Organizing a kitchen is a challenging task, with shallow shelves, narrow drawers, bulky appliances, and oversized utensils like potato mashers. All of these elements make it difficult to find and maintain a spot for everything. Professional organizers often point to kitchens as major trouble areas in keeping a tidy home. A well-organized kitchen can significantly reduce your time and stress on busy days.

Out of all the organizing challenges a kitchen presents, corner cabinets are one of the most puzzling. They're deeper than regular cabinets, so it's hard to see and reach items in the back. And in some cases, part of the cabinet's valuable storage space is tucked away out of view. The good news is there are plenty of easy, affordable ways to bring some order to that odd-shaped cabinet so it can work as hard as the rest of your kitchen does.

Adam Albright

How to Declutter a Corner Cabinet

Decluttering a corner cabinet successfully follows a similar process you might use to organize a regular cabinet, a drawer, or a closet. Follow these simple steps to make the most of this unique space.

Decide How to Use the Cabinet

First, you should decide how you will use this cabinet based on the items you need to store and the layout of your kitchen. Keep frequently used items nearby—like a baking hub close to the stove for mixing bowls and baking necessities.

Establish a "theme" for what every cabinet will hold—and importantly, what it won't. Each cabinet, or at least each shelf, should have a distinct theme. This simple step helps everyone in the household know exactly where to find and return items, streamlining the decluttering process.

Take Inventory

Start the process by completely emptying the cabinet—even if it seems tedious. This small step helps you evaluate each item, particularly those hidden in hard-to-reach spots, to see whether they fit within the cabinet's new theme. Kitchens often have seldom-used items, such as panini presses and avocado slicers that add to clutter.

Place everything on the countertop and sort items by category. Move items that don’t fit the cabinet’s theme to another area of the room. Get rid of items you no longer use by donating them. Most donation centers accept gadgets and tools in working condition. Keep only the kitchen essentials in order to maintain a minimalist approach.

Clean the Cabinet

Before restocking your kitchen cabinet, it's important to thoroughly clean the shelves and ensure they're dry. If your corner cabinet contains a turntable or lazy Susan, then you should consider using a shelf liner to prevent items from sliding. Shelf liners are also useful for cabinets storing ingredients that might spill or become sticky, because they can be easily removed, cleaned, and replaced, preventing frequent scrubbing.

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Storage Ideas for Upper Corner Cabinets

Incorporate a Large Lazy Susan

For upper corner cabinets, a large lazy Susan—whether it is freestanding or installed—can greatly aid in organization. These convenient cabinets often have deep, hard-to-reach spaces where items can get lost. Depending on your cabinet's size, you might fit a lazy Susan up to 16 or 18 inches in diameter. Choose the largest lazy Susan that fits your corner cabinet in order to optimize storage. For best results, you should store round items like cans, jars, and spices on it for easy access.

Use Bins and Baskets

Consider using shallow, clear, rectangular bins with handles inside your upper corner cabinets. These convenient bins fit snugly against the back and sides of the cabinet. Organize and label every single bin by category—for instance, keep pasta and rice boxes in one bin and children's snacks in another. This makes it quick and easy to retrieve and return items without disrupting your organization.

Storage Ideas for Base Corner Cabinets

Put in a Tiered Lazy Susan

Many lower corner cabinets feature a built-in two-tiered lazy Susan. If yours lacks this feature or isn't effective, consider purchasing one—they are available at home improvement stores and are incredibly easy to install. These robust, rotating shelves excel at storing bulky items in your kitchen. Since they are round, optimizing space involves placing as many round items as possible; think mixing bowls, colanders, salad spinners, blenders, and pots and pans. For smaller kitchen items, like stand mixer attachments, use a basket or bin to keep them secure when the shelf rotates around.

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Install a Swing-Out Organizer

You should consider installing a swing-out shelf organizer, which is also known as a blind corner cabinet organizer, as an alternative to a two-tiered lazy Susan. It's ideal for deep cabinets with difficult-to-reach corners. Once installed, you simply pull the shelf toward you, making even the back items easily accessible. These organizers typically have a narrow middle for small items and broader ends suitable for storing small appliances.