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A Professional Organizer’s Guide to Organizing Kitchens

Kitchen organization projects are some of the most time consuming and tedious, yet totally satisfying, spaces you can tackle as a professional organizer. Sometimes you get lucky and are working in a spacious kitchen with lots of available storage. Other times it might feel like a game of Tetris, trying to find a home for everything. If your client is a frequent cook, baker, or has a large household, then we’re sure you know the challenge you’re up against!

We’ve put together a simple guide to help you navigate through organizing kitchens of all shapes and sizes. From taking measurements to creating zones and from using Sortifi (if that’s your jam!) to buying products, use this post as a reference for both current and future projects.

Check out our Instagram page for some of the tips we’ll share here, especially if you’re a visual learner.

The design

Kitchen designs are just as important as the ones we create for closets and bathrooms because it’s part of the daily routine. There needs to be a flow for your client so they can cook, meal prep, and do anything they need to do seamlessly. First, ask them which counter space they prefer to use for different tasks. This might take some of the guesswork out of where certain items should be stored.

Every layout is different, of course, but do your best to organize the obvious such as:

  • Pots and pans by the stove
  • Dish towels by the sink
  • Everyday dishware and utensils by the dishwasher
  • Mugs by the coffee maker
  • And so on!

Find out from your client what’s used most frequently so they can be front, center, and at eye level. Do they have chaotically busy mornings? Create a drink station so everything’s at their fingertips. Do the kids like to get their own plates and cups? Make sure their little arms can reach them by putting them in a lower cabinet with a pull out drawer (those are lifesavers, aren’t they?).

For the items used less often, like serving ware or the crock pot, those can go high, or low, and away. By using Sortifi to plan out an entire kitchen, you’ll be able to visually click off each category or zone on your list to make sure they all have a home. Let’s look at the kitchen design below to see what that could look like…

KITCHEN WALL A
KITCHEN WALL B
KITCHEN WALL C
KITCHEN WALL D

FYI within Sortifi, you can build templates around typical categories to avoid recreating them with each new project.

You can also save these zones on Instagram

The measurements

Taking measurements in kitchens might be the most time consuming due to the sheer volume of them. Here are some tips that might help you breeze through this part of the design process:

Kitchen drawers

  • Always round down to the nearest 1/2″
    • For example ~ if the width is 12.67″ round down to 12.5″
  • Don’t forget to measure the height of the drawer’s clearance, rather than just the drawer sides
  • Account for any hardware that takes up space inside the drawer like the inside of knobs or handles

Kitchen cabinets

  • Remember that standard kitchen cabinet depths range from 10″ to 18″
  • Don’t just check to see if the shelves are adjustable, check to see how easy (or hard) they are to adjust
  • When measuring the width, take the hinges into account for clearance

Under the kitchen sink

  • Measure from inside doors to inside doors, taking into account hardware
  • Don’t forget to measure the height from the bottom of the cabinet to the top
  • Always round down to the nearest 1/2″
    • For example ~ if the width is 20.33″ round down to 20.00″
  • Measure the area around the plumbing
    • From left to plumbing
    • From right to plumbing
    • From the cabinet front back to the plumbing
    • From cabinet floor to bottom of the plumbing

Check out these kitchen measuring tips on Instagram!

Pro Tip: If you request photos from the client before you’re onsite for the consultation, you can create a draft design in Sortifi, print it, and bring it to the client’s house then add the measurements afterwards.

The products

Here’s a list of our favorite products for simple and clean kitchen organization…

Kitchen drawers

Get those tiny things tidy with dividers, inserts, and more…

  1. Neat Acacia Drawer Dividers
  2. STORi SimpleSort Drawer Organizers 
  3. KitchenEdge Premium Silverware Organizer
  4. Home + Sort by mDesign Bamboo 2 Roll Organizer
  5. iDesign Linus In-Drawer Spice Rack

Kitchen cabinets

From water bottles to muffin tins, these products help to keep items in line on the shelves…

  1. NEAT Acacia Riser
  2. mDesign Bottle Storage
  3. YouCopia StoreMore Expandable Cookware Rack
  4. Neat Perforated Baskets
  5. 5-Section Mesh Food Storage Organizer
Check out these products and why we love them in this Instagram post.

Under the kitchen sink

Maximize space for dishwashing and cleaning supplies with these awesome solutions…

  1. Brightroom Plastic Turntable Organizer
  2. Brightroom Wire Basket
  3. mDesign Clear Storage Organizer Adhesive Mount
  4. The Home Edit Divided All-Purpose Bin
  5. The Home Edit Clear Drawers
Check out these products and why we love them in this Instagram post.

If you haven’t tried out Sortifi yet for your professional organizing business, sign up for a free one week trial HERE and simplify your design processes!