60 Ingenious Storage Tips & Ideas to Organize Your Cabinets

HouseBeautiful.com | Mar 16, 2023 

When it comes to cabinets, you think, out of sight, out of mind, right? Wrong—especially if every time you open a cabinet, all the baking pans and lids fall out. This year start spring cleaning with a focus on organizing your kitchen cabinets. Create a tidy storage space and maximize every square inch of your cabinets. And don’t forget cabinet organization can be more than just a bland exercise in getting organized; it can also be a lot of fun. You can use this challenge to wallpaper or paint your cabinet shelving, color coordinate your dishes, and toss anything that doesn’t serve you. We will give your cabinet organization tips and design inspiration to make your kitchen functional and stylish.
spring cleaning tipsSara Tramp for Emily Henderson

1.  STORE HOUSEHOLD ESSENTIALS

Carve out a space in your kitchen cabinets like designer Emily Henderson to hold your daily cleaning supplies. Everything is at arm’s reach the next time you need to clean up a mess.

kitchen interior shavonda gardnerKatie Newburn

2.  HANG POTS AND PANS

If you’ve run out of cabinet space to store your pots and pans, put them on display like small space design expert Shavonda Gardner when she renovated her kitchen bungalow. What makes this design work so well is that all the pots and pans are the same finish and are arranged by size.

kitchen, room, cabinetry, furniture, kitchen stove, kitchen appliance, oven, major appliance, countertop, interior design,Sara Tramp Ligorria for Emily Henderson Design

3.  DESIGN VERTICALLY

It feels like there are never enough cabinets in the kitchen. So take advantage of vertical space like designer Emily Henderson did with her home in Los Angeles. Pans can be stored below the oven, and above, there’s an open cubby for cookbooks and entertainment pieces.

Eve Wilson via The Design Files

4.  ABOVE CABINET STORAGE

Take advantage of the unused space between your cabinets and the ceiling to add cookware. You can also display your cookbooks, but just make sure you have a ladder handy to reach them.

stackingcabinetshelvesstore
House Beautiful

5.  ADD POP-UP SHELVES

Pop-up shelves will optimize the unused space in cabinets, especially those that only hold primarily horizontal things, like dishes.

shelf, shelving, furniture, room, yellow, pantry, wall, cabinetry, interior design, building,
DeVol Kitchens

6.  REPURPOSE CRATES

All it takes is a wood crate to spice up some exposed shelves and help you hide some unsightly essentials. Give your open storage shelving some style with vintage crates to store reusable totes and nonperishable food.

kraftmaid pantry cabinetsKraftmaid

7.  DOUBLE CABINET SPACE

Having super roomy, deep cabinets is always a blessing in storage space, but sometimes little items can get lost. These inserts solve that problem.

food network star molly yeh drew on years of experience to make her farmhouse kitchen function effortlesslyChantell & Brett Quernemoen

8.  ORGANIZE COOKBOOKS

If you love cooking like chef Molly Yeh, follow her vision of a farmhouse-style kitchen with function. She stores her favorite recipes in the built-in bookcase. “I wanted it to almost feel like a kitchen/library hybrid,” she says.

kitchen pantry storage ideasCourtesy of Fantastic Frank

9.  USE CONTAINERS WITH HANDLES

Instead of open shelving, why not opt for a built-in storage unit? All your food is on display and easy to access for meal prep by simply pulling them out.

sunnypoint heavy duty kitchen countertop cabinet pantry pan, pot lid, and pot organizer rack holderAmazon

10.  STACK-UP POTS

Home cooks, stop breaking your arm trying to lift the pan you need on the bottom of a heavy stack. Instead, opt for a stand that’s accessible and a space-saver. Plus, it’ll stop your pans from getting scratched up all the time too.

fridge organizationThe Container Store

11.  ADD CLEAR CONTAINERS

Don’t forget about organizing your refrigerator shelves too. It’s so important to keep it tidy so you don’t forget about those leftovers way back on the shelves. Going with clear containers allows you to see everything easily.

food organizerBloomingdale’s

12.  USE TIERED ORGANIZERS

Add tiered organizers to your shelves, and you can easily move them around as your needs change. They’re ideal for storing canned goods, spices, and more.

linen drawer kitchen organization
Williams Sonoma

13.  ADD A KNIFE DRAWER

If you are limited on counter space, consider storing kitchen linens and knives in a drawer. You can easily access them, and it keeps them out of reach from kids.

