A Pro Organizer's Advice For What Items To Store In Corner Kitchen Cabinets

Corner cabinets — nearly every home has them, and almost as many homeowners have no idea how to utilize them. They offer quite a lot of space, so why are they such a disaster to store things in and keep organized? According to professional organizer and owner of The Organized Mama Jessica Litman in an exclusive interview with House Digest, there are a few reasons that these are a challenge. She says, "It is out of sight, out of mind. Since you have to turn the cabinet to see everything that is inside, you forget about it. When you open a regular cabinet, you are faced with all the items every time you open that cabinet. But in a corner cabinet, something could be way in the back that you never see so you forget you have." 

She adds, "When you see your stuff every time you open a cabinet, it is easier to place in your home. But when you don't see something, like a baking dish, it can be hard to place if you actually have it or not." 

Litman gave us insight into her work over the years with clients who have faced this exact problem and advice on what to put in complicated corner cabinets. The good news is that it's not a one size fits all, according to Litman, who says the best way to use corner kitchen cabinets "depends on your kitchen and how you use it." Here's how to make the most out of your corner cabinet.

Reflecting on her work with real-life clients, Jessica Litman recalls some of the successful choices that work here in an exclusive interview with House Digest, saying, "I have had clients who put all their pots and pans in the corner cabinet, and it worked wonders because they could just stack everything inside the cabinet and know all cookware was there." This method works well if you want to know without a doubt where each pot and pan is, but beware this can become cluttered if you have an extensive collection.

An alternative approach Litman has seen is to use these cabinets for objects used only occasionally. She explains, "I have had other clients who prefer baking items because they only did it occasionally so it helped keep their cabinets and drawers tidy. And I have had other clients who have used the corner cabinets to store their holiday china and other items they only use for special occasions." Ultimately, as Litman says, it really depends on your inventory and priorities in the kitchen. If you're a huge baker, for example, it obviously doesn't make sense to store your muffin and pie dishes in a hard-to-reach corner cabinet.

In her exclusive interview with House Digest, Jessica Litman says to first declutter your kitchen cabinets and winnow down what belongs in the corner cabinet: "Get all your other cabinets organized first. The remaining items that don't fit anywhere are probably items you don't use frequently. Those can easily be grouped in the corner cabinet." 

There are plenty of decluttering methods out there, but one tried and true way is to take everything out and purge yourself of everything you don't use by throwing it away or donating it. Pro tip: This is a perfect time to wipe down and clean your cabinet shelves, because chances are you haven't been cleaning your kitchen cabinets often enough. Once you're done with that, put your primary pieces in the easily accessible cupboards until they're full, and then follow Litman's advice to stow the last pieces in the corner cabinet. 

If you still find yourself struggling to get this cabinet space into shape, Litman says she loves the kitchen's best friend, a lazy Susan, in those cabinets. Her only caution is, "They have to be solid so they can hold heavy items if you use them," so don't use a flimsy, lightweight one if you're storing heavy cooking dishes and serving platters.