When my mother-in-law gifted us a Bogg Bag a few years ago, I never imagined that my partner and I would become so accustomed to bringing it back to her. We don’t do it merely to show appreciation; rather, it’s a necessity for carrying all the discount grocery items she bought back to our apartment. But what surprises me most when she starts to offload her pantry into the bag (most recently including Wel-Pac lo mein noodles and Domino powdered sugar) is how orderly her kitchen storage space is.
Regardless of how many spice jars, bags of grains, or cartons of stock she has on her shelves, her cabinets remain tidy for everyday use. On my last visit, I spotted some kitchen cabinet organization tactics she employs around her Keurig coffee maker and the clever cutting board organizer that frees up her deep cabinets for pots and pans. Here are five tools you can grab to maintain an orderly kitchen like Wanda’s, and they start at only $10.
Best Mother-in-Law Kitchen Cabinet Organizers
Yan & Hin 3-Tier Expandable Spice Rack, Set of 2, $22
Amazon Basics Stackable Metal Kitchen Storage Shelves, Set of 2, $19
Generic Cutting Board Organizer, $10
Anchor Hocking 64-Ounce Montana Glass Jars, Set of 2, $31, originally $36
Landneoo Larger Compartment Stackable Water Bottle Organizer, $16, originally $20
Yan & Hin 3-Tier Expandable Spice Rack, Set of 2
Amazon
Various types of spice racks exist, but each effectively saves time during cooking. Wanda places her more frequently used spices like garlic, onion, and herbs at the front, whereas the less-frequented allspice, nutmeg, and marjoram rest in the top-back. This Yan & Hin tiered spice rack expands to fit most cabinets and helps you see all your spices, so you don’t have to rifle past the paprika every time you cook.
Amazon Basics Stackable Metal Kitchen Storage Shelves, Set of 2
Amazon
If your pantry or cabinet spaces are particularly tall, these shelves double or triple vertical storage capacity. They also allow you to place more items towards the front for ease of access. This set of two metal racks can handle any pantry item, from tiny spice jars to large OXO Pop containers, and each rack comes in at under $10 apiece.
Best Choice Products Woven Pantry Baskets, Set of 4
Amazon
Not only are woven baskets an expert-approved potato storage device, but they’re also accessible catchall containers. Kept in the cabinet or pantry, these baskets are simple to pull out for grabbing sauce jars, grains, pasta, snacks… The list goes on! This set of four also offers chalkboard labels that are endlessly customizable and make ingredients easy to find.
Anchor Hocking 64-Ounce Montana Glass Jars, Set of 2
Amazon
Wanda uses large glass jars to stylishly confine K-Cup pods to one spot, rather than filling the coffee station with boxes of everyone’s preferred grounds. Made of thick, dishwasher-safe glass, these can be used for pods, fresh coffee grounds, sugar, flour, or anything else needing airtight storage.
Generic Cutting Board Organizer
Amazon
My mother-in-law keeps her acacia cutting board, cooling rack, and rimless sheet pans on the countertop, but this doesn’t cause much clutter thanks to this clever organizer, which lets her store these items on their sides. Doing so empties up space in the cabinets for pots, pans, and small appliances that aren’t used as frequently. And if you have the cabinet space, the organizer works just as well at keeping things organized there, too, as long as your boards and trays are an inch wide or narrower.
Dining and Cooking