How to Organize Kitchen Appliances to Free-Up Space

Do you need to free up counter space or cramped cabinets in your home? We’ll show you how to organize your kitchen appliances to create a functional and beautiful space!

The kitchen is the heart of the home, but when the countertops are cluttered with appliances, it can quickly become a source of stress.

From coffee makers and blenders to air fryers and slow cookers, these gadgets make our lives easier—but only when they’re organized and accessible.

If you struggle to cook or prep because of limited counter space or overcrowded cabinets, it’s time to take control!

We’ll explain simple and effective ways to organize your kitchen appliances. This will help free up valuable workspace and create a more functional, visually appealing kitchen.

Let’s get started!

Things to Consider Before You OrganizE Kitchen Appliances

When organizing your kitchen appliances, it’s important to consider your unique needs, how many appliances you have, and the size of your kitchen.

Kitchen Habits

Start by thinking about your food preferences and daily habits—are you a coffee drinker who uses a coffee maker every morning, a smoothie enthusiast who relies on a blender, or a crockpot lover who often preps meals beforehand?

The appliances you use most frequently should be a priority in your setup.

Type of storage space

Next, evaluate the type of storage space you have available.

Do you have ample counter space, roomy cabinets, or a pantry that can double as an appliance storage area?

If not, you’ll have to get creative while you organize. Don’t worry; we have many helpful tips to share near the end of the post!

appliance Inventory

Finally, take inventory of how many appliances you own.

A smaller collection of versatile appliances may require less storage, while a larger collection requires more strategic planning.

Understanding your habits, space, and inventory can help you create an organizational system tailored to your kitchen and lifestyle.

Steps To Organize Kitchen Appliances

1) Take inventory of all your appliances

The first step to organizing your kitchen appliances is to take inventory.

Gather all your appliances in one place—yes, even the ones hiding in the back of your cabinets—and sort them into three categories:

• daily use
• weekly use
• occasionally used

This will give you a clear picture of what you need and what’s taking up unnecessary space.

2) Purge appliances you no longer use

Decluttering is essential for a functional kitchen.

Start by letting go of duplicate appliances—do you really need two blenders or multiple slow cookers?

Next, ask yourself when you last used each appliance. If it hasn’t been touched in the last year, it’s probably time to donate, sell, or recycle it.

For those with limited storage space, consider replacing single-use gadgets with multipurpose appliances.

For example, a toaster oven with a built-in toaster can save space and money while serving dual purposes.

3) Prioritize Everyday Appliances

Your countertops should only feature the appliances you use daily.

For most people, this might include a coffee maker, toaster, or blender.

To streamline your space, create specific countertop zones for different tasks.

For example, set up a coffee station with your coffee maker, mugs, and supplies in one corner, or designate an area for food prep near your can opener or food processor.

This zoning approach not only frees up counter space but also enhances efficiency.

4) Store appliances based on usage frequency

Organize your appliances according to how often you use them.

Dedicate a specific cabinet or shelf for appliances, and place frequently used items at arm’s reach.

Store gadgets only used on special occasions, such as a turkey roaster or an ice cream maker, in higher cabinets or harder-to-reach areas.

This way, you’ll easily access the tools you need daily without cluttering your space with rarely used items.

By following these steps, you’ll create a clean, functional kitchen that allows you to enjoy cooking and entertaining without the stress of clutter.

How We Organize Appliances By Frequency Of Use

Want to see how we organize our kitchen appliances by frequency of use?

Do you remember the categories? They are:

• Daily use
• Weekly use
• Occasionally used

Daily Use

Keeping only essential appliances on the countertop is crucial for maintaining a clean, functional, and visually appealing kitchen.

Countertops are valuable real estate in your kitchen, serving as the primary workspace for food prep, cooking, and even dining in some cases.

Limiting countertop appliances to only the ones you use daily can free up space, reduce visual clutter, and create a more streamlined environment.