hidden cabinet storageMeghan Beierle-O’Brien

14.  USE WIDE CUSTOM DRAWERS

Instead of stacking our pots and pans, build extra-wide drawers so you can easily find your cookware at a glance.

tile, drawer, room, table, furniture, material property, flooring, floor, shelf, rectangle,Douglas Friedman

15.  ADD A BUILT-IN MINI FRIDGE

If you have a large family and the main fridge is overflowing with items, consider adding a mini-fridge to store extra beverages or perishable items.

storage cabinet, pet friendly kitchen
Wellborn Cabinet

16.  CONCEAL TRASH

Save your floor space by building a pull-out cabinet designated for your garbage. To make it even more efficient, opt for a design with two openings, one for trash and the other for recycling.

kitchen drawer pulloutJason Donnelly

17.  USE A NARROW DRAWER FOR SNACKS ONLY

The snack cabinet can become a big temptation for everyone in the house. So pair it down to a few containers, and get rid of all those clunky bags that eat up a ton of cabinet space.

pegboard shelving in a kitchenChantell & Brett Quernemoen

18.  CUSTOM PEGBOARD

Instead of stacking heavy pots and pans on top of each other (and using up valuable shelf space) just install a pegboard on a free wall. Suddenly your heavy-duty items are on display and easy to grab. Marianne Evannou added some hooks and shelves for various kitchen and pantry essentials here.

chalkboard on fridge
Laura Moss Photography

19.  KEEP TO-DO LIST ON A CHALKBOARD

Chalkboards aren’t just for the classroom—you can install one on your cabinet door to keep track of everything you have in stock.

white, room, furniture, property, interior design, door, building, floor, house, material property,
Studio DB

20.  ORGANIZE WINE COLLECTION

If you host parties, you quickly accumulate a lot of wine. An efficient way to store your wine and maximize your space is a temperature-controlled refrigerator. Studio DB designed cabinetry with storage options that can double as a home bar.

fake drawerFlickr User Litlnemo

21.  INSTALL A FAUX DRAWER

If you don’t have room to store a full-scale ironing board in the kitchen, think outside the box by building a fold-out ironing board from a fake cabinet drawer.

furniture, countertop, room, kitchen, cabinetry, interior design, property, floor, yellow, home,Sara Tramp Ligorria

22.  USE PULL-OUT CABINETS

In this kitchen designed by Emily Henderson, spices, dry goods, and other cooking essentials are stored in a pull-out “pantry.” This keeps them tucked away but still provides easy access. Organize each one by item type.

They will quickly fill up if you just toss everything loosely into your cabinets. Not to mention, it’ll be impossible to find everything. Instead, break items up by type and then put them into baskets and organizers.

shelf, furniture, shelving, bathroom, room, wall, yellow, turquoise, table, bathroom accessory,Courtesy of Sugar & Cloth

23.  CLEAN UP YOUR CLEANING SUPPLIES

You’re going to be less inclined to actually want to clean if you can’t find any of your cleaning products. Use a lazy susan to hold spray bottles, then contain sponges, towels, and trash bags in plastic containers.

See more at Sugar & Cloth.

countertop, shelf, room, kitchen, cabinetry, furniture, property, tile, shelving, interior design,
deVol Kitchens

24.  ALTERNATE BETWEEN CLOSED AND EXPOSED

In this deVol Kitchen, the prettiest items are displayed on the exposed wall-to-wall reclaimed wooden shelves and cubbies so the less attractive essentials can be tucked away in the cabinets. The color-coding adds a soothing sense of rhythm to the space, too.

the home editThe Home Edit

25.  COLOR COORDINATE

Clutter just looks more soothing when it’s all color-coordinated. Rearrange your stuff and you’ll find it straight-up therapeutic to look at your closet.

shelf, furniture, room, product, shelving, interior design, home, material property, house, floor,Courtesy of Aubrie Pick

26.  USE VERTICAL SEPARATORS

When it comes to finding genius storage and organization inspiration, there’s nowhere better to look than the Williams Sonoma test kitchen. This is the designated cutting board cabinet complete with vertical slot separators to prevent a messy pile-up. This makes them much easier to grab and go than they would be piled up on each other horizontally.

font, stationery, design, material property, watercolor paint, cutlery,Courtesy of Sugar & Cloth

27.  USE STACK AND PULL BOXES

Stack and pull boxes will save your life when it comes to baking tools, crafting supplies, or even jewelry.

See more at Sugar & Cloth.

