We’re back to share the results of the big cabinet clean-out we announced late last week and tackled over the weekend. In case you missed the starting point, those two chaotic double cabinets that held almost every non-refrigerated edible item in our kitchen were impossible to forget.
After a few hours of sorting, purging, and rearranging, here’s how they look now.
We began with the 100% empty rule: everything out of both cabinets and laid on the counter so we could evaluate, pair like with like, toss expired items, and see exactly what we had. Seeing everything together made it obvious which categories kept repeating. Once we grouped items into recurring categories, putting things back became almost automatic.
For the first double cabinet we settled on clear zones for cereal, pasta, sides, snacks, crackers, and cans & soups. To mark each area we picked up inexpensive metal label holders from Michael’s (found in the scrapbooking aisle). Unlike sticky labels, the metal frames look polished and hold paper inserts that are easy to swap if the categories change. They were inexpensive—about $2.19 for a set of four—so we came home with a few extras.
When installing them we measured to align the frames, pre-drilled tiny holes using the metal frame as a template, and then tapped in small nails. It worked perfectly. If you prefer a less permanent option, double-stick tape or velcro would also work. We just wanted something that would last.
One of the problems we solved was a jumble of slippery packets in the “sides” area. We had been stuffing those envelopes in wherever they would fit, which never stacked well. A clear plastic caddy we already had made them neat and easy to access.
We also realized it made sense to group pasta with sauce, which somehow hadn’t occurred to us before. A small section dedicated to that combination feels much more functional. For our bulk-bought snacks like almond biscotti and Wasa crackers, we used two lidded glass jars from Target—affordable and much better at keeping those items fresh than their original, hard-to-reseal packaging.
On the bottom shelf we added a little wire shelf we already owned to create more vertical storage for smaller items that tend to get lost. Two green stationery boxes from a previous event turned out to be the perfect size for packets of oatmeal and a collection of granola bars. Removing bulky packaging both frees up space and makes it easier to grab something on the go.
We also pared down the DIY in-cabinet cork boards full of recipes and nutritional articles to reduce visual clutter and keep only what we actually reference.
Moving to the second cabinet, which used to be a catch-all for spaghetti, sauces, baking goods, oils, and spices, we decided to dedicate one cabinet to snacks and pantry items and the other to spices, cooking oils, sauces, and baking ingredients. For this cabinet we created categories for powdered mixes, baking ingredients, sauces, baking accessories, spices, and cooking oils. The label holders again helped maintain the system and make it easy to change categories later.
One issue we faced was greasy rings from oils and sprays on the cabinet shelf. The solution was surprisingly simple: inexpensive placemats from Target. We cut one placemat in half to make two wipeable, dishwasher-safe mats that sit under sticky or greasy items and protect the shelves.
We used a small box we already had to contain baking accessories—sprinkles, icing nozzles, cookie cutters, and cupcake liners—so the whole set can be pulled out at once when it’s time to bake. That keeps small items from getting lost in the back of the cabinet.
There was one more cabinet that needed attention: the base cabinet to the right of the stove where a few pots and lids lived. The drawer beneath the stove holds most of our skillets, but these pots and lids were leaving tiny marks on the shelves. We wiped the marks away and added a pot lid rack from Target plus two more placemats taped together to create a single large, wipeable surface beneath the pots. The result is neater and prevents future scrape marks.
All told, the project cost under $30 for the storage additions—metal label holders, placemats, a pot lid organizer, and glass jars—most of which we already had on hand in some form. The biggest investment was time: sorting, deciding on categories, and placing items where they truly belong.
How did your weekend projects go? Did anyone else tackle kitchen cabinets or take on organization in the garage, garden, or basement? We’d love to hear tips and tricks you discovered while decluttering.
Psst—Wondering how we stash and store nearly everything else in our house? Click here for all the dirty deets.