Over the years, I’ve found that kitchen cabinet organization isn’t really about making everything look picture-perfect; it’s about making your kitchen work for you. For the way you actually cook, bake, clean, and live. Every home is different, and the way we think and function as individuals is different as well. Therefore, the goal of organizing shouldn’t be to copy someone else’s beautifully laid out and styled cabinets; it’s to create a system that makes sense for you and your household.
As I’ve worked through organizing different areas of my own home, one thing has become clear: the best organization systems are the ones that are easy to maintain. If something takes too much effort to put away, you will probably stop trying eventually. And things won’t stay organized for long.
Whether you’re tackling one cabinet at a time or giving your entire kitchen a fresh start, this guide will walk through practical ideas for organizing every cabinet in your kitchen without making the process feel overwhelming.
QUICK ANSWER: HOW SHOULD YOU ORGANIZE YOUR KITCHEN CABINETS?
Below is a detailed guide that will thoroughly expand on this answer, but first, a very simplified version. The best way to organize kitchen cabinets is to group similar items and store them near where they’re used. Keep everyday dishes, glasses, and mugs in easy-to-reach cabinets, place pots and pans close to the stove, store food containers in a dedicated cabinet, and reserve higher or hard-to-reach cabinets for seasonal or rarely used items. Before organizing, declutter anything you no longer use, and focus on creating simple systems that are easy to maintain over time.
DECLUTTER FIRST
The first step in organizing kitchen cabinets is to declutter. No organization products or system can fix a cabinet that’s simply holding too many items.
Therefore, you’ll want to take everything out of one cabinet at a time. This allows you to see exactly what you have. (And to give the cabinet a good cleaning while you’re at it!)
As you work through the decluttering process, ask yourself the following questions to help:
- Do I actually use this?
- Would I buy this again today?
- Does this make my life easier?
- Am I keeping this because I use it or because I feel guilty?
- Do I own duplicates?
- Does it belong somewhere else?
- Is it broken or missing pieces?
The declutter step often frees up more space in your kitchen cabinet organization process than any storage solution can.
For a more detailed explanation of the declutter process and steps I take during the organizing process, check out our guide on How to Organize Anything. The linked guide provides a walkthrough for organizing as a process, whereas the rest of this guide focuses more on the overall organization of your kitchen cabinets as a whole.
TIP: Don’t feel like you have to empty every cabinet in one afternoon. I’ve found it’s a lot less overwhelming to finish one cabinet completely before moving on to the next. Organizing even just one cabinet is progress, and you’ll likely notice the difference every time you use your kitchen. Plus, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment after each completed cabinet, and you can use it as motivation to keep going to the next one.
ORGANIZE BY KITCHEN ZONES INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUAL CABINETS
One way to think about kitchen cabinet organization is to focus on how you use your kitchen. Rather than organize your cabinets by category, organize them by use. For example, rather than putting all the cups together because they’re cups, you might want to put everyday cups with the everyday dishes, mugs with the coffee and tea, and wine glasses with the cocktail shaker.
Imagine walking through your normal routine of making breakfast or cooking dinner. Which items do you naturally reach for together? Those are the items that should probably live together. For example, if your coffee maker sits on one end of the counter, it makes sense to store the mugs, coffee beans or grounds, filters, and travel mugs nearby. Keeping those items together means you’re no longer walking across the kitchen every morning collecting supplies from different cabinets.
The same idea can be applied to the other areas throughout your kitchen. Some zones that might make sense to think about are cooking, baking, meal prep, and packing lunches. Here are a few examples of zones I have in my kitchen, and items I have done my best to store near each other as a result.
KITCHEN ZONE EXAMPLES
| Kitchen Zone | Items to Store Nearby |
| Everyday Dishes | Plates, bowls, everyday glasses |
| Coffee & Tea | Mugs, coffee, tea, filters, sweeteners |
| Cooking | Pots, pans, cooking utensils, oils, spices |
| Baking | Mixing bowls, measuring cups, baking pans, mixer |
| Food Storage | Plastic containers, lids, foil, parchment paper |
| Cleaning | Dishwasher soap, brushes, trash bags, cleaning solutions |
Your kitchen layout and cabinet arrangement may not allow you to get EVERYTHING for each zone together, but the more you can group, the easier it will be to function in your kitchen. You also don’t need a huge kitchen for this kitchen cabinet organization approach to work. Even in smaller kitchens, grouping related items can save time and make cooking feel a little less hectic.
