try your method. My cabinets are a mess and full of stuff I never use. Watch out kitchen, here I come!
You showed a lovely organized cupboard, but what happened with the corner cluttered one you pictured first.
The photos are of different spaces.
I don’t have one single thing in it. I’m thinking about the best way to use it.
But that is what started your cleaning. Dish storage is easy. The little “stuff” is much harder. The messy corner is the basis for your blog.
I am thinking… she meant that the corner cupboard was cluttered and the space misused, so she took emptied it and put those items in their proper place–the mishmash of vitamins, suntan lotion, tupperware etc. did not belong there in the first place. Now she has a nice empty corner cupboard and is planning on what the perfect usage of that would be. Well, that’s my take on it! (I have so many misused spaces like that in my kitchen. everything gets thrown in a certain spot or shelf, because I don’t have a real place for it; or too lazy on my end, to go upstairs and put the suntan lotion in my bathroom where it belongs.
I love your kitchen! I’m going to get some of those shelves!! Great ideas!
Fantastic progress Yvonne! Feels so good to get rid of the clutter and find the perfect place for the bits that are left! PS. You’re dishes are absolutely beautiful!!!
Hi Kristi, Thanks so much!
Great tips, Yvonne, as usual! Have you ever considered adding additional shelves to your cabinets? When my kitchen was renovated, the cabinetmaker’s designer (and wife!!) suggested it and said only 1.5″ is needed between the top of whatever dishes are stored and the next shelf to be able to remove an item from the cabinet. And she’s right. So in one of my 42″ upper cabinets (actually about 35″ of vertical interior space), I have 5 shelves for storage–the base of the cabinet, plus 4 shelves. In one cabinet, I am able to store all of my white dinnerware (service for 12,plus additional dinner plates, salad bowls, mugs, and serving pieces). The shelves are adjustable to accommodate the height of the dishes stored on each particular shelf. I love that I don’t have any wasted space and there is no need for the wire dividers. The other upper cabinets have 4 shelves of storage space because of the height of items stored in those cabinets. Most cabinetmakers or factory made cabinets only include one, maybe 2 shelves, in their configurations, which leaves lots of wasted space in cabinets. It would be easy to get additional shelves cut. Have a great day!!
These measurements are for inches! Guess the symbol for inches doesn’t show up!
THat’s a great idea. I change things around often so I like the wire shelves. And they are a whole lot more inexpensive. Great idea for anyone putting in new or remodeled cabinets!
I have those cabinets! I never thought to just add more wood shelves in there (in all those adjustable holes!). I have always thought there were to many wasted gaps especially over mugs. I am going to go re-organize – Thanks for your idea!
https://www.stonegableblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/10-MINUTE-DECORATING-cutlery-stonegableblog-2.jpg
In your cutlery drawer, I see a cork lining and cork knife storage, where can I find the knife storage? Did you make this? If so, what is the thickness of the cork and do you have a tutorial?
Please advise …. I am decluttering my kitchen drawers and love, love this idea!
:o)
Hi Linda, I got the knife organizer at The Container Store.
Organization…fo me it isn’t my kitchen but my sewing room that recently went through a complete make-over. You are right about taking EVERYTHING out. When all was said and done and I looked at all that clean space (freshly painted walls, hardwood flooring and a closet organizer in place) I knew that nothing would go back unless there was a purpose for it. I used your 3-bin method…only they were very large cardboard boxes! It was awesome to work with a system. I used to tell my children, and now I tell the grandchildren, “There’s a place for everything and everything goes back in its place”. Now, I must see where today’s 10 minutes will be the most effective!
I love the organizational tips that you included! It looks great. Where did you get the knife drawer organizer? I either missed it reading the article or if you didn’t mention it, could you? I love it.
Hi Sandy, I got the knife drawer organizer from The Container Store. I went years without it. I just love it!