28.  USE A LABEL MAKER

If you weren’t already convinced that the Williams Sonoma test kitchen is the most organized kitchen on the planet, here’s additional proof. Clear tops and labels make for easy identification in the spice drawer.

room, bulletin board, wall, display board, design, interior design, furniture, shelf,
Two Twenty One

29.  HANG A CORK BOARD

The back of a cabinet offers a convenient spot to create a small command center. In the kitchen, you could also use the cork board to hang recipes, or add hooks to keep measuring cups organized and within reach.

Get the tutorial at Two Twenty One.

tile, floor, property, room, wall, flooring, kitchen, furniture, interior design, cabinetry,
Dries Otten

30.  TRY ENMESHED CLOSURES

The clay-hued enclosed cabinets ground this kitchen designed by Dries Otten. The brass shelf underneath with a sliding perforated door allows for a few special items to stay out in the open. Stack your cups by color for a visually calming effect.

Driven by Decor

31.  REPURPOSE FILE BOXES

To prevent clunky water bottles from falling out of the cabinet every time you open the door, store them on their sides using a magazine file.

Get the tutorial at Driven By Decor.

shelf, furniture, cabinetry, room, shelving, cupboard, hutch, kitchen, wood, plywood,Sara Tramp Ligorria

32.  ORGANIZE BY ACTIVITY

Organizing a kitchen by splitting it into zones based on activity makes it a lot easier to navigate a high-traffic kitchen. In this kitchen designed by Emily Henderson, there’s even a cabinet dedicated to getting your morning started. Even better, the coffee cabinet is near the breakfast table.

cabinetbakingpantryjennysteffens
Jenny Stevens

33.  LABEL YOUR CONTAINERS

Toss out any expired items, then transfer your most-used staples into simple labeled jars or bottles. Without the visual chaos of logos, you can easily find what you’re looking for.

Get the tutorial at Jenny Stevens.

room, kitchen, furniture, cabinetry, shelf, cupboard, countertop, interior design, black and white, tile,Felix Forest

34.  STORE DINNERWARE IN DRAWERS

In this modern monochrome kitchen designed by Arent & Pyke, the dinnerware is stored in sleek drawers rather than hidden away in enclosed cabinets.

porcelain, product, dishware, bowl, dinnerware set, tableware, room, ceramic, cup, cup,
IKEA

35.  USE PEGS

These drawers in a kitchen designed by Krysta Gibbons are outfitted with movable pegs, so they can accommodate various sized dishes as your needs and serveware collections change. Wooden pegs to keep all of your items in order. You can customize the layout to suit your containers — just move the dowels.

kitchencabinetbackgroundlbl
Courtesy of A Lo And Behold Life

36.  ADD A LINER

A liner not only pretties up your cabinets, but the contrasting paper (or fabric) makes lighter-hued items stand out.

Get the tutorial at A Lo And Behold Life.

cabinet storageHomeroad

37.  TRY A TOWEL BAR

Use every inch! A hanging bathroom towel bar doubles as a holder for spray bottles when hung over a cabinet door.

Get the tutorial at Home Road.

pulloutcabinetwwcottage
Courtesy of Whisper Wood Cottage

38.  ADD A PULL-OUT DRAWER

Stacking pans in your cabinet can get chaotic, fast. To keep things organized, add in a pull-out drawer for easier access.

Get the tutorial at Whisper Wood Cottage.

room, property, interior design, bathroom, house, building, architecture, furniture, ceiling, plumbing fixture,Kathryn Wirsing

39.  USE EVERY INCH

This cabinet uses a wire divider to keep cutting boards and pans upright, but that overhead space can do more. Stick on a plastic caddy for things like meat thermometers. You can also go one step further for optimizing this space by adding a hook for ladles and spoons.

topshelfstoragebinstsh
Courtesy of The Social Home

40.  STORE SMALL ITEMS IN BINS

This way, you can pull out the bin to get what you need, instead of having to rifle through the entire cabinet. Just make sure to add a label so you know which bin to grab.

Get the tutorial at The Social Home.

lazysusanchezlarsson
Courtesy of Chez Larsson

41.  SPIN YOUR SPICES

If you’re one of those people that unpacks your entire cabinets contents when searching for something, raise your hand. Then go and get a turnable—you’ll be able to access any jar with ease.

See more at Chez Larsson.

platerackrlc
Courtesy of Remodelando La Casa

42.  ORGANIZE WITH A PLATE RACK

Nix the stacks in favor of an upright rack that makes it easy to grab a dish. Though this particular version is a DIY built-in, a wire plate rack is a store-bought alternative.

