8 rules for organised, clutter-free corner cupboards in a small kitchen – endorsed by kitchen experts

If there is one room in the house where good storage can make or break how successful it is, it has to be the kitchen – yet finding space to keep everything neat and tidy, particularly in smaller spaces, can be hard.

While there are lots of nifty kitchen storage ideas out there to help you keep order in this room, when it comes to those that are on the compact side, even greater care needs to go into how all those essentials will be housed – and corner cabinets really can make the most of a spatially-challenged kitchen.

'As a professional organizer who has transformed challenging kitchen spaces, I've found that corner cabinets are often the most underutilised yet potentially valuable storage areas in small kitchens,' reveals Cara Palmer, a home organization expert and founder of Organize Every Room.

With that in mind, we reached out to the experts for their advice on how to take advantage of this type of unit.

1. Kit them out with storage carousels

While corner kitchen cabinet ideas come with many benefits, the main one being their ability to offer maximum storage without encroaching on floor space, their inner depths can be hard to reach without some nifty organisational extras.

'Lazy Susans and pull-out shelving are game-changers for lower corner cabinets,' advises Cara Palmer. 'They eliminate the need to kneel and reach into dark corners.'

This sentiment is echoed by Alecia Taylor, a designer at CabinetNow.com. 'For lower corner cabinets, I highly recommend pull-out shelving or Lazy Susan systems. They allow easy access to deep corners that are typically hard to reach,' explains Alecia. 'For pull out shelves, a system like the Rev-A-Shelf from Amazon can help ensure you can see everything at a glance rather than digging through clutter.'

Alecia Taylor

Alecia Taylor is an experienced interior designer. She works closely with clients on kitchen, bath closet, and other home improvement projects.

2. Use pull down shelving for upper corner units

When it comes to wall-mounted corner units, it can be even tricker to get the storage organisation right – but pull down shelves can really help out here.

'Top corner cabinets in compact kitchens tend to be wasteful spaces. What I've come to realize is that they are ideal for storing things you might not use on a daily basis but would want available,' says Gerrit Jan Reinders, a decluttering specialist and the founder of BOXIE24.

'A bit more expensive, pull-down shelving is a lifesaver for upper corners,' continues Gerrit. 'These enable you to bring those high-up items to your eye level without stepping stools.'

The Hafele Pull Down Two Tier Kitchen Wire Shelf from Amazon makes reaching high items so much easier.

3. Fit vertical unit organisers

When it comes to small kitchen storage ideas, stacking items vertically, yet in a way that they are still easy to see, makes perfect sense.

'In any corner cabinet, consider installing vertical dividers for pots and pans,' advises Alecia Taylor. 'These dividers allow you to store them upright like books on a shelf, saving space and making it easier to grab the right pot without having to take everything out.'

Be on the lookout for those that have tiers that can be moved around so that you can customise it.

4. Seek out 'magic' corner units

The main issue with corner units is the fact that it is sometimes almost impossible to see and reach the items right at the back – which is where 'magic' corner units come in.

'Magic corner units maximises the space in a blind corner unit,' picks up Looeeze Grossman, CEO and founder of The Used Kitchen Company. 'They are made of two wire tray fixtures which extend out one after the other. The first comes completely out and the second extends to the front. You can store virtually anything on these trays.

5. Keep like-with-like

When dealing with small kitchen ideas it really does pay off to be meticulous about the way in which you organise and store items. Keeping like with like will simplify life in this busy space.

'Whether it’s dishes, pantry items or cleaning supplies, grouping similar items is key to avoiding clutter in any corner cabinet,' explains Alecia Taylor. 'For smaller items, baskets or clear containers help keep everything organised and visible. I recommend using drawer dividers or plastic bins for smaller kitchen essentials.'

Cara Palmer suggests taking the 'grouping' method a step further.

'Implement zones for specific tasks,' she says. 'For example, you could designate one corner cabinet for baking supplies and another for food storage containers.'

6. Be choosy with what you keep in corner units

While corner units are a brilliant option for kitchen ideas that lie on the smaller side, they are not always right for storing all the bits and pieces that live in this room. It is often better to reserve them for those items you don't use so often – particularly those that are wall-mounted.

On the subject of upper corner units, Gerrit Jan Reinders, suggests reserving them for lesser-used items.

'Use those corners based on how often you think you'll utilise them – party dishes for the holidays and special occasion serving dishes can sit at the rear, but ones you reach for week after week can sit upfront.'

7. Consider door-mounted storage

The insides of all kinds of doors, be that walk-in pantry doors or those fitted to the fronts of your kitchen units, can really come in handy for storage purposes.

'Add slim organisers to cabinet doors for spices or small kitchen tools to maximise space,' suggests Cara Palmer.

Door racks range from those that are designed to be fixed using screws, to designs that simply hook over – both are often listed as top tiny house organising tips.

8. Make it easy to keep organised long-term

It is all very well fitting your corner units out with pull-out racks, carousels and storage caddies, but unless you have put strategies in place to make it easy to stay organised, they could soon end up cluttered once more.

'Keeping it organised is just as important as getting it organised in the first place,' agrees Gerrit Jan Reinders. 'I recommend emptying and reorganising your corner cabinets from scratch every few months. This prevents them from becoming a junk drawer for random things.

'Labeled bins, a 'one in, one out' policy on kitchen appliances, and keeping things close to where you're actually using them will keep your newly organised areas that way,' continues Gerrit. 'With a little planning and the appropriate products, you can turn those awkward corner cabinets into the most worthwhile storage in your little kitchen.'

While you're cabinets are empty, be sure to discover how to clean a kitchen cabinet to keep them spotless.

FAQs

How to organise an upper corner cabinet vs a lower corner cabinet

Don't make the mistake of assuming upper and lower corner cabinets can be used in the same way – each has different things to offer in terms of storage potential.

'The fundamental difference in my approach to upper versus lower corner cabinets is weight, frequency of use, and accessibility,' says Cara Palmer.

'Lower corner cabinets should house heavier, bulkier items that would be dangerous to store up high. I recommend pull-out solutions here because kneeling and reaching into deep corners can be uncomfortable and inefficient.

'Upper-corner cabinets work best with lightweight, less frequently used items,' continues Cara. 'The organisation should focus on visibility and preventing items from getting lost in the back. Stepped shelving or risers are essential to see what's behind the front row.'

Cara really rates the madesmart 2-Tier Plastic Multipurpose Organiser from Amazon.

'I follow the 'one motion' rule for both areas,' adds Cara. 'You should be able to access any item in one motion without first moving multiple other items out of the way.'

Some designers are saying that wall-mounted kitchen cabinets are out altogether – see what's 'in' right now with our round up of the best kitchen trends around.