First let me say, I love your site and your blogs. I don’t have a great deal of time, so I’m only reading one blog and it’s yours. I love, love, love your use of multiple “loves”. You write the way I talk and think. Now onto organizing a kitchen. I have a Kitchenaid standing mixer in a corner of my counter. I can pull it out as needed. In the lower cabinets in that area, I keep almost all my ingredients, tools, and equipment. I have very large glass sugar and flour canisters on the counter easily accessible. I have only one drawer that is considered a junk drawer. But it’s really not. It has tools, pliers, screwdrivers, straight and Phillips, masking tape and a Sharpie for labeling items for the freezer, etc. We have one drawer for silverware and one for cooking odds and ends…..garlic press, microplane grater, etc. Please don’t hate me. We gutted our kitchen last fall, and that forced us to go through every drawer, and cabinet. I looked for expiration dates, but there were none. Some things were there before food items were dated. In my defense, I moved into this house to be with the man of my dreams, and most of this stuff had been in the back of the cabinets for a decade or more.Men who live alone really don’t think about things like that. And I had to be very careful about throwing out someone else’s stuff.
Amazing tips Yvonne!! I love your dishware! Sharing on facebook and pinning! 🙂
Yvonne I just love, love, love your kitchen! Black and white are my colors. Where did you get your throw rugs in the kitchen? (over by the sink) I love all your ideas. Thanks for sharing.
I found that at a local shop here in Lancaster Co called The Old Millhouse Shoppes.
I love your blog as I am new to your ideas. Your style is so me. I love anything that is home decor. Until I read your blog on finding your style I did not understand why I loved traditional pieces like urns yet I also loved old wooden bowls and boxes. When you said tradition farmhouse it was like a light came on because I’ve always thought my style was eclectic as I prefer items to work together but not look boring. Thanks for all of your work and sharing.
Great tips and ideas. Your cabinet and draws look awesome
You have such wonderful tips, everything is so organized, love it!
Great tips Yvonne! It never takes as much time as I fear to organize, sometimes I put off cleaning up an area here at home, and when I finally get to it, I’m amazed at how little time it actually takes. Your tips are wonderful, thank you.
I need to get going and organize my kitchen and pantry after I get the Christmas decorations organized and put away!…Love your kitchen Yvonne!
Great idea using those wire shelves in the cabinets! Those are so much nicer than those plastic ones. You have such a beautiful kitchen, Yvonne:)
Where did you get your black ground coffee tin that’s hanging on the wall? Your posts are wonderful!
Hi Faye, I found this cute metal sign at a really fun local shop called THE TREASURE PLACE. Here’s the link http://www.smuckervillage.com/treasure-place/
Wow! Your kitchen is beautiful! I love the idea of just ten minutes a day. It’s so easy to get carried away, spend a day doing it, and then never wanting to do it again!
Your cabinets looks so nice and neat. Thanks for the good tips. I enjoy using the stackable racks also. They make my cabinets hold so much more stuff.
Love the 10 min idea and the 3 bins. I’m ready to jump in and get it done.
My kitchen is the one area that I don’t have to do much to in this rental home. My only wish would be got a pantry nearby got my larger serving pieces, extra groceries, and self one used appliances.
Have you ever tried the liner with the rubber feel? I did–not impressed. Does not stay put–especially in the drawers- for me. Wondered if you had and had success with it?
Autocorrect–ugh!! *for a pantry
*seldom used appliances
Lol! This is a task I do when I am over stressed. It calms me.
One of the babies I used to watch years ago was dying (congenital disorder) and I was doing this for distraction, when my friend dropped by and saw me cleaning cabinets and immediately said, “what’s wrong?” made me laugh. She knows me well!
I adore you neatly decorative cabinets storage. Just wish you would come to my house and help me get my cabinets to look like yours.
I love your kitchen and organizing ideas – especially the wire shelves. My husband and I are downsizing so these suggestions will come in handy at our next house. Thank You!
I am so in love with the whole black and white scheme! Such fun to watch you work!
Very encouraging!
great tips