Whether your kitchen is 70 square feet or 700, organization is key to finding what you need. But how do you know what goes where in kitchen cabinets? Generally, bottom cabinets should store larger, heavier items, like baking pans, to avoid injury when removing them. Meanwhile, top cabinets should contain lighter things like glassware and food storage. Learn how to organize kitchen cabinets and drawers to always find what you need when you need it.
What’s Going On Behind Closed Doors? How to Organize Kitchen Cabinets
Knowing how to organize kitchen cabinets and drawers is about more than keeping supplies out of sight. Storing items in the right spot improves your kitchen’s efficiency, ensuring you can find things when you need them. Our guide specifies where to put things in kitchen cabinets and the organization tools to keep them in order.
Top Cabinets
For safety and convenience, top cabinets should hold lighter items that can be easily retrieved and stored. Things that are frequently washed and put away should be in cabinets near the sink while cooking supplies should be housed near the stove to be easily within reach.
These items should be placed in top cabinets:
- Cups, glasses, and mugs
- Dishes
- Servingware
- Plastic food storage containers
- Baking ingredients
Kitchen cabinets organization ideas for upper storage:
- Add pop-up shelves to make use of the empty space between cabinet shelves
- Store smaller items (i.e. sippy cup tops, spice packets, food storage lids) in storage bins
- Install plate racks to grab dishes with ease
- Use a turntable to store spices so each jar is easily accessed
Lower Cabinets
What’s the best way to organize kitchen cabinets for lower storage? Reserve them for heavier cookware and appliances so they can be safely retrieved and put away.
Here is what to store in lower cabinets:
- Pots, skillets, and saucepans
- Baking sheets
- Casserole dishes
- Cleaning supplies
- Heavy appliances that aren’t frequently used
Here’s how to organize kitchen cabinets with tools for lower storage:
- Use a lazy susan under the sink to keep cleaning supplies neat and easily accessible.
- Avoid messy piles by installing vertical separators to store cutting boards and baking sheets.
- Add a pull-out drawer for pots and pans for faster access.
Big Drawers
Larger drawers should be devoted to categories of similar items, such as eating and cooking utensils, spices, and food wraps. Keep eating utensils near the sink or dishwasher and cooking utensils and spices near the stove for greater efficiency.
What to store in big kitchen drawers:
- Eating utensils (forks, butter knives, spoons)
- Cooking utensils (spatulas, whisks, wooden spoons, etc.)
- Spices
- Food wraps like foil, plastic wrap, and plastic storage bags
Organization tips for big drawers:
- Use stack and pull boxes to compartmentalize forks, spoons, knives, etc.
- Store spices in labeled containers with clear tops for easy identification
- Free up cabinet space by using deeper drawers to store dinnerware, cups, and mugs. Organize each stack with removable pegs that can contain items of variable sizes.
Small Drawers
Use small drawers to hold frequently-used items that are small or flat. This keeps them easily accessible so they don’t get lost and stay within reach.
What should go in small kitchen drawers:
- Dish towels, placemats, or napkins
- Oven mitts
- Sharp knives
- Measuring cups and spoons, vegetable peelers
How to organize small drawers:
- Group dish towels or placemats according to color for easy access and a color-coordinated look
- Keep oven mitts in small drawers near the stove and measuring cups and spoons near your workspace for improved efficiency
- Store small, sharp knives in their own bin or tray to avoid injury when reaching for other items and prevent dullness.
From how to organize kitchen cabinets to tips and tricks to organize your refrigerator, our team has the answers. The experts at Just-In Time Appliance can help with all your kitchen organization and appliance repair needs.
