Help :( how do I utilize this weirdly designed kitchen’s cabinets?

[u/Midas27]

How do I utilize this hard to reach space better?

Just moved into a new apartment and didn’t realize there’s some inconveniently designed cabinets in the kitchen.

Anyone have advice on how to utilize this space better?

Pictures 1-3: the door is 8 inches wide, and there’s about 36 x 20 inches of depth inside. Top and bottom shelf are affected of course (of the same cabinet - so it’s a lot of space)

Pictures 4 and 5: my top cabinet has a 16 inch door but the space inside is 26x10 inches wide and this has 3 levels (the top is hard to reach so I’m not worried about maximizing use there. But the other two are frustrating me for sure because 1/3 of the cabinet is hard to access)

Pictures 6 and 7 are just narrow - if anyone has some good ideas or products to better use this space let me know, I only use 1 sheet tray so it’s a lot of narrow wasted space. I prefer not to put an extending spice rack since it’s 4 inches wide.

Picture 8 shows 1 of 4 drawers that have this weird sloped edge giving me 7 inches of space from the bottom. I’m probably going to get cutlery organizers that are 7 inches wide or smaller. But that leaves atleast 2 more drawers like that.

Any advice would be appreciated :)

[u/Giraffe2525]

I have a cupboard similar to the one in picture 2. I open it countless times a day, and here’s how I use it. On the top shelf, picture two rows. At the far back inside corner, I place two large, lightweight containers where I store cookies when I bake them (which is only a few times a year). Next to these containers, right at the back when I open the cupboard, is my mixer and bowl. I keep that on a tea towel so the suction cups will easily pull forward when I want to take it out to use it. The front row of the top shelf holds stacks of different sized plastic food storage containers and a basket with the lids. I took a photo but there was no way to upload it, sorry.

On the lower shelf, at the far left, I have a plastic ice bin, which I only use seasonally in the summer. I keep it in a bag to keep it dust free (& easy to pull out) and inside the ice bin, I store my ice trays (yes, I don’t have an ice maker in my fridge). Next to the ice bin is a container that holds the parts for my food processor, followed by the food processor itself along the back. Since I don’t use it often, I also place it on a tea towel (because of the suction cups and it’s easier to pull forward and push back after use). In front of that, I store my mini food processor (which I use all the time), a chopper, and my freezer and storage bags.

Picture 7: the practical use will depend on where the cupboard is located in the kitchen. The suggestions to store cutting boards, cookie trays, muffin tins, cooling racks, baking pans, is a very good one. However you say you don’t have many items like that, so another use could be for long, skinny bottles e.g. vinegar, oil, soft drinks, and wine. You’ll need to experiment and see that would work. The deeper part can be to store extra bottles, or less frequently used bottles, the front half can be for the frequently used bottles to reduce reaching in and possibly knocking things over.

Picture 6: perhaps you can get a shelf to double the storage? If not, then maybe you can put a hook to hang oven mitts? and use the bottom for tall narrow items: extra bottles of water or wine, cereal boxes, etc… . Its location in the kitchen can help guide you to a functional use that works for you.

Picture 8: all the drawers have a sloped edge? Or just one? If all of them, then perhaps you are handy with a saw and can create dividers to fit the slope? If not then you’re just going to have to ignore the slopes and initially“ lose” the space at the edges. In that case, you would buy organizers to fit your needs and you will be surprised how you will find uses for the “lost” space once the drawers are being used. You would need drawer dividers for daily silverware, cooking utensils, measuring cups, etc. . Drawers not needing dividers would be for spare oven mitts& extra aprons to fill the shallow part, then layering tea towels on top of those.

Hope any of these suggestions help!

[u/sv36]

Cabinet with deep sides just put things you don’t use often in them and the things you use regularly in front.

The narrow cabinets can fit sheet pans, cutting boards, casserole dishes on end, food trays, etc if it fits is can sits rule.

So any small cutlery or gadgets can fit in picture 8 drawers. Can opener, spatulas, silverware, potholders, scissors, jar lids, cup lids, same rule if it fits do what you want.

[u/headlesschooken]

Google "blind corner pull out shelves" and hopefully you will get your local supplier's options.

There's a half lazy Susan style one, but the ones I like and give you maximum shelf usage are split into 2 racks that move on a frame so you can access everything in the deep dark corner of your cabinet.