5 Organizing Tools You Need To Keep Deep Kitchen Drawers Clutter-Free
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In these modern times of sweeping kitchen islands, it's impossible to escape the trend of deep kitchen drawers. They're perfect for storing big pieces of equipment, such as stand mixers, and a complete collection of fancy pots and pans. If you're not careful or strategic, however, a deep drawer can devolve into a chaotic catch-all. Pretty soon, you can't find anything. If you're having trouble keeping the clutter under control in your deep kitchen drawers, don't despair; ee've found five easy organizing solutions to help you keep your cavernous drawers neat and tidy.
No matter which method of organizing you settle on, the key to controlling clutter is to be mindful of how much stuff you have. You don't have to go completely Marie Kondo in your kitchen, just remember that a little extra space in a deep drawer doesn't mean it should be filled with extra gadgets or dinnerware. Try to tame your deep drawers by using the circle rule, and don't be afraid to get rid of these five things if you're totally overwhelmed.
Drawer dividers create categories
The biggest problem with deep drawers is that there's just no separation of space, so everything gets tossed together. No matter how neatly you stack, the drawer eventually becomes a free-for-all. One of the easiest solutions is a couple of deep drawer dividers.
The internet is filled with lots of divider types, but what you're looking for is a specially designed set such as the Rapturous adjustable deep drawer divider. These plastic pieces with hard rubber ends for gripping are 6 inches tall and can expand from 13 to 22 inches long, which covers a lot of different drawer depths. "I have two deep kitchen drawers that are hard to organize and maintain. These dividers let me divide and conquer, and ultimately store more items in each drawer without the contents becoming a disorganized mess," said a reviewer on Amazon.
Bins, cubes, and containers corral small items
Another option for organizing deep drawers is a system of bins, cubes, or containers. The catch here, again, is that you need to find containers around the same height as your drawer's depth so you can utilize the space. This Copco narrow clear bin is 6 inches high, which should work for lots of deep drawer styles. If you're looking for cubes or a bin system, look for models that are at least 6 inches tall, such as the Household Essentials 727-1 three-section drawer organizer box. If you're having trouble arranging the pieces, try using parchment paper to create a layout inside the drawer.
Tall containers are another way to organize the space, especially for dry pantry items such as pasta, cereal, and flour. Make sure to use a tape measure to make sure whatever collection of canisters you choose fits comfortably inside the drawer. The Praki food storage containers have airtight tops and stand 11 inches tall, which are perfect for extra deep designs.
Plate organizers create orderly stacks
If you're looking for a way to keep dishes and other stoneware under control in a deep drawer, the E-Room Trend peg board drawer organizer makes life a lot easier. The wooden dowels are gentle on the edges of the plates so you don't have to worry about chipping or scratches, and the pieces are removable so you can customize each section to fit your individual plates, bowls, and other stackable items.
If your drawers are particularly wide, you can likely fit two of these organizers side-by-side to accommodate a large set of dishes or keep two sets of different dishes separated. For smaller drawers, try using wooden racks such as the HBlife six-slot drying rack to keep flat items such as plates and pot lids organized, which are just under 5 inches tall.
Tension rods are great for tall items
Tension rods are also an easy solution for deep drawers because you can use them to organize tall items, including sheet pans, on their edges rather than laying them flat in the drawer. Not only does this save space, it cuts down on the wear and tear of your baking sheets, platters, and other flat kitchen items since they don't get stacked on top of each other where they can get scratched and chipped. Tension rods are also pretty inexpensive, including the rods in the Qinsou tension rod six-pack; these cost less than $10 and can fit spaces between 9.8 and 15.7 inches.
Install tension rods by measuring a few equal-distant spots inside the drawer and mark them with a pencil. This gives you a couple of slots where you can slide tall items into place. Just make sure the rods aren't installed higher than the pieces you're trying to organize, and that the pans and platters fit in the drawer itself when they're standing up on their edges.
Floating bins maximize space
Deep kitchen drawers are ultimately designed for holding big pieces of cooking equipment, including pots and pans, stacks of mixing bowls, and small appliances. Depending on how many drawers you have to work with, you might not want to divide up all the space with big organizers.
For these situations, consider floating bins, which are shallow trays that fit across the top of a drawer. These are ideal for organizing smaller items, such as hand tools, lids, and other little pieces, while maximizing the drawer space. The YouCopia DrawerFit sliding drawer bin is perfect for bigger tools such as barbecue brushes, balloon whisks, or rolling pins, for example, and can expand to fit drawers between 15 and 24 inches. When you need to reach bigger items on the bottom of the drawer, just slide the floating bin to one side for easy access. With a little trial and error, some — or all — of these pieces can transform disorganized deep drawers into efficient places for storage without breaking the budget. Just make sure to always measure the space in your drawers before buying anything.