15 Easy Ways to Organize Kitchen Cabinets Like a Boss

Ever feel like your kitchen cabinets are a chaotic jungle where Tupperware lids and sippy cups roam free? You’re not alone — but with a few clever tricks, you can turn that chaos into a cute, organized space you’ll actually enjoy using.

Is your kitchen cabinet a bit of a hot mess? Don’t worry, you’re so not alone.

Let’s be real, every home decor lover knows the struggle of opening the cabinet only to have an avalanche of Tupperware and mismatched mugs come spilling out from the back.

We’ve all been there – you open a cabinet to grab the cinnamon and bam! A plastic container (or three) leaps out like it’s auditioning for Cirque du Soleil haha.

Keeping your kitchen cabinets organized doesn’t have to be a losing battle. In fact, a tidy cabinet can make cooking (and life in general) so much easier – you’ll save time, reduce stress, and maybe even spark a little joy every time you peek inside.

One often-cited stat even says that clearing out clutter could eliminate up to 40% of the housework in an average home​. I mean, sign me up for that!

Ready to turn your chaotic cupboards into a Pinterest-worthy paradise? Pour yourself a cup of coffee and let’s dive into 15 fun and easy tips to organize your kitchen cabinets.

Trust me, these tricks are simple enough to tackle even if you’ve got a toddler hanging off your leg. Let’s do this!

Start with a Cabinet Clean-Out

First things first – take everything out of your cabinets. Yup, everything.

It might look like a war zone at first, but this is the perfect chance to declutter.

Toss anything expired (those spices from 2010 have got to go) and set aside items you never use to donate or sell. Simplifying your stash gives you a clean slate and instantly frees up space.

(Bonus: Clearing out excess clutter can significantly cut down on cleaning time later​– how awesome is that?)

Group Similar Items Together

Now that you have a keep pile, sort it by category. Think of yourself as the Marie Kondo of your kitchen – put baking supplies in one group, snacks in another, breakfast stuff together, and so on.

By grouping similar items (all your teas, coffees and mugs in one spot, for example), you’ll always know exactly where to find things.

No more scavenger hunts for the vanilla extract because it’s stashed with the canned beans! This little step makes your cabinets feel instantly more organized and logical.

Use Clear Containers or Jars

Ever lose track of how much sugar or pasta you have because the box is shoved in the back? Using clear containers is a game changer.

Transfer pantry staples like flour, cereal, rice, and snacks into clear jars or plastic canisters.

Not only does it look super pretty (hello, organized and aesthetically pleasing!), but you can see when you’re running low on something at a glance. Go the extra mile and add cute labels so everyone in the family knows what’s what.

Tip: Mason jars and recycled spaghetti sauce jars work great if you’re on a budget – just wash them out and reuse!

Add Shelf Risers for Extra Space

If you’re dealing with a small kitchen (or just too much stuff, which I totally get), shelf risers are about to be your new BFF.

These are little metal or wood platforms you can place on an existing shelf to basically create a second shelf above items.

For example, you can stack plates under the riser and bowls on top, or keep canned goods below and spices on top. It instantly doubles the storage in that area by using the vertical space that often gets wasted.

And don’t worry – you can find inexpensive risers online or at Dollar Stores, so you don’t have to splurge.

Corral Items with Baskets or Bins

Let’s talk baskets and bins – a.k.a. the secret weapons of organization. Instead of having loose packets and tiny items floating around, give them a home in a basket.

I personally love using cute woven baskets for things like snacks, packets of oatmeal, or those rogue Jell-O boxes. It keeps them all together so when you need something, you can just pull out the whole basket like a drawer.

No more digging through a cluttered shelf for that one sauce mix! You can use plastic bins, fabric bins – whatever fits your style.

Pro tip: assign each bin a category (like a bin for all your toddler’s snacks, another for baking goodies) and label it. It’s functional and adorable.

Related posts: Should You Decorate or Close the Top of Your Kitchen Cabinets?

Spin in a Circle with Lazy Susans

For all those jars, sauces, and spices that like to play hide-and-seek in the back of your cabinet, a Lazy Susan (a turntable) is pure magic.

Just pop one on your shelf, load it up with your olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, peanut butter – you name it – and give it a spin. Everything comes to you! I have one for my baking supplies and it’s so fun to twirl it around to find my sprinkles and vanilla.

This is especially awesome for deep corner cabinets or high shelves where your arm’s not a mile long.

