When organizing a kitchen, the experts always say to group like with like. But what does that mean? And what if something doesn’t fall into a like category but you have to have it in your kitchen? We are breaking down all the ways for organizing a kitchen with ADHD. This is a full category list, along with logical places in your kitchen to store items.

Categories For Organizing Your Kitchen With ADHD

These categories are what I have seen in many homes I have helped organize. What I would recommend is copying this list below. Going into your kitchen and highlighting every category you have in your kitchen.

This strategy will help you decide how to group your items!

• Tupperware
• Cups/Mugs
• Water Bottles
• Bowls
• Silverware
• Serveware
• Plates
• Pots
• Pans
• Towels
• Vitamins/Medications
• Spices
• Meal Prep
• Strainers
• Hot Pads/Kitchen Mitts
• Cooking Utensils
• Baking Utensils
• Measuring Cups/Spoons
• Baggies + Storage Containers
• Mixing Bowls
• Small Kitchen Gadgets
• Large Kitchen Gadgets
• Baking Dishes
• Cutting Boards
• Baking Trays
• Serving Dishes/Trays
• Placemats
• Formal Place Settings
• Lunch Boxes

Where To Store Kitchen Items (Obviously In Your Kitchen, But Cabinet Or Drawer?)

Yes, I am helping you with where to store items when you are organizing a kitchen with ADHD. Because sometimes we can overthink our options or just shut down all together, even when the answer is obvious.

Now not every kitchen is the same. And that’s ok. So these recommendations below are just suggestions on best places to store items based on a typical American kitchen.

Tupperware

Typically you’d find Tupperware in a cabinet or a corner cabinet. I would recommend adding an extra shelf to your Tupperware cabinet. This way no container is stuck in the bottom of the stack!

Cups/Mugs/Water Bottles

Best place is a cabinet. Store water bottles on a water bottle holder. It goes on the shelf and the water bottles lay down and stack without spilling all over your shelf!

Bowls/Plates

Cabinets are great for storing bowls and plates BUT don’t stack them too high. Instead either add another shelf or move a tall shelf down. This way you aren’t stacking the plates and bowls too high for use!

Silverware/Serveware

These are best in a drawer near the dishwasher! Why dishwasher? Because it makes unloading the dishwasher easier when your daily use items are close to the space. If your dishwasher has a removable silverware cleaner, then it doesn’t really matter as much!

Pots/Pans

I actually prefer drawers for pots and pans with the lids on the pots and the pans stacked a few high. Now this isn’t always an option, so cabinets work. If you are able to, get pull out drawers in your pots and pans drawers to help with finding your cooking items.

Towels/Hot Pads/Kitchen Mitts

These include dish towels, and drying towels, along with anything you use to take out items from the oven. I recommend storing in a drawer near the sink and oven.

Vitamins/Medications

I like storing these in a cabinet or drawer near where the cups and glasses are because we typically need to get water or a drink to take the medications.

Spices

I prefer these in a drawer. But not everyone has a drawer that will work. So pull out cabinets near the oven are another option. Or get a spice drawer organizer that goes in the cabinet.

Meal Prep

These items are best in the pantry. Now your panty may be a closet or a cabinet. But keeping all meal prep items together in a pantry area is best. Meal prep items include anything you use to make meals. Like taco seasoning, sauces, seasonings, that one onion you bought for a soup recipe.

Strainers

I prefer strainers in a drawer because I don’t use them that often. And they always fall over when I try to stack them. So keeping them in a drawer works well. You could also store them with mixing bowls in a drawer.

Cooking Utensils

If you cook daily, keeping the utensils on the counter totally helps you when cooking and not thinking about which item you need. If you don’t, store these items in a drawer near the oven.

Baking Utensils/Measuring Cups/Spoons

I prefer our baking utensils in a drawer. These include cake decorating items, molds, scoopers, etc. I keep them all together with items we use when baking including our graders and food processor parts.

Baggies + Storage Containers

I would store these near the Tupperware. I like drawers but they might not always work in your kitchen.

Mixing Bowls

I store these in a drawer but have stored them in a cabinet, typically a corner cabinet in homes I have organized.

Small Kitchen Gadgets

These items include hand mixers, immersion blenders, knife sharpeners. I recommend storing them either in a drawer or in the pantry area. I have stored them on shelves but you will need a container to go on the shelf to hold the parts for those small gadgets like the blades and mixers.

Large Kitchen Gadgets

These are the items like crockpots and mixers. Depending on how frequently you use them, I would recommend above the fridge or built-in oven. You can also store them on the floor of your pantry closet or a bottom shelf, depending on how heavy they are.

Baking Dishes

I recommend storing baking dishes in a cabinet near the oven. But don’t pile them too high!

Cutting Boards/Baking Trays

I store these in a cabinet that has the dividers. You can get them at any hardware store or online. Store the trays and boards together by type!

Serving Dishes/Trays

Corner cabinets are great for these items as you only need them occasionally but still want them accessible.

Placemats

I would store them in a drawer or corner cabinet. I have also stored them in the dining room drawer.

Formal Place Settings

These typically would go in the dining room. Make sure they are covered in dust covered bags to protect them.

Lunch Boxes

I would store lunch boxes with Tupperware or baggies. If that’s not an option, store in the pantry near lunch foods that the kids pack!

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