Keeping your kitchen sink area organized can make your life so much easier. No more scrambling to find a spatula or sponge when you need it. An organized sink area also looks cleaner and more put together.
If your kitchen sink area tends to get cluttered and disorganized, try using some of these 16 kitchen sink organization ideas to whip it into shape!
Declutter Under the Sink
The space under the kitchen sink often ends up as a catch-all spot for items that don’t have another home. Take everything out from under your kitchen sink and only put back what you use on a regular basis.
Get rid of expired cleaners and consolidate duplicates. Use shelf dividers, tiered racks, and storage containers to neatly organize what needs to stay. Labelling containers makes finding what you need a breeze.
Only keep daily use cleaning supplies and tools under the kitchen sink. Store extras in another area of the kitchen or home.
Install Pull-Out Racks
One of the best ways to organize the cabinets under your kitchen sink is with pull-out racks. They allow you to fully see and easily access everything stored in the back corners.
Pull-out racks slide smoothly on tracks or rails so you can pull them all the way out and have complete access. Some have two levels so you can store taller items on the bottom shelf.
Installing pull-out racks is an easy DIY project for most standard kitchen sinks. Measure the dimensions and get racks to fit your specific space.
Use Tension Rods for Scrub Brushes and Sponges
Installing tension rods across the backsplash is a quick and easy way to neatly store scrub brushes, sponges, and dish scrubbers near the sink.
Look for spring loaded tension rods made of stainless steel that won’t rust. Cutting them down to fit your space is simple.
Hang scrub brushes from the tension rods using the brush heads or attached hooks. Loop towels or rags over the rods to dry after use. The rods keep countertops clear and everything you need within easy reach.
Clear Countertops with a Sink Caddy
Countertop sink caddies are a popular and inexpensive way to organize the items you use most around the kitchen sink.
Look for caddies with multiple compartments and slots that can neatly hold and separate sponges, dish soap, cleaning brushes, and scrub pads. Materials like stainless steel, wire, and mesh allow excess water to drain off.
Having essentials like soap and sponges right by the sink in one organizer reduces clutter on the counter while keeping necessities handy as you wash dishes and clean up.
Store Scrub Brushes in a Utensil Crock
Turn a basic utensil crock into a scrub brush holder. The narrow opening keeps brushes upright and contained while the wider base catches drips.
Choose a crock tall enough to hold your tallest brushes. Neutral colors like white, gray, or black blend in with most decor.
Make sure crocks have drainage holes so excess water can drain out the bottom. Keeping scrub brushes in an open container allows them to dry out completely between uses.
Hang Dish Towels from Drawer Pulls
Dish towels are essential near the kitchen sink, but they can clutter up counters. Hang towels from bottom drawer pulls to keep them off the counter and in easy reach.
Use sturdy towels with a hanging loop sewn into one corner. Slide the loop onto the drawer pull. You can also use binder clips or towel hooks to attach towels to standard drawer pulls.
Switch out towels when they get wet so you always have a dry one ready to grab. Try looped towel bars if your sink doesn’t have accessible lower drawers.
Adhere Storage to the Sink Cabinet Doors
Use the unused space on the doors under your kitchen sink for extra storage. Adhere small wire shelves, mesh racks, or tension rods using industrial strength adhesives.
These can hold sponges, scrub brushes, cleaning spray bottles, and other items you frequently use at the sink. Mount them low enough to easily access items while still allowing the doors to open.
Just make sure all storage additions are securely attached to withstand opening and closing the doors. Remove them carefully when it’s time to change up your system.
Attach Towel Bars Inside Cabinet Doors
Installing bars to hang dish towels inside cabinet doors near the sink keeps them out of sight but easy to access.
Look for sturdy metal towel bars with mounting plates that attach securely to cabinet door fronts with screws. Position horizontally near the bottom of upper doors.
Fold dry towels over the bars so they’re ready to grab as needed. Close the door to keep towels out of sight for a neater look when not in use.
