The kitchen reset I do every January
Small, practical changes that make my kitchen work better for me.
January always has me feeling a certain kind of way. I don’t want to overhaul my entire life, but I do love the idea of a reset, and January feels like the perfect time for it.
I want my daily routines to feel smoother, easier, and less chaotic. And for me, that almost always starts in the kitchen.
The kitchen is where my life basically is. It’s where my mornings begin, where the bulk of my work gets done, where dinners get made, where lunches get packed, and, naturally, that means it’s where the most messes occur.
When my kitchen feels cluttered or disorganized, everything feels harder than it needs to be. On the flip side, when it’s organized and functional, I feel calm and it makes the whole flow of my day so much better.
So, every January, I love doing a kitchen reset. I’m not doing anything crazy over here like purging the entire kitchen. Just simple, practical changes that make my everyday and work life easier.
Before I get to organizing, I like to make it fun. I always lock in by turning on some music — this is where my favorite speaker comes in. I put on a playlist, pour a coffee (or lately, a fun non-alcoholic drink), and try not to treat organizing like a punishment.
I don’t organize the entire kitchen in one go. That’s overwhelming and usually leads to half-finished drawers and frustration. Instead, I pick zones and tackle them one at a time — drawers one day, pantry another, fridge another.
The goal doesn’t need to be perfection. It just needs to work. If something makes my life easier or serves a real purpose, it stays. If it doesn’t, it goes.
Below are the tools and organizers I genuinely rely on. They make a noticeable difference without making my kitchen feel like it’s been over-organized. Is that even possible?!
These are the tools and organizers I genuinely rely on. They’re not about over-organizing or making my kitchen look staged — they simply make a noticeable difference in how the space functions day to day.
Surface cleaner
Let’s start off with the most basic thing — clean surfaces. Before I organize anything, I wipe everything down so it’s nice and clean. Counters, shelves, drawers, fridge shelves, everything. I swear by Flamingo Estate surface spray. It smells incredible and works really well. This is my non-negotiable first step.
Pots and pans organizer
Do your cabinets turn into a chaotic avalanche every time you open them to grab a pan? Then this one is going to be life-changing. A pots and pans organizer keeps everything upright, visible, and super easy to grab. You no longer have to unstack six pans to get the one you need.
It’s honestly such a small change, but makes your time in the kitchen feel way less stressful.
Bamboo drawer dividers
Drawer chaos will seriously sneak up on you. It builds slowly until one day you can’t find anything in there. These bamboo drawer dividers are my go-to for organizing utensils, tools, and random kitchen odds and ends. They instantly create structure and make it easier to keep things tidy. No more junk drawers over here!
Spice rack jars and spice rack organizer
Spices are one of those things that easily multiply. You can’t find your garlic powder so you grab some more at the store and suddenly you’re staring at five containers of garlic powder.
Switching to matching spice rack jars and pairing them with a spice rack organizer has been one of my favorite things I’ve done in my kitchen. I can see everything at a glance, nothing gets lost in the back, and it makes cooking intuitive.
This is also a great time to replace expired spices. I didn’t realize how many old, flavorless spices I was holding onto until I actually took everything out and looked at it. When spices are organized and easy to see, you’re way more likely to use them and way less likely to keep buying duplicates you don’t need.
Fresh spices genuinely make a difference in how food tastes, and having them organized may even motivate you to cook more because everything feels accessible.
Not only is this upgrade very practical, but it has the added bonus of being aesthetically pleasing too. Win win!
Wooden utensils
This one might sound simple, but swapping out old mismatched utensils for a clean set of wooden ones can make your utensil drawer feel calmer instantly.
They’re durable, gentle on cookware, and honestly just nicer to look at. Sometimes organization is as much about editing out the things you dislike as it is about adding storage solutions. If it organizes your brain, it counts as organization.
I also want to mention maintenance here, because it matters. I recently shared a video on Instagram showing how I clean and care for my wooden utensils, and it makes such a difference in how long they last. After cleaning, I use a food-safe mineral oil to re-moisturize the wood and keep it from drying out or cracking. It’s a small step that keeps them looking good and feeling new.
Lazy Susan cabinet organizer
If you have deep cabinets, this one is a must! Lazy Susans are a game changer for oils, vinegars, sauces, and pantry staples you reach for often. Being able to spin instead of digging through the entire cabinet makes everything way easier.
You’re way more likely to keep things organized, avoid buying duplicates, and actually use what you have when you can see everything easily.
Water bottle organizer
Reusable water bottles are great, until they take over your cabinets. A water bottle organizer keeps everything organized and accessible. No more bottles falling out every time you open the cabinet.
Soda can organizer
You, of course, don’t have to use a soda can organizer for just soda. They’re great for sparkling water or any canned beverage. They keep cans from rolling everywhere, they’re easier to see exactly what you’ve got, and instantly make the fridge feel more put together.
Egg holder
An egg holder frees up space, keeps everything nice and neat, and makes it obvious when you’re running low. Very simple, but very effective!
Food container storage organizer
Finding the matching lid for the correct container is my idea of a personal nightmare. A food container storage organizer keeps everything separated, visible, and easy to grab. It saves time, space, and, maybe a bit dramatically, sanity.
It’s not all about aesthetics (although that is an added bonus). Organizing my kitchen isn’t about having a perfect kitchen. It’s about removing the small daily friction points. I don’t want to spend my time digging for lids, playing tetris with the pots and pans, or trying to reorganize the utensil drawer every week. It’s no fun feeling annoyed before I even start cooking.
When your kitchen works with you instead of against you, everything feels easier. Meals are less daunting to cook, cleanup happens faster, and you’re honestly more likely to cook at home when your space feels enjoyable to be in. Check out the rest of my kitchen essentials to get started too!!
When everything has a place and we’re not digging through clutter, cooking feels easier and less overwhelming. You’ll find you’re more likely to try new recipes, throw together meals, and actually enjoy being in the kitchen, which is kind of the whole point.
If January has you in the mood to reset and simplify, starting with your kitchen is one of the most impactful places to begin. Don’t stress trying to do it all at once! Just pick one drawer, one cabinet, or one shelf and figure out what you need for that one spot. Go from there!
Happy organizing!
If you’re enjoying these weekly guides, consider upgrading to a paid subscription to unlock exclusive Sunday meal plans and monthly bonus content.
Subscribe to the Beyond the Kale newsletter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
A subscription gets you:
Receive all subscriber-only posts and access the full archive (50+ posts with recipes, meal plans, and guides).
Get access to grocery lists, subscriber-only recipes, detailed prep guides, resources, and more — all ad-free!
Access subscriber-only chat and comments and reply to me directly to get support, cooking tips, and community discussions.
Love this! Thank you for sharing. Excited to grab several of your recommendations to organize my space!
Looking at my kitchen dumping drawer and the spice drawer, realising they look identical and planning a clear out! Thank you!