17 Brilliant Ways to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets

Not getting much out of the cabinet space you have? You don’t need more room. Declutter, group similar items, add shelf risers, use doors, and take advantage of vertical space to make your cabinets much easier to use. Start with the things you reach for every day, then tackle those awkward corners and deep shelves where kitchen supplies tend to disappear.

Key takeaways

• Declutter cabinets before buying organizers.
• Store frequently used items where they’re easiest to reach.
• Group similar items together so you can quickly see what you have.
• Use shelf risers to use empty vertical space.
• Turn baking sheets, cutting boards, and lids on their sides instead of stacking them.
• Use turntables for bottles, jars, spices, and other small items that tend to get lost.
• Add pull-out organizers to make deep cabinets easier to access.
• Use cabinet doors for lightweight items when the door and hardware allow.
• Store heavy cookware in lower cabinets where it’s easier to lift.
• Measure cabinets before buying bins, drawers, racks, or other organizers.

1. Start by taking everything out

Before you organize a cabinet, empty it. Yes, everything. It’s hard to see how much stuff you have when half of it is hiding behind something else. Emptying the cabinet also gives you a chance to wipe down the shelves and inspect the contents.

Group similar things together as you go. You might discover four nearly identical casserole dishes, 17 reusable water bottles, or enough plastic takeout containers to open your own restaurant. Decide what you actually use before putting anything back.

2. Get rid of things you don’t use

Kitchen cabinets often become permanent homes for things we think we might use someday.

Look for:

• Duplicate utensils and tools
• Chipped dishes
• Mugs you never use
• Food storage containers without matching lids
• Lids without containers
• Broken appliances
• Gadgets you forgot you owned
• Expired food
• Old spices
• Water bottles nobody likes
• Extra takeout containers
• Cookware you never reach for
• Empty jars you kept “just in case”

Donate or give away usable items you don’t need. Recycle or dispose of damaged belongings based on local guidelines and the material. Once the excess is gone, organizing what’s left gets much easier.

3. Create zones

Instead of putting things wherever they fit, organize cabinets by how you use your kitchen.

For example, you could create zones for:

• Everyday dishes
• Glassware
• Coffee and tea
• Baking
• Food storage
• Snacks
• Breakfast foods
• Spices
• Cooking oils and sauces
• Pots and pans
• Small appliances

Whenever possible, put each zone near where you use those things. Coffee supplies can go near the coffee maker. Pots and pans storage can live near the stove. Put everyday dishes near the dishwasher to make unloading easier. The fewer steps a kitchen task requires, the easier it is to keep the room organized.

4. Add shelf risers

A tall cabinet shelf with a short stack of plates wastes a lot of vertical space. Shelf risers essentially create another level inside the cabinet.

Use them for:

• Plates
• Bowls
• Mugs
• Canned food
• Pantry items
• Small serving dishes

Instead of stacking everything into one tall tower, you can separate items into shorter, easier-to-reach groups. They’re a great addition if your cabinet shelves aren’t adjustable.

5. Store plates and bowls by how often you use them

Your everyday dishes deserve the easiest-to-reach spot. Put the plates and bowls you use constantly on lower cabinet shelves. Less frequently used serving pieces, holiday dishes, and specialty items can go higher.

Avoid stacking too many different types of dishes together. If you have to lift six dinner plates every morning to get to the cereal bowls underneath, the cabinet may technically be organized, but it isn’t very functional.

6. Turn baking sheets and cutting boards on their sides

Stop stacking cutting boards, baking sheets, muffin tins, and cooling racks on top of one another. Put them on their ends. Vertical storage makes it easier to pull out one item without moving the entire stack.

Use a divider, rack, or sturdy organizer to create individual sections for:

• Baking sheets
• Cutting boards
• Muffin pans
• Cooling racks
• Serving trays
• Pizza pans

You can use the same strategy for frying pans if you have the right cabinet configuration.

7. Organize pot and pan lids vertically

Lids are kitchen cabinet chaos in circular form. Instead of stacking them in a wobbly pile, stand them vertically in a lid organizer, divider, or rack. Also, arrange them by size so it’s easier to find the one you need.

Depending on your cabinets, you may also be able to store lids on a rack attached to the inside of a cabinet door. 

8. Use turntables for bottles and jars

A turntable (also called a Lazy Susan) can make a deep cabinet much easier to use because you don’t have to move the front items to reach the back. Give it a spin, grab what you need, and you’re done.

Try one for:

• Oils
• Vinegars
• Sauces
• Condiments
• Spices
• Baking ingredients
• Small jars

Turntables work best when the items are relatively similar in size and you don’t cram so much onto them that nothing can rotate. For small items like sprinkle jars, food coloring bottles, and takeout sauce packets, use small bowls or baskets to corral them on your turntable.

9. Add pull-out drawers to deep cabinets

Deep lower cabinets can hold plenty of stuff. The problem is reaching any of it. A pull-out organizer lets you bring the back of the cabinet to you instead of getting down on the floor and digging around.

They can work well for:

• Pots and pans
• Mixing bowls
• Small appliances
• Food storage containers
• Pantry foods
• Cleaning supplies

Measure the cabinet’s interior carefully before buying anything. Don’t forget to account for hinges, plumbing, cabinet frames, and other obstructions.

10. Use clear bins to contain small things

Bins can keep small packages from spreading across an entire cabinet. Clear containers are even better because they make it easier to see what’s inside without pulling everything out.

