Seven tips for organising drawers and cupboards

If you’re anything like us, you’ve recently progressed to some of the indoor jobs you’ve been putting off for years such as clearing out cupboards. It’s a job that can be really daunting, but is very satisfying once it’s done! Once you’ve sorted through everything and got rid of anything you don’t want to cram back into the cupboard, then you might find these storage tips useful to stop those spaces filling up with junk again.

Hang scarves and necklaces inside a wardrobe or cupboard door – you’ll be able to see at a glance what you’ve got.

Create extra space

If you have a wardrobe with a solid door, then you can either stick some little sticky-back hooks on the inside (Command by 3M do some that are easily removable and won’t leave a mess), or, if you don’t mind making holes, stretch a piece of string horizontally on the inside of the door very tightly between two drawing pins. You can then use this to hang scarves and necklaces, which is brilliant for finding things in a hurry.

This little hamper, £20, is ideal for organising smaller items such as tights. Image: Maine Furniture

Baskets

We love baskets for storage – not only do they look nice, but they help stop stuff overflowing. Square baskets are more space-efficient, and you can even get them with lids so that you can stack them. This Key Largo rattan tea storage box is designed to hold tea bags, but the individual compartments would work well for jewellery or tights. £20, available from Main Furniture.

Plastic boxes are practical and stackable, taking up little space in cupboards. This set costs £1.99. Image: ProCook.

Plastic boxes

Not just for the fridge or food storage, these are brilliant for craft supplies, stationery and capturing all those little bits and bobs that end up contributing to the primeval soup at the bottom of a cupboard, such as old keys, erasers, pencil stubs and paperclips. We like this neat little stackable set by ProCook, £1.99 for four.

These hooks are a decoration in their own right and cost £12.50. Image: live laugh love

Hooks

Hooks are fantastic for creating extra hanging space. Put them on the backs of doors, on walls or inside cupboards to hold everything from cleaning tools to coats. We like these coastal-inspired driftwood hooks, which would make a hallway feature in their own right. £12.50, available from live laugh love.

Accessibility

If you’re storing lots of small items (such as tins of craft paint, or spice jars in a kitchen cupboard), then there are various purpose-made gadgets about to help you store as efficiently as possible while still being able to see what you’ve got. A rotating turntable (what’s called a ‘lazy Susan’ in America) means you can stack small items and turn the plate to see what’s on it. This one from iDesign consists of a single plate measuring around 35cm in diameter, and costs £20.99 from Amazon. Alternatively, you could use a rack, such as this three-tiered one by mDesign which costs £17.59 from Amazon. Both of these options are also great for storing cleaning supplies or toiletries in bathrooms.

A neat notice board helps keep surfaces free of scraps of paper and coupons. This one costs £32 and comes in various different designs. Image: Sophie Allport

Notice boards

Put up a notice board on the back of a pantry door or sturdy cupboard door, and fill it with all those little bits of paper that you might need one day. We like this runner duck design, £32 from Sophie Allport, or make your own with cork tiles.

Make a shoe shelf

If your wardrobe is sturdy enough, make a DIY shoe shelf from a plank and a couple of small shelf brackets. Position it towards the back a few inches from the floor, and it will give you an extra storage space for shoes and handbags.

Need help organising your kitchen cupboards or drawers? Check out this helpful post for ideas and inspiration.

Images: (c) Pixabay except where otherwise credited

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