The Principle: Every Item Has One Place

Disorganised drawers happen because items get put wherever there is space rather than in a designated spot. The fix is not just tidying — it is creating a system where each category of item has one and only one location. Once the system exists, maintaining it takes seconds rather than minutes.

How to Organise a Kitchen Drawer

  1. 1

    Empty the drawer and sort into categories

    Take everything out and sort into piles: cutlery, cooking utensils, measuring tools, gadgets, batteries/miscellaneous, and “does not belong in the kitchen.” You will almost always find items in the drawer that belong elsewhere — remove them immediately.

  2. 2

    Discard or relocate the excess

    How many wooden spoons does one kitchen need? If you have six and use two, remove four. Apply this to all categories — keep only what you use. A half-empty organised drawer is far more functional than a packed one.

  3. 3

    Add dividers or containers

    Expandable bamboo drawer organisers ($15–40 from Kmart, IKEA, Bunnings) divide the drawer into sections. Use sections for: cutlery, cooking utensils, measuring spoons/cups, gadgets. Small containers or repurposed boxes from the kitchen work equally well — a cereal box cut down makes a serviceable divider. The goal is to prevent items from sliding and mixing.

  4. 4

    Place most-used items at the front

    The front of each section gets the items used daily. Less-used gadgets go at the back. Apply this to the layout of the drawer as a whole — the most-used drawer in the kitchen gets the utensils used every meal; a lower drawer can hold the rarely used items.

The “junk drawer” is okayEvery kitchen benefits from one designated miscellaneous drawer for batteries, rubber bands, pens, keys and odd items. The key is that it is designated — it has a purpose and boundaries. One junk drawer is fine; junk spreading into all drawers is the problem. Contain the chaos to one location and keep it to a size where you can actually find things in it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Three options: relocate (a dedicated gadget drawer or a high shelf for rarely-used items), store outside the kitchen (a garage or pantry shelf for seasonal items like a fondue set or turkey baster), or donate. A good rule: if you have not used it in a year and it is not for a specific seasonal occasion, donate it. Kitchen gadgets multiply over time and rarely diminish on their own. A streamlined kitchen with only tools you use is significantly more functional than a fully-stocked one.
Small drawers need rigid boundaries to work. Use small individual containers (egg cups, shot glasses, small jars) rather than one large organiser — they adapt to small, irregular shapes better. Prioritise ruthlessly: only the most essential items for that drawer’s function. Consider using the inside of cabinet doors (stick-on hooks, slim organisers) to offload items from drawers entirely.