The Sneaky Spot To Store Canned Goods And Free Up Kitchen Cabinet Space

Short on cabinet space? Free up some square footage by storing your canned goods in deep drawers instead of stacking them inside kitchen cupboards. This sneaky spot is easy to access, deep enough to accommodate larger-sized cans, and sturdy enough to support the weight of canned pantry staples like tomatoes and tuna fish.

Deep kitchen drawers are ideal for storing pots and pans because you can pull them out to access cookware easily; everything is on show at once and smaller items aren't hidden behind taller ones. This feature also makes them a convenient solution for storing canned goods in accessible rows that are easy to grab and bear zero risk of toppling over.

The key to storing your cans in deep drawers is to label them before putting them away. Simply use a permanent marker to write the contents of each tin on the lid and place them in the drawer in an upright fashion so the label is visible. The drawers' height will easily accommodate the cans and you can arrange them in neat rows across the base to make the most of the space. Better yet, because you've named the top of each can and won't need to see the original label wrapped around its circumference, you can pack them tightly together by type. Creating a designated spot for your permanent marker inside the drawer will make it easier to label your cans before storing them.

Storing your cans in deep drawers is a great space saver but it's also useful for using up your tinned tomatoes, tuna fish, soups, and more before they expire. Firstly, you'll always know what's in the drawers in a single glance. And secondly, much like the stock rotation technique employed by supermarkets (where newer items are stored behind those with a longer expiration date), you can arrange your cans in order so you always use up the ones with a shorter shelf life first. This guarantees that you'll never have old, forgotten cans in your drawers that have started leaking or begun to bulge because they've surpassed their expiration date.

If your deep kitchen drawers are already brimming with sets of crockery and pans and you're low on space in the cupboards, you can also store your canned goods on the back of cabinet doors. This otherwise redundant space can be transformed into a useful storage spot with an over-the-door rack that features shelving for tinned items. A full-sized pantry door is ideal because it provides an abundance of extra space to store cans — however, this solution works on smaller cabinets, too. You can even use a small shoe organizer made of fabric instead of a metal rack.