Today we’re going to talk about some clever ways to store things in the kitchen. Maybe it allows you to put more in the cabinet (awesome kitchen storage for small spaces), or it allows you to get the things you need easier. I think you’re going to love these.
A note on organization for a small kitchen:
I had a very small kitchen when my kids were small. I knew that I had to use every square inch that kitchen offered (and the space above the cabinets). However, in some of the ways that I stored things I made cooking dinner so hard I wish I had found another spot for less-used items, and had used some of the space I did have more effectively.
It’s always a balance — but I don’t want you to be miserable trying to use the things you need (especially as you cook — that can be unsafe), at the expense of “having more”.
If you’re thinking maybe you could declutter a little — come join me for my free 5 word organization challenge. In just five small words you’ll be feeling more competent as you declutter!
Note: I wish I could show images for these clever options — but there is a pretty strict copyright on the images that companies put out, I don’t want to get in trouble — so I do just put the links in here. Hope you still find that helpful. You can see some of the options in the image above.
Ok, onto some great ways to store things in the kitchen:
Extra Shelf / Drawer
This is one of my favorite cabinet hacks (awesome for pantries too).
You’re going to take a shelf like this one, and then put a bin below it that you can pull-out like a drawer.
Pro Tips:
- Be SURE to measure the depth of your shelf as you don’t want a shelf too deep to fit the cabinet (and some kitchen cabinet areas/pantries are pretty shallow).
- Decide if you could just use the shelf space below easily, or if there are some things you’d like to group together in a bin like a drawer below the shelf.
As I was looking for this shelf I saw some other cool options:
- I liked how this can stack (and they look very sturdy).
- I like how this one can expand (but I don’t love the “legs” coming up higher than the shelf, I sometimes let things “hang off the shelf” a bit — and it’s still stable. However, that can also be helpful if you want to keep things ON the shelf!
- I liked how sturdy this one looked — seemed like a great option for garages too!
Great places to use this:
I use shelves like this for casserole dish stacking — rather than piling them all into one dish, I can use these shelves to keep them easier to manage.
AWESOME for pantry items. On a sturdy shelf like this I keep sauce on the shelf, and stack the pasta below it.
Awesome for snacks for kids — you can put stacks of items on top, and then a pull-out bin below with granola bars or applesauce pouches. Makes it easy for kids to grab what they need, but still allow the space to be what it is.
Pro Tip: If a box from the store will fit below the shelf, don’t feel like you need a bin. I often “break the rules” and use boxes from Costco below shelves like this. Works just fine and I personally find it easier and more environmentally friendly.
Under Shelf Storage
I was hesitant to use these for a long time — I guess I thought they wouldn’t be sturdy enough, but boy-oh-boy have they come in clutch.
Pro Tip: Think about what you want to store there. Some of the cheaper ones are kind of flimsy, but can still be really useable if you’re not looking to store something heavy.
- This one looks VERY sturdy, and I like how it can be expanded!
- These look great for shallow shelving.
Great places to use this:
These come in perfect in areas where you just have a few inches that you could use. For me, they’ve come in best in pantry shelves. I have one that I use to store tiny cans (like sliced olives and peppers) — they can easily get lost on regular shelves, so it’s a great option.
We also use one for some smaller condiment storage in our pantry. Since they’re backstock (and sealed) I feel safe putting them in laying flat. I also use them to hold bags of dried fruit and other snacks in my pantry.
I’ve also seen people use this system for paper plates among their regular plates. Those can be hard to figure out a spot for — so I think that’s smart!
Lazy Susan’s: Easy doesn’t mean LAZY
Ok, while lazy susans built into corner cabinets can be so helpful, I’m talking about using them on kitchen cabinets. Ones like this.
This would be the spot where Hilary with the very tiny kitchen would peace-out from this post. I will say that this is not (by any means) the most strategic way to put more in a cabinet. If you absolutely need to use every square inch of a cabinet — I see you, and you may want to skip this one.
BUT if you think some more usability might be more helpful — let’s talk.
I use lazy susans with my staples. Things like: Peanut Butter, baking soda, baking powder, honey, etc.
These items are reached for frequently, and are a pain if they only fit in one specific spot, etc — being able to spin the lazy susan and grab what we need makes it SO much easier!
Pro Tips: Make sure to get one that fits your cabinet well — I mean, check the depth and get one that fills that. No reason to have a lazy susan that doesn’t fill as much space as possible.
I liked how this one was two-tier (and very sturdy).
