The Area Of Your Kitchen You Should Keep Clear For A More Organized Look

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While we're always looking for kitchen-organization ideas to make cooking a snap, it's just as important for these tips to give us an aesthetically pleasing space as well. Following one vital piece of guidance will accomplish both goals: clearing off the top of your fridge. The stuff coming into our kitchens never seems to end, from food to appliances to tools and various odds and ends. It's hard for our cabinets to keep up. We inevitably begin to look for places to stash things, and the top of the refrigerator is sitting there open. So, what's the harm?

An area like this can quickly become a catchall, meaning that anything that doesn't fit neatly elsewhere ends up there. There's no rhyme or reason. Assortments could include anything from pots and pans to cereal boxes to dog leashes and lunchboxes. If you've taken the time to organize your kitchen like a culinary pro, fridge-top storage sabotages your efforts because it becomes hard to remember where things are, and they won't be where you want to grab them while cooking. It even cancels out existing storage by blocking pre-existing cabinets above.

If you've just learned how to create your ideal minimalist kitchen, a cluttered refrigerator top will certainly ruin that. Simply put, it looks messy with all those discombobulated items piled together. Additionally, storing food atop your refrigerator poses major safety risks, as your fridge's ventilation may become blocked, causing it to overheat. That's not to mention any falling items when someone opens the fridge door.

The simplest solution is to pick storage vessels in styles you like that match your kitchen. Consider these Farmhouse-style Kitchen Wire Baskets or perhaps some Ollieroo Natural Hyacinth Storage Baskets. When organizing, take time to think about what exactly you have up there and why, and if there are more logical swaps you can make. For example, might it make more sense to keep that cereal in the pantry with other breakfast items and move out your tea selection, which needs less space?

Once you have figured out which overflow items will be stored above your fridge, sort them in baskets that make sense together. Try pairing tools with tools and snacks with snacks. You can even organize within these baskets by using these Meolibour Glass Food Storage Jars. This is key, though: due to that aforementioned risk of falling items or blocking the ventilation, anchor your baskets to the wall.

Alternatively, make more use of shelf space in over-the-fridge cabinets with stackable, expandable shelves or handy shelf organizers like these Bobomoment Clear Cabinet Organizers. Measure the space between the top of your fridge and where your cabinet starts — if you have room, you can always install floating shelves. If you're short on room up there (or wish to add even more options), utilize a magnetic organizer that goes on the side of your fridge. Alternatively, opt for one in stylish bamboo, like this Zri Bamboo Hanging Spice Rack.