How To Quickly Organize, Declutter, and Store Kitchen Appliances

Pare Down Your Appliances

The first step to decluttering and organizing your kitchen appliances is to group them by use: frequently used, rarely used, and never used. If you have limited kitchen storage space, it’s important to allocate it wisely by owning appliances that have multiple uses. Scrutinize your appliances to make sure their uses are robust and not one-note.

For example, consider buying a high-quality blender that can double as a food processor. Do you really need a panini press when you already have a waffle iron? A stockpot can produce a batch of perfectly cooked rice. There is really no need for a rice cooker unless you use it daily.

Banish Your Never-Used Appliances

This is a no-brainer but often the hardest step for people. If you don’t use an appliance, no matter how much you’d like to use it, it's time to let it go. Think about rice cookers, juicers, and egg poachers. If you use those appliances, great. Keep them. But if you have never poached an egg or made yourself a green juice, chances are you’re not going to in the future. Use your kitchen cabinet storage space for appliances you really use.

Donate or Recycle the Appliances You Never Use

Unused kitchen appliances can easily find a new home via donation, consignment, or selling online. Donating is a fantastic way to declutter and put your tools into someone else's hands (either to languish in their kitchen cabinet or hopefully, to be used). Find a local charity to donate to such as Habitat for Humanity, your local Goodwill, or a local church or house of worship. You can also sell them on eBay or have a garage sale.

If the appliance is no longer in working order, you can recycle it. Check with your local recycling centers to see if they accept kitchen appliances. You can also donate them to Freecycle and have them recycle the appliance for you.

If you’re not sure if you should get rid of an appliance or not, try the box method. Put it in a box and store it out of sight. If in a month you need the appliance, then keep it. If you never think about it, then it's time to donate, recycle, or sell it.

Cut Cabinet Clutter

Now that you’ve pared down, it’s important to make your cabinets as organized and easy to navigate as possible.

Move Rarely-Used Kitchen Appliances To Storage

These are the kitchen appliance you use once every three to four months. Think: blender (unless you’re a dedicated smoothie maker), food processor, waffle maker, ice cream maker, slow cooker—you get the idea. Store these less-used appliances on a higher shelf. Unless you use something frequently, it should not be taking up valuable counter-top or low-cabinet real estate.

Store the Appliances You Use All The Time

There is no one right way to store kitchen appliances. Your organizing and storage scheme will depend on what type of cook you are, which appliances you use regularly, and the size of your kitchen cabinet storage space.

So now you’re left with the appliances used regularly in your kitchen. You should store them where you use them.

Three rules of thumb are to put frequently used appliances on the countertop or the lowest shelf of an upper cabinet for easy reach; rarely used appliances should go to the top of the cabinets; and never-used items should be sold or donated.

While a clean and clear kitchen countertop is a lofty goal, but don't be afraid to store some of your commonly used appliances—coffeemaker, blender, toaster oven—front and center on your countertop. Kitchen organization is all about making your cabinets, pantry, refrigerator, and appliances functional.

Maintain and Upgrade

The more often you organize your kitchen appliances, the less time it will take each season. Try to go through your cabinets at least twice a year. If you really want to get specific with it, try labeling your cabinet doors.