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How to Organize the Awkward Area Under Your Kitchen Sink

August 21 // 2 Comments // 4 Minute Read

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Do you HATE reaching under the kitchen sink because you can never find what you want on the first try? What if organizing under the kitchen sink only took under an hour? With these three easy steps, you won’t dread opening that kitchen cabinet anymore!
 This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

I used to HATE reaching under the kitchen sink to grab anything, because I could never find what I wanted on the first try. But organizing it all really did take under an hour with these three easy steps! Now I can find what I need and don't dread opening that kitchen cabinet! I'm going to tackle my space under the bathroom sink next!! #kitchensink #kitchencabinetorganization #howtoorganize

After my craft closet organization project reached a painful standstill, I craved a quick organization win. A task that wouldn’t take more than an afternoon, but would give me a boost of momentum to tackle the craft closet once again.

(FYI: I promise a craft organization post is coming—I’m just experiencing decision overload trying to organize all the little bits and pieces!)

It didn’t take long for me laser in on my kitchen sink, or actually the cabinet underneath my kitchen sink.

Ugh. What a mess!

Cleaning products and trash bags and sponges were thrown everywhere. Okay, maybe not thrown—that may be a little dramatic—but there wasn’t much of an order to anything.

As soon as I had a free afternoon, I plopped myself right on the floor to dig into this mess. Surprisingly, it took less than one hour to go through everything. I love it when projects don’t take as long as you think they will!

Ready to see how I organized the spot underneath my kitchen sink?

Follow these steps for any cabinet—bathroom OR kitchen—you want to tackle so you can get a quick organization win under your belt too!

ALL YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR DECLUTTERING DREAMS COME TRUE

Ready to declutter your home fast? All you need is ten minutes!

Step 1: Pull out everything. Yes, everything!

Remove it all from the space so you can see what you’re working with and what you need to get rid of. I decluttered a lot of cleaners I don’t use anymore, including nasty sponges that looked like they belonged in the garbage months ago!

I also designated a different spot for the items that belong elsewhere (like bathroom-only cleaners, etc.)

Step 2: Clean and add contact paper

Next, I scrubbed down the space so I could add contact paper to my squeaky clean surface. Even though I may be the only one who sees this cabinet (except for *cough* this post now being on the internet), I’m have a weakness for increasing the pretty factor whenever I can!

I was also pleasantly surprised when a leak of rusty water dripped onto my newly papered space and it wiped right off leaving no stains behind.

So now I’m convinced contact paper is a totally practical choice. 🙂

The design is kind of hard to see here, but I picked up my contact paper at Lowes. The name is Taupe Moroccan and was an inexpensive way to spruce up the space!

Step 3. Organizing under the Kitchen Sink to Maximize Space

How you want to use your space will determine how you organize it (i.e. what you store in the back won’t be as convenient to reach as what you place at the front). I love me some pretty organized spaces, but function is just as important, if not more-so!

You’ll also want to organize “like” things with “like” things (sponges with sponges, cleaners with spray bottles, etc.) in a way that always makes it easy to grab what you’re looking for.

I nabbed these acrylic stackable containers on Amazon to hold my Cascade dishwasher pacs {my secret to how to do dishes—and fewer of them!} and extra sponges. They’re technically for makeup, but when I saw Abby from Just a Girl and Her Blog use them in her own sink organization project, I just had to have some of my own!

Related: 11 Genius Products to Organize Messy Cabinets

I also used a white caddy to hold other cleaning supplies I wanted to keep. The caddy was one I already had on hand, but if I was buying new, I would totally get this adorable aqua one to match my kitchen mat. (I’m still trying to find an excuse to do so.)

But my favorite update of all is this DIY garbage bag holder Joseph helped me create. Isn’t it brilliant?

We bought a cheap curtain rod and cut it down to size using a hacksaw (I let Joseph do that part), then attached two curtain rod brackets to hold the rod in place. The key is to buy curtain rod brackets that jut out far enough so the bags have enough space to fit.

It has been so nice to get these garbage bags off the floor and onto the door. I love being more efficient with space and now I’m tempted to add another holder so I can get my paper towels off the countertop!

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to do much with those water filtration wires, but I am pleased with how much better this cabinet looks now compared to before.

(Oh, and in case you’re wondering what that white basket is for on the far right, that’s where I throw my recyclables.)

As I closed the cabinet door on this project, I thought about how often we assume a complete organization overhaul is the only way to get our home in order. And there are times when it can be more efficient to do that! But I want to encourage you to make time for the small, quick projects too.

Because they can have just as much, if not more of an impact on your everyday.

Instead of fumbling around for a clean sponge or pulling out dozens of cleaners just to find the one I need (which always seemed to be stashed in the very back!), I’m now able to grab exactly what I’m looking for in a matter of seconds.

Whether or not it’s under your kitchen sink or just the countertop, small organizational wins can fuel and motivate you to conquer the bigger projects around your home. Enough that I might just be ready to face my craft closet once again. 🙂

I’d love to hear in the comments below what small organizational win you’re going after this month!

What cluttered space has been frustrating you lately?

