35 Small-Kitchen Organizers That Make the Most of Tight Quarters

Shelf risers for spices

The Container Store’s Expand-A-Shelf is the best option we’ve found for keeping spices consolidated and easy to access. The plastic shelf expands from 14 to 27 inches, so it will fit the width of most cupboards. One drawback is that you may not be able to read the labels on spice jars that are placed on the back two tiers. Julia Child remedied this issue by labeling the top of each jar with the first letter of the spice’s name and then organized them alphabetically.

Strong magnetic spice shelves

The Hoopoton Store Magnetic Spice Rack comes in two to a pack, and each rack can hold two rows of standard spice jars (so eight jars per rack). They attach to magnetic surfaces, such as the often-unused area on the side of a fridge. We like that the lip extends around the entire perimeter of each shelf, to keep dust from a peppermill contained; some models, including the Yamazaki Home version we tested, have a lip on the front only).

The magnets on the back are impressively strong, too. If your fridge isn’t magnetic, consider applying magnetic sheets with adhesive backing.

One flaw: When the shelves arrived, the metal arms were bent slightly downward, but they were easy to bend back into shape.

A great lazy Susan

Nearly all of the professional organizers we spoke with recommended using a lazy Susan. Faith Roberson said, “To me, they’re better than any riser or bin or basket because you can actually see everything as you’re twirling.” We like the OXO Not So Lazy Susan Turntable, which comes in 11- and 16-inch sizes and has grips on the bottom to keep it from sliding around. The smaller size is better for pantry shelves or corner nooks on a counter, while the larger option is ideal for deep cupboards or the fridge.

A tip: To ensure everything stays visible, place taller items, such as bottles of oil and vinegar, in the center of the turntable, and then place shorter items, such as spice jars, around the perimeter.

We also like the YouCopia FridgeView Fridge Turntable with Mat, which has taller sides to keep tall items contained. However, it only comes in one (10⅞-inch) diameter size.

A rolling cart for pantry storage

If you’re short on cupboard space, or you just need more room to store pantry items, we suggest the IKEA Råskog car (we also recommend it in our guide to small-bathroom organization). Its three 13-by-17-inch trays provide plenty of space to store a surprising number of items. This cart is very sturdy, and it has large casters that won’t jam up, unlike those on most other rolling carts we tested.

The bottom shelf fits bottles or jars up to 11 inches high, and the middle shelf can accommodate slightly shorter bottles. The sides are high enough to keep bottles from toppling over the edge. If you plan to store spices or other small jars on the upper shelf, it’s helpful to label them on top, since the cart’s sides may obscure the labels.

It took about 15 minutes to assemble the Råskog cart, which comes in several colors.

A couple of produce baskets

The CAXXA 3-Tier Hanging Fruit Basket provides an attractive way to store produce while keeping it off of your kitchen counter. It hangs evenly, and the small clips allow you to adjust the height of the tiers. The spacious baskets hold more produce than many other, shallower hanging baskets, and their rounded shape puts less pressure on delicate fruits and vegetables.

Note: If you have a high kitchen ceiling, you can buy a length of chain at your local hardware store and lower the basket to your desired height. You could also mount the fruit basket to the bottom of a high shelf, assuming it’s free of any obstructions below.

If you don’t have space for a hanging produce basket, the Mefirt Stackable Wall Mounted Fruit Baskets may be a better solution. These 12-by-7¾-by-8½-inch baskets snap together easily, and they can be mounted on a wall or stacked on a counter (screws and wall anchors are included). The baskets also come with four plastic hooks, for hanging utensils or a small bag of produce.

Thin plastic inserts line the base of the baskets, to help prevent delicate produce from bruising on the wires. The faux-wood tops are made of plastic laminate, so they’re easy to wipe down if they get coated in cooking grease. These baskets are also sold in white and yellow, though sizes vary.

Clever countertop storage options

If you already store a small toaster oven on your countertop, consider getting the Yamazaki Home Countertop Drawer with Pull-Out Shelf for additional storage. Small appliances eat up valuable countertop real estate, but you can place them on top of this storage unit (which measures 17¼ by 15½ by 5¼ inches). This drawer has space for utensils and a shelf to hold plates or quarter-sheet pans when you’re preparing food (the tray measures 17½ by 10¾ inches when fully extended).

It’s also an excellent storage option for coffee and tea supplies, with a coffee maker or electric kettle placed on top (depending on how low your upper cupboards extend).

Storing olive oil and vinegar bottles on your counter hogs lots of space, and they can become coated in cooking grease splatters. Placing them inside the Yamazaki Home Sliding Drawer Seasoning Rack keeps them concealed and tidier, so they’re less of an eyesore.

This narrow drawer (which measures 19¾ by 5 by 14½ inches) also has a storage shelf on top, which is useful for smaller items like spice jars. Since this unit is metal, you can even attach magnetic shelves to the side to add more storage space.