HOW TO ORGANIZE UPPER KITCHEN CABINETS
The upper kitchen cabinets are typically the easiest to access, making them the best place for items you use regularly. Rather than filling them randomly, think about how often you reach for each item you’re considering putting in them. Below are items that typically make the most sense being placed in the upper cabinets.
EVERYDAY PLATES AND BOWLS
Everyday plates and bowls are great candidates for the upper cabinets since you use them regularly. Stack similar dishes together (plates with plates, bowls with bowls) and avoid piling them so high that removing one becomes difficult.
Additionally, if possible, keep your everyday dishes close to the dishwasher. It makes unloading the dishes quicker and keeps everything within easy reach at mealtimes.
GLASSES AND DRINKWARE
Store everyday drinking glasses together in one cabinet, with frequently used water glasses at the front.
If you have wine glasses, champagne flutes, or specialty drinkware that only comes out for holidays or entertaining, consider placing those on a higher shelf where they won’t get in the way of daily use, or in a bar area of the kitchen.
MUGS
Some kitchens have enough room for mugs alongside glasses, while others benefit from a dedicated coffee cabinet. If you’re a coffee or tea drinker, keeping your mugs near the coffee maker creates a simple morning routine with less back-and-forth around the kitchen.
EVERYDAY SERVING BOWLS
Larger serving bowls that you use regularly can also live in upper cabinets, especially if they’re lightweight and easy to lift down safely.
Reserve the highest shelves of the upper cabinets for items you rarely need, such as holiday platters, specialty serving dishes, or extra pitchers.
If your kitchen pantry also needs attention, check out my guide to Small Pantry Organization for ideas on making the most of limited storage space.
Cleaning supplies overflowing? My guide on How to Organize Under the Kitchen Sink walks through simple ways to make that space more functional.
LOWER KITCHEN CABINET ORGANIZATION
Lower cabinets tend to hold the heaviest and bulkiest items in the kitchen, making them ideal for cookware, heavy mixing bowls, small appliances, and food storage containers.
When working on your lower kitchen cabinet organization, think about what you reach for most often. Frequently used cookware should be easy to grab without kneeling down and digging through several stacks of pans.
If your cabinets have adjustable shelves, don’t be afraid to move them. A few extra inches of vertical space can make a surprising difference when you’re trying to store larger pots or appliances.
ORGANIZING POTS AND PANS
Pots and pans are some of the hardest kitchen items to keep organized because they come in different sizes, shapes, and depths. Stacking them in one tall pile saves space, but tends to create a poorly functioning system that leads to a disorganized and frustrating cabinet.
In our kitchen, the area beneath our range top is drawers, so that’s how we store our pots and pans, but you most likely have shelves. No matter what the storage situation looks like for you, you’ll still want to try and make every piece as accessible as possible. This can sometimes be achieved with slotted pan organizers, tiered pan organizers, or adding more shelf space inside the cabinet.
WHAT WORKS WELL
- Store cookware close to the stove whenever possible.
- Store lids vertically using a lid organizer or a simple file sorter.
- Keep your most-used pan(s) at the front.
- Place larger stockpots on lower shelves since they’re heavier.
If space allows, avoid stacking more than three or four pans together. The less rearranging you have to do while cooking, the more likely your cabinets will stay organized. Also, the more separate you can keep your most-used pans, the more functional your kitchen will feel.
THE BEST WAY TO STORE FOOD CONTAINERS
If there’s one cabinet that seems to get messy faster than any other, it’s the one with food storage containers. Between mismatched lids and containers in every shape imaginable, it’s easy for the space to become frustrating.