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Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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Comments

  1. Aline says

    October 7 at 12:17 pm

    Hi, I was wondering what products you have under your sink in your caddy? I have way too much. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      October 24 at 2:47 pm

      Currently in the caddy (which is different from what was in the caddy when I wrote this post) I have
      Bar Keepers Friend – for any hard water stain or other stain that might happen on our white kitchen counters.
      Extra Dish Sponges
      Clorox Oxi Magic Spray (we use this to clean up stains on carpet or clothing)
      Homemade Glass Cleaner
      Thieves Spray – An Essential Oil All Purpose Cleaner

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>

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👩‍💻 | I help value-driven women lead manageable + meaningful lives.
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What’s one thing you budget for that other peopl
What’s one thing you budget for that other people might not? I always find those interesting. 😃⁣ ⁣ You might have a mortgage. I budget for campgrounds. You might want a separate clothing budget, while I’m fine combining it under “Beauty and Style.” Recently, we also added a new line item for our motorcycle—something I NEVER thought would appear in our budget. ⁣ ⁣ See, we’re all different! ⁣ ⁣ Recently, I rearranged my budget categories and created this “cheat sheet.” Sometimes I forget where things go, like picking up new wall art for the living room. Does this item belong in the categories of Household Items or Home Maintenance? 🤔⁣ ⁣ Now I know! And I save time processing receipts each Friday. 🧾⁣ ⁣ What budgeting categories do you use? Share one of your random budget line items with me in the comments below! 😃

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣
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I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣ ⁣ I’m never afraid to stop reading a book if it doesn’t live up to the hype. Why invest more time in a book I’m not all that excited about when I could be exploring new authors and storylines where I can’t wait to turn the page? 🤷⁣ ⁣ But in 2020, I let more books go than I normally do. I suppose my patience dwindled when I thought the world was ending. Not that I thought the world was actually ending…but you know what I mean. 😉⁣ ⁣ As an Enneagram 1, I hate giving up on a book. I’m prone to the all-or-nothing mentality, even in my reading habits. My eyes could glaze over boring prose and I’d still repeat to myself: “You MUST finish this book!” 😫⁣ ⁣ Why? ⁣ ⁣ No one is adding a plastic star to your Book-It pin, (Remember those?) This isn’t assigned reading from your high school English class. This is YOUR reading life. ⁣ ⁣ And YOU should choose what books deserve your attention. 📚⁣ ⁣ There are too many good ones out there anyway. Like one of my favorite reads from 2020. 😍⁣ ⁣ This week’s newest blog post rounds up everything I read last year (43 books total!) including 5-star psychological thrillers, a delightful royal series, a couple self-help books, and of course, historical fiction.⁣ ⁣ Click the link in my bio to read it! ☝⁣ ⁣ What were your favorite books in 2020? Our literary styles might be a match made in heaven! ✨

My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣
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My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣ ⁣ These small but mighty sidekicks will be my saving grace this year. 📚⁣ ⁣ 1️⃣ Bullet Journal (Blue) - for everyday planning and goal setting⁣ 2️⃣ Regular Journal (Yellow) - to track gratitude (5 things a day!) and to process ALL the feelings⁣ 3️⃣ Growth Journal (Sand) - a space for me to brain dump everything I learn from books, podcasts, sermons, etc ⁣ ⁣ That last one is new to me as of this year and I can't wait to flip back through all my notes come December! 📆⁣ ⁣ What planners/journals are you using for 2021?

Self-care is just as important as making your famo
Self-care is just as important as making your famous sugar cookies this holiday season. 🍪⁣ ⁣ Because let’s be real. ⁣ ⁣ That Hallmark-esque Christmas magic disappears the moment disagreeable family members annoy you. Or when you feel irritable over too many late nights and little-to-no sleep. Or when expectations over meals and traditions and social activities fall short and leave you feeling disappointed. 😬⁣ ⁣ But instead of dwelling on these stressful moments and using them as an excuse to completely disconnect from reality (as I’m often tempted to do!), view them as an opportunity for you to respond with poise. 💞⁣ ⁣ ➕ Journal your feelings. ⁣ ➕ Go for a walk. ⁣ ➕ Prioritize what’s essential. ⁣ ➕ Remember to breathe.⁣ ➕ And try not to eat your feelings…okay?⁣ ⁣ Here’s your permission slip if you need one: You don’t need to do or participate in everything! Take a time out when you need it. 🙌⁣ ⁣ That’s the best way you can protect your emotional well-being over the next few days.⁣ ⁣ Merry Christmas, friends! 🎄


I know you’re ready for this year to be over. 🙋‍♀️ The last twelve months brought so many hard things into our lives—relationships were lost, our country became more broken and divided than ever, and oh yeah, we walked through a pandemic too. 🦠 🤯 No biggie, right? Ha! 😅 And while it’s easy to look back and wish we could skip 2020 altogether (or at least insist on a do-over), I don’t want this year to be the one where the hard overcame the good. 💕 Just as hard days don’t mean ruined days, hard years don’t mean ruined years. 2020 can still be good. 💪 For me, I want to remember the fun and exciting things we did. The adventures we had. The new shows we watched, and the books we read. The new life hacks and things I discovered that made my life easier or just brought me joy. 💞 You’ll find it all in my latest blog post (link in profile). If you still need to buy a gift for a loved one (or for yourself!), you’ll find plenty of fun and affordable ideas to fill up the rest of your gifting list. 📦 Otherwise, enjoy a stroll down the good side of 2020’s memory lane and leave your favorite things in the comments so I can try them. 👋


Pro minimalism tip: Use double-duty appliances. 🤯⁣ ⁣ With limited kitchen space, I have to be super careful about what appliances we invite into the RV. We already had an Instant Pot, Ninja Blender, and a Food Processor. But I really wanted an air-fryer! ⁣ ⁣ With no place to put it, I discovered that Instant Pot made a dual instant pot/air-fryer product. So I gave my instant pot away, and my mom bought me this one for an early Christmas present. I’ve only played with it a couple of times but I’m already in love! 💕⁣ ⁣ Kale chips...sweet potato fries...broccoli. I’m basically an air-frying queen now. And I can easily switch back to the instant pot whenever I want. Yay for two appliances in one! 🥳⁣ ⁣ Q: What is your favorite appliance to use? Is it double duty? 🤔


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