Tips for Organizing Your Grilling Space

We all want our grilling space to be both practical and attractive. An outdoor grilling area that can make your life easier as the griller is organized adds an aesthetic to your backyard and welcomes the guests of your backyard barbeque parties.

Imagine spending the day out with your friends, and you aren’t ready for the party to slow down, so you spontaneously invite them over for dinner. You rush home and make a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up burgers, hotdogs, buns, and beers. The last thing you want to worry about is making sure your grilling space is ready to entertain.

Whether you have an outdoor grill space for your kitchen or a portable grill on your small patio , here are some tips to keep your backyard in order so you can have plenty of impromptu get-togethers.

Place your grill in a safe spot.

A grill placed in an outdoor area

Consider where your grill is positioned on your patio or in your yard. Outdoor grills let off smoke and heat, so you don’t want them too close to your house, walls, fences, overhangs, or any enclosed spaces. Anything flammable must also be separated from the grill. If you have a charcoal grill, it’s the smokiest of all, so make sure you have plenty of room for ventilation without potentially causing a fire or damage.

Keep the grill clean before and after use.

The secret to keeping a rich and amazing taste within your grilling experience is always to clean the grill using brushes before and after cooking. Turn the grill on, loosen any leftover char, and scrub it once you turn off the grill. To prevent the grill grates from sticking, coat the grill with any oil you use for cooking. Here’s how to clean and maintain your grill

Get a grill caddy or cart.

Grill carts add extra storage space and even countertop space to your grill area. This is an incredible tool that can allow you to store your grill accessories, prep your food, and present serving items like dishes, trays, condiments, drinks, and more. It can save you lots of time and energy by not having to go in and out of the house to prep your food and serve your guests. Also, you don’t want your ketchup and mustard bottles scattered on your patio countertops.

Paper towels must be kept nearby as well. We all know how messy grilling can get, and a little swipe of paper towels is all you sometimes need to make everything cleaner and look more presentable. Make sure it’s on your grill caddy or cart ready for pulls.

Keep safety items nearby.

Some fire extinguishers outside

Safety needs to come first for your family and for your own peace of mind. Prioritize storing safety items close to the grill, and then the rest of your layout can follow. Add a fire extinguisher within arm’s reach within your grilling area, or hang it on a nearby wall that is safe from inclement weather. Also, keep heat-resistant gloves on your grilling cart or beneath your grill in your outdoor grilling space. This can help protect your hands from extreme temperatures, so you can say prevent grill burns.

Hang your grilling tools.

Help yourself grill easier by making your tools easily and quickly accessible. If you buy a grill cart that connects to your grill, you probably want the hooks on the side where you can hang your tools. It’s a great place to let your tools rest while you’re grilling, and at the same time, make it easy to grab when you need them.

If your grill is made of steel, you can put magnets on your most used cooking tools so you can reach them easier and deal with less shuffling around.

However, it’s better if you don’t store your grill tools on those hooks for longer periods because they can get damaged by weather or even get crawled on by random insects or pests. When storing grill tools, keep in mind that you want them to be clean and dry to prevent rust and grime. Then, store them on a separate toolbox or caddy in your kitchen cabinet, garage, or wherever it’s convenient for you.

Keep a drawer box nearby for your seasonings and spices.

You can never go wrong with a little spice, but you don’t want to go back and forth in your kitchen while grilling to make your foods flavorful. Add a drawer or a box for your spices and seasonings. It’s better if you use matching baskets or trays to separate your grilling essentials, like tools, sauces, seasonings, plates, cutting boards, and other specialty items like a pizza stone or cast-iron skillet. And you’ll want a box just for all seasonings, spices, and rubs because it will give your meats unique and delicious flavors that you crave.  

Add a mini-fridge.

Barbequing can be hot, and what else can cool you down than an ice-cold drink? Avoid burning your steak or burgers digging through an ice chest to find a beer or soda. With a mini-fridge easily accessible, you can quickly get a cold one and get back to grilling right away.

Keep some pantry supplies outside.

To make your space a party-ready grilling area , consider keeping some party supplies outside for easy access. Corral your paper plates, plastic cups, and utensils, and have them handy by your seating area, whether stored in a bar cart or in a closed-off pantry in your outdoor area. Make sure to keep them in tight-sealed bins so that dust and dirt won’t get into them when they’re not in use.  

Create a cleanup area.

The cleanup part is usually one of the most overlooked aspects of organizing a grill area, but it’s a must for a leisurely pack-up after the party is over. A simple idea is just to keep a trashcan near the grill. This is where you can throw out extra prep items, charcoal ash wrapped in tin foil (or in other safe containers), or other extra items. Then, make sure you also provide a trash can for your guests to put their used napkins, paper plates, cups, and other disposables in.

Also, keep your grill brush accessible for scrubbing and scraping the grill while it’s still warm. You can put it in your caddy on a separate container from your other cooking tools.