Try grouping things such as:

• Snacks
• Tea
• Coffee supplies
• Baking decorations
• Drink mixes
• Kids’ snacks
• Small packets
• Food storage supplies

Don’t turn every single item into a bin project, though. Containers should solve a storage problem, not create a collection of containers you now have to organize.

11. Use the inside of cabinet doors

The inside of a cabinet door is often completely unused. Depending on the door, hinges, and cabinet configuration, you may be able to add hooks, racks, or slim organizers for lightweight items.

Possible uses include:

• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Pot lids
• Small cutting boards
• Foil and plastic wrap
• Cleaning gloves
• Dish brushes

Check that the organizer doesn’t hit the shelves or their contents when you close the door. Be careful with heavy items. Cabinet doors weren’t designed to hold unlimited weight.

12. Stack food storage containers separately from their lids

If you store each food container with its lid attached, they can eat up cabinet space quickly. Nest containers of similar shapes and sizes together, then store the lids separately. A bin, divider, or vertical organizer can keep lids upright.

Get rid of anything without a match while you’re at it. If you’ve been keeping an orphaned lid for two years just in case its container returns, it’s probably time.

13. Put heavy things down low

Don’t store your heaviest cookware on the highest shelf unless you enjoy performing a strength exercise every time you make dinner. Think about how safely and comfortably you can retrieve something, not just whether you can make it fit. Keep lighter items higher and heavy things low.

Lower cabinets are generally a better place for heavy items such as:

• Cast-iron cookware
• Dutch ovens
• Large pots
• Heavy mixing bowls
• Small appliances

14. Make awkward corner cabinets work harder

Corner cabinets can offer lots of space while somehow making half of it impossible to reach. A turntable can help with some corner cabinets. Pull-out or swing-out organizers are another option if you’re looking for a bigger upgrade.

If you don’t want to add special hardware, reserve the deepest part of the cabinet for lightweight, rarely used things. Don’t put your everyday saucepan in the spot that makes you remove three appliances and crawl halfway into the cabinet to get it.

15. Use the top shelf for rarely used items

The hardest-to-reach cabinet shelves shouldn’t contain things you use every morning. Save high shelves for lightweight items you only need occasionally, such as:

• Holiday dishes
• Specialty bakeware
• Cake stands
• Extra serving bowls
• Party supplies
• Rarely used appliances

If you need a step stool to reach the shelf, store things in bins or baskets that are easy to grasp. Avoid putting very heavy or fragile items somewhere they’re difficult to retrieve safely.

16. Don’t overfill the cabinets

An organizer can’t fix a cabinet that simply contains too much stuff. Leave enough space to easily remove and return items. You shouldn’t have to take five things out to reach one thing. And putting away a clean dish shouldn’t feel like solving a puzzle. If everything technically fits but the cabinet is frustrating to use, you may still need to declutter.

17. Move things you rarely use out of the kitchen

Kitchen cabinet space is valuable. Save your kitchen cabinets for what you actually use to cook, eat, and clean up. Don’t give the best spots to things you use once or twice a year. Holiday serving dishes, large roasting pans, party supplies, specialty appliances, bulk kitchen supplies, and other rarely used items may be better stored elsewhere.

Look for space in a pantry, dining room cabinet, closet, basement, or another storage area. If you’re short on storage throughout your home, a storage unit can also hold kitchen belongings you want to keep but don’t need for everyday cooking. Pack fragile pieces carefully, label the boxes, and avoid storing food or other prohibited items.

Kitchen cabinet organization FAQ

What is the best way to organize kitchen cabinets?

Start by decluttering, then group similar items together and store them near where you use them. Keep everyday items within easy reach, store heavy cookware in lower cabinets, and put rarely used items on higher shelves.

How do you organize kitchen cabinets without spending money?

Start with decluttering and rearranging what you already have. Nest bowls and food containers, store baking sheets vertically, group similar items, move rarely used belongings to higher shelves, and repurpose containers you already own when they help keep small items together.

How do you organize deep kitchen cabinets?

Use turntables, pull-out organizers, bins, or drawers to make items in the back easier to reach. If you don’t want to add organizers, store less frequently used items toward the back.

What should go in upper kitchen cabinets?

Upper cabinets generally work well for lighter items such as dishes, glasses, mugs, food, and small kitchen supplies. Keep frequently used things on the easiest-to-reach shelves and less-used belongings higher up.

What should go in lower kitchen cabinets?

Lower cabinets can work well for pots, pans, mixing bowls, small appliances, and other heavy or bulky items. Pull-out organizers can make deep lower cabinets easier to use.

How can I add more storage to my kitchen cabinets?

Use shelf risers, vertical dividers, turntables, pull-out organizers, door-mounted storage, bins, and other organizers to make better use of existing cabinet space. Decluttering can also free up more room without adding anything.

How do you organize pots and pans in a small cabinet?

Nest pots when possible, store lids separately, and use vertical dividers or pull-out organizers if your cabinet allows. Keep frequently used cookware toward the front and move specialty cookware elsewhere if you’re short on space.

How often should you organize kitchen cabinets?

There’s no required schedule. Do a quick declutter whenever cabinets become difficult to use, and check food storage areas periodically for expired products. A larger cabinet cleanout once or twice a year can help catch unused kitchenware and accumulated clutter.