The easiest improvement when organizing this cabinet is to reduce the number of containers you own. Take a minute to match every lid with its container. Then get rid of the containers or lids that don’t have a match, or that you haven’t used in years.
After that, the best way to organize these containers is usually to nest them by size and store the lids upright in a divider or small bin. Keep the sizes you actually use regularly within easy reach.
SMALL APPLIANCES
Kitchen appliances are one area where I’ve found it’s important to be honest with yourself. Some appliances truly make life easier, but others spend years taking up valuable cabinet space because “maybe I’ll use it someday.”
If an appliance comes out frequently, such as a blender, air fryer, or slow cooker, it deserves an accessible home. If you haven’t touched it in several years, it might be worth asking whether it should still be in your kitchen at all.
Some appliances even deserve a permanent spot on your counter, if you have the space. When deciding where to store your appliances, consider your frequency of use for each item. The chart below lists location ideas for the typical kitchen, but you should always consider your own personal usage for each appliance when organizing.
| Appliance | Suggested Location |
| Toaster | Countertop or nearby lower cabinet |
| Blender | Cabinet near prep area |
| Slow cooker | Lower cabinet |
| Stand mixer | Lower cabinet with easy access |
| Food processor | Near prep zone |
| Hand mixer | Baking cabinet |
Heavy appliances should always be stored where they can be lifted safely without reaching above shoulder height.
MAKING THE MOST OF CORNER CABINETS
Corner kitchen cabinets can be awkward to organize, but they don’t have to become a forgotten storage space. Rather than trying to cram everyday dishes into the deepest corners, use these cabinets for larger items you don’t need every day.
Good options include:
- Roasting pans
- Large stockpots
- Slow cooker or other appliances
- Extra serving bowls
- Holiday platters
- Specialty cookware
If your kitchen has a Lazy Susan or pull-out shelving, take advantage of it by grouping similar items. If not, you can install a pull-out shelving system yourself, or purchase bins to make it much easier to reach what’s stored in the back.
Our kitchen has a Lazy Susan in the corner that we use to store all of our small appliances. It’s very functional for us because not only does it group all the appliances together, it also happens to be underneath the section of counter where we normally operate the appliances.
WHERE SHOULD YOU STORE EVERYTHING?
There is definitely not a universal answer to where things should go in the kitchen, because each kitchen is different and each individual uses their kitchen a little differently than others. Every kitchen has a different layout, and the best kitchen cabinet organization system is the one that fits how you use your space. That being said, this general chart can be a helpful starting point.
| Item | Ideal Location |
| Everyday plates | Upper cabinet near dishwasher |
| Bowls | Upper cabinet near plates |
| Glasses | Upper cabinet near sink |
| Mugs | Near coffee maker |
| Pots & pans | Lower cabinet near stove |
| Cooking utensils | Drawer or countertop container beside stove |
| Baking supplies | Dedicated baking cabinet or area |
| Mixing bowls | Lower cabinet near prep area |
| Plastic containers | Dedicated lower cabinet |
| Small appliances | Lower cabinets near where they’re used |
| Serving dishes | Upper shelf or corner cabinet |
| Seasonal items | Highest shelves or deepest corners |
The goal isn’t to follow a perfect blueprint, it’s to reduce the number of extra steps you take while cooking, unloading the dishwasher, or putting groceries away. If you find yourself constantly walking across the kitchen to grab something, that’s often a sign it could live somewhere more convenient.
COMMON KITCHEN CABINET ORGANIZATION MISTAKES
If you’ve ever organized your cabinets only to find them messy again a few weeks later, you’re definitely not alone. I’ve learned that keeping a kitchen organized has less to do with buying the “right” organizers and more to do with creating simple systems that fit your everyday routines.
Here are a few common mistakes that can make it harder to stay organized.
1 – ORGANIZING BEFORE DECLUTTERING
It’s tempting to jump straight to baskets, shelf risers, and clear bins, but organizing items you don’t actually use just means finding a prettier place to store clutter. Taking a little time to sort through duplicates, broken items, or gadgets you never reach for can make the rest of the process much easier.
