Like many people, my kitchen cupboards are bursting at the seams. And while stashing food, kitchenware, and appliances in these cupboards helps free up much-needed counterspace in my compact kitchen, the whole area seems to get more cluttered and chaotic as the weeks go by.
I have been taking tips from things that people with tidy kitchens always have in recent months, but I’ve always struggled with the cupboards themselves. I can guarantee that a Tupperware lid will fall out as soon as I open the cupboard door, it feels like it takes five hours to find the oregano, and removing the saucepans becomes an Olympic sport.
That’s why I decided to ask my most organised friends, family and colleagues for their tips on how they organise their kitchen cabinets - and I was surprised by how easy (and affordable) these smart storage solutions are. So, these are the things that people with tidy kitchen cupboards always have.
1. Fake shelves
Although kitchen cupboards can feel small and cramped when they’re piled full of food or cookware, it’s fair to say that most of us aren’t making the most of the space available. After all, kitchen cupboards might not be that wide, but they are tall - even if they have built-in shelves.
That’s why people with tidy kitchen cupboards always make the most of the vertical space, and our Content Editor, Holly, swears by these Joseph Joseph CupboardStore Under Shelf Drawers (£16 at Amazon) to store everything from her cleaning products to her food packets.
There are many other shelving options to suit different types of kitchen cupboards, too. You can buy tiered spice racks to add even more flavour to your food, you can buy pull-out drawers to help you reach what you need without any fuss, and if you don’t have built-in shelves in your cupboards, you can buy affordable options to fake this with ease.
Coming in a set of two, these shelves will instantly double the space in your kitchen cupboards. They're also made from steel, so can handle your heavy pots and pans.
This tiered spice rack won't just hold space for all of your spices and herbs - it'll also help you keep track of what you have, so you don't buy more than you need.
These four shelves are completely separate, but can be stacked on top of each other to make the most of the vertical space in your cupboards. There are also five colourways to choose from.
2. Organiser racks
One of the (many) things I struggle with in my small kitchen is my collection of trays, food containers, and pots and pans. Sure, they’re used regularly, and there’s no way we could be without them, but they’ve always been a nightmare to store as they’re impossible to stack, and organising food containers requires patience I don’t really have.
But that’s when I realised that kitchen organiser racks exist - and they’re extremely versatile. They’re especially helpful in storing pots and pans in a small kitchen, and they keep things organised without taking up space. In fact, using organiser racks correctly can instantly double the storage space you have for these essentials.
This Umbra Peggy Kitchen Cupboard Organiser Tray (£25 at Amazon) is particularly handy if you - like me - always seem to have rogue Tupperware boxes without their lids. It keeps everything neatly organised, and you can even rearrange the pegs so it suits larger items, like your saucepans, frying pans and their lids.
Ideal for keeping baking trays and chopping boards organised, this kitchen cupboard organiser includes 8 adjustable, non-scratch wire dividers.
Dunelm's new fridge organisers have won me over recently, but this pan lid rack is also a must-buy. It can store and organise up to 6 pot lids, pans, chopping boards, and more.
Better suited to pots and pans, this larger kitchen cupboard organiser is also expandable from 30.5 cm (12") up to 56 cm (22") to suit the space you have available (and the space you require).
3. Door storage
Just as door storage is one of the things that people with tidy bathrooms always have, it’s also a must in kitchen cupboards if you want to maximise space while also minimising clutter. This space is often forgotten, but can be used to make everyday essentials more accessible and keep the insides of your cupboards as tidy as possible.
Of course, you need to be careful about what you store on the doors of your kitchen cupboards, as you still need to be able to shut them, but this area is ideal for smaller, slimline items like tea towels, cooking utensils, and even the lids of your pots and pans.
These Joseph Joseph Cupboard Store - Set of 4 Pot and Pan Lid Holders (£13 at Amazon) have been one of the brand’s bestsellers for years and will ultimately let you stack your pots and pans easily as a result. Many door storage options are self-adhesive, making them ideal for renters and homeowners alike.
These heavy-duty self-adhesive hooks will can hold up to 10kg, making them perfect for the insides of your kitchen cupboards. They can also vertically, so you can hang mugs underneath any cupboards you have up high.
Whether you use them as extra food storage space or to store products in your cleaning cupboard, there's no denying that these caddy organisers are handy to have. They come as a pack of two, too.
These tea towel holders can easily be added to the insides of your kitchen cupboards, and they don't require any drilling at all. Plus, they can also be used to store cleaning cloths and even towels in the bathroom.
4. A lazy Susan
It may sound a little rogue, but a lazy Susan is one of the best ways to maintain a tidy home. And while it can be used in any room of the house, it’s particularly handy in the kitchen, and it’s even become a popular storage choice for The Great British Bake Off legend Prue Leith.
That’s because kitchen cabinets often become cluttered and messy when you have to reach all the way to the back to get what you need. When you have to stuff items at the back of the cupboards, it’s also easy to forget that they’re there - meaning you may accidentally buy more and add even more items to your already-overflowing cupboards.
And by popping essentials like your spices and oils into a lazy Susan, you can keep them all handy while also spinning it around in your cupboard to quickly find what you need. They can be a real game-changer in awkwardly shaped cupboards, too, and our Editor-in-Chief, Heather, even uses this Wooden Lazy Susan Cupboard Organiser (£17.99 at Amazon) to keep her coffee station tidy.
Offering a 360-degree spinning wheel and anti-slip surface, this lazy Susan also comes in 30cm or 38cm diameters, so you can choose the option that suits your cupboards best.
This two-tier lazy Susan will help you make use of vertical space in your kitchen cupboards, while also keeping all of your essentials readily available. It also comes in four different sizes.
If a round lazy Susan doesn't suit your angular cupboards, this rectangular option could work better. It still spins 360 degrees, and it even comes with suction pads on the bottom to ensure it doesn't move.
With these smart storage solutions at your disposal, your kitchen cupboards should be tidier than ever. But don't forget to give your hallway some TLC, too.
