Cabinet Accessories Mike Holmes Swears By For Optimal Organization In Small Kitchens

They say the kitchen is the heart of every home, which means it needs to be both functional and organized to keep a household running smoothly. But when you're working with a small kitchen and limited storage, that can be easier said than done. Pots and pans tend to end up scattered across cabinets, while spices are crammed in — forcing you to rummage through every container just to find what you need. Thankfully, home renovation pro and HGTV star Mike Holmes has shared a few cabinet accessories he swears by for optimal storage in a tight space. In his Make It Right newsletter, Holmes says that it all comes down to how you manage your cabinets. With the right upgrades, you can expand your storage, eliminate clutter, and keep your kitchen looking polished and put-together.

Among the many ways to maximize storage in a tiny kitchen, Holmes recommends a pull-out pantry cabinet. In particular, he favors Milmonde, a company that offers custom cabinets designed to hold non-perishable food items in a variety of materials. However, if a custom option isn't in the budget, retailers like Amazon, Wayfair and IKEA also offer ready-made versions, with some priced just under $200. Can't fit an additional cabinet into your kitchen? You can also install pull-out drawers inside the cabinets you already have. These come in low and wide options for horizontal cabinets, as well as slim and tall styles designed for narrow vertical spaces — yes, even that commonly overlooked gap between the fridge and the wall.

In addition to adding a pantry cabinet with pull-out drawers, Holmes also recommends incorporating a corner carousel cabinet into your kitchen. You can achieve this with either a custom option or a pre-constructed cabinet unit like IKEA's SEKTION cabinet. The carousel feature keeps the under-the-cabinet items like small pots and pans, baking ingredients, or smaller dishes, neatly organized across multiple rotating shelves. No more tossing Tupperware or cookware into the back of a cabinet never to be seen again.

If you're already past the pre-construction phase and can't make any more modifications to your home, don't want to remodel, or if you're living in a space with a small kitchen in need of maximization, you can still reap the benefits of carousel cabinets. Just install kidney-shaped Lazy Susan shelving in your existing corner cabinets. Another space-saving alternative is wall-mounted turntable organizer shelves that can fit perfectly into the corner where L-shape kitchen walls meet. 

Holmes also recommends other cabinet organizers to improve storage, such as utilizing a slim pull-out spice rack when organizing your kitchen. Not only does it make your spices easier to access it also maximizes space that is often ignored — like tall narrow cabinets or the small gap at the end of a cabinet run. With cabinet organization still in mind, vertical dividers for baking sheets and trays are another one of Holmes' go-to accessories for optimal kitchen storage.

One kitchen cabinet hack that many might not consider, but that ranks high on Homes' list for optimizing kitchen storage, is under-the-cabinet lighting. When you can clearly see the space you're working with, food preparation is easier. Plus, it also enhances the room's appearance. Better lighting can help you organize more effectively while keeping countertops spotless and tidy. Consider adding small spotlights or warm LED strips beneath your cabinets, or even inside them, to boost your kitchen's functionality.

Speaking of efficiency, Homes' also suggests a multi-bin garbage cabinet. Small kitchens often lack room for a full-size trash can, but repurposing cabinet space for waste bins can free up floor space and have your kitchen looking more polished. You can either swap out an existing cabinet for one with built-in tilt-out trash bins or purchase a standalone unit with bins, shelves, and drawers — adding even more storage. This can be placed wherever it fits best, perhaps in the dining area or laundry room. Now, the only thing left to decide is which accessory you'll install first.