The kitchen sink cabinet can unfortunately become quite the dumping ground for all things kitchen cleaning and dishwashing—it may be almost as bad as the junk drawer!

But a clutter-free and cleaner under-sink cabinet can be yours by following a few easy steps, evaluating what you have (and what you don't need!), and strategizing about the best way to store it all.

Here's what I do when decluttering underneath the kitchen sink.

Take It All Out

First things first: you need to see what you've actually got underneath the sink—what you pull out might surprise you!

Clear a spot on a nearby counter, and take everything out. If you have organizers fastened to the door, take those out too.

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Evaluate What You Have

Look for four types of things: duplicates, almost-empties, rarely used, and oh-that's-where-that-went. Move any duplicate items to a nearby closet or top shelf in a cabinet.

Take things that shouldn't be under the kitchen sink back to their proper homes. Toss any almost empty bottles or containers, and take a closer look at rarely used items.

If you think you'll use an item, even if it's just seasonally or when entertaining, store it elsewhere, where it's a bit more out of the way. If an item will probably continue to be unused, donate it or toss it.

Clean the Cabinet

Now that the under-sink cabinet is as empty as can be, take some time to deep clean it. Spray its interior with your favorite all-purpose cleaner, then wipe it away.

Cover stubborn stains with cleaner and let them sit for 5 minutes before wiping both the cleaning agent and the stain away.

Don't forget the cabinet exterior and inner doors too—a quick pass with some soap and water will do the trick. Once everything has been sprayed and wiped, dry the under-sink cabinet with a clean cloth.

Consider Your Space

Here comes the fun part of decluttering—strategizing about the best way to put it back! If your sink cabinet needs to hold a bulky bottle or two, figure out where those have to go before deciding the placement of anything else. Sink drains and pipes can leave limited options for large spray bottles or detergent containers.

Shop Your Home

Next, take a look around your home for spare containers, drawers, shelves, and racks. Gather as many as you can and bring them to your sink cabinet staging area. It's best to see if you can use what you have before heading to the store (or logging into Amazon).

Consider a Few Cabinet Storage Ideas

Once you have all your supplies on hand, play around with what works underneath the sink and what doesn't. If you think of a certain storage item that could fit really well in your cabinet that you don't have, add it to your shopping list. But make sure you can't make do with what you have on hand first. Here are a few cabinet storage ideas to get you started.

• Use a pair of drawers to take advantage of the cabinet's vertical space. These drawers can hold sponges, washcloths, dishwasher pods, and other small-to-medium-sized items.
• Adhesive hooks and bins are a great way to add a little extra storage to the inside of cabinet doors. Over-the-door racks can also work here too.
• Find a small lazy susan to keep cleaners and bottles on—it can be spun around for easy access to all its items.

Put Everything Back

Begin putting everything back into its new home and watch your kitchen sink cabinet stay (miraculously) clutter-free!

Once every bottle, bag, and box is in its place, break out the label maker. Label what goes where—this may be annoying in the moment, but it will ensure the cabinet stays organized, even if someone other than you is taking items out or putting them back into it.