5 Brilliant Kitchen Cabinet Organization Ideas

It’s often said that the kitchen is the main gathering place in your home. It’s where your family congregates, entertains, cooks, bakes, eats, and makes lasting memories. 

That said, your kitchen needs to be just as functional as it is beautiful. Luckily, Zeeland Lumber & Supply’s kitchen cabinet experts are here to help. We’ve compiled a list of five kitchen cabinet organization ideas to ensure your space is optimized for incredible storage, organization, and design. Let’s dive in! 

1. Plan Your Cabinet Design Based on Your Kitchen Layout

Your kitchen layout establishes various work zones, determines locations for appliances, and dictates how much countertop space you’ll have. Ranging from U-shaped to galley, there are five common kitchen layouts — and depending on which one your kitchen exhibits, you can use it to plan your cabinet design for optimal storage and organization space. 

Below, we’ll highlight some unique kitchen cabinet organization tips for each layout. 

U-Shaped

U-shaped kitchens feature cabinets and appliances along three walls, with open access on the remaining side. This layout allows for:

• More upper cabinets along the top of the three populated walls.
• An island in the center of the “U,” complete with cabinet storage.

G-Shaped

Similar to the U-shaped layout, G-shaped kitchens have cabinets and appliances along three walls. However, they also have a peninsula or partial fourth wall of base cabinets — which works to form the rest of the “G” shape. This layout features:

• The most room for cabinets. However, G-shaped kitchens can get cramped and closed off quickly. For this reason, it’s recommended that you leave at least one wall clear of upper cabinets.
• The most cornered base cabinets. Make sure to use corner storage solutions like Lazy Susans to maximize the utility of these tricky spaces.

L-Shaped

L-shaped kitchens display cabinets along two perpendicular walls. They adapt well to a variety of spaces, which has made them the most popular kitchen layout. It generally allows for:

• Enough space to add an island, complete with cabinet storage.
• Tall cabinets to maximize vertical space.

Galley

Galley kitchens resemble hallways, with two rows of cabinetry and appliances and an aisle of working space in between. This layout features:

• The opportunity to include a pass-through to an adjacent dining area, opening up the kitchen, and maximizing the number of wall and base cabinets you can have.

Single Wall

Single-wall kitchens line up all cabinetry and appliances on one wall. This is the most simple layout and is often used in small, narrow spaces. This layout:

• Has the least amount of storage and cabinetry space.
• Begs for an island, either permanent or on wheels, with additional cabinet space.
• May require you to have a separate closet or pantry for additional storage.

2. Use Tall Cabinets to Maximize Vertical Space

When most homeowners think of cabinetry layouts, they often think horizontally — deciphering how much floor space they have to fit what they need. However, by doing this, they’re often disregarding the vertical space in their kitchen. 

Although you don’t want to line entire walls with tall cabinets, adding one or two into your kitchen can help you make better use of previously wasted space. These floor-to-ceiling cabinets work great as a small pantry, and are most commonly placed alongside a tall refrigerator or at the end of a cabinetry row. 

3. Install a Lazy Susan to Utilize Corner Space

Corners are the most awkward spaces in your kitchen. But they’ll always be there, so it’s best that you find a way to make them work for you! 

The most tried-and-true way to utilize kitchen corner space is to install a Lazy Susan. Generally, these involve 2 shelves that spin in a circle so you can access all sides. While they don’t make perfect use of space, they’ll help you get pretty close. 

Other ideas for corner cabinet solutions include spin-out shelves, pull-out shelves, angled front cabinets, and corner pantries. 

4. Try a Pull-Out Cabinet for Trash Bins

If you’re looking to reduce clutter in your kitchen, installing pull-out base cabinets is a great way to accomplish that. Most often, you’ll find these cabinets housing trash and recycling bins. Then, you can use space underneath your sink to store cookware or cleaning supplies.

Pull-out cabinets can be installed along your cabinetry-lined walls, or, if you have an island, they can be a simple addition to that as well. 

5. Choose Glass-Panel Cabinets for Quick Finds

One key purpose of organization is making your kitchen look tidier. The other part is making it quick and easy to find what you’re looking for — and that’s where glass-panel cabinets are lifesavers. 

Glass-panel cabinets are modern, transparent storage solutions that allow you to see exactly what’s inside them. Not only do they help with finding items quickly, but they also add to the overall aesthetic of your space. They’ll brighten the room, create a greater sense of openness, and allow you to showcase your beautiful dishware. 

Thinking about remodeling your kitchen? Zeeland Lumber & Supply offers a variety of kitchen cabinet styles, sure to make storage and organization simple. Give our team a call or contact us online to learn more about your options.