8 space-wasting items professional organizers never keep in their kitchen cabinets – plus what to swap in or move for improved efficiency

The kitchen is typically the most hardworking room of any house, and what you store in the cabinets will dictate how well you are able to use these vital spaces.

To make the most of your kitchen cabinets, our professional organizers reveal eight items they never keep here, and explain what you should get rid of, swap or move elsewhere – and why when decluttering your kitchen.

1. Pantry staples in packaging

First on the proverbial chopping block is getting rid of bulky product package such as cereal boxes.

Cara Palmer, organization and decluttering expert, founder OrganizeEveryRoom.com explains, 'Cereal, pasta, rice, and snacks should be decanted into airtight containers. This preserves freshness and creates a uniform height that maximizes vertical space and makes items easier to locate.

OXO Good Grips POP containers, from Amazon, are perfect for this. Their airtight seal and modular design let you customize your storage setup.'

Changing these up also means you can stack containers, which again will save space and keep this particular cabinet a lot more streamlined.

2. Cleaning materials

Cleaning products should be kept under the sink or near their point of use, and not in vital kitchen cabinets. Learning how to store cleaning supplies will help to maximize their efficiency, especially if eco friendly.

'While under-sink storage is perfect for everyday kitchen cleaners, additional cleaning supplies used throughout the house should be stored near where they're used,' agrees Cara. 'For under-sink organization, the Kitstorack Under Sink Organizer 2-Tier system, from Amazon, makes excellent use of vertical space while keeping cleaning supplies easily accessible.'

This storage system will transform your under the sink space to make use of vertical room.

3. Occasional dinner and glassware

Those special sets your received when you got married, or heirloom cutlery that's been passed down needs to be kept somewhere more appropriate than high traffic kitchen cabinets.

'Even if you have never opened the place settings, wedding china should not be stored in your kitchen cabinets,' says Courtney Cummings, owner at The Stylish Organizer.

So where should we keep these gems? 'Find a great place in your dining room to display your favorite pieces, or make room in your basement to store these items,' suggests Courtney. 'Fine crystal is delicate and also warrants a showcase moment. Pick your favorite 4-6 glasses and find a shelf outside of the kitchen to display these pieces. Lastly, if you don’t use your china or crystal, find a friend, family member, or charity that will take them off your hands.'

Check out our three tablescaping storage ideas below that will move these pieces out of your kitchen cabinets.

4. Bulk baking goods

For similar reasons to cereal and dried goods, baking items in packaging can take up more space than they need to. If you buy baking goods in bulk, don't clog up your kitchen cabinets with things you won't use every day.

'Large bags of flour, sugar, and other baking staples should be decanted into stackable containers with wide mouths for easy scooping,' says Cara.

If you can, keep them in a pantry, Cara recommends this fabulous set below, 'It's specifically designed for baking ingredients and has helpful features like built-in flour levellers.'

Just make sure the storage is air tight to keep your pantry pest proof.

5. Rarely used appliances

Whether it's the hand whisk, the bread or smoothie maker, these often-bulky appliances can easily accumulate in the back of your kitchen cabinets, and before you know it, you've unwittingly ignored ideal appliance placement rules for a harmonious kitchen.

'These tend to take up a lot of room in kitchen cabinets,' says Heather Aiello, CEO & founder of The Organized You. 'I suggest the ones that are used daily can stay in either a cabinet or the corner lazy Susan. The appliances that are used infrequently should be stored elsewhere.'

Move lesser-used appliances to a top or lower shelf of a pantry.

Courtney adds, 'How often do you really use that ice cream maker? What about your food processor? And the stand mixer?If it isn’t in your daily or weekly rotation, find a spot in your pantry or utility closet for these small appliances.'

Lazy Susan's as Heather suggests are a great option, but do have a declutter first and if you haven't used your appliances for six months it might be time to give it away. We like the 10" Lazy Susan turntable from Target that's non-slip and has great reviews.

6. Paper goods and paperwork

This may seem an obscure one, but we can quickly acquire things that clutter up our kitchen cabinets. 'Paper Towels and other paper goods also take up a lot of space. If you are storing these in your kitchen cabinets, consider relocating them to another area to free up space for your daily items,' advises Heather. 'These tend to be bulky items, and you don’t need all your back stock in the kitchen. You can keep an extra roll of paper towels under the sink but everything else can be relocated.'

Courtney adds, 'Stacks of paper don’t belong in kitchen cabinets either. We do a lot of work in our kitchens, but paperwork shouldn’t be one of them. Designate a home for mail, papers, and bills. Create a system that make sense for your home, but don’t allow stacks of paper to take over your kitchen cabinets. A home office or entryway closet is a better option for these things.'

Learn how to organize your paperwork to stop it creeping into cooking and dining areas.

Whilst buying in bulk is cost effective, Cara suggests only keeping the current package in the kitchen, 'The Amazon Basics three shelf adjustable heavy duty steel wire rack provides sturdy, adjustable storage for bulk items,' she says. Keep shelving like this in your basement or garage.

7. Items that are old

One of the main reasons our kitchen cabinets become and stay cluttered is because we hold on to things for too long.

Audra N George, owner and professional organizer and owner of Pretty Neat: An Organization Solution says, 'There are two key items that you shouldn't keep in your kitchen cabinets – expired items or items that you do not use anymore and old, workout bakeware.'

Every six months go through your kitchen cabinets and check the dates on your food items, then give your bakeware a thorough look over, if you use non-stick and it's scratched it needs to be replaced as the coating is compromised.

8. Things that change with temperature

Kitchen cabinets that get the sun, or those next to the cooker can be known to get a little warm, which risks spoiling or reducing the efficacy and flavor of various kitchen items stored in them.

Courtney explains, 'Don’t store items sensitive to change in temperature. Things like candles, certain spices, and oils are susceptible to temperature changes. Heat accelerates the oxidation process in oils, causing them to lose their qualities and become rancid.'

We've all seen bendy candles melt if near a heat source, but more is at risk. 'Spices can lose their flavor if exposed to heat or constantly changing temperatures, keep items like this in a cool, dry place like a pantry,' suggest Courtney.

Meet our experts

Cara Palmer

Over the past decade, decluttering expert Cara has transformed her own life through strategic organization, managing a full-time career while renovating eight rental properties and creating a dream home with her husband. Known for her practical, family-friendly systems and real-life solutions, Cara specializes in eliminating overwhelm and helping others reclaim their time, energy, and homes.

Courtney Cummings

Before she dove into professional organizing, Courtney spent 16 years in the non-profit world as an event planner, program manager, and communications director. While she loved serving her community, she discovered her true passion: helping people find joy and serenity by creating beautifully organized spaces.

Heather Aiello

Heather has owned The Organized You for the last six years, previously she had sold her own company and decided to pursue her love of organizing and helping people to transform their lives. She is a member of the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO) and independent representative for The Container Store’s In Home Organizing Program which allows her to offer custom closet design to her clients.

Audra N George

Audra is owner and professional organizer at Pretty Neat: An Organization Solution in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a professional organizing company that serves the unorganized, the overwhelmed, and the busy family. Audra believe organization can truly impact every area of people’s lives.

As with most cupboards and cabinets that store things, we keep putting things in them without much thought, to the point where they become full of items that shouldn't be there.

Learn to make your maximize kitchen storage without having to invest in new cabinets by taking our experts advice on what should be kept elsewhere.