The Tiny Kitchen Tweak That Changed Everything

Have you ever had a cabinet that just didn’t work? You open the doors, stare at the chaos inside, and think, "Why is this so frustrating?" That was me—every day—with my kitchen island.

It had one big open cabinet with a single shelf dividing it in half. Sounds fine in theory, but in practice? It made storing anything a challenge. Cutting boards, frying pans, placemats, entertaining dishes—nothing quite fit the way I wanted it to.

Then one day, I had a realization: What if I just moved the shelf?

So I did. I raised the shelf higher, creating a slim space for my frying pans and placemats. Below, I suddenly had this glorious vertical section where I could store cutting boards and baking sheets upright, like a file folder system. I added a few pot lid organizers to the inside of the door—and just like that, everything had a place.

It felt like magic.

Why Shelf Height Matters in Your Kitchen

Most cabinets come with adjustable shelves—but they’re rarely optimized out of the box. Often, they’re set at a middle-of-the-road height that’s not quite right for anything. But here's the thing: you can adjust them. And you should.

Ask yourself:

• Could you store your wine glasses more easily if the shelf was just a bit higher?

• Are your lowball glasses drowning in a space made for pitchers?

• Are water bottles toppling over because the shelf above them is just too low?

Reworking shelf heights can unlock smarter, more usable space—without buying a single organizer.

The Bottom Line

You don’t always need new containers or fancy gadgets to make your kitchen work better. Sometimes, the most powerful changes come from rethinking what you already have—and being willing to tweak it. A small shift in shelf height might be all it takes to create a space that feels easier, calmer, and more you.

If you're feeling stuck and want some guidance, I'm here to help!

Together, we can make your space work smarter—not harder.