How to Organize Your Tupperware Drawer (and Beyond!)
I get a surprising number of questions and comments about our humble food storage drawer. Is it always that organized? How do you fit ALL your containers in there!? The good news is, it’s EASY, and I’ll show you how! Here are my best tip and tricks for keeping that infamous tupperware drawer under control.
Jake and I only have one little bank of drawers in our kitchen, so we could only dedicate a single 17” x 18” drawer to food storage. This was daunting at first, but it turned out to be more than enough! We’ve collected different pieces over the years so our dishes don’t stack perfectly, but we were still able to sort and stack them in a maintainable order. Here’s how to do it!
1) Reduce the Random Pieces
Sort through ALL your dishes and lids, and get rid of any mismatched (or overly-funky!) pieces.
And also… recycle all those random takeout containers you’ve been hoarding. 😉
NOTE: It’s totally fine to hang onto one or two takeout containers for the odd time you ACTUALLY need one, but keeping things “just in case” will kill your home organization goals every time.
2) Refresh as Required
Add or replace dishes in a variety of sizes that STACK. Or, if your food storage situation needs an full overhaul, invest in a SET!
(Other potential retailers include Costco, London Drugs, Canadian Tire, HomeSense, IKEA, or Walmart.)
Sets are great for small spaces because they’re designed to stack seamlessly, which is ideal for kitchens with limited storage. I recommend glass containers because they stay crystal clear, never stain or retain smells, and won’t leach chemicals into your food.
NOTE: If you have enough space to “horizontally stack” or “file” your dishes, this is always the superior method. Try using an extendable pot lid organizer like this one or the IKEA Variera to support your dishes!
3) Be Intentional
Only keep/buy the most useful sizes and shapes, and allocate only ONE drawer (or cupboard) for food storage containers.
Commit to this rule: if it doesn’t easily and reasonably fit in The Drawer (or on The Shelf, etc.), then it doesn’t get to stay (or something else has to go)!
4) Consider Lid Storage
Some folks suggest storing your containers with the lids on, and while this generally makes sense, I find this method can trap smells. I prefer to let my containers breathe, but do whatever works best for you!
The simplest and cheapest option is to corral your lids, horizontally stacked, within a large dish as we have (see photo above). Alternatively, you can try a makeshift lid organizer, or you can section off a part of your drawer with an extendable drawer divider. If you really mean business, consider an actual food storage lid organizer.
And that’s it! YES our “tupperware drawer” is always this organized, and YES yours can be too! Once you’ve established an easy and reasonable system, maintaining it is a piece of cake.
Shop the Drawer
Related Articles
Learn how to make the most of that dead-end wall in your small galley kitchen by turning it into an artistic moment, a storage opportunity, or something in between!