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A Livingetc report outlines five storage ideas drawn from Japanese kitchens: declutter before buying organizers, choose containers for their job, keep often-used cooking items easy to reach, use cookware that can serve food, and leave counters clear except for useful, considered items. The suggestions are practical design guidance, not evidence of a universal Japanese household standard.
Livingetc has published five kitchen-storage lessons drawn from Japanese design and cooking practices, including clearing clutter before buying organizers and choosing containers according to what they store. The advice, attributed primarily to London-based designer Yoko Kloeden, offers readers a way to rethink crowded cupboards and counters without assuming that more storage products are the answer.
The first recommendation is to declutter before adding storage. Kloeden advises taking one shelf at a time and checking what each item is for before purchasing organizers. The report frames this as a way to avoid spending money on products that may simply accommodate possessions a household does not need.
The next two lessons focus on function and access. Livingetc recommends selecting containers based on their material and purpose, rather than buying matching jars for appearance alone. Kloeden cites wooden paulownia boxes for dried goods and tea, and ceramic jars for salt and sugar, which can clump in their original bags. Frequently used spices and utensils, the report says, should be straightforward to reach; a container with a lid that can be lifted with one hand may be more practical than a coordinated set that is awkward to use.
The final ideas are to use cookware that can double as serving dishes and to be selective about counter displays. Kloeden describes vessels that can move from storage or cooking to the table, reducing transfers and dishes. On counters, her proposed test is whether an item is used daily and also contributes visually. Livingetc attributes the Japanese term ichibutsu tayō—one object, many uses—to this multipurpose approach, and quotes Nakagawa executive vice president Tasuku Ogino on merihari, or deliberate contrast.
Less Clutter, More Useful Space
The advice matters because kitchen organization is often treated as a shopping problem: crowded shelves prompt people to buy bins, racks or matching containers. Livingetc’s report instead starts with what a household owns and how it cooks. That shift can help readers avoid adding products that take up space without making daily tasks easier.
Several recommendations address practical routines as much as appearance. Keeping regularly used seasonings within reach can reduce interruptions while cooking, while cookware that goes from stove or storage to the table may mean fewer serving dishes and transfers. These are potential benefits, not measured results in the report; the best arrangement depends on the kitchen, household and cooking habits.
The counter guidance also offers a simple way to balance convenience with a less crowded workspace: keep daily essentials at hand, but do not treat every useful object as something that must remain on display. Readers can apply the principle selectively, rather than trying to reproduce a particular aesthetic or purchase a complete set of products.
Japanese wooden storage boxes for dried goods
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The Five Ideas in Practice
The source is a Livingetc advice report, not a formal study of Japanese homes. Its recommendations are presented through comments from Kloeden, whose London architecture and interior design studio draws on Japanese aesthetics, and Ogino, an executive vice president at Japanese home-goods company Nakagawa. The article uses their observations to suggest adaptable storage practices.
Those practices move from the inside of a cupboard outward: edit possessions first; choose containers for the needs of their contents; make cooking essentials accessible; favor vessels that serve multiple roles; and leave counter space for a limited number of regularly used, visually considered items. The report mentions paulownia storage for dry goods and an ohitsu, a lidded pot used for cooked rice, as examples. It does not provide comparative data on storage methods or claim that every Japanese kitchen follows the same rules.
“Before you add storage, take one shelf and ask what each thing on it is for.”
— Yoko Kloeden, as quoted by Livingetc
What the Advice Does Not Establish
The report offers design advice and expert observations, not survey findings or measured evidence that these practices improve kitchen efficiency across households. It does not establish how common any one method is in Japan, nor whether the examples represent kitchens of different sizes, budgets or cooking styles.
Some material-specific statements, including the properties attributed to paulownia wood, are presented through Kloeden’s comments; the article does not supply independent testing or detailed care guidance. Readers should also check that containers and cookware are appropriate for their intended food, heat and storage conditions. The report does not specify a publication date in the supplied material.
Adapt the Rules to Your Kitchen
The article does not announce a scheduled follow-up or a change to an existing product or policy. Its practical next step is for readers to review one shelf or counter area, remove items without a clear use, and identify which ingredients or tools need easier access before shopping for organizers.
Any further assessment is household-specific: readers can test whether a container is easy to open, whether cookware can safely perform multiple tasks, and whether items left on the counter are used often enough to justify the space. Livingetc also points readers toward the Japanese 5S method for further decluttering advice, but the source does not detail that method in this report.
Key Questions
What are the five Japanese kitchen storage lessons in the report?
Declutter before buying storage; choose containers for their function; keep frequently used cooking items accessible; select cookware that can also serve food; and leave counters clear except for useful, considered items.
Does the report say all Japanese kitchens use these methods?
No. Livingetc presents expert observations and design advice. It does not provide evidence that every Japanese household uses these practices or that they are universal.
What should I do before buying kitchen organizers?
Start with one shelf and decide what each item is for, as Kloeden advises. Remove or relocate items without a clear purpose, then work out whether any remaining storage problem needs a new organizer.
How should I choose containers for food?
The report recommends matching a container to the food and how often it is used, rather than choosing only by appearance. Check that any container is suitable for its intended storage conditions; the article does not provide a full food-safety or care guide.
What does the report suggest keeping on the counter?
Kloeden’s suggested test is whether an item is used daily and also has visual presence. Regularly used essentials may earn a place; less-used items and branded packaging can be stored away, depending on the household’s needs.
Source: rss
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