I do NOT like these with dividers — I think kitchens are changing storage needs to frequently, although I did see these bins that might be handy on a section of a large one.
It can be really easy to think that your problems can be fixed by a bin or even a lazy susan — but you need to think what your actual issue is and the decide how to fix it. If you’re not sure what your issue is — I’d recommend this. It helps think through your storage needs first!
Great places to use a lazy susan:
I am not, under any circumstances saying that this works everywhere.
Like I said above I use this in my “staples” cabinet that I use a lot for baking. I have two of them, although probably only one is necessary (but they seem to be sold in multiples frequently).
The one I love the most holds baking powder, cocoa, baking soda, cornstarch. Smaller boxes, I reach for frequently, that can get VERY annoying in a cabinet.
I also actually use one in my fridge. Which again — seems like a WILD waste of space, but we have a TON of condiments we don’t use all that often, but they’re expensive and we want to be able to grab them when we need them. I love it — it keeps it VERY handy and I’m glad we have it. I also think these are cool that fit a more rectangular space (I just haven’t used them myself).
In the fridge I prefer one with a higher edge, but in my cabinets I like just a small lip in case I have something that doesn’t “quite” fit I can still shove it on. 🙂
Other Option for Small Kitchens: If you’re thinking I love that idea, but I have no space to waste with a lazy susan — a bin that can hold these items could work similarly as well. Just keep in mind that bins can also waste space. One of my most important things is to pick one with square sides, so you’re not wasting any space with rounded edges.
Stackers
I have three “stackers” in my kitchen that have been game changers for:
- Easier dishwasher emptying (especially for kids)
- Better storage for non-stick pans (so they don’t get scratched
- Easier table-setting
These are often used in places that we could just stack the items (think, teacup plates on top of dinner plates) but it’s hard and can be EXTRA hard for kids.
I use one like this with my dishes (I have two of them to hold plates, and bowls).
I use a pan stacker in my corner cabinet and it has made storage there SO much better!
Make sure to measure what you exactly need (like, how big are your plates, etc) and how tall of an area you have to put it. I like to get one that fills the cabinet shelf pretty well, it makes it less-tippy. Our pan one is wedge in well and that makes it really easy to put pans in and get them out without it moving
Looking for more kitchen cabinet hacks? — be sure to check out these posts:
- Dish Storage 101: Make Your Cabinets Hold More
- 5 Tips for Easy Kitchen Cabinet Organization
- How to Organize Corner Cabinets
- Medicine Storage Ideas: Even without a medicine cabinet
- 19 Easy Kitchen Organization Tips to Make Life Easier
Separators
Again — these don’t work quite as well when you need to use every square inch — but hear me out, I actually find that separators have allowed me to store MORE!
Now, these come in a variety of methods:
Drawer separators can be awesome to place things in categories to put away/grab easily.
Shelf dividers like these can allow you to stack more within that area (think water bottles stored horizontally) without them rolling all around. I actually use some on a wire shelf that allows me to hold backstock of zip locks and foil or saran wrap each in their own spot — I LOVE them and they HAVE allowed me to store MORE and more effectively.
Something like this can also help you hold things like baking tins or cutting boards without them all falling over and taking up ALL The space. Love how that one is adjustable too!
I also use a separator to hold my pan lids. I needed them to be vertical due to a wonky corner cupboard. I love how expandable and customizable that one is! Awesome for renters who might need to use it in a different spot if they move.
Don’t feel like Amazon or a big box store is your only option to find a lot of these. Things like separators can often be found at Goodwill. I’ve also used office-type letter separators to separate things like this as well. You’re just looking for something that works. I’ve even used old dish drainers for separators when I had very little cash to use, but lots of needs.
Where to Start?
Maybe you fall in the “overwhelmed” camp where you’re feeling like all of these are great ideas — but you’re not sure where to start.
First off, I want to remind you that this is just your brain in overwhelm. You know that there isn’t a “right” place to start — and just getting going is the key. However, overwhelm is real. I often feel it too.
Then, I learned the methods in here. In The Organized Home you can:
- Get your head wrapped around how you want to use an area
- Declutter it with a buddy reminding you to just keep what can fit or what you need
- Create systems that make life easier
Thousands have been in that course and loved it. I mostly love how you can just use it for a month, and then you’re free to organize again (knowing it’s there to help you out if you need it).
Organizing can feel VERY lonesome — but it doesn’t have to. You can get help at a great price!
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