12 Kitchen Organization Ideas to Add to Your Renovation Plans

Organizing your kitchen can be an ongoing challenge. But it’s one that can be met with elegant solutions in any kitchen renovation. Pinpoint your organizational challenges at the onset so you can address them in your renovation. From easy upgrades to customized cabinets, here are 12 clever kitchen organization ideas to consider for your remodel.

1. Mix open shelving with traditional cabinets.

Open shelving is great for showcasing décor and keeping dishware close at hand. But it may not be practical for your entire kitchen. Embrace a mix like this inviting space with natural woods, white cabinets, and BRITTANICCA MATTE™ countertops.

Open shelving provides a smart balance in this space by JENNY KOMENDA featuring Brittanicca Matte countertops and square-tile backsplash.

2. Create hidden storage behind your backsplash.

Keep cooking essentials neatly tucked away with a hidden spice rack within a quartz backsplash, as seen here with these sleek sliding panels crafted out of ANNICCA™.

An ANNICCA backsplash slides to reveal spice rack storage in this luxe kitchen by URBANA and FLOFORM.

3. Use custom cabinetry inserts to keep bulky items accessible.

Free up counter space and maximize the real estate in your cabinets with custom inserts, like these which slide on a track and extend so you can access items when you need them.

This kitchen by PARAND DESIGN features smart cabinet organizers, gray CARRICK™ countertops, and subway tile backsplash.

4. Set dishware in a drawer.

Drawers are a smart place to store your plates and bowls. They offer easier access and well-organized stacks. You won’t have to worry about dropping a dish from an upper cabinet, and they’re great to get kids started on helping set the table.

Plates stored in drawers are a smart solution in this kitchen from Parand Design featuring WEYBOURNE™ countertops and gray cabinetry.

Keep kitchens clutter free with custom storage drawers like this kitchen by EMILY HENDERSON featuring WHITE CLIFF MATTE™ countertops and BLONDE WOOD CABINETS.

5. Store items where you’ll use them.

Narrow vertical drawers beneath a range are the perfect place for cooking oils and spices. A stylish canister on the countertops can keep kitchen utensils handy, but if you have a cooktop in your kitchen island, a utensil holder may interrupt the flow of your space. Custom drawers with upright containers can keep utensils at the ready alongside the range.

Narrow drawers and a utensil holder keep cooking essentials handy in this kitchen from Parand Design featuring Carrick countertops.

A custom utensil drawer helps keep the KELVINGROVE™ countertops on the kitchen island clear in this breezy coastal kitchen by KITCHENSCAPES. Photo by TONY THAGARD.

6. Add tuck-away platforms for appliances.

Your COUNTERTOPS are precious real estate, and not every appliance needs to be on display. We love this clever kitchen organization trick: a platform that tucks away for storage and raises for extra workspace when you need it. THIS KITCHEN by The Remodel Depot uses this smart storage solution for a stand mixer, creating additional work space beyond the CAMBRIA COUNTERTOPS.

Tuck coffee pots and tea kettles away like this kitchen featuring light wood cabinets paired with White Cliff Matte countertops.

Space by EMILY HENDERSON.

7. Customize the space to make room for your routines.

When planning a kitchen renovation, think about how you’ll use the space. Design the kitchen to fit your current lifestyle, not an idealized version of it. If you favor ordering takeout over making gourmet meals, you probably won’t need shelving for cookbooks. Love to entertain? Add a beverage fridge to your list. Is your dog your kitchen sidekick? Add a feeding station to match your countertops, like THIS ONE made from Brittanicca™. Java fiend? Create a coffee nook like THIS ONE alongside the FARMHOUSE SINK. No matter the size of your kitchen, there are ways to make space for your daily routine in your kitchen renovation.

A beverage fridge, bar tray, and glass barware cabinet create an entertaining area in this farmhouse kitchen featuring FIELDSTONE™ countertops.

Dinner inspiration is always on hand in this kitchen by KITCHEN DESIGN CONCEPTS with ELLA™ countertops and dedicated cookbook shelves.

8. Consider built-in appliances.

Optimizing storage and countertop space is a common kitchen renovation goal that goes hand in hand with creating a more organized space. One way to achieve this is with sleek built-in appliances, such as coffee machines, ovens, and microwaves. Microwave drawers are a great addition to a kitchen island, allowing for easy reach.

Kitchen island with Ella countertops and microwave drawer.

9. Divide and conquer.

Adjustable dividers and drawer inserts are a simple kitchen organization solution with a big payoff. Use dividers to keep lids neatly separated in the same drawer as their corresponding pots, pans, or reusable containers. Add inserts to shallow drawers to keep tableware, or even spices, neatly contained.

This kitchen with NEW QUAY™ features adjustable drawer dividers.

This Ella kitchen island includes well-organized drawers for flatware, spices, and more.

10. Don’t be afraid to make a statement.

A well-organized kitchen doesn’t have to mean that everything is hidden away. Display items you use frequently in a stylish way, such as a magnetic knife strip on an accent wall, WOODEN CUTTING BOARDS against a backsplash, or metal rods for decorative dishtowels.

Chef MIKE WARD adds storage to a statement wall in his kitchen featuring TORQUAY™ countertops. Design by Melissa Davis.

11. Strive for pantry perfection.

Don’t overlook your pantry in your kitchen organization plans. Glass canisters for dry goods offer a clean look and help you keep track of what you need. Baskets and storage racks keep smaller items contained. If space allows, a pantry’s a great spot to store appliances you don’t use every day.

Pantry goals achieved in this space featuring an Ella kitchen island.

12. Customize your island with open storage.

A kitchen island is the focal point of your space, and there are ways to add storage while showcasing style. We love how this spacious SUMMERHILL™ island creates an entertaining hub with bar-height countertop, built-in wine rack, and open storage.

Cambria Summerhill countertops sit pretty on this unique kitchen island design.

Incorporating smart organization solutions into your kitchen renovation makes your space more enjoyable to live in and adds to the long-term value of your home. The same goes for refreshing your KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS with durable, maintenance-free quartz countertops like CAMBRIA. Excited to get your kitchen renovation underway? Contact a CAMBRIA DEALER to bring your kitchen organization ideas and renovation plans to life.