Lifestyle

20 Brilliant Ikea Kitchen Organization Hacks

LifestylePublished Aug 1, 2018
By Sierra M. Allia
ikea kitchenIKEA

Ahhh! I breathe a huge sigh of relief after having picked up the last of countless toys and other random items my daughter spread across the floor before her nap.  Every day, of every week of the last year or so has consisted of at least a couple rounds of picking up playthings. Many of those “playthings” include kitchenware- pots, pans, lids, cups she's climbed on a chair and grabbed off the counter. I try to keep my house, including the kitchen, looking presentable most of the time, but having a growing little one makes it increasingly hard. Hence, the need has arrived for a change in how I organize my kitchen, so that, A) my daughter cannot access everything in sight (and force me to do another round of dish-washing), and B) I can easily put away, and thereafter, find anything I need while in my kitchen. 

I’m sure many moms share that need. For us, the brilliant minds who work at IKEA headquarters, have come up with some great products and ideas to organize our kitchen in a unique and an efficient way. Yes, our kitchens can look clean, organized, and dare I say -- STYLISH, once again!

I’ve pulled together 20 of those ideas I saw on their website, a lot of which are so genius,  I asked myself “why didn’t I think of that first?” Gone are the days where it takes me ten minutes looking for a lid to match my favorite pot to cook rice in. No more wondering just where I put the plastic bags from grocery shopping. And the best part? Just browsing the site, I saw some really great things I could do with my kitchen, without even buying anything. So my kitchen is about to get the biggest makeover -- and hopefully other moms will feel inspired too. They even have a page that is devoted to ideas.  Here are 20 ways to get the kitchen in order thanks to Ikea.

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Keep All Lids Together-placeholder
Keep All Lids Together
IKEA/Variera Pot Lid Organizer

Keep All Lids Together

I'm embarrassed to admit to the amount of times I've prepared something on my stove top - be it rice, be it a stir fry -- without the right lid. As a mom and a wife, I live for quick meals I can whip up on my stove top in a few minutes.  In between all these meals and my daughter’s explorations through the kitchen cabinets, the lids just disappear. And some nights, I just don’t feel like digging around for the right lid. This idea to use a special organizer to keep lids in their place is genius. This can be placed even in a higher up set of cabinets, counter top, or wherever and the lids will always be in their place.

VARIERA Pot lid organizer ($6.99, IKEA)

2/20
Make the Most of Doors-placeholder
Make the Most of Doors
IKEA/Smart ideas for small kitchens

Make the Most of Doors

Pots and their lids are some of the most annoying things to organize and store. With their weird, asymmetrical shapes,  they don't stack well. For the mom who doesn't mind a bit of noise when opening the kitchen door, a bunch of "parking spaces" just opened up for cookware.

3/20
Create Removable Shelves for Pots-placeholder
Create Removable Shelves for Pots
IKEA/UTRUSTA Wire basket

Create Removable Shelves for Pots

Just like pot lids, pots themselves can easily get out of order. Not only that, they’re often stored in super low and deep cabinets that require a lot of bending over and banging around in the dark. This idea of creating shelves with wire baskets set on rollers not only keeps the pots organized and makes the best use of the space, but also gives such easy access. Rolling each shelf out brings them into the light- no more thrusting our hands into the dark corners of the cabinet hoping for the right pot.

UTRUSTA Wire basket ($17.99, IKEA)

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Use Dish Rack to Store Plates in Cabinets-placeholder
Use Dish Rack to Store Plates in Cabinets
IKEA/Storage updates for a family kitchen

Use Dish Rack to Store Plates in Cabinets

Using a dish rack to store plates in the cabinet might seem a little tedious, but I love the idea. Stacking plates and throwing them on a shelf is easy, but going back in to get the exact plate that I want can be more work than necessary. Having the plates sitting up individually in the rack allows one to grab the exact plate they need -- no hassle!

