13 Storage & Organisation Tips for an Open Concept Minimalist Kitchen!

4366

Japandi
HDB (Resale)
~700 sqft
2 br
Solo Living

Hi everyone! I'm back with a new post, this time about my kitchen organisation!
My kitchen has two distinct sides: the food prep area on the left, and the cooking area on the right. Let me show you every nook and cranny of it, and share some hot tips along the way on how I maximised storage and organised my kitchen essentials. Get ready for a super in-depth post!
The first thing you'll likely notice upon entering my kitchen is this bread box. I've repurposed it to store all my tea-making essentials and supplements. Kitchen Organisation Tip #1: Small items can easily get scattered, so having a dedicated space for them is key!
Plus, when the flap door is lifted, you're greeted with a neat and organised exterior, with only a hint of what's inside!
Kitchen Organisation Tip #2: A key to keeping things looking neat (especially when you have a lot of items) is to utilise trays! Group items of the same "category" – like spices, utensils, or small appliances – on a tray. This instantly creates a sense of order and visual appeal!
My sink area is my "least" organised area of my kitchen, visually at least. My cleaning essentials are placed in a way that enhances my user experience while cleaning, but it can sometimes be an eyesore.
Kitchen Organisation Tip #3: Utilise design elements to minimise visual distractions. For example, having a matching sink cover with my counter top helps me to reduce the jarring look of my stainless steel sink! This creates a cohesive look and minimises visual "noise," making the kitchen appear more organised and streamlined.
Similarly for my Modori Knife Set Holder and Cutting Board Hanger, being able to "hide" them also helps to reduce visual clutter!
I get a lot of questions about styling open shelving in the kitchen. While styling preferences vary, my kitchen, with open shelves directly above the food prep area, presents a unique set of considerations. Kitchen Organisation Tip #4: Prioritise items that are both visually appealing and highly functional. Choose items that you use frequently during meal prep and cooking. It is so much easier to reach out for them above you instead of rummaging through your cabinets!
And if you love to entertain like I do, displaying your spirits collection is a no-brainer as well. Haha!
Now, let's go explore my cabinets below the counter!
This first area is where I placed my "larger" appliances. Kitchen Organisation Tip #5: I find cabinets much more convenient for housing appliances like my rice cooker and air fryer. Simply sliding them out is far easier than lifting them in and out of drawers in my opinion!
Kitchen Organisation Tip #6 Utilise extension rods to maximise cabinet space! These inexpensive and easy-to-install accessories help you make the most of vertical space that would otherwise go unused.
Kitchen Organisation Tip #7 When renovating your drawers for cutlery, consider purchasing your cutlery tray first. This allows your carpenter to design the drawer dimensions specifically for your chosen tray, ensuring a perfect fit.
Kitchen Organisation Tip #8 I love this hidden drawer feature which hides my cutlery drawer. Once it's closed, it reveals a deeper drawer below. This cleverly conceals my plates and bowls, which are typically used alongside the cutlery, creating a streamlined and efficient dining setup!
Here's a quick look at my lower bottom drawer. I use inexpensive dish stands from Daiso to rack my food prep trays and coasters. This keeps them organised and easily accessible, instead of stacking them on top of each other. It also makes it much easier to find what I need at a glance!
Moving on to under my sink area, I absolutely love this pull-out solution for my bins from IKEA! I actually planned ahead during the kitchen carpentry stage and ensured the cabinet opening was designed to perfectly accommodate the IKEA pull-out bin system. This way, the bins slide out smoothly and effortlessly when you open just one side of the cabinet door.
Now, we've come to my cooking station!
These are all my drawers and cabinets assembled in this area! They were designed with user experience in mind, specifically for ease of use during cooking.
Food processors can be bulky things, and this area was specifically designed to accommodate my Food Blender perfectly. Kitchen Organisation Tip #9 Incorporated adjustable shelves within your cabinets to maximise vertical space where possible!
Here's my spice and condiment rack! I find it incredibly useful for storing less frequently used spices and condiments.
One of the benefits of having an induction or electric stove is the increased counter space underneath. In my case, this translates to a full-size drawer directly beneath the stove, for storing all my frequently used cooking utensils. The polyprophylene storage organisers are bought from MUJI's modular PP box series and Daiso.
This is an often forgotten space below the oven area which I managed to carve out to store my baking essentials and other kitchen knick knacks!
To the left of my stove are my two deep drawers. The top drawer houses my "healthier" snacks!
The lower drawers are where I placed my storage containers for food. It currently looks emptier now as most of them are used inside my fridge! Kitchen Organisation Tip #10 When storing your empty containers in drawers, place them vertically, facing up, instead of stacking them. This allows you to easily see how many you have, which prevents overbuying!
It's no secret I'm a huge Zuutii fan! As you can see in this picture, their products are practically everywhere on the countertop, storing my often-used condiments and spices. Since they look so good, I also didn't mind displaying them openly like that! These spice jars, oil sprayer and the carafes, not only look beautiful but also help my condiments and spices last longer. Plus, they make cooking so much easier and more enjoyable!
These are my favourite of all Zuutii products, the drip-free carafes! Kitchen Organisation Tip #11: Label the expiry dates of your items! It might seem tedious, but it goes a long way in ensuring your ingredients stay fresh, while also minimising food waste due to expired goods!
Here's a quick look at the storage above my hood! Kitchen Organisation Tip #12 Reserve your top cabinets for items you use less often. This keeps your most-used items within easy reach in your lower cabinets!
Here's a picture of how I reach for my higher cabinets. I use this bamboo step stool very often around the house and it can also double as an extra seat at the dining table, or even a surface area to put items on. Easily the best buy ever!
Kitchen Organisation Tip #13 Storing less healthy food items in the upper cabinets can be a helpful strategy for mindful eating. It adds a small barrier, making them less accessible and encouraging healthier choices.
It's been a long post but we are reaching there! This area discreetly houses all my cleaning supplies and other extra items, keeping them neatly out of sight.
Top Cupboard: Hardware Tools Lower Cupboard: Iron and Ironing Board
Here are my cleaning supplies and my concealed rubbish chute. Similar to Kitchen Organisation Tip #10, keeping all your items visible helps to minimise clutter and allows you to easily identify items that are running low!
Congratulations on reaching the end of this post! I hope you found these kitchen organisation tips helpful. If you have any questions or would like to share your own organisation tips, please feel free to leave a comment below. I'd love to hear from you! Until my next post, see ya!