How to Organise Kitchen Cupboards Around Five Useful Zones

A quick note before we start: some of the storage links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. I only suggest things I would happily use in a client’s kitchen.

Before you begin, empty the contents of the cupboards and worktops completely into the largest space you have available. As you empty, create a separate area for items that do not belong in the kitchen at all.

After a move or renovation it is tempting to put things in the first cupboard you find and get on with life. Then the mugs are nowhere near the kettle, the plates are awkward to put away and you clear the worktop before you can cook. A kitchen can work much better without changing the cupboards themselves.

Categorise and decide before planning cupboards

In my original post I suggested emptying cupboards into the largest available space while categorising. Do this only at a scale you can safely finish. For a larger kitchen, gather one manageable category at a time, including duplicates from other cupboards, rather than leaving every surface covered.

• Do I use this item?
• Will I actually eat this food, and is it safe to use?
• Is this a duplicate, and which version do I prefer?
• Would I buy it again?
• Am I keeping it just because it cost money?
• Do I have space for it, and do I enjoy using it?

For mugs in particular, I wrote: do not drink hot drinks out of a mug you hate. Life is too short! Keep the ones you like using. For food, distinguish use-by from best-before dates and follow Food Standards Agency guidance.

Set aside things that do not belong in the kitchen, arrange donations and recycling, and clean empty shelves before putting things back.

1. Consumables: food and ingredients

Group food in a pantry, larder or suitable cupboards close to preparation and cooking. Keep daily breakfast foods and ingredients easy to reach; baking supplies may need less prominent space. Keep oils, herbs and spices near where you use them, but away from heat or direct sunlight and according to storage labels.

In the original article I suggested keeping protein powders and shake ingredients near a blender if that is part of your routine. The principle is more important than the example: keep the things used for one job together.

2. Preparation: a useful worktop and nearby tools

Choose the area where you chop, mix and assemble meals. Keep suitable utensils and chopping boards nearby, with sharp items stored securely. If you make packed lunches, group lunchboxes, bottles, foil and sandwich bags near the area you use for that job.

3. Non-consumables: crockery, mugs and cookware

Store plates, bowls and glasses so putting them away from the dishwasher is easy. Keep mugs near the kettle or coffee machine, alongside tea or coffee if practical. Heavy pans and serving dishes need appropriate lower storage; frequently used cookware should be easy to reach near cooking.

Choose drawer or cupboard positions around the people using them. A high shelf that suits one adult may not work for another. Follow garment-equivalent care principles for equipment too: fragile or heavy items need support, not simply a matching layout.

4. Cooking: hob, oven and serving space

Keep the utensils and pans you need within convenient reach, with a clear, safe work area for cooking and serving. Avoid arrangements that require carrying hot pans around obstacles. Store baking trays near the oven where suitable; do not use the oven as routine storage if items could be forgotten when it is switched on.

5. Cleaning: sink and dishwasher

Keep cleaning products where they are useful but stored safely according to labels, away from children and pets. Under-sink storage is not automatically safe. Group dishwasher supplies and other cleaning categories without mixing incompatible products. Utility backstock can be kept separately if that fits your home.

Containers: make the category easy to remove

A container can hold a category together, stop packets falling around a pull-out larder and make cleaning easier. Measure internal shelves, drawers and clearance first. You can then take out the category rather than search through the whole cupboard.

• iDesign cabinet containers.
• Wham Studio containers.
• IKEA VARIERA box.

Turntables, dividers and shelf space

A turntable can help reach jars at the back; check that the shelf is deep enough for it to rotate. Dividers keep small categories from mixing, while shelf inserts can make unused height accessible.

• iDesign turntable and mDesign turntables.
• Bamboo cutlery insert and knife drawer insert.
• mDesign drawer dividers and adjustable dividers.
• Spice bags and iDesign small cabinet bin.
• IKEA clip-on basket and VARIERA shelf insert.
• Joseph Joseph storage example.

These are links from my original article, not a required shopping list. Check current availability, dimensions, suitability and prices. Short Amazon links may contain referral tracking; they are optional and should not determine what storage you choose.

Do you have to decant dry foods?

No. I wrote honestly in my original article that I do not personally decant because I do not keep up with restocking. If you enjoy it, suitable canisters can look lovely. If not, original packets in grouped containers are fine. Keep allergen, ingredient, date and storage information when transferring food, and do not merge batches casually.

Check the layout by using the kitchen

Make a drink, prepare a meal and empty the dishwasher. Notice where you cross the room unnecessarily or struggle to return things. Adjust those categories rather than assuming the first layout must stay. The untidy middle stage does not mean the project has failed; finish a manageable section before moving on.

My kitchen, pantry and utility service includes decluttering and organisation together. I categorise, you decide what leaves and I arrange the things you keep with suitable storage. For food-specific details, read how to organise a pantry.