KVOT Dish drainer ($8.99, IKEA)

5/20
Store Crackers, Cookies, and Bread in Re-Usable, Re-Seaable bags-placeholder
Store Crackers, Cookies, and Bread in Re-Usable, Re-Seaable bags
IKEA/ISTAD Plastic Freezer Bag

Store Crackers, Cookies, and Bread in Re-Usable, Re-Seaable bags

Everyone I’m sure has experienced the disappointment of opening a box of crackers, cookies, or chips and realizing that the amount of food inside doesn’t compare to the size of the box. Imagine how much space we’d save in our pantries, full of various food boxes, if we took back all that air in the food boxes? Freezer bags to the rescue! Using freezer bags that seal tightly (to keep our snacks fresh), while replacing those pesky boxes is a win-win! 

ISTAD Plastic Freezer Bag, ($2.99. IKEA)

6/20
Optimize Shelf Space with Hanging Baskets-placeholder
Optimize Shelf Space with Hanging Baskets
IKEA/OBSERVATÖR Clip-on basket, gray-brown

Optimize Shelf Space with Hanging Baskets

Shelving units provide great spaces to store foods and kitchenware when the cabinet space and pantry just isn't enough. To create even more space, add a basket to the bottom of a shelf for an incognito spot to store fruit.

OBSERVATÖR Clip-on basket, ($3.99, IKEA)

7/20
Use Baskets for Easy Access-placeholder
Use Baskets for Easy Access
IKEA/5 pantry storage tips for your kitchen

Use Baskets for Easy Access

Use the same recipe to make spaghetti every time? Have some vegetarian or vegan friends that like to come by and have a snack? Why not store foods all the ingredients for that spaghetti recipe or all the vegan snacks in one spot in the pantry? That will save so much time and guests will be so impressed. 

RISATORP Wire basket, ($12.99, IKEA)

8/20
Save Counter Space by Storing Canned Foods, Oils, and Spices in Drawers-placeholder
Save Counter Space by Storing Canned Foods, Oils, and Spices in Drawers
IKEA/5 pantry storage tips for your kitchen

Save Counter Space by Storing Canned Foods, Oils, and Spices in Drawers

Storing small canned foods and spices in drawers can open up a lot of space in cabinets for the larger items one might have. 

VARIERA Insert for spice jars, ($3.99, IKEA

9/20
Make Use of Cabinet Doors-placeholder
Make Use of Cabinet Doors
IKEA

Make Use of Cabinet Doors

Just when I thought I didn't have any more storage space, a bunch of real estate opens up- right on my cabinet doors. Storing small unfinished snacks on the door along with little notes is so cute and nifty. 

PLUTT Hook, self-adhesive ($0.99, IKEA)

10/20
Store All Cleaning Supplies Neatly and Together-placeholder
Store All Cleaning Supplies Neatly and Together
IKEA/UTRUSTA

Store All Cleaning Supplies Neatly and Together

If someone asked me to show them where all my cleaning supplies are, we would have to make about three stops (under the kitchen sink, behind my toilet, and behind the entertainment center). This idea creates a one stop shop for all the cleaning supplies -- big and small. I like it!

UTRUSTA Pull-out rack for cleaning supplies ($99.00, IKEA)

11/20
Store Dish Towels in Clean, Out of Sight Location-placeholder
Store Dish Towels in Clean, Out of Sight Location
IKEA

Store Dish Towels in Clean, Out of Sight Location

For a minimalist as myself, having a dish towel hanging in random places drives me crazy. My husband can attest to it. The only place I'm kind of okay with hanging it is on the oven, and even that I'm not completely on board with. This idea of hanging a rail inside a cabinet and letting it hang and dry there is something I'd love to try.

UTRUSTA Towel rail,($12.99, IKEA)

12/20
Use Drawer Space and Clear Lids to Store Dry Foods-placeholder
Use Drawer Space and Clear Lids to Store Dry Foods
IKEA/TILLSLUTA

Use Drawer Space and Clear Lids to Store Dry Foods

There's nothing I love more than a clear counter top. I like to cram everything i possibly can into the cabinets so that nothing is cluttering up my counter space (although I have a lot of it). The idea of storing all my rice, pasta, beans and any other dry foods in containers with clear lids is genius.