Coffee Pot

We love our coffee and use our Keurig Duo coffee pot daily, so a coffee bar on the counter is essential.

Ice Maker and Toaster/Oven Combo

We have a small butler’s pantry and set up a breakfast station here.

It holds our nugget ice maker, which we are obsessed with, and our toaster oven and toaster combo!

Weekly Use

Appliances you use every week don’t need to take up prime countertop space, but they should still be easily accessible to avoid inconvenience.

Storing weekly-use appliances in a cabinet will keep your kitchen organized without sacrificing functionality.

This approach ensures that these appliances are easy to grab when needed but out of the way when unused.

Designate a Specific Cabinet for Weekly Appliances

We designated one of our lower cabinets as the appliance storage area.

The picture on the left has a small crockpot and a triple slow cooker on the back bottom row.

We no longer use them, so they are being donated.

The picture on the right shows how we currently store our new Sous Vide Cooker and Container, Crockpot, Instant Pot, Waffelmaker, Sandwich maker, Food processor, and basket with attachments.

Store Appliances According to the Countertop Zone

Our kitchen is organized into zones, and we store some of our appliances in these areas.

Our beverage zone is in the cabinet below our coffee station and holds items for organizing tea, coffee pods, and our smoothie blender.

This cabinet is below our food prep zone!

It holds our electric can opener, mixing bowls, baking dishes, recipe binders, and frequently used cookbooks.

This cabinet holds items for our baking zone.

It stores our hand mixer, baking pans, cookie cutters, cupcake liners, and cake-decorating supplies (which are also stored in the basket).

Occasionally Used

Occasionally used appliances should be stored in less accessible spaces to free up prime storage areas for items you use more frequently.

Consider placing these appliances on the top shelves of cabinets or in deep corner cupboards.

Cabinet Over Refrigerator

The hard-to-reach cabinet over the refrigerator is a perfect spot for storing appliances you rarely use but still want to keep.

This space is ideal for seasonal or specialty items but can be awkward to access.

Use a sturdy step stool to retrieve or store items safely.

The picture on the left is a perfect example of how not to store a griddle!

This was very unsafe, and I had to find a better place for the griddle.

We use this quite often, but I stored it there because I thought that was the only place it would fit.

I’m happy to report that I have a much better solution, which we’ll discuss in just a minute!

Unfortunately, you can’t see what’s in the cabinet, but know there was a deep fryer behind it that we no longer use and will be donating.

The picture on the right shows the cabinet after we organized it.

It stores an ice cream maker, a utensil/napkin and plate holder, a cupcake stand, a three-tiered cake stand, and a grabber tool.

Cabinet Over the Ovens

We have this cabinet over our ovens that we used to store (actually pile up) our grilling tools and other miscellaneous items we rarely use.

Although no appliances are currently stored here, we will declutter it and make room for our griddle!

That’s a fabulous transformation, and our griddle has a new home on the bottom shelf!

Stay tuned to see how we are going to organize our grilling tools!

What to do With Appliances You No Longer Use

Donate

Here are the appliances and other kitchen items we are going to donate.

Donating appliances you no longer use is a great way to declutter your kitchen while helping others.

Many charitable organizations, such as thrift stores, shelters, and community centers, accept gently used appliances in working condition.

Before donating, ensure the appliance is clean and in good working order.

If possible, include the instruction manual to make it easier for the next owner to use.

Donating rather than discarding unused appliances can free up valuable kitchen space, reduce waste, and support your community.

Other Suggestions

If you have appliances you no longer use but don’t want to donate, there are other ways to repurpose or responsibly part with them:

1. Sell Them: List your appliances on online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or eBay. This is a great way to make some extra cash while passing on items to someone who needs them.
2. Gift Them: If you know a friend, family member, or neighbor who could use the appliance, consider gifting it to them. This is especially helpful for students, newlyweds, or anyone setting up a new home.
3. Recycle Them: For broken or no longer functional appliances, check for local recycling programs. Many communities offer drop-off events or centers where you can safely recycle electronics and appliances.
4. Trade Them In: Some retailers have trade-in programs that allow you to exchange old appliances for store credit or discounts on new purchases.
5. Upcycle Them: Get creative and repurpose old appliances into something new! For example, use an old blender base as a quirky planter or turn an outdated toaster into a storage container.
6. Dispose of Them Responsibly: If the appliance can’t be salvaged or repurposed, ensure it’s disposed of properly by contacting your local waste management service or checking for special bulk waste pick-up days.

