Kitchen Cabinet Storage Ideas to Keep All Your Cookware, Dishware, and Appliances Organized

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Are your kitchen cabinets working for you? If not, now's the perfect time to look at them with fresh eyes. Storing pots, pans, small appliances, serveware, and more in an organized way will save you time when you're cooking, as well as streamline the clean-up process. Plus, keeping the kitchen clutter-free helps make one of the most-used rooms in your home a more peaceful communal space.

Related: Learn How to Organize the Space Beneath Your Kitchen Sink

Pot and Pan Storage

While it may be tempting to stack your pots and pans, this method can become a pain when you need to access the cookware nestled at the bottom of your pile. "I always recommend using a rack for better visibility and more seamless access," says Meredith Goforth, the founder of House of Prim. "The ability to easily take items in and out without hassle is worth it." Use side-by-side organizing racks to keep cookware contained inside your cabinets. Adjustable versions will make each pan accessible while allowing space for deeper pots.

Lid Storage

Lids are a frequent source of chaos. "We love to organize pot lids separately from the pot or pan that it goes with if possible, because you don't always use a lid with the pot or pan," says Jamie Hord, the founder of professional home organizing company Horderly. Conserve even more precious shelf space by getting a lid organizer that conveniently hangs over the door of your cabinet.

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Kitchen Appliance Storage

It's always best to keep like with like when organizing your kitchen appliances. Appliances, such as mixers or coffee grinders—and their various attachments—can live together for better efficiency. "Try to keep appliances together, either in a cabinet or drawer, so you're not running around your kitchen searching for different appliances in different places," says Hord.

Once you've combined your appliances, place them in a corner cabinet fit with a lazy susan. "Heavy or large items work well in the corner lazy susan because they won't fall off and jam like most items," says Ben Soreff, professional organizer at House to Home Organizing. "Additionally, if you use the appliance rarely, you may try to store it in the pantry."

Baking Pan Storage

Various sized baking pans can be a pain to reach when they're all stacked on top of one another. Instead, consider implementing a bakeware rack, which can be used for baking sheets, cutting boards, wire racks, and other flat kitchen items. "A bakeware rack is perfect for storing slim items together," says Darla DeMorrow, certified professional organizer and owner of HeartWork Organizing. Place the rack into one of your cabinets and slide your kitchenware into it vertically or horizontally—whichever works best for your set-up.

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Drinkware Storage

Many kitchens have an abundance of glassware, from mugs and water cups to Champagne flutes and wine glasses. Although these pieces are relatively small compared to plates and bowls, they can take up space quickly—especially if it's something you can't stack, like stemmed glassware.

"Always adjust the height of your kitchen cabinet shelves to maximize your kitchen storage," says DeMorrow. "If you can wave your hand around inside a cabinet, there's space to be harvested." When you run out of room on one shelf, move the shelf above it all the way down so it's just barely touching your glassware. This will maximize space in the rest of the cabinet, which is useful for cups that can be stacked, like Duralex glasses.

Serveware Storage

You likely have two uses for your serveware collection—everyday and special occasion. Put a few pieces of your exclusive serveware, like fine china, on display and then store the rest in padded bags outside of the kitchen. "For everyday serving dishes, keep them close at hand, but make them easier to use by following my two-by-two rule—only stack items two deep and two high so you never have to move more than one thing to get to items in the back or bottom," says DeMorrow.

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Bowl Storage

Bowls are fine to stack, but there is a right and a wrong way to do so. You don't want to make piles so high that it's impossible to access the bowls all the way at the bottom. Instead, use racks to separate bowls into smaller sections and ensure you're only stacking items two deep and two high.

Plate Storage

Stacking plates takes up the least amount of room in your kitchen cabinets, but there are options if you don't like this storage solution. Add a plate rack to your cabinet to separate your plates into smaller sections, which will allow you to keep specific sets separate.

Reusable Water Bottle Storage

When storing reusable water bottles it's first important to do a review of which ones you actually use. Keep your favorites and consider donating the rest to optimize your cabinet space. "A wire bottle holder might work, but be aware that many water bottles are too tall to lay horizontal, front to back, in a standard 12-inch upper cabinet," says DeMorrow. For this reason, bottle organizers should only be reserved for larger cabinets. In smaller spaces, try to stand your reusable water bottles upright, or move them to a drawer where they should be able to fit horizontally.