TILLSLUTA dry food jar with lid ($9.99, IKEA)

13/20
Below the Counter Storage for Dry Foods (Another Option)-placeholder
Below the Counter Storage for Dry Foods (Another Option)
IKEA/DROPPAR

Below the Counter Storage for Dry Foods (Another Option)

Prefer circles to squares? Here's another option for storing dry foods and spices without junking up counter space -- using jars with clear lids for easy access and organization. 

DROPPAR jar with lid ($2.99, IKEA)

14/20
Store Dry Foods in Clear Containers-placeholder
Store Dry Foods in Clear Containers
IKEA

Store Dry Foods in Clear Containers

For those with more shelf space than drawer space this is a great way to see everything in the pantry without having to reach down or bend over to access them. The great thing about this idea is that all our yummy ingredients can be seen at eye-level. Our mouths will be watering before the we've even started cooking!

IKEA 365+ Dry food jar with lid ($4.99, IKEA)

15/20
Child (and Mom) Friendly Knife Storage-placeholder
Child (and Mom) Friendly Knife Storage
IKEA

Child (and Mom) Friendly Knife Storage

The last thing in the kitchen that a mom wants her child to get a hold of is a knife. However, the next to last thing a mom wants while she's cooking is a dull knife. Keeping the knife stored in a soft, yet safe area like the one pictured is the perfect solution. Storing them this way, makes it a challenge for little hands to get the knife out the drawer and keeps the sharp edge concealed.

VARIERA Knife Tray ($9.99, IKEA)

16/20
Keep Recyclables and Trash Separate and Neat-placeholder
Keep Recyclables and Trash Separate and Neat
IKEA

Keep Recyclables and Trash Separate and Neat

We all love our planet, Earth; and in theory, we all love recycling. Right? However, recycling can be a little tedious, and having two or three containers in the kitchen to sort our waste is just an eyesore. This cute little sorting idea happens under the counter, perhaps under the sink. The containers can be taken right outside on recycling day --  no hassle. 

UTRUSTA Pull-out recycling bin tray ($33.99, IKEA)

17/20
Neat Storage for Large Pans-placeholder
Neat Storage for Large Pans
IKEA

Neat Storage for Large Pans

We've found places for our pots and saucepans to go, but what about our cookie sheets, our serving trays, and cutting boards? They've got a home now too, with this partition that divides them up nicely in our cupboard. No more banging and clanging every time we pull one out. 

UTRUSTA Partition, ($4.99, IKEA)

18/20
Make Best Use of Freezer Space-placeholder
Make Best Use of Freezer Space
IKEA

Make Best Use of Freezer Space

Whether we have a freezer atop the bottom half of a refrigerator, or a huge one that stands alone, there's always room for improvement when it comes to optimizing freezer space. I've had freezers of different sizes throughout my life and they always seem to get full so quickly. Storing meals for a rainy day and labeling them with expiration dates is a great way to not only make the best use of one's leftover food, but also encourages regular cleaning! Anything expired goes out, making room for more!

ITSAD Plastic freezer bag ($2.99, IKEA)

19/20
Utilize the Empty Space Above Cabinets-placeholder
Utilize the Empty Space Above Cabinets
IKEA/

Utilize the Empty Space Above Cabinets

I've never thought of this idea before, but it makes total sense. All my books are in the book case in the living room, but when it comes to cookbooks and recipes, we really need them in the kitchen. Using the space above the cabinets to store them is great, that way the eye-level clutter is minimal.

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Give Loose Plastic Bags a Permanent Home-placeholder
Give Loose Plastic Bags a Permanent Home
IKEA

Give Loose Plastic Bags a Permanent Home

One of my kitchen-related pet peeves is not finding  a grocery bag to hold my lunch when I'm on my way to work. I forget where they are because because they're always in a different place.  Sometimes they're in a drawer, sometimes they're in a cabinet near the sink. Sometimes I just trash them. With a dispenser like this one, there's only one place the bags will ever be. 

VARIERA Plastic bag dispenser ($2.99, IKEA)

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