How to use IKEA Kitchen Accessories for a clutter-free kitchen

After revealing my new IKEA METOD kitchen, I received a few questions on the IKEA kitchen accessories.

Yes, I so want to talk about kitchen organisation because it’s my raison d’être for getting a METOD kitchen.

Besides the flexibility of the IKEA kitchen cabinets and all, it’s the interior organisers and IKEA kitchen accessories that make the IKEA METOD kitchen a winner.

Here are a few ways I use the amazing IKEA kitchen accessories to keep my kitchen flowing and sorted.

1. Keep them together yet apart

Of all IKEA kitchen accessories, the very affordable STÖDJA cutlery tray is probably one you cannot omit. They are made to fit the IKEA drawers and are flexible enough for a variety of configurations.

They measure 60 cm wide but my drawers are 80 cm. No problem. I cut one up to fit the balance 20 cm in width. Use a penknife and carefully slice through. The first one, I used a pair of scissors but the plastic is tough and it’s hard to get a straight cut.

STODJA to organise the dining utensils

Next favourite IKEA kitchen accessories are the VARIERA knife tray and insert for spice jars.

In the photo below (top drawer), you’ll see the knife tray with all 7 of my knives, including one big butcher knife. It’s snug though. 5 – 6 knives would be best.

The spice jar insert displays 10 McCormick spice bottles nicely. Both of these flank the sides of the STÖDJA cutlery tray to fit beautifully into an 80cm wide drawer.

STODJA cutlery trays to organise cooking utensils

2. Let them stand instead of stack

I used to stack all my bowls and plates. Getting one from the bottom of the stack was always such a pain.

Don't stack your bowls. There's a better way
BEFORE! Bowls and plates stacked

I salvaged my old GRUNDTAL dish drainer from my old kitchen and used it to line up my bowls and flatware, which makes it way easier to get a particular plate. I do still have some odd bowls that don’t fit onto the dish drainer but the stack is way shorter now. So relatively painless.

This is one kitchen accessory I hope IKEA would consider designing, instead of the vertical current plate holders.

GRUNDTAL dish drainer to sort flatware
Lined up – after

That’s a VARIERA Storage Box at the end, which is super handy for large oven dishes, trays and chopping boards.

3. Categorise your organisation

To keep things organised and help me remember where everything is, I categorise my cabinets.

For instance, I have 3 cabinets for my cleaning tools and detergent (under my sink and next to the washing machine).

A pull-out and 2 drawers for cooking sauces, condiments and utensils (under and next to my hob), a cabinet for food stuff (next to my fridge) and 2 drawers in my kitchen island for things I need to set the table.

Pull-out wire basket
IKEA kitchen accessories keep things organized

To corral them, I use containers like VARIERA boxes. It’s easier to gather the supplies I normally use together in one box. Just lift the box out of the drawer and bam, ready to roll.

Small Variera boxes to hold odds and ends

4. Hide them

Very few of my kitchen appliances look good enough to display on the countertop so I hide them all in my corner cabinet carousel. In there, I stash my 15” wok, 5-piece cookware set, a colander, a stock pot, a small claypot, a crock pot, a thermal pot, a blender, a double boiler, a rice cooker, pestle and mortar. That’s a lot of stuff for a tiny 3’x3’ corner! I wish I had space for the larger carousel with the pull-out fitting. That would be sweet.

Corner cabinet carousel for my appliances

On the bi-fold doors, I stuck on 3M Command Hooks to hang a tea towel and a STINN silicone oven mitt (which is better than any cloth mitt. Seriously better).

And for things that are really not pretty, load them into good looking boxes and containers. For seldom-used items like cables, ribbon odds and ends, I covered an old box with wrapping paper and labelled it.

IKEA kitchen organisation - labelling

5. Return to its place

It’s easy to stay organised when there is a place for everything. The most important step in staying organised is to place everywhere back where they belong after you’ve used it.

And that’s it. From an old awkward kitchen to an organised, practical kitchen.

Follow my IKEA kitchen makeover journey:

Post 1: How I planned my space for IKEA Kitchen cabinets and the “before”
Post 2: My comprehensive guide to using the IKEA Kitchen Planner and buying process
Post 3: My IKEA Kitchen Command Centre
Post 4: My new IKEA METOD Kitchen – Reveal!

Visit this page for more information on the IKEA METOD kitchen.


Disclosure: IKEA Malaysia is the sponsor of my new METOD kitchen. However, my experience and views on the IKEA METOD range are entirely my own.