Organize Your Kitchen Drawers In A Flash With These Quick Tips

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Your kitchen sees a lot of action — even if you're not a big cook, chances are you spend time in your kitchen every day. Whether you make homemade recipes that've been passed down for generations or quick 20-minute meals, everyone has to eat. All that time spent in your kitchen means organization is vital, especially in your drawers.

From silverware to dishes to towels, keeping your drawers tidy makes your whole cooking experience easier. You don't want to go digging through your drawer to find a teaspoon or fighting to close the towel drawer. We've put together a list of tips to organize your kitchen drawers fast, so you can make your kitchen an efficient and practical space.

There are a lot of cute kitchen towels out there — from seasonal dish towels to ones with puppies or cats cooking dinner. As if that's not enough, different towels can serve different purposes, like microfiber towels, cotton towels, and more. So, chances are you have quite a few in your kitchen drawers. Have you ever struggled to close the drawer or keep them folded and tidy? Try rolling them instead.

Rolling towels is a super easy way to store them. There are a few different ways to roll them, but it's a good idea to start by folding them in half vertically at least once. Then simply roll them up, or you can try Marie Kondo's folding method to keep your kitchen towels in check. This is a compact way to store towels and keeps them from getting disheveled in your drawers.

Drawers can easily become a space that you just throw items into and then struggle to find them later. If you store items in drawers that you've put into different containers (such as flour, sugar, or baking soda), it's vital to use labels. Not only does this help with organization, but it also helps you distinguish ingredients; you definitely don't want to confuse salt and sugar, for example.

First you'll need to choose your containers. Glass is often a more durable and eco-friendly option versus plastic. Choosing a matching set of containers offers another level of aesthetic. You can create labels at home with a label maker or try a zero-waste way to DIY a label for your glass jars (like writing on rubber bands, using permanent markers, or getting chalkboard stickers). These Chalkboard Label Stickers from Mantah are another great option.

Water bottles are everywhere — whether you have a collection for kiddos or a few free promotional bottles — and they can take up a lot of space in your kitchen. Rather than store them right-side up and have them topple over and get messy in your drawer, consider laying them down instead. This will help keep them organized and avoid the potential chaos of water bottles falling over.

It's a good idea to declutter your water bottles first (that free water bottle you've never used probably doesn't need to be kept). Then, organize bottles by size and shape so they fit neatly in your drawer. Keep lids on your water bottles so those two pieces always stay together. You can even get a rubber mat to help limit rolling around.

We all use drawer dividers for silverware, but did you know you can use them all over your kitchen? Whether you need a little extra organization for your baking supplies, spices, or even kitchen tools and utensils, dividers are a great option. Who wants to rummage through drawers to find the tablespoon? Nobody.

Because you can use dividers for so many items, there are a million options to choose from. These Bamboo Kitchen Drawer Dividers from Utoplike are a great option for larger utensils, and can be adjusted to the correct size of your drawer. Or, consider a DIY drawer divider that will make organizing your home a breeze. You can use foam board and contact paper, cardboard and cable clips, or even tension rods to keep your kitchen drawers neat and tidy.

Leaving knives haphazardly in a drawer isn't only messy, but it's also dangerous. Anyone could reach in and get a scrape or cut if the knives don't have covers, and that's a hazard you don't need. Instead, consider a knife dock in your drawer to keep them organized and in good shape.

Depending on your knife collection, you can choose from a number of different in-drawer docks. This Bamboo Kitchen Knife Drawer Organizer from Utoplike can fit 12 steak knives. On the other hand, this Knife Drawer Organizer from SpaceAid has flexible dividers so you can store a variety of different knives. If you don't want to purchase a knife dock, consider laying all your knives flat in a drawer, on top of a towel or wooden mat with grooves to keep them from sliding around.

Chances are that that snack drawer gets used a lot. From chips to bars to fruit snacks, little bags of snacks can get disorganized really quickly. That's why it's a great idea to store these mini snacks vertically. Not only can you save space, but you'll also be able to see when you need to restock.

It's generally very easy to save kitchen drawer space with this vertical snack organization tip. Start by organizing your snacks by type and placing them in rows upright. Those chips that get crushed at the bottom of a drawer are no more. Vertically storing items helps prevent that damage and keeps them organized. Consider using drawer dividers or lining your drawers for an additional layer of storage optimization.

Whether you're a fan of paprika or parsley, basil or bay leaf, keeping your spices neat is a necessity. Standing spices upright in a drawer can make reading labels difficult or even impossible to see without pulling out the spice. You can save time and make a more efficient cooking experience by laying down your spices.

It's important to ensure your spices don't move around too much in your kitchen drawer. This Drawer Shelf and Cabinet Liner from GORILLA GRIP is a great way to keep your spices in place. You can also DIY a spice organizer using foam board (just measure your drawers, plan out the number of rows, and fold the board into triangular shapes). But that's just one of many genius ways to store spices without cluttering up your kitchen. Here's an added tip: Get matching spice jars with labels like these Glass Spice Jars from AISIPRIN to keep your spice drawer looking extra organized.

