Why You Should Declutter The Kitchen First When Organizing Your Home

There's nothing we love more than walking into an organized and decluttered home. There's just something so calming about knowing where things are without having to sift through piles of mail or random knick-knacks. The thing is, it can be super overwhelming to get started. That's why, when it comes to which room to tackle first, heading into the kitchen is your best bet. 

"When the kitchen is organized, cooking is easier, and cleanup is less of a hassle," Gillian Economou, owner and lead organizer of Sort It Out, said. Additionally, it's a good place to start because it's used every day (and usually multiple times per day at that), and it's where your family and guests likely spend a lot of time. If you start with organizing a room with this much importance, Economou said, you'll "feel the impact right away" and "the whole home [will feel] more under control."

Keep in mind, though, that while it's the best choice and gives you a huge return on your decluttering investment, Economou said it can be tougher than you might think. That's because it contains far more than just food — you'll be sorting through "cookware, appliances, storage containers, water bottles, lunch gear, and cleaning items." But once it's complete, the ripple effect will be felt throughout your whole home.

When you're ready to start decluttering, Gillian Economou recommends "[starting] with one zone, like the pantry, the fridge, or one drawer." Breaking up your kitchen into sections will make the process easier. When ready, Economou suggests beginning with the easiest tasks first to help you "build momentum," such as throwing away expired and freezer-burned food, getting rid of empty cleaning products, or tossing Tupperware with missing lids. Economou also recommends keeping three bins with you as you go: one for trash, one for keeping, and one for donating. You can even add a fourth bin for items that belong in a different room (like notebooks found in the kitchen that should be in your office).

Once all is said and done, the fun part begins — reorganizing everything. You likely have some systems of your own that you'll want to keep, but you can also take inspiration from others. For example, try Ina Garten's genius technique for organizing your pantry, which includes labeling everything. If you have deep pantry shelves, another helpful tip is to use bins to keep items grouped, like one for baked goods and another for snacks. Another kitchen organization pro, Martha Stewart, recommends hanging your pots and pans over the stove for easy access and convenient storage.