Plus, you can usually find these turntables pretty cheap, and they come in various sizes (and cute designs). Trust me, you’ll wonder how you managed without one.

Hang Hooks or Door Organizers

Don’t ignore the inside of your cabinet doors – that’s prime real estate for extra storage.

Add a few self-adhesive hooks inside a door to hang things like measuring cups, measuring spoons, or even your favorite mug that you grab every morning.

You can also use over-the-door organizers (the kind that hook over the top of the door) for things like cutting boards or pan lids.

I’ve even stuck a small caddy on the inside of a door under my sink to hold sponges and dish gloves. It’s like creating a sneaky little extra cabinet!

Just be sure that whatever you hang won’t interfere with the door closing (learned that one the hard way when a giant spoon kept bonking the shelf).

Store Cutting Boards & Lids Vertically

Ever had all your cutting boards stacked flat and you pull one out, then bam – an avalanche of cookie sheets?

Save yourself the drama and store those flat items upright. You can use a simple rack or a vertical file organizer (the kind meant for office files) to line up cutting boards, baking sheets, and even pan lids like books on a shelf.

This way, you can slide one out without disturbing the rest.

No more loud crashes from pans shifting – your family (and your nerves) will thank you. Plus, it frees up shelf space for other things you can’t store vertically.

Organize Pots and Pans Smartly

Pots and pans can be one of the peskiest things to organize – they’re bulky, heavy, and their lids are like unruly toddlers.

My advice: nest what you can (put smaller pots inside larger ones) and consider investing in a pot organizer or rack if you have the space.

There are handy shelf inserts that let you store pans vertically or tiered, so you can grab the one you need without lifting a whole stack.

Keep the lids in check by using a lid rack mounted inside a cabinet door or a simple tension rod setup to hold them in place.

And always store the heavy cookware on lower shelves for safety (and to save your arms). With a little arrangement, you won’t dread reaching for that big stockpot anymore.

Tame the Tupperware (Food Storage Containers)

Ah, the infamous Tupperware avalanche – we know it well. Organizing your food storage containers will change your life (or at least your mornings).

Start by matching every container with its lid. Got extras with no match? Recycle them or repurpose them elsewhere, because they’re just causing chaos.

I like to keep all my containers nested by size (all the small ones together, medium ones together, etc.) and then store lids separately standing up in a bin or dish rack. That way, you can flick through and find the right lid easily.

Another idea is to use a large clear bin just for containers and lids – kind of like a drawer within your cabinet.

Whatever system you choose, stick with it, and you’ll never have to play “match the lid” on a busy weeknight again.

Put Everyday Items Within Reach

Think about which items you use every single day – those should live on the lower shelves or at eye level where you can grab them without a stool.

Your favorite coffee mugs, the kiddo’s cereal bowls, the salt and pepper – keep those front and center.

Stuff you rarely use (the fancy holiday platter or that gimmicky avocado slicer) can go up high or in a back corner.

The idea is to arrange your cabinets so they suit your daily routine. It sounds obvious, but so many of us shove things wherever they fit when we’re in a hurry.

Taking a minute to assign prime cabinet real estate to your daily must-haves will make your kitchen way more user-friendly (and save you from nightly treasure hunts for the pepper shaker).

Adjust Shelves (Or Add Extras)

Many kitchen cabinets have adjustable pegs so you can change the shelf heights – if you haven’t done this, give it a try!

Tailor the space to fit your stuff. For instance, if you have a bunch of tall travel mugs or bottles that don’t quite squeeze in, move that shelf up a notch.

Or if everything in one cabinet is short, you might be able to add an extra shelf board in there to create a whole new layer of storage. (You can often find spare shelves at home improvement stores, or repurpose a sturdy piece of wood.)

Another hack: use under-shelf baskets that clip onto an existing shelf to utilize the open space underneath – perfect for small items like spice packets or napkins. Basically, don’t feel married to the original cabinet layout.

Label Everything (If That’s Your Thing)

Labels might sound a bit Type-A, but they are lifesavers – especially when you have kids or a forgetful partner (“Honey, where are the spices?” Sound familiar?).

When every bin, jar, or shelf has a label, there’s no mystery where things belong. You can use a label maker, fancy chalkboard stickers, or just tape and a marker – whatever floats your boat.

I personally get a silly amount of joy from cute pink labels on my baking supplies.

It not only makes your cabinets look organized, but it also helps everyone (yes, even you) put things back in the right spot.

