Lazy Susan Kitchen Cabinet Organization: Tips & Tricks (On the cheap!!)

  I have been an organizing machine lately.  Probably because we’ve lived in our new house a year as of this December.  When we moved last year it was a week before Christmas and we were rushed to get in and settled.

The plus side?  We were set up for Christmas – this was important to us since the girlies were old enough to really celebrate Christmas.

The downside?  Stuff got stuck EVERYWHERE!  We put stuff where we thought it made sense without living here first (or to just plain get it out of the way:) and there it stayed.  Life got busy, other things took priority, etc.

One storage area that has really been getting to me – the Lazy Susans in our kitchen.  I really HATE Lazy Susans for food storage – or so I thought.  Things always falling, boxes not fitting, etc.  I did some quick searches for organization ideas and stumbled on this post.  An AH HA moment – add bins and move food out!!

Bottom Counter Lazy Susan

For the bottom Lazy Susan I repurposed two Sterlite bins.  One for pasta, the other for kitchen utensils – obviously only utensils that are kid-friendly since my kids and the daycare kids have been known to push it around:)  I also relocated some of my Corning Ware, a salad spinner, and a lettuce keeper.  All of these things work well here whereas they had not fit extremely well in their past locations.  Total cost = $0.

Upper Cabinet Lazy Susan

For the upper cabinet it didn’t make sense to relocate all of the food – we simply don’t have the space elsewhere in the kitchen.  I opted instead to purchase 6 bins from the dollar store and added some labels.  The labels were made using leftover scrapbook paper, my printer, and my laminator.  {fFirst, I’m kind of obsessed with laminating.  Second, the labels can be wiped off – always a plus in the kitchen I think!}

The labels that made sense to me (at least for now):  Dried Fruit, Sweets, Quick Snacks, Beans & Legumes, Coffee, Salad Stuff.

Total cost = $7…$6 ($1/bin) + labels ($1 at most, I’d say free since I had everything already)

Tips & Tricks:

1. Use bins – you lose some storage space but the ease completely makes up for it in my opinion.  Just make sure the bins fit without having to be placed too carefully – otherwise they’d turn into a hassle.
2. Relocate boxes to other spaces if possible.  Rectangles in a circle?  Simply frustrating!
3. Label upper bins – simple or otherwise – to make grabbing what you need easier.
4. Consider relocating kitchen appliances, utensils, etc. into these spaces.
5. DON’T stack cans, jars, etc. in your Lazy Susan.  It just doesn’t work!

Its so nice to open these now and not have it jammed full or get stuck because something has fallen off.

Any other tips you have for Lazy Susan organization?  I’m always up for re-reorganizing:)

Blue Skies and Blessings,

Lindsey

This project will be linked up to some (or all:) of these LINK PARTIES:

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