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3 Tips to Organize Your Kitchen after a Remodel

Madeline Pillow
Written by Madeline Pillow
Updated September 17, 2014
Beautifully decorated kitchen with island
One thing you don’t want is for your newly remodeled kitchen to turn into a storage place for rarely used items. (Photo courtesy of Moss Building and Design)

All finished with your remodel? Make better use of your space with these kitchen organization tips:

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So, you’ve finished your kitchen remodel and you’re ready to move your items back inside. Before you do, drop that spatula and make sure you have a plan first. 

Any home remodeling project, including a kitchen remodel, is the perfect time to declutter. The kitchen is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to the non-essential items piling up. 

Before putting anything back in your new kitchen cabinets, map out where everything should go, and consider the items below. 

1. Evaluate the kitchen "junk" drawer

The kitchen junk drawer is both famous and guilty in every household as both a useful and messy drawer. But give it a break—its name is the “junk” drawer after all. The problem with this drawer in the kitchen is that it takes up valuable real estate that could be used for better utility. 

If you do want to keep the junk drawer, you need to narrow down its functions. Maybe you just need it to hold extra supplies like notepads and pencils. Or maybe it should be used for household necessities like batteries. 

Any time this space loses its purpose and becomes a catch-all for everything from hair ties to loose change, it’s time to give the drawer a higher kitchen purpose. 

2. Shed those duplicates

When remodeling, as with any time you have a major cleaning overhaul, consider re-evaluating the stuff you have accumulated over the years. You may find that you have duplicates of many items such as plate sets, place mats or centerpiece vases. 

One thing you don’t want is for your kitchen to turn into a storage place for rarely used items. It should be a space of utility and function—after all, it sees the most traffic in your house. 

So consider donating unused plate sets or find someone who may have some use for it. You can also find spaces in your kitchen that see less traffic, like hard-to-reach shelves or back corners of cabinets if there are items you would like to keep. 

3. Go with multifunctional appliances

Finally, in your kitchen, you may find many one-purpose kitchen appliances are taking up too much space. Appliances that fit this definition: rice cookers, popcorn makers and toasters. 

If you find that you do use your rice cooker often, having this appliance take up the space might be worth it. Otherwise, it would be easier to find an alternative that can serve a number of functions like trading out a toaster for a toaster oven. You can even check out some of the new multicooking appliances like steam ovens that can be your steamer, rice cooker and oven.

Any kind of remodel is an experience that will ultimately give you an updated space with more usability. Take advantage of your new space, especially a kitchen remodel, by having an organizational plan that includes some of the tips above!

About this Experts Contributor

As of Sept. 17, 2014, this service provider was highly rated on Angi. Ratings are subject to change based on consumer feedback, so check Angi for the most up-to-date reviews. The views expressed by this author do not necessarily reflect those of Angi.

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