Rachel Dennis of CNN Underscored, interviewed Stephanie of Soulstice Living and 7 other organizers. Original article link.

Kitchens are the epicenters of our homes. It’s where we brew our morning coffee, cook our meals and entertain our family and friends, so it’s no surprise that so many of us are always looking for ways to make our kitchens even more functional. While investing in organizers like cookware racks and plastic bins can help whip your kitchen into better shape, knowing where to start and which organizers to buy can be challenging.

According to Stephanie King, a professional organizer and the founder of Soulstice Living, the first step to organizing your kitchen should be to declutter. “Most people already have organizing products; they’re just buried under too much stuff to be useful,” she said. “When we cut back, suddenly everything feels easier to manage.”

To help you better organize your kitchen, we consulted professional organizers for their tips on effectively tackling this space and their product recommendations. Keep reading to discover the best kitchen organization ideas, according to experts.

How to choose the best kitchen organizers

Don’t shy away from stackable organizers

When it comes to creating functional spaces in your kitchen, stackable organizers are your friend. “Stackable organizers are great as they let you take advantage of height for storage,” McCubbin said. These types of organizers are also especially useful in smaller kitchens, where flat surface space is more limited, she said.

Use hanging organizers to take advantage of vertical space

It goes without saying that hanging organizers are invaluable when it comes to making good use of wall or door space. “Hanging organizers are ideal for frequently used tools like spatulas and cooking spoons or items that would otherwise clutter valuable counter space, like potholders and kitchen towels,” Palmer said. “They’re also perfect for vertically storing cutting boards and baking sheets, making them easily accessible without stacking.” In addition to making items more visible and easily retrievable, these types of organizers are easy to move as needed, making them a great option for renters, she said.

Use racks and shelves for your cookware

Figuring out what to do with your cookware can be especially tricky, since pots and pans tend to eat up a lot of space. To keep your pans from causing you unnecessary stress, both Kinsella and Saint-Jacques recommend investing in rack holders. “For frying and saucepans, I love utilizing a vertical rack holder because it allows you to ‘file’ your pots and pans so you can grab what you need without unstacking everything else,” Kinsella said.

An expandable shelf is another organizer that Saint-Jacques recommends for storing cookware, since you can store your pots and pans on and below the organizer. “These items help create a bit of extra space, but most importantly, they allow you to easily access any pot or pan without toppling a whole stack of them,” she said. “I often store the lid of a pot upside down directly on top of the pot, that way they don’t get lost but the handle also doesn’t add extra height.

Baskets, bins and cake stands can help clear up countertops

Baskets and bins aren’t just for your bathrooms or mudrooms; they can also come in handy in the kitchen. “I love using baskets and bins on countertops to corral small items that are used often,” McCubbin said. She’s also a fan of using cake stands, which she’s used in almost every kitchen she’s organized, to keep things off the counter. “Put a pretty cake stand with a small base near the stove for olive oil, salt and pepper shakers, garlic holder and any other seasoning in heavy rotation (in our house a jar of chili crisp),” she said. “That way everything is contained on the cake plate and easy to grab.”

Use drawer dividers to organize your utensils

“The most effective utensil organization system combines drawer dividers with a frequency-based arrangement,” Palmer said. She recommends sorting utensils by how often you use them, rather than by type, and keeping frequently used utensils near your cooking area so they’re easily accessible. For those with limited drawer space, she recommends using a countertop utensil holder for some of the most frequently used utensils and stashing the rest in a drawer. “This hybrid approach minimizes counter clutter while maintaining cooking efficiency,” Palmer said.

Pick products that work for your space

Part of finding the right kitchen organizers for your space is ensuring they can accommodate the items you have. That’s why King emphasizes the importance of knowing your measurements and keeping size in mind when you’re shopping for products. “Don’t just buy products and hope they work,” she said. “Match your systems and dimensions first, then choose the product that supports them.”

Don’t overlook fridge-specific bins

“The key to fridge organization is creating a system that’s flexible enough to handle whatever you throw at it,” Kinsella said. Two of the biggest mistakes she sees as a professional organizer are people cramming things together with no clear system or people buying too many bins and containers. To organize condiments, Kinsella is a fan of using turntables, since they make it easy to grab and see things. She also said that small bins in the fridge can be a good option for foods like yogurts, snacks, or string cheese while clear, labeled bins in the freezer can help separate meats, vegetables and ready-to-go meals, she added.

King also acknowledges that bins can be useful for organizing your fridge, making them look great and maximizing storage. Ultimately, though, she emphasizes the importance of embracing a setup that makes life easier, not more complicated. “If you’ll use the bins consistently and like the clean, uniform look, go for it,” she said. “Just make sure it supports your lifestyle.”