2 – KEEPING THINGS TOO FAR FROM WHERE THEY’RE USED
Think about how you move through your kitchen. If your coffee mugs are on the opposite side of the room from the coffee maker, or your mixing bowls are nowhere near your prep space, you’re creating extra work for yourself every day. When possible, store items close to where you naturally use them.
3 – OVERFILLING CABINETS
Every empty shelf doesn’t have to be filled. Leaving a little extra space makes cabinets easier to use, easier to clean, and much easier to maintain over time.
4 – BUYING ORGANIZERS TOO SOON
I’ve definitely been tempted to buy organizing products before I had a plan. Whenever I’ve done that, however, more often than not, I ended up with baskets that didn’t quite fit or containers I didn’t really need. I’ve found it’s much better to organize first, live with the new layout for a week or two, and then decide whether any storage products would actually improve the space. And always make sure to measure your space, and then double-check the dimensions of the bins to make sure the products you want will fit.
5 – EXPECTING PERFECTION
One thing I’ve learned while organizing different areas of my home is that organization isn’t a one-time project. Life changes, or your cooking habits change, or your family changes, so the way you organize over time can change too. Sometimes you might feel stuck when organizing because you feel like you have to get it perfect, functioning, and future-proof right away. But that’s not the case; the goal isn’t perfection, it’s just creating a kitchen that’s a little easier to use than it was yesterday. And if it’s not easier to use in a few months, or a few years, then you simply try again.
A SIMPLE KITCHEN CABINET ORGANIZATION CHECKLIST
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry about organizing your entire kitchen in one weekend. Instead, work through one cabinet at a time. Use the checklist below to help keep the process simple.
Kitchen Cabinet Organization Checklist
☐ Empty one cabinet completely.
☐ Wipe down the shelves.
☐ Remove duplicates or broken items.
☐ Remove anything you want to donate or that belongs elsewhere.
☐ Group similar items together.
☐ Place back on the shelves using the following guidelines:
☐ Move frequently used items within easy reach.
☐ Store heavy items in lower cabinets.
☐ Place rarely used items on higher shelves.
☐ Test the system for a week before buying organizers.
☐ Label bins. Optional, but highly recommended.
☐ Revisit your cabinets every few months to keep them working well.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A good starting point is to group similar items and store them near where you use them. Everyday dishes, glasses, and mugs should be easy to reach, while cookware should be kept close to the stove. Seasonal serving pieces and specialty items can be stored on higher shelves or in less accessible cabinets.
Upper cabinets are ideal for everyday dishes, bowls, glasses, mugs, and lightweight serving pieces. Reserve the highest shelves for items you only use occasionally, such as holiday platters or specialty glassware.
Lower cabinets are best for heavier items like pots, pans, mixing bowls, food storage containers, and small appliances. Keeping heavier items lower also makes them easier and safer to lift.
Start by matching every lid to its container and removing any pieces that no longer have a match. Nest containers by size and store lids vertically using a divider or basket so they’re easy to see and grab.
There’s no strict schedule, but I’ve found it’s helpful to do a quick reset every few months. A seasonal review is often enough to remove items you no longer use and keep cabinets from slowly becoming cluttered again.
Not at all. Many kitchens become easier to use simply by decluttering and grouping similar items. Once you’ve lived with your new layout for a little while, you may discover you only need a few simple organizers, or none at all.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Kitchen cabinet organization doesn’t have to happen all at once, and it definitely doesn’t have to look like something out of a magazine. I’ve learned that the best organization systems are the ones that make everyday life a little easier. If putting dishes away is simpler, cooking dinner feels less stressful. Or if you can finally find the lid that matches your favorite container, that’s a win.
If you’re just getting started, pick one cabinet. Finish that one before moving on to the next. Those small projects add up, and before long you’ll have a kitchen that feels more functional and less frustrating.
And remember, it’s okay if your system changes over time. As your routines evolve, your kitchen can evolve with them.
CONTINUE READING: Looking for more kitchen organization ideas?
How to Organize Almost Anything: An Overall Organization Guide
How to Organize Under the Kitchen Sink
Small Pantry Organization Ideas