Ah, the infamous junk drawer. The black hole of rubber bands, pens, sticky notes, ketchup packets, and more. It's probably the messiest drawer in your whole kitchen, and that's why it needs to go. But don't panic; chances are it's actually less daunting than it seems.

Start by decluttering. Chances are you don't need 10 hot sauce packets or those takeout menus and napkins. Just throw them away. Separate items you'd like to keep into categories, and store them where they belong. For example, papers and pencils can be rehomed to a desk or office drawer. If there are still items you're not sure what to do with, get containers or a drawer organizer (like these Multi-Use Storage Trays from ROYAL CRAFT WOOD) to straighten your items out. Junk drawer, who?

Pots and pans come in all shapes and sizes — and that can make them really tricky to store neatly. Rather than stack them on top of each other in a deep drawer, consider placing them all in a single layer. This will allow for easy access and a much cleaner, sleeker look.

Before you start reorganizing your drawer, go through your pots and pans. Nonstick pans are items you should definitely be decluttering in your kitchen. Be sure to get rid of any that are very old or damaged, as any flaking or scratches can make them no longer food-safe. Place your pots and pans in the drawer on top of a liner to keep them protected. This Luxury Shelf and Drawer Liner from Drymate is an excellent option.

Who said your plates and bowls have to live in kitchen cabinets? If you're already placing your dishes in drawers, pat yourself on the back. Not only is this more ergonomic (plates can be heavy), but it also frees up upper cabinet space for glassware. Placing dishes in a drawer keeps them handy and reachable in the kitchen.

For additional organization in your drawer, make use of a pegboard system. This Rev-A-Shelf Trimmable Pegboard Drawer Divider is perfect to keep your dishes right where they belong in your drawer. It's also completely sufficient to just place your plates and bowls in a drawer; just be sure to stack similar-sized plates and bowls to keep them tidy and avoid toppling.

When was the last time you went through your utensil drawer? Obviously you need more than one fork, but you definitely don't need more than one can opener or three pizza cutters. A great way to organize your kitchen drawers is to declutter your utensils and get rid of any duplicates you don't need. Your utensil drawer is even considered a problematic area you should declutter to make a big difference in your kitchen.

Beyond duplicates, be sure to get rid of any small, specialized kitchen tools that you never use. If you have a garlic press but rarely use it, donate it and save space. Same goes for items like juicers, mandolins, zesters, apple corers, and more (there are way too many to name). Use containers or drawer separators to keep the utensils you do keep tidy.

Cooking and baking are made much easier when all the tools you need are in the same area. Just like you organize glasses or mugs in your cabinets, categorize other kitchen items and store them together in your drawers. Not only will this make your kitchen experience more efficient, but it'll keep your drawers organized as well.

For example, measuring cups and spoons should be stored near each other. Items like sugar, flour, and baking soda should be kept in the same drawer. Your oven mitts don't have any business being stored with spices. Put oven mitts with potholders and towels. If you store coffee pods and tea bags in drawers, consider putting them together, and store sweetener packets with them, too. It may seem like an obvious choice, but where you put items in your kitchen matters.

Are you missing any lids to your Tupperware containers? Is there a decade-old plastic container buried in a kitchen drawer? Keep your Tupperware drawer neat by decluttering and always keeping containers with their lids. Say goodbye to lonely lids and digging through your drawers to find the matching set.

Start by getting rid of any Tupperware that is damaged or missing a lid. Any containers that are warped, stained, or cracked should be thrown away, and you should also toss any Tupperware that is decades old. Even if it is in good shape, vintage Tupperware may contain toxic metals that you don't want leaching into your foods. Matching your lids to your containers is a clever way to organize your Tupperware and prevent that drawer from giving you a headache.

You've already heard this mentioned a few times, but nonslip mats are a great way to keep any of your kitchen drawers tidy. Prevent spilling, toppling, and even breaking kitchen items by lining your drawers with mats. All items in an organized kitchen drawer have a place, and mats can help them stay where they belong.

If you're looking for a waterproof or oil-proof option, consider these Shelf Liners for Kitchen Cabinets from StaHom. Don't worry about damaging your drawers with those. Corkboard is an easy DIY liner you can use in your cabinets and drawers as well. You can even outline where items go by tracing the item on the liner if you want an easy reminder of where objects go in your drawers.

Plastic bags, foil, and parchment paper are necessary in the kitchen, but they can be difficult to store. Rather than keeping these items in their regular packaging, opt for matching, sturdy containers instead. Not only is it more visually appealing, but it will also be more practical long-term.

You can find boxes or containers that are designed for storing these items that will fit right in your drawer. This Storage Bag Organizer from Calmbee has nine sections for different bag sizes and plastic wrap, foil, and wax paper. If you're worried about an organizer like that fitting in your drawer, opt for separate containers or a modular system like this Bag Storage Organizer from mHomeBilt. Sturdy organizers will be a much better and more durable option versus flimsy cardboard boxes.