Use Wall-Mounted Wire Shelving
Install wall mounted shelving next to the sink to utilize vertical storage space often left unused. Commercial wire shelving comes in various lengths and can be cut to fit.
Use shelving to hold dish soap, sponges, cleaning supplies, scrub brushes, and other sink accessories. Position the shelving so the contents are easily accessible while doing dishes.
Just make sure the shelving is anchored securely into wall studs and can support the weight of items stored without pulling away from the wall. Consider adding a rail to hang towels.
Organize Under Sink Contents in Bins
Plastic bins are ideal for neatly organizing all the items stored under kitchen sinks. Look for stackable bins in different sizes and shapes to customize to your needs.
Categorize like items together – for example, all cleaning products and tools in one bin, first aid supplies in another. Label the front of bins so you know exactly what’s inside without having to search.
Bins protect contents from leaks, contain messes, and make it easy to access frequently used items. Re-stack to switch up the configuration as needed.
Utilize Sink Base Cabinets
Many kitchen sinks have an accompanying sink base cabinet which often ends up wasted storage space. Maximize this area with slide-out trays, shelves, and vertical dividers.
This cabinet is a perfect spot to neatly organize cleaning and dish supplies like detergent, sponges, scrub brushes, and drying mats.
Install organizers and accessories that allow you to fully utilize all the space while customizing it to your needs. Add shelves or trays on tracks to create tiers of storage.
Hang Cleaning Tools from Adhesive Hooks
Use peel-and-stick hooks inside sink cabinets to hang cleaning tools like brooms and mops vertically. This keeps them easily accessible and out of the way.
Look for sturdy rubber-lined hooks that keep items from slipping off. Hooks are great for hanging spray bottles upside down to dispense every last drop.
Space hooks based on the items you need to store – keep like items together and evenly spaced for a organized look. Arrange by frequency of use.
Designate Space for Dish Soap and Sponges
Dish soap and sponges are daily kitchen sink necessities. Give them a dedicated space near the sink so they don’t clutter counters or get lost in cabinets.
Adhesive wall-mounted soap dispensers are popular for keeping dish soap handy and reducing messy drips. For quick grab-and-go use, store upright sponges in a caddy, crock, or countertop holder.
Having designated spots for dish soap and sponges ensures they stay neat, organized, and exactly where you need them.
Install a Sliding Spice Rack
Utilize vertical space near the sink for frequently used spices and seasonings. Install a wall-mounted sliding spice rack with jars, bottles, or containers.
Look for a rack with rails or tracks that allow you to slide jars and bottles out for easy access. Arrange spices and seasonings you most often use while cooking or cleaning up from meals.
Having spices and seasoning within reach near the sink means you can quickly add a dash of this or pinch of that while you work. Just be sure to securely mount the rack into wall studs.
Add Tiered Storage Shelves
Tiered storage shelves are useful for maximizing vertical storage next to the kitchen sink. Stacked shelves allow you to neatly organize an array of items.
Look for shelves sized to fit your available space that can hold everything from scrub brushes and sponges to soaps, sanitizers, and cleaning products.
Tiered shelving keeps items organized and accessible while getting them up off the counter. Just be sure to securely anchor shelving into wall studs to hold weight.
Use a Hanging Utensil Organizer
Install a hanging utensil organizer inside a sink cabinet door to neatly store scrub brushes, bottle brushes, soap dispensing brushes, and other sink cleaning tools.
Choose a sturdy organizer with multiple compartments, hooks, and slots to keep brushes separated and organized. Position within easy reach while doing dishes.
Hanging organizers maximize storage space on cabinet doors while keeping necessities handy. Just avoid overloading with too many heavy brushes that could compromise hanging strength.
Incorporate Clear Canisters for Visibility
Use clear plastic or glass canisters to store items like scrub brushes, sponges, soaps, and cleaning supplies near the kitchen sink.
The transparency makes it easy to identify what’s inside each container at a glance. Labelling on the outside provides even more visibility.
