3 Organization Items That Majorly Cleaned Up My Kitchen (So I Don’t Have To)

At the beginning of 2025, I went on an organizational tear throughout the house. Neglected stuffed animals were discreetly donated, half-chewed dog toys were trashed, framed photos were dusted and reshuffled. Every room improved a smidge, but the biggest change was made in the kitchen with the arrival of a few key items.

Some of these may seem obvious, but you never know if they’ll make a difference until you actually test-drive them. For example, I purchased a lovely fruit bin for the refrigerator at Home Goods. “These strawberries shall be beautifully displayed for the eating!” I thought, ignorant of the “Not Dishwasher Safe” label on the bottom.

It warped immediately and I was out $17.

Thus, this list is limited to start. I’m only including items that have delivered on their organizational promises and improved the look and feel of my kitchen. I’m hoping to update it going forward, so check back for more as my kitchen becomes so streamlined it practically operates itself.

Double Layer Bamboo Bread Box ($37)

At some point I’ll supply some before-and-after photos but you would not believe the amount of carbs cluttering our counter in 2024. Bread, yes, but also chips, bagels, English muffins, cookies, croutons, crackers, tortillas — it was chaotic. Every time I entered the kitchen in the morning it felt like an assault on my eyes.

My mom, child of the ‘60s as she is, suggested a bread box. I’m clearly an idiot, as this solution had never occurred to me. I ordered one that day, put it together — look at me, I’m Bob the Builder — the next day, and our counter has been transformed.

You’d never know carbs make up 80 percent of our diet! The double-layer is essential for our family, but singletons could get away with one layer. I especially appreciate the semi-opaque windows that merely suggest the presence of bread.

Adjustable Pot Lid Organizer, YouCopia ($20)

F*cking pot lids. I used to toss them in the back of my cabinet to perish until I needed to make rice or chicken stock. I had an idea in my head that pot lid organizers didn’t actually work, so I surprised even myself when I bought one from Amazon.

Shock of shocks: These are popular because they actually help. I can’t explain what a relief it is to open the cabinet, see all my pot lids organized by size, and pluck out the right one.

There are a bunch of variations available, but this one had great reviews and I can personally attest that it’s hugely effective.

The Charger, Counterpart ($44)

You can get two off-brand iPhone chargers for $22 on Amazon, so why pay double the price for this one? First off, it’s oddly beautiful and comes in five aesthetically pleasing colors. More importantly though, it’s retractable.

The circular design cleverly hides the cord when you push the center, sucking it up like a vacuum cord.

I normally don’t mind a rogue charger cord, but I’ve long loathed the one that hangs around our cutting board, where I typically charge my phone whilst chopping and slicing. It was cumbersome and a target of our cat’s frequent attacks.

Now, I can plug my phone into this bad boy and retract the cord when I’m done. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! I’ve become strangely attached to it and now suggest it to every person I know.