How to Organize Your Kitchen Like a Pro Chef—So Cooking Feels Effortless

Organization is key to a useful (and sanitary!) kitchen. Keeping cookware, tools, ingredients, and prepared foods organized not only simplifies your life, but it can also make the entire food prep, grocery shopping, and eating process more enjoyable. The kitchen is typically the most used room of any home, so how it’s arranged and kept clean matters. A lot. 

Organizing a kitchen is all about efficiency. Ask any chef and they’ll share why every second counts. And when you come up with an organized kitchen system that works, that’s when everything will click. We asked professional chefs for their best home kitchen organizing tips to keep everything easily accessible, functional, and aesthetically pleasing. Here’s how to change your life with labels, containers, and some very easily implementable, helpful hints, according to pro chefs.

De-Clutter and Give Everything a Home

“My best advice is finding a home for the things that you use all the time. Put away the small appliances and tools that you do not use every day,” says Melissa Rodriguez, owner and executive chef of New York’s Crane Club. She notes that she’s married to a chef who loves tchotchkes. “Keep the things you use every day accessible and in sight. I think that clutter is the number one thing that immediately makes your space feel disorganized.” 

Make a Spice Wall

“The best thing I’ve done at home is creating a spice wall where all my spices are on full display,” says Gustavo Mejia, chef de cuisine at Esmé in Chicago. “It allows me to remember what I have in my inventory when cooking at home.”

Create Zones 

“One of my key tips for organizing a home kitchen is to think like a professional: zone your space based on function,” explains Derek Piva, executive chef at The Restaurant at Tu Tu’ Tun in Gold Beach, Oregon. “Create separate areas for prep, cooking, and plating, even if that just means dedicating different counter sections. Keep your most-used tools and ingredients within easy reach, and store less-used equipment higher up or farther back.”

Decant into Clear Containers 

“For dry goods and pantry staples, I love using clear containers,” shares Piva. “The Container Store has some great options for stylish organization, but for something more heavy-duty and long-lasting, you can’t beat Cambro containers—they come in all sizes, from one-quart rounds to multi-gallon setups, and they’re built to last.”

Use Turntables

“As I’m sure many people can relate, I live in a cozy apartment, and I would by no means call my kitchen a large one. In fact, it is quite compact, and we’ve changed up the organization multiple times,” says Daniel Grossman, chef and owner at Confidant in Brooklyn. “Our most recent iteration, which I believe will stick for a while, involves using multi-leveled lazy Susans. This is how I organize all of my spices, vinegars, and oils. It’s an absolute game changer, making for easy access, and it looks cool.”

Keep It Looking Good 

“Don’t overlook aesthetics,” says Piva. “A well-organized kitchen should inspire you to cook. Keep your space clean and minimal, and don’t be afraid to do regular audits. If something hasn’t been touched in six months, ask yourself if it’s really earning its space.”

Label Deli Containers Using Tape and Markers

“When in my home kitchen, there’s one practice I bring from my professional life and encourage everyone to do: Deli containers, masking tape, and markers are a must in order to stay organized,” says Arnold Myint of International Market 2.0 in Nashville. “They are total space savers and great in the fridge, freezer, and dry pantry. I keep a sleeve of 8-ounce, pint, and quart containers (like the kind you get from takeout). I label the contents along with the date it’s stored, so my family doesn’t get confused. Be sure to label the actual container and not the lid, since the lids can come off and be placed elsewhere”.

Group Similar Items 

“Decluttering is key to a functional kitchen. By minimizing what you keep, you can ensure everything is still fresh and hasn’t expired,” says Anthony Goncalves, chef at Kanopi in White Plains, New York. “Grouping similar items together—like all your vinegars, herbs, and oils—will significantly speed up your cooking process, create better flow, and reduce waste.”

Make New Purchases the Star

“If you want to use it, make it available,” says Jamie Bissonnette, chef and founding partner of BCB3 Hospitality. “When I get a new spice or ingredient I am stoked about, I make sure it’s visible to use it often. I overuse new things to see how I am going to like them.”

Always Empty The Sink

“Keep the sink empty,” says Adam Fiscus, executive chef at Central Park Boathouse in New York City. “Everybody rinses their dishes and loads them in the dishwasher.”

Prevent Spills

“Keep your beverages and liquids at the bottom of the fridge in the door,” says Fiscus. “If there is a spill it is much easier to clean, and doesn’t affect the rest of the products.”

Organize Regularly

“Go through your kitchen once a week. Space is crucial, and if something is taking up space and not being used, find a way to use it or donate it,” shares Fiscus. “Everything should have its own spot. Then you need a junk drawer to catch everything that doesn’t.”

Optimize Efficiency 

“Everything has a designated place—no exceptions,” says chef and cookbook author Rick Martinez. “Everything I need is in a zone is within arm’s reach. I never have to move, bend, or open multiple drawers.” To ensure everything stays in the right place, Martinez doesn’t let friends or family put things away, just himself. 

Do an Annual Purge

“Every January, my pantry gets purged of any spice or herb older than a year,” adds Martinez. “Old spices and herbs go into the garden as a natural pest repellent. I restock with small, fresh quantities—no Costco bulk jars.”