Get the tutorial at Remodelando La Casa.

cabinet storage
THAT’S WHAT CHE SAID

43.  CONTAIN CUTTING BOARDS

When not in use, cutting boards tend to topple over in cabinets, or take up tons of space on the counter. Instead, hang a wire rack on the inside of an otherwise unused cabinet door to keep them out of the way.

Get the tutorial at That’s What Che Said.

cabinet organizationPHOTO BY KATHRYN WIRSING; DESIGN BY BETSY FARRELL

44.  NESTLE WINE GLASSES

To make more space in your cabinet, add a riser for plates and bowls, then alternate the direction you stand your wine glasses to fit more onto your shelf.

organizeinzonescands
Courtesy of Clean & Scentisible

45.  THINK OUTSIDE THE CABINET

Don’t ignore oddly sized cabinets—instead, use the space to display pretty items, or set up a station for coffee or tea.

See more at Clean & Scentsible.

46.  SPICE UP YOUR CABINET FRONTS

Who says you have to have wooden or glass cabinets? Spice things up by incorporating metal grates, which will allow you to show off your organized cabinets in a more unique way.

cabinet pastels
Nicole Franzen

47.  CHOOSE AN UNEXPECTED COLOR

While cabinets tend to be the same old neutral shades, try something different and go for a muted pastel, like this subdued pistachio green.

enclosed and open display kitchen cabinetsBrie Williams

48.  MIX UP YOUR DISPLAY

To balance things up, alternate between transparent and enclosed cabinet displays, like Ariene Bethea did in her kitchen. Plus, it offers both a way to display prettier items and a space to stash away the less attractive ones.

49.  STORE UTENSILS TO SAVE COUNTER SPACE

To gain more counter space and reduce visual clutter, designer Shavonda Gardner created a pull-out drawer to store all of her utensils and oversized cooking essentials.

pull out utensil holderJen Feldman

50.  CONCEAL A PAPER TOWEL ROLL

To take your cabinet organization skills to the next level, rethink what could be a pull-out feature in your drawers. Interior designer Jenn Feldman had a clever idea to replace a utensil drawer with a paper towel holder.

nottinghill kitchen cabinet organizationKate Abt

51.  USE GLASS DOORS TO SEE EVERYTHING EASILY

Cabinets don’t have to be closed wall-to-wall; instead, insert a few glass cabinets like Maryland-based interior designer Kat Abt. That way, you can easily see what’s inside.

interiors
Emily J Followill Courtesy of Melanie Millner

52.  HIDE YOUR APPLIANCES

Build into your cabinet organization a shelf for appliances, like the Melanie Millner did here. The microwave is accessible when you need it, and simply close the cabinet door to conceal it when it’s not in use.

spice cabinetLauren Nelson

53.  MAKE USE OF DOOR BACKS

Get creative with your cabinet doors by building shelving on the interior side like Lauren Nelson did here. It’s a genius space-saving idea.

kitchen organizationOliver and Rust

54.  ADD SHELVING RAILS

For awkward or oversized pieces, sometimes you need to think outside the box, like the owners of Oliver and Rust Vintage Interiors did with shelving rails on the side of cabinetry. Keep it looking polished with dishes and objects that are color-coordinated.

kitchen organizationA Beautiful Mess

55.  KEEP EVERYTHING ONE COLOR

You can reduce a lot of visual clutter by color-coordinating your bowls, plates, and cups. The bloggers from A Beautiful Mess made a tiny cabinet stand out with all-white dishware against a colorful background.

produce cabinet
Dura Supreme Cabinetry

56.  STORE BASKETS IN A CABINET

Place baskets for dried goods like potatoes and onions in your cabinets to make sure they’re close at hand for meal prep.

pantry organization in drawersCHRISTIAN GARIBALDI

57.  STORE YOUR WINE COLLECTION OUT OF SIGHT

Instead of a wine refrigerator, store your liquor and wine collection in a drawer, but be sure to add a divider to reduce the risks of the bottles shattering when you open the drawer.

painted interior cabinetTrevor Tondro

58.  ADD A SPLASH OF PAINT

A little bit of color can go a long way to make something that feels cluttered look pulled together. This lower cabinet is a perfect example.

sliding glass doors cabinetZach Callahan

59.  DISPLAY YOUR DISHWARE

Instead of stacking your plates, lean them against the back wall to create some visual interest in your glass cabinet.

interiors
Emily J Followill

60.  GROUP LIKE ITEMS TOGETHER

For your next party, make it easy on yourself and pair your teapot, cups, and saucers together and have everything neatly displayed in groups, so you don’t have to rummage around for anything.

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