Use risers in cupboards and adjust your shelves

Short on cupboard space? McCubbin recommends using risers inside your cupboards, since they “can often give you the equivalent of another shelf,” she said. On a similar note, if you’re looking for ways to maximize your cabinet space, the professional organizer said adjusting your shelves is an effective yet often overlooked tip. “In so many homes I visit, shelves are set at the same heights they were on move-in day and never adjusted since,” she said. “This often leads to cluttered spaces where glassware and other items don’t fit properly.” Adjusting the shelf heights to fit your needs will not only improve the look of your cabinets, according to McCubbin, but the organization.

Best spice and food storage organizers

“This 24-bottle-capacity organizer brings spices from the back of deep cabinets into full view,” said Cara Palmer, a professional organizer and the founder of Organize Every Room. “The pull-down drawers create stadium-style visibility, solving the common problem of expired, forgotten spices and eliminating the frustration of searching for specific seasonings during cooking.” In addition to having three adjustable dividers, this spice organizer also comes with labels so you can grab exactly what you need.

If you always find yourself digging through your spice cupboard to find what you need, Tracy McCubbin, a professional organizer with over 20 years of experience and the founder and CEO of dClutterfly, recommends this organizer from SpaceAid. “Plop this in a drawer and the bottles are easy to read every time you open the drawer,” McCubbin said.

Best flatware organizers

If you’re looking for a utensil organizer that’s adjustable and not made from plastic, King singles out this sleek, durable option that’s made from bamboo. It’s able to expand from three slots to five and also can be used in spaces outside of the kitchen, like the bathroom. “It’s a client favorite, thanks to its clean aesthetic and flexibility,” King said.

When it comes to silverware organizers, Amélie Saint-Jacques, a professional organizer, Konmari consultant and founder of Amélie Organizes, is a fan of expandable models, like this one. “It’s always important to measure the drawer before buying a utensil organizer, but this one should fit most drawers,” she said. “It covers basic needs and potentially offers extra room for storage so that items like serving utensils can be stored there as well.” We love that this BPA-free organizer comes in more nontraditional colors, like blue and pink.

If you’re not looking for an actual organizer, this drawer divider that Barbara Brock, a professional organizer and the founder and CEO of Barbara Brock Inc., recommends can work just as well. The set of four is crafted from bamboo and comes in two sizes. It also comes with customizable labels.

To keep your silverware sorted, Palmer recommends this expandable utensil tray that comes in two sizes and has eight compartments for forks, spoons and more. “Its BPA-free plastic construction is durable and easy to clean, and the adjustable width ensures you maximize every inch of drawer space without wasting valuable kitchen real estate,” Palmer said.

Best pull-out organizers

If you’re tired of rummaging through your drawers to find things, consider snagging one of these sliding drawer units. “These sliding baskets create accessible storage in deep cabinets where items typically get lost,” Palmer said. “The pull-out design provides visibility and access to everything from food storage containers to small appliance accessories without emptying the entire cabinet.” Though the organizer only comes in one size, we appreciate that it’s available in several neutral colors to work with different kitchens.

If you’re tired of rummaging through your drawers to find things, consider snagging one of these sliding drawer units. “These sliding baskets create accessible storage in deep cabinets where items typically get lost,” Palmer said. “The pull-out design provides visibility and access to everything from food storage containers to small appliance accessories without emptying the entire cabinet.” Though the organizer only comes in one size, we appreciate that it’s available in several neutral colors to work with different kitchens.

“My favorite pullout product is a Rev-a-Shelf,” said Nicole Gabai, a certified virtual organizing professional and the founder of B. Organized. She’s a fan of the tiered wire basket systems because they are easy to install in your cabinet, well made and available in multiple sizes.

According to Laura Kinsella, a professional organizer and the founder of Urban Organyze, this organizer, which is great for holding items like cleaning supplies and food storage containers, would work well under the sink or in deep cabinets. The drawers, which are made from a fine mesh, come in three different widths depending on your needs.

“I really like this one, which is a two-tier pull-out drawer where the height of the shelf is adjustable,” Saint-Jacques said. According to her, this type of organizer is ideal for storing items like cleaning supplies without the worry of losing them in the cabinet. She also appreciates that it has five height settings so you can adjust the organizer as needed.

Best shelves and storage racks

If you’re looking for a better way to see and keep tabs on what’s in your pantry, Saint-Jacques recommends this tiered unit from Dial Industries.

Unsure of the best way to store your cookware? Try using an expandable cookware rack. “This lets you store pans vertically so you can grab one at a time while keeping your cabinet tidy and your most-used items within easy reach,” Kinsella said.

Several CNN Underscored editors swear by this magnetic shelf from StoveShelf. It takes up practically no extra space, so it’s great for small kitchens, and it’s also surprisingly sturdy. It can be used to hold spices, oils, knickknacks and more.

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Original article with CNN links here.