And if you label the inside of cabinet doors or the edge of shelves, you get the guidance without affecting your Pinterest-worthy aesthetic.

Make It Pretty and Personal

Here’s where the girly, fun part comes in – don’t be afraid to dress up your cabinets a little!

Line your shelves with pretty contact paper or liners in a pattern you love. Use baskets or bins in colors that make you happy.

Maybe display your nicest dishes or cute mugs on an open shelf if you have one, to give your kitchen some personality.

I like to think of organizing as decorating’s practical cousin – you’re not just tidying, you’re creating a little happy space behind each door.

Maintain with Quick Routines

Finally, let’s chat maintenance. An organized cabinet won’t stay neat forever on its own (if only!).

The key is to build small habits to keep chaos in check. For example, spend an extra 20 seconds to put things back in the right spot after cooking, or do a quick cabinet scan every Sunday to straighten out anything that wandered astray.

Every few months, do a mini-purge of things that snuck in or foods that expired. If you have kids, involve them – make it a game for them to help mommy put things away correctly (hey, worth a shot!). Little by little, these routines become second nature.

And don’t beat yourself up if things get a bit messy sometimes – life happens, and that’s okay. You can always regroup with another quick session.

The goal is progress, not perfection, and a maintenance habit will ensure your beautifully organized cabinets stay that way most of the time.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: Help! My kitchen is tiny. How can I maximize my cabinet space?

A: Small kitchen, big dreams – I got you! The trick is to use every bit of space creatively.

Go vertical with shelf risers and tall bins, use the inside of cabinet doors (hooks and slim racks can hold spices or cutting boards), and consider sticking a Lazy Susan in those awkward corners so nothing gets lost.

Also, declutter ruthlessly – only keep what you use often, especially in a small space. You might even add a tension rod under the sink to hang spray bottles or use wall space for a pot rack, to take a little pressure off the cabinets.

Remember, a tiny kitchen can still be extremely efficient and organized if you get clever with storage gadgets and arrangements.

Q: Do I need to buy expensive organizers to get my cabinets in order?

A: Absolutely not! While there are fancy organizers out there (and hey, some are great), you don’t need to break the bank to have tidy cabinets.

Dollar stores and thrift shops are my secret weapon – you can find baskets, bins, and jars for cheap. Even shoe boxes or shipping boxes covered in cute wrapping paper can become storage bins in a pinch. Reuse glass jars for dry goods, or use office file holders as dividers for pans and cutting boards. The key is functional grouping, not fancy labels.

So feel free to DIY and get creative. The prettiest pantry on Instagram might have all matching containers from The Container Store, but trust me, your upcycled pasta sauce jars can do the job just as well (and you’ll have extra cash for coffee… or wine!).

Q: How do I keep my cabinets organized for more than a week? My family tends to “undo” my hard work!

A: Ah, the classic struggle – you organize, they chaos-ify. Keeping it up is all about simple habits and getting the whole crew on board.

Try to label shelves or bins so everyone knows where things go – it’s harder for hubby to claim ignorance if the snack bin is clearly labeled.

Also, make it easy for them: put everyday dishes and snacks at eye level so there’s no excuse to shove stuff in the wrong spot. You can even do a quick Sunday reset: spend 10 minutes with the family to put everything back in its home (make it a game or race for kids).

Over time, they’ll learn that everything has a place. And if something isn’t working (say, the lunch boxes keep ending up on the counter because the cabinet is jam-packed), don’t be afraid to tweak your system.

Organization is an ongoing process, and that’s okay. Little by little, those good habits will stick.

Q: Any tips for organizing cabinets with kids in the house?

A: Definitely. First, make sure dangerous stuff (like cleaning supplies or heavy cookware) is up high or locked away with childproof latches – safety first.

For the rest, consider dedicating one low cabinet as a “kid cabinet.” Fill it with the kiddos’ plastic bowls, cups, snacks, or even some toy kitchen items, so they can safely rummage without disturbing your other cabinets. It keeps them happy and busy, and your stuff stays organized (win-win!).

Also, involve your children in the organizing process: let them help put away groceries into the correct bins or choose where their cereal bowls go. When kids feel like they have their “own” spot in the kitchen and understand the system, they’re less likely to tornado through your neatly arranged cabinets.

Lastly, be patient – you might find a few measuring cups in the wrong place from time to time (kids will be kids), but with gentle reminders, they’ll learn your kitchen’s order.