Hidden Kitchen Command Center Setups That Actually Work

This walkthrough follows the order the room was actually finished. Like so many of you, our kitchen is the hub of everything… meals, homework, schedules, mail, and all those random office supplies that never seem to have a home. We previously had a large bulletin board that served as a command center of sorts, but when we remodeled our kitchen, I wanted a more functional organizing solution that didn't take over wall space.

Our solution? We created a hidden kitchen command center drawer that works just as hard but without adding any visual clutter.

Today I'm sharing the details on how we created our hidden kitchen command center along with other command center approaches that will help you create a functional organizing solution in your own home. (post includes commissionable links; for more information, see my full disclosure statement {here})

Pick Your Spot With Purpose

When it comes to creating a hidden kitchen command center, where you put it is just as important as how you organize it. It's tempting to choose any open drawer, add a few dividers, and call it done, but if the location doesn't fit into your daily routine, it won't function the way you need it to.

For us, I paid attention to where the “drop zone” naturally happened in our kitchen. Where did the mail land? Where did I reach for a pen? Where did the kids ask for tape or scissors? You also want to think about accessibility. This is a space you'll likely use multiple times a day, so it should be easy to open, not blocked by stools or heavy traffic, and within arm's reach of where you're already working, whether that's packing lunches, helping with homework, or jotting down a quick note.

Three Smart Placement Approaches

A Strategically Located Drawer: Option #1

For our hidden kitchen command center, I chose one of the drawers in our kitchen island since that's the hub of the house and also right next to the door to our garage that we went in and out of each day:

As you can see, it's actually a shallow drawer within a larger kitchen island drawer – something we added late in the planning of our kitchen redo that I'm so glad we thought of. In case you're wanting measurements to see how it compares to the size of drawers in your own home, the interior dimensions are 24.5″ wide x 19 ¾″ deep:

I chose Poppin organizers for our desk drawer that you can find online {here} and {here}. They come in three color options and include everything from trays and caddies to business card holders, staplers, and tape dispensers. Starting on the left side of the drawer, the main organizers are two of {these large accessory trays} that measure 13-¾″ x 9-⅞″:

The top tray holds file folders, and the tray below has one of {these divided organizer trays} nestled inside of it to corral coupons, stamps, hair bands, keys, paperclips, and more.

The middle of the drawer holds two of {these medium accessory trays} that hold pens, pencils, mini notebooks, and some office supplies:

On the right side of the drawer I have extra rolls of tape, post-it notes in {this acrylic holder}, {this stapler and tape dispenser} (A strong choice is this particular tape dispenser because it's weighted so stays in place), and three of {these business card holders} (one with gift cards, one with local business cards, and a third with all other business cards):

Another good option for drawer organizers but at a more budget friendly price is a large set like {this one} that includes a variety of sizes to fit almost any size drawer. We used a similar set (unfortunately the exact one is no longer available) to organize this drawer in the house office:

Just be aware that most of these sets don't include an organizer large enough for a full-size sheet of paper or file folders, so you might have to add in one of {these letter sized trays}.

You could also use bamboo organizers like {this expandable bamboo organizer set with adjustable dividers} that expand to fit the drawer, creating a custom fit:

Behind a Cabinet Door: Option #2

Using the back of a cabinet door is another great location for a hidden kitchen command center, especially if you can't afford to lose the drawer space for one. Organizers that work well on the back of a cabinet door include clear caddies like {these} that attach to the back of your door with adhesive and Command spring clips like {these} to hold coupons, stamps, important papers, or letters to mail out:

You can also choose an all-in-one solution like {this Rev-a-Shelf mail organizer} that can hold paperwork, mail, keys, and more:

Built Into Your Cabinets: Option #3

Option #3 is for those of you who plan to redo your kitchen now or in the future – consider integrating hidden storage into the sides of your new cabinets! For example, Diamond Cabinets have a base message center cabinet where the side panel of the base cabinet opens up to reveal this solid hidden space:

Kraftmaid has a similar option with a message center built into the side of an upper cabinet {here} or into the side of a full-height cabinet {here}:

Command Center Organization Pointers

Lastly, I wanted to share a few pointers for getting your hidden kitchen command center organized! First off, start with a purge of everything you no longer need, like the 50 freebie pens you've been hanging onto or the coupons that expired months ago. And do you really need 500 rubber bands? Toss the junk and donate any usable extras.

For paperwork, develop a sorting system with file folders. I have a total of five file folders labeled with “To Do”, “Waiting” (things that I'm waiting for a response on like insurance claims), “Poss Returns” (receipts for things I'm not 100% sure I'm keeping), “Girls” (mostly things related to my daughters' school like info on upcoming field trips, class schedules, etc.), and “Coupons”:

For items that you're storing in your hidden command center, remember that sometimes the simplest organizing solutions are best! For example, we keep hairbands on one of {these 2″ binder rings} so they stay neatly organized yet are easy for the girls to grab on their way out the door to school or sports:

At the end of the day, your hidden kitchen command center drawer isn't about perfection, it's about creating a system that works for YOU, making your everyday life just a little bit easier. Start with what you have, keep it functional, and tweak as needed over time.

Want to start organizing other areas of your home? Look at my post on home organization approaches with simple solutions for every room in your house.

XO,