How to Set Up a Simple Old-Fashioned Kitchen: 5 Quick Steps

Create a cozy, functional, and beautiful working kitchen with these simple tips. Learn how to set up a simple old-fashioned kitchen for rhythm, peace, and from-scratch cooking.

There’s something deeply comforting about an old-fashioned kitchen. Not just in the chipped enamelware or worn wooden spoons—but in the rhythm it invites. A slower pace. A sense of purpose. The kind of space where meals are made from scratch, flour dust dances in the morning light, and everything has a place because it’s used and loved. It is my hope to share with you how to set up a simple old-fashioned kitchen.

Over the years, I’ve slowly let go of kitchen gadgets and trendy appliances and returned to what’s simple and timeless. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by clutter or craving a kitchen that feels more like home and less like a storage closet, here are a few easy ways to learn how to set up a simple old-fashioned kitchen space.

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🪴 1. Clear the Counters

An old-fashioned kitchen didn’t have rows of small appliances lining every surface. Great-grandma likely had just what she needed—and kept it tucked away. Start by removing anything you don’t use weekly. Keep out only what serves you every day: maybe a mixer, your favorite mixing bowl, a jar of wooden spoons.

Tip: I keep a small bread station by my mixer—just a crock of flour, my dough whisk, and a clean towel nearby. It saves me time and keeps things charmingly simple.

🍶 2. Store Staples in Simple Containers

Instead of piles of mismatched boxes and plastic bags, try storing dry goods in clear glass jars, crocks, or enamel containers. This not only looks beautiful but also makes it easier to keep track of what you have.

I love these half-gallon mason jars for flour, oats, and sugar, and this set of wooden scoops makes measuring feel just a little more delightful.

🥄 3. Choose Timeless Tools

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my post on Old-Fashioned Kitchen Tools Every Homemaker Should Know. Once you’ve got those essentials, store them in ways that are easy to access—hang cast iron pans on the wall, keep rolling pins in a crock, or display your favorite mixing bowls on open shelves.

You don’t need a drawer full of extras. Just a few well-loved tools can do more than you think.

🌿 4. Create Little Stations That Support Your Routine

Old-fashioned kitchens worked in rhythms: a baking day, a soup simmering day, maybe even a day for fermenting or canning. Try setting up little zones to reflect that:

• A bread station (flour, starter, mixing bowl)
• A tea corner (mugs, tea bags, honey jar)
• A soup & simmer spot (Dutch oven, ladle, broth jars)

These little anchors bring rhythm and make homemaking feel more peaceful and purposeful.

🧺 5. Keep It Cozy, Not Cluttered

It’s easy to collect vintage kitchen decor, but the goal here is a working kitchen, not a museum. Choose a few meaningful items—a flour sack towel, a thrifted teapot, a favorite cookbook—and let them shine.

If something’s taking up space but not serving a purpose, it’s okay to let it go.

📌 Pin-Friendly Takeaway:

A simple kitchen is a working kitchen.
It doesn’t need to be perfectly curated—just thoughtfully arranged so that it works for you and supports the life you want to build at home.

Learning how to set up a simple old-fashioned kitchen isn’t about perfection—it’s about purpose. It’s about building a space that works for your family, reflects your values, and invites you to slow down and enjoy the daily rhythm of homemaking. Whether you’re baking a fresh loaf of sourdough brioche, pulling ingredients from your vintage-inspired pantry, or mapping out next week’s meals the old-fashioned way, your kitchen can become a place of peace and provision. Start small, clear what you don’t need, and keep what brings joy and function to your space. You don’t need a modern kitchen to feed your family well—you just need a heart willing to serve and a home that makes room for it.