Keeping your kitchen organized is not an easy task. Between shallow shelves, narrow drawers, bulky small appliances, and oversized potato mashers, it can be extremely difficult to find a place to put everything, let alone keep it all in its place. Organization pros say the kitchen is one of the most problematic areas for keeping your home tidy. To save time and stress on busy days, you need to be organized.
Corner cabinets are one of the most puzzling kitchen organization challenges. They are deeper than regular cabinets, making it difficult to see and reach things inside. Additionally, some valuable storage space in your cabinets may be hidden out of sight. The good news is that there are many easy and affordable ways to bring order to that oddly shaped cabinet and make it function like the rest of your kitchen.
How to tidy up a corner cabinet
Clearing out corner cabinets the right way is a process similar to how you organize regular cabinets, drawers, closets, and other areas you want to get the most out of. Here are the steps:
Decide how to use the cabinet
First, decide how you will use this cabinet. This depends on what you need to store in that particular area, both the layout of your kitchen and the location of your appliances. Try to keep things close to where you usually use them, or at least not too far away to be bothersome. For example, you often bake bread, so a corner cabinet near your stove might be a good baking center. Here you can store mixing bowls, rolling pins, cakes, pie pans, and specialty baking ingredients. That is the theme of the Cabinet.
The theme determines what will be included in the cabinet and, importantly, what will not be included. Ideally, each cabinet, or at least each shelf within a cabinet, should have a theme. That way, you and everyone else using the kitchen will know where to look for what they need and where to put it back. Setting a theme for your cabinets will make the next step in your decluttering process easier.
Check stock
As with most organizing projects, the first step is to remove everything from the cabinets you're cleaning out. This step may be tedious, but it is very important. You have to be able to assess all the items lurking out there, especially those in places that aren't easily seen, and decide if they fit in with the cabinet theme. Kitchens are notorious for storing tons of stuff that is rarely used. Things like panini presses, souvenir cups, and avocado slicers may seem like a good idea when you buy them, but they end up being messy if you're not actually using them.
So I take out every last one and put it on the countertop and start grouping it the same way. Identify anything that doesn't fit the theme you've set for your cabinets and find a new home. Get rid of things you no longer need or need and donate them. And embrace a minimalist mindset when it comes to what you keep. Instead of trying to figure out a better way to put everything back in the cabinet, try getting rid of as much stuff as possible to reduce your storage space. Most donation centers will accept kitchenware, appliances, and tools as long as they are in good condition.
clean the cabinet
The final preparatory step is to wipe down the shelves and dry them so the cabinets are fresh and clean for reloading. If your corner cabinet has a turntable or lazy susan attached, you may want to put a shelf liner on it to keep things from sliding around when turning. If you're storing food that can spill or leave sticky shelves, shelf liners will make it easier to clean your cabinets later. No need to clean the shelves again, just remove the liner, wipe it and put it back on.
Now you're ready to put things back into your cabinets in a way that's meaningful, accessible, and visually pleasing. Here are some ideas to accomplish that, depending on whether you're working with upper or lower cabinets.
Upper corner cabinet storage ideas
Incorporate a large lazy Susan
The preferred method to use to organize upper corner cabinets is a large lazy susan, either freestanding or installed in the cabinet. Corner cabinets tend to be hollow, resulting in things getting stuck in the back (and then lost). Depending on the size of your cabinets, you'll likely be able to fit up to a 16-inch or 18-inch Lazy Susan on each shelf. Choose the largest lazy susan that will fit in your cabinet to take up as little side space as possible. Lazy Susans are round, so to maximize space, prioritize storing round items like cans, jars, and spices.
Use trash cans or baskets
Shallow, transparent rectangular trash cans with handles are suitable for corner cabinets. Its shape allows it to line up flush against the back and sides. Load and label the bins logically like like. For example, he can put all the boxes or bags of pasta and rice in one container, and all the child's snacks in another. This way you can easily take out the entire category, get what you want, and put it back in the right place.
base corner cabinet storage ideas
Insert a tiered lazy susan
Fortunately, many bottom corner storage cabinets include a two-tier lazy susan. If yours doesn't, or perhaps the one you have isn't efficient enough, consider purchasing one. They can be purchased at home centers and are very easy to install. When used properly, these sturdy rotating shelves are perfect for storing bulky items. Again, it's circular, so putting as many round items on top of it as possible will optimize the space. This is a good place to store things like mixing bowls, colanders, salad spinners, blenders, and pots and pans. If you need to store small items here, such as stand mixer accessories, put them in a basket or trash can so they won't fit when you rotate the shelves.
Install a swing-out organizer
Instead of the traditional two-shelf lazy susan, consider installing a swing-out shelf organizer, also known as a blind corner cabinet organizer. It's worth it if your cabinets are particularly deep and corners are hard to reach. After installation, simply pull the shelf toward you and the entire unit will come out, allowing you to quickly access items stored in the back of the cabinet. These organizers are usually shaped with a narrow center section for storing small items and wide ends suitable for storing small appliances.