Canisters protect contents from moisture and leaks while keeping items neatly organized and dust-free. Just be sure to open canisters to air out and fully dry between uses.
Design a Sink Station Command Center
Take full advantage of wall space around the sink for a customized organizational command center. This family command center has it all!
Use wall-mounted shelving, rails, ledges, and racks to arrange dish soap, brushes, sponges, towels, cleaning tools, and more based on frequency of use.
Incorporate bins, baskets, or trays to corral smaller items. Have a place for everything you use daily at the kitchen sink within easy reach.
Getting everything off the counter creates a cleaner look and keeps necessities handy as you wash dishes and tidy up.
Install an Over-the-Sink Shelf
Over-the-sink shelving adds storage space and organization above the sink area. Look for solid shelving long enough to span the sink basin.
Use the shelf to hold dish soap, sponges, scrub brushes, cleaning supplies, and other sink items. Just be cautious of overloading with heavy items.
Some over-sink shelving folds up against the wall when you need clear countertop workspace. This versatility makes it a functional option for small kitchens.
Organize a Sink Drawer
Designate a kitchen drawer near the sink as your “sink drawer” to neatly organize all your dish washing, cleaning, and drying supplies.
Use organizers and dividers to section off space for sponges, brushes, soaps, scrub pads, dish towels, and more based on the drawer size.
Label organizers so you can quickly find what you need. Having all your dish and sink supplies in one dedicated spot makes clean up after meals so much easier.
FAQs About Organizing Your Kitchen Sink Area
How can I organize my kitchen sink cabinets?
Some ways to organize kitchen sink cabinets include usingBins or baskets to group like items, shelves and racks to neatly stack and separate supplies, and drawer organizers and dividers to customize spaces. Also try tension rods, hanging storage, and over-the-door options.
How do you organize cleaning supplies under the sink?
Keep cleaners together in bins labelled with the contents. Use racks or shelves to neatly stand spray bottles upside down. Install hooks to hang brooms and mops vertically. Maximize cabinet space with pull-out trays and slide-out racks.
Where should dish soap and sponges be kept in a kitchen?
Ideally, keep dish soap and sponges near the kitchen sink for easy access when washing dishes. Install a wall-mounted soap dispenser or store upright in a caddy, crock, or countertop holder. Dedicate space on shelving, in a drawer, or in a sink base cabinet.
What is the best way to organize towels near a kitchen sink?
Some good options are hanging towels from drawer pulls or mounted towel bars, looping over tension rods or slide-out tracks under the sink, or folding neatly over towel rods inside sink cabinet doors. Store so they can be easily grabbed when needed.
How do you organize cleaning supplies in a small kitchen?
Opt for space-saving options like over-the-door storage, wall-mounted shelving or racks, tension rods across backsplashes, hanging wall hooks or baskets, and narrow vertical organizers. Store less frequently used items elsewhere in the home.
What kind of storage containers are best for under the kitchen sink?
Plastic bins or buckets work well to categorize and contain items under kitchen sinks while protecting them from leaks and moisture. Clear plastic canisters allow visibility of contents. Bins that stack and click together maximize storage.
Final Thoughts on Organizing Your Kitchen Sink Area
A cluttered, disorganized kitchen sink area can make cleaning up, washing dishes, and cooking far less pleasant. By implementing some of these 16 kitchen sink organization ideas, you can create a functional, tidy space that makes your time spent at the sink more efficient.
Invest in quality storage products and containers that suit your space and needs. Take the time to sort through what you currently have and purge unused or unnecessary items. Remember to clean as you organize!
Aim to only keep daily use items near the sink in their designated homes. Having organizational systems in place that work for you will make maintaining a neat, orderly sink area so much easier.
Getting in the habit of quickly cleaning up and putting things away after washing dishes or preparing meals will also prevent chaos from accumulating. A clean, organized kitchen sink area helps create a smoother, more enjoyable cooking and cleaning experience.