Kitchen Hacks
6 Kitchen-Organizing Hacks I Stole From the Kardashians (Yep, Those Kardashians)
Keeping up with their pantry is half the fun.
Say what you want about me, but I have been Keeping Up with the Kardashians every single Sunday night (well, almost) for the last 11 years. It's a wonderfully enjoyable way to switch off my brain for one single hour. I'll tune in to their family arguments (sometimes over something as insignificant as a toaster), lavish vacations, and relationship crises, and forget all about the stress of the upcoming week. What can I say? It's my guilty pleasure.
Of all the wild moments the reality series has documented, few things have shocked and awed me as much as each family member's stunningly organized kitchen, from their abundantly stocked fridges to perfectly catalogued pantries. Khloé, the youngest of the three Kardashian sisters, is the most famous for overhauling her kitchen space (something she attributes to what she calls "Khlo-CD"), but Kourtney, Kylie, and even mom-ager (mom + manager) extraordinaire Kris Jenner have all followed suit. And believe it or not, these ladies have some organizational wisdom to share.
From label-making to plate-stacking, here are some of the best kitchen organization tips I've picked up from the Kardashians over the course of 15 seasons, a few televised weddings, and So. Much. Drama. In the same way that the selfie stick forever changed Kim's life, these pantry and storage hacks just might change yours.
1. Put that label maker to good use
My mom gave me her old label maker years ago, and to be honest, it had been sitting under my bed (where I store many random things) since then—until Khloé inspired me to put it work, once and for all. Both Khloé and Kourt, and I think pretty much all of the Kardashians, label every single container, carton, and basket in their pantries. It makes finding everything, from baking ingredients to cereal, so much easier.
2. Airtight Glass Containers > Plastic
"I like to store food in glass or stainless steel and I try to avoid having plastic in the house," Kourtney told Architectural Digest. But what about the packaging it comes in? "When we get new cereal, rice, grains, sugar, or flour, I recycle the original packaging and transfer everything into glass jars," she added. This helps keep a shelf or pantry uncluttered and organized. To make sure everything in those jars and containers stay fresh, she also puts a little sticker underneath (you could use a bit of painter's tape and a Sharpie) with the expiration date.
3. Alphabetize your spices
Sure, I'd seen it at the grocery store a million times, but I never thought to alphabetize my own spices until Khloé showed off her spice drawer. It might seem a little extra to do this at home, but I can't tell you how many times I've fumbled through my cabinet looking for cumin or some sort of dried herb, only to have to take everything out in order to find it. If you can't dedicate an entire drawer to spices (I only have one tiny drawer in my kitchen, and it's reserved for utensils), you can organize your spices in an old tin or container, label the top lids (thanks again, label maker!), and grab the tin from the pantry any time your recipe calls for something.
4. Keep Loose Items in Baskets
For items that won't fit neatly on the shelf—like, snack bags or anything that comes in flimsy packaging—store them in labeled baskets. This keeps the shelf neat and tidy, while still making sure you can easily find what you're looking for. If you store everything in glass containers, you can also keep one basket on the bottom shelf of your pantry or cabinet as an "overflow bin" to store extra food that won't fit in its dedicated container. Khloé's bonus tip: If you've got a few people in the house, give everyone their own designated basket stocked with their favorite snacks and treats.
5. Get yourself a tea drawer—or shelf
Even though a tea drawer is something I aspire to more than something I can actually recreate in my own real-life apartment, it does inspire me to get my tea selection in order. Until recently, I had all my different teas—from a soothing lavender and chamomile blend to the Parisian loose tea I drink when I'm feeling fancy—scattered throughout my pantry and kitchen, and would normally just stuff a new box into whichever free space I could find. A few weeks ago, I cleared out a section of my shelf and neatly stacked my teas from back to front, putting my more expensive teas in the back and the teas I drink on the daily towards the front; it's no Kardashian-approved tea drawer, but it gets the job done.
6. Put a piece of cloth between dishes to avoid scratching
To be fair, Khloé wasn't the first person to show me this tip (my mom was—Kris Jenner's got nothing on her) but it's still a great one, especially if you've got nice china or ceramic dishes you don't want to damage. Simply put a piece of cloth or an old dish towel (even paper towels, if you're in a pinch) in between each plate or bowl to prevent scratches, cracking, or clanging when putting dishes away. This tip also applies to cookware; I have one of these padded pot and pan protectors between everything from stacks of baking dishes, sauté pans, and cast-iron skillets.
What's your best kitchen organizing tip? Tell us in the comments!
It's here: Our game-changing guide to everyone's favorite room in the house. Your Do-Anything Kitchen gathers the smartest ideas and savviest tricks—from our community, test kitchen, and cooks we love—to help transform your space into its best self.
Grab your copy
Written by: Erin Alexander
Popular on Food52
16 Comments
My point is that we don’t begrudge their successful lives and homes. We just want articles and methods that are doable and attainable. Very very few of us have the square footage and the millions of dollars to be “livin the dream”.
Relax folks. Your doing a fine job. Be proud.
Agree completely that jars waste a ton of space! Square corners are the way to go.
Kitchen RV Spice Gripper Clip Strip 20 Jar Rack Storage Holder Wall Cabinet Door
I like to label on yellow painters tape-- easier to see the black sharpie than blue-- but I've struggled with the look on my glass canning jars. I mean, I know those are cashews! But Kourtney's tip about putting the date on the bottom is awesome and doable.
I've also been grouping my spices by Indian and everything else, but frankly I sub coriander for so many things and use cumin so much that I forget that I first learned their delights via India so I have no idea where anything is anymore. I think it's time to go back to Sesame Street and alphabetize. Big Bird will be so proud.
Thanks F52!
I group by use and general theme so quick spice grabs are always easy. All herbs are together in the most accessible spot next to most-used spices, then spicy smoky, then ethnic and increasingly rare spices grouped together and placed in order of most use. (whether in a drawer, on a shelf, stacked, etc. If usage changes, I just have to spend a minute moving a few jars.)
I did find it helpful to keep them all together, instead of having tea in random places in my kitchen like you did :D
It's easy to add to after shopping and subtract from when pulling things out to cook.
Once a year (or so) we check it for errors that creep in when we forget.
It really makes meal planning easier.
See what other Food52 readers are saying.