Kitchen Redesign Adventure: Worth the Hype or Not?

Structure doesn’t have to mean sterile or expensive, just practical for the space you’ve got.

I get where you’re coming from, but I’d actually push back a bit on the idea that structure always has to be “practical” in the sense of adding more stuff—even if it’s DIY. Sometimes, especially in these old kitchens, less really is more. I tried making custom dividers too (mine were cardboard and duct tape, not as classy as scrap wood), but after a while I realized I was just organizing clutter.

What worked better for me was pulling everything out and only putting back what I actually use every week. The rest went into a box in the basement. If I didn’t go looking for it after a month, it got donated. Not saying everyone should go full minimalist, but sometimes those weird old drawers are telling us we don’t need as much as we think.

That said, totally agree that you don’t need to spend big bucks on fancy organizers. Old jars, boxes, even cut-down cereal boxes can do the trick. Just gotta find what fits your groove—and your kitchen’s quirks.

I totally get what you mean about just organizing clutter. I’ve been there—spent a Saturday afternoon cutting up old Amazon boxes to make drawer dividers, only to realize I was just shuffling around stuff I never actually used. Your method of boxing up the “maybes” and seeing if you miss them is honestly genius. It’s like a trial run for minimalism without the panic of tossing everything at once.

Not saying everyone should go full minimalist, but sometimes those weird old drawers are telling us we don’t need as much as we think.

That hits home. My kitchen’s got these deep, awkward drawers that seem designed for mystery utensils and random gadgets. I used to think I needed to fill every inch with something useful, but now I’m leaning more toward open space—even if it looks a little empty at first.

One thing that helped me was doing a “use it or lose it” week. Every time I cooked, if I reached for something and it wasn’t there, I’d go grab it from the box. If I didn’t need it by the end of the week, it probably wasn’t essential. It’s surprising how few things actually made their way back into the kitchen.

I’m curious—did you find yourself missing anything after your month-long test? Or did you ever regret donating something? Sometimes I worry about getting rid of that one weird tool and then needing it six months later... but so far, hasn’t happened.

Also, totally agree on using what you have for organizers. My favorite “hack” is using old glass jars for utensils and cutlery—looks kind of rustic and costs nothing. Anyone else have clever ways to repurpose stuff for storage?

Sometimes I worry about getting rid of that one weird tool and then needing it six months later... but so far, hasn’t happened.

Funny you mention that—once I donated a melon baller and then, months later, tried to make those fancy fruit salads for a party. Had to improvise with a teaspoon. Didn’t really miss it, though; just made me laugh at myself for thinking I’d use it more. For storage, I’ve used old baking pans as drawer trays. Not pretty, but they keep all the measuring spoons from vanishing into the abyss. Anyone else find deep drawers just swallow stuff no matter what you do?

Deep drawers are like black holes for kitchen gadgets. I swear, I’ve lost more spatulas to the depths than I care to admit.

“they keep all the measuring spoons from vanishing into the abyss.”

I hear you on the deep drawer dilemma. It’s funny—people always rave about them, but in practice, they can be more hassle than help.

“no matter how many organizers I try, something always escapes.”