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22 Quick and Easy Kitchen Organization Ideas
Attempting to organize your kitchen may sound like a recipe for disaster. But when you have a place for everything and take the time to put everything in the right place, you'll have an easier time making healthy, balanced meals you love, which could ultimately set you up for more weight loss success.
If you need extra help organizing your kitchen, here are some quick and easy ideas to get your kitchen in order!
Eliminate weight loss roadblocks
1. Get rid of unhealthy food.
A key part of the GOLO for Life plan is getting back to basics when it comes to food. Before you can start organizing your kitchen with healthy foods, you should eliminate foods that can works against your goals.
So, first things first. Find the processed, sugary, and artificial foods in your kitchen and get rid of them if at all possible. (If you need to keep some of these items for other family members, see #2)
Getting rid of food doesn't mean you have to throw it out. Check your local food bank to see what type of food is needed most and when you can donate to a food drive in your community.
Not sure which foods to eliminate and what to replace them with? Download GOLO’s Kitchen Inventory Guide, which features a Kitchen Cleanout checklist, a shopping list catered to the GOLO for Life Plan, and more!
2. Put unhealthy food where you can't see it.
We realize you’re not the only person in your house who needs to eat. If you can’t get rid of all the unhealthy foods out of fear of a family-wide mutiny, then it’s best to put those unwanted foods somewhere you don’t see them every day. That way, you’ll lessen the temptation to eat something that will derail your weight loss plan.
Quick tip:
If you think having these foods in the house might tempt you to go off plan, now is a good time to have a talk with your family about it. Talk about your goals and how they can support your new way of eating. You might be surprised that they are more willing to help than you think they might be!
Organize the refrigerator
3. Put your newest purchases in the back of your fridge.
Once you’ve gotten rid of the unhealthy items and have a clean slate, it's best to put newer food purchases in the back of your fridge.
That way, the items closest to their expiration date will be eaten first. Anything with an expired date can get thrown out.
4. Create an area for leftovers or meal prep.
Put these items on the upper shelves because they should be eaten first. You can even label them with the date they were prepared so you know how old they are.
5. Make space for on-the-go perishables.
Items like yogurt, hummus, and cheese should be at eye level so you can find them quickly.
6. Store similar foods in the same drawers.
As you’re putting your groceries away, it’s best to avoid putting any meat with your fruits and vegetables inside these drawers since storing them together can create an increased risk of cross-contamination.
7. Store the freshest items on the bottom of crisper drawers.
Be sure to utilize drawer dividers to keep your fruits and veggies in one easy-to-access location.
8. Adjust temperature controls on your crisper.
If you notice your leafy greens wilting faster than you’d like, make your crisper cooler. This will keep them fresh for longer.
9. Keep items intended to stay colder off of your refrigerator door.
Your fridge's door tends to be the warmest part of your refrigerator. Be sure to place items like whole milk and eggs in the central area of your fridge to give them as long a shelf-life as possible.
10. Put your kids’ favorite items like juice boxes or squeezable snacks on a lower shelf for easy access.
Quick Tip:
Before you start your fridge reorganization, empty it entirely and wipe down all the surfaces so you know you’re starting fresh. Once your fridge is organized, try adding a deodorizer like baking soda to help prevent unpleasant smells from lingering.
Easy freezer organization
With your refrigerator organized, it's time for some easy freezer organization tips. Keeping an organized freezer is helpful for long-term meal planning. Below are tips on how to keep an organized freezer:
11. Store the newest freezer items in the back.
Similar to proper fridge organization, storing fresh items in the back and getting older items front and center will help make sure goes bad.
12. Store similar food groups together.
Rooting around in your freezer for something can be a pain. Having similar food items in the same place will eliminate time spent looking for food and help make meal prep easier.
13. Keep treats out of sight.
Sweet treats like ice cream and popsicles (if you still have them for other family members) should be kept out of eye-level viewing to limit your temptations.
14. Go through your freezer.
Freezer items tend to be forgotten about, so try to go through your freezer every few months so you know what you have and what you need to buy.
Plan Out Your Pantry
Organizing your pantry and maintaining that organization is no small feat, which is why it’s important to have a pantry game plan. Below are eight techniques to help you organize and maintain your pantry.
15. Take inventory of the foods you have.
Knowing what you have will help to keep your pantry organized. Once you take stock of what's in your pantry, you'll know exactly what you need so you don't over-buy.
16. Store similar items in the same place.
By keeping similar items in one spot, you'll know where to look when you need something and also know when you run out.
17. Get transparent and stackable containers of various sizes.
Transparency is key to pantry organization because it makes items easy to identify. But it’s also important to see which items have gone bad or stale or see if any unwanted creepy-crawly insects have gotten into your food!
18. Consider the size of the ‘mouth’ of your containers.
Some foods like oatmeal can be easily poured, whereas dry items like brown rice are better off being scooped for measuring purposes. In which case, you'll want to store those items in containers with mouths wide enough for measuring tools.
19. Set up different pantry zones.
Zones can include baking supplies, canned goods, healthy carbohydrates like grains, beans, and pasta, and healthy grab-and-go items like raw nuts and dried fruit.
20. Put reusable labels to good use on transparent containers.
You can also write down either the bought or expiration date of certain food items so you know when they need to be eaten.
21. Install stackable cabinet racks.
Stackable cabinet racks can come in handy if you find yourself running low on pantry storage space. They are available in plenty of different shapes and sizes and will bump up the storage space of your pantry without creating a major pantry overhaul.
22. Utilize the space provided by your pantry door.
Hanging door organizers are perfect for storing larger jars. The ground level is ideal for small appliances like a rice cooker or blender.
The idea of reorganizing your entire kitchen may seem overwhelming. Which is why we’ve provided a handy, printable Kitchen Inventory Guide that will help you get started.
The guide includes a Kitchen Cleanout checklist, Kitchen Inventory checklist, a GOLO for Life plan shopping guide, and tips to help you get organized and stay organized. It also features preparation and cooking tips for your current favorite health foods or foods that are part of the GOLO for Life plan that will soon be your new favorite.
With the help of our Kitchen Inventory Guide, your kitchen will be the highly functional heart of your household it was meant to be, and you’ll be the brains behind it all!
Download our Kitchen Inventory Guide and get organizing!
GOLO is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any illness or disease. This blog provides general information and discussion about health and wellness related subjects. The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. GOLO encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. All opinions and articles linked to and from this page are those of the individuals concerned and do not necessarily represent those of GOLO, LLC or its employees. No responsibility can be accepted for any action you take or refrain from taking as a result of viewing this page. GOLO will not be liable for any errors, losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information. These terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.
Tagged with: Food, Healthy Living