By exploring these options, you can reduce waste and give your unused appliances a second life!

Creative Ways to Organize Kitchen Appliances

If you’re short on cabinet or counter space, there are still plenty of creative ways to store your kitchen appliances:

1. In the Pantry: If you have a pantry, dedicate a section to store appliances.
2. Use a Rolling Cart: A rolling utility cart can be a portable appliance storage solution. You can wheel it out when needed and tuck it away in a corner when not in use.
3. Install Wall-Mounted Shelves: Open shelving can be installed on empty walls to hold lightweight appliances. This not only saves space but also keeps them easily accessible.
4. Add a Freestanding Cabinet or Hutch: If you have room elsewhere in your home, a freestanding cabinet or hutch can be a great way to store rarely used kitchen appliances out of sight.
5. Maximize Vertical Space: Use stacking shelves or tiered organizers inside existing cabinets or on countertops to fit more items into a smaller area.
6. Hang Pegboards or Hooks: A pegboard on an open wall or behind a pantry door can hang smaller, lightweight appliances like mixers, hand blenders, or attachments.
7. Slide Appliances Under Furniture: Appliances that aren’t used daily can be stored under furniture like benches, tables, or beds. Use baskets or bins to keep them organized and easy to slide out.
8. Transform a Closet: If your kitchen lacks space but has an entryway or linen closet nearby, use shelves or a tiered rack system to transform a section into appliance storage.
9. Repurpose Furniture: Turn a console table, bookshelf, or old dresser into additional appliance storage. To make retrieval easier, add baskets, bins, or sliding trays.

By thinking outside the box and making the most of every square inch, you can find clever ways to store your appliances, even in the smallest kitchens!

Products to Help Store Kitchen Appliances

Our appliances are all organized, but we’re still having a couple of issues that I want to address!

First, I’m getting very aggravated with the cords sticking out of the appliances and falling out of the cabinet.

Second, I cringe every morning when I pull our coffee pot out from the wall to add water.

It’s as bad as nails scratching a blackboard!

It’s our lucky day because many clever storage tools and accessories exist to help solve these problems.

Look what we found!

Cord Organizers

Cord organizers are a must-have for taming unruly appliance cords that can clutter your storage space or countertops.

We purchased these cord organizers to attach to the back of our appliances to keep cords neatly wound and out of the way.

They were so easy to attach, and they work perfectly!

Our cabinet looks so tidy without all the cords wrapping around everywhere!

Kitchen Appliance Rollers

We purchased these self-adhesive caster wheels to make moving the coffee pot in and out from the wall easier.

Attach them to the bottom of your coffee pot, and you won’t have to hear that horrible screeching noise anymore!

Conclusion

We hope you’re excited to organize your kitchen appliances!

By taking inventory, decluttering what you no longer need, and prioritizing everyday essentials, you can free up valuable counter and cabinet space and make your kitchen a joy to work in.

Remember to tailor your setup to your unique needs!

A well-organized kitchen isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about making your life easier and more efficient.

Start small, tackle one step at a time, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

You’ll be amazed at how much better your kitchen feels when everything has its place!

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Blessings, Donna and Rich

More Kitchen Organization Inspiration

• Why You Should Organize Your Kitchen Into Zones
• Clever Ways to Organize Your Pantry
• How to Declutter and Decorate a Kitchen Counter
• Helpful Kitchen Cabinet Organization Solutions
• Simple Ways to Organize Kitchen Drawers

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