I’ve lost track of the many times I’ve frantically rummaged through kitchen drawers or peered inside cabinets for a specific kitchen utensil while my dinner was burning on the stove. I’ve tried a number of drawer organizers and shelf dividers, but when it comes to organizing kitchen utensils, I just can’t seem to get it right.
Whether it’s cooking, organizing or hosting, there is one person I always turn to for home-related advice: Martha Stewart. It’s no surprise that she has a tip for this exact kitchen organization issue.
Stewart has a lot of utensils, from whisks to strainers to wooden spoons and beyond. She recently organized her prep kitchen in her Bedford, New York, property from top to bottom, sharing her tips along the way. Here’s how to organize your kitchen utensils just like Martha Stewart — and it only takes three steps!
Sort utensils by type.
First, sort all of your kitchen utensils by type (wooden spoons, strainers, tongs, whisks, serving spoons, etc.). Once you have piles of each, you’re ready to move onto the next step.
Get rid of anything that’s broken.
Go through your various piles, and get rid of any broken or damaged utensils. Consolidating your collection will make it easier to find what you really need while cooking.
Use crocks to organize.
Martha Stewart’s key organizational tool for sorting utensils? Crocks! Stewart suggests putting each type of utensil in its own crock, organized by size. For example, larger or taller spatulas would be towards the outside or back of the crock, while smaller or shorter ones would be towards the middle or front for easy access.
If you don’t have as many kitchen utensils as Martha Stewart (I certainly do not), don’t worry — you can still use this trick. Once you get to the last step, organize all your utensils together in size order so you still have easy access. You can also try sorting your utensils into just a few different crocks by material type with wooden, silicone or rubber and metal all in separate canisters.
Laura Millar (she/her) is the assistant lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home design. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2024, she wrote for NBC’s TODAY.com, where she covered everything from entertainment news to pop culture updates.
