A well-organised kitchen makes the endless cycle of cooking and cleaning a whole lot easier to manage. Our last blog showed you how you can keep your kitchen clean with 12 simple tips, and today we're given you the scoop on how you can organise your kitchen. Here are our favourite ways for making the heart of your home (the kitchen) be at it's best - for you and your family. Read on to learn what they are.

Declutter, declutter, declutter

Decluttering is the first step to organising any room, and kitchens are no exception - they tend to collect specific clutter: That really fancy knife set from your wedding registry or the bread maker you got for Christmas a few years ago but have never even used, or the crappy old pots you can’t quite bring yourself to throw away etc. The list can go on... So: Get rid of it all. If you’re not sure where to start, try the box method - it's a great way to weed out stuff you never use. And if you don’t use it regularly, it doesn’t need to be in your kitchen.

Use containers that show you what’s inside

Mismatched food containers are agents of pure chaos. You only need a few types of food storage containers to maximise the amount of space you have in your cupboard; we prefer square or rectangular containers that stack up well. Also see-through containers are great; just make sure you use clear labelling on absolutely everything in your fridge, freezer, and cupboards for the ultimate organisation - make your friends jealous!

Eliminate dead space

Does you kitchen have awkward, unusable spaces? If you have trouble seeing or reaching items at the back of your cupboards, fridge, or pantry, a Lazy Susan could help. For that weird space between your fridge and the wall next to it, why not a sliding spice rack to fill the space whilst also freeing some much needed cupboard space. If you’re desperate for more space, it’s very easy (and cheap) to turn false drawers into usable storage or install a secret toe kick drawer at the bottom of a kitchen cabinet.

Create zones for different tasks

When organising your kitchen, it’s helpful to think of your kitchen in terms of work zones: food storage, dish storage, food prep area, cooking zone and cleanup (sink and dishwasher). Prioritise these zones according to how much use they get. For example, if you and your family make dinner together, you might want a second prep zone.

Make use of the backs of cupboard doors

The inside of your cupboard doors are wasted space. Instead of leaving it blank, add some hooks on there and get to organising. This will give you an easy way to hang up measuring cups, wooden spoons, pot lids, and even cutting boards; with a little more effort, you can even add a custom knife block. Alternatively, you could even paint the inside of the doors with blackboard or whiteboard paint so you have a place to track meal plans and your shopping list. BOOM... BONUS!

Give everything an allocated space

That leads us to the last and most important point: Have a place for everything and everything in its rightful place. Items you use most often should be easiest to reach, while items you rarely use can go in less convenient spots. And why not group ingredients together that go in the same recipes and next to the tools you use them with.