Happy Monday! I was feeling a bit under the weather last week which is why the blog and my other favorite places to share + converse on the ‘net’ – IG, FB, etc – were quiet. I’m still not feeling 100%, but am excited to share something I’ve been working on lately… getting my kitchen organized.
For me, organization is a never ending battle. I never feel like everything completely has a home, but I’ve accepted that and continually try to work towards creating a more efficient, more organized home.
When Lowe’s put to me to the challenge this month to tackle the kitchen, I knew it was a win-win. To start off, I took a step back to analyze how the space could be more organized and user-friendly for cooking and storage. I made a few moves of pots and pans, but what I really wanted to put-to-good-use was the insides of the kitchen cabinets. All that vertical space going unused? The ideas started to flow…
My kitchen isn’t small, but it isn’t huge either. With no pantry or extra storage for food, I’m always thinking about how to best store the food / “pantry items” in the cabinets. For the most part, we eat real food / very little processed food. That means no snacks that have to be stored for a long period of time because the food I buy has little “shelf time”. Good for me, that the food we buy takes up less shelf area. Bad for me, I go food shopping a lot.
Anyway, there is one large cabinet that all the food is stored in. It’s a large cabinet at about 30″ wide with (2) doors. Take a look…
don’t you just love peaking into other peoples cabinets??? What are they eating? What do they buy? We use a lot of coconut oil – 3 jars right there in front.
Great change, right?! Nothing from this space had to go, but instead everything was reorganized to be easier to get at in an instant.
Let me show you a bit more of what I did…
On the inside of the left cabinet, I lined the inset panel with stylish geometric patterned contact paper. Similar to what I did for my TV cabinet back in the Summer. I purchased the roll of contact paper at TJ Maxx for about $5 – what a great score.
Once I aligned the contact paper on the cabinet and pulled off the backing, I used a straight edge to trim the excess.
Once the contact paper was adhered, it was time to dress it up.
Before my interior cabinet updo, I never had a great place for spice storage, so that was a major need on my list. I looked around for pre-made styles, but nothing fit the bill just right, so I made my own. I’ll show you more on that in an upcoming tutorial, but this is the result…
For less than $8, I created 2 fit-to-size wood spice racks.
At the top of the interior of the cabinet, I added a half round piece of trim, which I then added metal screw-in hooks to.
I attached the half round piece of trim + the newly made wood spice holders using a very very very strong adhesive – Loctite Epoxy Instant Mix. Basically it’s two formulas that mix together and provide a major adhesive mixture. DO NOT TOUCH IT. I carefully applied the mixture to the back of the trim and spice holder, then placed it on the interior of the cabinet. I held it in place for about 3-5 minutes until it was completely adhered to the surface. I will be honest, the wood started to slide a few times, but I was close by and slid it back into place. There are other epoxy mixtures that dry even quicker – 1 minute of less.
It really is the perfect spot to hang many of the kitchen utensils. Here’s the result…
Heading over to the other cabinet, the right side, I added a decorative magnetic metal sheet that I found at Lowe’s and adhered it to the inset panel with 3M 77 Multipurpose Adhesive. I sprayed the adhesive outside on a towel and then ran brought it indoors and positioned it. All went to plan and my fingers only stuck together a little, phew…
Having the magnetic sheet on the inside of the cabinet door has been GREAT! This large vertical spot is great to keep my grocery list, to do’s with the kids, and of course our random chinese fortunes…
For the interior of the cabinets, I took everything out and simply organized it all. Well, it wasn’t simple, but it sure was worth it! For things that could be grouped – like snacks, baking supplies, medicines, teas, etc. – I added bins and labeled them with washi tape. So easy. The bins are from ClosetMaid available at Target and they are leftovers from when I reorganized the kids rooms. They are the ideal size for a typical kitchen cabinet.
For the rest of the food items, I grouped them and organized them as I saw best for how / when I would use them. Really no rhyme or reason…
On to the other large cabinet, the space that holds ALL the dishes. Another material that I thought would be extra helpful in staying organized in the kitchen was cork. I purchased a roll of cork and double layered it, then added it to the inside panel of the cabinet interior, again using the 3M Multipurpose Adhesive.
This is such a great spot for the school calendar, plus random coupons, and reminders. I also use the cork board when following a recipe. I pin it on the board and it’s right in front ready to follow as I’m prepping.
Also on this inside cabinet, I added another half round trim piece for added storage. Right now all I have is a pin with a pen hanging, but it can be used for so many other things. Maybe more kitchen utensils???
Here is the result of my kitchen organization, with all the doors open…
Inside and out, I’m loving this space.
If you haven’t been following along with my blog from the beginning, you might not know that I redid the entire kitchen by hand (total down-and-dirty do it yourself) a little over 2 years ago. It included painting cabinets, painting the countertop, adding backsplash tile, adding decorative brackets,and more. See the before and after by clicking here.
I’m still on a path for more organization, but I feel one step closer to a more efficient space. On to the next room…
I truly love using every square inch of a space. Vertical surfaces often are forgotten as the ideal spot for storage. If you use all the interiors of your kitchen cabinets, how much more could you store?? Ask yourself.
To gather even more unique, fun, and creative ideas for your indoor and outdoor Fall and Winter spaces, I would definitely suggest downloading the Lowe’s Creative Ideas app on the iphone and ipad. I’m always checking out the FREE app for great seasonal + do-it-yourself inspiration.
Also consider following Lowe’s on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram as well.
Disclosure: I am part of the Lowe’s Creative Team and was provided with a Lowe’s gift card to purchase items for my project. I was also compensated for my time to use the products. No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write. All opinions are 100% mine! 
Pantry organization by Design, Dining + Diapers
Wood Tilt-Out Trash Can by Dawn Nicole
Plastic wrap & tin foil holders by Ask Anna
Fridge & Freezer organization by Clean and Scentsible
Ideas for organizing your spices via The Blessed Life
Dollar Store organization by Ashley Ella Design
Pots & Pans organization by Organizing Home Life
Drawer dividers using inexpensive wood scraps by The Organized Mom
DIY Kitchen utensil dividers by Kevin and Amanda
Hanger turned clip by Craftster
Tupperware organization by Eating Rich
Inside the refrigerator organization by Fridge Butler
Under-the-sink cleaning supplies organization by Jen Thousand Words
Olive Oil bottles are the perfect solution to ditch the ugly soap bottles. Idea by The Craft Pitch
Measurement conversion chart on the inside of the kitchen cabinet by Infarrantly Creative
Over-the-door shoe organizer for snacks, coupons, small items by Money Saving Queen
Organization ideas for the inside of the kitchen cabinets by Jenna Burger
Wood Spice Rack by Jenna Burger
Central Command Center in the kitchen by Jenna Burger
Countertop command center by Lovely Crafty Home
Dry erase to-do or menu board by Make and Takes
DIY Charging station created by Lil’ Luna
